Let me tell you a story, I heard among the Non-aligned worlds, in the words of an old story teller:

"Captain Han." "There was once a great warrior, who had never lost on the field of honour, or on the field of battle. He had sworn a oath of loyalty to a great warlord, and they were mighty.

But, the warlord was a coward, and a traitor. He sold secrets to his enemies, but was very careful, so there was never any proof.

One day, this warrior was preparing for a battle against these same enemies. The warlord said, "You will hide your forces in the trees. I will take my forces, and feign flight, where you will descend from the trees and destroy our enemies."

But, the warrior, looked at the battle plan. If the warlord retreated, his forces would be destroyed, since they were defend a mountain pass. To yield the pass would result in the destruction of the defenders. The warlord and his private guard would escape though, across a bridge, which could be destroyed to prevent passage. His own army was too far away to attack the enemy before the enemy had time to turn around and attack him.

In other words, the warrior was sure that it was a trap. Not with evidence that he could present with another, but because his honour said so.

However, if the warrior attacked, he would break his oath of loyalty, and whoever did that would be dishonoured, and cast out. Yet, if he did not, the warlord would become rich and fat on the blood of the people he betrayed.

So the warrior changed the plan, attacked on his own, and so won the battle. But, in doing so, he became dishonoured, and was cast out. A lesser warrior would have killed himself to redeem his honour, but doing so would prove that the warlord was worthy of loyalty. So he lived, and struggled, and in the end was killed in the night by assasins, without honour.

Yet, to this day, our warriors honour his courage and dedication to a higher ideal - the truth. He was a traitor, Captain Han... but our warriors pray to the Gods that they too may be such traitors if they must."

I swore my oath to defend the EA Constituion. I and my crew believe that Clarke has broken faith with that Constitution, acting as that corrupt warlord, which is why we are in this contest today.

However, I have these contacts on screen, and I see them closing. I can't explain them, but I've heard the rumours too. Scary rumours.

Thus, I proclaim my intention to honour the truce. I will defend my ship, and my side, but I will not fire on another Clarke-allied ship until we have determined the nature of this threat. I find it strange that most of the ships asking for a truce are Clarke allied, which worries me. Yet, I could not serve as a Captain, with my honour intact, if I didn't face ALL possible threats against Earth.

If this is an enemy force, out to destroy us because we are human, God help us all. If this is a trick of the Clarke side, then may God have mercy on your souls, having broken word and faith with us and humanity not once, but twice.

Captain Jerry Han,
EAS Ishtar