Corsair Laws Discussion

[CorsairCouncil]

Brothers,
After many months of work, the collaborative effort of the Council of Elders, esteemed Corsair scribes and advisors has finally paid off.
As we all know, a single document outlining Corsair laws has been long overdue. In the past, our laws have been vague, and scattered across Crete, scrawled on manuscript and hidden within our many libraries.
Today, we publish the first unifying Corsair Laws Document. The following document has been reviewed, changed, and reworked many times and now exists in a form that is acceptable and supported by all representatives who sit within our Council.
The Laws herein are not set in stone, and if necessary, can be amended by the Council of Elders after due discussion by request of any Corsair citizen.
The aims of these Laws are to preserve our way of life and values, and to prevent harm coming to our people or assets, whilst attempting to prevent internal conflict. The majority of these laws need not be studied to be understood, and simply lay out a framework of reasonable and honourable conduct which can be otherwise achieved by most pilots through application of common sense.
It is hoped that these laws will work to the benefit of the empire, and promote future prosperity and dominance over our enemies.
A version of the document is shown below. In addition, copies of the document can be collected from the Council of Elders' Library of Knowledge:
(Printable Version)

Laws of the Corsair Empire

Agreed upon by the honourable Council of Corsair Elders, the following legislature is essential reading for all Corsairs and must be adhered to by all who are privileged to wear Corsair uniforms and fly Corsair ships. These laws are in place to promote the advancement of the Corsair Nation and promote prosperity of it's people.
The laws herein apply to all Corsair territory and beyond, and are enforced by the combined forces of all factions and pilots loyal to the Council of Elders, including but not limited to the Brotherhood, Benitez Family and represented independents.
Offenders who breech the laws herein will be subject to trial by the Council of Elders. The Council reserves the right, upon conviction, to punish offenders with sanctions which include but are not limited to;

• Financial penalties.
  
• Punitive destruction of property and ships
  
• Punitive confiscation of property and ships
  
• Incarceration
  
• Torture
  
• Execution
  
• Deportation to the custody of allies
  
• Exile from Corsair territory.
  

The Council of Elders reserves the right to utilise the services of allies and mercenaries to hunt down fugitives.

(In this document, terms "must", "must not" and "forbidden" are used to highlight sections of these guidelines which are enforced by law.)

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General Rules for Pilots

1) Corsairs must not breech the Sirius Codex

2) Corsairs have a duty to defend Corsair territory, bases, colonies and assets. Corsairs must, when possible, aid the defence of the empire. Enemy or hostile vessels that enter Corsair territory or the proximity of Corsair bases must be destroyed.

2a) Corsairs must not commit acts of treason against the Empire. Acts of treason include, but are not limited to;

• Fraternising with known enemies of the Empire. (does not include official negotiations)
  
• Flying alongside enemies of the Empire. (with the exception of when in battle against a greater threat or common enemy)
  
• Providing goods or services to enemies of the Empire.
  
• Disclosing classified information to enemies of the Empire. Such information includes the co-ordinates of hidden bases, ship blueprints, Corsair technology schematics and more.
  
• Threatening the liberty of the Corsair people through acts of terrorism.
  
• Plotting or conspiring to overthrow the democratic Council of Elders. (does not include bids to win political power through legitimate processes)
  
• Initiation of hostilities with Corsair allies*.
  
• Deliberate sabotage of good relations with Corsair allies*.
  

2b) Corsairs and allies* must be allowed to dock on Corsair bases (unless fugitives of Corsair law, or suspected of nomad infection).

• Weather a neutral vessel may dock is at the discretion of whoever is guarding the base, and should be judged on a case-by-case basis. Neutral vessels bringing useful cargo should be allowed to dock. Neutral vessels not carrying cargo may be sent away, and told to return with useful cargo for the empire before they are allowed to dock.
  

3) Corsairs must not attack other Corsairs unless;

• An order has been issued by a Corsair Council Elder.
  
• The target is in violation of Corsair law AND is a threat to other pilots.
  
• A warrant for the execution of the target has been issued by the Council of Elders.
  
• The target has failed to comply with a sanction issued by the Council of Elders.
  

4) Corsairs must not attack allied ships unless;

• An order has been issued by a Corsair Council Elder.
  
• The target is a threat to other Corsair or allied pilots.
  

5) Corsairs must comply with by-laws of individual territories or colonies belonging to the Corsair empire as long as these by-laws do not contravene Corsair Laws.

6) Corsairs should try to, when possible, follow instructions of experienced pilots and commanders, in particular Elders of the Council.

7) Corsairs must not be in possession of, or make use of technology or ships stolen from our allies*. "Stolen" refers to any ship or technology obtained without the express permission of a faction's ruling body and without review by the Council of Elders. Items considered stolen must be returned to the appropriate faction.

*Allies: Order, Gaians, Farmers Alliance, Hogosha, Colonial Remnant.

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Rules for Piracy and Trade

8) Possession of the drug Cardimine and Liquid Cardimine is forbidden. Possession of Blood Diamonds is also forbidden. Those in possession of these commodities should be made to drop every unit or be executed. Confiscated commodities should be destroyed immediately.

9) Transport of Tourists, VIPs, Passengers, Refugees or Vacationers to Corsair bases (especially Planet Crete) is forbidden. Transports found bringing these cargoes should be stopped, and sent out of Corsair territory or to offload their cargo on a nearby freeport. If the pilot refuses, Corsairs are authorised to destroy the offender, his ship and cargo.

10) Transport of Food Rations, Luxury Food, Synth Paste, Fertilizers and Pharmaceuticals to Corsair bases (especially Planet Crete) by allied, friendly or neutral vessels is to be encouraged.
Corsairs must not pirate transports bringing these goods to Corsair bases. (kos/hostiles should be destroyed)

11) Transport of Alien Artefacts throughout Sirius space is to be encouraged. Corsairs must not pirate allied, friendly or neutral vessels carrying a majority cargo of Alien Artefacts. (kos/hostiles should be destroyed)

12) Transport of useful materials to Corsair bases is to be encouraged. Piracy or taxation of these goods should be reasonable and non-prohibitive if these materials are being carried to Corsair bases.
"Useful materials" includes raw metals, fuel, ship components, weapons or weapon components etc. (kos/hostiles should be destroyed)

13) Piracy of Corsair, Hogosha, Farmers Alliance, Gaian or Order vessels is forbidden.

13a) Corsairs must not pirate or attack a neutral, friendly or allied vessel under the protection of a Corsair Council member or clan.
13b) Non-allied vessels passing through Corsair territory empty, or not carrying significant levels of cargo may be taxed, though any tax imposed must be modest (preferably below 1 million credits).

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Rules for Warship Captains

Here the term "Warship" is used to refer to ships of Destroyer, Cruiser, Battle-cruiser, Battleship, Dreadnought and Carrier class.

14) Behaviour of a warship captain must be befitting of such a vessel. Appropriate behaviour for a warship captain excludes;

• Violation of the Sirius Codex
  
• Unintelligible communications chatter. (//oorp chat)
  

15) Warship captains must be responsible guardians of the Empire's asset that is in their keeping. Responsible guardianship excludes;

• Unnecessarily placing their ship and crew in danger.
  
• Entering battles that will almost certainly lead to their ships destruction unless the safety of Planet Crete is at stake.
  

16) Warship captains must not take their ship outside core Corsair territory* unless;

• They are accompanied by a balanced fleet, with at least as many fighters and bombers as there are warships. ......or....
  
• Their operation has received the approval of a Council Elder or one of their deputies.
  

17) Warship captains must not waste fuel on unworthy endeavours, such as chasing individual enemy fighters, or other tasks that could be done by a smaller craft. Warships should only be deployed when necessary.

*Here, "core corsair territory" refers to the regions of Omicron Gamma, Omicron Theta, Omicron Eta (south of minefield), Omicron Kappa, Omicron Delta, Omicron Minor, Omicron 91, Omicron 93, Omicron 94, Omicron 96, Omega 41 and Omega 5.

_______________________
Rules for Visitors

18) Visitors to Corsair territory should, when possible, follow the advice or instructions of corsair pilots.

19) Visitors to Corsair territory should obey by-laws for individual territories within the empire

20) Vistitors to Corsair territory should, when possible, give advanced warning of their arrival in Corsair territory, and ask for docking clearance before docking, mooring or landing at Corsair bases.

21) Allied warships are welcome in Corsair territory. Neutral warships may pass through Corsair territory but may not sit in orbit of Corsair bases or Planet Crete. Allied warships should, when possible, be escorted and supervised by Corsair vessels.

Click here for High Quality Printable Version

Though the Council has already agreed to this document, the Corsair Elders are invited to countersign this document below. Pilots, Captains and Citizens of the Corsair Empire are also invited to sign below if they wish to show their support for this legislature.

Viva los Corsairs.

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Corsair LawsCorsair Court
Our forces combined, no-one shall stand before us. Our enemies shall be burnt and cast to the wind, our troops marching forward over their mangled corpses. True we stand alone, with wolves circling, but our isolation lends us our strength, for we are one and they are divided.
The days of Darkness are no longer, for we are the Corsairs and we are fear incarnate! Viva los Corsairs, the Empire shall rise!
The blood of the Hispania runs in our veins. The blood of our enemies shall wet our hands.

[Carlos_Benitez]

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[ivr56]

Signed.
Elder Ramirez Gonzales
Brotherhood

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[Ximen_Benitez]

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[ProfGiggles]

[color=#000000][font=Courier New]Leon Benitez

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[Ridisk]

Signed: [color=#000000]Che Benitez

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PLANET EARTH: 30% Land, 70% RACE COURSE!
Live. Sail. Die.

"Mom always said I wouldn't amount to anything because I always procrastinate. I said 'Just wait.'" J.P.

[Zelot]

Elder Miguel Sephardi, Generalissimo of The Corsair Brotherhood

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[Laowai]

Signed

Ben Laowai.

Battleship Venganza, Omicron Gamma.

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http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/3289/...047770.png

[aerelm]

[Grimly]

Grimly looked at the news. Surprised the council was still alive, he left a communique to the said council.

Hola elders,
That's Grimly talking here. As you may know, I'm actually leading one of our pilot groups known as the Black Sails. We're operating as much as possible in the Sigmas and Omicron Theta/Eta, but right at your announce, I feel badly targeted by that definition of the Corsair Territory.

Our flagship, the Black.Sails, is an Osiris made for the support in battle and only for this support. It's not able to defend against a fleet by itself.
The problem is I will not make this vessel leave Omicron Eta. His support is about to be vital for the defense of Etna. I trust you enough for you see that we need it so I'm waiting for the announce of your approval.

Grimly, Sovereign of the Black Sails.

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Taking what's yours since 816 A.S.