Following the fact that I am frequently in contact with Motti-san regarding Estremadura, I have been asked to forward something to the entire cartel.
⧫ Something bothering us.
With a recent occurence of a sister carrying slaves to Malta, the topic of slavery was brought back to our attention and focus. We are fully aware why Malta requires an inflow of humans. We are also aware that parts of Malta's society in form of several Maltese families, grant slaves relatively good living conditions, as well as a sort of "low stance" citizenship.
Given there are no Malta wide laws for this and the fact we see slavery as a disgrace, yet necessarity for Malta, we wish to approach you as the first ones to attempt a new way of handling the reproduction issue of Malta.
⧫ Our idea
Instead of relying on slavery, we have a different approach in mind. But first let us think. Who even becomes a slave? It's people living in so poor conditions that they fall for tricks of slavers, seeing a little hope and whatnot in an uncertain journey wherever to.
While the slavers will definitely not like this idea, we would instead approach the people. Let's take a closer look on how we think to pull this off:
We would want to approach the slaves or in best case the poor people before they fall into the hands of slavers, with a fair contract as workers. They should receive a relative fair salary and be granted a few rights on Malta or Soledad. The laws regarding citizenship cannot be adjusted by us, yet we can make the first steps towards this.
Additionally, we would ask for the right to approach any women seeking for a new future and explain them our ways. Hopefully, they will be able to be convinced to join our cause following conversations. If this is not the case, they can carry on becoming workers for the Maltese.
Given we cannot spare all too much of our focus on this matter, we reached out to you. Together with a larger local cartel, it should be possible to reduce the need of slavery, yet ensure there are enough workers for the Cardamine fields. Naturally, we would take our part in the payment of this workers or send a few Sisters out there to work as supervisors, but this is open for discussion.
An additional wish
On another note, Planet Albegna is still raising our interest. While we are aware that the Cuatroce is not yet focusing on establishing outposts there, I hope that we can count on you in regards of our own efforts.
Don Hernan Escudero
Minami Mi
Business Opportunities
Señorita Mi,
Your voice is surely important to the Cartel, mi familia, and Malta itself. It is heard and considered. In the matter raised I see your lack of full understanding of the Maltese ways. Malta suffers from low fertility, as you know. This has been a problem for generations since our genome was altered by Cardamine's DNA. However, it still did not prevent our population growing to over 500 million souls in 800 years despite severe natural conditions like acidic oceans and seas. We are not infertile, we just have to "try a bit more" *chuckles*.
The whole situation, nonetheless, nourished a culture of respect for every human life. We, the Maltese, fiercely fight for each other if the need arises and the worst crime on Malta is homicide. When we opened up to Sirius, we were expecting support from the Houses, our ex-brethren, who would assist the wayward "Hispania". But we were met in a hostile way, they did not even try to understand us and our problems, thus we truly became "the outcasts". Skirmishes followed, prisoners of war were inevitable. But even in this case our culture of respect towards human life prevailed: the governments and corporations would not even consider negotiations with "the Outcasts" so the the only way for the prisoners to survive was either if we set them free or if they stay on Malta. Our brothers and sisters shed blood not for us to leave our ex-enemies free, so they were left on Malta. Because they were hostile to us, we deprived them of all rights of the Republic, but it did not mean they were right-less poor souls with no worth. The corporations, Houses, and Corsairs later on played the fiddle and deemed this "slavery", this is how the myth was born. We call them "detainees" and their fate is not as dark as it is pictured.
To think of it, we live in the era of Virtual Intelligence, nano repairing bots, antimatter, and other incredible sorts of technologies. Manual labour is obsolete and inefficient. We on Malta run a successful economy and have enough funds to equip our facilities with the latest developments in technologies from all across Sirius. I assure you, the use of detainees in hard labour is redundant and inefficient as it would generate only a modicum of what our automatic Cardamine harvesters do every day. The detainees usually operate in the field of services where their conditions of labour are much better, say, then the employees of BMM mining gold in Dublin (whose average lifespan was 40 years and who resorted to the last means - rebellion and constitute the Mollys now). We do not separate families if detainees come in families, and overall they live a decent life, much better than low-tier corporate office workers in some Liberty slums for Malta is so rich that even deemed "slaves" live properly.
Aside from that, our altered DNA made us better than the rest of humanity, as you know. We live longer, healthier lives, and enjoy sharper mind and better muscle tone. This made Maltese society quite elitist to say the least and suspicious of foreigners, as well as favourable to "blood purity". In these conditions, Senorita Mi, the uncontrolled influx of foreign blood is deemed as wrong and is resisted by both the citizens and the nobility. Hence, even if we have detainees, their number is exaggerated. Even for reproductive reasons, our new gene clinics and in vitro insemination allow us to breed healthier offsprings of pure blood with even better capabilities according to the laws of eugenics. My beloved son Augusto Cristobal is a vivid example of such approach. Such approach breeds meritocracy in which detainees can not compete with pure-blood Maltese. And the meritocracy favours the skilled. The detainees are the masters of their destiny - if they show themselves well and prove their loyalty, they will earn respect and citizenship. If not, well, they deserve their status and all negative outcomes that it entails.
I am saying this all to support the conclusion: we do not actually need to reduce slavery as there is little to reduce. Machinery by far outperforms fragile humans. We do not need to offer them contracts as those used to be hostile to our society and unless they prove themselves worthy of a contract and citizenship - they do not deserve it. My spokesperson is a Rheninlander, so it is a proof of how merit is valued and rewarded. As a patriarch of a Maltese familia I do not see any recent developments as a solid foundation to change the customs and practice that granted stability and prosperity to Malta for generations.
As for the sisterhood - well, we might ask those few Kusarian females whom we have as detainees but to most of the women of non-Kusarian origin your cause will be too exotic and extravagant, I presume, as Kusari itself. If you want those women - we are ready to sell them to you.
⧫ Good news.
Everything you explained is correct. We were aware of the most part, yet it is bothering that in fact not all Maltese families support or aim to really follow the automated ways. But I suppose we simply take individual actions, on a case by case basis against certain families.
Your proposal is actually tempting, the one regarding kusarian women.. but also other women. I suppose the Cuatroce has several districts with buildings, offices and alike on Malta. I wonder if we couldn't open a small office of our own closeby? This way we could approach people more directly as well.
It has been about time that we established ourselves more on the homeworld of our allies. Colonization of Albegna, but also offices on Malta seem to be needed. So let us drop the topic of workers but perhaps instead discuss if we can set up an office or two within buildings belonging to the Cuatroce? Atleast let us find out if you can help us with finding a suitable location. Close to one of the main spaceports would be prefered.
Señorita Mi,
I am glad that my vision finds understanding. Speaking of your desire to open representation on Malta and/or other facilities - I have no objections. I need to raise a concern thereon, however. Since Golden Chrysanthemums constitute a movement, it might be more appropriate for you to approach the National Council to open an office that would serve as an embassy or a consulate. I case of embassy, you will seek premises in our capital city. In case of a consulate, we are ready to provide facilities in Cadiz-de-Malta. But if a simple commercial post in Cadiz-de-Malta suffices, I believe we can organise it without addressing el Consejo Nacional. The scope of representation and responsibilities will be limited a s compared to an Embassy or a Consulate, but enough to pursue the aims you have raised in your previous message.
As for the rest - you are free to open your commercial post on Estremadura Base that deals with Soledad and Terre operations. As for Albegna - we have a few facilities planetside but they are designed for mining of Titanium ore and would not be an appropriate place for a commercial post as of the current moment. Once we proceed to expansion of our facilities on Albegna, we will let you know.
I hope that these moves will foster the relations between "Cuatroce" and Golden Chrysanthemums and lay the foundation for further mutually beneficial agreements.