Free Time after Mission 7
After ending Mission 7 the following news and rumours are available to read.
News
Those news are displaying a possibly Kusari-biased perspective.
Kusari Citizens Still Held Hostage
There is still no news on the fate of thousands of Kusari citizens being held captive by the Rheinland government. Though the Shogun has been successful in persuading Liberty and Bretonia to apply additional economic and political pressure on the Chancellor, the Shogun is also considering more direct military action.
Tekagi Meets with Shogun Edo
Governor Tekagi briefly met today with Shogun Edo to discuss the Rheinland conflict and Liberty’s proposed meeting. After the short, private discussion, the Governor said that he has been ordered to Liberty to “organize the release of our people through our allies.” Tekagi will leave at once to meet with President Jacobi.
Liberty to Receive Tekagi
Amid assurances of heightened security, President Jacobi prepares to receive our Governor Tekagi in the Presidential residence at an undisclosed time. Tensions remain high around Kusari, but the Governor says he is cautiously optimistic, particularly because Queen Carina of Bretonia will also be in attendance.
Some Citizens Moved to Bremen
We have just received word that many lawful Kusari citizens, wrongfully accused of espionage, have been rounded up and sent to a makeshift detention facility in Bremen. Officials are looking into this disturbing report.
Tekagi Arrives in Liberty
Governor Tekagi arrived in Manhattan today under well-armed escort. There he met with President Jacobi and Queen Carina, of Bretonia, in the hopes of establishing a joint resolution aimed at pressuring Rheinland to release its hostages and negotiate a peaceful settlement.
Increased Tensions in Kusari
Patrols have been increased around the Rheinland border in answer to the Chancellor’s recent actions. However, several civilian ships have reported unusual conditions around the area, including “radar ghosting” and other false readings. Some have speculated that Rheinland is attempting to jam early warning systems, but local officials dismiss these reports as the result of instrument malfunctions.
Ban on Artifacts to Spread?
Today Liberty unveiled what some have seen as an ulterior motive to negotiations on Manhattan: a potential ban on Artifacts throughout the colonies. Local Artifact dealers reacted negatively, particularly when learning that this ban would be administered by a separate, though still Liberty-run, agency.
Speculation on Artifact Ban
Authorities say that the President wants to extend the Liberty Artifact ban to the other colonies to better control the black market. Meanwhile, it appears that the Artifact market has shown signs of slowing slightly, thanks in part to Liberty’s resolutions and political lobbying. Sources inside Liberty say that shipment after shipment of confiscated Artifacts appear to be going into Zone 21 under military watch.
Niemann Requests Tekagi
Governor Tekagi’s mission in Liberty has reportedly gone well, yielding a series of directives for Rheinland. Interestingly though, once these directives were transmitted, word came back that the Chancellor would not accept them unless they were personally hand-delivered by the Governor. Despite being advised otherwise, Governor Tekagi has agreed to go.
Amended Artifact Ban Signed
Governor Tekagi left Manhattan, but not before endorsing an amended version of the controversial, joint ban on Artifact trading proposed by Liberty. After spending several hours in a secure-link conference with the Shogun, the two agreed to the ban in concept, but only as a temporary measure, and specifically as a means to better lawfully regulate the trade coming out of the Rheinland Border Worlds.
Artifact Ban Limits Liberty
As we learn more about the recent Artifact ban, we understand that this agreement also now limits Liberty’s access to the temporarily impounded Artifacts and now allows for the individual House to retain them within their own borders. This was good news to many merchants, as was the generous government subsidy. Meanwhile, Governor Tekagi heads back to Kusari briefly and then on to New Berlin.
Carina Signs Artifact Ban
On the heels of Governor Tekagi’s departure, Bretonia formalized its agreement with Liberty and Kusari by also signing the Artifact ban. It is hoped that this initiative will continue to put pressure on Rheinland and put much-needed government credits into the pockets of local merchants.
Search for Kusari Transport
The arrival of a special transport and her escorts from the Border Worlds is reportedly long overdue. Several patrols have been dispatched along the intended route, and though hopes of rescue are high, there has been no discovery of wreckage. The disappearance of the single vessel, carrying a cargo of new Artifacts bound for a museum in Kusari, is ironic since it falls on the cusp of the signing of the colony-wide Artifact ban.