Kōkyo, Imperial District, New Tokyo, House Kusari, 830 A.S
Foreign Affairs Minister - Toshinori Kojirou
Zoners of Freeport 6 and other Zoner communities within the Tau sector.
In light of incidents surrounding Zoner communities across Sirius and the latest incident resulting in the de-facto seizure of Planet Erie by the Republic of Liberty over Insurgency elements on the surface, the Imperial Diet wishes to take a long overdue step.
The Empire of Kusari extends their hand to the Zoners of Freeport 6 in hopes to formalize what has been a decades lasting, mutually beneficial yet entirely informal arrangement between the Empire, her Keiretsu and your people.
We also invite all other Zoner communities within the Taus to partake, should they pursue the wish to formalize ties to the Empire.
With utmost respect,
Imperial Foreign Affairs Minister,
Toshinori Kojirou
*incoming transmission*
Comm ID: Blaine Chara
Location: Administrator's Office, Freeport 6
To: Toshinori Kojirou
I am no diplomat, Minister. I keep this Freeport running and it has done so for years now. We have few problems here that is until one of the houses decides to get involved. We have had Bretonia attempt to impose their will and they failed. We even had a two warships, one from Kusair with a Rheinland cruiser show and both decided to tell us that "we are Kusari property." Even the Gallics have decided that we are a border line.
There is a way that you can formalize relations with us and that is to leave us alone. It seems the only time things go awry is when the houses show up. Leave us alone. It's a quiet place for traders to stop, get a bite to eat and have a drink. Don't fix what isn't broken.
Starlight Research Consortium Chasing starlight since 829 A.S.
From: "SLRC-RV>Zenith" - Dr. Sailas Montgomery
Subject: Respectfully Declined
Encryption Strength: Impossible
Salutations. This is Dr. Sailas Montgomery, Director and Lead Researcher for Starlight Research Consortium out of Tau-23.
We respectfully decline your offer. We value our independence from any formal ties to any empire, government, or otherwise. As Zoners, this is a no-brainer; especially after the violence that has occurred now with not one, but two houses within the past ten years.
However, this is not to say that we are not willing to work with you on future studies or research projects. However, any formal ties to any government entity is out of the question.
Sincerely,
--Dr. Sailas Montgomery Director and Lead Researcher, SLRC Ever upwards, towards starlight!
Kōkyo, Imperial District, New Tokyo, House Kusari, 830 A.S
Foreign Affairs Minister - Toshinori Kojirou
Mr. Chara, Dr. Montgomery.
It seems you misinterpret our intentions, which is fairly understandable given the tensions Planet Erie's fate must have sought among your communities. My sincere apologizes for the confusion caused.
Mr. Chara, the scenarios you describe appear questionable, I would be highly surprised if our Naval Forces were in possession of a "Donau"-class. Nor are any instances within the past years of our forces threatening the safety of Freeport 6 known to me. If you possess data on any such instances, I would be most grateful if you were to share them with us.
I do not question the validity behind Gallic or Bretonian threats in the past, especially the latter showed that they can overstep certain bounds at times and resemble the Gallic tyranny an awful lot.
The Empire is well aware of the "quiet place for traders" and its function as main exchange point for Niobium between the Independent Miners Guild and the Kusari Keiretsu and this brings us to the exact reason why we seek a formalization of relations. Your quiet place can remain quiet and yours.
We aim to bring you reassurances that the Empire holds no intentions to seize the Freeport - or any other Zoner installations within the Tau sector - in a fashion displayed by Bretonia around Planet Gran Canaria or Liberty around Planet Erie but would instead aim to support Freeport 6 if it was ever threatened by a third party.
Additionally, the Empire wishes to discuss ways to intensify and encourage free trade between the Zoner communities and the Empire. Such formal arrangements are in no way aiming to undermine your independence but exclusively aim to promote stability through peaceful co-existence and cooperation in an economic sense. Your cited interest to keep the line for scientific cooperation open is most appreciated, Dr. Montgomery, and serves as a good example as to what the Empire would consider "formal ties" in the context here.
With utmost respect,
Imperial Foreign Affairs Minister,
Toshinori Kojirou
Starlight Research Consortium Chasing starlight since 829 A.S.
From: "SLRC-RV>Zenith" - Dr. Sailas Montgomery
Subject: Respectfully Declined
Encryption Strength: Impossible
As such, then it would appear we are not on the same page. While SLRC has effectively severed any and all formal, informal, or other connection to Liberty and their Corporations, this does not mean that a possible collaboration may be in the stars in the future between the Empire of Kusari and SLRC.
However, allow me to stress a point here just so you understand. The Zoner nation as a whole is wary of House government involvement in any facet of Zoner life; especially now. While your offer may be honorary and true, many Zoners do not trust any of the Houses at this time and may not for some time. Reaching out at this juncture may be a fools errand, if you will pardon the wording.
While SLRC is willing to work with the Empire on future projects, that time is not now. Finally, if collaborations are done between your science teams and us, that does not include access to Ikarus Station in any form as there is research going on there that is not safe to disclose to outside parties at this time.
We thank you for your message and reply. Once things calm down, we may be willing to work together in the future. For now, no thank you.
Sincerely,
--Dr. Sailas Montgomery Director and Lead Researcher, SLRC Ever upwards, towards starlight!
Kōkyo, Imperial District, New Tokyo, House Kusari, 830 A.S
Foreign Affairs Minister - Toshinori Kojirou
Dr. Montgomery.
We fully understand you and wish to sincerely thank you for your time and thorough explanations.
The Imperial Diet stressed that now was the time to make our sincere reassurances, perhaps in fact prematurely. We stand by our word regardless.
Should the time be ripe for such levels of cooperation again, we will most likely not have the pleasure to talk again, as such matters fall directly into the hands of the Ministry of Economy and the Keiretsu representatives themselves. Meaning, on a private note, I wish you and the Starlight Research Consortium all the best with your current research projects.
With regards,
Imperial Foreign Affairs Minister,
Toshinori Kojirou
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*incoming transmission*
Comm ID: Doc Holliday
Location: Planet Erie
To: Toshinori Kojirou
Mr. Minister,
And what can you offer? Once again, the Zoners have been assaulted only this time by the Liberty government just like the Bretonian Crown before them. Seems house governments are getting a bad name amongst the Zoners. You offer relations. We have seen treaties either broken or voided entirely at the need of these governments so forgive us if you receive a cold reception.
Admittedly, Kusari has been better with us but for now, it will have to deal with being stained by current and past events. Now I do not live in the Taus but I frequent them on my way to my Baffin lab so I had an interest.
Minister Kojirou, I wish you luck.