Mr Johnston,

I thought I'd take this opportunity to thank you personally for the invaluable support you have lent to the Stepsons in recent weeks.

Now that we feel that we can trust you fully as an ally, it is appropriate that you should be briefed on the standing of the Stepsons within the political situation of Hoffer's Wake.

The Stepsons are a family organisation, mainly dedicated to food production at our facilities around Greenback, but we are also active supporters of the freelancer community in the system; a community that is being seriously undermined from two main sources.

The first problem is commercial exploitation by the numerous corporations within the system, who have developed a near monopoly on mineral processing and manufacturing. This squeezes independent operators, creating severe hardship. Our allies and ourselves are determined to find a solution to this imbalance. In the short term we have been providing assistance to the disadvantaged through a process of wealth redistribution, along with a fair barter system and access to defence against corporate strong-arm tactics. Looking to the long term, there are plans afoot that will hopefully liberate a sizeable portion of Hoffer's Wake's more deprived population from the feudal dominance of the corporations. These plans are still embryonic and it would not be prudent to go into details at this stage.

Second, and more important, is the threat posed to all inhabitants of Hoffer's Wake by the Marauders. This well-armed gang of raiders have been plaguing the system for some months now, and their attacks seem to be on the increase. As yet we have not determined where they're coming from, or even what their motives are, beyond the wilful destruction of the system's infrastructure. As usual it is those outside the spheres of corporate influence who seem to be suffering the most from these raids, and we see it as our duty to protect these groups as best we can.

These problems are of concern to other factions besides the Stepsons, and are being addressed under the banner of an organisation known as the League. By acting together we are able to go some way towards countering the overwhelming resources of the corporations and soon, we hope, the League will provide a democratic alternative to rule by the Alliance government, who seem to have given the corporations a free hand in bleeding Hoffer's Wake dry.

As a privateer I'm sure you have only a passing interest in these issues, but I believe that your actions have shown you to be a man of insight, able to see the necessity of defeating the Marauder threat and the corporate stranglehold on the system. In your own way, you can provide invaluable support for our cause through careful selection of your quarry.

Thank you once again for your support, and I'm sure we will work together again very soon.

Verity Stepson

Stepson Clan Matriarch