22.4.09

Concerns on both sides over DDS/HCS sales

Over the last few months the number of military sales of equipment and upgrades between the DDS and Clones has increased and is now worth several billion zarks. Examples of the sales include transport aircraft to the DDSAF and upgrades to HCS space freighters. However there have been voices on both sides expressing concern over these sales.

Ultra-nationalist Clone political leader Rejan Hewaki said the Clones should not pollute their fleet with DDS technology. "The infidels are trying to enfeeble us with their tainted zarks!" he said at a rally of his Clone Fascist Union (CFU) party. Benito Clone is known to be also wary of these sales and has kept his part of the HCS out of it. He is known to have said that one day DDS Intruders may be used to land DDS troops on Cloneworld.

On the DDS side Captain Caratore, on a visit to DDS GHQ, said (before he rejoined the Ensuring Passage deployment of which he is commanding) that he worried the DDS was improving the armed forces of the DDS' "natural enemy". "What if these Type As one day are bringing military equipment to a war with the DDS? What if the money from aircraft sales helps fund new fighters to shoot down the DDSAF?"

However Windy, before he resumed his holiday, said that sales to the Clones were restricted to non-advanced technology which the Clones could get anyway from commercial or foreign sources. "So why shouldn't we get the money?" he said to a young man.