Kyushu News Network

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Kyushu News Network: Rheinland takes over Honshu security. Issues on the border?

June 17th, 819

Today at 1:27 local time at the capital on New Tokyo, Chief of Staff Nagata Yuri signed a controversial treaty with the Federal Republic of Rheinland to allow their military forces and the Marinenachrichtendienst unrestricted access to the Honshu system in exchange for similar deployment of KNF and Kempeitai in Rheinland space.


Public Treaty Copy

Not only does it allow the Rheinland military to enforce Kusari law in Kusari space, but it also allows them to enforce Rheinland law in Kusari space, assuming the vessel they are interacting with came from Rheinland space. The treaty itself suggests that Rheinland criminals may be fleeing to Honshu, likely due to the redeployment of Rheinland military forces to the Liberty front and Honshu itself.

Unfortunately for the KNF side of the deal, their movement is extremely restricted in Rheinland space. The Frankfurt side of the Sigma 13 jumpgate is bordered on one side by the Westerwald, which the Kusari pilots are not to enter, and on the other side by an asteroid field which is known to harbor terrorists. This limits KNF forces to only the trade lane.

Takao Hiyashi of Samura questions whether this is a “cover-up for the KNF being unable to guard their own borders”. This could be true. Detective Takeshi Yoshida of the State Police reports a rise in Gallic Nox smuggled in from the Tau systems into Kusari, and now the entire Honshu border is under the control of Rheinlanders and the GMG. The ability for KNF to control their own borders without outside help is now in question.

Several politicians on Honshu are now worrying for their livelihood and the safety of their installations in space. Muroto Trade Center is a Liberty owned base operated by the LTS, a division of Interspace Commerce. Past Rheinland interactions with Interspace have been less than friendly, and led to the incident with Bonn station which is still unresolved to this day. Other people are concerned that the Rheinlanders have been allowed into Honshu in order to provoke the GMG into more armed conflict. Each group is now effectively in control of an exit of Honshu.

- Motomu Fuyutsuki