to: RM - cc: RFP: Kruger Crimes Committed by "Himmel"

[Jack_Henderson]

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**** SENDER: [color=#FFCC99]Stephen Schwerdtfeger, IMG Guildmaster ****

**** TO: [color=#FFCC99]Rheinwehr ****
**** CC: Rheinland Federal Police ****

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Guten Tag meine sehr verehrten Damen und Herren,

my name is Stephen Schwerdtfeger and I'd like to introduce myself, as we have not yet directly spoken to each other. I am one of the Guildmasters of the IMG and in charge of the Omega 7 Diplomacy.

In the wake of the Omega 7 treaty, the IMG would like to inform the Rheinland Authorities about criminal acts committed against the IMG. This channel will be used to keep the Rheinwehr and also the Rheinland Federal Police updated on criminal acts.

The IMG requests to have the following vessel added to the Criminal Register of Rheinland for the crimes described below:

• Perpetrator: [color=#FFCCCC]Himmel
  
• Ship: [color=#FFCCCC]Ahoudori Gunboat
  
• Ship Papers: Kruger
  
• Ship IFF transponder: Kruger
  
• Crimes: Extortion attempt of 4 million, Destruction of an IMG Nanda-Devi bomber
  

Situation: The Kruger ship came to the IMG fields and tried to pirate the mining operation there. He was chased far off the grid and followed by two IMG. In the fighting an IMG bomber was destroyed.



Visual Proof:

> File 1: ID scan Himmel
> File 2: Demand Part 1
> File 3: Demand Part 2
> File 4: Demand Part 3

Voice Transcript:

[22.01.2012 19:34:21] IMG|Crying.Rock: Himmel, this is the IMG field. Kruger has their own
[22.01.2012 19:34:30] Himmel: trying to say something
[22.01.2012 19:34:45] IMG|Crying.Rock: Okay, what do you want to say, Sir?
[22.01.2012 19:35:11] Himmel: i'm sick of competition here in omegas
[22.01.2012 19:35:21] IMG|Crying.Rock: Most are. Sad thing is: Kruger started it. And keeps fueling the flames
[22.01.2012 19:35:28] Himmel: and i'm here to ask for a litle contribution for my disatisfaction. well we did not started anything it is the IMG who burn the flames around here
[22.01.2012 19:35:50] IMG|Morgan.Z: No, really...Are you serious?
[22.01.2012 19:35:59] IMG|Crying.Rock: So.. do you want to pirate us?
[22.01.2012 19:36:01] Himmel: now i think a small compensation for our troubles would be fine
[22.01.2012 19:36:02] IMG|Morgan.Z: *laughs*
[22.01.2012 19:36:09] IMG|Morgan.Z: *comms buzzing of laughter*
[22.01.2012 19:36:15] Himmel: how about you guy's say for a 4 milion credit's from this nice trader here
[22.01.2012 19:36:18] IMG|Crying.Rock: You know you will die if you fire one shot?
[22.01.2012 19:36:21] IMG|Morgan.Z: *choking on lauchter*
[22.01.2012 19:36:54] IMG|Morgan.Z: Engaging IMG hostile!
[22.01.2012 19:36:57] IMG|Crying.Rock: Okay, IMG, strike first. Go!
[22.01.2012 19:38:13] IMG|Frans.Becker: This is Becker, protecting IMG vessels
[22.01.2012 19:38:25] IMG|Loreley: Kurt: Get here, scum
[22.01.2012 19:38:36] IMG|Loreley: Kurt: You want a piece of me?
[22.01.2012 19:38:43] IMG|Crying.Rock: So? *grins* You want that?
[22.01.2012 19:38:49] IMG|Crying.Rock: Still want that 4 million?
[22.01.2012 19:38:51] IMG|Morgan.Z: Get back in the fields, captain!

Yours sincerely

Stephen Schwerdtfeger
Guildmaster of the IMG

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[rwx]

..::Incomming Transmission::..

PRIORITY: [color=#FFFF00]Medium
ENCRYPTION: High
IDENTIFICATION: Obt. Renate Bommel
SOURCE: Nibelung Polizei Plaza, Planet New Berlin
SUBJECT: Re: Kruger Crimes Committed by "Himmel"

Sehr geehrter Herr Schwerdtfeger,

I had reviewed your evidence past to us. Unfortunately your evidences doesn't fit ze requirement for a criminal entry.

By Rheinland laws "§2.3.1. Piracy is described as performing or attempting to perform actions such as [...] an extortion for sums of money [...] in exchange for the immediate or future safety of the target of the said actions."

As I can see wiz your evidence, ze Kruger captain asked politely for (and not demanded) an compensation. Why didn't you simply told him no? Instead, it seems you attack his ship first:

[22.01.2012 19:36:57] IMG|Crying.Rock: Okay, IMG, strike first. Go!

Regarding zis, I would need a clear guncam shot who opened fire first.

I regret ze destruction of one of your bombers, but for ze possibility you fired first, ze Kruger captain was allowed to defend himself.

Mit freundlichen Grueßen

Oberst Renate Bommel
Rheinland Bundespolizei

***TRANSMISSION TERMINATED***

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We make the rules, you follow them.

[AeternusDoleo]

**** Incoming Transmission ****
From: Johnathan Sanders
To: Obst. Bommel
CC: Channel participants
Subject: Clarification
Encryption: Medium


Gentlemen,

Am I to understand that, by Rheinland law, it is perfectly permissible to make demands at gunpoint, so long as those guns are not actually fired? It is my understanding that any attempt to extort credits at gunpoint constitutes piracy - and given that a heavy gunboat was sent to make demands off of one of our mercantile assets... To strike a comparison. How would -we- be treated if we gathered a few gunboats and bombers, and started to "request" a tax for passing by Freistadt from any mercantile passing there? Note that we have no intent to do so - the IMG does not condone piracy, but I would imagine the Rheinland Military would put a quick end to such "requests".

I would request you at least -warn- Kruger that such blatant provocations and borderline piracy will not go unanswered from our side. We have no interest in conflict, but we will not be bullied around.

Regards,
- Johnathan Sanders, on behalf of the Independent Miners Guild

**** Transmission Closed ****

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Wide awake in a world that sleeps, enduring thoughts, enduring scenes. The knowledge of what is yet to come.
From a time when all seems lost, from a dead man to a world, without restraint, unafraid and free.

Mostly retired Discovery member. May still visit from time to time.

[rwx]

..::Incomming Transmission::..

PRIORITY: [color=#FFFF00]Medium
ENCRYPTION: Medium
IDENTIFICATION: Obt. Renate Bommel
SOURCE: Nibelung Polizei Plaza, Planet New Berlin
SUBJECT: Re: Clarification

Sehr geehrter Herr Sanders,

I understand your point, but as your evidence shows, ze Kruger vessels has not shown any threat and/or behavior that would be counted as piracy/possible attack. If I would put him on ze criminal database, what would be ze reason for such an entry? Asking a question? Defending himself?
If so, I've also to add the participated IMG vessels for the attacking at Rheinland civilians with low motives.

But because we also don't want an escalation in ze Omegas, I'll ensure ze Kruger leadership is aware of your complaint.

Mit freundlichen Grueßen

Oberst Renate Bommel
Rheinland Bundespolizei

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We make the rules, you follow them.

[Landers]

=[[color=#C0C0C0]INCOMING TRANSMISSION]=

[font=Impact]SOURCE: [color=#FFFFFF]Battleship Straussberg, New Berlin System.
ENCRYPTION: High, port RM-CH-HC-Pzkpfw-VI



Receiving...
Decrypting...
Opening...

[font=Verdana]SUBMITTER: Admiral Joachim Landers, Rheinland Military Oberkommando
RECIPIENT: Stephen Schwerdtfeger
SUBJECT: Re:


Sehr geehrter, Herr Guildmaster,

The Voice Transcript reveals, that the IMG vessels opened fire on the "Kruger" gunboat right after it stated it's demands, which demands are unacceptable of course. If not the IMG fired first a proof of it's opposite could be usefull. I can't comment this situation onward, though I'm looking forward to the answer from the Kruger side.

Signed,

Admiral Joachim Landers,
Oberkommando des Rheinland Militärs.



[font=Impact]Encrypting...
Closing...

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[Jack_Henderson]

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[color=#FFFFFF]

Guten Tag meine sehr verehrten Damen und Herren,

the IMG actually did not fire first despite the aggressive rhetorics, but that is hard to impossible to proof as in situations like this, split seconds decide on who starts the engagement in a favourable position, especially when the threat is a gunship class with a CAU-8 military grade armor. A complete guncam video capture would be necessary to make sure to depict the hectic action correctly. Such a recording is not available on the IMG side.

As the IMG will not push this incident further, seeing that the RFP already sent a general notice to Kruger to avoid further provocation, I think there is no need to investigate much further, especially as the proof of who fired first will likely never be found.

The IMG will concentrate to get the Omega 7 treaty signed, which is the only answer to acts like the one committed by Himmel. Once the Omega 7 resources are distributed and all signing parties agree to the distribution, I personally hope for acts of aggression and provocation to cease. That's why we are working into this direction by rekindling the negotiations after the recent break.

Thank you for your time.


Yours sincerely

Stephen Schwerdtfeger
Guildmaster of the IMG

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[Kaiserliche Polizei Rheinlands]

PRIORITY: [color=#33CC00]Medium
ENCRYPTION: Medium
IDENTIFICATION: Oberst Fritz Schulz
SOURCE: Nibelung Polizei Plaza, Planet New Berlin
SUBJECT: Kruger evidence

Sehr geehrter Herr Schwerdtfeger, sehr geehrter Herr Sanders,

Oberst Bommel is currently busy with other violations in Rheinland so this incident landed on my desk.

Herr Sanders, this is again a problem between Kruger and the IMG. But it'll be considered separate.

It seems there are some contradiction in the statement of Herrn Schwerdtfeger. In the last message past to us, he stated clear, the IMG did not fire at first.
Now the Kruger leadership sent us an evidence from the respective gunboat and a testimony. And while the testimony stated clear the Kruger captain had no intention for hostile activities, the evidence shows the IMG attacked the Kruger ship at first.

[color=#33CC00]Attachment:

• Kruger evidence
  
• Testimony of Herrn Himmel:
  

  Cpt.Himmel: [color=#FFCC00]Mein herr's our vessel was in deep patrol thrue omega 7 sistem equiped mostly with sensor's for detection any ore pocket left in space, and few gunboat basic turet's for protection.
  We encounter few IMG mining vessel's mining in the area.
  In the first place we didn't whant to aproach them to closely our scaner's indicated that they are to well armed for ordinary mining vessel.
  But knowing how much dificulties our company has in the last few year's and how our paycheck's are low any hand of help would be benefitial for our workers and our company. We had no hostile intention's mein herr's to those IMG mining vessels.
  I will put it this way: We aproached them with greets and asked them nicely and politely to help us. Maybe this what i tryed to do would never be aproved by our directors mein herr because we are to proud to ask our competitors for help.
  But we do feel and belive that any help would be more than usefull for these tough time's our company is going thrue.
  Instead of warm welcome and hand of help we expected from them due to our request we were warned to leave the area emidietly.
  than i realised how the things stand here but we decided atleast to say what is on our mind.
  I collected a litle bravery from inside of me and said nicely that we are sick of competition in the sistem and meaning that bad relation's should be ended and we would like to ask for small donation from certain trade vessel meaning as sign of good will to help each other.
  Now i will repeat we *asked* nicely we didn't threated them in any way you have my word on that mein herrs.
  Seconds afther we recevied a reply from them and i was astonished so was my crew.
  We could hear a big laughing on the comm chanel's and afther that openly asking us *Are you trying to pirate us ?* With some acusation's ofcourse that our company is making troubles in the region.
  Sudenly this whole situation started to look pointless i realised that what ever we say or ask nicely it will be considered as hostile act.
  I was about to try to explain them it's a misunderstanding we mean no harm but we were never given chance to explain our real intentions.
  Next moment we heard the voice saying *Engaging hostiles!, IMG should strike first....* and the rest of comunication was lost because of weapon fire directed to our ship.
  We didn't have any chance of survival there and no chance of explaning them it was all missunderstanding so i gave order to set course out of the sistem.
  We were chased 200 klicks out of the sistem were finaly our ship was cruise disrupted.
  Against all our hopes we were forced to fight for our survival IMG ship's engaged us and we were forced to defend our selvs.
  The result was destruction of one IMG vessel, soon afther the other IMG ship entered cruise speed and leaved the area.
  I whana say that we were luckey to survive there luckey that other's couldn't locate our ship if they did we whouldn't be here now.
  I realy whant to apologiase to the Kruger Mienerals directors for this situation but we did not have any hostile intentions to anyone especialy not to the IMG.
  I and my crew we are just hapy to ghet out of there alive.
  
  We have a proof wich can confirm that our ship was atacked first even if we did not show any hostile action's to the IMG vessels.
  Our shield was lowered we were forced to use reapir nanobot units wich buyed us some time to escape certain death.

Mit freundlichem Gruße

Oberst Fritz Schulz
Rheinland Bundespolizei

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[Jack_Henderson]

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[color=#FFFFFF]

Guten Tag meine sehr verehrten Damen und Herren,

let me ask you a question: Where is the evidence that the Kruger was fired on first?

What I see in the guncam shot is a gunboat with regenerating shields that has already disengaged and which is now at 5,5k from the target it attacked, the Transport Loreley. The nearest IMG ship is out of firing range. So, what I want to ask is: What is this picture meant to prove? The evidence the IMG submitted shows exactly the same, but - again - it is interesting that Kruger left out the attempt of committing a crime in their reports completely.

Let me be very clear: A Cau-8 military Gunboat with a typical turret setting for fast-killing heavy targets does not come to the IMG fields to ask politely for money. Our miners and traders get "asked politely" for money all the time, before guns go blazing. Workers in Omega 7 understand very well when someone tries to pirate them. If you take into account the actions of Kruger during the last months, it should be clear that this act was just another provocation of Kruger against IMG.

The Gunboat should never have been there.
It should never have "asked" for 4 million as "compensation" for whatever action.

It did both and it resulted in a shooting incident, which was provoked by the presence and action of the Kruger vessel.

This comes as no surprise, not after Kruger's continued open violence that might be not known to RFP. This is why this channel is opened for the RFP: << EVIDENCE FILE >>

The file shows how Kruger| provokes the IMG constantly, and also uses open aggression for the means of "defending their field". Please realize that the IMG ships involved are never military grad ships of heavily armed and armoured gunboat class. Arrastra miners and Stork transports are shot at for approaching the Kruger fields.
As a sharp contrast: The IMG shot at a warship that tried to harm an IMG mining operation first.


The witness statement of Hr. Himmel is nothing but a thinly disguised attempt to portray himself as the victim. He does not present proof that he was fired at first. As a fact, he attacked the transport Loreley. I question his statement that this was done in self-defence. I am sure that he wanted to destroy it quickly in a hit-and-run attack but did not notice that the transport had military grade armour as well. After receiving damage from the mining craft, he fled.

For the IMG, this case is 100 % clear:

The reality is that this Gunboat came to the IMG fields with the intention to harm a civilian IMG operation. In that case, IMG miners are entitled to defend themselves. Asking miners and transports for money in a warship was considered piracy for the miners. And they defended themselves against it.

In comparison to Kruger, it takes an attempted act of piracy to provoke an IMG aggression, while Kruger| defends "their property" by violence against civilian mining ships.

I seriously doubt that Mr. Himmel took his military grade armored gunboat for a fund raising charity event to the IMG fields while there was an IMG| mining operation going on, hoping he would get a warm welcome. Not after what Kruger| has been doing over the last months.

Hochachtungsvoll

Stephen Schwerdtfeger
Guildmaster of the IMG

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[Kaiserliche Polizei Rheinlands]

PRIORITY: [color=#33CC00]Medium
ENCRYPTION: Medium
IDENTIFICATION: Oberst Fritz Schulz
SOURCE: Nibelung Polizei Plaza, Planet New Berlin
SUBJECT: Re: Kruger evidence

[color=#000000]

Sehr geehrter Herr Schwerdtfeger,

let me thank you for the channel read access. I reported this to my superiors and after Inspekteur Becker coordinated our personal resources to study the information, I'm sure he will inform you.

Meanwhile I'll continue the investigation about this incident.

I disagree to your speculation, the Kruger ship wasn't disenganging.
If I compare both evidences (yours and Krugers), I see 5 IMGs, 1 Kruger and 1 unknown affiliated vessel (Death.Dealer).
(IMG|Frans.Becker entered obviously later the area, so it isn't shown in your evidence.)
If the Kruger ship was really disenganging, where is the lost bomber you mentioned?

Furthermore, I also don't see an indication of harm done by the Kruger ship. The targeted IMG vessel shows complete loaded shields and no hull damage. If this situation was really so hectic as you descripted, wouldn't said ship had at least some shield damage?

Mit freundlichem Gruße

Oberst Fritz Schulz
Rheinland Bundespolizei

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[font=Lucida Sans Unicode]

Guten Tag meine sehr verehrten Damen und Herren,

there seems to be some misunderstanding about what was going on.

This is the comms that were recorded after the engagement:

[22.01.2012 19:38:13] IMG|Frans.Becker: This is Becker, protecting IMG vessels <= Bomber arriving, which triggers Himmel's retreat
[22.01.2012 19:38:25] IMG|Loreley: Kurt: Get here, scum
[22.01.2012 19:38:36] IMG|Loreley: Kurt: You want a piece of me? = [color=#FFCCCC]The transport that was under attack asks whether he still wants more
[22.01.2012 19:38:43] IMG|Crying.Rock: So? *grins* You want that?
[22.01.2012 19:38:49] IMG|Crying.Rock: Still want that 4 million?
[22.01.2012 19:38:51] IMG|Morgan.Z: Get back in the fields, captain! <= Orders for the chasing Arrastras to return to mining
[22.01.2012 19:39:01] IMG|Frans.Becker: Pay 4 million and we will let you go <= Chasing Party
[22.01.2012 19:39:37] IMG|Crying.Rock: Do you weep tears, bitter tears, for failing? *grins* <= Chasing Party
[22.01.2012 19:40:21] IMG|Loreley: He took 57 bots. And some bats. = [color=#FFCCCC]Damage report of the transport captain
[22.01.2012 19:41:46] IMG|Loreley: Payment? How much? <= Filling of the transport finished
[22.01.2012 19:42:16] IMG|Crying.Rock: So... are you going to run until your fuel runs out? *grins* <= Chasing party
[22.01.2012 19:42:24] IMG|Crying.Rock: Or will you turn and fight a miner and a bomber?
[22.01.2012 19:42:27] Himmel: Well i have enough suplies here <= Himmel far off the plane

The gunboat is definitely disengaging in that guncam shot that Kruger showed. It is cruising off.

It was chased by all Arrastra miners, later only by the Arrastra (Crying Rock) and Nanda Devi Bomber pilot, Franz Becker. The rest of the miners returned to fill the transport.

The Kruger warship cruised somewhere, 200 k into the void after disengaging (this is what you see in the evidence shot). It was able to cruise off after the attack against Loreley because the Arrastra miners do not have any Disruptor missiles.

Becker, who had launched from Freistadt, had some Disruptor missiles, but came too late to intercept the gunboat in the fields. The presence of the bomber however triggered the evasive maneuver of the warship.

In the fighting that took place about 10 minutes later and 200 k off (compare to the Kruger report), Becker's Nanda Devi bomber was destroyed, the pilot only suffered minor injuries, and Crying Rock disengaged and returned. The Kruger ran off in the general direction of Elbich.

Harm was done by the Kruger Gunboat but not significantly more than it received. Some regens had to be used by Loreley, but the hull hardly was damaged because IMG Defense did not give the pirate warship the chance to unleash his full firepower into the civilian transport's hull first before hitting its own hull, too. With shields downed within seconds and SNAC fire around, the gunboat had to retreat. Which is what it did. And that was the only wise decision that Captain Himmel made on that day.

I can only repeat what I have already said:

If a Kruger takes his warship to an IMG mining operation and "asks" for money, we do consider that as a threat. Interpreting this as anything else than a piracy attempt means ignoring the harsh realities on Omega 7. Moving the warship to the IMG mining operation was a incredibly foolish or a willfully provocative act.

The IMG has already drawn the consequences of the incident. Next time, the engagements will be documented in a way that leaves no doubt about the intentions of the Kruger vessels.

If you have any further questions, please ask. The IMG considers this incident sufficiently covered and will focus its attention to the signing of the Omega 7 treaty that would clarify the legal situation in cases like this and provide a legal basis for action.


Hochachtungsvoll

Stephen Schwerdtfeger
Guildmaster of the IMG

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