COMM-ID: Eliza Valdez Subject: Re: Space anomaly did an oopsie woopsie Priority: High
Hello? Senora Hall? I hope you've not terminated this channel yet? I've managed to get in contact with senor Aquila and we have discussed the current situation.
It appears a big issue for the Maltese Nation is the fact that space anomalies are rather unreliable and while one day they are here, the next for mysterious reasons they are gone and moved elsewhere. As such a vital connection to the Baffin system has had the annoyance of reappearing in the Tau-31 system. This would mean that the Maltese people do not hold full sovereignty over the Cardamine route, something which was essential in the original Basillica conference.
Do you perhaps think that Bretonia would be willing to renegotiate the eastern part of Tau-31 to be rightful Maltese space? This would also prove that Bretonia is in fact not secretly plotting with the Crayterian Government, which is a suspicion many Maltese have after seeing a whole planet surrendered without a single weapon fired.
Message Class: Textual
Encryption: Oolong
To: Legion Maltesa Leadership
From: Governor-General Commodore Elizabeth Hall, BAF
Esteemed Dona Valdez,
I have received your message, but I am currently situated in an underground bunker from where my signal is weak. Thus I cannot establish a video feed, but I can send you a textual letter.
It has been days since I sent my report about our correspondence to the Bretonian Government, but they have still not honoured me with any kind of response. I suspected it could be the signal, but I assume that you have received nothing from them too. I do not see many things we can do except wait, although I do have one idea. We could produce a fait accompli.
The conditions I set, independent from the Government, are that this Enma Loyola is extradited to me on Exeter and the Nation of Malta binds itself not to attack any forces or corporations of the Kingdom of Bretonia. In return, I will do my best to support your request in the War Cabinet. I do not think it realistic that they will allow this corridor to be considered Maltese space, but I do not expect it to be an issue at all for Maltese traffic to use it at will, with Bretonian cardamine laws waived. Our patrols do not go there yet, so it will hardly even matter. Bretonia will not force anything on Crayter, not so soon after the re-acquisition of Harris, as this would certainly result in some sort of sanctions by Liberty, but we have no binding agreement with them that requires us to defend them against the Maltese. Should Bretonian interests not be jeopardized, I very much believe that you would be completely free in dealing with Crayter.
I am aware that this might seem rigid on Bretonia's part, but it is my estimation of how far Bretonia will be willing to bend at most. Pride must be taken into account as a factor, and pride has been taken to unrealistic and before unseen levels following the defeat of Gallia and the destruction of Leeds. It often happens with societies that have been greatly humbled to develop an undeserved level of pride in response and the defeat of the greatest fleet in Sirius (partly) by our hand does nothing to bring this pride to more reasonable levels. I myself am one of those who think that it is too early for Bretonia to go back to the Taus, but we are too few for our opinions to matter and I myself would certainly be accused of bias about this, as my area of interest is on the very opposite end of the Kingdom. I had rather rely on Malta to abide by our agreements there, provided that these troubles with Loyola are resolved.
Would you, then, be willing to work with me on this to present the War Cabinet with a fait accompli?
Commodore
Governor-General of Exeter
Bretonian Armed Forces