The Bundestag is unusually quiet as Magdalena Atzenbruck steps up to the podium, not in a suit but in the standard purple and gold uniform of an ALG employee. The legislators are used to long, tedious hearings and testimonies, but there is more at stake here than at any discussion since the outbreak of the Sigma war, and the tension in the grand auditorium is palpable. Journalists jostle against each other for a good spot near the front.
The president's expression appears neutral and collected, and only the observers closest to her would notice the subtle facial hints that betray the effort she is putting into remaining composed.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Bundestag, esteemed legislators of the Federal Republic of Rheinland,
My name is Magdalena Atzenbruck, president of ALG. I wish to testify before the Bundestag regarding ALG's role in the conflict between the Kingdom of Bretonia and the Independent Miners Guild, in response to economic and political pressure unjustly placed upon my company by the Federal Republic.
At this point, the last remaining commotion among the legislators has died down, and the room is silent during her brief pause.
The basis of our argument is that ALG is honoring a longstanding alliance with the Independent Miners Guild, and have not committed actions in violation of the legal codex of the Federal Republic of Rheinland, nor in violation of the common understanding of what could be considered unwritten diplomatic guidelines of interstellar warfare.
I will give a brief summary of the events that lead to this situation, although I don't intend to go into great detail. No doubt most of you have read strategic analyses and articles about the conflict already.
On January 27th, 826, the Bretonian Crown announced their intention to annex the Guild's Aland shipyard for the construction of Bretonian warships to be used in their war against the Kingdom of Gallia. Contary to what some pro-Bretonian pundits seem to have been implying, this was not a request nor a negotiation: The Bretonian Crown simply announced that they would annex the station, with the Guild's cooperation or by force.
It's my understanding that there were a number of unsuccessful attempts at finding a diplomatic solution, all of which ultimately failed due to the Guild's refusal to surrender the shipyard, and the Bretonian Crown's refusal to consider any alternative arrangements.
By early March, hostilities had broken out, and at this point ALG severed ties with the Kingdom of Bretonia and joined the conflict on the side of the Independent Miners Guild.
At the current time, the shipyard itself has been seized by the Bretonian Crown, but no peace treaty has been signed and the conflict is considered to be ongoing.
The salient part here is our assistance of the Guild. Our alliance with them goes back decades, though it has never been tested to this degree.
We consider ALG to have been under obligation to assist the Guild, as they found themselves in a defensive conflict against an outside aggressor, one we had no specific treaties with and one which we could join a war against without endangering our existence. To us, refusing to assist the Guild in the conflict would have been a violation of our alliance.
We have heard from some circles the rather strange accusation that it is in fact the Guild or ALG that are the aggressors in the situation, due to a lack of clarity about the initial hostile exchanges.
This we consider to be completely nonsensical, any diplomat would surely agree that an annexation attempt under threat of force constitutes an act of hostility, making the Guild and their allies the defending side in the conflict regardless of the circumstances surrounding initial hostile actions.
While it's true that there's a lack of precedent for an alliance between a non-Rheinland entity and a Rheinland-based corporation being tested by the aggression of another colonial government, we find no indication that ALG would be in violation of any part of the legal codex of the Federal Republic of Rheinland.
Next, I wish to address accusations that ALG has been supporting or working with the Red Hessian Army. Obviously, the Red Hessians are involved in the conflict and have been attacking the Bretonian Crown forces.
I don't have full background knowledge on the situation, but my understanding is this: The Red Hessians appear to have had some sort of truce or agreement with the Bretonian Crown, which ended with the attack on Aland. It's possible that the Red Hessians were unhappy with the terms of the agreement, and saw an opportunity to end it, but that would be little more than speculation on our part. It's also no great secret that the Red Hessians and Independent Miners Guild aren't exactly hostile to each other, a strategic analyst would have to be hopelessly naive not to be aware of that.
Whatever the exact reasons for their involvement, they are involved, which has lead to us fighting the same enemy.
She pauses briefly, scanning the room.
However, we categorically deny giving any specific support to the Red Hessians. We have no diplomatic, economic or military ties beyond fighting the same enemy in the same location. We find no way our common actions could be construed as anything that would amount to unlawful support of the organization. We don't see any legal basis for ALG being under any obligation to actively turn away Red Hessian military support against a common enemy, especially not for actions outside the space of the Federal Republic of Rheinland.
She takes a deep breath, and her expression hardens. Though her words remain calmly spoken, careful listeners would detect the suppressed anger beneath them.
Finally, I wish to express our deep disappointment that the Federal Republic has failed to condemn the aggression of the Bretonian Crown against a neutral party. It is a commonly recognized tenet of human civilization that aggression against neutrals for their resources or other properties, to support a war against another party, goes against the ethics of warfare.
I am saddened that instead of speaking out against the attack, Rheinland legislators see it fit to put ALG under investigation for supporting our closest ally.
Even beyond humanitarian and ethical concerns, these actions by the Bretonian Crown, so close to our borders, should be a serious strategic concern, which the Federal Republic seems content not to act upon.
I hope our statement vindicates my company's involvement and leads to a drop of this investigation. And I also urge legislators to review the Republic's stance towards the Kingdom of Bretonia's method of warfare.
Thank you for listening.
A brief moment of quiet follows her last words, before the commotion starts. Security struggles with some of the overzealous reporters trying to approach the podium, and the legislators erupt into a steady murmur of rapid conversation among each other.
