New IMP Viceroy Gives Ultimatum to HLQ
by Cornelius Merryheart, exclusive for the GGG
Githyanki, a former Patrol Commissioner who came out of retirement to become the new Viceroy of the Imperial Services (IMP), has quickly demonstrated how the affiliation will work under his rule. Choosing to bypass any of the diplomatic avenues open to him, he has launched a public ultimatum to House LiQuan (HLQ): to deliver Demetrius Liquan to the IMP to face trial for murder and to remove the contested status of the Dolphinus System claim. The alternative, according to the Viceroy, is "the full wrath of the Imperial army and navy". House LiQuan replied with excuses and evasiveness, meaning, like everyone expected, that they have no intention to do what the Viceroy asked.
Did Viceroy Githyanki really expect the HLQ to comply with those demands or was the ultimatum just a formal warning that he intends to wage war on them? Why did he choose to issue an ultimatum and threaten House LiQuan with war instead of using his position in the Triumvirate to address the HLQ offenses? Wouldn't a non-violent response be more appropriate to deal with the LiQuan problem without allowing them to play the role of victims? Doesn't he fear that such moves could reignite the civil war? We asked these and other questions to the Viceroy, and he gave the same answer to all of them: "No comment."
But there is still hope that a war can be avoided. We learned from Thomas S. Jackson, Supreme Commander of the Confederate Forces (CNF), that there are undergoing attempts to resolve the IMP-HLQ disagreement in a manner acceptable to both affiliations. Understandably, he couldn't give us any details on what must be a delicate negotiation involving two allies of the CNF.
In what seems to be a side effect of this situation, the IMP have also announced they would be stopping their wars against the KRL (despite their recent and still unrepentant involvement with piracy), the COH (despite their alliance with the RCF rebels) and the OPS (despite their ties to slavery). As retired FET member Peregrine Lanner sarcastically commented, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for that gives them freedom to point their war machine somewhere else."
-o-
What is the real connection between RIP and RCF?
by Ringo Baxter, exclusive for the GGG
The facts: Several of the Halo Periphery assets previously owned by the so-called Real Confederate Forces (RCF) are now flying the colors of the Regular Independent Privateers (RIP), including starbase RIP Freedom Town (57224), previously known as RCF New (57224), and platform RIP Freedom Defender (41585), previously known as RCF Arinna Defender (41585), both in the Hitite System.
Optimistic explanation: Following the successful IMP campaign against the RCF on planet Alalus, resulting in the total destruction of the starbase RCF New Darkfold (26477), the RCF leaders realized they couldn't avoid the loss of their remaining assets in the Halo Periphery and decided to sell them all to the RIP, who happened to have enough spare cash after the sale of a starbase in the Solo System.
Pessimistic explanation: After the reported demise of their leader GT Spugman, the RIP secretely fell under the control of the RCF. Both affiliations are working together and the reflagging of assets is just a ruse to avoid attacks from the IMP, who at the moment don't seem interested in waging war against the RIP.
What's your theory?
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