To: Samura Industries Headquarters, From: The Corsair Empire

[Montezuma/Kukulcan]

Buenos dias,

I am contacting you on behalf of the Council of Elders, with a view to re-opening and concluding the negotiations that, rather unfortunately, came to an abrupt halt between us many months ago.

Since then, the Empire has undergone a considerable shift in the way some of our more important offices are managed, and how we deal with other groups or nations. One of the key issues we seek to overcome is that of many of our people going hungry, due to Crete being simply unable to support enough crops to feed her ever expanding population. Another being the increasing demand for materials and components with which to construct our grand fleets, which at the current moment in time is much greater than the available supply. In both of these issues, we require assistance from other groups, who have access to resources we do not. Hence why we seek an understanding with your company.

We also wish to form closer ties with the great nation of Kusari, with whose people we already to extensive business. Ties which would no doubt be mutually beneficial.

If you are still interested in such negotiations, this channel will remain open for your reply.

On behalf of the Council of Elders, and the Corsair Empire,

---

[Markus_Janus]

*Incoming Transmission*
Comm ID: Okada Kazuya
Source: Shinjuku Station, New Tokyo

*Begin Transmission*

Konnichiwa honored Elder.
I am very pleased to recieve your transmission and wish for you to know that our relationship with your people is something we hold in great importance.

I shall make my way to Crete so we may discuss how we may both further benefit from our relationship as I believe that our company and your people can achieve great things together.
I look forward to my stay on Crete and am anticipating great things from our meeting.
Sayonara,
Okada Kazuya

*Transmission ends*

---

Samura Omotai Zaibatsu.

[Markus_Janus]

As the Geisha class Luxury Yacht made it's final approach towards planet Crete, Kazuya was in communications with both Shinjuku Station and the small compound that served as embassy and coordination centre on Crete.

One of his grandest wishes had been closer relations with the Corsair Empire, it had taken everybody by surprise when he began talks with the Council of Elders nine months ago.
Although the talks had stalled on the Corsair end in the previous rounds, they had proven to be quite good business partners.
With the added, largely untapped market of the Corsair Empire as well the ceasing of attacks on Samura shipping, Samura stocks had risen to record highs.
It was a difficult game to play, on one hand there was great profit to be made there.
But the fact remained that they could not move ahead too far without some commitments from the Corsairs themselves.

It was a difficult game to be playing, that of ambassador.
Having to speak with such authority while making sure at the same time that all words had the backing of the board of directors back home.
There were many things to consider, but luckily Kazuya had grown quite accustomed to this role as of late.

After he had finished his meeting with the other directors and had been debriefer by the compound staff on the situation on Crete.
Kazuya slowly made his way to the Council of Elders.

---

Samura Omotai Zaibatsu.

[Markus_Janus]

Konnichiwa honored Elders.
Montezuma-sama, thank you for inviting me into your home, it is an honor.
Mr. Benitez-sama, I hope you are doing well, good to see you again.

Gentlemen I have received word that you wish to further the talks we had earlier in the year about closer relationships between our people.
Nothing would please us more, we hold your people in high esteem and have been looking forward to this moment for quite some time.
You will no doubt have noticed that we have continued to uphold our commitments to your people and have carried on as to the stipulations that were agreed upon in our last meetings.
We are pleased to say that our relationship has been coming along quite well with Corsair attacks on Samura shipping being nearly non-existent.
There have been one or two minor complications, but these have tended to be handled quite well at the time.

This brings us to these talks about how we can further our relationship to be a greater advantage to both parties.

First and foremost, We intend to continue to honor our commitments in regard to economic prosperity for both of our people.
This will involve the import of various food stuffs and technology, for example actual food and technology used to improve food growing here on planet Crete such as fertilisers.
We have developed techniques where by using alien organisms, we can greatly speed up harvesting cycle times as well as achieving greater quality and quantity of crops.
Along with this we shall also continue to import technologies used by your infrastructure.
These include but are not limited to quantum multiplexors, H-Fuel, ship hull panels and engine components .
All of these can be used in not only building projects both planet side and in space, but can also no doubt be of great use to your ship building and repairing needs.
In addition to this we will also continue large scale export operations of your Artifacts to further your own economy.

In return we are still after our initial request of protection from Corsair aggression for our ships or any convoy we are leading as well as assistance from Corsair fleet assets from our mutual enemies.

There are other ways we can help each other that we can get to in later on.

---

Samura Omotai Zaibatsu.

[Laowai]

A third Corsair made his way into the room. Hanging his dusty cloak up by the door he strode in quietly, nodding to the other Corsairs gathered.

Ben Laowai had often showed his face in negotiations with the various Kusari groups in the past, being half Kusari, his natural affinity with the culture and languages of Kusari made him ideal or the task. With this latest round of negotiations with Samura he had asked Elder Montezuma if his presence would be agreeable and as such Montezuma had extended an invitation to attend.

He bowed his head slightly to the Samura delegates and took a seat. Chiming into the conversation he added; "Our previous position on the exemption of your vessels from our..... financial... enterprises was stumbling block to our reaching an agreement. I am aware of this as I was one of the Elders who expressed some reservations on this account."

He continued.

"However, we are not intractable nor unreasonable, and the council does seem amenable to re-addressing this particular issue, I have no doubt that we can come to some form of honorable arrangement that will be be beneficial to us all."

---

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[Montezuma/Kukulcan]

Montezuma bowed to Kazuya, something which he is not accustomed to doing, bowing to foreigners, however, it showed the level of respect he held for the people of Kusari. He then sat down and listened to what Kazuya had to say before responding.

"We are indeed very grateful for the supplies your people have been bringing us, and we welcome our continued business. It would bring great mutual benefit to both out peoples, as we are in constant need of the most basic supplies, as well as certain ship components, which we are in no doubt you are capable of supplying. And as I am sure you are well aware, we have much to trade."

He sighed slightly as a more troublesome issue needed addressing.

"As to the issue of some of our warriors attacking you, it is shameful that they would do so, but it is not difficult to see why they would feel the need to do so, as so many of our people go hungry, they would no doubt have families to feed that may not survive otherwise. However, as attacking any ship bringing goods to any of our bases is against Corsair law, and we value your business highly, I will see to it that you are given access codes to the reporting database for our Courts. So if any of your transports, while on their way to a Corsair base it attacked, merely file a report there, and it will be dealt with."

As to the issue of your transports from our warriors Sirius-wide... Well, We shall have to see what the other members of the Council have to say, but I do not believe it should be too great an issue for us to overcome."

---

[Markus_Janus]

I thank you both for your understanding and commitment to peace and understanding.
As I have already stated there is much we can do for one another and I foresee I time of greatness ahead for us all.

On the one hand Samura Heavy Industries is the largest single corporation in Sirius.
We are quite skilled at handling large scale shipping and are in a very comfortable position to service your needs.
The standard of living for your people will increase greatly over the coming years with the technology we can bring in, while your economy will receive a large boost from the exports of your merchandise that we can ship on our return flights.
This will be a large undertaking and already our shipyards have cut back on sales to concentrate on additional transportation assets to assist us to service your needs properly.

Samura on the other hand will also gain greatly from this arrangement .
The agreement from yourselves for us to service your peoples needs will mean a massive influx of business that will help us to expand into a valuable market.
This will grant us a decided advantage over rival corporations and ensure our continued dominance of the transport industry.

And finally there is the matter of diplomacy.
As you know while Samura and the Corsair Empire had never been too close in the past, we share many of the same allies and enemies.
Continued prosperity for either of our people only helps us both.
Also with closer relations between our people you will gain a powerful voice for your cause within the Kusari Empire.

I for one see this as a win/win situation for not only both of our respective groups but all our friends around us as well.

I hope that you will be amicable to this arrangement and we may continue to forge the bonds of friendship that we have been working on for the last nine months.
I can only see greater gains to be made from this relationship.

---

Samura Omotai Zaibatsu.

[Montezuma/Kukulcan]

The Elder sat for a moment, contemplating the various paths that could be taken from this moment. Eventually, he replied...

"I understand what you mean, and we also desire prosperity for our people, however, sadly, this prosperity usually seems to come at the cost of many lives, and while this may be the path the Gods have set before us, it is often sad to tread down it. This time though, it seems that may not be the case."

"Naturally, we welcome the many shipments of supplies your company brings us, and we know that for us both to prosper, we must allow eachother to do so freely. So, I will send word to the other Elders of the Council, should we come to an agreement, that we should amend the laws as soon as possible to ensure any and all of your ships are safe, wherever they may be."

"So, unless Elder Laowai has anything else to add, I believe we can finalise our agreement, as I am most keen to do so..."

The Elder signals to a scribe sitting behind him to begin drawing out a document. He then turns to Laowai and awaits his sage response.

---

[Laowai]

Laowai leaned forward in his chair and stroked his scraggly beared slowly.

"Altered your shipping already eh?" he said. Smiling he added "a remarkable show of good faith.... and confidence."

"Nevertheless, I withdraw my previous hesitation concerning this arrangement. On the surface it does appear mutually beneficial and you do seems sincere in your dealings with us thus far."

"So, as Elder Montezuma has already said, we can draw up the details. You are aware of course that there are certain.... necessities in terms of cargo that the Empire requires, this is of course our base starting point for any form of trade, we are however always ammenable to new and lucrative arrangements."

"So!"

He sat back and clapped his hands loudly. An aide came in through the side door bearing a tray, a carafe of colorless liquid and several small glasses. He passed them around and poured a small amount of the liquid in each.

"Gentlemen" Laowai said, "This is the local drink from the region in New Tokyo where my family originally hails from, it is, i think you will find, stronger than the Sake you are probably more used to, but we prefer our Baijiu to have a little more kick to it..."

He raised his glass: "To our continued success gentlemen, Kampei and Ganbei!". The others gathered echoed the words and with that, downed the contents of their glasses in one swoop. Various grimaces of shock crossing their faces as the potent liquor burned its way down to their bellies.

---

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[Markus_Janus]

Konnichiwa honoured Elders.
I am glad that our talks have been fruitful.
And also pleased I might add that our business with your nation has been so lucrative for both our peoples.

We have our embassy on Crete up to full capacity for better communication.
I would also like to offer a couple of specialised teams for your disposal.
One is a larger team of technicians to further help with the integrating of our technology and the sharing of ideas.
The other is a skilled team that will include horticulturalists, meteorologists, agriculturists and others to assess your planet for the best way we may help you with your food shortages.

I would also like to take this time to invite an ambassador and his staff who may carry the word of this council to come and stay at Shinjuku station.
Again this will help communications between our people and allow your council an unbiased view of how we may best help each other.

One more thing, we have a vessel, the Hakken-Maru.
A Geisha class luxury yacht.
I would like to ask for permission for this vessel to station out of the Omicron Gamma system so that it may carry out exploration missions in this, to us, deep space area.
I would be pleased to have you come aboard whenever it is in the Omicron Gamma system, I believe you will find it's atmosphere quite pleasant.

---

Samura Omotai Zaibatsu.