Dart

[OOC: This information would be out of character knowledge to anyone whose characters would not have appropriate access to Guardsmen Militia sources, or the rather ‘conveniently’ misplaced copies dotted around Yew and various moongates.]

Guardsmen,

Yesterday at 10.12 post meridiem the Guardsmen Militia responded to the terrorist atrocities committed by Vesper, albeit under immense provocation.
After our reasonable offers of Captain Bedford paying for our drinks on his Swaggers Inn tab were declined and the present Vesperian Militia assaulted our junior ranks the order was given by myself to evacuate the building of all civilian and Vesperian personnel so that the Besiegers could assume their responsibilities of arming the explosives necessary to raze the tavern to the ground.

In order to prevent civilian losses we made over seven separate sweeps of the building to ensure that it was indeed empty.
After all Guardsmen, we are not the cold-blooded killers that the Vesperian butchers would like the world to believe.
I had no intention of causing any casualties with this act of retaliation. Even if the Vesperian rules of engagement deem civilian casualties a necessity in any conflict, we will not respond in kind.

You have no reason to believe the nonsensical Vesperian propaganda that will no doubt materialise over the coming days, after all it will have been written by the same people who believe that we were either responsible for the Mill Massacre or overjoyed at its crippling of the Yewish economy, that Padan Fain's execution was unjust, that Damien Bedford is a republic war hero and that Chancellor Escaflowne's penchant for fur is an example of radical fashion expression and not a worrying sexual deviance.

Many of you are new to the Militia and some like myself are not even of Yewish birth, so you may have over the last few days questioned the perennial conflict with Vesper.
I have attached with this notice a copy of the Covian Gazette, you will see that we are not the only ones who regard the 'Red Menace' to be a threat to us all.
This war was sparked by rebellion but our cause is no longer simply the reunification of the Kingdom but to guarantee the survival of Yew, Britain, Minoc and Skara Brae in the face of subjugation at the hands of Vesper.

They may have proclaimed themselves as 'Champions of Liberty' but what freedoms do the average Vesperians enjoy in comparison to the average Yewish?
Democracy? I am not alone in considering the Vesperian notion of democracy as ludicrous; only in Vesper could a man wage war against his own people, then see to it that he is elected as their leader through the votes of his own military.
Or where the 'liberation' of neighbours involves the conquering of their settlements, the enslavement of their people, the renaming of their territory and then erasure of their culture.

Civil liberties? Vesper possesses no taxation system, so the city's private investors can directly influence Vesperian civil or foreign policy as they wish. How can a man be free when his liberty is determined by his wealth?

At least Yew shall see the election of a representative governing body in the coming months, a body that champions the values of the people, not just the values of a violent minority as in Vesper.

That is what faces us, Guardsmen. A world ruled by those whose status has been attained through wealth, not earned through the sweat of labour.

Vesper's aggression if it continues cannot go unchecked, so you must remain prepared for the inevitable response. I expect you all to carry out your duties with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail.

You are after all Britannia's only hope.

Captain Dart
Guardsmen Militia