to: LaBrise: Initiation of Communications

[Jack_Henderson]

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**** SENDER: [color=#FFCC99]Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator ****

**** TO: [color=#FFCC99]LaBrise ****

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Dear Sir or Madam,

my name is Jack Henderson, I am responsible for the Independent Miners Guild (IMG) operations in Dublin, and I am getting into contact with you at the moment because it was hard to miss the rather significant presence of LaBrise vessels on Hood's sensors. We decided not to launch our vessels, as we could not find a fixed diplomacy for dealing with an encouter. So, in order not to spoil anything before it has even started, we only watched.

• I have checked the reports of Dublin IMG miners and have not found a substantial number of problematic encounters in Dublin.
  
• I have checked the Tau records and came across some unfriendly contacts between LaBrise and IMG, but they were all badly documented and typically tauside frenzy situations.
  
• I have reports here that there has been hostilities between Colonial forces and LaBrise ships in the Taus.
  

So, that's the status quo as I see it. There is nothing that would keep me from initiating contact with you.

I know that Gallic ships that enter Dublin are there for one reason: Gold.

I am sure you know that the IMG Dublin operation is a major independent player in the Gold business.

Consequently, I am interested in getting to know how you think the relations between your pilots and mine should look like in the future. I am open for suggestions and I hope that the information offered is interesting enough to make you answer my call, so we can talk about details.

Thank you in advance.

Jack Henderson
IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator

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[Pinko]

*Incomming transmission*
From: [color=black]Aurelie LaBrise~ La famille de La Brise de Mer
To: Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator
Subject: $_$

Greetings,

My name is Aurèlie LaBrise, and I represent the interests of certain organisations and people within Gallia which are not needed to be named. Suffices to say, these people pay an incredible price for Gold ore, ore which we are only aware of existing in quantity within Dublin. For these reasons, we've established contact with certain other organisations to get a steady income of this ore and possibly expand our presence within the Houses.

The thing is, this business pays so well that we might not mind harassing a miner or two to get access to some ore. In fact, we'd be encouraged to do such by our sponsors. Now, we have ways to access this gold, so wether you like it or not, we shall be present within the system. But maybe there are ways you could be guaranteed a certain form of security while we are around. What do you say?

Sincerely yours,

Aurèlie LaBrise.

---

I want to get off Mr. Igiss' wild ride.

[Jack_Henderson]

**** INCOMING TRANSMISSION ****

**** SENDER: [color=#FFCC99]Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator ****

**** TO: [color=#FFCC99]LaBrise ****

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Dear Ms Aurèlie LaBrise,

thank you for getting back to me so fast. This makes communication easier.

I have to admit that my information about the business you run is more than sketchy, and the information you provided has not changed that substantially, so please feel free to correct any wrong statements or assumptions that I have to make to make this progress:

• You already seem to have a supplier for gold ore, I gather from your words. Knowing that it's not BMM, and not IMG yet, it's likely the MMC, meaning the Mollys.
  
• Your sponsors encourage you to harrass miners and rob their cargo. I gather that you are not working closely with Gallic Corporations that would just simply buy the ore from suppliers.
  
• You said that you will be present, that makes me think of a long term effort that you want to invest.
  
• Talking about guarantees of security sounds to me as if you tried to make IMG pay some money to be left alone by your pilots while they are doing their job.
  

Now, I am getting a picture, but I can't say it is clear enough to base even a vague offer on.

I have some questions, Ms. Aurèlie LaBrise, and I would ask you to answer them directly, as talking vaguely will get us nowhere, which would likely mean we would end up shooting at each other sooner or later, after having had some unfortunate and avoidable confrontations.

• Do you transport ore to Gallia yourself? If yes, what are the quantities you move?
  
• Do you already have a supply contract with the Mollys?
  
• Are you interested in opening another source of gold ore to stabilise your supply?
  
• Does "aquiring" cargo sound to you like taking it (and take some risk doing this) or like buying it (and not taking any risks)?
  
• Would you be prepared to keep any kind of cooperation on any level secret?
  

That would be my set of questions derived from your intel.

Thank you in advance for working with me to establish some common grounds of how to treat each other, Ms Aurèlie LaBrise.

Yours sincerely

Jack Henderson
IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator

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[Pinko]

*Incomming transmission*
From: [color=black]Aurelie LaBrise~ La famille de La Brise de Mer
To: Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator
Subject: $_$

I beg your pardon? You're making it sound like I am a criminal. You may be surprised to learn that we're listed as one of the many legetimate corporations within Gallia, and that some of us even work under the crown of His Majesty the King.Now, let's assume I don't take offense to your tone, and I'll reply to your questions at the best of my abilities.

-We transport the ore ourselves and we directly resell it to the GMS, a Gallic corporation which specializes in the area of mining, where we get paid by official representents of the King. We transport it in quantities ranging from 4000 units to 20,000 units, on an average.
-We already have a contract with a group of your sector, the Mollies. If you perhaps offer us a better price than they would, we maybe would be interesting in hearing what you've got to offer.
-Both, but when we do reclaim ore for the Kingdom of Gallia from a transport, we do it on behalf of our authorities.
-Our organisation wouldn't stand where it is today if it wasn't from its secrecy.

Aurèlie LaBrise.

---

I want to get off Mr. Igiss' wild ride.

[Jack_Henderson]

**** INCOMING TRANSMISSION ****

**** SENDER: [color=#FFCC99]Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator ****

**** TO: [color=#FFCC99]LaBrise ****

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Dear Ms Aurèlie LaBrise,

I regret to have interpreted your words wrongly. I now have the information necessary for some real assessment and I am glad that you do not take offense. The mistake is also partially your responsibility as you kept your first answer deliberately vague, thus somehow pushing me into believing your company had shadier colours.

With that clarified, I'd like to point out the following:

• The IMG can easily supply 4.000 to 20.000 units of ore at almost any given time, as there is a Barge class Storage Facility in Dublin.
  
• We will not try to put the Mollys out of business, as this will have bad consequences for the IMG. You will have already noticed, but the Mollys actually control the flow of Gold.
  
• We would offer you supply stability, meaning: If the Mollys can't supply, the IMG can step in. We could offer the same price as the Molly in this case, but undercutting theirs is impossible.
  
• The IMG has already made some ore transfers and contracts with IDF and GMS, so I am optimistic that peaceful interaction will be possible with your company as well.
  

If you name the price that the Mollys charge you for the ore, I would offer you the same (if economically feasible). Needless to say, I need to be in contact with the Mollys about the pricing so there are no misunderstandings which could lead to market and supply instability - something no party would be profiting from.

Yours sincerely

Jack Henderson
IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator

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[Pinko]

*Incomming transmission*
From: [color=black]Aurelie LaBrise~ La famille de La Brise de Mer
To: Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator
Subject: $_$

As it stands now, the Mollies supply us for a price of 4300 credits/unit, but we're in the middle of talks to potentially reduce said price. Also, while we can guarantee some form of security for your miners within Dublin, we cannot say such if they are found outside of said system. As for those who do not fly under your banner, we cannot guarantee any form of safety for them, especially in the case of the FTU, since they saw fit trying to threaten our group out of Bretonia.

We shall also request unlimited access to the Hood for all of our ships for supply and refitting. Don't worry, we try to work discreetly. We won't bring the military or anything to your base, if things go south.

Aurèlie LaBrise.

---

I want to get off Mr. Igiss' wild ride.

[Jack_Henderson]

**** INCOMING TRANSMISSION ****

**** SENDER: [color=#FFCC99]Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator ****

**** TO: [color=#FFCC99]LaBrise ****

**** ENCRYPTION: HIGH *****
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Dear Ms Aurèlie LaBrise,

I fear there is a discrepancy in our expectations about what is possible and what is not. Let me be frank:

Docking rights at Hood are out of the question after the Gallic attacks against Leeds just a few days ago. Bretonia fears a full scale invasion, something the Council has been warning for months. Every Gallic ship, civilian or not, will be regarded as an enemy in Dublin by the Bretonian Armed Forces and the Police. I hope you see that it's impossible to open Hood docking, even though you promise to keep your coming and going a secret. I have a lot of experience with people vowing to pass in and out undetected, one unites them all: they haven't managed to stay off the Bretonian sensors. Consequently, I am sorry to say that there cannot be and docking permissions at Hood.

I encourage you, though, to request docking permission from the Molly. Arranmore is hidden, it has no Bretonian spies watching it, and if caught, Mollys and lawful Bretonia are already battling. No one would lose much, if you want to think of it that way.

Don't get me wrong: I would like to help your shippers, offer them repairs and a hot drink, but given the current political events, my hands are tied.

I will make sure a [color=#FFCCCC]Repair Ship is present close to the Barge location, so your transports can be repaired and restocked for the way back. But that's all I can offer, I fear.

Any ore transfers would take place at a remote location, perhaps not even in Dublin, where your shippers approach a secret location, rendezvous with a [color=#FFCCCC]hidden Barge Storage vessel and head out after a fast ore transfer.



I don't know whether that breaks any potential for a deal, but the Gallic standard price of 4500 credits / unit sounds fair to me, and I am rather sure the Mollys offered you the same.

I can think of lowering it, if I am guaranteed that IMG mining ships are no targets for any harmful activities. I don't need to mention that any form of "active protection" also cannot be accepted, as any visible cooperation with Gallic entities is highly dangerous.

In case we are granted "passive protection", meaning - your people leave my miners and transports alone - I can think of 4300 / unit (Barge price), while the IMG miners present in Dublin might even sell for less if they don't have to fear interacting with you.


Another Tau-side effect of our deal: LaBrise - Colonial relations

I have reports that a Labrise ship attacked Colonial vessels and fled to Dounby, an IMG base in Orkney where it emergency docked.

Now, the Colonials - truthful and loyal allies of the IMG - were furious for good reasons, but it was possible to calm the situation down. It took some effort to avoid more drastic measures to ensure something like this won't happen again.

After a bit of talking about the issue, this is the result:

Please do not dock at IMG bases any more, if you picked fights with our allies. We'd of course prefer if there was no need to fight with our friends, in the first place.

More interesting for you: the Colonials are not too eager to hunt your ships down, and so it might be in your best interest to just leave them alone and not go for more confrontation.

This time, IMG diplomatic intervention on behalf of you worked and your ships are not on the blacklist of the Colonials, but I would advise against heading for another clash, as it would likely make the Tau-side passages for your ore traders very dangerous.



I apologize that I cannot offer much, we are doing business in a difficult time. But difficult business is better than no business, that's how I see it.

Yours sincerely

Jack Henderson
IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator

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[Pinko]

*Incomming transmission*
From: [color=black]Aurelie LaBrise~ La famille de La Brise de Mer
To: Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator
Subject: $_$

Says a lot about you when the local crime lord is a more honest man than your organisation is. I was hoping that an actual group of miner would know what they're talking about. As for the CR, we have our orders and they must be followed. I'm afraid I cannot accept your deal in it's actual form.

Don't come back unless you're actually serious. I'm a businesswoman, not a muppet.

Aurèlie LaBrise.

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I want to get off Mr. Igiss' wild ride.

[Jack_Henderson]

**** INCOMING TRANSMISSION ****

**** SENDER: [color=#FFCC99]Jack Henderson, IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator ****

**** TO: [color=#FFCC99]LaBrise ****

**** ENCRYPTION: HIGH *****
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Dear Ms Aurèlie LaBrise,

at least no one can say we did not try.

Feel free to re-initiate the contact at any given time and I hope that - even without clear-cut rules of engagement - too much unnecessary controversy between our groups can be avoided. But, we both know, that's your call.

IMG Defense forces have been told to act against LaBrise only in defense, and you know about the Colonial's stance from my last message. Rules of engagement will be adapted to the field reports.

Yours sincerely

Jack Henderson
IMG Dublin Operations Coordinator

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