To the Blackguard. Subject: The deal of a lifetime.

[Enkidu]

Incoming Transmission

To: Any representative of the Blackguard
From: Certain concerned parties, der Alster Union.
Subject: Your longevity.

---

Ugh. A white hat mercenary.


There is nothing more repellant than a white hat mercenary. Note, we are not opposed to mercenaries - we are opposed to moralising mercenaries.

You appear to be the latter. Repulsive.

We murder for credits because we have no choice - we have been exiled from a society because it could not bear the concept of providing us with our human necessities. We were branded anathema, and left to die in the desolation of the border worlds, or in the contents of a prison.

We rob, because the alternative would be starvation.

You exchange flesh for cash, because you enjoy it. Admit your debauchery, mercenary. Own it.

You are no priest. You are a vigilante, defiling sacred robes.

You wear your painted hat low to hide the the blackness of your eyes.

Wonderful work, Blackguard.

You apparently have proved your inherent worth at blasting your way through inferior forces when the odds are in your favour.

You have liased with the federals to the benefit of foreign powers.

Thanks to you, the odd one percent will be wealthier, whilst children will starve. Men will starve. Women will starve. People will indirectly die, because of your actions.

You are a mass-murderer.

Let me detail the following:


We will wire you, to an account of your choosing, one hundred million credits, and in return you will level the field. You have desecrated the cause - it is only just that you do the community service..

I will not have you merely repair the destruction you have sowed. Two Unioner vessels have been destroyed by your malfeasance. You will undo the chaos you procreate.

If you claim to be a white-hat, then act according to the grace of God.

You will destroy no less than five Red Hessian vessels. Two to stitch up the wound you have created, two to avenge the individuals who will die because of your actions, one more, to rebalance the score.

Then, we will wire you one hundred million credits for services delivered, and we will go our separate ways. You will never do business in Rheinland again.

Or, I will drop five individual twenty million credit bounties on your skulls, collectible by every true-blooded, self-aware, black-hat hunter in the colonies, anywhere.

Your actions have assisted the scourge of anarchic socialism - the same force that guts the workplaces of the Rhein, that leaves families homeless and destitute. That rapes, that marauds, its way through our homeland in the name of a failed idyl. You have served warmongerers.

Your actions have served the Independent Miners Guild, who are known thieves of ore deposits that are the rightful property of the Rheinlandic corporations that hold the extraction rights. You have assisted property thieves.

You have advanced the cause of the BDM, an organisation suspected of attempting to overthrow the government, and known to dabble in the alien arts.

You have advanced the cause of the GMG, who have kept our people under their boots with artificially boosted H-fuel prices for centuries.

In short - you are no saint. You are a bastard who drinks blood money. And you will take our blood money, or you will die like a bastard.

Either road you choose, you are in for an education.

Take it or leave it.

Regards
The entire administration of the Alster Union.
Every cell, everywhere.

Transmission Ended

---

THE SYNDIC LEAGUES
(A co-operative of Rheinland's outlawed trade unions, determined to take the underworld for themselves.)

Information | Recruitment | Message Dump |
Feedback | Diplomatic channel

(Links pending redevelopment).

[thisDerius]

Why hello there.

You know... I don't really need a white hat when I have white hair. Its natural white, I am not lying.

Though I think its time for me to get really serious here.

Your demands do not phase us. We will not pay you anything. I am barely considering hunting Hessians for you.

To repay the debt we owe to IMG, we swore to protect them whenever we escort them. Their enemies are our enemies while we are on the job.
I recommend that you do not connect us to the GMG because we have not seen their vessels at all during our travels.

For your first vessel that was destroyed in New Berlin, IMG nor BG were held responsible for the acts of that. I recommend you blame the Hessians. Each and every member of The Blackguard do what they want in their own way. I only give orders for their missions, not their acts. Our enemies live in the Omicrons and barely somewhere else so that is where we hunt. We won't hunt the lawful entities, we won't hunt unlawful entities. We will hunt the enemy of someone who pays more. That is pretty much simple.

You will not order us where to travel or where to escort. You will not order us who to hunt or who to defend. Money will talk first. Keep in mind that as soon as you put that bounty up you will be in an open conflict with The Blackguard. We may be a small group, but we are not to be underestimated.

Have a nice day and think about what I said.

STORMCLAW

---

[Enkidu]

Incoming Transmission

To: Any representative of the Blackguard
From: Certain concerned parties, der Alster Union.
Subject: Your longevity.

---

Were admire your candour, bravery, resilience, in choosing the noble path. The Union will respect your decision.

Enjoy your remaining days.

Regards
The entire administration of the Alster Union.
Every cell, everywhere.

Transmission Ended

[thisDerius]

We have decided not to hunt for you. Maybe when your bounty passes by, we might have some better days with each other.
Keep in mind that you are risking an open conflict with The Blackguard. That is all.

Safe skies.

STORMCLAW

---