Miriani

ISC File Petition, Seeks Boycott of Hale Mineral Exports

The Interstellar Shipbuilding Corporation (ISC) today filed a joint petition alongside the Resource Exploratory Service (RES) and Bardenium Miners Incorporated (BMI) to the AIE and the Commonwealth against the Hale, seeking their support in applying either a total boycott or at least countervailing duties on Hale refinery exports. The ISC complaint coincides with the imminent completion of the Outreach Mineral Processor, the new industrial refinery in sector 30. The ISC in particular has been vocal in its opposition of the new constructions, and they are joined by a growing number of independent corporations and alliance-affiliated companies.

The proposition is especially controversial since it also calls for restrictions on the imports of refined bardenium and cardenium, both extremely vital to the Praelor war effort. The ISC is currently the largest producer of both materials, with RES and BMI being the main suppliers of raw bardenium and cardenium to the ISC Mineral Processor in sector 19. The ISC is reported to have a gross annual revenue of trillions of credits from its refinery operations alone, being the sole provider of refined bardenium to the Alliance High Guard. While the alliances and other private corporations are able to refine bardenium and cardenium on a small scale, only deep space refineries are capable of refining these rare materials on an industrial scale. ISC owns the largest such refinery in operation; this will change when the Hale open theirs.

"This is the latest in a series of futile attempts by the ISC to shut down our new industrial complex in sector 30. It follows failed attempts at bribery of state officials, hostile takeover of contractors and threats of blackmail. It is truly pathetic how these capitalists try to cancel out our contributions to the Praelor war effort, to the entire existence of our race, in their mindless pursuit of profit," said Minister Alvares to your correspondent. It is thought by the Hale that the ISC opposition to the project is fueled not by the challenge to their refinery industry, but rather by the shipyard which the refinery is expected to fund.

It remains to be seen if the AIE and the Commonwealth will acquiesce to the ISC's requests. The Commonwealth, on the whole, is thought to be in favor of the new development, with sources inside military procurement lamenting the ISC's 'stranglehold on the market' and claiming that price gouging is rife, preventing the Commonwealth's anti-Praelor navy, the Terran Defense League, from 'getting off the ground' as a major peacekeeping force. But an inside source in the AIE trade ministry indicates that the ISC is putting great pressure on the government to pass a boycott. The ISC is a major guarantor of AIE debt, ensuring that the AIE can receive financing for its massive budget deficit. If the ISC were to stop guaranteeing AIE sovereign debt (which is currently 134.8% of its gross domestic product) it is thought that the AIE would be bankrupt 'within months.'

Dated: 06/18/2359