"Certainly. I apologise for the transmission delay, Field Marshal, although the fact that you're still here adds credence to your point, does it not?"


"What we can do for you, Mister McKenney, is offfer you the finest engineers and warfighting craft designers the Underworld has to offer. This is not a boast made in bad faith; our achievements are considerable, just as the reputation of your own people within the rare metals market does the talking all for you."

"You have a revolution and I have guns to supply. You also have a vast amount of gold. Setting ideological similarities aside for now, metal proves the man. You have the Molly coin, and we have decalaminate molybdenum."

"In a matter of weeks, the Union are about to release a new export model of gunboat, the Artisan, to the Underworld. It is technologically superior to any other in common distribution; a unique design where the near-entirety of the spaceframe is devoted to the essentials; a sophisticated fast-cycle MOX reactor. An expansive weapons grid superior to even the Oder. A powerful primary drive with a low signature. Alike our Arbeiter fighters, it bristles with redundant tactical capacities, it is highly modular, and it is readily repairable with common working components. "

"We invite the MLA to an exclusive combat evaluation assessment of the Artisan gunboat prototype. You must try before you buy, after all. We intend not to sell the Artisan to any other party for another six months. If you enjoy what you see, we can start the process of an arms and technical information deal. We provide you with the weapons, tools, and skillsets to equip yourselves with superior warfighting equipment, and you provide the Union with gold, which we can then trade on for further components for our engineers. It would be a self-fulfilling relationship. As solid as a Unioner hull."

"To your health, Field Marshall, and that of the Molly revolution." *To that, sentiment in hand, the Arbeitsdirektor drains his glass.*

"Larger ships we can most certainly accommodate, Field Marshall McKenney. The Union has a history of manufacturing larger warships."

"In fact, we would be willing to accommodate you with a formalised lend-lease program. The Unioners have a diverse range of modernised fighter craft available to us, and, if so required, would be willing to aid in the design of a Molly-Specific fighter line. We have some theoretical documents for a 'project Morrigian' already in store for such an eventuality, although such a combined RnD effort would require extensive funds of Dublin gold."


"Modifying Foyle shipyard is an activity we would be most content to assist with. Shipbuilding is our industry, after all. The construction of larger gantries and tooling to allow the creation of more massive vessels is certainly possible. Equally, Bering is flooded with a mixture of Rheinlandic and Libertonian spacecraft components. We might be able to assist in the pragmatic aquisition of blueprints for Foyle's first designs. We also produce ample munitions and structural plate at our own Wedel Mining Station. We'd be willing to provide you with supplies once your shipyard is suitably enlarged."


"In exchange, we'd look towards formalising our own alliance with the Mollys, independently of the so-called 'Triumivate' of the Hessians, Mollys, and Coalition. We do not intend to step on your boots, of course. It's a matter of pragmatism - there is a significant amount of tension between ourselves and the Hessians due to their continued push into Unioner operation zones without consulting us, and I doubt you'd want a domestic Rheinlandic squabble to interfere with the Republic of Dublin's local security, would you?"

"If you have any doubts over this subject, I would be willing to provide a full historical archive upon the current Hessian-Unioner tensions. Whatever their outcome may be, we certainly do not intend for these tensions to boil into Molly operation zones. Our kinship towards you is strictly one of brotherhood towards likeminded men, captain. We find it unlikely that we will ever pull on your military resources."

"Attached is the combat evaluation trials of the Artisan very heavy gunboat. It's one of the finest spaceframes ever created. It's a little large in the rear, but the placement of its eight turrets are peerless, its armour is thick, its turn rate is extremely rapid, and its power core expansive. In combat trials, it compares favourably to the older Oder Rheinland gunboat models of the Nomad war. We'd be willing to sell them to you in exchange for Jackal Light Fighters and Warwolf Super Heavy fighters, which appear to be extremely easy to modify for special operations assignments, or ten thousand units of Molly gold, respectively."

"Regarding larger vessels, we may have examples of such craft that we would be willing to market to your people, Mister McKenney. After, of course, a formalised alliance document is drafted and signed."

"To the health of us all."


[Artisan Gunboat opeval]
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