To: Enclave HC ( \*/~ & MdG/- ) | From: MAE|

[Cat]

INCOMING TRANSMISSION

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Sender: Colonel Maximilian Saint-Just of the Enclave Defense Authority
Recipients: Vardan Raza, Chief Research Officer of Montluc Advanced Engineering
Message Type: Video
Encryption Strength: Absolute

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Monsieur Raza.

I must admit, your sudden request has made me raise an eyebrow. Not so long ago, Baron Fabian Montluc announced his intention to found, I quote, "an independent state loyal to the King". I'll leave alone the fact that loyalty means dependence, and move on to how you suddenly go from that to a "sovereign independent territory" just "friendly" to the Enclave, and no mention of loyalty to the Kingdom already. That makes me wonder what term would be coined next time we talk about it.

Even if we could envision a hypothetical situation when your corporation would be granted a certain amount of free reign over a system that you discover, you'd still be the citizens of the Kingdom of Gallia by birth and for life. As such, you'd have certain obligations to the Crown, even should you enjoy some autonomy. The obligations include absolute loyalty, continued service, and paying your tribute in the form of taxes, commodities, and natural resources. As the Gallic Royal Enclave is the one and only legitimate successor of Gallia, I'm certain you understand the implications.

Anyway, I suggest we discuss how we skin the bear after we actually catch it. Especially considering that the skin will be the property of the Crown, no matter who wears it.

In service to the Crown,
Colonel Maximilian Saint-Just