We, the representative governments of the Republic of Liberty and the Realm of Bretonia, in order to establish free and unhindered travel of goods and people between our two nations, to fight the scourge of piracy and terrorism, to protect the rights and freedoms of all our law abiding citizens, and to bring security, order and governance to the Star Systems of Magellan and Cortez, do ordain and establish the following Treaty. In a duly processed amendment, the Crayter Republic joins the Republic of Liberty and the Realm of Bretonia in upholding the terms of this revised Treaty.
Article I - Governance
Clause 1: The Systems of Magellan and Cortez have the official status of Joint Protectorates of the Republic of Liberty and the Realm of Bretonia conferred upon them.
Clause 2: The President of Liberty and Monarch of Bretonia jointly receive the official titles of "Protector of the Independent Worlds of Magellan and Cortez".
Clause 3: A quintet of the Liberty Government, Bretonian Government, Crayter Republic Government, the Independent Miners Guild and Orbital Spa and Cruise shall, in council upon the Planet of Curacao, make any future decisions regarding the governance of these two systems, through amendments to this Treaty. Each member shall hold a single vote, and abstentions are permitted. In case of tie, casting votes for issues concerning only Cortez to be held by Orbital Spa and Cruise, casting votes for issues concerning only Magellan to be held by the Independent Miners Guild. For issues concerning both systems, no casting votes may be held; agreements would require an absolute majority agreement from three of the five parties.
Clause 4: The trade lanes within Magellan and Cortez were nationalized in the Treaty of Curacao of 817 AS (see appendix iii) by the House Governments of Liberty and Bretonia. Trade lanes in the eastern half of both systems were passed into the ownership of the Liberty Government. Trade lanes in the western half of both systems were passed into the ownership of the Bretonian Government. A ten kilometer radius around the jump point to Coronado, with the exclusion of Planet Curacao and its immediate orbit, are now passed into ownership of the Crayter Republic Government. From there, the rest of both systems are now passed into joint ownership of the Liberty Government and Bretonian Government.
Clause 5: All property rights within the Magellan and Cortez are to be strictly protected by this Treaty. This includes all ships, stations, planetside facilities, satellites or mining installations under lawful private or corporate ownership. All natural resources within the systems are in the public domain, and shall remain free and open to private or commercial appropriation.
Article II - Rights
Clause 1: Liberty Navy, Bretonian Armed Forces, and Crayter Military (in addition to related police and intelligence agency) vessels and warships, of any class, shall have full access rights to fly through and patrol any portion of space within Magellan and Cortez. Docking rights for Planet Curacao, as well as Freeport Four for its duration under Liberty control, are granted in full. In times of need, transit is to be allowed through the systems of California and Manchester to and from Cortez and Magellan.
Clause 2: Upon return of Freeport Four to the Independent Miners Guild, the aforementioned parties' vessels and warships, of any class, shall not have docking rights nor base themselves from Freeport Four, under penalty of a 250,000 credit fine to the Independent Miners Guild. However in emergency circumstance, such may dock on Freeport Four for repairs or supplies without which their lives would be endangered. If possible, permission should be sought from Independent Miners Guild authorities.
Clause 3: The Liberty Navy, Bretonian Armed Forces, and Crayter Military (in addition to related police and intelligence agencies) retain the right to pursue outlaws caught in criminal acts within their home space into Magellan and Cortez, there to catch and impose punishment upon them.
Clause 4: The Liberty Navy, Bretonian Armed Forces, and Crayter Military (no additions) retain the full rights to enforce within the systems of Magellan and Cortez, along with a ten kilometer radius from all jump points to those two in adjacent systems, all the articles and clauses of this Treaty and any subsequent amendments to it.
Article III - Laws
Clause 1: Upon return to the Independent Miners Guild, a no fire-zone with a five kilometer radius around Freeport 4 will be officially established and enforced. All vessels shall comply with this, with the exception of self-defense. This Law is to be enforced by official agents of the Independent Miners Guild.
Clause 2: Free Trade is to be fully open between Liberty, Bretonia, and the Crayter Republic. Any act considered to represent an Obstruction to Free Trade shall be considered a criminal offense in the eyes of Liberty and Bretonia. Obstruction to Free Trade shall carry an attached fine of two hundred thousand credits per offense, collectable by any lawful agent of the Liberty, Bretonia, or Crayter Republic Government, payable to the government of each nation.
Clause 3: Not recognized as the legitimate government of Gallia and in a state of war with Liberty, Bretonia, and the Crayter Republic, all Gallic Royal Forces within the systems of Magellan and Cortez, along with a ten kilometer radius from all jump points to those two in adjacent systems, are to be shot on sight. For pursuit of them beyond that point, the rightful owner of the system must be contacted if available.
Clause 4: Piracy shall be considered a criminal offense in both systems, defined as the extortion of money by non-lawful agents from any ships under threat of destruction or damage. Vessels found pirating in these systems shall receive kill on sight status in both Liberty and Bretonian House Space, as well as in Crayter Republic territory and the Independent Worlds. This to be maintained until a fine of two million credits payable to the government of each nation, for a total of six million, has been paid by the vessel in question.
Clause 5: Terrorism shall be considered a criminal offense in both systems, defined as an unwarranted attack resulting in destruction or damage to any lawful vessel or space installation. Vessels found engaged in acts if terrorism in these systems shall receive kill on sight status in both Liberty and Bretonian House space, as well as in Crayter Republic territory and the Independent Worlds. This to be maintained until a fine of three million credits payable to the government of each nation, for a total of nine million, has been paid by the vessel in question.
Clause 6: The trafficking of counterfeit software from Liberty to Bretonia is to be considered a serious offense by both Houses. Any vessel caught with counterfeit software anywhere in Liberty space, Bretonian space, or Magellan or Cortez space, shall be considered guilty of a crime against both Liberty and Bretonia. Any lawful agents of either government catching such offenders are to seize and destroy all such software, and impose a fine of four hundred credits per-unit upon the vessel, half payable to the government of each nation. This to be done regardless of where the vessel in question was apprehended.
Article IV - Post Gallic Invasion Agreement
Clause 1: Upon the conclusion of hostilities with the Kingdom of Gallia in the system of Magellan and all adjacent systems to it, the installation Freeport Four is to have its hull repaired, have all facilities restored to full operational capacity, and be dutifully returned to the Independent Miners Guild from the Liberty Navy.
Article V - Combined Operations
Clause 1: The Liberty Navy, Bretonian Armed Forces and Crayter Military may, at their discretion, patrol and enforce this Treaty in Magellan and Cortez acting independently in separate operations, and maintaining separate command structures.
Clause 2: At the request of the ranking officer present of the Liberty Navy, Bretonian Armed Forces, or Crayter Military, the total military forces present within the Independent Worlds shall become combined. All joint operations should use Combined Fleet status.
Clause 3: When in Combined Fleet status, the ships shall no longer act as vessels of the Liberty Navy, Bretonian Armed Forces, or Crayter Military, but as ships or fleets of the Naval Alliance Treaty Organization, NATO.
Clause 4: When in Combined Fleet status, no operations in the partisan interests of the Liberty, Bretonia, or Crayter Republic Governments can be conducted. Only operations related to the enforcement of this Treaty can be conducted without prior approval of all three national governments.
Clause 5: NATO fleets may not engage national enemies of one or the other of the member nations (e.g. Rheinland Military), but if any NATO ship is attacked whilst in Combined Fleet status, regardless of the attacker, the entire fleet should respond to their defense.
Clause 6: When in Combined Fleet status, all military ships shall use the NATO Equivalent Ranking Command Structure (see appendix i). The ranking NATO officer may accept or deny requests for the fleet to separate again.
Clause 7: Independent Miners Guild and Orbital Spa and Cruise ships may, as signatories of this Treaty, also be admitted to serve alongside NATO fleets, at the discretion of the ranking NATO officer. Their paramilitary ranking systems are not listed in the NATO Equivalent Ranking Command Structure. Neither corporation may be ordered to act against the Kingdom of Gallia, given that it may harm other operations of theirs.
Clause 8: Liberty Police Incorporated, the Liberty Security Force, Bretonia Police Authority, and the Crayter Intelligence Service may also be admitted to serve alongside NATO fleets, at the discretion of the ranking NATO officer. Their ranking systems are listed in the NATO Equivalent Ranking Command Structure. Police forces may not be required to act outside of their respective nations for prolonged engagements, and intelligence agencies may not be required to cease an important operation already underway.
Clause 9: The joint headquarters of the Naval Alliance Treaty Organization is to be located on Planet Curacao's surface, within close proximity to the major spaceport.
Appendix
i) NATO Equivalent Ranking Command Structure Chart: Please note the aggregated levels of command between Naval, Police, and Intelligence groups.
ii) Collected fines: All fines collected in payment for crimes against the Treaty are to be sent in full to each nation, Liberty, Bretonia, and the Crayter Republic. Article III Clause 6 is an exception to that, where that fine is paid in half to Liberty, and half to Bretonia. Collecting NATO officers should forward the fines to the following neural net addresses:
For Liberty: [LN]-Armoury.001
For Bretonia: QCG|Treasury
For the Crayter Republic: CR|-Treasury
Officials: Editors, advisors, and other participants
For the Government of the Republic of Liberty: - Sam Worthington (Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Bretonia) For the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Bretonia: - Evyn Wildcat (Fleet Admiral) For the Parliament of the Crayter Republic: - Nelson Steele (Minister of State) For the Independent Miners Guild: - Jack Henderson (Operations Coordination) For the Board of Directors of Orbital Spa and Cruise: - Christopher Ashe (Chairman of the Board)
Witnesses: Observers, spectators, and other delegates
For the Navy of the Republic of Liberty: - Rohj Teerin (Fleet Admiral) For the Navy of the Republic of Liberty: - Adrian Wicks (Commander) For the People of the Republic of Liberty: - David Hale (Fleet Admiral, retired) For the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Bretonia: - Michelle O'Brian (Admiral) For the Military of the Crayter Republic: - Sophius Johnsons (Major-Commander) For the Board of Directors of Orbital Spa and Cruise: - Susan Miller (Chief Executive Officer)
"You see what your knowledge tells you you're seeing. ... how, what you think the universe is, and how you react to that in everything you do, depends on what you know. And when that knowledge changes, for you, the universe changes. And that is as true for the whole of society as that is for the individual. We all are what we know, today. What we knew yesterday, was different; and so were we."
- James Burke, The Day the Universe Changed (1985)