A man and a woman were standing nondescript on the side, the man holding a camera, the woman a microphone. They had the badge "LMC" to show they were in the Liberty Media Corporation. The reporter spoke quietly into the microphone.
"We're coming to you live from Aomori Station in the Honshu system, where the Gas Miners Guild is signing treaties to distribute their product across Sirius. This could mean problems for the Liberty Navy, who have been finding an advantage on the field due to their adversaries' lack of fuel. It appears that Republican Shipping will distribute the fuel through Rheinland and Bretonia, and Kishiro will take it through Kusari and to us. We'll leave the camera rolling as the Speaker continues."
Ah, Konnichiwa my good frineds from Liberty, Guild Master Raikoke here.
You bring up a very good topic and I'm very glad you brought that up so that way we can clear up the air on our product and it's wide availability.
First of all I'd like to correct everyone about GMG fuel and Rheinland. Rheinland has always received GMG fuel. The source in Frankfurt wasn't sufficient for Rheinland's needs nearly 200 years ago and that fact is more poignant today. Following the Eighty Year War, and despite it, GMG continued to provide fuel to Rheinland through our business contracts with Kusari distributors. There is a very strong reason why this is so.
I want everyone here to realize that we take our fuel industry very seriously. We may seem like the greedy monsters holding a monopoly on an essential comodity of the day to day lives in Sirius. But I assure you all that we fully comprehend the necessity to have fuel to transport the basic needs to people on various planets and stations devoid of such necessities. We know of the responsibility that is needed to ensure that every government and it's people have the necessary fuel they need, when they need it and at an affordable price so they may use it.
In the not so distant past the distribution contract for GMG was solely with Kishiro. Kishiro distributed to Kusari, Liberty and to Mainz on Rheinland. With wars occuring Bretonnia was required to gain their fuel through middle sources in Liberty and Rhienland. Now currently, thanks to our rich new deposits in the Mintaka Field and mass production from Miura underway, GMG is experiencing an industrial growth. With the new treaty signed between GMG and Rheinland it allows RepEx to help GMG expand on it's supply line to better accomadate our growth and to help ensure the needs of others.
I would like to take this moment to let you know that it's about reopening our borders as well as providing distribution rights to one of it's companies. Assessment, quotas, projected volumes is still handled by us and remains unaffected. Such matters are not subect to politics but is at the mercy of our production rate as well as the population needs and consumption of Sirius. Such matter are not subject to the whims of war commanders either. It is unfortunate that Sirius is rife in conflict and that the fuel we send out gets used up in some war effort. We do factor in the needs of defence in our projected quotas but all nations are wise to ensure that all isn't squandered in war, that maintaining a national budget is necessary. We are reaching a golden era in our growth but there is still a limit to what we can produce yearly for the rising demand and we will not sacrifice the lives of one for another. We leave that for politicians to decide with their budgets.
That being said, our production rates have increased and this new expansion on our supply lines with a second distribution contract will help make sure that what we produce you all can use.
An annoyed voice crackled in the ear of the female reporter via her earpiece,
Damn it, woman, speak quieter! Don't embarrass us!
She set her mouth and gave the tiniest of nods, off-camera. She raised her hand, and said, "Miss Raikoke, would you care for a quick interview with the Liberty News Service over the Guild's practice?"
"What is your question, sir?" Chiyeko Shunji asked.
The man coughed. He then began to talk. "I was curious about the Rheinland side of this. So my question is: After the GMG's previous actions have all but destroyed Rheinland's proud farming industry, as well as wreaking havoc on the economy for years, why have they apparently sold out again anyway?"
"Doesn't this just go to show how the GMG truly is?" he asked. "First the problems in the past, and now it seems they may even be betraying their business partners. Isn't this going to cost Kishiro a bundle of credits? Or is the offer of Rheinland's future worth more than that?"
Guild Master Nozaki Ichimoto nodded and smiled slightly.
"Let's not be biased. Despite our bitter past, we have decided that the Sigma Trade Pact will be mutually beneficial to both Rheinland and the Gas Miners Guild.
"Furthermore, claims that Kishiro will lose money in this agreement are ill-founded. Kishiro will be signing an exclusive Plutonium distribution contract in the near future that will encompass both Kusari and Liberty. Clients in both houses offer premium prices for Plutonium, so this is a significant contract for both parties."
A reporter in a grey suit, appearantly an old one, inherited from his father, stood up. "Olaf Gunther from Frankfurtein New Supplien." - he introduced himself - "Is it safe to presume that Mainz Storage Facility is under Gas Miners Guild takeover?"
The man kept his face cold. "Frankfurten New Supplier again. How will Gas Miners Guild relationship with Liberty change given the recent warm-up with Rheinland? As I understand Libertonians are to be expected price raise in near future"
It seemed like the man was poking the fire, trying to make GMG look like they're siding with Rheinland on purpose. It was hard to say what his intentions were, but even Rheinlanders felt uncomfortable.
"It is true that conflict in Sirius has kept demand, and thus prices, higher than anticipated."
"As Republican comes online with the new fuel deal, we will have not one, but two major suppliers. This will enable us to significantly increase the supply end of the market."
"I expect there will be some degree of price fluctuation initially, then prices should stabilise within the next quarter."
"But as for exactly what price Liberty will be paying for fuel - you will have to ask Kishiro Technologies as they shall retain exclusive shipping rights to that part of space."