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Crete'€™s satellite is a desolate land. Scorched by the star'€™s radiation, craters left after asteroid impacts and signs of nuclear detonations on and under the surface. The white dunes distorted by footsteps of millions of ground troops and military vehicles - if there was a place in Sirius, where death was more present than on Crete herself, it was her smaller, tortured sister - Kalhmera.

The satellite has been a nuke-test-site-slash-marine-training-ground for over two centuries, and the Corsairs were always ready for war. Without an atmosphere, completely irradiated by the Gamma star, and at the same time with temperatures around -100 degrees Centigrade, it was the perfect imitation of a formerly inhabitable planet in a phase of a severe nuclear winter - the worst case victory scenario.

Despite all this, there are civilian Corsairs present on Kalhmera : Cretan scientists living near the poles, where the temperature fluctuations are not that extreme. They are stationed in huge underground cave complexes. A section of the northern pole complex - Coeus-4 - was temporarily evacuated on short notice, to provide a venue for a high-priority meeting between the Elders, Hogosha representatives and the Kusari Kempeitai.

Entering Gamma from Omichron Theta, Takata Ran of the Black Dragon Hogosha was followed closely by the Kempeitai, Dragons Tooth ship, within which their stalwart leader, Commander Yamakazi sat on the bridge, eagerly soaking up the vista that greeted him....Looking to the challenges ahead.

Takata followed instructions received from the Elders, slitting open the sealed envelope carefully saved for this moment..."I've opened my papers, we are to fly to Kalhmera, half way between Crete and the Omicron 91 Jumphole. We will be safe there, the Elders have provided me their assurances and I am told they have created a meeting space to suit our needs. Steady a course south east of Crete, we are to steer around the less active side of the planet to avoid unwanted attention. In no circumstances should you dock on Crete at this time please....There are sensitive issues at play."

"Form on my course.... Let's Go!"

Shortly afterwards....

"Commander Yamakazi, we are approaching Kalhmera... Please note, a Corsair escort is on our wing... it would be wise to ensure all weapons are deactivated at this time, we are in safe hands, prepare to land......"

At the landing pad, the crews of the two Kusari ships made after flight sequence checks and at Takata's command descended from their ships into the huge, otherwise deserted bay, heavy boots creating strange metallic echoes in the brightly lit cavern.

In the near distance several figures strode purposefully across the bay floor..."Takata San! Good to see you." Proclaimed Sovreign Espi...."Welcome to our Palace! Ha! We shall be safe here in our discussions, away from prying eyes!" The pair shook hands in the Corsair way.... a measure of respect to the host leader.

"Many thanks Espi, Good to see you, it's been too long..." The pair appraised each other briefly. Then, with curt nods, agreed to move on.

"Sovreign Espi, I would like to introduce you to Commander Yamakazi of the Kempeitai, he has worked hard to obtain this meeting over many months, and whilst I was initially reluctant to assist, he has eventually persuaded me of the potential gains to be had."

"Sovreign Espi" .. Yamakazi leaned forward and grasped Espi's hand in the same way Takata had..

"Commander...." Espi shrewdly eyed the Kusari. "Welcome to our ...accomodation. Shall we proceed to the meeting room I have prepared? Refreshments await." And indicating a side door... "Your pilots can find relaxation in the crew room over there."

.......In Cantine 12, Coffee was poured and the leaders now sat around the table in the centre of the stark bunker.

Takata opened the meeting..."Gentlemen, please allow me to summarize the situation as I understand it, we may then discuss and see if there any advantages to be had from mutual cooperation."

"Essentially it is this...and I will be quite candid. Kusari is at war with Bretonia and the Kempeitai have been assigned the task of attempting to negotiate a presence on a base in this locality from which to launch countermeasure attacks on Bretonia as well as intelligence gathering missions and cargo disruption to enemies of the Emperor.

In return for this, the Commander believes he can offer great benefits to the Corsairs and would like the opportunity to outline his plan...."

Takata paused. "Yours is the table gentlemen. I believe I have fulfilled my promise to bring you together....I will stay for the duration of your discussions but will join or leave the room as required, I have brought you together in good faith. Please respect that."

Commander Alexander Yamakazi performed a small nod towards Takata Ran as a silent show of appreciation for all the help he has been. Without the official approval of the Black Dragon Society, along with the personal introduction from their top figurehead, this meeting would have never happened. In fact, the Corsairs wouldn't have even listened to the first draft of the proposal. Yamakazi depended on Takata Ran, the Hogoshans in general, as much as they would depend on him in the future. He knew this, and would do anything to maintain a strong cooperation and healthy relationship with the Hogosha Community.

He also knew that the Kaigun Taishō of the Kusari Naval Forces didn't wish to know anything more about this Corsair deal. It was not about disliking it, or even attempting to stop it, it was about public relations. He cannot, for the sake of his official position know anything about this, even if he wanted to, as that would jeopardize the strong credibility he has earned in Kusari. Although Yamakazi suspected that the Emperor of Kusari would be more inclined to know about these dealings, of course, in a very confidential manner. He had no issue with this, he simply wanted to analyse the situation back home, before he proceeded to speak with the Corsair Elders.

Chair pushed back, Yamakazi stood up and rested his hands on the table that stood before him.

"Elders of the Corsairs, it is an honour to stand in front of you. But I understand, you are men who are praised on a daily basis, and so I shall get straight to business."

Yamakazi believed this would be the best way to express his respect, rather than drowning them with positive words and gestures, he would seem more like a beggar than a person who came with an offer.

"Now." He continued. "I'm lead to believe that the Outcasts are openly allying themselves with the Bretonian House. This conclusion is based on several observations that have been made over the past months. First of all, we have spotted on numerous occasions, Outcasts assisting Bretonian Armed Forces to tackle both criminal elements existing within Bretonia itself, and Kusari Naval Forces on the front-lines of Leeds."

He pauses for a second and then continues.

"But here is the part that raises suspicion. When the Outcasts are finished with attacking the opposing force, they ignore the present Bretonian Armed Forces. Not only are they assisting the Bretonians by attacking their enemies, but they aren't even attacking them either. Clearly, something is going on. I'm sure, at least one of the Corsair raiding parties, have told you the same story."

Yamakazi stopped to observe for a second the expressions of the men surrounding him, he could feel their attention directed at him, but they also seemed to yearn for Yamakazi to get to the point of the proposal.

"Cardamine Shipments being ignored, Outcasts protecting Bretonian interest when their own forces aren't even there, I can continue to list means of assistance. It's clear, they are allies. You, the Corsairs are not just against the Bretonians in their own territory, but Outcast Forces as well. Now combine this with other organizations that are against you in that area, and you will simply be overrun everytime you attempt to perform a strike. Although I'm sure the Corsair Warriors are skilled in the art of war, and I'm sure they have been victorious many times, it doesn't hurt to receive additional firepower.

Gentlemen. We, are that extra gun at your disposal."

Yamakazi took a few deep breaths before proceeding to the core of the proposal.

"You need us, more than ever, to perform successful attacks on Bretonian grounds. By allowing us to utilize your Asteroid Base located in the Omega-5 system, will you provide us with a base of operations position, that serves as the very backdoor of Bretonia. From this position will we conduct commercial raids against Bretonian interest, that will severely damage their war-efforts both against you, and the Kusari House. But we will also serve as a great threat towards systems that are largely unprotected against Kusari Forces; Cambridge, Omega-3 and the Southern Territories of the New London system.

Additionally, you can call for the Kempeitai's assistance against Bretonian Forces over secured channels. And we will come to your aid. You have nothing to lose on this deal, the only thing you will receive, is more damage being done to the Bretonian House and an extra gun, to help your own forces.

The Kempeitai have a special-force known as the Dragon's Tooth, I'm the Commander and field-chief of that force. Give me the approval, and I will send a wing of Kusari's best to aid your, and our cause, against a mutual foe."

And with those words, did Yamakazi finish his speech. He slowly returned to sit down on his comfortable chair.

Instead of greeting at the proverbial door, a job left to the oft-tactful Black Sail leader, Espi, Juan had opted to wait silently on the edge of the designated table. A quiet nod was all that was needed between him, as everyone was eager to get down to business.

A cross-armed Juan listened, smiling slightly when he heard about Omega 5. It seemed everyone knew about that base these days, and quite fortunate it was that Kusari were tying up all of the Bretonian Armed Forces. A concerted strike could probably take down Cadiz, already under pressure from the Red Hessians.

His brow quivered in annoyance at the mention of the Corsairs needing anything from the outside, but the belligerent response was reserved for those without the economic and military power to back up retaliatory action. In the end, it was probably a vocal misstep rather than a determined insult anyway, which made letting it slide easier. There wasn't a choice anyway, so easier was all that it could be.

"First of all, it is a pleasure to meet you, Commander Yamazaki. My name is Juan Montoya, and I currently speak for the Corsair Brotherhood.

To business, your offer of the best pilots to aid against a common foe is very generous, Commander. It goes without saying that we will provide the necessary supplies for your people during their stay. However, my primary concern for our base in Omega 5 is still the Red Hessians. The Bretonian Armed Forces have never had the capability to penetrate dense asteroid fields with a great amount of firepower, but the Red Hessians are another story. They are the ones who've always been at the gates, and given the strategic significance of Cadiz, could we expect the assistance of your men in defensive actions around Cadiz, regardless of the nature of the attackers as Bretonians? Obviously, attacking the Hessians would not be acceptable for you, but in order to use a facility, it must be defended.

I would also like to take this opportunity to suggest strengthened trade agreements between the Corsairs and the Empire of Kusari, should this first step in military cooperation be realised."

That was Juan's position, compressed in the interests of saving time. And it was a reasonable stance, he thought.

Yamakazi was getting the feeling that he might have asked for too much, since clearly, a request to use Cadiz Base wouldn't come with several counter-requests from the Corsairs' side. He had to act really careful now, as he knows that every action he commits can fall back on Kusari, and should that happen then he would be held responsible for any consequences those actions may bring.

He leaned forward a bit from his chair, signalling he was ready to speak once more.

"Elder Montoya, I understand the imminent threat Hessians possess on your doorstep, however, asking us to engage in combat with them can raise issues on two levels. The first one is that the Hessians will be made aware of our presence in the Omegas, and our direct cooperation with the Corsairs. The second issue is that we will waste resources and time on matters outside the scope of our operation, even though I greatly respect and understand this threat."

Yamakazi was aware he was treading on a fine line between honesty and rudeness.

"But." He continued. "We can consider assisting you against the Hessians from Cadiz Base if you accept two terms. One is that such request for assistance will only happen inside the Omega-5 system, and the assistance will stay within the same system. We will not take one step deeper into the Omegas, as that would be very close if not inside Rheinland territory. At which point our very presence can cause diplomatic problems on a house-to-house level. We simply cannot risk that.

The second term is that we will be allowed to spend the majority of our time and effort in the interest of our operations within Bretonia."

He paused for a second then began speaking again.

"If you agree to these two simple terms, then I can provide a window for assistance, but remember, our mutual benefit, our cooperation is based primarily on you providing us with a safe haven, and we aiding you against a common foe. The Hessians, are not one of them as they do not normally bother us."

He then shifted his attention to the last parts of Montoya's speech.

"As for the matter of extended economical and/or trade connections with Kusari, that is simply not my position to answer you. I'm merely a field-chief, a battle coordinator and commander, these political aspects with Kusari is best dealt with through the top governmental figureheads of Kusari. I suggest you use the Black Dragon Society as a medium to speak with them. However, if it would perhaps sway you to accept this Cadiz-deal, then perhaps I can use whatever influence I may posses, to mention this 'interest' of yours to the Kusari Emperor.

But I must state again, that I cannot make any promises of results. I hope you understand."

That went well, Juan thought. Neither of those conditions were preventative, and the first was even more than he was asking for; or perhaps, phrased badly, but hopefully not.

"Esteemed Commander, both of your terms are more than acceptable. I simply wanted to highlight the small risk of the Red Hessians advancing on that front, and how this would obviously be detrimental to our ability to provide you with a base in Omega 5. As this issue is clear, I don't think that there will be any problem with me lending my support to this endeavour.

Regarding my suggestion of economic cooperation between the Corsairs and the Empire of Kusari, of course I understand your position as a military rather than commercial leader. The good word you can put in for us is what we would like. After all, those with good reputations tend to stick together, and we would like to improve our reputation amongst men of importance, two of which are right here.

Of course, the decision about Cadiz is not mine alone. The Black Sails are the current custodians of Cadiz, quite a way away from our administered bases, one of which is a base in the southern, rather than central Omega region. You have my approval, though."

Everything was a risk, but Juan felt that Kusari, and those born within, were more trustworthy than most. This proved itself with the Hogosha, and hopefully it would prove itself again with their less public of organisations. Well, the other reasoning was, what did the Corsairs have to lose? The supplies for a squadron perhaps, which wasn't much when weighted against the possible, and positive, economic ramifications that obtaining the ear of the Emperor could bring about.

Yamakazi realized that the deal was about to be finalized, but with its completion new problems would arise. The question of resource managing would be the imminent issue.

"Elder Espi, your approval is met with great respect, and even more so the future issues you have addressed. As for the question of resources, we would gladly maintain a strong data-share of the locations on the transports we strike at during our commercial raidings. Not only would we harm the Bretonians, but we would boost your economy at the same time. That's a win-win situation.

However, the route from the Honshu system, via the Sigmas to the Omega-5, is with the approval of the Corsairs, an extremely safe route for Kusari-affiliated transports to utilize. The Kempeitai's cooperation with the Black Dragon Society can be used here as well. They could ship the necessary resources you request, which they would buy from the local Kusari markets. Operatives of my force could stand for the necessary escort job, and the organization as a whole could pay the Black Dragon Society for their assistance. A simple trade, that would benefit all three of us.

From these two main sources could we boost your resource intake and safeguard your material-needs. Now, hopefully, if that circle maintains operational our duration of stay in Cadiz will also remain for a longer period of time. Hopefully. But of course, if you ever wish us to temporarily relocate, we are prepared to do it. Our special-force are famous for being quick at adapting to the situation at hand, that is why only the best of Kusari have a chance to be part of the Dragon's Tooth.

An exact time is hard to determine, but we would like at least to utilize your base for a month. If the cooperation proves successful, for both you and our party, then we could possibly extended our invitation to Cadiz. Does this sound reasonable?"