'Tis the Season of Giving at Omni-HQ
November 18, 29481 - Brad Talamer [Global]
IRRK - The only clues as to what recently happened is knee-jerk press releases from the OTPC & the ICC, with all those involved either keeping silent or going incognito. Despite the silence though, a little investigation has revealed the details of what may be the most impressive "gesture" of the year.
By now you will have likely read the press releases from the OTPC & the ICC, and have been wondering what happened - Other than it involved rollerrats and that it resulted in red faces at Omni-Tek's senior administration, there are no details on how, what, or why (although when & where are already answered). What the ICC press release doesn't say is that the recent issue is between Omni-Admin and the Newland Council, what the OTPC release doesn't say is that what happened is Newland's reaction to an order from Omni-Admin. Unlike those who have already kept quiet for the most part, this reporter can exclusively reveal the details in extensive detail.
The metaphorical fuse was lit after a recently delivery to Newland's mayor, Zephrem "Toog" King. Contained in the delivery was a crate of ID chips that, according to an accompanying letter, were to be handed out to the city's neutral citizens, and were required to be worn at all times else be detained by Omni patrols. For the most part, nothing else was heard about it after that...until a couple of days ago. While Omni-Tek's Directors & Affiliates had their monthly meeting in the heart of Omni-HQ, a low-flying shuttle hovering overhead released the NLC's creative response to the order - Around two hundred rollerrats, all alive & kicking and "prepared" with the ID chips placed inside each rollerrat. The raining vermin disrupted the meeting as all hands tried to eliminate them all, with all of them killed after a while. The stunt by Newland's government has left notum on the collective faces of Omni-Tek, and has ensured that Newland's voice has been heard in regards to the Omni-Admin order.
The details after that get a little scattered, depending on who you talk to. It is known that the NLC's decision and subsequent plan to send them back was the result of an unannounced emergency meeting between Mayor King and several of the Newland ministers. However, in the aftermath of the stunt, Newland's ministers have kept a low profile - With the Mayor going as far incognito as to not being seen since before the Omni-Tek meeting. However, despite a likely backlash by Omni-Tek forces, several Newland ministers have been brave enough to give their take of what happened, under the cover of anonymity.
"Not liking being suddenly told we have to wear these Omni-issued IDs, we decided it would be best to ship them back to omni inside of rollerrats," explained one minister. "However the deployment method was not discussed." The minister went on, noting that "I was for the rollerrat idea, but I wouldn't have went along with it had I know they were going to dropped on people like that". The minister declined to reveal who actually came up with the delivery method, but was kind enough to provide IRRK access to the notorious letter that started it all - Due to Admin's forceful & absolute tone in the letter, which was attached to the crate of chips, it is no surprise that the NLC decided to act in the way it did.
Another minister carried on, deciding to speak after provokation by Omni-Reform to publicly condemn 200 of what NLC considers its citizens being executed. "I disapprove of Omni's overreaction to this, and personally wonder as to the mental state of the directors", noted the minister, "They are already at war on two fronts, with the Aliens and the Clans, and are now trying to incite conflict with us, when we just want to be left to our own devices." The long-running Minister carried on, giving her own version of events - "By vote, we decided to return the chips. One of the councillors suggested the rats. We forgot that Omni employees have their sense of humour removed as standard." The minister finished off by giving a message to Omni-Admin - "We decide how and when we will identify and observe our own citizens."
Even within the council, the design had its opponents with a third Newland minister noting her concerns of the mayor's recent behaviour. "What Toog was suggesting amounted to public harassment of a large, millitant hypercorporation," noted the third minister. "Normally, the mayor is fairly even handed, but lately the mayor has been slightly off kilter. He doesn't talk to us, listens less, and spends all his time locked in his office." Mentioning her original wish to investigate the chips, she gave her view of what they were: "I suppose they could have been tracking chips or some such. I could spin some wild stories but that wouldn't help the truth of the matter, which I just don't know - Toog more or less circumvented that. I suggested that we investigate the chips to see what Omni-Tek's intentions were precisely. He passed it off and suggested that, and I quote: 'They are only another way for Omni-Tek to suppress us', which sounds very clan to me." The minister concluded by noting her reluctance for a war to start between the two parties.
Despite the Newland Council considering themselves justified in how their creative return policy, many in Omni-Tek seem to think otherwise. Sotto "Trousers" Mahoney, who has acted as an unofficial liaison between Omni-Tek & the NLC in the past, expressed sympathy for the Council but also regret for their actions. "While I do not agree with Omni-Admin's approach in dealing with the Council of Newland City," answered the Bureaucrat, "I do have to admit that the actions of the Newland City Council do ring true and clear with the anti Omni-Tek stance the Council has taken in the past. I fear that if the Newland City Council continues to act with complete disregard for Law that a situation may erupt that could stand to alter the political landscape of Rubi-Ka for decades to come." Mahoney also noted that Omni-Admin's actions were "brutish at best" - "If changes to Omni-Tek law that impact the Neutral Community are going to be enforced, the addressing of these changes is better left to us diplomats then to corporate bureaucrats."
Despite the disagreement with Admin, Trousers criticised the NLC's actions, noting that "just because laws are passed that one does not agree with does not mean they should be disregarded." Mahoney confirmed that Omni-Tek had no advance knowledge of the NLC's response, noting that he found out about it later from word of mouth, as well as confirming Omni-Tek's line that the NLC broke the law, concluding that "this event has and will continue to stress the relationship between Newland City and the Corporation. I can only hope that the Council takes the proper steps early enough to avoid the penalties I just mentioned."
What is interesting though is that despite those in senior positions at Omni-HQ are lambasting the neutral city, there are an equal amount on the field who see the present giving in a lighter mood. "It may have been childish, but it was just a harmless prank, in my opinion," started Captain "Gustavis" Caesar of the Omni-Pol Bureau of Investigation. "I do not think the directors were too happy about it. Many people will not like it, but I actually found the prank to be quite funny." Although not knowing of the ID chips issue, the Captain, who is known for his calm & calculated manner in the face of conflict, expressed his disagreement of the Omni-Admin order, but also concerns of relations between the corporation & Newland: "It is not one of our cities. Although we still have a lease on the planet, the ICC protects the very existence of the Neutrals. Still, Omni-Admin had demands and they were not met - That definitely strains the relationship."
In the interview with IRRK, Gustavis was accompanied by Lieutenant "Njenad" Kimpton who also weighed in to the discussion. "No one was harmed during the incident so I think the effect will be minimal," noted the Lieutenant. "I think, or hope, the most we will see is some slaps on the wrists and maybe overnight in a detention cell. I presume no damage to property was made, so I see no reason for a more intense reaction." The Lieutenant also displayed a similar sense of humour to his superior, seeming genuinely surprised & impressed at the work put in by the NLC. "They put these into real rats - Well, that's some trouble they went through. Some humor is nice every once in a while, especially in our line of work." The pair wrapped up with the Captain giving his prediction of Omni-Tek's reaction - "I wonder how this will play out in the long run - I have not been issued any orders as to the incident yet. A light reaction would be what Lt. Kimpton said. An extreme reaction would, of course, involve an invasion and arrests - But let's hope that does not happen."