--From: Garcia Ortega --Location: Planet Malta, Omicron Alpha. --To: Joseph DeFrance --Encryption: Crypts are for the dead --Subject: How will you survive?
Buenas tardes, mi amigo.
After meeting you and your... confidant cariño. You mentioned something that caught my interest...
You mentioned your battle-groups, the ones on standby. Battle-groups involving many military people and many military ships need a large number of resources. Now that got the ol' hamster wheel turning and I had a little look into your situation.
Alana mentioned that you and yours are reviled and hated by much of the sector, even as you're inside Sirius. I would be hard pressed to find some who would consider you friends or friendly. Maybe some would trade with yours, but I am sure we Maltese or perhaps the Bretonians would have noticed any significant traffic heading your way.
With all that in mind, I believe that you and yours would be suffering from limited resources, and given how 'new' you are to the taus, you probably have limited infrastructure and limited manufacturing ability to meet the large end-of-the-line production needs of maintaining battle-groups and whatever nobility still sides with you.
So I gotta ask,
How much fuel is left for your Enclave before you run out of steam?
Transmission Source Private - Direct Communique to Garica Ortega
CC: N/A
Transmission Location: Issoudun Shipyard|| Heavily Secured || Video Feed Active
Monsieur Ortega,
I must say, it's quite odd finding a transmission from someone who I had just met no more than a few days ago, so do colour me surprised. I had almost overlooked this transmission when it occurred to me that you had called me by this name. As for your question, it's unfortunately something that I can't answer. Not because I don't know what our resources are looking like, but because our people are enemies, and giving away this information freely - and directly to someone that has motivations that clash with our own interests, is something I cannot afford to risk. I do hope you'll understand that. I have a kingdom to unite, and the last thing I want is for something to slip out to the general populace that I'm giving away classified information to... what my people would essentially consider, barbarians. Their words, not mine.
You mustn't worry though, Monsieur. We have the supplies to keep us situated nicely where we're currently at.
--From: Garcia Ortega --Location: Planet Malta, Omicron Alpha. --To: Joseph DeFrance --Encryption: Crypts are for the dead --Subject: How will you survive?
Ahhhh, Señor DeFrance.
I see you, I see you...
House politicians are men with many faces, no? - There is something refreshingly simple about being Maltese, there is no reason to hide who you are. We're open, honest with what we want. Many respect that, others are afraid of such freedom. You have no need to wear that face with me, Príncipe.
As for the current state of conflict between your people, and we humble traders, you see what I did there? Since you are the Príncipe heredero, you are in a position to remedy this, are you not? - You even expressed, although it might have been a passing thought, curiosity as to why we Maltese would side with Bretonia. And honestly, can you blame us when your people, even after being humbled, see us as barbarians like you described?
Mi Amigo, we Maltese do not appreciate threats to our way of life, a feeling I am sure you are familiar with. Your usurped kingdom blasted its way into the Taus, and threatened our way of life. Assisting your enemies therefore is nothing more than that age old saying, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" no?
Transmission Source Private - Direct Communique to Garica Ortega
CC: N/A
Transmission Location: Royale DeFrance II|| Heavily Secured || Video Feed Active
Monsieur Ortega,
I would like to extend an apology on behalf of the Prince to you. My name is Doctor Cyril Belmont, but my friends call me Cyril, so please do so as well, non? Anywhom, the Prince doesn't have any need for the Outcasts, and he wishes me to make that particularly clear to you. As previously mentioned, our people are quite unfriendly towards each other and that's something that seems unlikely to change. At least for the foreseeable future. But you and I, oh you and I monsieur could definitely be quite friendly with each other. Almost useful in fact.
Cyril smiles.
You see, monsieur. I am a researcher, and I am in need of supplies that are quite hard for me to get a hold of through normal means. After all, I no longer have my connections to my previous sources of said supplies. Prior to the fall of the Kingdom, I was tasked by our fair King to look into the long term affects of cardamine. Of course this was only due to the sudden and rather dramatic introduction of the narcotic into our culture when our doors were blasted wide open by not only the Council, but the Royal Navy itself, and I was on the verge of a breakthrough when the Kingdom began collapsing around me. Being the personal doctor of the Royal Family... it was imperative that I fled to the Enclave's territories, had I stayed I would probably be hung by the usurpers for obviously false crimes.
Forgive my rambling, all of that is beside the point, and very unprofessional of me!
I essentially just wish to continue my research as sanctioned by the Kingdom itself, and from the information that I had obtained from the Gallic Royal Police prior to the fall, Outcasts dealt in two forms of trade. The first being your biggest source of income - Cardamine, the second being willing participants. I need access to both resources, and you have the means to make that a reality. Of course, all of this would be completely off the books, and with access to the royal coffers... I could easily see to it that our joint venture is handsomely rewarded here and there.
So what do you say, Monsieur Ortega? Would you like to help me make history?
Transmission Source Private - Direct Communique to Garica Ortega
CC: N/A
Transmission Location: Royale DeFrance II|| Heavily Secured || Video Feed Active
Monsieur Ortega,
Non, non, non, Monsieur! You have it all wrong, His Royal Highness is a specimen of absolute perfect health - perfection like no individual that I've seen in my years of being a physician, and I would personally advise him against any and all such actions when there are far safer ways to induce a high that wouldn't require a long term and life threatening addiction, that cardamine happens to induce, as you - a Maltese - no doubt understand.
His Royal Highness is currently indisposed of, though rest assured that he has given me his express permission to act as his proxy in continuation of this conversation, as such this request comes from him directly. Further more, as an adviser to His Royal Highness, I come with special perks that would certainly grant you his continued favor, after all... he has seemed to take a liking to you and Madame Leoz. His upbeat attitude when discussing your encounter with me a few days ago was certainly one that even I myself didn't expect.
To: Doctor Cyril Belmont From: Garcia Ortega Source: Planet Malta, Omicron Alpha. Subject: Cardamine
Long-term life threatening addiction... You mean like the Prince has a long-term life-threatening addiction to water, food or even oxygen?
Your prince is already addicted mi amigo, he just hasn't yet had the pleasure of being introduced to the benefits of cardamine.
But I wish to talk to the man I met in the Taus, not his doctor.
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