Quote:You do understand that it is still wartime, with the frontiers between Gallia and the rest of Sirius being quite dangerous?

Quote:And if your passengers are truly Gallic nobility, their motives to visit Liberty would be of high importance for any further discussion.

Quote:Or is there truly a class of people in Sirius that believe they can fly around Liberty in some unmarked ships for amusement, while their own military is fighting against half of Sirius and is known for unscrupulous brutality and inhumane acts of wartime crime?

Yes, I indeed understand it is still wartime, I am no ill-informed peasant. Ill-advised, perhaps, but not ill-informed. And I'm pretty sure the nobles also understand the predicament Gallia has placed herself in with the rest of Sirius. But I do understand where you're coming from, Monsieur Fynn. Could there truly be a class of people in Sirius so callous and arrogant as to believe that they can just fly around their so-called-enemies' house, in some unmarked ships, for amusement, while their house's own military is fighting against half of Sirius?


And my answer to that question is yes... Yes, indeed. There is a class of people in Gallia who could've been, and could STILL be, wonderful vacationers and tourists for your most-likely wonderful house, delivering noteworthy boons and bringing in glorious revenue to your tourism industry. Had the Crown Monarch not acted so... grudgingly, we might've shared in each others' culture and exotic luxuries. Who knows? You could've visited one of my hotels in Planet Marseilles, enjoying a particularly-titillating massage from one of my workers, and I could've been dining in some posh steak in a 5-star hotel on Planet Manhattan.


Not all Gallics wish harm upon your house, Monsieur Fynn. Gallia is a large house, with countless people with their own opinions and beliefs. Please don't be so quick and easy to judge all of us Gauls as a ruthless stereotype. Oh, and please don't paint your own house as this 'bastion of innocence and justice'. It does you a disservice to be so... easily-swayed by Libertonian propaganda. I pray that we both know that war reveals the ugly on both sides of the conflict, but I am in no mood to delve into such matters, so I'll just leave it at that.


So then you ask why would a few nobles wish to visit Liberty when the war between our houses is approaching full swing?


Monsieur Fynn... Don't you see that that's exactly the point why the nobles wish to visit Liberty now? In the calm-before-the-storm, before the GRN should decide upon the grand push? The nobles wish to seize the opportunity to see... and partake in your wonderful house before Liberty risks its culturally-significant locations and artifacts to the consuming flames of war.


Also, with the Liberty War Machine slowly getting into gear, its tourism industry risks being pushed into the back seat. The nobles wish to see Liberty... long before that happens.


And you may also ask, 'Why visit a house you're at war with, and put yourself in needless risk?' Monsieur Fynn, I have no other way to say it to you, other than that the nobles are just... bored. They simply want a little spice in their otherwise-monotonously-posh life. It's the nobles' idea to visit Liberty, Monsieur Fynn, not mine. I and my luxury liner simply provide the means to make that idea... a possible reality.

Quote:And telling me that "these nobels have agents in Liberty" to take care of their housing sounds very much like baiting me to be part of espionage or a treachery against Liberty.

To cover a related point at the same time... Why, you appall me with your words, Monsieur Fynn! Yes, I realize how I might've sounded in my last transmission, but would you rather have me white-lie to you and say 'the nobles will think of something when they get there'? I'm simply being honest with you, Monsieur Fynn, because I respect you, and your trust in me. Well, in this case, more like 'benefit of the doubt', but tomato tomato, oui?


The agents I referred to are just daring tourism liaisons who will make sure their stay in Liberty will be more or less... uneventful.


Oh, and if my word isn't enough, which would hurt me so that you would choose not to trust in my word, then I have already conducted background checks on the nobles, made them sign contracts that they will not do anything 'malicious' while they enjoy their stay in Liberty, and I've persuaded all of them to attach temporary dermal chips that should track their every movement in real-time. I'll gladly give you a copy of the checks, the contracts, and the tracking software when the Rennes should arrive at Tinker's Haven, Monsieur Fynn. Does that sound fair enough for you?

Quote:Tinker and Transport run a scrap rig and an orbital hospital at Tinkers Haven, no Spa & Cruise Hotel site, so may I question how you come to address us here?

So! With that first point out of the way, let's get to the second one.


Oh, Monsieur Fynn... Could you answer a few questions for me? Does your base:
- house, covertly or blatantly, pirates that wish to do harm upon Liberty, and/or Gallia?
- house drug smugglers like Outcasts and NOX shipments?
- house undesirables that wish to kidnap innocent civilians on the station's night cycle?


If you've said yes to any of these three questions, then, by all means, you may question how we should come to address you here. In fact, you make it sound like you, the very owner of Tinker's Haven, should go so far as to doubt the safety and capability of your station to hold... what... less than a thousand 'ordinary' passengers as they utilize your station as a spaceport terminal?


Don't worry, the station doesn't have to house these passengers for long. The nobles have arranged transports to pick them up the moment they touch the station, so you don't have to worry your dear, little heart about your station's... amenities.

Quote:I might even send you a turreview picture of the Ille-de-France or a close up pic of Montpellier Guard station to prove it, but I am a little surprised that Solar Engineering has had heared tales of this, including my name.

Oh, and might I say, Monsieur Fynn. I can't help but mention that I'm, quite frankly, even more shocked than you that you'd have such pictures at your disposal! All I've ever mentioned was that I've 'heard of your upright reputation and of your noble character', and that my assumptions of your network stretched only so far as Liberty was concerned. I'm so glad that you've lovingly chosen to reveal how much more capable you and your band of junkers actually were!


But of course, I'm also a man of honor. Your secret's safe with me... provided you'll promise me you'll do the same for us when the time comes, oui? Who knows? Now that I know a little more of your organization, Monsieur Fynn, perhaps we can discuss upon more... prospective plans in the future? An amiable relationship between Solar Engineering and T&T would be most wonderful, wouldn't you agree, Monsieur Fynn?

Quote:Unlawfuls can be either repelled or bought out with a bribe, money speaks loudly there.

And with the second point done with, I unfortunately will have to give a serious comment on your stance on the unlawfuls.


Monsieur Fynn, I am dealing with some of the more influential people of Gallic society. If any harm comes upon them during their stay in Liberty, then not only will my head be on the line, but I also run the risk of the ire of the Crown Monarch upon Solar Engineering. And because the disaster will be in Liberty, the populace of Gallia will take the harm of the nobles as an open stance that Liberty is, indeed, beyond hope of retribution, and will no longer hold anything back. Such a disaster will attract more people to the Crown Monarch's stance on Liberty's utter destruction, and that's something I would not favor at all.


And do you know how much ransom a noble can amount to, here in Gallia? People like them can amount to the tens of millions, if not hundreds of millions of credits per noble... and I'll be, what, transporting about several hundred of them on this trip? The ransom fees alone might just put Solar Engineering into bankruptcy, and that's not accounting for the legal fees of explaining why a liner so decided to waltz its way into Liberty without so much as an approval by the Crown Monarch.


Should the Libertonian unlawfuls ever realize this, they won't hesitate at all to organize a small gunboat fleet at best to interdict my liner as it enters Liberty. Merde, even just one gunboat is enough to take it down. And because this'll be a Gallic liner, I'm quite sure the lawfuls will turn a blind eye on my liner getting assaulted by a few stragglers. Actually, I predict the Libertonian lawfuls might even aid the criminals in their unlawful act. That's the extent of how most of your house hates us, Monsieur Fynn.


With all that in mind, it's safe to say I risk a lot to appease the whims of these nobles, while I only get to charge them 'normal' cruise fees and not be allowed to inquire for hazard fees, because you know... they're nobles. So I have the right to say what I'm about to say to you next:

Quote:But you will need at least a neutral clearance for any T&T/ affiliated ship to assist you in travels in the Zone of Influence of Liberty. Or Bretonia, by the way.

Quote:But we would not do so without knowledge or consent of Liberty Forces... we will not support illegal or even treacherous activities in our home system or house.

Now... I hope my point on the unlawfuls hasn't put you off on the gravity of my plan's consequences, because I still have much to go over.


I understand your loyalties is with the house of Liberty, Monsieur Fynn, and I also understand your suspicions of me and of the nobles' intent. But ask yourself: Why would the capitaine of a Gallic luxury liner come to your transmission-step, then blatantly reveal the details of his plan to a legal group in Liberty, and inquire if you can grant him safe passage into Liberty?


Because you are one of the only options I have that can grant me at least neutral clearance into Liberty.


Gallia and Liberty are at war. To ever hope that Liberty would just allow a random luxury liner of the enemy to even get to touch the borders of Liberty is to be insanely optimistic, even for one such as I. No, the only option that I have is that I have a third party, a trusted brand-name in Liberty, who can vouch for my... noble intentions to just ferry a bunch of nobles into Liberty without so much as a hiccup.


A third-party who doesn't involve his company in the illegal smuggling ring.
A third party who offers no quarter for pirates.
A third party who's leader is of upright reputation and of noble character.
A third party who's leader I can trust and respect without fault, prejudice, or doubt... who I know can get the job done.


... Won't you help a bright-eyed, ambitiously-optimistic man... in his bright-eyed, ambitiously-optimistic dream?