To: Oberst Erich Klugmann, CC: VWA High Command

[Durandal]

I must extend an apology to you Herr Klugmann. After our meeting in Frankfurt several months ago which was cut short by the Rheinwehr I had meant to contact you sooner. The situation back home deteriorated greatly however and my eyes and ears were required there. While I still believe a lasting and fruitful partnership can be nurtured between our two peoples however, this is not why I'm contacting you.

We've received some disturbing reports of the situation in Omicron Delta from a trusted source, with one of our warships hiding in the dark matter clouds of Kepler to listen in on their talks between none other than the Republic, who may or may not be getting involved. We've been informed that Core assets have fired on Libertonian civilians supplying the station, and that Rheinland has thrown in with the Core. While this may not sound like our business with the Commonwealth being largely non-interventionalist, there's a catch; wherever there are Libertonians, there is Liberty. This brings me to my proposal.

If I had it my way I'd cease traffic of all Libertonian vessels to the outer rim in a heartbeat, but that's not my call. If Detroit Munitions, DSE, and USI vessels really are under fire out there, at the very least we need to investigate. That is why I am asking permission to base a fast response reconnaissance & space superiority wing out of Sigma 15. I'm unaware of exactly what assets you may have in the system, but it's more than clear from the density of your patrols and your defensive nature of that particular place upon my inquiry that you have some measure of facilities there. It was also made clear to me by our source that this system is host to a subspace link to Omicron Rho, which I can't imagine is doing you any favors either.

This wing would consist of four Prosecutor class fighters, piloted by members of our SAD division - Legion spec ops. I can assure you that we would not interfere with any party operations in the system, nor be detected launching from or docking with your bases in the system.

There's quite a bit I could offer in return, but truthfully I'm not sure what it is your movement needs. I am aware of the fact that you seem to be reliant upon others for ship production. If this is a technological hurdle rather than a matter of resources and manpower, I'd be glad to leave behind one of our fighters for you to pick over when we head home, or even send some of our men from R&D over to help you out.

I'd like to tell you to take your time, but that is the one thing neither of us have. I hope to hear from you as soon as possible. I hope we can come to an agreement sometime within the next 48 hours. As long as Libertonian men and women are dying, the Legion is failing at its purpose.

Lord Commander Samuel Locklear, Hellfire Legion.

[LunaticOnTheGrass]

09-05-823

Lord Commander Locklear,

My most sincere apologies if I am unable to work out a more concrete agreement at the time; the entire Widerstandsarmee and indeed most of the Party are currently swamped by the sheer logistic necessity of the Nuremberg Exodus. It's been so much work on our pilots and membership that we've been unable to take a more active role in striking at The Core's flanks whilst the brunt of their forces are evidently occupied in the Freeport 11 siege.

Tentatively, I'll grant your four ships permission to base out of our Bielefeld Base, to the solar South of the system. You'll find docking clearance permissions attached. The caveats from my end will at the moment need to be limited to the registration of the Callsigns of these four snubcraft, as well as the request to use the utmost discretion. Sigma-15 is a fairly quiet system as far as Rheinland's environs are concerned, but both Libertonian and Bundesrepublik Intelligence agencies operate in the area occasionally.

For now, those are the "terms" on my end so to speak. Perhaps the Legion may aid the Widerstandsarmee with some sort of favor in the indeterminate future.

[Durandal]

Your generosity is noted and will not be forgotten, Oberst. We'll be sending a transport with several additional SAD pilots along with the fighter wing so they can operate in near constant shifts - twelve men and women total. The callsigns of the four vessels will be as follows.

Code:

[HF]-S-Onyx.1
[HF]-S-Onyx.2
[HF]-S-Onyx.3
[HF]-S-Onyx.4

The Legion does not forget its friends, Klugmann. You'll be repaid in full for this.

In addition.. I do have a question. We've been out of contact with our old friends the Unioners for quite awhile. We've heard some unsettling reports about their current allegiances and modus operandi, but haven't gathered anything concrete just yet. If you could give me even a brief summary of the situation there, the Legion would be extremely grateful.

Libera te ex Infernis

[LunaticOnTheGrass]

10-05-823

Lord Commander Locklear,

Your old friends the Unioners may have once been worthy of collaboration and camaraderie, but that was a long time ago as far as Sirian Politics are concerned. They are a constant irritant and thorn in the side of the Bundschuh Party because we occupy similar swaths of territory and thus draw from the same pool of resources and capital.

Where the Party has sought to keep its soul intact, the Unioners sold theirs and anyone else's in reach. We've noted over the years that the Unioners have cunningly played the Hessians and Corsairs against one another in order to smuggle both Hessian Diamonds and Corsair Artifacts to the largest markets in Liberty. It also wouldn't astonish me if they were somehow involved in the Cardamine trade.

I have little concrete at the moment to offer you, but simply know that they've considered the Bundschuh's spaceborne assets to be targets of opportunity for some time. At present there has been a lull in their activity, possibly due to infighting. Rumor has it that they've begun to attract some of the more reactionary representatives of the Rheinwehr upset that the Libertonian War ended in a White Peace.

Of course, that's simply hearsay at present, but the very possibility is decidedly unnerving. Suffice it to say, I'm afraid that it will be profoundly difficult for you to maintain amicable relations with both our respective organizations.