To: IMG Offices
From: Gateway Captain Walter Godwin - Director of Trade Operations
Subject: Most things as usual and an update.
Encryption Level: High
Good day IMG rep.
Just contacting you lads and lasses to verify a few things and also to extend Gateway's shipping services to you for anything we might legally acquire for you. As for the verification, It seems that I can't find any agreements on landing arrangements for Gateway ships and which bases you chaps would like us on. I hope that your operations, in Tau 23 and 37 especially, are still open to our ships for both import and export of goods. Let us know of any changes.
As to my extension of transport services, we are in active negotiations with ALG Waste Disposal to ship Nuclear Devices from their operations in Rheinland and among our possible destinations include your stationary battleship; the Hood. If this is something that IMG is interested in, and of course if the old battleship even still requires these devices, please provide a verification on this matter.
Lastly, I'd like to remind the IMG at our pilots are always available to move ore in bulk from your mining operations so you can continue to do what you chaps do best. Simply give our transports a comm directly or if you would prefer, we might set up a S.K.Y.P.E comm directly to Kensington in order to dispatch transports more efficiently. Ah yes and if you are unfamiliar with them, the Venator Private Security company is a wonderful addition to our repertoire for security, saving us additional pilots and resources, you might consider them for your escort needs.
Of course let us know of anything else we can do for our favorite mining friends.
Walter Godwin
Director of Trade Operations
Kensington Shipping Platform
Comm Channel: Standby
//Pardon any spelling mistakes, mobile devices...
**** Incoming transmission ****
From: Johnathan Sanders, IMG
To: Walter Godwin, Gateway Shipping
Subject: Update, Tau facilities access
Encryption: High
Greetings mr. Godwin,
It's been a while since our organizations last had a formal contact. I will forward your communique over to our trade director, 'though at present he is out of comms range. I however can tell you that the Tau bases will be a problem.
The terms of our neutrality in the conflict between Bretonia and Kusari state that we cannot allow Bretonian vessels, be they civilian or military, to use our Tau facilities. Although I doubt Kusari knows about our Falkland base yet, they maintain a presence near Java, and should Bretonian company vessels be spotted there, this would cause a diplomatic mess I'd rather avoid. You are however free to use an intermediary (perhaps Venator could fill this role for you?) if you are in direct need of refined Niobium, refined Beryllium ('though Cardiff would be an easier source for that material), or Niobium ore, but keep in mind that bringing these goods across the border is dangerous at best.
I'd also not mind discussing the possibility of setting up a small Beryllium mining operation in Cambridge, in the newly discovered field, which would require some closer cooperation between us - this field is out of range of the Cardiff cargo shuttles, so direct loading of transports would be the way to go.
We can however offer you free access to our operations in Dublin, Cambridge and in Omega 7, and will remind you that we're offering you a partner's discount on any bulk ore purchases. As for supplying Hood... a regular supply of Nuclear Devices is something we'd appreciate, to keep the smelter going that was installed on the engineering deck, to replace the destroyed main drive assembly. It may not be as big as the Graves smelter but I reckon it's about 35% more efficient. I am not sure if Gateway is licensed to run small-arms throughout Bretonia, but given the state of Dublin, I'd also appreciate one shipment of Small Arms to Hood, and one to South shields, to restock the local security detachments. If you can get your hands on them - try and have as many as these be automated sentry guns.
On a lower priority note... We have a surplus of Hydrocarbons piling up at South Shields. Prior to the Tau conflict these were shipped towards Nago and Tsushima, but for obvious reasons that has ceased. Perhaps you can find a destination for those through regular in-house shipping? Given availability, you're not likely to find a lower price for this commodity in Sirius - these hydrocarbons are a byproduct of the refining activities, and the Guild has no purpose for them.
Feel free to contact me about any of these on the S.K.Y.P.E. channels, look for callsign "AeternusDoleo".
**** Transmission Closed ****
To: IMG Offices
From: Gateway DTO Walter Godwin
Subject: Equipment Exchange
Encryption Level: High
Greetings again Johnathan Sanders,
I wanted to congratulate and thank you for your recent support of our company and use of us for ore shipment. The discounted pricings have been very lucrative for us and I hope for your organization as well with the increased product movement.
Now, to reach a rather contentious topic, I wanted to get a read on how IMG feels about technology usage by Gateway. If there is some previous arrangement that I've yet to be informed of, other than IMG's technology request centre, do tell. For now though, I myself have been flying for some time a formerly IMG exclusive Charon fighter. If all of these ships fly this well, a small wing of them would be of great value to Gateway Interstellar's security. I assume it will be acceptable that we simply pick these Charons up from Freeport 4 or somewhere similar?
As to our transport capacity, it is quite clear that Gateway's use of Bretonian transports is ample enough for most of our needs, but if the desire presented itself, would there be any possibility of an official exchange of sorts; Bretonian Shires or Shetlands for your Atlas transports?
Lastly, I will address it because it may come up at some point... IMG has it's own weaponry which seem adequate enough even to fight off the sturdy Outcast fighters. Though we have nothing of equal substance, we might be able to put in for usage of other Bretonian technology, which through our support you'll gain much easier.
As you mentioned earlier, this may cause unwanted diplomatic problems so I am merely mentioning it as a viable option for you. Please feel free to decline or discuss any and every part of what I've said. That being said, I believe it is best to put everything we can on the table and out in the open, open dialog is important for allies in any situation. It's also important that we give our pilots, as well as yours, the best opportunities to succeed. I await your response to any of these inquiries via this comm.
Walter Godwin
Director of Trade Operations
Kensington Shipping Platform
Comm Channel: Standby
**** Incoming transmission ****
From: Johnathan Sanders, IMG
To: Walter Godwin, Gateway Shipping
Subject: Re: Update, Tau facilities access
Encryption: High
Truthfully, the rekindled supply line is welcome to us as well. The Tau mining operations often report a shortage of cargo vessels - the Kusari corporations don't seem too interested in buying large volumes of ore, preferring mostly the refined material. Our own shippers that try to go through Kusari space often fall under attack there - which has caused many transport captains to simply give up on that route. And with the latest disturbing reports of open conflict in the Sigmas, that route might be cut entirely.
As for your request for the Charon: This vessel has been released to the civilian markets - it's open to anyone who can finance the construction costs. You can use as many as your security forces require. Freeport 4 would likely be the best place for you to acquire them.
On the Atlas class transport: Might I ask what benefit you see in this vessel over the heavily armed and armored, but equal cargo hold sized Shire? I've never quite understood the appeal of this vessel over some of the house supertransports - it's designed to ferry large loads a short distance, from mining ground to trading port, so our heavy miners can stay out in the field. For long range ore transportation, I reckon other vessels (such as the Titanic class tanker) are more effective. Still, I don't see an issue with you using our transport class vessels. They are, after all, for civilian use. Simply request the vessels in question on the technology request channel, and pay mind to the restrictions we are placing on their use. I imagine Aland would be the easiest place for you to acquire these vessels.
Being offered the use of the Shire is welcome - it's a transport that will shrug off quite some punishment. But it presents a problem when their route is through Kusari space.
As for a weapons exchange... that will be problematic on several levels. Bretonian vessels might be forced to defend themselves against Kusari raiders - if doing so with our weapons, that could come back to us. Likewise, IMG vessels outfitted with Bretonian weaponry operating in Tau space could anger the Kusari - something we do not need. While I personally would welcome some more heavy-hitting weapons to complement our own highly energy efficient tachyon cannons, the fact that we are spread all over Sirius means we are limited in what we can use, without stepping on anyone's toes.
Regards,
- Johnathan Sanders
**** Transmission Closed ****