To: [RHA] | From: Octavarium Intelligence Commission | Returning to Hel

[Thexare]

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Identification: Taskmaster Escher
Affiliation: Octavarium Intelligence Commission

To: Red Hessian Army

Subject: Debts That Are Owed
Encryption: Oh my.
Location: "PILLAR"

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I'll get straight to the point.

Some time ago, the Vagrant Raiders - then the military arm of Natio Octavarium, now reorganized as the Octavarium Fourth Fleet - came to you with a proposition: the conversion of a Hel-class interdiction cruiser into the Huginn electronic support cruiser. Your terms were that we also refit one of your ships for the same role, using the more modern Vidar platform as a base.

Unfortunately, Gallia interfered and forced us into hiding after the delivery of our Hel platform. We'd barely had time to finish testing. Minister Kane can elaborate at great length, but I don't consider that a prudent use of time.

Two debts are owed. We owe you your cruiser refits, and the Rheinwehr owe blood for the Zwickau massacre. While we can't feasibly sustain military operations in your region even if you were to welcome our presence, I have some hope that our plans for the Muninn will be useful to that end.

I have borrowed a factory ship from an Octavarian corporation, Aquila Defense Systems, and directed it to Freeport 1 where it's holding for further orders. If our previous arrangement no longer interests you, we are prepared to direct it to assist Hessian and Bundschuh forces in maintenance and modernization of their vessels, but I thought it best to complete one deal before making another.

Keep in mind that the Fort Resolution doesn't have her usual captain; for this operation I've had a trusted Fleet logistics captain take over instead of the usual civilian. The factory staff are still present, however.

Taskmaster Escher
Octavarium Intelligence Commission

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[Zayne Carrick]

Transmission established...
Source: [RHA]SOA-Angurvadal, somewhere in Omega-47 system
Сomm ID: Director Siegfried Draay

Herr Escher, this transmission certainly comes as surprise, even for me. After all, it's been more than three years since we've heard of your group.

Still, the Red Hessian Army has a long memory, when it comes to its friends aswell as enemies. As it happens, I do have a Vidar-class cruiser in need of intelligent refit. In fact, it's the vessel I'm currently aboard, the Angurvadal. It won't be my flagship for long and converting it into electronic support cruiser may prove useful in long term.

Of course, I'll need Muninn project specifications first. What might be useful for Octavarium Fourth Fleet, might be useless for Red Hessian Army Spezialoperationsabteilung.

Transmission terminated.

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Identification: Taskmaster Escher
Affiliation: Octavarium Intelligence Commission

To: Red Hessian Army

Subject: Debts That Are Owed
Encryption: Oh my.
Location: "PILLAR"

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The Huginn type was tuned primarily for a defensive support role, with an emphasis on long-range detection ability and working as a mobile communication nexus. Electronic warfare was set up for a heavily defensive role, as per the terms of the original arrangement. Essentially, this ship was to serve as a hidden command and control ship. There was still room to establish a proper combat dock for fighter support, but we had neither the time nor the inclination; it seemed rather less helpful for a defensive vessel.

Outside of combat, the Huginn type's onboard systems were set up specifically with decryption and codebreaking in mind, using our historic experience with Lane Hacker technology as a baseline.

Our initial concept for the Muninn type is similar, but with some modifications. First, the Huginn scanners were tuned specifically to compensate for the Barrier. Obviously, the Muninn would instead need to account for the Walker Nebula and numerous irradiated areas in your operational range. This is mostly a simple matter. I suspect that a combat-ready docking bay would be more useful for your work as well, and readily fits within the scope of the design. Offensive jamming ran into some complications using the Hel's generator, but I suspect your Vidar platform would be up to the task.

In short, the Huginn is a rear-line command and support ship, but with only a few modifications the Muninn can instead be a perfect operations cruiser for working behind enemy lines.

Taskmaster Escher
Octavarium Intelligence Commission

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[Zayne Carrick]

Transmission established...
Source: [RHA]SOA-Angurvadal, somewhere in Omega-47 system
Сomm ID: Director Siegfried Draay

Herr Escher, working behind enemy lines is what we do here, in SOA. And specifications for Muninn project sound quite promising, especially scanner attunement to Walker Nebula.

Do you need some kind of facility for retrofitting or your factory ship, Fort Resolution is able to perform all required manipulations in space?

Transmission terminated.

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Identification: Taskmaster Escher
Affiliation: Octavarium Intelligence Commission

To: Red Hessian Army

Subject: Debts That Are Owed
Encryption: Oh my.
Location: "PILLAR"

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ADSV Fort Resolution is not equipped to refit capital ships. The hull is derived from the Oasis-class liner, and as a result has neither exterior manipulation tools nor the agility to effectively use them. We chose this ship because the onboard factories can build all of the specialized equipment the Muninn calls for. Note that they have not yet done so, for security reasons.

The necessary internal modifications should be within the capabilities of either Aquila or Hessian engineers as long as the ship is moored somewhere as an anchoring point, but the external components needed for the Limelight surveillance array will need proper facilities to install without incident. We did so without a proper shipyard available to us and it took weeks of additional testing and alteration to ensure everything was properly functional. While current utility ships are somewhat more capable than the ones we had available to us, I believe that approach would still be... less than ideal.

Taskmaster Escher
Octavarium Intelligence Commission

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[Zayne Carrick]

Transmission established...
Source: [RHA]SOA-Angurvadal, somewhere in Omega-47 system
Сomm ID: Director Siegfried Draay

Then, herr Escher, we have a problem. I might be able to clear schedule of hessian Wolfsburg shipyard for the next week, but you must understand that its location is highly classified, which means I simply cannot give you coordinates. Well, technically I can, but I'll have to kill you later which is no way to treat your friend.

Also, we both know attitude of zoners, miners and other generally neutral groups with shipyards towards foreign warships.

The only solution I see is following: I'll send a small team of SOA navigators and officers to Freeport 1, which'll guide Fort Resolution to our shipyard and from it back to Freeport 1. They'll also wipe navigation logs and take other necessary steps for maintaining location of Wolfsburg a secret.

Transmission terminated.

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Identification: Taskmaster Escher
Affiliation: Octavarium Intelligence Commission

To: Red Hessian Army

Subject: Debts That Are Owed
Encryption: Oh my.
Location: "PILLAR"

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We had already made a backup of the Fort Resolution's navigation systems before this trip, expecting this sort of precaution. Upon our vessel's return to Freeport 1, and the wipe of data related to your shipyard and its location, we will be restoring from the backup to ensure that we haven't lost any current navigational data - given that this ship has obviously never been to Wolfsburg, I don't expect any issues with this plan.

That being said, Jones would object strenuously if I put any of his employees in 'unnecessary' danger, to say nothing of Kane's likely reaction should one of his men be killed. Before committing to this plan, I'll need assurance that these 'other measures' don't involve anyone dying. If for no other reason than to tell them that yes, I did take the necessary precautions; you know how the civilians and the front-line types are about our work. It'll be easy enough to keep the rest of the crew off navigation for the duration, at least; they know to listen to Specialist Matsuda's orders.

Another, somewhat less ideal possibility would be producing the necessary components aboard the Fort Resolution and handing them off to Hessian transports, and sending you the blueprints to install them yourself. We have a few concerns with that approach, however. First, interception risk. I would rather the Bretonians and Rheinwehr not figure out what we're doing, to say nothing of other local hostiles. The other problem is that the Fort is a large ship and cannot be readily concealed, an issue we have some... distinct experience with. The best option I can come up with for this plan is keeping the ship orbiting Gran Canaria and using a vacation as the official explanation. However, the Corsair presence in the system makes for an exceptionally poor handoff point and carries a sustained risk of interception in transit.

Taskmaster Escher
Octavarium Intelligence Commission

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[Zayne Carrick]

Transmission established...
Source: [RHA]SOA-Angurvadal, somewhere in Omega-47 system
Сomm ID: Director Siegfried Draay

Obviously, herr Escher, noone aboard your ship will die. Atleast not from the hands of my operatives.
Even in unlikely scenario of uncovering hostile spies aboard Fort Resolution, they would be yours to deal with as you please.

If that is settled, I'll start assembling the team immediately. You can expect Ragnar-class freighter bearing some neutral transponder in three days. They would greet your captain with phrase: "The stream is frozen, but spring is close".

Transmission terminated.

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Identification: Taskmaster Escher
Affiliation: Octavarium Intelligence Commission

To: Red Hessian Army

Subject: Debts That Are Owed
Encryption: Oh my.
Location: "PILLAR"

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As I said, it was mostly a formality to deal with the civilians' concerns. Director Jones' knowledge of these kinds of operations is more founded in rumor than reality, which I suppose means we're doing this properly.

I will make sure Matsuda has the Fort Resolution ready to move at the proper time. I would suggest using an alternate private communication protocol to arrange for a particular time.

Taskmaster Escher
Octavarium Intelligence Commission

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