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Saturday, January 14, at approximately 18:45 GMT, two trader members of the The Guild of Free Traders were ordered to stop at a blockade in Latos conducted by The Coalition of Itan and Skygge Vakter. Both were ordered to produce their cargo for inspection. When they refused, both were fired upon. Serco citizen Ryan Statis was destroyed. UIT Citizen Mentat Thufir Hawatt destroyed her attacker, ITAN council member Gruumsh.
The announced purpose of the blockade was recovery of the so-called Neural Spike allegedly in the possession of the SCAR and ST6 guilds. Witnesses to the blockade failed to observe members of either Serco guild in the vicinity of the blockade.
Friday, January 20, at approximately 20:40 GMT, a member of SKV ordered TGFT LT and council member Broma-Ba Slick to stop for inspection in Latos. He represented that he was on a mission to interdict the "Neural Spike." When LT Slick refused, the SKV member opened fire and destroyed his ship. No Serco ships were present.
The Guild of Free Traders protests the action of ITAN and SKV in the strongest terms. The Guild of Free Traders is dedicated to the preservation of free trade throughout the universe. It does not recognize the authority of any guild to interdict or inspect cargo carried by its members. While it wishes to maintain the historically cordial relationship it has had with ITAN and SKV, any further attempt to interfere with trading by TGFT members by these guilds will be considered declaration of hostilities between TGFT and that guild.
Broma-Ba Slick
Council and Lieutenant
The announced purpose of the blockade was recovery of the so-called Neural Spike allegedly in the possession of the SCAR and ST6 guilds. Witnesses to the blockade failed to observe members of either Serco guild in the vicinity of the blockade.
Friday, January 20, at approximately 20:40 GMT, a member of SKV ordered TGFT LT and council member Broma-Ba Slick to stop for inspection in Latos. He represented that he was on a mission to interdict the "Neural Spike." When LT Slick refused, the SKV member opened fire and destroyed his ship. No Serco ships were present.
The Guild of Free Traders protests the action of ITAN and SKV in the strongest terms. The Guild of Free Traders is dedicated to the preservation of free trade throughout the universe. It does not recognize the authority of any guild to interdict or inspect cargo carried by its members. While it wishes to maintain the historically cordial relationship it has had with ITAN and SKV, any further attempt to interfere with trading by TGFT members by these guilds will be considered declaration of hostilities between TGFT and that guild.
Broma-Ba Slick
Council and Lieutenant
Open Broadcast to the attention of The Guild of Free Traders on the subject of the recent military blockade around Latos of January 14th.
Esteemed pilots & traders, it is with deep regrets that the turn of events have resulted in a few ships lost on many camps, including TGFT, SKV and ITAN. Unfortunately, in times of war, the Coalition Of Itan aided by the Skygge Vakter group were in the moral obligation, if not only for the swift end of the war, to conduct this cargo inspection operation.
One sure way to avoid any more such sad events would be to avoid the sector when similar operations are announced ("the plans were on display") or simply to abide with the procedures wich would have resulted in only a small (1-2 minutes) delay of your transport operations, rather than a more costly paint job.
Another such operation is not excluded in the near futur so please advise your pilots. Details of such operation may be held up until it is actually in action.
Please adress to the members of your organisation my best regards and do remind them that our goal is the long term stabilisation of trade routes and securing the allied nation sectors, including free space.
Commander Mogul Velaio
Coalition Of Itan
Esteemed pilots & traders, it is with deep regrets that the turn of events have resulted in a few ships lost on many camps, including TGFT, SKV and ITAN. Unfortunately, in times of war, the Coalition Of Itan aided by the Skygge Vakter group were in the moral obligation, if not only for the swift end of the war, to conduct this cargo inspection operation.
One sure way to avoid any more such sad events would be to avoid the sector when similar operations are announced ("the plans were on display") or simply to abide with the procedures wich would have resulted in only a small (1-2 minutes) delay of your transport operations, rather than a more costly paint job.
Another such operation is not excluded in the near futur so please advise your pilots. Details of such operation may be held up until it is actually in action.
Please adress to the members of your organisation my best regards and do remind them that our goal is the long term stabilisation of trade routes and securing the allied nation sectors, including free space.
Commander Mogul Velaio
Coalition Of Itan
F**K that, you people want to inspect my ship, you're eating swarms.
To the honorable Mogul Velaio, Commander of the Coalition of Itan:
I appreciate your regret but it occurs to me to inform you that both of your suggestions for avoiding this situation fly in the face of the principals of free trade. Although this is in no way meant to be an official response from TGFT, I can assure you that we are very unlikely to submit to any illegal searches or seizures of our lawfully acquired cargo. Nor do we feel any particular need to avoid certain space at your convenience. This is particularly true due to the fact that your guilds represent Itani interests, yet are operating these illegal blockades far from Itani space and on the very doorstep of UIT space. In other words, you have no jurisdiction there and your actions there are only nominally more ethical than outright piracy.
If I may be so bold as to offer a suggestion of my own, it would be to leave TGFT pilots in peace and make no attempt to hinder their trade routes in the future.
Bohemian72 - TGFT Council*
*As stated above, this is not an official response from the guild. Merely one council member's opinion.
I appreciate your regret but it occurs to me to inform you that both of your suggestions for avoiding this situation fly in the face of the principals of free trade. Although this is in no way meant to be an official response from TGFT, I can assure you that we are very unlikely to submit to any illegal searches or seizures of our lawfully acquired cargo. Nor do we feel any particular need to avoid certain space at your convenience. This is particularly true due to the fact that your guilds represent Itani interests, yet are operating these illegal blockades far from Itani space and on the very doorstep of UIT space. In other words, you have no jurisdiction there and your actions there are only nominally more ethical than outright piracy.
If I may be so bold as to offer a suggestion of my own, it would be to leave TGFT pilots in peace and make no attempt to hinder their trade routes in the future.
Bohemian72 - TGFT Council*
*As stated above, this is not an official response from the guild. Merely one council member's opinion.
here's how i see it.
the 'tani want to be pie-rats, but they don't want people to know that they want to be pie-rats. therefore the 'tani hide their pie-rat behavior by saying "we think you have the spike"
in reality, they know that you dont have the spike, and they know that you will not have it any time soon. They know that "Borb Sarken" has it and that the only way for you to get it was if he gave it to you. They know this hasn't happened because Borb Sarken never logs on.
In short 'tani=pierat.
The End
the 'tani want to be pie-rats, but they don't want people to know that they want to be pie-rats. therefore the 'tani hide their pie-rat behavior by saying "we think you have the spike"
in reality, they know that you dont have the spike, and they know that you will not have it any time soon. They know that "Borb Sarken" has it and that the only way for you to get it was if he gave it to you. They know this hasn't happened because Borb Sarken never logs on.
In short 'tani=pierat.
The End
Well I only have one question for you. Are you trying to make war with the UIT? Your actions speak louder than your words, remember that.
Esteemed Pilot 13,
To adress some of your concerns, the full scope of the operation goes beyond traditional frontiers of any nations.
A delegation of UIT was also present and active during this operation and no UIT or Serco space was violated during the course of the so-called blockade.
The purpose of this operation was the recovery of a medical research device wich, in the wrong hands, can turn into a poison pill for both the Itani nation and the nations of the UIT conglomerate.
In response to Council Behomian72, an act of piracy is defined by the systematic looting of cargo. None of the transport that were intercepted had it's cargo confiscated. Most simply dropped them out on demand for inspection and then picked em up again and went their merry way.
On one unfortunate occasion, a Serco pilot, of all people, had the unfortunate bad idea of resisting and trying to flee after launching a salvo against one of the allied pilots whose job it was to inspect cargo. The Serco pilot's ship was destroyed and it's cargo inspected and kept afloat and guarded until he returned with a new ship. That pilot was given back all cargo we could salvage (damn those disintegrating crates) and offered money compensation for his trouble, wich he refused.
There has not been any formal complaint by this pilot, wich therefore makes this incident not-avenue.
Commander Mogul Velaio
Coalition Of Itan
To adress some of your concerns, the full scope of the operation goes beyond traditional frontiers of any nations.
A delegation of UIT was also present and active during this operation and no UIT or Serco space was violated during the course of the so-called blockade.
The purpose of this operation was the recovery of a medical research device wich, in the wrong hands, can turn into a poison pill for both the Itani nation and the nations of the UIT conglomerate.
In response to Council Behomian72, an act of piracy is defined by the systematic looting of cargo. None of the transport that were intercepted had it's cargo confiscated. Most simply dropped them out on demand for inspection and then picked em up again and went their merry way.
On one unfortunate occasion, a Serco pilot, of all people, had the unfortunate bad idea of resisting and trying to flee after launching a salvo against one of the allied pilots whose job it was to inspect cargo. The Serco pilot's ship was destroyed and it's cargo inspected and kept afloat and guarded until he returned with a new ship. That pilot was given back all cargo we could salvage (damn those disintegrating crates) and offered money compensation for his trouble, wich he refused.
There has not been any formal complaint by this pilot, wich therefore makes this incident not-avenue.
Commander Mogul Velaio
Coalition Of Itan
While, technically, blockades are illegal, Itan has two things going for it. One, the blockade is in aan unclaimed system, thus there are no laws to break, so there is no illegal. Two, while the citizens of the Union may complain to their government of the blockade, the slow processes coupled with the fact that the blockade will have accomplished or failed in it's goal by then makes that avenue of action rather moot. Like it or not, the blockade is there to stay. Any action against the blockade should also be seen as aiding the Serco Dominion in their transport of the Spike, and should be dealt as such.
Then by all means, let us help the Serco Dominion! Let's see how long these Itani pansies last with two nations against them instead of just one.
The purpose of this operation was the recovery of a medical research device wich, in the wrong hands, can turn into a poison pill for both the Itani nation and the nations of the UIT conglomerate.
Ahh the beauty of itani lies.
I was there when the spike was recovered from one of your own scientists who had stolen it and was attempting to penetrate serco space with it. Apparently your scientist was deranged because we were attacked the moment we discovered her and attempted to offer escort to a station of her choosing.
Since it was turned over to our researchers we have learned much about it, and it seems far more likely that it is a prototype weapon you itani were planning to use on us than some esoteric bit of medical research.
Regardless your feeble attempts to justify your blockade by claiming you are working for the betterment of all by trying to stop the 'evil serco menace' are laughable at best, especially considering the fact that it has been the itani instigating the conflicts down through the millenia.
Your blockade is a joke and your reasoning absurd. Members of the UIT, I suggest that you heed carefully the events that are unfolding before you. The Itani need to justify thier actions to themselves, so they cloak thier warmongering and agression in deception and rationalizations, This blockade is just another example of hypocracy in its truest form. The Itani claim to want peace, yet it is thier government disrupting trade and interfering with peaceful commerce.
Additionally, if we were going to move the spike, I can assure you that it would not be quietly placed aboard a civillian ship, and it assuredly would not be moved out into the depths of unclaimed space without any escort. Do us all a favor and stop harassing traders, find some other outlet for your agressive natures, if you must fight, feel free to attack us openly, we'll give you all the fighting you can handle. Most importantly, don't try to pretend you are better than us, we're all still human after all.
Ahh the beauty of itani lies.
I was there when the spike was recovered from one of your own scientists who had stolen it and was attempting to penetrate serco space with it. Apparently your scientist was deranged because we were attacked the moment we discovered her and attempted to offer escort to a station of her choosing.
Since it was turned over to our researchers we have learned much about it, and it seems far more likely that it is a prototype weapon you itani were planning to use on us than some esoteric bit of medical research.
Regardless your feeble attempts to justify your blockade by claiming you are working for the betterment of all by trying to stop the 'evil serco menace' are laughable at best, especially considering the fact that it has been the itani instigating the conflicts down through the millenia.
Your blockade is a joke and your reasoning absurd. Members of the UIT, I suggest that you heed carefully the events that are unfolding before you. The Itani need to justify thier actions to themselves, so they cloak thier warmongering and agression in deception and rationalizations, This blockade is just another example of hypocracy in its truest form. The Itani claim to want peace, yet it is thier government disrupting trade and interfering with peaceful commerce.
Additionally, if we were going to move the spike, I can assure you that it would not be quietly placed aboard a civillian ship, and it assuredly would not be moved out into the depths of unclaimed space without any escort. Do us all a favor and stop harassing traders, find some other outlet for your agressive natures, if you must fight, feel free to attack us openly, we'll give you all the fighting you can handle. Most importantly, don't try to pretend you are better than us, we're all still human after all.
Har har!
You go Itan and SKV! you never know, one day you might be working with CLM! :D yay for piracy!
You go Itan and SKV! you never know, one day you might be working with CLM! :D yay for piracy!
ha!! CLM
a group of cute animals ;)
*flap her wings and drink coffee*
a group of cute animals ;)
*flap her wings and drink coffee*
Commander Mogul may try to ease his conscience by hanging onto thin rationalizations about why these actions do not equate piracy, but if one is to view the situation from the eyes of a free trader, there's very little difference. We are being issued a demand to come to a stop and hand over our cargo. If we refuse we are fired upon. The fact that you claim to hand back the cargo when you are done with your inspection is the only thing that makes this "nominally better than piracy."
This whole process is a fruitful ground for corruption. How long will it be before an inspector decides to hang on to a small bit of the cargo as a 'convenience fee' for handling the inspectons? How long before ITAN and SKV disapprove other types of cargos?
The fact that the actual blockade events occur in unclaimed space, doesn't change the fact that it's still just outside a major worm hole portal into and out of UIT space. Making this in fact an attempted blockade of the UIT.
Commander Mogul claiming this is in part for the benefit of UIT is laughable at best and more honestly extremely troubling. ITAN and SKV are not benefactors of the UIT. As far as I can tell they are Itani factions attempting to disrupt the major trade routes between the UIT and the unclaimed territories.
While I am UIT, I am highly, highly admired by Itani society on the whole. I can only assume by these actions that ITAN and SKV are extremist, terrorist factions who do not represent the feeling of most Itani people.
If the Itani have a conflict with the Serco Dominion, take the war there. The UIT has done you no wrong and these rogue factions are reflecting badly on the whole Itani nation.
Bohemian72
This whole process is a fruitful ground for corruption. How long will it be before an inspector decides to hang on to a small bit of the cargo as a 'convenience fee' for handling the inspectons? How long before ITAN and SKV disapprove other types of cargos?
The fact that the actual blockade events occur in unclaimed space, doesn't change the fact that it's still just outside a major worm hole portal into and out of UIT space. Making this in fact an attempted blockade of the UIT.
Commander Mogul claiming this is in part for the benefit of UIT is laughable at best and more honestly extremely troubling. ITAN and SKV are not benefactors of the UIT. As far as I can tell they are Itani factions attempting to disrupt the major trade routes between the UIT and the unclaimed territories.
While I am UIT, I am highly, highly admired by Itani society on the whole. I can only assume by these actions that ITAN and SKV are extremist, terrorist factions who do not represent the feeling of most Itani people.
If the Itani have a conflict with the Serco Dominion, take the war there. The UIT has done you no wrong and these rogue factions are reflecting badly on the whole Itani nation.
Bohemian72
wate didn't SKV try something like this before?
/me get's his "blockade buster" kit
-M'at
/me get's his "blockade buster" kit
-M'at
Pilot Spellcast.
To you and your nation of blood-thursty bio-mechanical monsters, I have this only to say:
,|,, ,,|,
Commander Mogul velaio
Opinions herein are just that.
To you and your nation of blood-thursty bio-mechanical monsters, I have this only to say:
,|,, ,,|,
Commander Mogul velaio
Opinions herein are just that.
And when you consider that [ITAN] is nothing but opinions and nothing to back them up...
Hmmm, a lot like me, now that I think about it.
Hmmm, a lot like me, now that I think about it.
Esteemed UIT representative Bohemian72
I can assure you that neither parties that have worked on this initiative has any intent on keeping any inspected cargo. As proof of this, the serco pilot who suffered the harshness of his actions was offered cash reimbursement for the cargo lost to disintegration while all I could salvage (myself) was given back when he came back.
You have my word and personal guarantee that any unwarranted or unjustified cost to this blockade will be financially covered by our war funds.
As for the previous blockade, any allied UIT pilot is welcome to participate and observe in any futur such operations. We will try to notify you before hand. Watch for station news if this occurs again, for details.
Commander Mogul Velaio
Coalition Of Itan
I can assure you that neither parties that have worked on this initiative has any intent on keeping any inspected cargo. As proof of this, the serco pilot who suffered the harshness of his actions was offered cash reimbursement for the cargo lost to disintegration while all I could salvage (myself) was given back when he came back.
You have my word and personal guarantee that any unwarranted or unjustified cost to this blockade will be financially covered by our war funds.
As for the previous blockade, any allied UIT pilot is welcome to participate and observe in any futur such operations. We will try to notify you before hand. Watch for station news if this occurs again, for details.
Commander Mogul Velaio
Coalition Of Itan
well, at least he's honest enough with his opinions...
I would like to point out however it's itani who are acting blood thirsty.
Your gesture of your... esteem... for me is interesting, but doesn't display much of that much touted itani reserve and respect for other cultures...
On the other hand its a perfect example of why the war continues, the itani have duped themselves into believing that they are superior when they have the same emotions and reactions that we do.
oh, and commander Velaio
(_|_)
right back atcha..
Spellcast
I would like to point out however it's itani who are acting blood thirsty.
Your gesture of your... esteem... for me is interesting, but doesn't display much of that much touted itani reserve and respect for other cultures...
On the other hand its a perfect example of why the war continues, the itani have duped themselves into believing that they are superior when they have the same emotions and reactions that we do.
oh, and commander Velaio
(_|_)
right back atcha..
Spellcast
Yay! Flaming!
Personally... I like Jex Kerome better than the guild [Itan]... and that's saying alot...
Personally... I like Jex Kerome better than the guild [Itan]... and that's saying alot...
Broma said: Saturday, January 14, at approximately 18:45 GMT, two trader members of the The Guild of Free Traders were ordered to stop at a blockade in Latos conducted by The Coalition of Itan and Skygge Vakter. Both were ordered to produce their cargo for inspection. When they refused, both were fired upon...Witnesses to the blockade failed to observe members of either Serco guild in the vicinity of the blockade.
Hrm. Actually, events went more like this:
Several in-sector and private messages went back and forth between Ryan Statis and myself (and others from [Itan]), notifying him that we were looking for the neural spike, and that, as a Serco, he may be suspect if he hung around in Latos. He acknowledged the warning and shrugged it off, but refused to comply with politely termed requests as to his pont of origin, destination, or cargo. He was splashed by an unknown [SKV] member as I recall, and recently I reimbursed him 300,000 cr to cover the cost of his ship, his profit, and his lost cargo from the trade run he was attempting.
I observed Mentat as he killed the unwary Gruumsh with a lightning mine in Latos. Previous to this attack, he had purposely made comments in channel 100 that hinted at participation of carrying the spike, in order to incite an attack. I advocated just following him, but when it was made clear that his intentions were solely to invite attack and possibly cause an incident exactly like this one, I broke off pursuit along with [SKV] member Niki, who also witnessed the destruction of Gruumsh. Mentat lost no cargo and was only mildly inconvienced by our blockade as he was not destroyed.
I have no knowledge regarding the events that took place later on in the week. I was apparently drunk after my station war in Odia.
[TGFT] is obviously aware that Grayspace is inherently dangerous. [Itan] is a guild that attacks known pirates as well as Serco in the protection of free trade. While we attempted to warn off your traders, they purposefully continued on their traderoutes and increased their taunts, daring us to stop them, even making hints that they may be carrying the spike.
The blame for the unfortunate events of Saturday, January 14th lies almost exclusively at the feet of Ryan Statis and Mentat Thufir Hawat. They were warned away repeatedly. They were followed, and they dropped mines first, inititating the attacks upon our guildmembers. Ryan Statis has been made whole by my reimbursal of his losses from my own personal funds.
I've spoken with Gaird, Broma-Ba-Slick, and Screwball about this privately and assured them that there are no hostile intentions between [Itan] and [TGFT]. I am sure the same goes for [SKV].
And I suggest that [TGFT] withdraws its threat of hostilities against [Itan] and [SKV]. No one here wants that... especially [TGFT].
Hrm. Actually, events went more like this:
Several in-sector and private messages went back and forth between Ryan Statis and myself (and others from [Itan]), notifying him that we were looking for the neural spike, and that, as a Serco, he may be suspect if he hung around in Latos. He acknowledged the warning and shrugged it off, but refused to comply with politely termed requests as to his pont of origin, destination, or cargo. He was splashed by an unknown [SKV] member as I recall, and recently I reimbursed him 300,000 cr to cover the cost of his ship, his profit, and his lost cargo from the trade run he was attempting.
I observed Mentat as he killed the unwary Gruumsh with a lightning mine in Latos. Previous to this attack, he had purposely made comments in channel 100 that hinted at participation of carrying the spike, in order to incite an attack. I advocated just following him, but when it was made clear that his intentions were solely to invite attack and possibly cause an incident exactly like this one, I broke off pursuit along with [SKV] member Niki, who also witnessed the destruction of Gruumsh. Mentat lost no cargo and was only mildly inconvienced by our blockade as he was not destroyed.
I have no knowledge regarding the events that took place later on in the week. I was apparently drunk after my station war in Odia.
[TGFT] is obviously aware that Grayspace is inherently dangerous. [Itan] is a guild that attacks known pirates as well as Serco in the protection of free trade. While we attempted to warn off your traders, they purposefully continued on their traderoutes and increased their taunts, daring us to stop them, even making hints that they may be carrying the spike.
The blame for the unfortunate events of Saturday, January 14th lies almost exclusively at the feet of Ryan Statis and Mentat Thufir Hawat. They were warned away repeatedly. They were followed, and they dropped mines first, inititating the attacks upon our guildmembers. Ryan Statis has been made whole by my reimbursal of his losses from my own personal funds.
I've spoken with Gaird, Broma-Ba-Slick, and Screwball about this privately and assured them that there are no hostile intentions between [Itan] and [TGFT]. I am sure the same goes for [SKV].
And I suggest that [TGFT] withdraws its threat of hostilities against [Itan] and [SKV]. No one here wants that... especially [TGFT].