Message Class: Visual
Encryption: High
To: Gas Miners Guild Leadership
From: Acting Commander Bretonian Merchant Navy Captain Richard Eppes
To whom it may concern
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen
The Bretonian Merchant Navy is a subdivision of our proud Armed Forces and tasked with supplying Bretonia's diverse efforts. In order to do that we would like to open communications with the Gas Miner Guild to request coordinates to a base where we could buy H-Fuel.
Of course our transport-fleet would be accompanied by an appopriate security force.
Captain Richard Eppes
Acting Commander Bretonian Armed Forces Merchant Navy
Regrettably, The Guild is unable to to provide authorisation to the Bretonia Armed Forces to access to its space, as under Guild law, ships belonging to foreign militaries are not permitted to enter Guild space. This is not to say GMG does not wish host ships of Bretonian origin, and the friendship and positive business relationship we share is very much valued, however, unfortunately the matter is a sensitive one at this moment in time due to the recent, illegal Rheinland invasion of the Sigma Systems, from which we are still attempting to recover.
Bretonian civilian ships are of course most welcome as ever, and ships belonging to organisations such as but not limited to Borderworlds Exports and Gateway Shipping are by all means gladly received, as they have been without interruption and will continue to be. Depending on your needs, they may find the following for sale:
-H-Fuel: Fujisawa Mining Facility, Okinawa, tradelane from Planet Miura, 128 credits per unit
-Helium-3: Iejima Station, Sigma-59, extended orbit of the Okinawa jumpgate, 3,000 credits per unit
-Uranium Ore: Mekong Station, Sigma-21, orbit of Planet Saigon, 3,000 credits per unit
It is appreciated this is not the response you may have sought, but it is hoped that The Guild's reasoning for the position it must adopt is understood and does not cause offence, as this is absolutely not intended. It may, perhaps, be advisable for Bretonian corporate ships to collect the desired supplies from the Sigma Systems to be transported to another location from where they may be integrated into the Bretonian Armed Forces Merchant Navy's supply network, but it is of course yourselves who are best placed to determine what arrangements might suit you best.
The Guild hopes this sufficiently answers your query, and if there is anything further we may do to assist you, please do not hesitate to inform us of such.
Message Class: Visual
Encryption: High
To: Kiji Namura
From: Acting Commander Bretonian Merchant Navy Captain Richard Eppes
Dear Keiji Namura
I do regret your answer. However I hope there is still a way we can come to an agreement, as there are a few points I'd like to discuss with you regarding your message.
If you are referring to the eighty-year war between the Gas Miners Guild and Rheinland during 589-668 A.S. I can understand the effort it must have taken to rebuild, and overcome the trauma. However I fail to see the relation Rheinland and Bretonia share in this conflict. In no way has Bretonia made a move on Guild territorry or supported Rheinland in their ambitions. Precisely this tragedy is what associats the Guild with Bretonia and let me hope we could come to a mutually benefetial agreement, as there probably aren't many people out there in the Sirius sector who could relate to the disaster that struck Bretonia more than the Guild.
You state as well, that foreign militaries are not permitted in Guild space. I understand this may well be a reaction to the above mentioned conflict. If that is the case I can only assure you, that no such intentions are present within the Bretonian Merchant Navy. Before contacting you, I requested acces to published Guild documents, compiling the Guild's law. There I found this paragraph:
"3.2 Foreign police and military vessels are only allowed inside GMG territory under one of the following conditions:
They are invited by a Guildmember.
There is an existing treaty permitting entry."
In my understanding this leaves room for you to move, as we are currently precisely talking about the second condition concerning military vessels in Guild space.
Maybe there was also some kind of a misunderstanding between the two of us. In no way are we requesting permission to enter with any kind of warship. The core of our convoys consists of Shire or Bison class heavy transports, accompanied by a fighter wing. All of which are vessels the Bretonian civilian corporations use as well. Even the Churchill class Gunboat, which sometimes accompanies our convoys as well, has been in use by some of them. The only difference between a corporation like Bowex and the Bretonian Merchant Navy is the badge on the shoulder of our transport captains and the ability to fight off pirategroups due to trained formation flight, consequently providing more security for both import and export of Gas Miner Guild's commodities.
I hope we can discuss these points further and maybe reach an agreement.
Captain Richard Eppes
Acting Commander Bretonian Armed Forces Merchant Navy
Message Class: Visual
Encryption: High
To: Kiji Namura
From: Acting Commander Bretonian Merchant Navy Captain Richard Eppes
Keiji Namura
Your negligence in answering our communications as well as your failure to assist Bretonia in a time of need have been noted by the Bretonian Merchant Navy. We regret that you threw the oportunity for a stable and profiting partnership out the window so carelessly, and in turn cut your own flesh.
I personally hope, that you will never be in need of assistance again.
Captain Richard Eppes
Acting Commander Bretonian Armed Forces Merchant Navy