Bowex InfoNet (inRP)

[jammi]

Incoming Transmission from The Ring
New Berlin, Republic of Rhienland
7th March 827 A.S.

To: Bowex InfoNet
Priority: Normal
Topic: Jaunt to New Berlin

Message Contents:

At approximately 20:40 New London standard the BES Davenport entered the Aland Shipyard Enhanced Security Zone. The Rhienland Military vessel =BW=Otto.von.Fischer had taken position near the trade lane, and was joined at approximately 20:44 by [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt, also of the Rhienland Military.

Both vessels proceeded to implement a customs and excise checkpoint outside of Aland, screening all incoming and outgoing traffic for compliance with Rhienland's laws. This included the stoppage of an Ageira merchant vessel for inspection, and a freelance mercenary who had apparently been employed by Kusari during their war with Rhienland in the Sigmas. My understanding of the legalities of this (as of the Bowex Omega Legal Primer #36.8) is that the Treaty of Snowdown places restraints and conditions upon the Rhienland Military's operations in the Nottingham system.

In this case, the vessels in question were neither escorting relevant economic vessels or responding to an actual or impending threat to a relevant installation. It is highly concerning that the pilots in question confirmed that their commanding officer had issued the orders to implement the checkpoint. The pilots also expressed an interest in the 'Core' operatives that are stationed aboard Aland. I can only assume this incident is linked to the tensions I have seen reported on the BBC.

Captain Bickerton repeatedly belayed my requests to report the matter to the appropriate authorities. To his credit, Captain Bickerton did eventually persuade the officers to leave the system without further incident by requesting an escort to Oder Shipyard in New Berlin. That said, I do not believe he fully understood the implications of their presence at Aland. Please see the raw comm data appended below.

Raw communications transcript 0703827NOT1

[07.03.2020 20:41:11] Bowex)Davenport:: Oh. Hullo?
[07.03.2020 20:41:20] ApexCo|Thompson.Enfield: tnx have clear skys
[07.03.2020 20:41:23] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Hello Davenport
[07.03.2020 20:41:56] Bowex)Davenport:: Horrid place, isn't it? Look at all that scrap metal floating about.
[07.03.2020 20:42:09] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: It was a good fight
[07.03.2020 20:42:41] Bowex)Davenport:: Was it? Can't say I know the specifics.
[07.03.2020 20:42:53] Bowex)Davenport:: Frightfully wasteful to leave all of that metal hanging about though.
[07.03.2020 20:43:00] Ageira~Mach: Pace: Good evening
[07.03.2020 20:43:06] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: I only know the stories from some ex-ALG pilots
[07.03.2020 20:43:18] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Good day Ageira. Where are you heading?
[07.03.2020 20:43:22] Bowex)Davenport:: ALG? Oh, they're those... what do they do? Binmen, yes?
[07.03.2020 20:43:43] Ageira~Mach: Pace: At the moment to Rugen station
[07.03.2020 20:44:00] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Hmm I see
[07.03.2020 20:44:04] Bowex)Davenport:: Good grief, now there are two of you fellows.
[07.03.2020 20:44:07] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Okay cargo scans complete
[07.03.2020 20:44:11] Ageira~Mach: Pace: Good evening
[07.03.2020 20:44:40] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: Evening.
[07.03.2020 20:44:57] Bowex)Davenport:: I had rather thought it was Bretonia's laws that passed for, er, law here? Are the chaps upstairs happy with you running a checkpoint here?
[07.03.2020 20:45:12] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: That's the order from the CO
[07.03.2020 20:45:24] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: We are not asking if we should be hier or not
[07.03.2020 20:45:27] Bowex)Davenport:: Well, I assume he knows his business better than I do.
[07.03.2020 20:45:47] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Richtig
[07.03.2020 20:46:02] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: This shipment is for Aland's new crew by the way?
[07.03.2020 20:46:05] Bowex)Davenport:: Bear with me for a moment chaps, the station commandant had apparently put in a request for this lot.
[07.03.2020 20:46:25] Bowex)Davenport:: Loathesome business, acting as a glorified courier, but I suppose someone has to supervise the employees doing it.
[07.03.2020 20:46:34] Traffic control alert: Bowex)Davenport: has requested to dock at Aland Shipyard.
[07.03.2020 20:46:38] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Understood
[07.03.2020 20:46:42] Bowex)Davenport:: *Muffled* Gregory, take us in.
[07.03.2020 20:48:00] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Contact
[07.03.2020 20:48:09] +Orion+Bluefin: Oh shit, Rheinlanders.
[07.03.2020 20:48:17] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Cargo scan initiating
[07.03.2020 20:48:25] +Orion+Bluefin: Go away!
[07.03.2020 20:48:34] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Hmm, looks suspicious
[07.03.2020 20:48:41] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: What do you think Roland?
[07.03.2020 20:48:54] +Orion+Bluefin: Look, the war is over, all our contracts are dry. It was a long time ago.
[07.03.2020 20:49:00] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: Looks like a Freelancer for me.
[07.03.2020 20:49:27] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Where are you going Bluefin?
[07.03.2020 20:49:35] +Orion+Bluefin: I don't honestly know.
[07.03.2020 20:49:36] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: Some people might still be angry about your organization.
[07.03.2020 20:49:37] Bowex)Davenport:: Not that I disapprove of shaking down the riffraff, but you do fellows think you could move this away from the station?
[07.03.2020 20:49:43] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: You shouldn't enter Rheinland.
[07.03.2020 20:49:54] Bowex)Davenport:: Gregory keeps trying to call the police, and its getting rather boring quelling his histrionics
[07.03.2020 20:49:59] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: I hope your next waypoint is not Omega-7 Gate
[07.03.2020 20:50:07] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Rheinland is closed for your fellows
[07.03.2020 20:50:24] +Orion+Bluefin: We're not setting the place on fire by talking, Bowex pilot.
[07.03.2020 20:50:44] Bowex)Davenport:: True, true, didn't insinuate that you were.
[07.03.2020 20:51:27] +Orion+Bluefin: To be honest, I was going to test how mad Rheinland still was at us. But I guess that question was answered.
[07.03.2020 20:51:42] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: This is not going to help your case
[07.03.2020 20:51:49] Bowex)Davenport:: You fellows have a history, eh? Sounds like a cracking story. Care to share?
[07.03.2020 20:52:01] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Best send a communication or something
[07.03.2020 20:52:18] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Orions are hired guns, by the Hessians if I am not mistaken
[07.03.2020 20:52:20] +Orion+Bluefin: Okay, look. Back in the Sigma war, the Orion corps was contracted by Kusari to fight Rheinland.
[07.03.2020 20:52:32] Bowex)Davenport:: Why would Kusari want a onion corpse?
[07.03.2020 20:52:39] Bowex)Davenport:: Doesn't sound at all combat effective.
[07.03.2020 20:52:40] +Orion+Bluefin: But that war is over, I don't have that job anymore. This organization doesn't exist anymore.
[07.03.2020 20:53:14] +Orion+Bluefin: Any of you, uh, hiring?
[07.03.2020 20:53:26] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: It sounds weird to me that Kusari was hiring mercs, since they do not like them, seems like times are changing.
[07.03.2020 20:53:36] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: I think it's a lie
[07.03.2020 20:53:45] Bowex)Davenport:: I think Bowex is usually hiring to some position or another. I don't particularly pay attention, honestly.
[07.03.2020 20:53:50] +Orion+Bluefin: Well I can't go into all the details. But it doesn't matter anymore anyway.
[07.03.2020 20:53:50] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: I think they are working for the Hessians, though publicly claiming it is Kusari
[07.03.2020 20:54:07] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: And why would they work for the Hessians?
[07.03.2020 20:54:11] Bowex)Davenport:: Administrative staff, cargo pod scrubbers, animal wranglers. Basic stuff I suppose.
[07.03.2020 20:54:21] +Orion+Bluefin: *sounding thoughtful* Did Hessians ever pay us anything? I don't think so.
[07.03.2020 20:54:32] Bowex)Davenport:: If you're used to handling onions, maybe our catering team might suit you?
[07.03.2020 20:54:59] +Orion+Bluefin: Ugh. You people are so tedious. I should head to Liberty, people there are fun
[07.03.2020 20:55:38] +Orion+Bluefin: What, what do you want?
[07.03.2020 20:55:39] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Bayonet
[07.03.2020 20:55:51] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Just scanning your ship
[07.03.2020 20:56:01] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: That is a Falchion Otto..
[07.03.2020 20:56:02] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Probably made in Liberty
[07.03.2020 20:56:40] Bowex)Davenport:: *Muffled* Gregory, will you please shut up. I highly doubt the police want to deal with three gentlemen having a catch-up.
[07.03.2020 20:57:28] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: I guess.. anyway
[07.03.2020 20:57:34] +Orion+Bluefin: This isn't a catch up, I didn't shoot these people personally. Well, I don't think I did. Maybe I did.
[07.03.2020 20:57:38] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: For whom is Orion working these days?
[07.03.2020 20:57:40] +Orion+Bluefin: Probably not though.
[07.03.2020 20:57:51] +Orion+Bluefin: Nobody. That's what I was saying.
[07.03.2020 20:58:03] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: Probably not us in personal, but Rheinland Military.
[07.03.2020 20:58:07] +Orion+Bluefin: We don't have any more contracts, we've all dispersed to pursue other things.
[07.03.2020 20:58:30] Bowex)Davenport:: And now you're discovering that the solo single isn't quite making the charts, so to speak?
[07.03.2020 20:58:33] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Like flying into Rheinland to "test the waters"
[07.03.2020 20:58:55] +Orion+Bluefin: Oh, I've spent plenty of time solo before I ever joined this short-lived outfit.
[07.03.2020 20:59:06] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Cloaked ship
[07.03.2020 20:59:06] +Orion+Bluefin: Mostly in Kusari. It was a long time ago.
[07.03.2020 20:59:15] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Must be one of those ApexCo
[07.03.2020 20:59:26] Bowex)Davenport:: So am I right in thinking that you freelancers can be paid to do pretty much whatever one wants?
[07.03.2020 21:00:10] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: Kinda, yes.
[07.03.2020 21:00:20] +Orion+Bluefin: Er, well. I'm still trying to figure that out.
[07.03.2020 21:00:40] +Orion+Bluefin: For one insane moment I considered going home, as I was passing Cambridge.
[07.03.2020 21:00:43] Bowex)Davenport:: How delightful! It's always fascinating to see what the poors will do in exchange for credits!
[07.03.2020 21:01:02] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Contact
[07.03.2020 21:01:07] Bowex)Davenport:: So for example, if I offered to give you $1,000 in exchange for throwing an open tin of paint over the Dean of Christchurch of Cambridge University's car, would you do it?
[07.03.2020 21:01:16] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Khassad please standby for a cargo scan
[07.03.2020 21:01:21] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Clear.
[07.03.2020 21:01:43] +Orion+Bluefin: I would do that for free, given my experience with the Cambridge educational system.
[07.03.2020 21:01:52] Bowex)Davenport:: How entertaining!
[07.03.2020 21:02:03] Bowex)Davenport:: Not, that is, that I would condone such a course of action.
[07.03.2020 21:02:12] Bowex)Davenport:: It would however, be delightfully droll.
[07.03.2020 21:02:50] +Orion+Bluefin: *in a much darker tone* Don't even start about that.
[07.03.2020 21:03:30] Bowex)Davenport:: In any case, I keep getting annoying 'priority' messages from Leicester telling me to do my 'job'.
[07.03.2020 21:03:44] Bowex)Davenport:: Apparently this lot need to go to New Berlin. Honestly, it's such an awful imposition.
[07.03.2020 21:03:46] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Davenport, have you seen Core personnel onboard Aland?
[07.03.2020 21:04:03] Bowex)Davenport:: Oh, I try not to fratenise with -that- sort. You know.
[07.03.2020 21:04:06] Bowex)Davenport:: Employees.
[07.03.2020 21:04:36] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: I wonder what use they have now
[07.03.2020 21:04:44] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Since there are no external threats
[07.03.2020 21:04:58] Bowex)Davenport:: Say, could one of you fellows do me a favour? I've not been through to Rhienland before, and I've heard some rather dreadful stories about pirates and whatnot. Do you think you'd be able to help me get this lot there?
[07.03.2020 21:05:31] Bowex)Davenport:: At least then Frederick will get off my back, the upjumped cretin.
[07.03.2020 21:05:47] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Lot? Which one?
[07.03.2020 21:06:08] Bowex)Davenport:: Oh, whatever the nonsense that got loaded into my cargo bay is.
[07.03.2020 21:06:15] Bowex)Davenport:: Apparently it's wanted at some shipyard.
[07.03.2020 21:06:24] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Oh these are.. Robotics
[07.03.2020 21:06:31] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: What do you think Schmidt?
[07.03.2020 21:06:33] Bowex)Davenport:: Are they? I'll take your word for it.
[07.03.2020 21:06:39] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: Sicher, warum nicht.
[07.03.2020 21:06:41] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: Let's go.
[07.03.2020 21:06:47] Bowex)Davenport:: Much appreciated.
[07.03.2020 21:06:48] +Orion+Bluefin: I'd be happy to take an escort contract, but there seems to be lingering animosity on part of these Rheinlanders.
[07.03.2020 21:07:00] Bowex)Davenport:: Yes, it rather sounds like they won't let you through the gate.
[07.03.2020 21:07:18] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Keep your eye on Bluefin, he might try to sneak in
[07.03.2020 21:07:28] +Orion+Bluefin: Well, good flying, and also screw you.
[07.03.2020 21:08:01] Bowex)Davenport:: So, have you chaps been doing this long?
[07.03.2020 21:08:15] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: Not that long.
[07.03.2020 21:08:24] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: I've been 3 years in this post
[07.03.2020 21:08:25] [RMK]Lt.Roland.Schmidt: I joined the Militaer during the last part of the Kusari war.
[07.03.2020 21:08:32] =BW=Otto.von.Fischer: Probably getting transferred next month
[07.03.2020 21:08:38] Bowex)Davenport:: No? Me either. My father told me I should take an interest in affairs of state so here I am.
[BES Davenport departs to Omega 7 with the two Rhienland Military vessels]

Hello all.

I dropped off the gin that the commandant on Aland requested; tremendous chap, I believe he used to play squash with my father back in the day. There was a bit of a fuss outside Aland, but it all seemed amicable enough in the end. A couple of chaps from the Rheinland Military provided a chaperone service to New Berlin. Nice enough sorts, if dreadfully dull and single-minded. I rather felt pity for them, all said. I've heard the stories about their awful pay and the fact that sometimes they're forced to eat their own boots during 'lean' months.

I sent one of the pair $100,000 in sympathy. I suspect that should be at least enough to buy a nice dinner on Planet New Berlin. I'm not particularly au fait on the cost of contemporary groceries - usually the help sees to that. In any event, the goods arrived soundly enough. This place is honestly dreadful however. The Ring wouldn't know culture if it bit it on the, well... Ring. I've heard that Planet New Berlin has a rather intriguing socialite scene, so I may arrange for a shuttle and a stop-over.

P.S - Please ask Leicester to stop sending me priority flagged messages about consignments. It's most annoying.

P.P.S - Gregory has been most impudent and unbecoming of a man of his station. I feel I am fully entitled to ask HR to seriously consider disciplinary action for his uncouth and unseemly behaviour. That said, I understand that a gentleman of his breeding will naturally be prone to such temperaments and flaws, and so can find it in myself to forgive him this time. It would be most appreciated if HR could advise him to keep his disparaging tone and insipid reports to himself however.

Yours sincerely

Captain Horatio Fairfax Rodney Alfred Bickerton
BES Davenport
Borderworld Exports

Transmission End

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