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A petition of the utmost importance.
There is one thing that unites all three civilised Houses of Sirius. It goes beyond politics or common interest. This single conforming factor is infrastructure. Thanks to the blessings of the Ageira corporation, trade lanes and jump gates criss-cross the sector as arteries, allowing the vital hearts that are the Houses to pump the lifeblood of commerce throughout the stars. By way of honouring these vital conduits of advancement, wealth and endeavour, the most significant and important local landmark is displayed proudly on their sensor outputs. "Planet New London to Southampton Shipyard", etcetera.
It is of course the last portion of this paragraph that has evoked fury in the working men and women of Bretonia, for in one case alone has this time-honoured and traditional method of labelling has been utterly ignored in the New London system - the very heart of our noble House. "What is this disgrace? This travesty?" I hear you ask! Well, good reader, I shall tell you. The junction at Planet Dover, orbited by Canterbury Station and Kensington Shipping Platform.
Care to guess which station's name is emblazoned as a herald upon the trade lanes that feed the area its sustenance? Kensington Shipping Platform, of course. Kensington Shipping Platform. A veritable orbital shack, populated by a brood of short-lived upstarts who will have faded into the nether within a decade. Of course, there is a legitimate and righteous opposition to this lacklustre, two-bit operation's occupation of the trade lane's title in the New London system. That rightful competitor? Canterbury Station.
Canterbury is populated by a crew of hard working employees, in the service of a corporation this great House owes a great debt to. Planetform. A corporation founded over three hundred years ago in the name of endeavour and advancement of the Bretonian people. These stalwart defenders of the solar sciences have tirelessly laboured on Planet Harris, despite merciless attacks from barbaric and murderous Kusari invaders. They have ceaselessly toiled on Planet Ayr, despite brutal and fanatical attacks from Gaian terrorists. They have gone above and beyond their duty to the Crown in order to provide ecological advisors to the colonial staff of Port Jackson, despite the very real threat of interception by piratical and ruthless Corsairs. In short, they have done all these things for Bretonia - for you.
Contrast this with the men and women of Gateway: they shirk on the home front, too timid to pledge their support to the war effort in a time of national crisis - where was Gateway when the BAF cried out for supplies? Selfishly appeasing their shareholders! They do not feel the BAF worthy to lend them the support of their security wing - where was Gateway when Stokes and Glasgow fell? Cowering on Kensington! They undermine well loved and cherished Bretonian assets, by sponsoring questionable elements - where was Gateway as BMM fought to defend their claim on Tau 23? Aiding the IMG - the foe itself! In short, what has Gateway done - what has Gateway achieved - that deserves the recognition it has been incongruously accredited with?
Fellow Bretonians! True patriots! Vote for what you know is right! Have Canterbury Station - the headquarters of a long lived, hard working and loyal company - given the honour of greeting visitors to our fair systems via the trade lanes! Simply pledge your support to this petition, and justice will be done. Those in agreement should furnish their response with the phrase (or some variant of) "SIGNED". Those in opposition of this motion should make their stance explicitly clear by appending their reply with "I HATE BRETONIA".
And where was those bloody shirkers from Gateway just three days ago when BOWEX and CONVOY crews risked their lives and their ships to lend assistance in combat to our brave Armed Forces during a defense of our sovereign territory against a cowardly attack of those previously named barbaric Kusari invaders?? Tell me! I wanna know where those boys where while me crew and I were busy risking our lives fer Queen and Country! Where were they when Planetform ships came out to brave the dangers of cleaning up the mess and recovering the life pods of our brave pilots gone down in battle??
I'll tell ye where they were. They was having bloody tea in the relative comfort of their tin shack, hosting the traitors that are the IMG in the course of more backroom deals while they sell out our very life's blood and the futures of our wee ones to the Imperial Court on New Tokyo!
Needless to say: SIGNED! Captain Scott MacFarlane of the Bonny Lass
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Well said, Mr MacFarlane! But this isn't about Bowex. This is about Gateway, and their lack of entitlement. Why should fellows who actually know how to do an honest days work be slighted by New London's trade lanes, simply because of what must have been a bureaucratic error on the part of chaps who registered the lanes?
Other corporations have set their lives on the line in service of this wonderful, charming House. The only line Gateway sets its lives on, is its ability to line its own pockets instead. Should we really be encouraging this sort of behaviour with the sort of recognition Kensington receives? I certainly do not think so. Give that trade lane title to Planetform! Those fellows actually deserve it!
Bowex Flight Instructor Andrew Peterson: SIGNED! Bowex)Leeson.
Gateway Interstellars response to 'A petition of the utmost importance '
Given by someone called 'The Bowex Fringe 'whoever they are......
It seems that there is some rabble rousing occurring over the Neural Net and that Gateway Interstellar has been brought into disrepute.
Not normally ones for fanning the flames but the 'Bowex Fringe 'has indeed raised some good points here and we would like to respond.
Quote...
'There is one thing that unites all three civilised Houses of Sirius. It goes beyond politics or common interest. This single conforming factor is infrastructure. Thanks to the blessings of the Ageira Corporation, trade lanes and jump gates criss-cross the sector as arteries, allowing the vital hearts that are the Houses to pump the lifeblood of commerce throughout the stars.'
Unquote...
Fair words and Gateway Interstellar prides itself in keeping trade flowing through Bretonia to Liberty and Rheinland and back, bringing goods and equipment to keep commerce and wealth flowing. We also take pride in ourselves for being an independent trading company that champions the small businessman.
And now let me answer some of your other questions,
Quote...
'Where was Gateway when the BAF cried out for supplies?'
Unquote...
I will tell you, we where supplying the civilian population and businesses on our home planets and stations with the goods to survive after being let down by the state run corporations who would rather make more money supplying war goods. Thats where.
Quote...
'Where was Gateway when Stokes and Glasgow fell?'
Unquote...
Getting the civilian population out of the Leeds system if they wanted to go to avoid injury or death and supplying Leeds hospitals with the medicines that where needed. Something else that the state owned corporations failed to do.
Quote...
'Where was Gateway as BMM fought to defend their claim on Tau 23?'
Unquote...
Gateway was keeping our corporation out of business which did not concern us. We are not a mining corporation, nor did we have any stake in the Tau ventures. Gateway chose to remain uninvolved in the volatile situation that could, and did, have drastic consequences. Then again, such conflicts are perfect profit making opportunities for state-owned companies, so we understood your deep concern for its resolution.
While the BAF were engaged at the front, Gateway contributed literally hundreds of millions of credits to BPA to help combat piracy and contraband shipments.
But you do have a point about Planetform. A fine company that does not get enough recognition.
Therefore I propose that if the trade lanes are to be renamed, if for any reason but that the Government has enough on its hands at the moment and hasn't got the time to deal with petty rabble rousers, then the lanes leading to Kensington Shipping Platform should be renamed ' Canterbury/Kensington Junction ' ( alphabetically listed )
As you have forwarded this message to the Department of Trade and Industry I trust they will consider our suggestion.
For Gateway Interstellar
Calum McDonald
CEO Gateway Interstellar
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' Wrote:Gateway Interstellars response to 'A petition of the utmost importance '
Given by someone called 'The Bowex Fringe 'whoever they are......
The Bowex Fringe is a pressure group that seeks to influence Parliament legitimately through the use of petitions and lobbying. We work hard to ensure that nationalised Bretonian firms such as Bretonian Mining and Manufacturing and Borderworlds Exports serve the interests of the Crown, as well as influencing corporate matters throughout the realm. In this case, we are intervening due to what we believe is a disproportionate degree of representation, neglecting a far more deserving candidate in the process. For more information, contact Lords MP, Sir Arthur Caithness. Contrary to the name, we are not actually affiliated to Border World Exports in any way.
' Wrote:Fair words and Gateway Interstellar prides itself in keeping trade flowing through Bretonia to Liberty and Rheinland and back, bringing goods and equipment to keep commerce and wealth flowing. We also take pride in ourselves for being an independent trading company that champions the small businessman.
While yes, Gateway can claim the hardly unique boon of trading between Liberty and Rhienland, you appear to have missed the point of this transmission. We are judging Gateway's performance when weighed against that of Planetform. While it is probably commendable that you are 'champions of the small businessman', I would say your "achievements" pale to insignificance in light of Planetform's contributions to the Kingdom of Bretonia. After all, that is what this is about: which of the two is more significant. So, on one hand you have a young company scrabbling around for breadcrumbs with the entrepreneurs that couldn't make it big. On the other, you have a venerable and potent powerhouse, responsible for designing planets and revolutionising Bretonia's legacy in Sirius. I, sir, would say you are taking a rather short-sighted view on this matter.
' Wrote:I will tell you, we where supplying the civilian population and businesses on our home planets and stations with the goods to survive after being let down by the state run corporations who would rather make more money supplying war goods. Thats where.
You'll find that the nationalised corporations who supply the Leeds front with vital "war goods" are in doing so generating employment for a truly mind-boggling number of Planet Leeds' billions strong population. Should this flow of "war goods" cease, these citizens would find themselves destitute. How dare you sir, yes, how dare you wish a life of poverty upon these hard workers. These corporations also work via "Royal Charters", ensuring they're paid a fixed sum proportional to the work they do. "War profiteering" is not their motive - doing their job as true patriots is. As a matter of a fact, such a statement could be easily reversed - it appears Gateway is preying on the civilian market by holding her hospitals hostage with outrageously priced pharmaceuticals - after all, you don't work for the government by contract. You're a private enterprise out to line your own and your shareholders' pockets. Do you see how structurally unsound your arguments are?
' Wrote:Getting the civilian population out of the Leeds system if they wanted to go to avoid injury or death and supplying Leeds hospitals with the medicines that where needed. Something else that the state owned corporations failed to do.
It appears you've not been paying attention to your recent history, sir. Bowex has singularly moved countless thousands of refugees to the sovereign colony of Port Jackson alone. The ill-fated BES Henry VIII, and the Royal Liner fleet of the BES Victoria I and the BES Majestic Skies in particular are renown for this public service. As it happens, I do not recall the name of the last Gateway founded and administrated colony, established in the name of Bretonia, for the sole purpose of housing these poor people.
' Wrote:Gateway was keeping our corporation out of business which did not concern us. We are not a mining corporation, nor did we have any stake in the Tau ventures. Gateway chose to remain uninvolved in the volatile situation that could, and did, have drastic consequences. Then again, such conflicts are perfect profit making opportunities for state-owned companies, so we understood your deep concern for its resolution.
Indeed. Uninvolved enough to ship the IMG's ore, as you traditionally have. In case your memory requires jogging, the IMG are the very organisation that instigated this horrific conflict, through fraudulent claims against our House and its assets. These claims were used as a direct precursor to military involvement by the imperialistic forces of Kusari. Uninvolved indeed.
' Wrote:But you do have a point about Planetform. A fine company that does not get enough recognition.
Therefore I propose that if the trade lanes are to be renamed, if for any reason but that the Government has enough on its hands at the moment and hasn't got the time to deal with petty rabble rousers, then the lanes leading to Kensington Shipping Platform should be renamed ' Canterbury/Kensington Junction ' ( alphabetically listed )
Of course Planetform deserve recognition! That's the whole purpose of this transmission (which you appear to be attempting to subvert with a long and rambling denial that is not strictly relevant to the topic at hand, might I add!). I see from your wishy-washy compromise that you acknowledge that this amendment is inevitable, and seek to come to the table first in the hope of salvaging a pittance of your pride. As it currently stands Kensington's listing on the trade lanes is a crime against the traditional form of display itself. We would not pervert that traditional standard further by defacing it with the reform you have suggested.
The trade lanes are to be named after the most significant and important landmark of an area. By definition, that would be Canterbury. Planetform is older, more powerful and has done far, far more for the House of Bretonia than Gateway ever has. There really is no valid argument by which you can protest. You can see which way the wind is blowing.
It's Canterbury or nothing, sir.
~The Bowex Fringe