To: Bretonian Ministry of Defense - CC: Liberty Security Force

[The Republic Of Liberty]

To whom it may concern;

It has been reported by ranking members of our Naval forces that a functional Overlord-class Dreadnought was showing the transponder of the Bretonian Armed Forces while in a fleet movement with several other capital vessels in the Cortez system under the name the Incomparable. Whether or not this was a hull salvaged from another lost vessel matters not, as I believe you are as familiar with our technology sharing programs, surely as well as we are with yours, and I can certainly say that this does not fall under any of them.

To that end, the Republic of Liberty is requesting the vessel be returned as soon as possible, and preferably within the next four weeks. If Bretonia is not able to hand the vessel over half-way in Cortez much like the end of the Lend Lease program, Liberty will be more than happy to bring a qualified crew and escorts to Bretonia to bring it home ourselves.

I look forward to your response.

- Robert McKay, Secretary of Defense

[The Kingdom of Bretonia]

Message Class: Textual
Encryption: Buckingham
To: Liberty MoD
From: Vernon Mortimer, Defence Secretary, Ministry of Defence

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Most-respected Allies of the Realm,

We are deeply sorry to inform you that the vessel in question is no longer under our command. During its return to New London, its crew mutinied and fled beyond the reaches of the Kingdom of Bretonia. We are currently awaiting more information before attempting to launch a search mission after the HMS Incomparable.

To further explain the circumstances around the vessel, the Armed Forces had taken over it from the Liberty Insurgency after a failed breakout attempt in the southern regions of Bretonia. In collaboration with the elements of the Liberty Navy, we took over the Overlord-class ship and positioned it in the Manchester system until the Vespucci campaign would draw to an end.

We are once again expressing our serious regrets for the situation that is unfolding and send our guarantees that the most skilled pilots of the Crown will participate in its search.

Vernon Mortimer
Defence Secretary
Ministry of Defence
Kingdom of Bretonia

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Open for Replies

[The Kingdom of Bretonia]

Message Class: Textual
Encryption: Buckingham
To: Liberty MoD
From: Vernon Mortimer, Defence Secretary, Ministry of Defence

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Most-respected Allies of the Realm,

Please utilize this information in the search. We will continue to provide updates depending on the information available at hand.

Unfortunately, due to the distant regions where the vessel is now stationed in, search teams will take significantly more to deploy to the region. We understand that Liberty may be able to do so at an earlier date.

Vernon Mortimer
Defence Secretary
Ministry of Defence
Kingdom of Bretonia

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Open for Replies

[Liberty Security Force]

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Incoming Transmission
Liberty Security Force
Dept. of Tactical Operations

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Vernon Mortimer;

It seems that this is now out of the hands of the government, and has fallen into our lap as an issue of house-wide security.
Convenient it is that after the Ministry of Defense was contacted, the ship in question mutinied and disappeared from your borders entirely, without a trace, in less than seven hours. Even if we were stupid enough to believe that your people were not involved in hiding the vessel or otherwise notifying the crew, it would look downright miserable for your armed forces to allow a ship like that to disappear.

But we're not stupid enough to believe it mutinied, as you said yourself that the Armed Forces had taken control of the ship, without notifying Liberty in the first place, which suggest that you had replaced the crew with your own, no? Or do you mean to imply that you allowed the Insurgent element to remain in command of the ship after they fled with the help of your forces from Vespucci? You have a lot of explaining to do, and you're going to have to convince us, not the government.

In service to the Republic.

Department of Tactical Operations
Liberty Security Force

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Important: This communication remains the property of the Libertonian Armed Forces and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Neural Net Communications Act 807 A.S, Section 30. If you have received this message in error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the communication.

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[The Kingdom of Bretonia]

Message Class: Textual
Encryption: Buckingham
To: LSF
From: Vernon Mortimer, Defence Secretary, Ministry of Defence

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Most-respected Allies of the Realm,

We deny any and all accusations that the Ministry of Defence has worked to hinder the abilities of our Liberty allies to receive the vessel back in good order as we presently still maintain a sufficiently large number of Liberty-made warships, and we believe that a first step towards addressing the present issue is a complete avoidance of finger-pointing towards either side. Mutinies have always represented a risk in the armed forces of all Houses, and due to the nature of the Incomparable, the vessel was more open to rebellion than previously assessed. We will take action to ensure that any such further incidents will be prevented in the future by increasing the number of personnel per available warship.

The vessel in question was stationed in the Manchester system since approximately 2 months prior to this incident, housing a number of Insurgency defectees and their commanding staff. Though they were never given direct command, the Admiralty Board permitted them to remain on the ship due to security concerns until the campaign in Vespucci would come to an end so that they may be returned to the Republic hastily.

As anteriorly-mentioned, the Incomparable had a sizeable marine squad ensuring safety, however it was overpowered in the mutiny and set off to the Omicrons, as we have now established with the usage of information available. It is most unfortunate that such an event has occurred, however until the issue of mutinies is swiftly brought under control, only a contingent of 1 battlecruiser and its escorts will oversee joint patrols in the Independent Worlds together with the Liberty Navy and Security Force.

Vernon Mortimer
Defence Secretary
Ministry of Defence
Kingdom of Bretonia

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Open for Replies

[Operative Siren]

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Incoming Transmission
Liberty Security Force
Tactical Operations
Department Chief 'Siren'

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Vernon Mortimer;

I see the defense of your actions has not gotten any better, but at least you're being honest. You've so far admitted to -

Harboring terrorists for months at a time, neither contacting Liberty nor pondering on the possible fallout of such a deed;
Taking and claiming an Overlord Dreadnought as your own, never contacting nor intending to contact Liberty about the situation, thus stealing military technology well and truly beyond the limits of what we allowed in tech exchanges;
Allowing the terrorists you were harboring to continue serving as crew aboard a battleship capable of mass destruction for months at a time;
Allowing the terrorists you were harboring, war weary and no doubt severely mentally compromised after months of orbital bombardment and combat, to overpower your retinue of marines, and escape unnoticed. That is, if I'm willing to believe they conveniently mutinied hours after we contacted you. I don't.

Have I missed anything? Is there anything else you wish to admit to before I file a frankly unflattering report for our government to read over? It might look better for you to do so now, instead of me finding out later.

In service to the Republic, though I will shout at overpaid, under-qualified desk jockies for anyone, any time.

'Siren'
Department Chief
TacOps

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Important:
This communication remains the property of the Libertonian Armed Forces and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Neural Net Communications Act 807 A.S, Section 30. If you have received this message in error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the communication.

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[The Kingdom of Bretonia]

Message Class: Textual
Encryption: Buckingham
To: Department Chief "Siren"
From: Sir Ambrister Jones

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Chief Siren

Please accept my apologies for the delay in my response. This case had been brought to my attention, and I deemed it a matter that required my personal touch.

During the deployment of our battlegroup to the Vespucci system, in our effort to support the Liberty Navy in it's fight against the Insurgency, our forces came under attack from the Overlord class dreadnought Enterprise. The vessel was disabled in the attack, and subsequently escorted back to Bretonian space in order to safely extract remaining crew members, at which point they should have been transferred to an Armed Forces facility for further processing and sentencing.

It appears what in fact happened was a letter of surrender, signed and by one Captain Horatio Bartholomew, was accepted on the proviso that the survivors of the Enterprise were allowed to remain aboard the Enterprise. It is clear this should not have happened, and the crew been transferred to an armed forces facility for processing and summary sentencing.

Shortly afterwards, the Enterprise was taken for repairs to be conducted, and rechristened the Incomparable. The Incomparable was then assigned under the regional command of Commodore Isaac Lance. It is unclear if he was aware of the personnel aboard this vessel at the time, but it is the shared belief of myself and the Ministry of Defence that a capable commander should be aware of the assets and personnel under their command. Commodore Lance has been arrested and is awaiting the start of a court marshal to determine his fate, on the charge of "Failing to attend for, or perform, duty".

What is not clear however, is how the crew of the Incomparable managed to get word of your, understandable, displeasure. I have requested for GCHQ to investigate for any compromise we may have suffered, though I am afraid this means I am unable to answer this in full presently.

Please allow me to reassure you, I am horrified to learn of the events that have transpired here. I wish to extend the full cooperation of Bretonia in assisting your efforts to locate and capture this vessel, and it's crew. This should not have transpired, but we will ensure it cannot do so again.

Thank you for your time. If there is anything else, I shall keep this line open.

Yours, In service to the Kingdom of Bretonia,

Sir Ambrister Jones
Prime Minister
Kingdom of Bretonia

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Open for Replies

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[Operative Siren]

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Incoming Transmission
Liberty Security Force
Tactical Operations
Department Chief 'Siren'

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Prime Minister;

I hope you were not forced to take too much time out of your day to respond, but you've done little to make me feel better about the situation. The fact of the matter is that Bretonia has admitted from their military leadership, and now the Prime Minister himself to taking, claiming, and holding on to Liberty technology that falls massively out of the scope of any agreed technology sharing program ever agreed upon, including the Lend Lease program. You kept it for an indeterminate amount of time, though I imagine it was a period of months if you held it long enough for it to be brought up to spec for House service, you lost it, and you never notified Liberty. We had to phone you about the ship on our borders.

Prime Minister, I need you to understand that I do not care who you punish, it is up to me to take the pound of flesh or pound of blood out of Bretonia. And frankly, I don't think there's anything you nor my government can say to make me feel better about this betrayal and massive breach of security. How many other Insurgents has your House allowed entry, or to escape justice? How many more of our ships has your military taken from them and kept out of sight? Do I need to worry that offices on Manhattan are going to be bombed because your house let hundreds or even thousands of these people escape as 'refugees', knowing full well they're all supports of these terrorists, who are just fleeing the sinking ship like rats?

Do I need to worry that your people will be pointing guns at me next? I'm very sensitive when I feel that way, Prime Minister. I've acted off of less suspicious circumstances before. Do I blame you and your house the next time civilians, police, or servicemen are bombed or gunned down in the street by a terrorist? I'm trying to see where Bretonia stands, and it's becoming very, very hazy.

Like I said, I need you to understand. I do not serve the Government of this House. I do not serve you, the Queen, or God almighty. I serve the people of this House, and if they have to suffer for one fucking minute longer than they otherwise would have because Bretonia is so grossly incompetent, or worse, aiding the Insurgency, I will make sure Bretonia knows exactly how I feel about it, and it will not be through any more words.

Now I'm going to give you another chance to unfuck yourself and Bretonia, and I'll let you in on a little bit of information. The Incomparable is dealt with. What is Bretonia going to do about their failure here? What are you going to do for Liberty besides telling me some nobody I do not care about is being court martialed?

I'm waiting.

'Siren'
Department Chief
TacOps

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Important:
This communication remains the property of the Libertonian Armed Forces and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Neural Net Communications Act 807 A.S, Section 30. If you have received this message in error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the communication.

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[Operative Siren]

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Incoming Transmission
Liberty Security Force
Tactical Operations
Department Chief 'Siren'

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To whom it may concern;

I believe I have given Bretonia ample time to come up with a proper solution for this situation. Indeed, in the age of faster-than-light communication, you should have already had your discussion and sent your response to me. For whatever reason you have decided to stall for time, it has allowed my agents to shift their focus.

"To do what? And where?" Well it'd ruin the surprise if I told you. Suffice to say, the efforts of the Liberty Security Force will only ramp up over time while Bretonia continues to fail to resolve this issue in a manner befitting the scale of their failures. Do not think that diplomacy with my government will bring an abrupt end. I'm always listening to the discussions, and it will not stop until I am satisfied, not the bureaucrats. You've pulled a knife and attempted to drive it into the back of the Republic, only to stumble and fall on your own blade. I can only hope you manage to stanch the bleeding before you receive another gash.

And please don't consider that a threat. I'm all too happy to carry out what I promise.

In service to the Republic.

'Siren'
Department Chief
TacOps

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Important:
This communication remains the property of the Libertonian Armed Forces and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Neural Net Communications Act 807 A.S, Section 30. If you have received this message in error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the communication.

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[Darius]

Message Class: Textual
Encryption: Ceylon
To: Operative 'Siren'
From: Fleet Admiral Harold Sommerville, BAF

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Department Chief,

Your agents have been sighted within Bretonian space. While we certainly tolerate statements that are done with ill intent in mind by you and accept that diplomacy is conducted by persons with varying interests, I will take the opportunity to remind the Security Force of the fact that they must abide by foreign law when in foreign territory. The matter is now in our jurisdiction and we expect a formal apology for this isolated incident.

Rest assured that I am not going to turn a blind eye to the activities of the Republic if this continues. You have threatened our diplomats with war over Planet Harris, you have threatened with war over the incident with the Insurgency all whilst we offered our word that the ship was to be returned when the situation stabilizes, and now you threaten to violate our territorial sovereignty.

Either the Security Force chooses to follow the official stance of the Republic of Liberty and continue cooperation with foreign elements, or it will be declared a rogue entity in the Kingdom of Bretonia. I will sign the document in person.

You have 24 hours.

Harold Sommerville
Fleet Admiral
Bretonian Armed Forces

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Open for Replies