I'd like to formally welcome the Riley family and the Jarvis family to the Natio's civilian logistics fleet and members thereof to the military fleet.
John, it's good to see you and your family settling in so well. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me personally if you have any concerns. Be careful with those midnight booze runs through Kusari! You never know when the State Police will remember to do their jobs.
Taskmaster Harold Kane
Fourth Octavarium Fleet
[ Secondary Transmission ]
To: Natio Octavarium Internal Affairs Visibility:Fleet and OIC Only
Subject: Contact Encryption:Solid
Military and intelligence assets,
We have made contact with the Blood Dragon shogunate. After being unable to go back to sleep I took a stroll around the system and formed up with the OCS Save Yourself. We were contacted with a system-wide broadcast from an apparent member of the Blood Dragons, and from there proceeded to make visual contact with them. They identified themselves as "Homura". We discussed the nature of the Natio and our intent to open relations with the Shogunate. They are currently spending time aboard Melbourne while establishing a line of contact between the reigning clans of the Blood Dragons and the Natio. Treat them as you would any of our own.
[20.05.825 09:28:18] BD|-'Homura: "Mhm. Is someone there?"
[20.05.825 09:28:31] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: That depends on how you define 'someone', lass.
[20.05.825 09:28:58] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Midnight strolls around the system always cure my insomnia.
[20.05.825 09:29:22] BD|-'Homura: "Yes, it seems that 'someone' is around, after all."
[20.05.825 09:30:04] BD|-'Homura: "Let's see, maybe i can peek on you."
[20.05.825 09:30:41] NO-F-Harold.Kane: That's a proposition and a half.
[20.05.825 09:31:15] BD|-'Homura: "Depending on the outcome, we might have an exciting conversation."
[20.05.825 09:31:56] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Well, that's what I live and breathe for.
[20.05.825 09:33:06] BD|-'Homura: "I see a... Melbourne station."
[20.05.825 09:33:24] NO-F-Harold.Kane: It's a cozy station, that.
[20.05.825 09:33:43] BD|-'Homura: "Does it belong to you?"
[20.05.825 09:34:02] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Indeed. [20.05.825 09:34:20] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: You are the ranking pilot on the scene, since this... might not be a commission matter.
[20.05.825 09:34:29] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Noted. [20.05.825 09:34:29] BD|-'Homura: "Then... who are 'you', if i may ask?"
[20.05.825 09:35:09] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Natio Octavarium. We're harmless, to put it underwhelmingly.
[20.05.825 09:35:25] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Well, only mostly harmless really.
[20.05.825 09:35:34] NO-F-Harold.Kane: I've been hoping to run into a member of the honourable Dragons for a while, to be honest.
[20.05.825 09:35:40] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Establish relations, all that.
[20.05.825 09:35:51] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: The Commission is of similar mind. [20.05.825 09:35:57] BD|-'Homura: "Looks like we can switch to somewhat more private channel."
[20.05.825 09:36:10] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Indeed. Welcome to our little slice of heaven.
[20.05.825 09:36:35] NO-F-Harold.Kane: You know, when the Gauls aren't interrupting it.
[20.05.825 09:36:43] BD|-'Homura: "Domo Arigatou. However, Minato Harbour and locals don't like me too much..."
[20.05.825 09:36:52] NO-F-Harold.Kane: The Crayterians are difficult, aye.
[20.05.825 09:37:11] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Crayter automated defenses are... not the most gracefully-programmed.
[20.05.825 09:37:26] NO-F-Harold.Kane: I was under the impression that the Shogunate and the Crayterians had an agreement of sorts. That's what Crayter told me.
[20.05.825 09:37:46] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Ah, unfortunate. An emergency calls.
[20.05.825 09:37:56] BD|-'Homura: "Such agreement is present, indeed. But, as you see, automated systems couldn't care less."
[20.05.825 09:37:58] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Can't let Escher's coffee go cold, Agent.
[20.05.825 09:38:31] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Indeed. I believe Melbourne is aware of the agreement. And, of course, we ourselves have no issue with the Shogunate.
[20.05.825 09:38:38] NO-F-Harold.Kane: The legitimate one, that is.
[20.05.825 09:38:57] BD|-'Homura: "So, as you might have already noticed, there is a living Dragon right before your eyes."
[20.05.825 09:39:14] NO-F-Harold.Kane: If Melbourne's defenses are reacting inappropriately to your presence I will have that matter resolved.
[20.05.825 09:39:19] BD|-'Homura: "And of your words i have made a conclusion that you have some proposition in mind, perhaps?"
[20.05.825 09:39:33] BD|-'Homura: "There is no issue with Melbourne, worry not."
[20.05.825 09:39:35] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Opening doors, is all.
[20.05.825 09:39:53] NO-F-Harold.Kane: We are not a fan of those which claim to be running Kusari.
[20.05.825 09:40:01] NO-F-Harold.Kane: They are far too friendly to the Gallic invaders.
[20.05.825 09:40:11] NO-F-Harold.Kane: The same Gallic invaders that have pushed my people out of their previous home.
[20.05.825 09:40:18] BD|-'Homura: "They are licking their feet, rather, and that's disgusting."
[20.05.825 09:40:40] BD|-'Homura: "Not something i wish to observe or tolerate for my Home."
[20.05.825 09:40:50] NO-F-Harold.Kane: And not something we wish to continue.
[20.05.825 09:41:00] NO-F-Harold.Kane: The people of Kusari deserve better.
[20.05.825 09:41:31] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Such fiesty people, those Crayterians.
[20.05.825 09:41:48] BD|-'Homura: "Can not really blame them for such."
[20.05.825 09:42:07] NO-F-Harold.Kane: And their IMG friends... are misguided at best.
[20.05.825 09:42:30] NO-F-Harold.Kane: But as we share this system with the Crayterians, we are unfortunately forced to be agreeable.
[20.05.825 09:42:39] BD|-'Homura: "However, with the recent merge of Imperial Navy and The Republic, Dragons appeared to be... in even more vulnerable position."
[20.05.825 09:43:07] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Indeed. The Dragons deserve better.
[20.05.825 09:43:46] BD|-'Homura: "So, what would be your proposition? I will direct your words to where they belong."
[20.05.825 09:43:51] NO-F-Harold.Kane: In essence, what I wish to do is say hello. Merely say that we are here, and we are sympathetic to your cause.
[20.05.825 09:44:03] BD|-'Homura: "Assist you in 'establishing the link', so to say."
[20.05.825 09:44:17] NO-F-Harold.Kane: If there is something we can do to help you, we are here.
[20.05.825 09:44:40] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: The Commission may also have an interest, but I believe there are contacts working on that already.
[20.05.825 09:44:47] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Ah, agent.
[20.05.825 09:45:04] BD|-'Homura: "The Comission? An intelligence agency of sorts?"
[20.05.825 09:45:24] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Octavarium Intelligence Commission. We monitor threats to Natio Octavarium.
[20.05.825 09:45:33] Death: Gtock suffered a self-inflicted catastrophic decompression.
[20.05.825 09:45:57] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: I can't immediately share everything, but that's publicly known to be Gallia and those who support them
[20.05.825 09:46:23] BD|-'Homura: "Hai. A bunch of despisable beings."
[20.05.825 09:46:53] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: The appeasers and capitulators are even worse. Bretonian history warns of Chamberlain and those like him.
[20.05.825 09:47:50] NO-F-Harold.Kane: I mostly stay out of Commission affairs. The obvious joke is that intelligence is not my strong suit.
[20.05.825 09:47:51] BD|-'Homura: "I am obliged to assure you that your word of greeting will be passed to the appropriate person."
[20.05.825 09:48:17] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: For your report, I am known as Sundog.
[20.05.825 09:48:25] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Not my real name obviously, Commission policy.
[20.05.825 09:48:44] BD|-'Homura: "I have realised, no need for clarification."
[20.05.825 09:48:59] BD|-'Homura: "I will establish a secure direct channel, then."
[20.05.825 09:49:00] NO-F-Harold.Kane: I am more concerned about the wellbeing of our people, and that they and others like them are not subjected to the horrors we--
[20.05.825 09:49:22] NO-F-Harold.Kane: --see in those places that Gallia have single-handedly reduced.
[20.05.825 09:50:01] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: I was born in Leeds. I would see Gallia repaid in kind. But that is not exactly our role.
[20.05.825 09:50:07] BD|-'Homura: "So, are what is Natio Octavarium? You honestly don't look like some sort of refugee camp."
[20.05.825 09:50:42] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: We come from many walks. Many of us are those who are trying to start a new life, for various reasons.
[20.05.825 09:51:49] BD|-'Homura: "That's... not exactly what i've expected. Some brief past history would suffice."
[20.05.825 09:52:08] BD|-'Homura: "For better understanding of how should i approach Taii-Shogun with the word from you."
[20.05.825 09:52:11] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Many of us, myself not included, have criminal pasts that we renounced in the wake of Gallia's destruction.
[20.05.825 09:53:04] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: But, where to go? Liberty? The LPI would just throw them into their labor-camp prisons. Bretonia? Far worse problems.
[20.05.825 09:53:23] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Rheinland's justice is a joke, and Kusari... I should think I don't have to elaborate.
[20.05.825 09:54:11] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: For their part, Liberty - home to most of those pilots - agreed to let our pasts go and let us settle elsewhere.
[20.05.825 09:54:15] BD|-'Homura: "Indeed. I live on the other side of law for a few years already, and i've seen enough."
[20.05.825 09:54:36] NO-F-Harold.Kane: We tried the Independent Worlds, and for a couple years we were slowly beginning a real life. Gallia came and muscled us out.
[20.05.825 09:54:58] NO-F-Harold.Kane: So we came to a system that Gallia knew existed but pulled out of due to... reasons.
[20.05.825 09:55:12] BD|-'Homura: "Gallia's influence is nothing but a harm to anyone it affects."
[20.05.825 09:55:15] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Mostly related to all that lingering wreckage.
[20.05.825 09:55:31] NO-F-Harold.Kane: Tau-44 was not worth their time once. We took a calculated risk and determined it would not be worth their time again.
[20.05.825 09:55:50] NO-F-Harold.Kane: We see small patrols of their tertiary and quarternary fleets occasionally, but nothing of any importance.
[20.05.825 09:55:53] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: We're in a better position to make them regret their overextension, as well.
[20.05.825 09:56:34] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: But, stability must be attained first.
[20.05.825 09:56:55] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: We have civilians to look after, and cannot simply rush into open war, even if we *did* have the firepower for that sort of
[20.05.825 09:56:58] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: frontal military conflict.
[20.05.825 09:57:06] NO-F-Harold.Kane: We are hoping to give our people some stability.
[20.05.825 09:57:21] BD|-'Homura: "I see. It seems to finally be worthy of my time to visit Tau-44 and run into something... exciting."
[20.05.825 09:57:26] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Better, I think, to leave direct action to the more plentiful forces of Crayter and the Council, and divert our expertise to...
[20.05.825 09:57:39] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: indirect approaches.
[20.05.825 09:58:35] BD|-'Homura: "That's the way of mind i can respect."
[20.05.825 09:58:43] NO-F-Harold.Kane: We're here to do better things for our people.
[20.05.825 09:59:10] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: And if Gallia falls back and ends their invasion, Sirius will be better for it.
[20.05.825 09:59:44] BD|-'Homura: "Exactly."
[20.05.825 10:00:07] BD|-'Homura: "Now, if you would allow me - i would like to stop at Melbourne for the time being."
[20.05.825 10:00:24] BD|-'Homura: "All the formalties with The Shogunate i am going to handle aboard of it."
[20.05.825 10:00:31] NO-OCS-Save.Yourself: Certainly. I believe you already have clearance.
[20.05.825 10:00:39] NO-F-Harold.Kane: I believe that is the case.
[20.05.825 10:00:54] BD|-'Homura: "Well, only one way to find out."