Maximus was listening to people gathered at the meeting and finally decided to put his two words in it.
" Ladies and Gentlemen...As I find giving such valuable data to open very dangerous " He looks on mr Orphelia " I personaly don't think that Gallic forces will trust those coordinates to send in their fleet to atack far away space and claim space away from their war front. Some of you with some tactical knowledge know they cannot afford to spread their war any futher then what we are dealing now. They need to focus their effort in Bretonia to move any step forward. Anyway. I believe mr Orphelia has learnt his lesson and now understands the value of data and the actions he took. I don't think that arguing on this matter will make us any good, apart of growing diffrences and gap of communication we are dealing here."
"As for Omega 3 - I believe that we all knew that since Bretonia claimed Omega 3 ..." he looks on his PDA " Snow..Snowdown as they call it...it was obvious they will make futher steps to have their influence in the system. Sprague was colonised before and Bretonia won't simply give it away. As for us ... I don't think Freeport residents will get hurt if they will find some more Bretonian authorities taking care of the trade lanes and criminal individuals flow in the sector. I trust the administrator of Freeport 1 has the knowledge and skills to deal with those matters as it was proven already."
"Now can we please calm down and possibly...try...working together here? Cause our first topic was distrupted by the transmission...from mr Orphelia and it seems we nearly came to a point of some of us leaving this meeting...this would mean we have accomplished nothing here. As I know the old Council will probably never work again , I hope we can at least try refering to each other on friendly tone...What I ask you...is to think before you act..." he gives a look again on mr Orphelia " we are Zoners after all...we all are... Let's not forget that. As a representative of Phoenix I would like to propose a topic of Nomad and BHG threat in Omicrons...I believe this matter is what my organisation is currently facing the most and it might effect our community more then Bretonian influence in the Omega 3. I will leave the decission to Mr Holliday since he is leading this - just keep in mind that subject."
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"Mr. Maximus, I agree," stated Doc, "Gallia is a hot issue that I would like to wait on until after we address some other issues. Since you brought up the situation in the Omicrons, would you please keep going with it? Tell us more about Pheonix and what their mission is? Have things improved? What help can we all as Zoners offer?"
Maximus stood up again: "Well the situation is rather tense...Hunters are claiminig parts of Omicrons for their use with limited access of all non-Core ships...The Order is between the K'hara strikes and Core offensive in Delta and Zeta. It seems the whole sector is on fire...We , The Pheonix, are determined to develop the Omicrons so the life here will be easier. We want to help those who already operate there. We find the development of those systems key for man-kind survival in the sector. Nomad presence has greatly increaced after the recent events with the 77th group. From what I have been informed they are another alien species and maybe that's what makes them so important in the eye of K'hara. We are still gathering info on that matter. Our research indicate that most of nomad strike forces come from sectors between the Zeta and Lost hole..They have picked the sector of lost as their target since the 77th recent actions. What's more I believe the atack on Omicron Minor was also comming from Omicron Lost which I was able to record while doing my own research in the sector. I believe the Lost is somehow connected with the deep Nomad systems...maybe via some hidden jump hole or Nomads also have gather info from destroyed ships about jumping technology and have adapted their most evolved vessels to make such far-space moves. Well that's a lot of maybes for now...but that's why I am still doing my research to get things to facts. As for Phoenix and 77th stence - the situation has been solved and calmed down. We have signed the 77th laws in Omicron Lost under our own terms. I believe the only problem now is the Zeta and OZ base there. I mean problem for the Hunters...They targeted all ships supplying it and I think Order is not capable to fight off the forces Core is ready to send to "solve" that issue. Phoenix ships has been adviced to support Zoner ships in the area but we must remember that Core are here the military force and we in Phoenix cannot afford an open conflict with such an enemy...especialy alone. As for the other Omicrons there situation is more or less the same - Nomads system are still very heavily guarded and due to recent "hunting" parties that go into the sector to get rare remains of nomads - the Nomad atacks on Zeta have increased.
As for my group, The Phoenix, I have prepared a data for all of us to take their time and read the little discribtion of who we are and what we plan. I would like you to keep this information for yourselves Seniores and Seniorita. The space we operate is dangerous - sharing such intel with unwanted parties might cause problems which I want to avoid at all costs. I will leave the PDA here if you want to read the intel. "Maximus puts the with file opened on the table infront of him:"
Quote:The year was 818 AS when the fleet of Omicroners, following in the path of the Zoner Trading Consortium colony ships which had gone before, departed from Omicron 74. They made for dim and distant stars in order to seek out new space which they could call home, far from the dangerous and war torn Sirius sector. Faced with mounting threats, both new and old, they took the difficult decision to leave with their families and seek their fortune elsewhere.
But not all embarked upon the great voyage. Some decided to stay in Sirius, and since their numbers were few they left their home of Omicron-74 in order to seek a new place for themselves and their families. Sensitive research and information was taken aboard their ships, being careful to leave nothing dangerous behind. The scarce few capital class vessels they possessed were formed into a core fleet to house themselves during their travels. The group grew as they were joined by zoners of all sorts, for all sorts of reasons, from across Sirius, and they took to calling themselves Phoenix.
It should be available for all of you to download the file to your own mobile devices. Basicly we what we are trying to do is to find ourselves a home in Omicrons a place we can settle down. We have a temporary station located in the Sigmas that we currently use as our refuel station. We also equiped the station with research and repair equipment which allows us to keep our home-ships in shape. After the Omicroners leave we have been left alone without any back up and we managed to gather what Omicroners decided to leave and gather all ships that were left behind. Our core fleet is currently the place where we live. Since many of us find Nomads the main threat to Omicrons sectors we place stopping their influence as our primary goal...we don't plan to be a group as Order but we want to base our movements against Nomads on research and carefull planning. Order itself as you probably know - needs help...a lot of it. The offensive from both Core and K'hara has been hard for the Order to recover from the Minor loose" Maximus stops for a minute " As I was saying...all required data you can find in the PDA - feel free to download it. If any of you amigos and amigas have questions I will try to answer them." Maximus sits back and awaits next speaker.
//Sllightly edited - sorry I forgot that some of things in faction topic are OORP.
//Dead sorry for being a bit behind the posts. Been working brutal hours.
Tim Rhyme hadn't been much bothered to speak during the Marvin slice of the meeting. That he had his head due for the chopping block after that stunt was a matter of public record, which didn't demand much input. While the matter of Omega One didn't directly effect Nine and, for the most part, was none of his damn business he thought it worthwhile to push an idea that he had been entertaining for the better part of the last fifteen minutes or so. A well thought out and deeply considered proposal to be sure. He waited for the moment where he might make a statement to show itself.
Mr. Ah, Maximus brings up an interesting point. Well, one of many interesting points. Given that he was attempting to bring up quite a few at once.
Bretonia maintains a special zeal for harrying their neighbors. The quintessential landlords son deciding what does and does not belong to him based on a loose authority of right of force without the guiding edict of right of law or mandated authority. They've exhausted a great deal of energy placing slanted terms and small steps to exert control over what holdings we maintain on their borders, always disadventagous but never as inconvenient as direct refusal.
The preposterous retroactive claiming of Omega Three. The "gentle colonization" of Gran Canaria. Acts like these have always been followed by the swing of the hammer once they're comfortable that our collective hand has been placed upon the anvil. While such harassment of the Zoner community has stimied somewhat in recent times, due in no small part to the crafty maneuverings of that station's elected representatives (and the tone of Bretonia suddenly not being in total lockstep with a certain Gallic Princess nod nod wink wink) one has to wonder if, so to speak, the juice is worth the squeeze.
Freeport One sits in a comfy location as a center of commerce. But as a center of neutral dealings removed from the hungers of nations it would appear to be somewhat lacking. Even her own representative seems reluctant to issue anything beyond a resigned sigh when relaying the grocery list of issues which are the struggels of any Freeport, but seem magnified by her location and tempo.
So to cut to it has anyone thought about just selling the damn thing off? Or, hell. putting it up for lease. There's something for not ceding because things are troublesome, but it feels that Bretonia's borders have very effectively bulged outwards as they look to terrorize Omega Three as a release for their inability to maintain a front against the Gallics.
Selling the whole kit and kaboodle to, say, the Bounty Hunters Guild or some similar neutral entity would provide those looking to pack up with the largess to do so, be parlayed under the condition that those who wish to stay carry on and effectively remove an unsolvable problem from our backside.
Really. The Guild might be ideal for such an offer. Given that establishing terms which soften the trouble we've had with their rather, ah, insistent command staff in the Core.
Just my notion on the One issue. I'm largely of a mind that the situation in Oh Three is somewhat exaggerated and rather under control. But it seems a worthwhile notion to table. Especially if the trade of such a holding could be made on conditions which we find favorable elsewhere/
Without rising from his seat, Jonah Robinson throws his notebook, now filled with the scribblings of a man trying to make sense of Zoner politics, on his lap, glaring at Mr. Time.
"Let me keep this brief. I understand and support the presentation of ideas for creative diplomacy, Mr. Rhyme."
"But to abandon Freeport One would represent a huge step back for the free people of the Omegas, and will only serve to embolden the Bounty Hunters and Bretonian government to commit further acts of aggression against our people. What will be next? We might as well offer up Freeport 10 and Freeport 11 while we're at it. And maybe Freeport 2 as well."
"This move could endanger all of our lives, while resolving nothing. Appeasement cannot work when your enemy doesn't want you to exist."
Matok nodded in approval to Mr. Robinson and looked over at Rhymes. "Appeasement is a form of surrender and I would rather die with my honor before I do that. I have seen how Sirians are. You give them something and they come for more. Sell Freeports? Over my dead, Klingon, body!"
While I'm as much of a fan of sliding slopes as the next fellow I'm not altogether of a mind that putting a for sale, or lease, sign on the front step of One is tantamount to hitting the self destruct button on the Zoner people... Additionally I might put out a measure of reservation towards the idea that Freeport One is the last bulwark of the Omegas. Virtually every Freeport has experienced their own trials regardless of the climate in Omega Three.
It's not even a move that I'm ardently supporting, but something to consider in the face of the resignation that some seem to be showing concerning the derth of political issues facing the station and the long history of troubles surrounding the same. Nine, whom I'm representing, is not unfamiliar with territorial strife. I wouldn't suggest backing down in the face of the opposition that was faced there. That course of action was taken by the Omicroners with disastrous results.
I'm simply calling for a moment of reflection. Upon further examination there could be a measure of gain to be derived from such a venture. It would be foolish, I believe, to dismiss any such exploration under the banner of giving so much as an inch being defeat in itself.
Free people of the Omegas? Excuse me, but since when did Zoners fight for the rights of non Zoners? Not one of you has taken up arms and returned to house space to free the oppressed within their borders. Not one.
Looking at Miss Whitehall, before continuing
The only people in Omega-3 that I have any concern for are the residents of Freeport 1. While I consider many of the IMG friends, I will not sacrifice my family for them. While I have my doubts about any benefit that selling or leasing Freeport 1 would bring,
Gesturing to Elyssa
it would seem many of you have very short memories, as Miss Elyssa here, administrates a station that is awaiting take over by Synth Foods, Inc. A Zoner station, sold for many of the same reasons that Mr. Rhyme has suggested selling Freeport 1 for. No great calamity has destroyed our community.
It amazes me how so many of you consider stubborn resistance against anything and everything you encounter the first and best choice of action. Did those before us resist as you claim we should? No, they did not resist. They packed up and moved away from those that would oppress them.
I'm not saying we should follow in their foot steps, but do remember your roots. Remember exactly how it is our community came to be. Not through stubborn resistance against the houses or other forces, but through appeasement, expert diplomatic maneuvering, and pure will to survive.
Standing and walking over to Maximus and offering his hand
I'd like to apologize for my part if fueling our two groups hostility towards one another. While some of you were Omicroners, that no longer appears to be the case. We're all Zoners here and while we may not get along I doubt we'd endanger one another, which few exceptions. Making a slight gesture to Marvin
While I am thankful for the information you've felt you could share with us, I feel the need to point out that almost all of it is information we all already knew. I would hope that the Phoenix can drop this whole cloak and dagger attitude that the Omicroners so clung to. I'd like to point out that you've yet to inform the rest of us why you're group is so interested in the Omicron Lost system other than its abundance of Nomad specimens. The same can be said for many of the deep Omicron systems.
I cannot offer my company's assistance and endanger the lives of my employees and friends without knowing who the Phoenix truly is. What research and information did you take with you when you left Omicron-74? Why has it been kept from the rest of our community?
I want to close the schism that drove the Omicroners from Sirius, but it will never be closed so long as you retain their distrust of us, Maximus.
Dali cleared his throat. He had been sitting in the back for some time, listening carefully and over thinking some of the arguments.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I fear we are losing momentum because of the pingponging between subjects and the distrust some of us have to others because of things that happened in the recent history.
Whilst I understand the reasons for one to possible sell off Freeport 1 because of increasing House presence I fear that if we do so, the rest of the zoners in the omegas will be forced to pack up there things and leave because of other forces trying to muscle in.
Freeport 5 is highly dependant of Freeport one has a transfer hub and an acces point to the deeper Omegas. I would imagine Porto Novo and Boa Vista to be as well. Bretonia might be highly imperialistic however I have yet to see them use large scale open usage of armed conflict with the zoner population to reach their goals. .
So far their presence on Gran Canaria has been restricted to Port Douglas has it not? I have not seen Bretonian marines patrol the corridors of one. Freeport 1 has a unique position of being a neutral ground right at the edge of the Omegas. Giving up this proud presence would be a loss to not only us Zoners but to many groups operating in the omegas, this should be reminded to every single one of them every now and then.
I would not support open conflict in any way shape or form unless provoked with clear and aimed attacks at our society however, just packing up our things is not the way to handle this threat. Our positions in the omegas depends the ability for our diplomats to make clear the unique and required presence of Freeport one in omega 3 to any and all local powers."
Mr llama looked around the room to see if his message came across and sat down again.
There used to be pictures here
once known as Richard Farbridge, OBE and Ronaldo Benitez
Maximus stands up suprised by mr Cross and returns the favor...they shake hands:
Senior...I have contacted Mr Church on the matter of Omicron Lost..and it seems he kept a promise to not share the info or simply didn't get the message. I agree that secrets are only making the distance between our groups bigger but to be honest I didn't get a chance to read what we managed to recover from O74 and what leaving Omicroners didn't destroy or took with them.
As far as I have been informed after we managed to gather the remains of Omicroners ships and left behind data - the info that was kept so secret were mostly diplomatic relations with particular groups in Sirius ... Omicroners before they left managed to destroy or take with them everything important and classified..what we managed to salvage was mostly parts of old research projects and data from ships that were left behind...at this point this data is basicly useless...it doesn't have any connection with each other and our technicians are still trying to decode and recover the files that were damaged. Be sure that if we manage to get anything of any value for Zoners community we will pressent it to you.
Now to the Omicron Lost case...
I believe I have the data I presented to Senior Church with me so I will just let you read. I believe this will explain my personal intrest and Phoenix actions about the Omicron Lost. Maximus opens a file on his PDA and sends it to everyone gathered at the conference - the file originaly was adressed to Senior James Church only:
Quote:As you probably remember before I joined the Omicroners , I was a leader of Zoner group known as "Pioneer Corpration". I believe both OSI and PC started their existance nearly at the same time. Both of our groups by that time were growing in numbers and spreading their influence. As a Pioneer back then our main goal was to seek new colonisation targets and develop the cold and unfriendly space of Omicrons. Our goal was to help those who live in this hazardous space. One of our exploration missions in Omicron Lost ended in destruction of whole PC fleet. When our ships were leaving the system we have been ambushed by large Nomad fleet which numbers were too big for our security ships to cover. Many of my friends and people I considered as brothers and sisters died in that atack.
I am sending you a part of Pioneer Corporation and my personal reports from that events:
(...situation takes place after PC fleet leaves Omicron Lost after exploration mission...)
When Max decided to set course on Kappa suddenly from Omicron Lost they detected a possible contact incomming. While all ships focused their radars on that source of power, a horde of small nomad snubcrafts decloaked around them. It was a trap. A Jinkusu flag ship managed to shield some of the ships fleeing but it was a masacre. When Maximus was drifting away in his escape pod he saw a blast of the flag ship and Nomads vanishing in the Lost jumphole. He knew...it was over. The pilots who survived were paid the share of money left from selling Pioneer Corporation assets and it was the end of once strong and prosperous faction. Maximus knew that it was the only way to repay those people for the loss that they experianced...it was the only thing he could and had to do.
Left only with his Corvo ship and few crew members survived from PC jinkusu, Max set course on Omicron 74 where some of his friends decided to join the Omicroners. It was oportunity for Max to rebuild and recover from the loss. He's never stopped blaming himself for that atack. The anger was unimaginable it was pushing him forward and at the same time it was making him blind. He was taking risks that noone would even consider. That lead him to another dissaster. In 817 Maximus decided to lead an exploration mission into Lost system to look for remaining nomad ships and to have his revange on those squids. Once again he came into Nomad trap and his ship was damaged. This time Maximus decided that he is going to fight them off or die trying. The battle lasted for hours and the wings of nomads were numerous. It looked like they were organising for some powerful strike...then he understood. The nomad target was Minor. He knew some of the agents there, as a PC member and Omicroner he had the respect of pilots there. Blasted squids blocked his transmission and he couldn't warn them. The nomad force was massive...the single corvo failed and was left wracked in the Lost deep dark space. Emergancy Signal received by Omicroners saved him after weeks in hibernation.
I believe that if you ask the 77th members if they experienced Nomad atacks in the system they will confirm that and if they don't well it doesn't change the fact that I have my personal reasons to continue my operations in that systems. I haven't yet recovered all the data from ships destroyed there nor I have found the remains of my old fleet. What I know for sure is that Nomads have their intrest in that sector and it seems another alien species known to us as 77th group is living their too. Maybe it's the 77th secretly working with the Nomads..or the Nomads are detecting them and the presence of 77th is what brings Nomads in the sector. I will continue my research even if everyone will tell me it's pointless...I have failed those who trusted me once and I am not going to make the same mistake again and if that means I will have to fight those who threat my people then so be it...If you have questions I will try to answer them.
As I have already said here I have gathered data about nomad pressence in the system and around Lost and apart of my lost fleet ships I still consider stopping the nomad invasion my personal goal. I am unable to do it with arms but I can gather data that might be important in the fight against K'hara. As for my Pioneer ships ... it's my resposibility to recover everything I can and gather all that was left behind.
Maximus was about to sit down
Oh and my two cents about Bretonia - Omega 3 case...I don't believe Bretonia will aim to hurt the relations with Zoner community especialy considering the ammount of enemies around their house space... having another unfriendly group wouldn't be good for their economy or simply PR. Not to mention that Bretonia being exhausted by the wars isn't really able to make any...strong steps into Omega 3 that could threat Freeport residents and their freedom. I suggest we all take a deep breath before we start our actions against anyone in that sector. Corsairs have proved that they are capable of defending their influence in Omegas and Smallwood was a good show of their determination. Sprague colonization isn't a threat to Freeport One future in my opinion.
As for selling the stations to anyone ... especialy house corporations ... I strongly suggest not to... Zoners have so little our own instalations that getting rid of them simply because the area around them is changing is like hiding your head in the sand. I don't find that way proper or effective. Selling a base to one group might back fire on us and our diplomatic stense with another group. To remain neutral we need to seek the solution via diplomacy. Maximus nods to mr Cross and mr Holliday and sits down.