[!] To: OSI BoD, IRG, TAZ, Zoners, Allies and Supporters | From: Kyu Akibara

[Zoner Freeport Network]

Good evening -

I know many of you see no option other than to run. Other only see the the option to have more bloodshed. The point is though, we are at a crossroads.

Now is not the time to fight amongst ourselves. Now is the time to unite, and push back the aggressors, in any form possible. Attempts will of course be made to continue diplomacy, but we have seen where that has gotten us in times past. Dealing with an organization that would slaughter men, women, and children over tobacco won't see diplomacy or reason. They only understand one thing - war.

We are not as defenseless as people make Zoners out to be. The Core thinks us defenseless and harmless and seek to rid our freedom, but I say we are strong! And one free man defending their home is more powerful than ten hired soldiers, be it Core or Outcast. I will make you no promises, save one: that when you truly believe in your hearts that you're free, then I say we can win. That we can push back against those who seek to end our lives.

We have sent an official message here, that I invite you all to view. Let us be united, and let us make a stand for our freedom.

Respectfully yours,
Confederation of Freeports

[Sombs]

This conflict is a bloody mess.

Keeping an overview over the recent events is difficult, especially with so many unconfirmed rumors and reports and transmissions without clear proof to back up the claims. But let me sum up what I have seen so far, based on the very recent transmissions on public and Zoner-affiliated channels.

- The Ceasefire between Zoners and Core, concluded between Cordelia Lyell of the Core and Finn McCool of the CoF and IRG, has been broken by the I-401 and the Arcadia. They engaged Core forces in Core territory while the Core was merely fighting Order vessels. The fight between Order and Core is nothing new to us and we have always taken a step away from it. We have never interfered with this, at least not directly, while everyone of us knows the stereotypical Order capital ship captain that constantly managed to violate the laws of the Freeport 11 No-Fire-Zone over and over again, while always refraining from giving us a respectful answer to the question about why they do so and what their business is. The CoF can't deny that happening relatively often.

- Talks in space and via Neural Net with I-401 have shown the the Captains and Crews of the I-401 and the Arcadia refrain from explaining their specific intentions about their actions. They call the Core terrorists, but act like those themselves. Their motives are maybe not as horrible as the ones of the Core, but likewise as shady and blurry. They are fully aware of how the situation is they dragged every other Zoner into without any use of common sense or bravery, as I-401 prefered to hide in Omega-49, away from the Core, rather than surrendering to them and save lifes that are now lost.

- Omicron Supply industries has helped with the evacuation of casualties of Freeport 11 to Planet Gran Canaria, along with many other humble people, and our teams and institutions on Canaria are still working hard to care for those people. Many of them the people were injured, as even before the explosion of the so called NEMP battles have been in Omicron Delta. On a side note, OSI is currently handling the situation on Canaria, but we appreciate any help there, in form of medical supplies, food, mobile home units, clothing and personal, especially medical staff.

- The Core has demanded the extradition of the I-401 and the Arcadia, that being the only demand in order to stop this chaos and prevent it from raising up to another level. Finn McCool was leading an investigation, as far as I know, but obviously, the I-401 and the Arcadia have refused to stand for their actions. This is not tolerable, and no matter how this entire scenario will end, I'll ensure the responsible individuals will pay the price for their insane and blatantly inresponsible acting that lead a bloodbath that easily could have been prevented. Until then, we need a solution for the situation we are having right now.

- Expecting the evacuation of Freeport 11 to be taking much more time, based on seeing the situation on the station and in Omicron Delta myself, I simply can't imagine how it was possible to evacuate most of the people in time, but apparently, this was something that has been done. Nevertheless, it has been varified the death count on Zoner side is between four and five digits, and all those deaths are deaths I blame both the Core but also I-401 and the Arcadia for. The only lucky thing about this horrible massacre is the fact we managed to rescue many people before they would have shared the same fate.

- Even facing the inevitability of Finn McCool's upcoming fate, as he is held hostage by the Core, and knowing the Core will start a final blow against the Freeport, no matter how operational it is right now, I-401 and the Arcadia refuse to stand for their actions, but also even dare to insult Zoners that prefer to live the life of a Zoner as we all did so far, away from house regulations, in pacifism. I wonder how naive some of you are, using the title of a Zoner but being warmongering against the Core at the same time. Willpower alone won't make us win against the Core, and we don't have a war fleet. Livadia is our only shipyard and it is only one jump away from the deadly grip of the Core. We may have the technology, the numbers, the willpower and access to the ressources of Sirius, but we are lacking three things: Time, Training and actual Power.
I don't understand how you want to fight the Core, in a bunch of fighters, gunboats and maybe some Fearless and Aquilons, but I know for a fact our shiplines are not to be compared with the mighty APM shipline that unifies the best aspects of human, gammuian and nomad technology, which is not even a secret anymore. Do not underestimate the Core, their coordination, their ships and their know-how. They are still standing for a reason, even facing the fact most non-house factions have at least a grudge against them. Call me what you want, but I'm not delirious. The facts are speaking against our fortune, and risking even more bold moves could result in us not only losing Freeport 11, but maybe also Freeport 8, Corinth and Livadia, as well as beloved people and their assets. Losing one Freeport in a system that brought us only pain, as the Zoners can't deny the most troublesome Freeport was Freeport 11 in the recent years, with Nomads, Core, Outcasts, Corsairs, Order and other factions both being a blessing and a curse when it came to the No-Fire-Zone. Well, some of them never were a blessing...

As long as there is no chance of winning, I will not act like a forlorn hope. The Omicron Supply Industries will continue offering logistical and humanitarian support, that is the best we can do, but I doubt the Board of Directors will dare to send the few military assets in our possession to aid in a very desperate blow against the Core. I stay incorrected here, though.

If you are actually able to unify the forces of not just the Zoners from all over Sirius but also the fleets of our friends and supporting factions and groups, there is a chance. But unless there are more actions done than words spoken, colour me unimpressed by the blind attempts of throwing everything away, risking even more lifes and assets just to pay back what happened, which seems very unpromising, facing the facts.

Kyu Akibara
Advisor of the Omicron Supply Industries

[Luka]

From: Gran Maestre Juan Antonio Miranda
Location: Planet Gran Canaria, Omega 49
To: Zoners
Encryption: Maximum



Buenos dias, damas y caballeros.

I have to say, these are not the best news to receive after recovering our communications. I have the dubious fortune of being absent from these events, but after personally witnessing its victims, I believe action is necesary.

Your call for surrender, Señor Akibara, while understandable, will only achieve a short-lived apparent solution, after that the consequences lean against our favor. We might just be civilians compared to the Core, but we must strike back in any other way we can, otherwise el Señor McCool won't be the last zoner to fall victim to Freeport 11's events.

Por favor take into account the rest of the situation and think ahead of the immediate events. The Core get their hands on Freeport 11, gaining any and all assets from this base for their use, something that could cause both the Order and Corsairs to look at us as a liability, assets up for grabs by the strongest party to claim, a view that could be shared by many parties in Sirius, putting all of the other Freeports at risk. The view many outcasts have of Freeport 10 is not a secret, why wouldn't they do the same? The Imperio del Corsario wouldn't have any qualms about Freeport 5 or Freeport 9, especially after the declaration of Omicron Theta as a system-wide NFZ, if it does not become another warzone instead just as Omicron Delta has.

The officers in command of the Arcadia and I-401 are to be held accountable for their actions, but recuerden that the Core has been seeking for an opportunity to do this, and the action of a few rogue vessels would be nothing more than an excuse for them to visibly overreact, taking the opportunity to seize Freeport 11 regardless of any measurement of their actions.

Claro, our self-defense ability is negligible when compared to a dedicated armed force, but if someone seeks to abuse our people to be point of hunting us, will we just stand until the day they arrive so that then we escape? We might not be aces or flagship commanders but traders, craftsmen, engineers, settlers, explorers and other noncombatants; that doesn't mean we are completely defenseless, de hecho, might as well give us an advantage.

The Core is stronger than us as armed forces, si, but remember that an army fights on its stomach, and the Omicrons, in it's inhospitality, cannot be simply taken as a free bread basket, the many hostile entities that inhabit are evidence of that. Nobody said we had to strike at them directly when the environment can do that for us if someone makes sure it is able to.

If we want to stop them from causing any further damage to us, use all means available, show their abuses to everyone, assist those who would surpress them. They want Freeport 11? Allow them to have it as nothing more than useless scraps and debris. They are surrounded by enemies, let them know what that means. El Señor McCool's safety must be ensured for his retrieval, but for this we must put the pressure and force them into negotiations, otherwise they might as well do as they please, without regard of any of our people.

As Señor Martinez said, we are men of the frontera, we've actively settled the worlds away from the houses where no one looked for us but each other, and the dangers in these parajes seeked to topple us down, but we still survived, even prospered. If they think they can claim the frontier as theirs, then let them face what it truly means.

I'm willing to deploy our available assets ahead and assist if necessary, myself included. We're not many, but a few used properly can become more effective than an angry mob. If we're able to unite, we may find a solution that not only will minimize bloodshed, but will ensure the future safety of our freedom.

I wish the best of fortune in this situation.
Juan Antonio Miranda, Gran Maestre de La Expedición.

[Operator]

INCOMING TRANSMISSION

---

NEURAL NET ID: Doctor Warren Marek
LOCATION: Livadia Shipyard, Omicron Kappa system
RECEIVER NEURAL NET ID: Kyu Akibara
ENCRYPTION: AE6404
TOPIC: The Conflict

---

It seems that you don't completely understand the situation.

You should have learned that The Core will never give their goals up. If they want something, they will take it whatever the cost is. And for the moment, their requirements are simple. They want us to leave Omicron Delta. They want us to surrender the Freeport to them. They want us to bring them the Arcadia and that disgusting carrier to their doors. And as the exchange, they will bring McCool back.

But that won't stop anything. Delta is only the beginning. Who knows what they're up to? That lady almost sweared to exterminate every single zoner in Omicrons and something is telling me that she was quite serious about it.

Well, maybe our "friends" from The Order will do something about it. Or they will ruin it completely. Regulary, they're the ones who "awlays help to protect the innocents".

---

TRANSMISSION TERMINATED

[Mannock]

From: Mannock Martínez
To: Zoners

How I miss those nice words of the OSI representative. Again you sell yours brothers and sisters, ops that is not true: YOU ARE NOT ZONERS!!!.

You must teach yours captains to hide better their destinations and buy a few better scanners or, better yet, don´t go to certain places.

Now it´s time to shut up my mouth or you surrender forever the Zoner flag and be anything else. But not with dulces palabras, with actions like be in Livadia. But if the acting presi of CoF grew a new pair, well you can be there.

That was a dream, you probably will find a way to "help" us and do bussines with Core like you do with a few others of ours enemies. Si amigos, people that shoot ours fellows.

In a very old and long dead language a smart guy said: "Vis pacem, para bellum". Diplomacy is dead when the other side answers you with fire.

We have not another place to go, between Galia, big houses and Calamares there is no easy way out. We must stand, draw the ultimate line and say them "leave us alone, don´t mess with us cos then you will pay". And for the OSI guy not in credits this time, in blood.

Mannock out

---

[Sombs]

Mannock Martínez,

While I hope you enjoy targeting your rage on me rather than at the Core and the two ships you're defending in a hypocritical way, I was rather busy with handling the situation on Gran Canaria and get all possible hand to help us feeding the mouths of thousands of people that where evacuated from the Freeport in Omicron Delta to our beloved Gran Canaria in Omega-49.

I rather sell the two wannabe freedom fighters I-401 and the Arcadia than losing even more people in an unnecessary bloodshed. I rather sell them instead of sacrificing one of the most brilliant and important heads of the Zoner history. Finn McCool was risking his life in order to give I-401 and the Arcadia a chance of redemption.

The language you are quoting is latin, the language of the ancient romans, which happens to be the prefered secondary language used by the Core. Interesting that you choose a quote of their regular repertoire.

Please go on and throw your insults at me, while everyone else is trying to be constructive. I'm sure you're a much better person than I am.

Kyu Akibara
Advisor of the Omicron Supply Industries

[Mannock]

From: Mannock Martinez
To: Zoners

Sorry, it´s not personal I dislike OSI like organization not the persons. Sadly you are their representative here. My rage is against Core, I fight them and los calamares too when they attacked FP 11, I deliver supplies to FP 11 and Corinth and I pick injured people (in fact the last ship before the NEMP bomb explodes //oorp no money for the run, but the fun is enough payment). But I did because is the right thing to do, period.

And yep I speak latin, but if that annoy you I can use classic greek if you prefer.

To the point: OSI will honor us, poor mortals, with their presence at Livadia?

6 years ago FP 11, PF XV, Livadia and Corinth were my home. I leave them to find new places for us, all of us. But only to find more Calamares and losing everything except my properties in Gran Canaria and a few relatives there and in Crete too.

Now I fight for them, like I will for Baffin, Ames or any other zoner place or any individual zoner, even for OSI.

Commit yourselves or go to earn yours 30 silver coins, as usual, and don´t blame those ships and theirs crews. Core was taunting any zoner in sight till someone made a mistake or for Core point of view something to blame us.

If you really wanted to fix this you could made a proposal like this:

President: elected from the FP, stations, planets, etc
Commerce Minister or Secretary: OSI CEO or whoever you pick (and all zoners ships must be OSI)
External Affairs: TAZ (if they want)
Research: IRG
Defence: independent or from CoF (escorts and station defence)
Vocals: 2 OSI, TAZ and IRG, 1 for any minor group and 3 independents

But nope, you prefer your witch hunt.

Mannock out

---

[Sombs]

Mannock Martínez,

You seem to lack a few facts. OSI has hauled people from the Freeport to Gran Canaria, where our teams are caring for the casualties, as OSI itself has the most influence on Omega-49 than any other Zoner group, on Canaria, the Vista and Lanzarote, and of course Nichols. While you did your work, we did ours, and we are investing a high amount of money, on a corporate scale, as well as manpower, assets, time and other ressources in dealing and healing the results of what those individuals have caused with breaking a working ceasefire. I'm missing the empathy for the casualties and deaths that were a result of the reckless acts of the Captains and Crews of the I-401 and the Arcadia.

If you want some proof, check this Zoner public channel and this Zoner public channel. Not only that, I myself brought Station Modules from Canaria to Corinth in my spare time. I contacted our friends of Orbital Spa and Cruise, asking them for help, as even OSI has only so many transports available. OSI, in person of me, was leading interrogations with the commanding officer of the I-401, twice, while also prospecting the situation of the freeport shortly after the NEMP explosion. Right now, I'm lacking the sleep of two days, and I feel like a crazy welsh girl right now, if I don't get a few hours of rest, otherwise I might make mistakes.

However, while we fully support any humanitarian aid during this crisis, we will not fight fire with fire. OSI will not send the few military assets we have available on our side in order to partake in a strike against the Core. We are a trading company and we have to ensure the security of Omega-49. Our assets are needed here or as escorts of our transports.

The rage is a natural reaction, we fully understand that, but we can't deny the facts, and while one side is focusing on keeping the gears of war running, we are focusing on carrying the can for what warmongering and frenzied people are even right now doing in the Omicrons.

Kyu Akibara
Advisor of the Omicron Supply Industries