TO: Council of Elders FROM: Don Ricardo del Barcelona LOCATION: Palacio Barcelona, Planet Crete SUBJECT: Permission to Open Imperio for Small-Scale Tourism
"Your Excellencies." The middle-aged man in the camera, clad in a heavily-decorated purple uniform, bows politely before the viewscreen, "My name is Ricardo, Don de la Familia Barcelona. I am contacting Your Excellencies for a most sensitive subject that I believe may potentially help bring in more revenue for the Imperio."
He readjusts his gold-trimmed neck collar, "I plan to inquire the Hogosha if they can procure for us a Shukensha Luxury Liner, which we will use to tour around Sirius, proclaiming and exhibiting to both outsiders and our own people the glories and wonders of our history, our heritage, and our culture.
"I and my Familia believe that though the Corsario has achieved its objectives in making our enemies tremble at the hearing of our name, we have accidentally made both our current, and potential allies see us as nothing more than ruthless, unapproachable barbarians with little refinement and culture." He smiles at the camera, "I plan to show them that though the cactus is known for its thorns, the flowers it blooms are among the largest and most beautiful in the galaxy."
His face then becomes formal again, "Attached to this transmission are the files detailing my plans that the Council can go through should Your Excellencies be interested, but should this matter require a more personal and/or public counsel, I'm more than willing to submit myself before the Council's decree.
"... Buena Salud, Your Excellencies." The man bows once more before the transmission cuts off.
File 1 Wrote:It covers the costing of procuring the Shukensha, which basically says Ricardo plans to pay 500,000,000 Credits, using the Barcelona Familia's own treasury, to the Black Dragon Society, specifically 450,000,000 Credits for the Liner's construction itself, while the rest is payment for the Hogosha's services to procure it.
File 2 Wrote:It covers the planned route of the proposed Shukensha Liner. Reading through the document, it basically says the Liner is planned to go through a four-part circuit:
First leg: Sigma-19 (Luxury Liner Hawaii: Passengers: Start) ---> Sigma-17 ---> Omicron Theta ---> Omicron Gamma (only passing by Skiros Station; Corsair pilots in the system may begin escorting the liner for added security detail) ---> Omega-41 ---> Omega-47 ---> Omega-49 ---> Omega-50 (Porto Novo: Stop)
Second leg: Omega-50 (Porto Novo: Passengers: Start) ---> Omega-49 ---> Omega-47 ---> Omega-5 ---> Omega-3 ---> Cambridge ---> New London ---> Leeds ---> Manchester ---> Curacao ---> Coronado ---> Baffin (Shasta: Stop)
Let me start with congratulating you on your new business venture. If sucesfull operations like these will benefit the entire Corsair economy. The Council of Elders has approved your request, main reason behind this is that it will not harm the food supplies of the Cretan population unlike previous tourist endavours.
Some elders have voiced their concerns in terms of safety of you and your Corsair Crew. The empire is not welcome in Bretonian territory and thus you may run into difficulties with the local loco policia. I myself am highly interested in how you will solve this problem.
Ciao for now
Ronaldo Benitez
Commandante of the Benitez family
On behalf of the Council of Elders
There used to be pictures here
once known as Richard Farbridge, OBE and Ronaldo Benitez
TO: Council of Elders FROM: Don Ricardo del Barcelona LOCATION: Palacio Barcelona, Planet Crete SUBJECT: Safety of the Liner
The man who was wearing the same purple uniform, first bows to the camera, "Buena Salud, and muchas gracias for Your Excellencies' swift approval. Lo siento for not replying sooner, however.
"Si, I expect not just the House of Bretonia to be dangerous to traverse, but the entire cruise, from our very homeworlds themselves to as far as the Tau's, will be treacherous indeed.
"The Barcelona Familia may be wealthy, but we are not yet large nor influential enough to afford our own capital escort. In fact, the Liner will be the largest ship we've ever procured so far! I suppose I could divert a few of my Familia's already-thinned-out fighter and bomber divisions... that is if Your Excellencies are willing to expose our Familia's smuggling division to attack.
"Needless to say, while I will take every realistic measure to keep the Liner protected, ultimately it will be on its own, utilizing the Jump Hole Networks and various natural phenomena for cover, relying on foreknowledge of its enemies as its tower shield, its' crew's cunning as its long-reaching spear. My Familia's top veteran pilots and astronavigators are already hard at work plotting the best routes for the Liner's safety, while I myself will exhaust every available resource to safeguard its pickup and drop-off points."
Then the man develops a wide grin, "However, the Liner's supposed nakedness may also work to its tourism advantage. Nothing can portray to its passengers the sense of urgency, desperation and isolation Corsario pilots face every single moment, than to have the senors and senoritas experience it first-hand the complexities of flying under the banner of the Imperio."
The man's grin fades as quickly as it appeared, "I understand such strategies are frowned upon by Your Excellencies. But I strongly believe guile is the best course of action in these limiting circumstances. Should Your Excellencies have better counsel, Your humble servant is more than willing to take heed.
"... Buena Salud, Your Excellencies." The man bows as the transmission cuts off.
TO: Council of Elders FROM: Don Ricardo del Barcelona LOCATION: Shukensha Luxury Liner, moored on Skiros Station: Capital Port 1 SUBJECT: Seeking Advice on Proper Amenities for Liner; Invitation to Familias to Set Up Offices in Liner
The video opens up to a large liner bridge, with a middle-aged man wearing the Barcelona Family purple admiralty uniform in the foreground, sitting erect, yet relaxed on the Command Chair. "Your Excellencies. We are happy to announce that the Shukensha Luxury Liner's basic structure has been completed, and the ship itself has been christened by the familia as the Luxury Liner Madrid, after the old-world capital city of Spain. And of course, we've set it up to have full Corsair ID and IFF signatures, but as of this transmission we're still mounting in the necessary weapons and armor. Currently, the Madrid is moored above Skiros Station, awaiting the second and most important phase of our tourism venture."
The man stretches his fingers on the chair's arm rests, relieving them of their stress as he continued, "While the Barcelona Familia may have birthed from her womb this hopeful child into the cosmos, to become the luxury liner that represents the entirety of the Imperio's culture, I believe our child must be placed under the tutelage of Your Excellencies, who embody the hearts, the souls, the knowledge and the voices of our people.
"To be specific, we ask that Your Excellencies help teach the Barcelona Familia what amenities the Luxury Liner Madrid needs, to showcase the roots, the traditions, the pride, and the honor of the Imperio. We ask that Your Excellencies send envoys in Your names and from the other influential familias' to the Madrid, to oversee and guide us in our child's education, to tell us what features should the liner have, and to help us create the character the Madrid should internalize and keep to heart. We also encourage Your representatives to set up offices here and serve as Your Excellencies' diplomats and extensions of will."
The man sighs to himself, as if what he said earlier had drained him of his youth. "The road ahead will be difficult. There is so much to cover, so much to teach my child, and so much more for the Madrid to share and experience. But I have deep belief that my child will absorb whatever is given to him, and that he will shoulder his responsibilities honorably and faithfully. And like any good familia, the Barcelonas will be there through every step of the way.
... Buena Salud, Your Excellencies. And may Dios Mio watch over us all." The man gives one final bow to the camera as the transmission cuts off.