The Declaration

After a period of close consultation between their governments, a joint statement declaring a “War on Slavery” has been issued by President Sansone X of the fledgling Democratic Republic of Lucius, Grand Admiral Adelei Kirrin of the State of Heraklea and the heads of a number of other minor states. This declaration states that any person found anywhere, regardless of the sovereignty in which they are discovered, who is holding slaves, engaging in the trade of slaves, aiding or abetting the holding of or trading in slaves or has done so in the past will be detained and tried for crimes against humanity. Further, all trade with states in which slavery is legal has been suspended indefinitely and no merchantmen from or bound for a destination where slavery is legal may enter the space of any of their states without first submitting to an extensive search for slaves or equipment intended for the holding or trading of slaves.

President X and Grand Admiral Kirrin have welcomed any other nation that is likewise called to end the barbaric practice of slavery to join them in tracking down and prosecuting slavers throughout the galaxy.

The Hierarchy of the Ordenreich respectfully declines joining the initiative. The Ordenreich claims that while it does not encourage the slavery practice they believe that its not their business to determine the policies of other systems unless it directly affects Ordenreich interests. If ships under suspect of piracy have slaves then the Ordenreich will seize them. However, if it is simply a trader ship carrying slave cargo acquired legitimately then the Ordenreich will not interfere.

The Confederated States of Rhea and the Bastian Dominion, along with their vassal in Lucius I, agree to join the pact and suggest Tatooine as a first target for slave liberation. It's fairly sparsely populated and is a major den for crime as well.

The Dominion has never and will never be bound by the whims of other states. We find this declaration to be affront against the basic liberties and freedoms of states to determine what is right and what is wrong for there people. What is uncustomary for some may in fact been the very fabric which holds other societies together yet this declaration puts a particular culture above that of others and we ask by whose authority should this be so? More troubling still, is this declaration is speciesist as it puts human rights above other sentient species. Not all living things in this galaxy are human yet this declaration does nothing to preserve their rights above their human counterparts. We Veridians are not human, humanoid perhaps, but not human. Are our rights second class to the human species? No this declaration is a shame tactic and the Veridian Dominion will have no part in it. Furthermore the Dominion will view any act of "detaining" our ships for the purpose of  "liberating" individuals as an act of war and shall respond appropriately as such. We hope all parties involved with rethink their position less the Dominion have to cut ties with these state and embargo all goods and individuals from Dominion held territories.

-Executor: D'Nal Jo'rek

OOC: I know previously I had stated the Veridians were humans from an alternate reality Earth but I'm reconning that. I hope to eventually post the Veridians history which will detail their true origins."

The Governate declared its support for the initiative, both on grounds of the Pact of Brotherhood and universal sapient rights. Additionally, Brother Lal sent his own message to the Herakleans, concerning the situation on Tantalus.

***

[Encrypted]

To: Grand Admiral Adelei Kirrin, Chief of State of Heraklea
From: Brother Pravin Lal, Planetary Governor of Alpha Centauri

In recent days we have become aware of a situation on a Core-region planet known as Tantalus, present under the occupation of an alien race known as the Aurelians. Though we once made contact with them a few years ago, communications feel silent not too long after, and we were not fully cognizant of the extent of their sentient rights violations until recently. We have found that besides committing numerous atrocities, including the genocide of the Tantalan people, the Aurelians are a collection of slaver-polities who have put both humans and a insectoid race called the Gol'Azkhorzi into their thrall. In recent days, I have lent my approval to an initiative by the Lord's Believers to assist the Abrahamic Movement of Free Tantalus, a resistance group, and am considering further intervention directly from the Governate. If you would be willing to support us in doing so, we would gladly engage in joint operations.

Grand Admiral Adelei Kirrin sat across the table from his wife, Rear Admiral (ret) Miriam Kirrin as they ate dinner.  “I must say, I'm starting to like Ray and Kitty's style.  Intel is verifying the information they gave us on Tatooine, but we may start working with them more closely with them.  Tantalus also sounds like a great opportunity to strike a blow at slavery.”

“Just be careful you don't over extend us, dear.  We have plenty on our plates with our other operations, especially anti-piracy patrols now that you've gone and pissed off Executor Jo'rek.”

“Fuck him.  Like I care what some tin pot dictator with a small manhood on the ass end of the galaxy thinks, and that protest he sent out was damned joke.”

“Veridia is the major power in western Korel.  Suspending trade with them is already go to have big impacts on us, and not just for our economy.  We have to find new ways of getting our spies into Veridia and a lot of the surrounding nations, and they could interfere with our anti-piracy patrols.”

“We have Trapper for forward basing, and since trade with Veridia has been severed, those anti-piracy patrols are going to do a lot less for us anyways.  Still, your point is taken.  What should I do about Vera?”

“Ignore them for now.  We focus our efforts in central and eastern Korel where we have a stronger base of support.  Any Veridian ships that come within range of us, we pounce on.  Any slaves we find, we liberate and arrest the crew.”

“That's what we should do?  Divide the galaxy into the areas we care about and areas we don't?  Sort of takes the wind out of our declaration, doesn't it?”

“We're not going to give them a complete by.  I've got an idea on how to continue harassing them and avoid over-extending ourselves.”  Adelei leaned forward.

“Tell me my beautiful, brilliant, devious, way-to-good-for-me wife, just what do you have in mind?”

“Tell me my handsome, ingenious, scheming, just-right-for-me husband, have we given the old Trapper naval ships to the wreckers yet?”

* * * * *

“We're finishing the refits on a few more destroyers.  If you can gather enough people to man them, we can train you up and give you a few light cruisers too.”

“What about maintenance and supply?”

“The black site that we're preparing the ships at should do for a while, but in the long run you'll need to start developing your own support network.  We'll work with you as we can, give you intel, do business with your front companies, that sort of thing.  But ultimately your people need to have a fair degree of self reliance.  You will effectively be pirates and terrorists, after all.”

“That's fine with us.  This will more than get us started on harassing the Dominion.”

“Just don't forget what our main concern is.”

“I could never forget those still in bondage.”

“Very well, Miss Magnus.  I hope the Ninth Battalion enjoys its new toys.”

OOC: Unless anyone else has a reaction to the declaration, that's about it.

(OOC: Sounds like you are forming a similar organization to my Pioneers, cool)

*The Ordenreich has just put their Free Economic Zone declaration into effect (See other thread where I announced it, should be in National News). Effectively this unofficially made the Ordenreich a save haven for slavers without slavery actually being legal due to the fact that more invasive boarding and searching was effectively banned in the Ordenreich. The Ordenreich has said that while Heraklea and the Ordenreich signed the same anti-piracy pact they would need very good evidence to get the Ordenreich fleet to perform searches on vessels suspected of piracy that fled Heraklean space for Ordenreich space*

(OOC: Actually, no. He's borrowing a Veridian rebel group from an old RP.)

OOC: With permission from VP.

OOC: I believe I misrepresented myself in my last post as I don't intend to actually cut economic ties with you Heraklea. Like everything else in my post, that was mostly posturing and hot air In the end the Dominion will continue to do what's best for business and the economy unless it can afford to cut ties, which really it can't yet. Oh and I think I've decided on the "Ninth Battalion" as the reconned name for the Ninth Tribe. If/when I write my history, I'll explain their origins but basically its very similar to what I explained when I first introduced them in that they formed just after the last great war on Veridia Prime. Oh and the Niners refer to the Dominion as the Dominion, not Veridians as they themselves are Veridians and don't want the hurt the people but the oppressive government of a select few.

OOC: Fair enough for the Niners, although Heraklea suspended trade with Veridia per the declaration.

OOC: ah makes sense, well fair enough.