To the Vulcans,

I am but a humble stallion reduced to the status of trinket in the wake of the disappearance of Božena, the former Prime Minister. I have no sway in any vote that may come to pass, but I believe I have some information that may be valuable to you.

I have been Božena's closest confidant for years, and I am now the father of her child. I know the inner workings of her mind and heart as if they were my own, and I witnessed firsthand many of the conflicts between the Peak and Lagoon, or at the very least heard them from Božena's lips. Allow me to clarify what happened while you were not here.

Prior to Rade's ascension in the Lagoon, the bachelor herd was headed by the tyrant Cullen. Cullen waged a war against the mare-led herds of the islands, against which Božena and the other Peak women fought. He harassed our numbers for years and generally caused havoc and misery against any who opposed him; he even took Božena prisoner at one point, and I was there to see the smug look on his face when he offered her the most vile, degrading joke of a "treaty" that I cannot bring myself to repeat. I have crossed hooves with him myself several times; he came for my hide recently, and I do not doubt he will come again. He may even be responsible for Božena's disappearance, which I intend to discover for myself.

Rade and Božena did not see eye-to-eye on the best way to overcome such tyranny. I was not present for their conversations; all I know is what Božena has told me, and what I have heard from others. What I do know is that Božena was the one who took the Lagoon bachelors prisoner after they refused to overthrow Cullen - and who, in turn, played an instrumental role in Rade's ascension to the rank of Lagoon Boss - but she was no tyrant. Sometimes - as you said, Roisin - hard decisions must be made for the greater good, and Cullen was a danger to the isles. Božena treated the bachelors well; she had open discussions with them and kept her word in freeing those who promised to help overthrow Cullen.

Of those bachelors she took, two remain: Verrat and Bran. They are prisoners no longer, so no trade deal is needed to free them. They stay of their own free will.

I have never had the opportunity to meet Rade in person, but I find it extremely suspicious and distasteful that he would speak against the woman whose actions he personally benefited from. Without Božena, Cullen would still be ruling in the Lagoon. I realize I may be biased due to my close relationship with her, but it is, frankly, insulting that Rade would compare the two. For that reason I urge you to be careful around him, and if you seek unbiased opinions on Božena's character or the events that I have outlined, I urge you to speak to the bachelors themselves, such as Verrat and Bran, who were held here by her and saw everything firsthand.

I will be departing for a time to track Božena down, and will be leaving our daughter Danica and our adopted son Kuráž in your care. Please look out for them as much as you look out for each other, and be careful. I will be back and at your service as soon as I can.

Respectfully,
Kunžak