DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE 00000000000340000023100000021.1

DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE 00000000000340000023100000021.1

To: Kellim Casyt, Directing Principle, Institution of Trade and Relations, Coreward Division, Bryiancz-Stoyvic Solar Unity and Voluntary Dependencies

From: Srini Vas, Srini Vasson, Secretary of State for International Trade, Volsung Confederation

Subject: Resolution of the BSSUVD starship Sanbourne Obol II Affair

Valued friend of the Volsungs Confederation,

It is distressing to hear that your government feels unable to accept the terms of our very reasonable proposal to resolve the Sanbourne Obol II affair. Your errant Captain’s crimes are well documented and our response was appropriate and in accord with all custom and tenets of Galactic Law.  Indeed considering the severity of the transgression which resulted in the deaths of two VSN personnel we are somewhat shocked that you did not welcome our proposal.* In light of this failure to accept responsibility for the actions of your citizens we are prepared to take the matter to arbitration and are confident that the Interstellar Trade Court will rule in our favor.  This litigation will bring great discredit to the BSSUVD, something we would hate to see for a valued trading partner.

However, your veiled threat to seize Volsungs Merchant vessels is an unacceptable breach of Galactic Law.  We have lodged a protest with the Merchant’s Guild.  Unwarranted seizure of any Volsungs Merchant vessel will result in severe repercussions, up to and including a state of war. 

We value our long peaceful trade relationship and would hate to see it altered over such a small affair.  In order to de-escalate this affair we are willing to make a final concession.  We will turn the impounded smuggler’s cargo of weapons over to the Senior Merchant Guild office in Traal Space to hold until such time as reparations are fully paid.

I reiterate that we simply do not believe that this incident warrants additional measures as we believe our long relationship with the good people of BSSUVD is important enough to overlook the grievous lapse of judgement shown by a rouge officer in your Merchant Marine.

**Galactic Law clearly states that a foreign merchant vessel engaged in illicit activities whose officers or starmen purposefully cause physical harm or death to the authorized personnel of a sovereign starsystem/state, when properly hailed, may be classified as conducting piracy.  Piracy convictions are punishable by death.