current

Melissa is stood in the comms room of The Cryolite, she seems a bit taken back by the brash response but smiles. She nods her head in respect to Leonardo de Silva as she speaks in a calm and friendly tone.

"Mr. de Silva, I see that from your response, you are more than likely confused by the decision to kick both your pilot and the Bounty Hunter out from the No Fire Zone. It was a simple calculation, that I didn't want any potential risk to my people on the Freeport. I'm sure you understand the rules of a No Fire Zone, regardless of your own opinions of them. Again, I have linked them previously for your convenience.

You question what Velvet does as a group, I fully respect wanting to know with whom you are dealing with. After all, that's a good business sense there. We are involved with the following: Securing and safeguarding of the Zoner community and population, assisting our allies in the Omicrons against the Nomad threat, it's influences and it's supporters alongside our allies in Core and other groups. In short, we are a military, intelligence, defence and logistical organisation. We operate predominantly in the edge worlds, but go where we are needed.

I will reiterate the rules broken, for absolute clarification. Sections 5A and section 8.

5A: In regards to inducing a fight with the bounty Hunter. Now, the Bounty Hunter for your own peace of mind has been spoken to as well. And this was resolved incredibly amicably. As it was with your own pilot.

8: In regards to being under fire for engaging a cloak, then running to the station, even after the Bounty Hunter in question actually enforced the Zone by ensuring that your pilots cloak would not be used in the No Fire Zone. Now, he did break the rules, and will be dealt with accordingly. But, we are not here to discuss the Hunter's wrong doings.

Regarding the Maltese Opposition Alliance, or whatever they were called... That was not our fight, yet it was brought to the Freeport. We actually told them at the time to vacate, as Freeport 10 and it's people should not be brought into the conflicts of the Maltese. At the time, we were undergoing our agreements that allow us to now fully enforce the safety of the Zoner people. And again, I can only thank you for your respect in regards to that matter. It shows that we can talk things through, instead of resorting to violence, or trying to push our boundaries beyond were they are best kept.

With regards to what you say in the next few moments, about our position. That is simple. Protection of the population of the Freeport, even if it means risking my own people to ensure that they don't get brought into a war needlessly. I don't know how much you know about my organisation, but we deal with more than just the safety and security of the Zoner population. Either way, exactly what we do and what we deal with, is down to our benefactors and our mission statement. I won't bore you with the details, but we are not just a singular purpose organisation.

As far as an apology to your pilot goes, we will not apologise for doing our job. However, what I will apologise for, is not making your pilot aware of the rules sooner. As, I'm sure that would have prevented this whole thing. No party specifically is to blame here, and I respect your position to want to protect your people. I am exactly the same.

As far as revoking our rights to the Maltese systems, so that we are absolutely clear, that would be Alpha, Beta, Tau and Phi, for absolute clarification. If we're going to impose new rules on one another, I would rather we be absolutely crystal clear. If this is the case, I'm sure you won't object to us returning the favour in kind and barring you from ever being at Freeport 11 and Corfu, as well as restricting your access to Iridium. Such restrictions are not a one way street, as you well know as a businessman.

The only really troubling thing in this whole response though... Comes from what I perceive rightly or wrongly to be a threat. Now, I will say one thing on the Core, they have their on motives, as do all the major players in the 'stella-political' system as you put it. But let me say, that you do not speak on anyone's behalf other than that of your own organisation. It might be a good time to remind you, that we are leaders of our own respective organisations, not of others. With regards do your threat about Freeport 10, this communication stream has been copied to IRG, the respective owners of the station... I doubt they'll be too pleased that our allies would deem it wise to threaten our people and station.

Malta and Nauru may be close, Mr. de Silva, but the Core can decide it's own position, should they want to have one. If needed, we can bring the Core into this communication feed, so that they can make their own stance clear, without you speaking on their behalf?

Now, I will leave this in your court so that we can come to an amicable solution. The last thing I want to do, is get all our respective allies in some pointless throwing of petty insults, and risk any loss of life needlessly."


Melissa bows her head in respect as the transmission begins to end.