KN-254 encrypted transmission: Kaishō-ho Hijikata

[Bakamono]

Hijikata , I do not believe we have had much chance to speak since the days of the Empire.

We are a dying breed, our dead brothers replaced with fresh faced female pilots, more with each passing day. These women are good combatants, but I sometimes wonder at their ideals and way of life.

Though I am of course, devoted to Kusari, I hear growing rumours from outsiders - saying that we have lost control, that we are weak. And since the dawn of the new republic, they are almost true : in the days of the Emperor we had freedom, the ability to conduct operations at our whim.

I am hoping you remember the past as I do , the glory of our battles, the victories shared with our brothers. Today we are held back by the slow diplomacy of this new republic. We cannot afford to proceed at their pace – I fear that we must take action.

There are not many amongst our ranks who would agree with me, I am hoping that you are one of the few who does, and that we might find other brothers who can recognise the danger.
Despite the difficulty, I believe between us we can get a message to our exiled kin and any alliance that remain..
I hope I am right about you,
Acting Bakuryō-chō taru Kaishō Nagata,
Kusari Naval Forces.

[West]

>>>>ID: Kaisho-ho of KNF
>>>>Encription: KN-254
>>>>To: Bakuryō-chō taru Kaishō Nagata

You are right Nagata-san, those forsaken traitors ruined Kusari, hundreds years of traditions and they abandoned them, forbidden them all in one day, outlawed our God Emperor and left him to die in that cursed bretonian lands.

My heart is bleeding when I remember days of coup, but what is hurting me the most, that it was not only corrupt politicians that made it, but also traitors amongst our ranks. Power hunger and disloyal officers that abandoned Emperor and placed their wishes above Emperor's will.

I wonder how their kind lives in such dishonour, sometimes I wonder how I live too, but hunger for vengeance helps me to survive.

So I tell you, you have contacted the right person to deal with all those who abandoned imperial regime.

Unfortunately they are not the one who started all this blasphemy and cannot be fully blamed, the one who deserves full punishment are greedy politicians who striked hardly in days of our weakness, two-faced with snake tongues, who spread their plague under disguise of freedom, but truly only filling their pockets with credits and not care about Kusari might.

We shouldn't forget about our true enemy and enemy of whole Kusari.

Sayonara

---

[Bakamono]

Arigatou, my thanks for informing the fleet of our situation. The ministry have sent staff to help: medics have been checking the recently injured and mechanics investigating craft active during the strike.

It is hard to believe, but it appears that Ryoma was behind the attack, along with a few key officers. I fear we must assume he knows of our allegiance. If his words reach the ministry we could be exposed and killed: we must cast his men out now before it is too late!

Mikako's daiski has already shown that he is not be underestimated: this will not be an easy task; I predict that we will be short-handed whilst the innocent are processed.

Obviously this interruption to operations creates a window for the chrysanthemums that attacked , if they are part of this plot – and not just opportunists – they will surely be ready for another strike.

Of course the possibility of assassination is higher now: I have taken two guards just in case, I suggest you do the same; we cannot be too careful.
Luck be with us,
Acting Bakuryō-chō taru Kaishō Nagata,
Kusari Naval Forces.