Kalistani Major History

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Coltrane seizes Deltarian Freighter on the High Seas as Privateer encounters Deltarian hostility
Returns the ship under "Prize Vessel" laws following issuance of Letter of Marque
Majatran Sea, Majatra
October 17, 5091


Kalistani Privateers seize Deltarian Freighter Grandsflot following capture of a Kalistani Cargo Ship

Following successful commerce with traders representing half a dozen Majatran nations, as well as smugglers from three other regional state, the trading expedition of Captain James Coltrane, which has been away from Kalistan for a full year, was deemed a success. Coltrane traded with merchants from Potensi, Barmenistan, Vanuku, Kafuristan, and Badara, as well as unlicensed merchants from "other nations" at Coltrane's floating market in the Majatran Sea. Coltrane was elusive on which other nations these could possibly be, but it is surmised that merchants from some countries who have expressed objection to the Kalistani trade mission in the region could likely be counted among the merchants who purchased from Coltrane's market. "We wisely avoided Quanzar," said Coltrane, "by which I mean, we didn't sail anywhere near Quanzar. And if we sold to their merchants, they did not inform us that their destination was Quanzar or any of its ports. But it is not our job to keep track of that sort of paperwork."

"Over all, as with Creighton, the ODEN and KALMILINCO goods sold most readily," said Coltrane. "Those were always the most in-demand goods from traders of all countries we sold to." Drugs and weaponry were in particularly high demand, specifically because of local prohibitions toward importing those items. "But we also sold a lot of above board goods to traders, who were themselves just legitimate merchants looking to get a good deal which we could offer because of our non-compliance with local import customs and tax laws." In all, most of Coltrane's fleet has returned to Kalistan via the Mad Dog Ocean, with empty holds.

However, late in the expedition, a major incident occurred which still has repercussions. As lots and containers were sold and transferred, primarily at neutral ports possessing freight handling facilities but no functioning law or customs enforcement, remaining cargos were consolidated on fewer and fewer ships. One of the last remaining ships in the fleet, which contained more than K2 million in ODEN product, more than 20 high end Kalistani MOCOs valued at K1.36 million, and several hundreds of thousands of dollars in machine parts and scrap metal, was seized as Kalistani sailors departed from a neutral Vanukean port by the Republic of Deltaria.

"We had just finished transferring the last cargo from three other vessels, which had put to sea earlier that morning before sunrise," said Coltrane. "As the Silver Star set sail and entered international water, she was interdicted by a small force of heavily armed Deltarian patrol craft who ordered her to stop. She called to the Kalistani escorts, who would not make it to the site before nightfall, and was advised to surrender. The Silver Star surrendered and was boarded, her crew were placed under arrest for smuggling and piracy, and the ship fell under the control of Deltarian military officers, who promptly sailed the ship to Deltairan waters."

Meanwhile, Coltrane dispatched four armed trawlers and 15 LAFA craft to attempt to intercept the captured freighter before it made it to Deltarian National waters. As the freighter continued on, the interdiction force remained behind and met the Kalistani fleet at approximately 840 pm. A firefight ensued, and two Deltarian patrol craft were sunk by the more agile Kalistani fleet before contact was broken off. The Freighter arrived in Deltarian waters in the middle of the night and was impounded. Several LAFAs were damaged, and 7 men were wounded in the gun battle, but no Kalistanis were killed, and 3 Deltarians were captured at sea.

The Kalistani Government at this point, responding to the crisis, ordered Coltrane to cease trading his remaining goods, return the unarmed ships to Kalistan, and explore the possibility of recovering the lost freighter with his armed vessels. The Foreign Minister of Kalistan issued Coltrane a Letter of Marque which covered any nation that shows hostility toward the remainder of Coltrane's fleet, now transformed into a Privateer navy consisting of 45 LAFA craft, 7 supply and fuel ships, 3 militia Corvettes, and 8 Patrol Craft. Three of Coltrane's main financial backers have begun to raise money for the dispatch of a relief fleet to the region to resupply Coltrane if needed, until the ship is either recovered, or Coltrane has decided that it is impossible to recover the lost ship.

Then, yesterday, Coltrane reported that Kalistani Privateers had seized a small Deltarian freighter crossing the Majatran, The "Grandsflot" with a manifest that showed it was bound for Seleyan ports. Kalistani privateers boarded the ship after warning it to surrender or it would be torpedoed and sunk. The Ship struck its colors, and a small force of 8 men captured the ship, loaded the crew of 16 onto a LAFA under guard and returned them to Coltrane's base of operations. The ship then resumed its course out of the Majatran Sea, enroute to Kalistan. It will stop in neutral ports in Valruzia and Telamon for refueling and disposal of the Cargo, and is expected in Kalistan by early December, where it will be sold under Kalistan's Privateering Law as a Prize vessel. The Cargo is valued by Coltrane at more than K850,000.

Coltrane's Letter of Marque is set to expire in a year, but may be renewed if the Republic believes there is sufficient justification for the action.