Comm ID - Maggie Shoemaker
Subject - Okinawa Security
Sirs,
In light of the recent situation with pirates in Okinawa I wanted to propose a rather drastic solution. The construction of Type 3 Defense Platforms at Fuxyeru, Akibahara and Otemachi would certainly go a long way to keeping pirates away from the Miura area, but why not take it one step further? I would propose the construction of two border posts at the Jump Gates to Honshu and Sigma-19. These basic bases would have a shield and two Type 3 Platforms. We would then set defensive status to fire on unknown targets, while setting up a communication channel for independents to gain access free of charge. The border posts now serve a double role allowing them to serve as safe havens as well if they are being chased into Okinawa. I realize that this would require a lot of trust and cooperation, but it could improve our collective security greatly. Please let me know what you think. Interspace Commerce would of course be willing to help fund and supply these new posts as well.
While I share some of your concerns for the increase in pirate activity of late, I do not share your vision in locking down Okinawa with border stations. I agree that both Fuxyueru and Otemachi could do well with some extra defensive weapon platforms, I don't think that border stations would work. The Hogosha and other assorted pirates mostly use jump holes leading into Okinawa, and I'm quite sure that at least one if not several jump holes have remained undiscovered by our Paramilitary patrols. We also suspect that there's a Hogosha base in the system, but we've been unable to locate that one as well.
Until we can truly clog all of those holes, I'm afraid that border stations would just be impractical to use and a strain to sustain. I'm certain that the Guild's Paramilitary Division will be more than adequate to counter any pirate forces operating in Guild space.
Comm ID - Maggie Shoemaker
Subject - Okinawa Security
Guildmaster Katsuo,
While I have you I'd like to open discussion on another matter. House politics are a tricky subject even on a good day and being publicly tied to the Republic of Liberty does us no favors in the current climate. I would like to open up discussions with you and your staff about moving Interspace's headquarters officially to Furyoku Station, which is now expanded and should be able to accomodate such a move with proper planning. True neutrality such as you enjoy would be a great boon to my people.
I must admit that we're not entirely surprised by your move in light of recent events. We've actually anticipated your desire to relocate your headquarters to Okinawa, even as early as at the initial construction of Furyoku. While true neutrality is greatly desired by many, not the least by the GMG, it is a difficult diplomatic stance to achieve and maintain. Though by starting with cutting the umbilical cord to the Republic of Liberty would be a great beginning for Interspace Commerce, you will still have a long way to go before many stop seeing you as 'just another Liberty corporation'. Even after five hundred years, the GMG are still viewed with suspicion by some for being a 'Kusari corporation'. Ignorance and misinformation will be your adversaries most powerful instruments while struggling to hinder your progress.
Welcome to your new home, Shoemaker-sama. And I hope you're ready to fight for your independence. The Crow knows that we did, bitterly and not without cost.
Comm ID - Maggie Shoemaker
Subject - Okinawa Security
Guildmaster Katsuo,
Thank you for doing us the honor of allowing us to move our headquarters in with you in Okinawa. While Furyoku Station is still a bit smaller then we're used to, just the notion of us moving our headquarters out of Liberty should be more then enough to help ease the political situation. The next few days are going to be tense for me as I work with our staff to try and craft the best message possible to send out.
In addition to moving our headquarters I would like your permission to purchase several GMG fighters and bombers for our crews to train with. While our pilots are not skilled at fighting in the gas fields yet, I feel it is important that they being learning and training to help defend our new home when called upon.
Finally I have something that may interest you, a black box from a Golden Chrysanthemum gunboat that was chased into Okinawa and destroyed by KNF warships. While they are allowed to do such under old treaties, I thought it best to notify you nonetheless. I can have the information and recordings transferred to you if you wish.
By now, I see that you've clearly settled in. Okinawa is a sprawling pool of activity, and much so because of the eager captains in your transport division, hai! I hope that your relocation out of House space and into ours instead will have the desired effect, both politically and culturally.
Even though our Kaichou bombers and Karasu fighters excel in nebula warfare, we'll gladly help instruct your pilots in the usage of these ships as escorts rather than nebula strike craft. I'll make sure to earmark some of the ships for you, they should be available at Fujisawa before long!
It takes many hours training before getting used to our ships however, as we use a super-sensitive sensory system to display the surroundings of the ship for the pilot, while almost every other snub craft has a see-through canopy instead for direct visual feedback. This patented sensory system is a great tool for our pilots fighting in the Crow, as you can imagine, and we have much to thank for it and our success fighting in the nebulas.
And finally... Any information in that GC black box might prove to be valuable in the future, so please send it to us. Arigato!
Comm ID - Maggie Shoemaker
Subject - Okinawa Security
Guildmaster Katsuo,
Progress is going well. Otemachi is nearly complete and we've already begun moving some of our personnel to Okinawa. Furyoku is nowhere near large enough to hold everything, even with the expansion but it's enough that we can make political use of the move, hopefully without harming business at Newark. As for the ships, we greatly appreciate it. I'll have my head of security get in contact with your people. We will fight alongside you to defend our new home should the need arise. The attachment below contains the logs of the GC vessel that was destroyed. The KNF know we recovered the black box, but claimed it was allowed under an old treaty. If that's not the case, please be discreet.