TO| TBH, DTR, OSI, NCC, MFE and Phoenix| FRM| J Voncloud|RE: Invitation for Review

[New Covenant Church]

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ENCRYPTION : Strong

SENDER ID : New Covenant Church - House of the Pontiff

RECEIVER ID : Jerard Voncloud

SOURCE : Pontifical Palace, Faith Haven Settlement - Planet Pygar, Omicron Theta System

SUBJECT : Theta Treaty Review

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VIDEO MESSAGE

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New Covenant Church Pontiff
Gregorius XCVII

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Mr. Voncloud, what a joy to see and hear you.

When I received from Mr. Blaine the news of the assault against the Kaldra, I confess that I thought the worst. It's a real relief to know that you're alive and apparently in good physical condition. Here at Faith Haven we've all prayed asking for you to appear, and I rejoice to know that such prayers have been answered by Deux Our Lord. I hope you can soon enjoy freedom again as every decent person deserves.

Regarding that diplomatic proposal that your captors have for us, I won't lie to you. This is anything but diplomacy. Diplomacy can only be successful when there is a minimum of trust between those who try to reach consensus. Is about showing goodwill, not making demands. However, this people, this... Sails, are demanding us to come and talk with them, when they don't even have the decency to request it themselves. They force one of our own, treacherously kidnapped, to speak on their behalf, and on top of that, they expect us to meet on one of their ships, surrounded by all their power and defenseless against whatever they want to do to us. Actually, I'm not so much outraged as surprised that they really thought something so crude could work.

You say you want to give your captors the benefit of the doubt, as you did with The Deterrence and The Brotherhood. Well, knowing the way you are, I don't hesitate to attribute that statement to the fact that you're under threat. I remember well that when the Treaty was signed, we the Zoners gave the benefit of the doubt to The Brotherhood and The Deterrence only because this Corsairs were capable to come to us showing respect and empathy, despite being in a strong position that they could have abused. It wasn't their obvious power but rather their willingness to engage in dialogue that made us attend that summit at the General Academy, and what has allowed us to achieve a whole year of beneficial coexistence with them. Therefore, here and now... How can I give the benefit of the doubt to those who already have shown us that they want to impose their wishes, at any price? To those who have used violence against one of our most beloved colleagues to force us to accept their conditions? The truth is that I've no doubt to cling to.

I imagine that you better than anyone will understand that starting any kind of negotiation under these circumstances is unacceptable. Please, convey to your kidnappers on my part that if they want to talk about any point of the Treaty, or anything else, I'm a great defender of dialogue, but I reserve it for human beings, not for rabid animals. When they're able to behave like somewhat civilized people and set you free, perhaps we'll have something to talk about. Until then, I refuse to discuss anything, or even sit at the same table, with those who believe they can exercise diplomacy through extortion.

May Deux protect you from the madness of the unrighteous. Blessed be you.

House of the Pontiff
NCC Curia

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