Operation: Ruhetag

[LunaticOnTheGrass]

07-06-822

Genossen of the Widerstandsarmee,

This is an emergency Operation that I've just finished drafting; in fact, it's so dire that I've already called an emergency meeting of the Central Committee to mobilize as many members with ship-to-ship experience as they're willing to pledge.

Most of you are fully aware that the loose union of Junkers spread across Sirius act as a sort of "middlemen" to various terrorist or pirate groups. It's with a fair amount of apprehension and disgust that I readily admit that the Party has relied upon their aid for anything from food, to repairs, to information. Their scrap-peddling makes for excellent cover from standing authorities such as that of the rogue Bundesrepublik, but be aware firstly before anything else that it is unfair to state that they control Sirius' underground. In many regions, they are Sirius' underground.

I'll allow you to draw your own conclusions based on the following personal transmission that I was offered when questioning what they've done with a particular band of Nurembergers.

Declassified Transmission

Male Voice 1: Hello, is this working?
Male Voice 2: Yeah, I’m hearing you.
1: Bill, I have news for you. It hasn’t been easy, hiding amongst these refugees. We’re packed in like sardines, but I’ve managed to gain access to a couple of terminals here.
2: Best you don’t keep us waitin. We’re keen on puttin this behind us.
1: Right, well, that’s the thing. They never arrived here. At first I thought this was an error in the system, or perhaps an oversight when the first transports arrived. But, come to find out, according to the system logs, only one Junker vessel has docked here with Political Refugees. Bill, it was your ship, from when you brought me in.
2: If’n they ain’t been sent there, where’ve they gone?
1: We have heard rumors that some of the refugees have been taken to Rochester in New York.
2: That don’t sound right. I been to Rochester ‘fore an ain’t seen none of ‘em there.
1: I know. Bill, you gave me a mission, and I have done my best to fulfill it. That’s why I contacted Rochester and had some logs sent to me. It would appear that the ships carrying the first batches of refugees arrived at Rochester!
2: At least we know where they’ve gone to. Rochester’ll treat ‘em right.
1: Sir, they’re not there anymore. I have checked the records. From the logs they have sent me it would appear several Junker Congress vessels pick them up a few days later. Their flight plan shows their destination at Omicron Alpha, Planet Mal…
2: Cut transmission. Cut this dam….

I leave cast-judgement upon he or she who listens to and investigates the transmission, but if the Junkers have actively begun selling our countrymen for labor and profit... That, of course, is completely beyond the pale.

We've tolerated their occasional dealing in Cardamine, Corsair Artifacts, and Botzler-knows-what-else. But enough is enough. I'm authorizing an interdiction operation against the Junkers Congress and anyone directly aiding their possible slaving endeavors in Rheinland. You'll find what the Central Committee and I have agreed upon below.

PHASE I - Inform Liberty's authorities to pressure possible smuggling routes that could lead in the direction of "Planet Malta" (believed, though not confirmed, to be within the Northern Edge Nebula)

PHASE II - With convoys to Malta hopefully being constrained from Liberty, the chance that we intercept their operations within Rheinland is higher. Discern the date of a sizable convoy carrying human cargo either from an intercepted transmission or from a third-party. (Bribe a Kreuzberg Pirate?)

PHASE III - Should we intercept a convoy carrying suspect cargo, the Ostara will aid in both disabling the convoy's composing ships as well as commencing boarding operations with armed Party Security. Any human cargo will be shipped to safety at Kaiserslautern or a Party base with Freighters.

I understand that I've been asking a lot of you lately, but these are the times that try the ethical and humanitarian fibres of our souls. Let's get out there, Genossen, and lead Rheinland by example.