I am grateful for this opportunity to address you and your Council directly: my people have only spoken to yours in-brief passing both in space, and station-side on a small number of occasions; each time with minimal response, I might point out. So as to spare us both the headache of prolongued questioning I will address your inquiry as such:

The Crimson Cross has long since fallen - those behind her have not, however. I and those I speak for represent the Amalfi Union: a remnant of a number of the Cross' old military and intelligence forces, the families behind them, and others that have since joined us, that will no longer kowtow to either the farcical "divine dogma" of the Cross, nor the twisted and tired bureaucracy that we've observed your National Council to become. I myself head the conjoined Intelligence forces and Militia of the Union under the Amalfi Directorate as a front for Malta's continued growth, prosperity, and defense.

Regardless of my people's overall feelings for your organization, my colleague - whom shall remain nameless at this stage - placed forth that contractor request as a sign of good faith between our factions. While the Dons and Patricians of Amalfi have their criticisms of your organization, Malta benefits significantly more when its people work together in unison, rather than tear eachother apart - be it literally or figuratively - as I think we can all attest to from both recent and not-so-recent memories. I think I speak for all of us when I say that my love for la mia famiglia is great, but my love for Malta eclipses it tenfold.

Finally, as to Signore Callahan's comment: I don't believe at this stage that it's any secret that your organization has had less and less of a presence in recent months. Signore Callahan could have been more.. diplomatic in his comment of that there is no doubt, but I implore you to take it as the lighthearted gesture that it was meant as. Otherwise: I'll leave it up for your interpretation. Now if we're done with these tiresome introductory talks, I do believe we both have work to do to better strengthen Malta's place within Sirius. Don't you? Should you ever have need of us, we're open to communication. Who knows: your organization might even come to a better light in my people's eyes.

I bid you and your people a pleasant day, signore anziano Contari.

Your candor here is appreciated. As I stated the initial filing for the board was done in error by one of our administrative heads, albiet not unjustifiably as there didn't seem to be any indication as to the board's closed-state on it's posting. Having said that, your arrangement for it's continued use for Amalfi exclusively is both appreciated and accepted. I'm certain we'll have a handful of relevant documentation to send your way soon.

As for your recent issues: you needn't elaborate on the subject of the Ghosts signore. I was present during some of the Cross's Quorum briefings on them the last time they spat their self-absorbed petulance into the public consciousness. I do believe that it was then simply the expression of a handful of the willfully ignorant and misinformed, rather than the organization as a whole, but I could be mistaken. Either way, I do hope for everyone's sake that this unbecoming behavior of anyone's has come to an end, and that Malta can focus more on its upcoming future rather than its more shameful past.

Until next we speak - signore anziano Contari -, I bid you a fond farewell.