Pressure mounts on Upwell to hand over Serpentis data and hardware

YULAI – The Federation and Republic have added their formal support to a Directive Enforcement Department mandate issued this morning that demands the handover of all seized technology, blueprints and research equipment that were provided to the Upwell Consortium by private military contractors, after a series of raids on Serpentis Corporation assets over the course of the last week.

During this morning’s hearing following the open Inner Circle session hosted on Tuesday, Federal Intelligence Office Director Mentas Blaque spoke before the group of delegates, affirming the Federation’s position that “the Serpentis Corporation and their Cartel allies pose the most significant security threat to both the security of the Gallente Federation, and our allies in the Republic”.

Director Blaque then elaborated on Federal support for proposed economic sanctions by CONCORD against the Upwell Consortium and its member corporations, stating that “the safety and security of Gallente citizens is of paramount importance and the Federal government takes matters of interstellar security incredibly seriously. We will not stand by and watch a for-profit consortium of corporations toy with the safety of the Gallente people by holding back intelligence on enemy capability that could be vital to bolstering the security of Federal borders against potential attack.”

Girn Egnai, Republic Security Services Director of Operations for the Metropolis region offered further support, speaking after Director Blaque to clarify the Republic’s position that “the Republic Fleet and Republic Security Services are engaged in open and ongoing conflict with the Angel Cartel, and by extension their allies in the Serpentis Corporation. A privately owned, for profit consortium should not be in a position where it is permitted to hold back intelligence that poses a risk to the security of any sovereign state in the cluster.”

At the conclusion of Director Engai’s statement, Director Blaque struck his fist on the table in agreement, before confirming that the Federal Senate was willing to consider sanctions within the Federation against Gallente member corporations of the Upwell Consortium, as well as against business conducted inside its borders by non-Gallente Upwell members.

The State and Empire delegates to the Inner Circle once against offered their acknowledgement and agreement, but as of yet have not formally offered support for any potential sanctions against the Upwell Consortium or its members.

At this stage, the Upwell Consortium has offered no comment when approached by the Scope Network regarding ongoing discussions.