Exterminate the Hackers ! Purge the Xenos from Liberty !
Tukker laughed , saluting at the General with an ironic air.
Excuse me if I riposte with your own words, General.
You told me that "know well what it is to be called a terrorist, and can imagine what goes on on the other side of law."
The Council has been faced with well planned and fully coordinated atacks against them from a military aparatus that can only be described as mercilessly efficient, no ?
And still, through wit and cunning, bravery and resourceful tactics you have not only managed to stand against this overpowering enemy in a guerilla warfare, but to gain more than one victory. And these folks live in a similar situation for all their lives, even if the starting situation and general goals are different: The Lane Hackers are intelligent, ruthless, well integrated into libertonian underground and not without allies in the surrounding systems. Same can be said about the conglomerate of Xenophopic groups nicknamed Xenos. Underestimate these groups at your own risk.
During the next two courses served - a delightful fish soup from Kusari and a mix of Cortez salads and fowl served with an array of dips and Antipasti, Tukker explained some of Libertys History while outlining the timeline of developement and exploration, and explaining the known or rumoured history of the ex- Ageira members forming the original Lane Hackers in AS 738. He also explained some connections between the Xenos and DSE was rumoured to exist, and about Tinkers connection to some liberaly minded junker communities at the fringe of junker congress influence and Marauder interests.
I can not really say I have insight into coordination, resources or actual power of these groups, you should ask our Foreman FynnMcScrap for that. Or ask Bailey on occasion, he once told me he had passed most of their bases in scan range at least once. All I know is that their hideouts around Liberty are well known not only to the criminal underground, but to groups like the liberty security force, the libertonian military and even dissident groups like the Hellfire Legion. The Xenos nest in Bering, Minnesota, Pensylvania , Ontario and Colorado, while the Hackers have outposts in Ontario, Magellan, Alberta and Gallileo. I have heared rumours about another jump hole to a criminal system used by Rogues , Xenos and Hackers near there but know nothing sure about that.
Tukker once again paused, picking his words carefully.
There seems to be some stress between these groups from time to time, but mainly they cooperate. There have been rumours of a great criminal alleigance with Outcasts to control the damnable trade with Cardamine and slaves, and there is a lot of firepower gathered there. I dare say that without a full scale military campain you will not have any effect on these criminals besids training their recruits in a real case scenario.
The trader nodded, speaking to himself as much as to his guest.
Perhaps our problem is that these egomanical and ruthless groups are nevertheless better organized and better interconnected to support each other as the forces standing agains them ? It would be worth some thought to see if groups like the Council, the Crayterian Republic, the Church of Baffin and perhaps even Tinkers could band up together with each other and with allies like IMG or even the current GMG leadership that seems less inclined in supporting this smuggle than before to aid each other against these ... how is the name they give that poison ? These dreamers of the Orange Nightmare.
And focusing on the General again he continued:
I fully recognize that you and your staff have more urgent buisness at hand, and we may not ignore or forget the threat by this madman Charles and his militaristic aristocrats, but if Tinkers can aid you in any form in such a venture we will be at your service.
He grinned, picked up his glass of wine and toasted the General with is.
Liberty might be a name claimed on a political map , dear General. But we both know it is an ideal that can be lost easily, and a goal worth fighting for.
