Bohemian said:Commander Mogul may try to ease his conscience by hanging onto thin rationalizations about why these actions do not equate piracy, but if one is to view the situation from the eyes of a free trader, there's very little difference. We are being issued a demand to come to a stop and hand over our cargo. If we refuse we are fired upon.

Pirates take the cargo for profit. We merely wanted to inspect the cargo, and allow the trader to pick it back up and continue on their way, we even offered an escort. In fact, I reimbursed Ryan Statis for the loss of his ship, cargo, and mission profits. Hardly the actions of a pirate.

Oh, and Pilot 13...... SHAAAAADUP! /me smacks Pilot 13...

OOC:

Spellcast, LOL.

[Itan] is a guild that attacks known pirates as well as Serco in the protection of free trade.

Just a quick question then...

Isn't Niki a known pirate?

And how would Zoras be a pirate if everyone he manages to kill doesn't have any cargo to steal?

Far as I know, Niki's reformed and is no longer a pirate...
And Zoras, yer just not a very GOOD pirate... get lessons from someone who's got superior pirate skills, like Who?Me?

If I am attacked by either SKV or ITAN, while traversing about, i *will* respond with extreme prejudice, I am a proud Serco, who belongs to The Guild of Free Traders, and while their official response may be different from mine, as a free member of Serco society, I WILL defend my honor as well as my person.

Eize Ryda's on the side.. Catch ya on the flip

I think (and I mean this seriously), that we Union pilots should see this act by the Itani Guilds as an Act of War, and act accordingly. Greyspace's ours; it's our people and our Corporations that live in it, the Serco and Itani stations on Helios and Edras a compromise of goodwill, something these two Guilds seem to overlook in their nationalistic zeal and hatred.

Let's give them Hell, Pilots of the Union, and show them what it means to renege on agreements made by both Governments, ours and theirs.

LeberMac: get lessons from someone who's got superior pirate skills, like Who?Me?

LOL!!! that was a MAJOR DIS!!!

Jex, the Serco and the Itani screw us over periodically. By rights, we should use our intimate knowledge of their space and tech to destroyed them and take over. We'd be a less unified people, certainly, but it would be better than the current situation.

Besides, we have to prepare for the coming alien threat. We cannot simply sit around waiting for unknown aliens out there to come and concure us! Or worse, earth will regain access to the wormhole and come to strip mine our planets and stations.

Someone, anyone... loan LordofBlades a brain cell, so he can finally rub two lonely neurons together.

In response to LeberMac:

TGFT leadership interviewed both Mentat and Ryan shortly after the incident and they both stated explicitly that they did not provoke the episode nor fire first. We will review this with them again.

All TGFT members (UIT, Itani, and Serco) have been clearly instructed not to have any part in conveying the stolen property that is the NSI, nor to fire first upon any ITAN or SKV pilots.

That said, we will be out there trading, and it continues to be our policy that we will not stop for inspection. As for any threat of hostilities, we continue to maintain a defensive posture. TGFT does not seek conflict, but we will respond to it.

TGFT does appreciate the past actions of ITAN and SKV members in helping to combat piracy, and hopes that this diplomatic process will resolve itself peacefully. TGFT would like to remind them that it is it has always maintained a strict neutrality in the Serco/Itani conflict, and a look at our multi-ethnic guild roster should tell you why.

I believe the best way to proceed from here would be a private meeting of guild leaders, rather than a continuing debate in the open press.

Well, that was the route I had pursued with Broma-Ba-Slick, Gaird, and you, Screwball. However, Broma chose to post this item acting as an official from [TGFT].

I would agree to the [TGFT] proposal that they not transport the NSI, and that if certain pilots are discovered to have had a part in its ransport, then suitable penalties should be discussed. But that's up to the higher-ups. Gaird, Broma, Screwball, Mogul, Yasu, MGI, Bojan, Niki and _Ghost_ should have a sit-down.

On a personal note, I'd like to maintain my position as fully behind free-trade principles and firmly on the side of traders vs. the pirate menace (which includes such Serco guilds as [SCAR])

I am of the firm opinion that a few annoying members of [TGFT] could have stopped this before it started by simply staying out of the specified sector. A little less prideful posturing and a little more understanding of the lawlessness of grayspace is perhaps in order.

Wow, LeberMac doesn't let up the "if you just did as WE TOLD YOU we wouldn't have shot you", does he?

Get this through your alcohol-laced, Spike-ravished, age-damaged brain, Leebs: YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO STOP ANYONE ANYWHERE FOR ANY REASON. IF YOU TRY TO USE FORCE TO ENFORCE YOUR DESIGNS UPON US, FORCE WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU.

Capisce?

LeberMac, keep in mind that any TGFT member that stops for inspection is violating a TGFT Council ruling.

Our position is that this ends now, before another type of cargo is added to the list of contraban.

Also, what happens if I'm carrying only 60 cargo containers in my moth? Am I really carrying 60, or am I just not showing you the rest? How can you know?
What if I'm not carrying cargo at all? Is that inspection refusal?

As a TGFT Council Member I can only ask that you consider the ethical and practical concerns in this.

As a private citizen I would recomend all traders to report that they have an empty cargo hold when being met by a blockade. Only way to prove you wrong are open hostilities...

[TGFT]Zathras

Well, seeing as this is a discussion of the politics of Grey space.

...I'll weigh in.

Neither side has a right to inspection OR justified outrage.

Grey Space is beyond those laws. If you send ships into grey space and they are destroyed, you have no cause for complaint, your power does not extend there.

I will never stop for any inspection. I commonly carry sensitive cargo that was entrusted to me by my employers who expect me to do what I have to do to delver it. If you see me coming and you want to inspect my cargo you better start firing cause that's the ONLY way you'll get a look into my cargo bay.

*slaps 'Does not break for blockades' bumper sticker on moth*

LeberMac said:I am of the firm opinion that a few annoying members of [TGFT] could have stopped this before it started by simply staying out of the specified sector.

Well.. we are free traders, WE DO know grey space is a bit dangerous..but when telling a trader not to enter or trade in a spesific sector,, we will not be "free" traders would we..

As a citisen of UIT and a Trader in the known space.. i would like to have that freedom to chose where i go and where I trade.

*flap her wings and drink som hot coco*

Remember good old Minus is guildless, so whoever pays the most, gets my support.

[edit]

As details of the discussed events surfaces, it's clear that my informant was playing tricksy on me.

I therefore retract myself and offers, in exchange for the previous nasty, a nice image from the surface...



Commander Mogul Velaio
Coalition Of Itan

Case closed indeed.

[ITAN] = [SKV] = pie rats in denial.

Death to teh pie rats!

Your Official Diplomatic Protest has been noted.
SKV pilots in question were acting under strict orders to inspect any ship entering Latos system and use deadly force if they encounter resistance.
Attempts to flee or drop mines in the vicinity of our patrol ships was considered as an act of agresson and has been dealt with accordingly.

SKV will issue no further comment on this matter.

Bojan
SKV Commander