To: Mr. Yoshida | From: Your Friendly Neighbourhood Not-Raiders

[Kazinsal]

[ Incoming Transmission ]

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Identification: Minister Harold Kane
Affiliation: Ministry of Relations, Natio Octavarium

To: Mr. "Yoshida"
CC: Taskmaster Escher, Octavarium Intelligence Commission

Subject: Seeing Ghosts
Encryption: Mediocre.
Location: Melbourne Station, Tau-44

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Good evening.

I was informed by the captain of one of my civilian transports that there was an incident in the California system involving you, him, and a load of refined Niobium.

Clearly, not everything has changed in the past four years that we have been absent.

I know you know who we are. I know this because your organization is still doing the exact same thing as it was four years ago: waving around an air of superiority to scare Liberty's well-insured cushy corporations into forking over a pile of someone else's credits. This is something I could care less about, but since it's being done to my non-Libertonian, non-corporate, non-cushy, non-insured pilots, I have to take some exception. While extorting my people, you deride and mock us, yet we are on the same side. That of Malta. Consider this: Just because you hide your transponders does not mean we do not encounter you elsewhere in Sirius. Our ships have met in passing in Maltese space. We are both aware of each other's history and our... styles.

Let me lay my cards out on the table: We are Natio Octavarium. This is a name I know you are aware of. We are still descended from the original Vagrant Raiders. I am still Taskmaster Harold Kane, commander-in-chief of the Fourth Octavarium Fleet. You are still the Lane Hackers. Your personal alias is one unknown to me, but I am sure it was well-picked. You are still aligned to Malta. We are still aligned to Malta. You know this, I know this. I know you know this. Your attempt to lie your way through my transport captain is not very appreciated, but I understand. It's part of your business to sow discontent. We just would have rather you'd have offered dinner and a movie first.

I understand that your organization is seeing ghosts and has preconceived notions about our allegiances. I am sure you understand that hearing this from us is a bit hard to believe and that our civilian presence in Liberty appears to be a corporate conspiracy of some elaborate sort. But here's some new understanding to throw down: Liberty is effectively a transit zone for us. Our primary dealings are with Bretonia and Malta. Any operations passing through Liberty are not to benefit the local fat cats, but to benefit our mutual benefactors. The refined Niobium you're holding onto was intended for some friends down south, not for Libertonian corporate interests.

We can spend the rest of our lives wasting valuable time crafting verbiage to throw back and forth at each other. Or we can go back to the way things used to be, ten years ago. Two organizations, supporting Maltese interests. Except this time we'll leave the raising of Libertonian insurance rates solely to you.

Oh, and hey, while I've got you here: What's your deal with the Unioners? One of 'em namedropped your chaps the other day. They wanted help with a Spyglass not entirely unlike the Metropolis.

You remember her, right?

Regards,
Harold Kane
Minister of Relations, Natio Octavarium

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[ Transmission Ended ]

[Yoshida]

...hack.initiated...connecting.to.Spyglass.Network...decryption.in.progress...
...Professor.Provocateur.Goro.Yoshida.recognized...transmission.encrypted...
...uploading.data...

Well, that is an unexpected development.

The ghosts of the past have come to visit us again.

Vagrant Raiders, now self-redeemed and re-branded as Natio Octavarium. The fact that you so easily forsake your beliefs, your tactics and methods does not mean history has forgotten your deeds. I see that you look down upon us, Mr Kane, because we never deviated from our fight or suddenly switched sides and decided that we should become friends with the establishment. Oh yes... Do you think we have forgotten how AT) and Interspace Commerce supplied your modular station in Kansas? I wonder what my old friend Blain Spike would have said about all this.

Taskmaster, Minister, Fleet Admiral. You must be a very important man, Mr Kane. What's the secret of your success? According to your pilot, you went to Tau-44, established a "nation", and allied with Malta.

• Tau-44 system was a remote system, under Colonial control, then captured by the Crown and only recently was captured after great bloodshed and destruction by the Colonials. Where did you find this magical horde of people Mr Kane? Why did they decide to live in the middle of a volatile warzone? There is no inhabited planet and the infrastructure in Tau-44 is badly damaged. Where did you put all these people? Why no one ever heard about those developments?
  
• You claim to be allied with the Maltese. Yet, we have not heard anything from our allies. Can you provide us with a list of names and factions you sealed such an alliance?
  
• What did the Colonials do about all this? I am sure them and the IMG would be very excited to hear that a pro-Maltese "nation" is currently growing within their controlled system.

Your story is buzzing from everywhere. It has more holes than a Xeno's Stargazer. You are a fraud and a liar, "Minister" Kane.

But enough.

I am a man of my word. I told Mr Riley that he can have his cargo back if he could substantiate his claims. Honestly, we thought he was pulling a wild story just to avoid extortion. But he was indeed telling the truth. The refined niobium belongs to Natio Octavarium. You may send a transport to come and retrieve it, Mr Kane.

Furthermore, I am giving standing orders to my men not to interfere with transports bearing the NO- transponder. For the sake of the past, you have nothing to fear from the Lane Hackers.

...encryption.in.progress...disconnecting.from.network...hack.terminated...

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"There are those who lack ambition. Who lack ability. But if you possess both then it is your role to reign over this world."

Ageira Dossier _•_ Hanáchi Syndicate _•_ Cultism _•_ Ascension _•_ Theosis

[Kazinsal]

[ Incoming Transmission ]

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Identification: Minister Harold Kane
Affiliation: Ministry of Relations, Natio Octavarium

To: Mr. "Yoshida"
CC: Taskmaster Escher; Harry Callahan, Amalfi Directorate

Subject: Seeing Ghosts
Encryption: I'm starting to think it's not necessary.
Location: Melbourne Station, Tau-44

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The story only has holes if your eyes are unable to believe that organizations and people change, and sometimes realize their true allegiances. We came from Malta. We had a mid-life crisis. We have returned to Malta. Simple as that.

I must admit, I find it disappointing that your organization continues to spend most of its time spinning yarns and twisting words to threaten people who wish no ill will towards them. And on top of that, people who were previously partnered with your organization, so long ago. We shared your stations, your technology, your way of life. We supplied your people with the Cardamine they needed to live. We assisted your transports and combat operations. And yet, that never comes up when the Lane Hackers see the ghost of the Vagrant Raiders, no. It is all just the perceived injustices. Never the cooperation. Just hate.

I have looped in Harry Callahan of the Amalfi Directorate. He is a leading director of Maltese intelligence and will be able to confirm that we are in fact back to the original status quo.

Regards,
Harold Kane
Minister of Relations, Natio Octavarium

PS: Organizations and corporations without drive to live as free men and women are easily suborned. They were easily suborned back then, and they are still easily suborned now. It is easy to "convince" the big corporations that they should consider doing work for you for pennies on the dollar. Regrettably they deliver product of such low quality that I've seen the Junkers fire up wrecks that are more reliable without patching any holes in them. It amazes me the houses survive with that.

PPS: You should know was better than most anyone that you can hide a lot within an asteroid field, even in a high traffic border system.

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[ Transmission Ended ]

[Sciamach]

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--Incoming feed--
--Parsing data and matching encryption cipher--
--Cipher Approved--

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Mister Kane, Mister Yoshida,

I had heard faint rumors of this kerfuffle but had greatly hoped they were not true. So much for that I suppose.

As this is our first official direct communication with the Hackers, allow me to introduce myself: I am Harry Callahan, Senior Agent and representative of the Amalfi Directorate. The Directorate is but one of many voices in Maltese society but we stand presently as one of it's more vocal at this time- given the regular lack of the National Council's presence. Many of our number are former members of the now-defunct Crimson Cross, an organization that I am sure you're very much aware the Hackers have had positive and lasting dealings with in the past. It is in memory of those relations that I ask of you the following:

I come before you in this missive to make our stance on this clear: The Natio Octavarium as we see it is an independent party operating within the Taus. Our talks with them have bordered on accusatory at times - given some questionable choices of affiliation - but the overall perspective remains that the Natio is a useful entity to the growth and development of the region. The Natio's stated mission to act in defiance of Gallia's advance in the area is not only a boon to Malta, but also to literally every other party that operates there, the Hackers included. Turning on them at this stage is far from an advisable move.

Given this, and some of the conversations I've had with mister Kane himself as to the Natio's future intentions, I would ask that the Hackers reconsider their position in this matter, and trust that Malta's judgement of the group is sound. After all: if there was truly enough reason to cause the degree of alarm your people are exhibiting, do you really think Malta's myriad organizations would have allowed them to continue establishing themselves as they have?

And I would ask that you mister Kane consider my words here very carefully: The Natio has of thusfar been a positive influence and a useful one to Malta. I would hate to see that particular dynamic change dramatically for one reason or another. We wouldn't want to see something ill befall your people in this, a time so critical to their survival now would we?

--R&D Division Chief & Senior Agent,
Harry Callahan

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[ sci·am·ach ]
/sīˈamək/

A simple, angry man casually working his way through life on a personal quest to acquire copious amounts of street cred.

[Yoshida]

...hack.initiated...connecting.to.Spyglass.Network...decryption.in.progress...
...Professor.Provocateur.Goro.Yoshida.recognized...transmission.encrypted...
...uploading.data...

Perceived injustices?

Do you think we have the memory of a goldfish Mr Kane? Do you think we have forgotten what our dear Taskmaster Backstabber Escher tried to pull on us? Or who pulled the strings in your orbital base in Kansas? You have told me at least twice now how well you know us. But if you know us so well then why you think we can so easily forget your deeds?

The truth is that we are unable to forget. But we can forgive. We can move on. Yes we can even cooperate if you want. Whether that is by promoting Malta's interests, or by making you a signatory party in the Orange Treaty or even by designing the new generation of the Spyglass Battleship.

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Mr Callahan it is good to hear that you are vouching for the Octavarium. While it is admittedly a bit unusual for our first contact to be made in this kind of situation we are hopeful the Amalfi Directorate will become a significant partner of ours much like its predecessor, the Crimson Cross.

...encryption.in.progress...disconnecting.from.network...hack.terminated...

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"There are those who lack ambition. Who lack ability. But if you possess both then it is your role to reign over this world."

Ageira Dossier _•_ Hanáchi Syndicate _•_ Cultism _•_ Ascension _•_ Theosis

[Kazinsal]

[ Incoming Transmission ]

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Identification: Minister Harold Kane
Affiliation: Ministry of Relations, Natio Octavarium

To: Mr. "Yoshida"
CC: Taskmaster Escher; Harry Callahan, Amalfi Directorate

Subject: Seeing Ghosts
Encryption: Let's bump that up a notch or two.
Location: Melbourne Station, Tau-44

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My apologies if I offended you, Mr. Yoshida.

The actions of Taskmaster Escher in 817 were in direct response to hostilities between the Lane Hackers and the Vagrant Raiders as invoked by Professor Phate over disputed curatorship of the Vespucci system. The eventual result was the dispersal of the Vagrant Raiders to the Omega border worlds as pseudo-freelance pirates and the Hellfire Legion's acquisition of new AIS codes that no longer displayed the banner of the Lane Hackers. At the time, we were being shown the door from a world that we had shed blood and souls to keep safe. You have to understand our position at the time.

That all being said, a return to some semblance of form has been discussed among the officers and the civilian leadership and we do believe that the best way forward is to bury the hatchet and move on. We have in the past been good partners to mutual benefit; I fully believe we once again could be. Our direct involvement in the Orange Dream has been limited as of late due to our recent return and our... next-door neighbours we share a system with. Our logistical support for Malta recently has focused on materiel and construction supplies.

The Natio is not the troubled past you saw in the second and third generations of Vagrant Raiders, Mr. Yoshida. It is a much more open and amiable bunch.

Regards,
Harold Kane
Minister of Relations, Natio Octavarium

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[ Transmission Ended ]