Dear Guildmasters of the Independent Miners Guild.
I have just been informed that one of my subcontractors got bullied, harassed and his ship destroyed for an action your IMG-patrol deemed illegal. I have here the relevant section of your laws at the time of recording this message and can only find 3 specific commodities. Those are Slaves, Cardamine and Artifacts.
➙ It has been monitored that thousands of slaves are being transported to Omicron Alpha every month. Since IMG promotes equallity and freedom, such acts are considered as crimes against humanity. Therefore if it is found that the Slaver is heading to Omicron Alpha, he will be asked to pay 3,000,000 SC as a compensation to his victims and he is obliged to free them in Falkland Base.
Cardamine, an extremely addictive drug, is produced and distributed by the Outcasts in the colonies. Artifacts are alien items which are found in the southern Edge Worlds and primarily distributed by the Corsairs.
Both of those commodities are a major source of income for these 2 criminal societies. ➙ Any transports or freighter found transporting these commodities will be asked to jettison their cargo (very small quantities which show that they are intended for personal usage are excluded). Then the cargo should be destroyed.
So since my subcontractor was carrying neither of those, I need to ask on what legal grounds the IMG patrols in Tau-23 carry out their assignments, and if that differs from the official rules, how you expect to be considered a reliable business-partner.
Best regards
Jason Kelly
Chairman of Interspace Commerce
Thank you for your fast reply. I already told my subcontractor, that the loss of the cargo would've been preferable to the loss of the ship. However, you chose not to answer my only question. So I'm sorry to pester you again: On what legal grounds the IMG patrols in Tau-23 carry out their assignments?
I have quoted the relevant section of the IMG laws and cannot find any law referring to the actions of my subcontractor. So frankly, I'm at a loss to the cause of the aggression towards my associate.
Best regards
Jason Kelly
Chairman of Interspace Commerce
You cannot find a legal addendum to the Tau laws because changing laws and going through the judicial revision process takes weeks if not months until a new draft could be voted on by the Guild's Great Assembly.
As you very well know, surprising events require decisive action. A sudden surge in cargo flows through the Taus towards Alpha and from Alpha is such an event that prompts a Guild intervention. Decisive action is what the Guild has done, that's what we are doing at the moment, and that is what we will always do.
Let me ask you a few questions in return:
Why was the commander of the vessel not identified as an IC asset if it seems to have been a vessel on whose behalf you intervene now ?
Why didn't the Commander of said vessel mention this affiliation to our patrol wings?
Why did the Commander think that transporting cargo identified as "Maltese Light Arms" through IMG patrolled space would not be met with an reaction by the IMG?
From what I see, the situation could have been handled better, by the patrols, and also by your commander, who was given a good choice to get out of the tricky situation by receiving free Niobium ore after relinquishing the illegal cargo.
If you, Mr. Jason Kelly, want to deduct any consequences for our trade relations over an incident that did not even involve an IC asset, I think I cannot do anything to keep you from doing it. If you decide to choose this path, rest assured the Guild will not change their stance towards the IC over an incident that does in our view not seem relevant enough to touch any diplomatic levels.
Yours sincerely,
Jack Henderson
Operations Coordinations
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The simple fact is, that you cannot expect anyone to follow your laws if they are not publicly accessible. And you cannot expect pilots to follow order from IMG-assets if they clearly contradict those laws. In fact, this is the only difference between a piracy and lawful actions: the agreement with publicly stated laws by a generally accepted governing body.
Also I’m not quite sure on how the guild agrees that “decisive actions” are warranted, yet doesn’t seem to be able to just append the laws with the respective commodities. Again, I’m not familiar with the legislative process, but it seems odd, that you claim your faction as a whole agrees to take action, while being unable to complete the simple task to add a commodity to your list of contraband. If you could elaborate on that it’d be very appreciated.
As for the nature of the relationship between my person and the vessel and it’s captain. The simple fact is, that I own a lot of stuff, as in my personal possession, some is rented, leased, lend or sold to other pilots, with the ship in question being the former option.
As for the third question, again, according to the quoted laws of IMG “Maltese Light Arms” do not fall under contraband. Consequently, carrying them should, by any legal standard, be – well – perfectly legal.
The fact that I was contacting the guild has nothing to do with Interspace Commerce, and the fact that I am currently Chairman of said company is purely coincidental. I was contacting you as private citizen and owner of a ship the guild has destroyed, to see whether or not the destruction was warranted by IMG laws. If that hasn’t been clear so far, I’d like to apologize.
Though, I do admit, that I added my currently most prestigious position, Chariman of Interspace Commerce, to guarantee an answer from the guild, and you have to admit, it worked marvelously.
Best regards
Jason Kelly
Chairman of Interspace Commerce
As you made it perfectly clear that you are acting as an individual in this matter and that the IC is not involved, and as I have already given the necessary explanations and you seem to be repeating yourself, I will be so frank as to tell you that I am not willing to dedicate any more time on a regrettable but easily avoidable incident like the one you are discussing here.
I have a few dozen intercept missions to coordinate.
Yours sincerely,
Jack Henderson
Operations Coordinations
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