Your Excellency, I beg your patience for a few hours as I review a number of documents that Moff Pike has generously provided to Imperial Intelligence with regard to his investigation into Monor II, and also the thorough report on the Moff's investigation and the events at Monor II that the Analysis Bureau has prepared. I will condense these for you and provide my recommendations shortly.Added (07 Nov 2011, 2:12 Am)
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Your Excellency, you will find below a summary of events and correspondence in chronological form based on the documents that Moff Pike has provided to Imperial Intelligence, and below that, an assessment of the situation as it stands now.
In this document ("Correspondence between Moff Darres Verilia and Agapos XI." [7|15|9AE]), Moff Verilia approaches Agapos, the ruler of Monor II, on behalf of the "EPIC" corporation to negotiate cirrifog exploitation rights, to which Agapos agrees on the condition that "EPIC" provide Monor II with a defensive fleet, among other conditions. Here ("Correspondence between Agapos IX and Moff Darres Verilia." [9|4|9AE]), Agapos demands of Moff Verilia that "EPIC" provide Monor II with the defensive fleet it has promised, and that it do so within one week. Moff Verilia appears to acquiesce to this demand. You will find in this document ("Summary of events at Monor II." [9|11-17|9AE]), that a defensive fleet under the command of "EPIC" arrives at Monor II but is not turned over to the command of Monor II in a manner that is satisfactory to Agapos. As a result, as you'll see in this document ("Announcement of Breach of Contract." [9|17|9AE]), Monor II declares its contract with "EPIC" breached, with no defensive fleet having been provided to Monor II, and consequently void. Agapos also solicits new investors/partners in cirrifog exploitation.
Here ("Correspondence between Michael Smith and Agapos IX." [9|19|9AE]) Agapos and Michael Smith, President of Dorvalla Universal Corporation, make arrangements for the exploitation of cirrifog in exchange for a defensive fleet to be provided to Monor II, among other conditions. And you will soon see the relevance of this document ("Correspondence between Senator Ryuun and Agapos IX." [9|19|9AE]), in which an envoy of Druckenwell is dispatched to Monor II. Diplomacy between the two worlds results in a "Treaty of Friendship and Peace between Monor II and Druckenwell" [10|4|9AE] which is antagonistic to "EPIC" at the urging of Agapos, but also establishes amity and joint exploitation of cirrifog between Druckenwell and Monor II. Cirrifog exploitations rights are eventually divided as follows, with 50% for Dorvalla Universal, 5% for Druckenwell, and a tentative 45% for the Loyalist Gas Mining Corporation pending arrangements with Agapos, according to this document ("Correspondence between Moff Kristoph Pike and Senator Lomen Ryuun of Druckenwell" [10|5|9AE]), in which Senator Ryuun is cooperative with Moff Pike's investigation.
Here ("Correspondence between Moff Kristoph Pike and Moff Geoff Cole" [10|5|9AE]), Moff Pike inquires about Dorvalla Universal of which Moff Cole is a shareholder. Cole refers Pike to Michael Smith, President of Dorvalla Universal, and here ("Correspondence between Moff Pike and Michael Smith, President of Dorvalla Universal" [10|5|9AE]), Smith cooperates with Moff Pike's investigation and provides documentation of his dealings with Agapos. In this document ("Correspondence between Moff Kristoph Pike and Bishop Pteppic" [10|5|9AE]), Bishop Pteppic, an emissary of Agapos, cooperates with Moff Pike's investigation and provides documentation of Monor II's dealings with "EPIC," Dorvalla Universal, Moff Verilia, and Senator Ryuun.
You will see here ("Summary of events at Monor II" [10|5|9AE]), Your Excellency, that the "EPIC" fleet originally intended for Monor II is recalled to Eos, and here ("Correspondence between Aaron Fox and Moff Kristoph Pike" [10|7|9AE]), Aaron Fox, President of "EPIC," explains to Moff Pike the reason for his company's breach of contract with Monor II and refusal to provide a defensive fleet for Agapos, who is described as "too much of a risk." Fox's message also confides to Moff Pike a concern that "EPIC" could face retribution from Monor II, though Imperial Intelligence finds this unlikely as Monor II's primary concern appears to be for its own sovereignty and "EPIC" no longer represents a threat to this.
It's the opinion of Imperial Intelligence that the circumstances of this episode are largely unremarkable, and with the exception of "EPIC" having reneged on its deal, all of these cirrifog arrangements appear to have been negotiated in good faith. The Empire's interest in Monor II at this point is twofold; 1.) Imperial access to cirrifog must be assured, and 2.) Dorvalla Universal has provided funding to Agapos with which he has procured a "defensive" fleet for Monor II, and the Empire must be certain that this fleet not be used by Agapos for seditious purposes (the Analysis Bureau having discerned significant anti-Imperial sentiment among the Sunesi people of Monor II, despite moderate overtures from Agapos in recent weeks). In this sense, the reluctance of "EPIC" to provide a fleet to Agapos were not without some merit.
With regard to the second point, Intelligence recommends close observation of Monor II and the conduct of its forces. And on the first point, it's worth noting that 45% of the cirrifog exploitation rights remain unresolved. Though this 45% is tentatively reserved for the Loyalist Gas Mining Corporation, or "LGMC," it's possible that the LGMC can be persuaded to surrender its claim to the Empire. Similar measures can be broached with Dorvalla Universal, though Mr. Smith, the company's president, has declared that it will provide the Empire with cirrifog at a discounted rate. As long as it does, and as long as the LGMC can be incentivized to provide a similar discount or to surrender its claim to the Empire, these would be preferable to assuming direct control of the mining operations—while naturally this remains a possibility (as is the possibility of requisitioning Monor II's fleet), it is one that would accelerate what is currently likely to be a long-term conflict with rebellious elements of the Sunesi. Whether it's in the Empire's interest to do so at this time is, naturally, a matter for the Ruling Council to decide.
I hope this information is of use to you, Your Excellency. Of course, Imperial Intelligence will support the Council's decision.
