To: Xeno Alliance | That wasn't very cash money of you.

[Backo]

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COMM-ID: Eliza Valdez
Subject: That wasn't very cash money of you.
Priority: High

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Buenos dias,

What you've done to Rochester has been an inconvenience to put it lightly. And not just to me personally, but a long line of people, people with livelihoods tied to that piece of welded scrap metal called station. I'm sure you had your reasons for it, but the question is what do we do of it now? Shooting you Xenos likely won't fix the place, though I'm still waiting for a better idea. I hope you have one?

En servicio de Malta,
Legionario Eliza Valdez.

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Attachments: None

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[Reeves]

☠ Incoming transmission.
☠ Signal source: Free Republic relay, Liberty
☠ Opening video feed...

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Sender: Alliance Commander "Cobra"
Recipient: Eliza Valdez
Subject: Market crash

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Miss Valdez.

I had a very simple set of intentions when I lobbied for Rochester's recent series of renovations to its life support systems. I intended to force you to work with us instead. By eliminating all other practical alternatives, we are the only entity of substance left to consider. Of course, that hasn't stopped your peers from still believing that the Junkers are truly the best business partner that Liberty has to offer.

If you're willing to come to the table, deal with us fairly, place all dealings you had with the Junkers in our hands from this point on, and above all else render our movement with respect and serious consideration, then I will happily go about arranging for Pittsburgh to entirely replace the arrangement you enjoyed with Rochester. And with certain bonuses if the partnership truly is productive.

I have a revolt to fund, you have drugs to distribute. See the angle?
-"Cobra"

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☠ Transmission signal lost.

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[Backo]

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COMM-ID: Eliza Valdez
Subject: RE: Market crash
Priority: High

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That's all fine and dandy, Cobra, but it isn't just the Junkers. We ship Cardamine to the the borders of Liberty. From there on it's often either Rogues or Lane Hackers moving it to the Junkers which then move it to the lucrative Manhattan streets. I personally couldn't care less how it ends up on Manhattan, money's money after all, but if you want in on the whole business you'll have to figure out a solution to that one as well, because I doubt most of the hombres would be excited to having to pull the smuggling run all the way to Pittsburgh right at the law's doorstep. It's freight ships we're talking about not raiders.

En servicio de Malta,
Legionario Eliza Valdez.

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Attachments: None

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[Reeves]

☠ Incoming transmission.
☠ Signal source: Free Republic relay, Liberty
☠ Opening video feed...

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Sender: Alliance Commander "Cobra"
Recipient: Eliza Valdez
Subject: Market crash

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Miss Valdez.

If it's just freight ships we're talking about then I already have a solution for you, a hideout that so far has served our cause, could be expanded to receive your smugglers. From there our contacts will handle the redistribution to the Manhattan streets, because how else am I going to turn all these rich addicts into tax payers?

If you'd like, you can come see the place for yourself, it's what used to be the site of a mine and the planet is itself a sprawling maze of slums, sand, rocks and an utter lack of real policing. The LPI has never been one to actually uphold order, they just keep the corporate machines well oiled and round up anyone who can work in a prison factory. So your hombres just need to make sure their vectors line up with portions of the planet neglected by patrols.

If we can do it, I'm sure they can.
-"Cobra"

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☠ Transmission signal lost.

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[Backo]

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COMM-ID: Eliza Valdez
Subject: RE: Market crash
Priority: High

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On Pittsburgh? I think you misunderstood me, Cobra. My interest is to secure a drop off that's still in the edge of Liberty. Like Galileo and Kepler or maybe Cortez and Magellan. We do the haul through the Taus or Kusari and whoever you want handles the rest of the route to Manhattan, you dig? If you have a place we can offload our transports somewhere on the outskirts of Liberty and you handle the rest of the way yourself, you'll have a solid deal. We do our space, you do yours.

Or you could try and make some deal with the Hackers regarding this "silk" road. If they're willing to ship from the border to your little Pit I'm sure the dons back home wouldn't care much how you two finally got along as long as the orange powder keeps flowing uninterrupted.

En servicio de Malta,
Legionario Eliza Valdez.

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Attachments: None

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[Reeves]

☠ Incoming transmission.
☠ Signal source: Free Republic relay, Liberty
☠ Opening video feed...

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Sender: Alliance Commander "Cobra"
Recipient: Eliza Valdez
Subject: Market crash

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Miss Valdez.

We can do Kepler and Magellan, fairly secretive and well concealed real estate exists in both systems for the purpose of us receiving shipments of your product and then shuttling it further into Liberty ourselves. Pittsburgh will be a nice little spot to store all of it before redistribution occurs on Manhattan.

Does this arrangement satisfy you?
-"Cobra"

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☠ Transmission signal lost.

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[Backo]

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COMM-ID: Eliza Valdez
Subject: RE: Market crash
Priority: High

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Much better. I'll bring this proposition up to the people concerned.

En servicio de Malta,
Legionario Eliza Valdez.

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Attachments: None

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[Reeves]

☠ Incoming transmission.
☠ Signal source: Free Republic relay, Liberty
☠ Opening video feed...

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Sender: Alliance Commander "Cobra"
Recipient: Eliza Valdez
Subject: Market crash

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Miss Valdez.

Minor change of plans. A Luminary of mine has expressed valid concerns of the optics behind Outcasts openly docking on Xeno installations. I'm inclined to agree, but I have a workable compromise.

We have an understanding with the people of Fontana, a Freeport in California. Have your drug convoys make the drop there and we'll take things the rest of the way to our distribution hub. Your people inbound from Kusari will have to reroute through Ontario for this to work, but I don't foresee a trip through a backwater as being problematic.

Does this change work for you?
-"Cobra"

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☠ Transmission signal lost.

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[Backo]

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COMM-ID: Eliza Valdez
Subject: RE: Market crash
Priority: High

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Cobra, that's already going a bit deeper into Liberty than we would want. And if we're going to go for someplace neutral where even the law can show up, we might as well drop it all off on Ames in Kepler. I know you Xenos are on good terms with the local Zoners so maybe that's not a bad idea or is it? Though I still consider Freeports to be a bad location for shady deals of this scale.

En servicio de Malta,
Legionario Eliza Valdez.

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Attachments: None

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[Reeves]

☠ Incoming transmission.
☠ Signal source: Free Republic relay, Liberty
☠ Opening video feed...

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Sender: Alliance Commander "Cobra"
Recipient: Eliza Valdez
Subject: Market crash

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Miss Valdez.

Look at it this way. While Ames is certainly closer to those of you inbound from Kusari, it makes logistics for your runners from the Taus impractical. Fontana, situated in California is a midpoint between both convoys. We'd be the ones shouldering a greater risk running drugs the rest of the way to our network.

I realize this might not be an ideal arrangement, but it's a fair compromise and I considered your convenience as well. If there's one thing I simply must avoid, it's unwittingly obtaining Rochester's reputation for hidden Ranseurs.

You'll have to forgive my reservations in light of that.
-"Cobra"

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☠ Transmission signal lost.

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