To: General Yarr

[sovereign]

Incoming Transmission:
Comm ID: Ishikawa, Noboru
Title: Wakagashira of the Black Dragon Society, and Overseer of the Ishikawa Family Estates on Planet New Tokyo
Source: Diamond Manor, Ishikawa Family Estates, Planet New Tokyo
Encryption: Samura Secure Gold Channel

Greetings, Mr. Idumi. Let me begin by offering my condolences for the injury of your sister, and wish her a speedy and uneventful recovery. As well, forgive us for not answering sooner; my servants have now been instructed in proper prioritization of incoming messages and it should not happen again. Now, to the point of the matter.

Understand that under normal circumstances, as your experience in the Alliance may have taught you, a potential target usually turns tail and runs at first sign of danger- some also engage illegal ion disruptors, and others call for help and attempt to stall while backup arrives. Out of concern for our own lives, we must make our runs swift as a spring river and leave before retribution seeks us. There simply isn't time to engage in pleasant conversation with miners, even the ones that are willing to speak at all- almost always it is simply a stalling tactic, and many have lost their lives falling for it.

Understand also that simply being Kusari-born does not carry with it all the dignity of our nation- the Blood Dragons were once also Kusari-born, after all. We must make our judgments based on what we see, and what we see are identification tags and whatever communications are made to our vessels. As I spoke of before, we do not have time to check our records on everyone asking for mercy- most that do so are merely biding their time.

Once again, allow me to offer my condolences for your sister's injuries, but her own actions were not faultless. If she felt her affiliation with the Alliance should have protected her from us, then the proper thing to do in such a heated situation as our surgical strikes would be to comply with our demands and request clemency afterward. After all, we may be noble thieves, but we are not murderers- those who do as we ask are given the Emperor's mercy. Wealth is fleeting and transitory, and can be replenished, but life lost is lost forever. She took a risk by not complying, and suffered for it. To our eyes, she was another non-compliant miner to be shown respect- we cannot know the life histories of all we come across at first sight, after all.

Though many in my position would take offense to the implication that we are so heartless that we would even attack a Samura or Alliance vessel if there was profit in it, I accept that you care for your sister and are deeply upset about her injury and perhaps not thinking clearly. Under no circumstances would we do such a thing- Samura and the Alliance are our trusted friends and allies in the struggle against those who would have us betray tradition and honor. Any attacks on Samura vessels you may have read about were tales fabricated and circulated amongst our enemies to misdirect them.

I hope that I have helped you understand our perspective on this matter, Mr. Idumi. Though we are still quite well stocked in food supplies, we hope to see shipments from your family's farms return to our bases. I recall once having rice from your farms, and would like the pleasure of doing so again, if you would allow us that.

If you wish something of us, please ask. I looked up the hospital where your sister is being cared for, and though I am no medical specialist my advisers tell me it is well-equipped to handle the task. May she have a speedy recovery and return to the cause full of vitality.

Ishikawa out.

End transmission.

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