Who would have expected that a stroll for potential corporate targets ends up with me bumping into a vessel belonging to the Gallic military intelligence service? These Gallics are peculiar individuals, I must say. Although, unexpectedly amateurish too.
The Gallic pilot admitted that the "Gallic Navy Security Bureau" attempts to evaluate the capabilities of the Liberty Navy to aid the Bretonians again in the case of a renewed Tau conflict. A realistic reason as to why they send spies into Liberty space, at least. Judged by the words of the pilot, they are extremely unsuccessful in their endeavor and possess a very limited amount of details on the current status of the Liberty Navy. Noticeable was their interest for the Ontario system - seemingly hoping that "criminal elements" there would occupy the Navy quite significantly. They seemed very disappointed to hear and see that it was abandoned. Additionally, the Gallic Union seems to indirectly partake in the Insurgency campaign by sheltering Insurgency refugees within Gallic space - namely Planet Quillan in the Languedoc system. How credible this statement could be is questionable, to say the least. Unfortunately, if it is the truth, I sincerely doubt it holds any proper value to us at this point and time.
Instead of disposing of the Gallic vessel after it already shared that much, I have signaled the possibility of "selling data" to them instead. The Gallic agent already faced the - in my opinion - most important issue with this possibility and failed to find a way to answer it themselves: How could they compensate us appropriately for such a massive chunk of data?
A partial or full-scale evaluation of the Liberty Navy's capabilities to project power in foreign territory would require immense work, it's reliability would be considerably influenced by the availability and credibility of our sources and naturally could never reach 100% confidence. However, I am convinced it would find itself a wide array of customers. Far beyond the Gallic Union.
It is now my question whether the Professorship considers it worth our time to bother contacting this "Security Bureau" and see what they would even offer us to begin with or should we merely dispose of Gallic spies?
Below you find the full transcript for the sake of clarity.
[26.12.2022 11:30:42] LH~Goldfinger: Fascinating.
[26.12.2022 11:30:57] [GN]SB-Fantome: Aurevoir
[26.12.2022 11:31:49] LH~Goldfinger: And here I am merely mildly curious.
[26.12.2022 11:32:18] [GN]SB-Fantome: Nothing to be curious about! Just looking around, minding my own business here
[26.12.2022 11:32:35] LH~Goldfinger: That sounds awfully wrong.
[26.12.2022 11:32:48] LH~Goldfinger: I have a proposal.
[26.12.2022 11:32:55] [GN]SB-Fantome: You better stop interfering in my business!
[26.12.2022 11:33:06] LH~Goldfinger: Let us discuss your "looking around", shall we?
[26.12.2022 11:34:11] [GN]SB-Fantome: Yes, a Military Intelligence keen on discussing things openly. Sure *rolls eyes*. I will pass
[26.12.2022 11:35:34] LH~Goldfinger: How unfortunate. It could have been beneficial for us both, you know.
[26.12.2022 11:36:21] [GN]SB-Fantome: You seem to be trying to slow down my mission - you should reconsider.
[26.12.2022 11:36:55] [GN]SB-Fantome: Now, what happened here
[26.12.2022 11:37:09] LH~Goldfinger: Ah. Interested in data, are we?
[26.12.2022 11:37:20] LH~Goldfinger: I told you it could be beneficial for us both.
[26.12.2022 11:37:23] [GN]SB-Fantome: Well, umm...yes
[26.12.2022 11:37:47] [GN]SB-Fantome: Why is this system all beaten up
[26.12.2022 11:37:48] LH~Goldfinger: I can provide an explanation. It'll cost you an answer in return.
[26.12.2022 11:38:02] [GN]SB-Fantome: Ah Merde, ok, go ahead
[26.12.2022 11:38:53] LH~Goldfinger: This here is a standard intelligence gathering mission, obviously. Let me guess, you're estimating how and in what -
[26.12.2022 11:39:12] LH~Goldfinger: capabilities Liberty would be able to assist any renewed war efforts?
[26.12.2022 11:39:30] [GN]SB-Fantome: *scratches head* well, umm...yes, how do you know so much
[26.12.2022 11:39:50] LH~Goldfinger: Why else would a Gallic military vessel bother with such a long journey?
[26.12.2022 11:40:26] [GN]SB-Fantome: Well, you got me...we want to know if they can interfere in the Tau Regions if push comes to shove.
[26.12.2022 11:40:43] [GN]SB-Fantome: Seems like they lost a battle here of some sort
[26.12.2022 11:40:59] LH~Goldfinger: You surely prepared well enough to be aware of their campaign against the Insurgency, albeit I doubt you have any -
[26.12.2022 11:41:04] LH~Goldfinger: real details on this topic.
[26.12.2022 11:41:30] [GN]SB-Fantome: All we know is from the thousands of Insurgents that fled to Quillan
[26.12.2022 11:41:47] [GN]SB-Fantome: I said too much already
[26.12.2022 11:41:51] LH~Goldfinger: Hmh. Right. I did promise an explanation for Ontario.
[26.12.2022 11:42:12] LH~Goldfinger: I'm truth to my word. They've abandoned it over the oldest reason there is, profit margin.
[26.12.2022 11:42:37] [GN]SB-Fantome: Profit Margin? This system wasn't...profitable?
[26.12.2022 11:43:05] [GN]SB-Fantome: The Tradelanes seem to be in ruin
[26.12.2022 11:43:12] LH~Goldfinger: The Platinum mined here couldn't outweigh the constant interferences caused by us.. and also the Xenos movement.
[26.12.2022 11:43:22] [GN]SB-Fantome: Will Liberty not try to focus on the system ?
[26.12.2022 11:43:27] LH~Goldfinger: Scuttled by the Navy.
[26.12.2022 11:43:43] [GN]SB-Fantome: They scuttled their own tradelanes? How Gallic of them
[26.12.2022 11:43:43] LH~Goldfinger: They abandoned it in the most resource wasting way possible.
[26.12.2022 11:44:18] [GN]SB-Fantome: So what you are saying - they won't be preocuppied with this system ?
[26.12.2022 11:44:38] LH~Goldfinger: You've figured it out yourself.
[26.12.2022 11:44:50] [GN]SB-Fantome: That is not great news.
[26.12.2022 11:45:08] [GN]SB-Fantome: If you are a reliable source that is - beggars can't be choosers I suppose!
[26.12.2022 11:45:19] [GN]SB-Fantome: Well what do you want in return for that information
[26.12.2022 11:45:19] LH~Goldfinger: Perhaps it's a sign that they're aware of the strains put on their forces by all issues cumulated together?
[26.12.2022 11:45:35] LH~Goldfinger: Oh, I assume you're not only operating in Liberty.
[26.12.2022 11:45:53] [GN]SB-Fantome: Hard to tell, last thing we want is their warships appearing side by side with the Brets in the Taus again
[26.12.2022 11:46:09] [GN]SB-Fantome: You think they are capable of that?
[26.12.2022 11:46:28] LH~Goldfinger: I've already got plenty from you, for now. And this data would cost you, Gallic.
[26.12.2022 11:46:53] LH~Goldfinger: Truth be told, a detailed evaluation of their intervention capabilities is doable.
[26.12.2022 11:47:05] LH~Goldfinger: We have our sources and means.
[26.12.2022 11:47:07] [GN]SB-Fantome: And what would THAT cost us
[26.12.2022 11:47:27] LH~Goldfinger: What do you think the Gallic Union's military could even offer us?
[26.12.2022 11:47:36] LH~Goldfinger: I think that's a core issue we face here.
[26.12.2022 11:48:01] [GN]SB-Fantome: We can't just give technology to Sirian hands, you will understand that
[26.12.2022 11:48:17] LH~Goldfinger: Naturally. And I will not act on my own as well.
[26.12.2022 11:48:28] [GN]SB-Fantome: The Security Bureau has a solid budget however.
[26.12.2022 11:48:34] LH~Goldfinger: Tell you what, Gallic. Give me a frequency to reach you at.
[26.12.2022 11:49:00] [GN]SB-Fantome: Simply contact the [GN] Security Bureau on an encrypted frequency
[26.12.2022 11:49:10] LH~Goldfinger: I'll have to discuss this idea with the Professorship. Perhaps we can reach an agreement then, a more.. hm.. formal one.
[26.12.2022 11:49:12] [GN]SB-Fantome: We can work something out
[26.12.2022 11:49:46] LH~Goldfinger: I'd advice you to leave through the Barrier Passage. Crayter forces aren't the most competent in patrolling the nebula.
[26.12.2022 11:49:54] LH~Goldfinger: Just as a little tip.
[26.12.2022 11:50:29] [GN]SB-Fantome: Good tip Sirian. Contact the Bureau, Intelligence is what we are gathering, if you provide it, you will be rewarded
[26.12.2022 11:50:36] LH~Goldfinger: Mmh.
[26.12.2022 11:50:38] [GN]SB-Fantome: Aurevoir!
[26.12.2022 11:50:47] LH~Goldfinger: I guess, to you as well.