I think we can both agree the Saltash system is being swept by rumors bordering on panic, which the OFS will exploit beginning immediately.
Countering that ASAP is increasingly a big part of the RMN's and Zavala's mission, if not his primary one, which I think he was smart enough to see and act.
Undercutting the SL and the OFS, NTM Duenas's authority as much and as quickly as possible by providing all the truth not limited by naval security seems obvious.
I think both republics would prefer to restrict the governor's powers to keeping the peace between them, NTM such a statement would be a heads up that the universe is changing, so begin to prepare now.
Destroying Duenas's credibility so obviously would probably push him into acts that will get him quickly relieved, if he doesn't flee first.
Even though it's less than 400 words and probably around 5 minutes in audio length, I realise my draft is probably too wordy; getting it nearer to the length of the Gettysburg Address would be great, so I'm more than willing to accept suggested edits to improve it and tighten things up, so what would you drop?
The reference to the 1% casualty ratio?
Can you offer other alternative passages?
L
fallsfromtrees wrote:lyonheart wrote:Hi all,
Captain Jacob Zavala in SoF, is another brilliant character like Terekhov, but I'm curious if any of you like me wondered what he did after recovering the freighter crews.
For example I think he called McNaughtan to notify him all his personnel had evacuated Shona Station so the damage repair crews could return to module 7 ASAP, as well as requesting all information on who, how many, and how often had visited the freighters in the absence of their crews for security purposes before starting the fusion plants etc and leaving the system.
That's besides getting hard copy records of the brig security videos of the Gendarme treatment of the freighter crews, or by hacking the Module 7 communication systems, indicating they didn't bother with any medical isolation protocols or treatment, as part of the confirmation of Zavala and the RMN's justification for using force to recover their illegally held citizens.
Searching the ships could have taken some hours [according to SoS] even if the search teams were much larger than Abbie had the first time, but even assuming it didn't, Captain Zavala would have been quite busy checking everything including his medical officers' checkups of the freighter crews, monitoring the SAR etc.
Once the freighters were cleared and underway, I believe he would have contacted Captain Myau to alert her she could re-board her ships in about 40 minutes and suggest that part of the problem that created the incident was a lack of hard information in Saltash, ie if Duenas had truly known what had happened in in Spindle he wouldn't have tried such foolishness, nor Admiral Dubroskaya agree to such stupidity; and provide her downloads of Spindle including the Sollie reporters', plus New Tuscany and even Monica, and letting her tech's confirm they weren't edited or falsified; and even offer her the option of sending a db or one of her DD's to Spindle with an introduction [safe passage] from him to confirm those reports.
Once those chores were done and before leaving the system, I'd expect him to make some kind of announcement to the planet Cinnamon, on all possible channels to reduce jamming etc, to reduce the likely panic and rumor mongering.
He might have tried something like this:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Captain Jacob Zavala of the Royal Manticoran Navy.
I regret the unnecessary loss of life today because Governor Duenas unlawfully held Manticoran citizens from their freighters, which is an interstellar recognised act of piracy; despite claiming it was a medical emergency but didn't treat them or allow my doctors to review the claims as required by the Treaty of Beowulf, then he foolishly refused to believe I wouldn't carry out my orders to free them.
Admiral Dubroskaya and several thousand of her crewmen then lost their lives obeying his orders.
He again refused to order the gendarmes to release them from their brig, so my personnel had to go get them causing some damage to module 7 of Shona station, but Captain McNaughtan assures me all Saltash civilians were and are safe and normal traffic will resume within the hour.
Admiral Dubroskaya and thousands of her spacers died because too little is known about the Battle of Spindle, New Tuscany, and Monica here in Saltash; so let me rectify that now with more recent news.
Here are the official reports and protests by the SEM to Old Chicago of each incident, and by Solly reporters both during and after NT and Spindle; let your own tech's confirm these haven't been edited or faked.
Needless to say, compared to what happened in Spindle, today's SLN casualties are roughly 1% or a drop in the bucket, but unless the SLN learns it can't stand up to us, more are going to die the next time something like this happens, so this is my bid to alert the SLN about the true state of power between us, to stop wasting so many lives.
If Captain Myau doesn't send a ship, feel free to send a db or freighter. Confirming the truth should have been the first step before starting on a course that got so many people killed.
If the Solarian League in its ignorant arrogance continues to treat us like neo-barbs when we are closer to Sol than 99% of the league, the deadly results will only get worse, and again be entirely their fault.
Captain Zavala, clear."
Feel free to agree or rant at will.
L
Too wordy. A basic statement that the governor had illegally sequestered Manticore citizens, and ordered resistance to freeing them that resulted in the destruction of the SLN forces in the system. They have now been freed, and we are leaving the system. Have a nice day.
