actually, i don't care. you've already admitted you and goblin can't understand the english language.

It bears repeating: When you realise you're wrong, you're better off admitting your mistakes than divorcing your posts from reality.

except i'm not wrong

Weighing the two sides after more of the debate has been had, I've come to the conclusion that neither side is really faultless here. It may not be a popular conclusion to have but both sides are speaking past each other. Both simply assumed the other side knew what they meant and in some cases both sides should have known better.

When a client comes to a merc, they need to detail exactly what they want done, how they want it done and all parameters. Goblin failed to do that.

And if the story ended here, I would have just eat some loss. I mean on Friday the misunderstandings would have been noticed and talked out by something like "OK, I pay for the Friday kills, but from now on, only for ECM kills and non-concord kills". After all, I was interested in upkeeping a cooperation.

While believing that "Concord whoring counts" can be considered a honest mistake, joining as ally of the target and actively defending it from wartargets cannot. That's an obviously hostile act and from that point any further discussion with them is just "providing tears". Please note that killing my own alt - while being a good catchphrase - is irrelevant. Shooting anyone who is shooting X is "defending X" by definition.

I believe that - while I negotiated dumbly - no amount of negotiation would have helped me. For example I could write in my last mail "so, you run a 15 man ECM fleet to jam CFC gankers and attack nobody else during Burn Jita, yes or no?", it would have been perfectly clear. The answer would have been "yes" and the action would have been the very opposite, since Noir was already hired by Goons for this exact purpose. If they reject my contract, I just find another mercs.

The crucial point is that neither Goons themselves, nor any merc could defend them against out-of-war ECM-ers, as attacking gankers is allowed in highsec, and ganker-attackers don't become suspects or anything. Even if the Goons/mercs have a full fleet on grid, anyone can go and freely ECM gankers as the fleet is not allowed to engage and gets concorded if it does. The only way to stop my ECM fleet is to prevent their formation, and the only way to achieve that is to make me believe that I already have it. This was the job Noir was hired for by Goons. They knew that my first merc idea will be Noir, so they hired them to scam me.

The only honest mistake Noir made was believing that I'll be too ashamed of being outplayed by Goons so I keep my mouth shut and even pay them according to their interpretation of the contract, just to keep this under the carpet.

The elephant in the room is Noir working for both sides of a conflict and I can't even imagine that being a honest mistake.

This is a complete non-issue unless Marmite and Lemmings are afraid of Noir and spent the weekend in Amarr instead of Jita fighting goons because of Noir.

Your insistence that this was a major problem leads us all to believe that Marmite were completely shut down and unable to function because of the 10 or so dudes Noir had in Jita. Maybe pay someone to train those guys??

For all the billions you have funneled into them they have zero pvp confidence in highsec.

I can accept responsibility for the "ECM - kill" misunderstanding. But it's a side issue that could have been solved on the first day.

The elephant in the room is Noir working for both sides of a conflict and I can't even imagine that being a honest mistake.

OK this is very true. This could have been solved. I think Alek made a mistake in the manner in which he communicated as much as you.

As for moving on, someone and his altpets keep bumping our thread to the top of the page. I appreciate the gesture though Seraph.

joining as ally of the target and actively defending it from wartargets cannot. That's an obviously hostile act and from that point any further discussion with them is just "providing tears". Please note that killing my own alt - while being a good catchphrase - is irrelevant. Shooting anyone who is shooting X is "defending X" by definition.

5 minutes beforehand showing up at your door (or 5 minutes after..)

+1. Hiring mercs is renting, not buying. Kind of like hiring a wh0re, who will service your needs as agreed upon. However, you cannot expect the wh0re to not service other clients inbetween your rendevous, or for that matter 5 minutes beforehand showing up at your door (or 5 minutes after..)

+1. Hiring mercs is renting, not buying. Kind of like hiring a wh0re

or to show up at the door with another client thinking that would be quite alright to do both at the same time....

Except of course the fact that it's perfectly fine for a merc to have multiple contracts up at the same time. Killing war targets didn't mean they couldn't kill goons and vice versa. In fact, by killing the competition, they can kill more goons.

Except of course the fact that it's perfectly fine for a merc to have multiple contracts up at the same time. Killing war targets didn't mean they couldn't kill goons and vice versa. In fact, by killing the competition, they can kill more goons.

Expect of course when the contracts are conflicting with one another and the Mercs end up shooting their client in the face (1) but let's keep pretending it's quite alright and business as normal because common sense wasn't mentioned on in the 'contract' (2), and also "Grr Goblin".

(1) I do not mean Gevlon Goblin's character or the real player himself was literally shot in the face. I was speaking figuratively ... ah never mind.

(2) Apparently nothing that was redacted properly and formally agreed upon, just a fuzzy exchange in chat, which makes all the mindless-mercs-following-contract-to-the-letter line of defense quite laughable in the first place.

If Gevlon wanted his alt to specifically not be hit, he should have arranged that with Noir, as is the SOP in this situation.

Nonsense. Had Gevlon known Noir will actively work against a client (*) unless specified otherwise, he simply should not have hired them. There are mercs who don't need to be told "thou shalt not shoot thy client in the nether region" (-º).

(*) Not merely shooting him out of the sky (repeatedly), but you know that already
(-º) Still figuratively speaking, I am not claiming Noir literally shot Goblin in the nether region.

Nonsense. Had Gevlon known Noir will actively work against a client (*) unless specified otherwise, he simply should not have hired them. There are mercs who don't need to be told "thou shalt not shoot thy client in the nether region" (-º).

(*) Not merely shooting him out of the sky (repeatedly), but you know that already
(-º) Still figuratively speaking, I am not claiming Noir literally shot Goblin in the nether region.

I know everyone here has made up his/her mind even before posting and nothing anyone says will change anyones opinion but
look, it's quite simple:

No mercs I've worked with would even consider doublecrossing his clients like Noir clearly did here.
the client is always right and shouldn't hire a team of internet spaceship lawyers first before hiring mercs.
Especially since Mister Goblin was a repeat customer, he should have been treated with respect.
He clearly was not.

Also, after all those so-called misunderstandings, attacking a repeat custommer? Really mature guys

I know, people don't like mister goblin, and it could be perceived as a cool prank to scam him like that, that's your prerogative.
It's quite unlikely Alek will mess with other clients like he did here.
But a blemish on your otherwise spotless reputation it is.

My advice: Be the bigger man and fix it.