involvement with Heirs or their families.

The rumored integration of the remaining Kador naval assets with the
disgraced 7th Fleet, still currently based in the Aridia region, has caused many eyebrows to be raised in military
circles.

14/11/2008
President Foiritan addresses Gallente Federation.

Luminaire - President Foiritan addressed the Gallente Federation today in the aftermath of the invasion of
Federation territory, apparently by military forces belonging to the Amarr Kador Family.

"An enemy chose to attack our Federation with the presumption that we were weak," the President began, taking
his time. "That mistake cost them dearly. The Federation Navy met the invading fleets with such force that they
were wholly routed and destroyed. "

"No quarter was given to the invaders who attacked our people; those few who survived now await trial for their
crimes." The President went on to say that while the motivation and circumstances of the attack were still
unclear, Federation military intelligence is currently considering what action to take next.

The President wrapped up his speech saying,"This sends a strong message out to all those who might think the
Federation easy prey. While we hold our values dear, we will protect those values with terrible force, and if
necessary with our lives. Long live the Federation."

21/11/2008
Breaking News: Gallente navy vessels seen entering Aridia

Aridia - Breaking news at this hour: A number of Federation Navy ships have reportedly been spotted crossing
into Amarr territory from Gallente space. Neither the Amarr government nor Amarr Navy High Command have
commented on the situation, though it is rumored that Amarr Navy vessels have been scrambled to monitor the
incursive squadron.

More on this situation as it develops.

21/11/2008
Breaking News: Unauthorized Gallente presence confirmed in Amarr space

Aridia - Earlier reports that a fleet of Federation Navy vessels had crossed over the Gallente-Amarr border into
Aridia have now been confirmed by several independent sources. Amarr Navy scout squadrons have reportedly
been scrambled and are conducting long-range reconnaissance, but have made no move to engage yet. The
Gallente vessels have failed to respond to all hails directed towards them, and top sources within the Federation
Navy have reportedly disavowed any knowledge of their actions. The fleet, variously reported to number between
sixty and one hundred unmarked vessels of diverse class and specification, was last spotted in the Noranim
system in Genesis.

More on the situation as it develops.

21/11/2008
Breaking News: Reports of heavy fighting in Kador Prime

Kador Prime - Reports have just come in about ongoing heavy fighting in the Kador Prime system, apparently
concentrated around the Kador Family Bureau station at the system's first planet. Combat has also been reported
at several other points in the system, but these reports remain unconfirmed still.

Several feeds from eyewitnesses at the station appear to show Gallente forces clashing with ships aligned to the
Kador Family. Amarr Navy fleets have been sighted not three systems away, but appear to thus far be making no
move to assist the embattled Kador forces in Kador Prime.

21/11/2008
President Foiritan announces capture of renegade Admiral

Luminaire - President Foiritan addressed the Gallente Federation today in the wake of the Federation Navy's first
instance of direct military action within the Amarr Empire's borders in over three decades.

"In response to intelligence received yesterday, this morning I authorized our military forces to cross the border
into the Amarr Empire and conduct a forced extraction of the traitor, former Grand Admiral of the Navy, Anvent
Eturrer," said the President, speaking to an assembled crowd of thousands.

"The force encountered some resistance, which it summarily overcame. I am glad to report to you that the
promise I made five months ago has been fulfilled. We have found the traitor and we hold him in our talons.
Anvent Eturrer is now being kept at a secret maximum security facility where he awaits trial for his crimes
against the Federation."

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Though no date has been set for the trial, nor it decided what exact form the proceedings will take, the President
went to great lengths to assure the nation of Eturrer's fate.

"I promised you he would atone for his crimes... that he would stand judgment, be made to pay for what he cost
this Federation. Citizens of the Federation, I promise you this -- he will pay."

"With this extraction effected, and the Kador forces that chose to strike out against us dissolved, we are satisfied
that no further action will be needed against the Amarr Empire at this time," the President also said.

Amarr authorities have so far remained silent about the situation. According to Gallente officials no high-level
communication has taken place between the two governments, and no apparent mobilization has taken place
among the Amarr armed forces.

21/11/2008
Fighting in Kador Prime ceases

Kador Prime - The heavy fighting that just moments ago was occurring in Kador Prime seems to have ceased, all
reports coming in indicate that the Federation Navy vessels that were involved in the combat have left the
system.

We have no further sightings of the Federation Navy fleet and we have no further information at this time.

28/11/2008
Empress Jamyl places Ammatar Mandate under Ardishapur vassalage

Amarr - Amarr Empress Jamyl I this morning released a statement declaring that, as of noon tomorrow, she would
be handing executive oversight of the Ammatar Mandate to Ardishapur Family heir Yonis Ardishapur. The
announcement comes after several months of speculation on the empress's intentions for the Five Heirs and how
they will fit into her much-vaunted plan for the restoration of the Reclaiming.

The empress's decree states that Lord Ardishapur, "pursuant to Imperial directive, shall henceforth carry ultimate
responsibility for the fates and fortunes of the Ammatar Mandate, its bordered districts and outlying holdings, its
economic and military resources and the souls of its faithful servants."

While the heir himself has yet to comment on the announcement, House Ardishapur did release a statement
shortly after the empress's, which asserted that Ardishapur would "treat this worthy assignment as seriously as
any other task bestowed by the anointed ruler of God's Empire." The statement contained no information on
what policy directions the heir intends to take with the Ammatar Mandate.

Ammatar has been beset by turmoil and uncertainty ever since the Elder War earlier this year, when its lucrative
tsula plantations - the Mandate's largest export crop and arguably the backbone of its economy - were
systematically destroyed by Chamberlain Karsoth's forces in retaliation for the Mandate government's harboring
of Starkmanir Minmatar tribesmen. While several of these plantations are in the process of being restored, the
lack of strong centralized authority at home has caused efforts to flounder with little funding. Foreign private
interests, primarily Khanid and Caldari, have offered outreach agreements, but the Consulate's interim
government has thus far denied all offers under strict orders from the Imperial Throne.

Lord Ardishapur is expected to announce his new Consulate governor within a week.

21/12/2008
Royal Khanid Navy releases statement on Blood Raider attacks

Royal Khanid Navy Grand Admiral Zidares Khanid this morning released a statement claiming that Khanid
Kingdom forces yesterday attacked thirty-three separate Blood Raider Covenant targets – ranging from
unmanned installations to fully-defended outposts – in what the release terms “an effort to strike a blow against
the spreading blight of willful heresy.”

The Admiral’s statement went on to detail the statistics of yesterday’s conflicts, some of which are reportedly still
raging. Among the largest were a one-hundred-battleship-strong attack on a major Covenant outpost in an
undisclosed location, where the report states that over twenty thousand Khanid soldiers were killed, and a three-
pronged attack on a critical Covenant arms production facility which resulted in the destruction of the facility and
the deaths of over fifty-five thousand people, the Khanid’s and the Covenant’s alike.

Questioned about the swift and ferocious nature of the attacks, Admiral Zidares responded: “The Blood Raiders
have been a thorn in our side for years, and we felt that now was the time to make a coordinated effort to strike
back and weaken them. Our intel had indicated to us that certain weaknesses were developing, and now was the
right time to exploit them.”

Overall, approximately a hundred thousand Khanid are believed to have lost their lives in yesterday’s attacks,
and several thousand more are missing in action or believed captured by Blood Raider forces. Battles still rage at

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a number of sites, and auxiliary forces are being sent in for support and rescue operations. It is unclear at this
stage precisely how great an effect the attacks have had on the Covenant’s operations.

21/12/2008
Khanid forces mounting large-scale attacks against Blood Raider targets

Reports are coming in that today has seen a major coordinated strike by the Khanid Kingdom against Blood
Raider holdings in several separate locations around New Eden. Damage reports are difficult to come by at this
point, but at least three deep-space outposts and several dozen planetside installations have been confirmed as
infiltrated or destroyed by Khanid forces in the last six hours.

Believed to be the largest single offensive ever mounted by an independent nation against a criminal
organization, the series of attacks has prompted speculation in channels of public discourse as well as among
those few media outlets who have had facts to report. According to an unnamed source with all of these outlets,
the Royal Khanid Navy has committed several battle fleets’ worth of ships and personnel to the endeavor,
including a large portion of their special forces.

More on the situation as it comes in.

23/12/2008
Amarr Empire announces capture of former Chamberlain

The Imperial Throne this morning released a statement which claims Dochuta Karsoth, former Chamberlain of the
Amarr Empire, has been apprehended.

According to the release, Karsoth, who defected from the Empire during the Elder invasion earlier this year, had
been sheltered by Blood Raider allies in the time since. He was captured by elite Khanid squadrons during the
aftermath of one of the Khanid’s attacks on Blood Raider holdings last Sunday. The building where the former
chamberlain was being sheltered, a Blood Raider arms facility on a moon in the Anath system, was captured in
the attack, and Karsoth himself apprehended elsewhere on the moon approximately 17 hours later.

The statement went on to express the Empress’s gratitude to King Khanid II. “He [Khanid] has done Amarr a
great service,” it read. “Long shall be remembered this favor rendered at such a time of need, and generous in
turn shall be the hand of Amarr.”

It is unknown at this time whether Royal Khanid Navy High Command had foreknowledge of the former
chancellor’s whereabouts, but there is a good deal of speculation among experts that Sunday’s attacks may have
been at least partially motivated by such information. Neither the Royal Khanid Navy nor the Royal Palace on
Khanid have commented on these allegations thus far.

The announcement of Karsoth’s capture, meanwhile, has been met with mostly silent approval by the people of
the Empire. “It should be no surprise that people aren’t dancing in the streets,” said Pyros Ram-Sotat, a popular
director of Imperial indoctrination holoreels and frequent commentator on national affairs, in an interview this
afternoon. “This man basically ran roughshod over the Empire, sullied its good name and left it wide open to
defeat and humiliation. We don’t want to be reminded of him. We just want to see him gone.”

The Imperial Throne has announced that the Empress will give a special nationwide address on the afternoon of
the 25th, where she is widely expected to make a comment on the matter.

25/12/2008
EMPRESS JAMYL I MAKES HISTORIC EMANCIPATION ANNOUNCEMENT

DAM-TORSAD – Empress Jamyl I this afternoon made a special nationwide address to the people of the Empire
wherein it was announced that, in a historic turning point for Amarr, a significant portion of the Empire’s slaves
are being “emancipated from their obligations to our nation and our Lord.”

“Out there on the event horizon, a new age races toward us,” said the Empress in her announcement, “and it is
approaching fast. The Lord in his infinite grace has instructed me that the chains that fetter us will no longer be
necessary in this new age of light and reason, neither the chains of hatred that restrain our minds nor the chains
of indenture that restrain those less fortunate than ourselves.”

According to the Empress’s announcement, the emancipation extends to every Minmatar slave of ninth
generation and up, along with Minmatar academics and religious figures. It is unclear at this time exactly how
many slaves are being set free in total, but all experts thus polled so far agree that the number will reach into the
hundreds of millions.

“That’s going to be between six and seven hundred million slaves,” said Betancour Soraine, a senior analyst at
the Federal Readjustment for Extraditions and Escapees program on Gallente Prime. “Who knows what crises
that’s going to cause for the Empire? How they intend to replenish that kind of work force is beyond me. And, I
mean, these aren’t glaive-collared factory drones, these are educated people, these are specialists. This is a

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brain trust we're talking about here.”

Others, meanwhile, seem to disagree. “There’s no real loss here,” said Jakunda Mishar, a senior operative at the
independent Agency for Indenturee Rehabilitation in Dam-Torsad. “Academics are easily replaced, and most of
truly indispensable ones will end up staying anyway. Besides, if you’re ninth-generation, you, your parents and all
the ancestors you know of will have known nothing but the Empire. The Republic is a distant and frightening
dream to these people. Where do you think they’re going to go?”

The announcement has caused turmoil in parts of the Empire, most notably in areas with significant slave
populations. Small-scale rioting broke out earlier today on some of the Empire’s largest slave colonies, but
Holders had been notified in advance of the Empress’s decree and were prepared with additional security
measures which mostly sufficed to bring matters under control before they escalated.

Similarly, areas with high-generation slave populations were witness to massive celebrations as newly
emancipated Minmatar took to the streets in large numbers. In several of these areas, makeshift statues and
other artwork depicting Empress Jamyl I have been erected or otherwise brought into being, and her name is
widely sung and chanted among the multitudes.

No comment has yet been forthcoming from any of the other nations of New Eden, save for a short
announcement from King Khanid II this afternoon, wherein he commended the Empress for “making major strides
toward a stronger Empire.”

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EVE News 2009 YC 111

10/03/2009
All Contact With Seyllin Lost

METSEREL – All communications with the planet Seyllin I have ceased. Automated efforts to restart fluid router
transmissions have failed, and distress signals emanating from the system have gone silent.

SCOPE is unable to obtain any additional information at this time.

10/03/2009
First Contact: Serpentis Mayday Received from Seyllin

SEYLLIN – A distress call from a Serpentis freighter stranded in Seyllin has reached the blockades surrounding
the system. According to sources, a mechanical failure dropped the vessel out of warp before it could reach the
nearest stargate. After a partial repair of the drive, its captain attempted to return to Seyllin I rather than warp
out of the system. In a voice transcript of the distress call, the Serpentis captain states "To anyone who’s
listening, Seyllin’s not there anymore. You hear me? Seyllin-one is gone, do not attempt to approach..."

The transmission stops after that. No additional information is available as CONCORD and the Federation Navy
continue to maintain a blockade of the system.

10/03/2009
CONCORD to Drop Blockade on Seyllin

METSEREL - CONCORD and Federation Navy authorities have announced that the blockade of the Seyllin System
has been dropped, allowing starship traffic to enter the system. Starships are warned not to travel to Seyllin I
"due to circumstances related to the ongoing crisis."

President Foiritan is expected to make an announcement within the hour.

10/03/2009
President Foiritan Addresses Nation, Confirms the Loss of Seyllin I

LUMINAIRE - President Foiritan has just issued an internationally broadcast address to New Eden. The transcript
is as follows:

"Citizens of the Federation, fellow souls of New Eden.

"It is with unspeakable regret and sorrow that I must deliver to you the news that we had hoped to never hear.
Though we may have hoped that we could have prepared ourselves for this moment, I believe I speak on behalf
of us all in saying that this catastrophe is the realization of our worst nightmares.

"By my order, all rescue efforts have been suspended, and no recovery efforts will be permitted. It is true that
the main-sequence anomaly of Seyllin has caused the effective destruction of the planet.

"The decision to withhold that information and detain the reporters who sought to deliver such news was my
own. Given the limited amount of time we had to pull people out, maintaining as orderly an evacuation as
possible was given the highest priority.

"It is a small consolation that we were able to save some people. But it will haunt me for the rest of my days that
we could not save them all.

"Scientists are still struggling to understand exactly what has happened. My instincts tell me that any
explanation will provide little comfort.

"I would like to thank all those who offered their assistance in our time of need.

"As we have more information, we will share it. But if you'll please join me in a moment of silence for the half
billion souls who just perished, I would be most grateful."

10/03/2009
SCOPE Establishes Live Feed from Orbit of Seyllin Remains

SEYLLIN - SCOPE News has established a live feed of the remnants of Seyllin I. The hellish scene confirms that a
plasma wave passed through the area, and that the planet's remains are coalescing back into sphere. Massive
fragments are still orbiting the world, and capsuller traffic has been sighted inspecting the remains.

CONCORD maintains that the area surrounding the planet is extremely dangerous, and should be approached
with caution.

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10/03/2009
Ishukone Watch Offers Assistance To Federation Government

MALKALEN – Mens Reppola, Ishukone Watch CEO, spoke to reporters at Ishukone's Malkalen headquarters, telling
them that he had spoken to President Foiritan and offered any assistance he could render. "This is not a
Federation problem, this is an international tragedy," said Reppola. "While Ishukone has no assets in the Thoulde
constellation itself, our facilities elsewhere in Essence and Sinq Laison have been ordered to accept secondary
casualties and refugees in the coming hours and days."

10/03/2009
Seyllin: Panic Grips Planetside Installations, Rescue Operations Disrupted

SEYLLIN – Mass panic has all but halted rescue operations following an unofficial warning of a possible world-
shattering plasma wave approaching the planet. Several spaceports have been forced to turn away approaching
dropships as the boarding gantries have been overrun with panicked residents fighting for space aboard the
next transport.

SCOPE News has maintained contact with several reporters trapped in the cities of Southern Cross and Valimor.
They have sent word that many residents within the vast underground caverns have made no attempt to leave,
peacefully enjoying what could possibly be their final moments alive. Despite the lack of power in many parts of
the cities, they report that there is an eerie calm in the deepest levels, forged perhaps from the resignation that
there is little chance of escape.

The unofficial rescue count currently stands at 843,000 residents. CONCORD and the Federation Navy have
ceased cooperating with news agencies at this time.

10/03/2009
CONCORD Lashes Out Against SCOPE News

YULAI – CONCORD blasted the SCOPE News corporation, calling Chief Editor Lars Kiormen's last report on the
crisis in Seyllin "impetuous, inflammatory, and irresponsible." The harsh reaction follows Mr. Kiormen's report
that a potentially world-shattering solar mass was heading towards the planet, plus an emotional farewell to
SCOPE reporters trapped on Seyllin I. CONCORD angrily dismissed the report as a "shocking, selfish attempt to
exploit sensationalism during a time when composure and calm are needed most."

CONCORD adamantly denies the unlawful detention of any SCOPE personnel, "or the fictitious existence of any
timers or countdowns for Seyllin."

10/03/2009
Scientists Rush to Analyze Mass in Seyllin

BOURYNES - Scientists are rushing to collect data about the superheated mass heading toward Seyllin. Despite
limited information, several theories have emerged, ranging from a massive vessel heading toward the planet to
a gravitational distortion in the system; no consensus has been reached to completely explain the phenomenon,
however.

University of Caille scientists have urged anyone to contact them immediately with any data related to these
events, including any information from systems affected by similar phenomena early today.

10/03/2009
Marines Open Fire on Refugees

We have unconfirmed reports that Federation Navy Marines have opened fire on a crowd of refugees who were
"rushing the dropships".

Despite this heavy-handed approach, hundreds of thousands of refugees are still pouring into the evacuation
centers in a desperate bid to escape Seyllin.

10/03/2009
Heroism Among Outrage as Seyllin Prisoners Evacuated

SEYLLIN – Throngs of people at the evacuation points were outraged to hear that the prison population of Metal
City was being evacuated amidst security fears following several escapes reported. The facility was reported to
have taken heavy damage and already suffered the escape of several high security prisoners.

Military transport ships aiding the evacuation were recently diverted to the scene to secure the prisoners and
evacuate them to prevent further escape attempts. Word of this has sparked a wave of anger and unrest among
those still waiting to be lifted from the planet surface. News of the superheated mass heading for the planet has
contributed to crowd panic, with riots reported at the evacuation points.

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However, early reports from the prison evacuation detail indicate that lower-security prisoners have offered to
assist with the evacuation effort of their fellow inmates, as well as providing additional manpower to dig
survivors out of the damaged areas of the prison.

10/03/2009
Shakor: Thukker Caravan Was Destroyed

ILLUIN – Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor confirmed that the Thukker caravan reported missing in the Great Wildlands
has been destroyed. While declining to provide specific numbers, Shakor stated that a "significant and tragic
loss of life was incurred" and that "they perished as a direct result of an anomalous solar event similar in scale
and power to those described in Seyllin and the Syndicate region."

Shakor's announcement brings the total number of reported near-simultaneous mass-sequence anomalies in the
last few hours to four, stoking popular fears that a widespread celestial armageddon is underway.

10/03/2009
God's Righteousness Conclave Releases New Statement

God's Righteousness Conclave, an Amarrian fundamentalist group, released a follow-up statement moments
ago. "We warned of the dangers of associating with heretics, and yet thousands responded to help.

God's warning against iniquity and sin was not heeded, and the consequences shall now be paid. While we
mourn any loss of life, those lost in the Seyllin system shall serve as a stark reminder to both the glory and
power of God. It is through that sole path of purity that heresy and its support are punished."

Amarr government officials would not comment directly on the group's statement, directing reporters to
Empress Jamyl's previous statements regarding the situation in Seyllin.

10/03/2009
Special Report: Sisters of EVE Warn of Possible Wormhole Formation Throughout Cluster

SYSTEM X7O-MU – The Sisters of EVE have released an unprecedented general warning to "all space faring
travelers of New Eden" that they are forecasting the imminent formation of multiple wormholes throughout the
cluster. The claim from the reclusive humanitarian organization comes amidst one of the most deadly natural
catastrophes in modern history, as Seyllin and at least three other systems have been devastated by a main-
sequence anomaly within the last several hours.

The highly technical warning states that "multiple instances of defect-mediated turbulence in the fabric of
spacetime have been detected in various locations throughout the cluster," and that the sightings "coincide with
the erratic behavior of multiple star systems, many of which are unreported, all throughout New Eden."

The statement adds that "such intense topological turbulence has every potential to collapse into pairs of
defects, and that the resulting point-defect turbulence would be readily detectable using existing starship
scanning technology."

Addressing CONCORD directly, the Sisters are strongly advising that "travel warnings be issued with immediate
effect warning spacecraft to avoid them all costs, as there is theoretically no limit to the distance separating
pairs of defects, or any reliable means of predicting how long such pairs will remain stable."

If true, the Sisters of EVE will have foreseen the appearance of the first naturally occurring wormholes since the
collapse of the EVE gate more than fifteen thousand years ago.

10/03/2009
Seyllin Corporate Facilities Remain Open

SEYLLIN - While forces rapidly evacuate the Seyllin systems, both Roden Shipyards and CreoDron announced in
a joint statement that their facilities would remain open to new docking for as long as station managers deemed
it safe. Neither CONCORD nor Federation Navy officials would comment on the safety of the stations from the
plasma event threatening Seyllin I.

"We are still accepting as many ships as our docking bays can hold. For those ships that can't get out-system
for whatever reason," the statement read, "we are here to provide a safe haven. Our facilities, like many others,
are crowded and strained, but we are ready to go the extra mile in order to save lives."

The stations' defenses can be considerably hardened, but doing so requires all docking bays sealed and shield
integrity boosted, preventing inbound and outbound traffic from passing through. As the extent of the damage
potential from the system event is not known at this time, station officials could not comment on the extent of
potential damage to the station.

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10/03/2009
Dropship collision on Seyllin

SEYLINN 1040 - Two Federation Navy dropships carrying survivors from Seyllin have collided on take-off, with the
resulting wreckage killing an estimated 4000 people. The dropships were both reported to be carrying well over
the two hundred permitted personnel for such vessels.

Armed Marines have placed a cordon around the loading bays in an attempt to limit the amount of refugees
being allowed to board.

10/03/2009
Seyllin I Distress Call Warns of Nuclear Attack

SEYLLIN 0944 - In what looks like an alarming confirmation of earlier suspicions, military authorities just
moments ago received a warning of a potential nuclear attack underway in Seyllin. The warning came as a
delayed-release emergency signal from the only ground-level security installation on the planet. Specifically
designed to withstand the effects of a nuclear blast, the emergency probe escaped into orbit just barely,
transmitting its message to regional listening posts before disappearing off radar.

Military officials have refused to confirm the attack, stating that various questions remain. "We firstly ask that
people remain calm during this time. We are seeking answers through multiple lines of investigation and will be
able to more fully report on the situation in a very short amount of time," said the Federation Navy's Emergency
Services Manager, Elette Decaix. She added that the distress call alone was not conclusive enough to confirm a
nuclear attack. "The distress call was part of an autonomous early-warning system. The system appears to have
activated as designed, but there are any number of other environmental events that may have triggered the
probe launch."

10/03/2009
Report: Thukker Caravan Reported Missing in Great Wildlands

SYSTEM SL-YBS 0952 - SCOPE News has learned that a Thukker caravan has been reported missing in the Great
Wildlands region. The elusive tribe consulted with the Republic's Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor a short time ago,
stating in confidence that the caravan's last checkpoint was a transit waypoint through the SL-YBS system.

Known for their nomadic culture, Thukker caravans typically consist of hundreds of vessels. Though home to
large numbers of civilian tribesmen, they are generally well-armed and entirely self-sufficient, rarely if ever
seeking port in stations.

10/03/2009
Panic in Oursulaert

OURSULAERT 1002 - Security forces and medical first responders aboard the Federation Navy Testing Facilities in
orbit around Oursulaert III have responded to reports of a deadly stampede in the commercial docking bays.

Eyewitness reports indicate that the panic was sparked by the news of communications failures in the Seyllin
system. Passengers waiting in the commercial transportation terminal attempted to storm a waiting vessel in
order to secure passage out of the system. A report from the transportation provider indicates that the vessel is
currently locked down and secure, a significant number of passengers have been injured during the stampede,
and the mob is currently refusing to peacefully disperse back into the terminal.

10/03/2009
Scientists: Solar Radiological Pulse Event to Blame for Seyllin Catastrophe

BOURYNES 1003 - An emergency conference of scientists arranged by University of Caille has concluded that a
"solar radiological pulse" originating from the blue sun of the Seyllin system is to blame for the ongoing
catastrophe on its innermost planet. They ruled out the possibility of a military attack - including a potential
nuclear strike - based on the size and scale of the devastation, stating that "no arsenal in the possession of any
nation-state in the cluster is capable of delivering such widespread and deep devastation in such a short period
of time."

More ominously, the conference reported that the possibility of a supernova still cannot be ruled out, despite the
fact that the local Seyllin sun (a powerful O-class star) was not expected to do so for at least another million
years. The symptoms of Seyllin I appear consistent with a post-main sequence event, as the planet has been
doused in massive bursts of ultraviolet energy and high-energy particles such as x- and gamma rays. Those
deep beneath the surface or on the night-side of the planet might be spared the brunt of any thermal effect, but
radiological damage would be felt across the entire world.

The scientists warned that for any installation or outpost on the surface of the side directly facing a radiological
pulse of that magnitude, the probability of survival is zero.

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10/03/2009
ORE Confirms Survey Expedition Team is Lost

SYSTEM 3HQC-6 1007 - Outer Ring Excavations (ORE) has confirmed that the deep core survey expedition
operating on the planet 3HQC-6 I has been lost. The mining corporation suspended rescue efforts after being
warned by the team not to approach the planet. The deep core surveyors, who were below the surface when
contact was first lost, reestablished a temporary link before going offline for good.

An anonymous ORE employee with the corporate HQ in 4C-B7X stated that the last transmission sent by the
team predicted "they would all be dead within minutes" and that they believed a "possible nuclear strike or
other radiological pulse weapon" had detonated above their location. The team's final moments are being
described as eerily reminiscent of the fate suffered by victims in Seyllin, who reported a nearly identical event at
almost the same time. ORE reported that the planet is "shimmering with radioactivity" and that the daytime
surface temperature of the world is "several times hotter than usual."

ORE officials stated that they are in contact with the Gallente Federation and are sharing information with the
scientist consortium in Bourynes.

10/03/2009
Federation Navy, CONCORD Warships Arrive at Seyllin I

SEYLLIN 1008 - CONCORD has confirmed that "a natural disaster of unprecedented scale and consequence has
occurred" and that a joint press conference with President Foiritan will be announced shortly. Dreadnoughts,
carriers, and freighters have arrived by the hundreds at the stricken planet -- with even more en route -- to
begin one of the largest mass rescue efforts in modern history.

A Navy spokesman stated that capital ships are ferrying dropship squadrons to be used in surface runs to
evacuate the wounded, whereas freighters will provide fuel, supplies, and orbital triage centers. Stabilized
patients will be transported from freighters to intensive care units throughout the Federation using "any and
every means possible."

10/03/2009
SPECIAL REPORT: CONCORD-Federation Joint News Conference Transcript Issued

LUMINAIRE 1014 - A joint press conference has been concluded just moments ago with President Souro Foiritan
(present) and CONCORD Chief of Staff Kivas Odaka (virtual). The following is a transcript of the opening remarks
by Federation President Souro Foiritan:

"Ladies and gentlemen, members of CONCORD, fellow citizens listening throughout New Eden, thank you for
your attention. At 08:41 EVE Standard, a weather monitoring outpost on Seyllin I reported a service outage of its
Cassandra satellite system. At 08:49 EST, fluid router communications at the primary underground cities of
Southern Cross, Metal City, Valimor, and Loadcore were suspended following a self-imposed preventive
shutdown. At 08:59 EST, contact with Southern Cross was reestablished, at which point it was confirmed that a
radiological pulse event had disabled the communications systems of the entire planet. In addition, global
electrical grids have been incapacitated, and the combined thermal and radioactive energy of the pulse has
damaged or destroyed any equipment operating above a surface depth of 20 meters.

"The source of this pulse was the local sun. It was not an attack by any sovereign nation. The cause of this solar
activity is not known, but appears to be a singular event. We do not anticipate any subsequent bursts at this
time. However, given the extent of damage to vital structures and the high levels of radiation saturating the
planet, I have issued an executive order to evacuate citizens from the planet. This is to provide medical
assistance for those in need, to deliver search and rescue crews to critical sites, and to provide engineers with
time to assess the situation and recommend an action plan for restoring vital services.

"I have appointed Grand Admiral Anteson Ranchel to oversee this operation, and I have absolute confidence in
his abilities. Federation authorities reporting to him are coordinating with planetside emergency management
personnel to provide an orderly and safe evacuation. Citizens are advised to leave physical possessions behind
and head towards the nearest spaceports in the cities of Southern Cross and Valimor. With the assistance of
CONCORD, Federation dropships will be available for transport at all times. Most of the primary intercity magrail
lines linking these locations with Loadcore and Metal City are still operating on backup power. Citizens are
advised to use these lines to reach Southern Cross and Valimor.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the toll in human life and injury from this tragedy will be too great to comprehend.
Everything that we know about ourselves will be tested. Some of you will have to make some cruel choices, as
you will encounter circumstances for which there are no right answers. I ask you to make way for those who can
be saved, and to put your best foot forward for the safety and well-being of your fellow man. Thank you.

10/03/2009
Gallente Mining Stocks Tumble As Seyllin Crisis Unfolds

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LUMINAIRE 1022 - Share prices in the Gallente mining sector have tumbled dramatically as the situation on the
planet Seyllin I is developing into a full-blown crisis. Although virtually no details of the incident are available
yet, the market turbulence is expected to increase.

A news bulletin just released by the Garoun Investment Bank says: "Seyllin is a very important system for the
Gallente industry. It is clear that some sort of crisis situation is rapidly developing there. Although we cannot yet
estimate its severity, we expect the volatility to spread across other market sectors in the Federation".

10/03/2009
Orbital Triage Centers Established, Rescue Operations Underway

SEYLLIN - Freighters converted into medical wards have established orbits over the night side of Seyllin I and are
accepting injured survivors. The overwhelming number of cases are severe burns and trauma caused by
secondary splash-effect damage from local structures after the original event. As promised by President Foiritan,
dropships have been returning full loads of people onto these floating hospitals nonstop, pausing only to take on
fuel and returning immediately to the surface.

The lack of atmosphere limits the number of landing sites to recover passengers, thus restricting the rate of
retrieval. Engineers have reported that there are a total of 37 spaceports between the cities of Southern Cross
and Valimor, each with up to 20 hex-pads to accommodate vertical landings. Each pad is equipped with
pressurized boarding gantries in case the spaceport's protective shield dome is retracted, which seems likely to
be the case in this situation. In stripped configurations, the largest dropships can accommodate up to 500
passengers.

Southern Cross and Valimor have populations of 80 million and 110 million, respectively.

10/03/2009
Report: Serpentis and ORE Send Assistance to Seyllin

SEYLLIN 1035 – After a brief confrontation with Federation Navy warships, unarmed Serpentis vessels were in
the last hour allowed to pass through to Seyllin I. The pirate faction, a longtime rival of the Federation, has
delivered medical equipment and personnel to help assist victims rescued from the planet. In addition, they
have brought specialized excavation equipment provided by ORE which can be used to "create new access
points for dropships or clear major obstacles to rescue operations," according to a company spokesperson.

As a sure sign of the extraordinary and dire situation on Seyllin I, President Foiritan thanked the cartel but
warned that "such actions, though noble, do not exonerate the criminal organization from past misdeeds."
Serpentis CEO Salvador Sarpati remarked that "the sentiment is mutual, and in the interest of saving those
trapped beneath the surface of Seyllin, our differences have been temporarily set aside."

Separately, ORE stated that using Serpentis to dispatch the equipment was the fastest way to get it to Seyllin,
and that the loss of their survey team in Outer Ring makes their own participation in the Seyllin rescue effort
"deeply personal to them."

10/03/2009
Federation Navy Rushes Ships to Border Zone; Caldari Navy Responds in Kind

CARROU 0912 - President Foiritan has authorized the immediate mobilization of "Tripwire" defenses along the
constellation border separating the Gallente Federation and the Caldari State, escalating tensions between the
two warring nations. The act follows the sudden and mysterious loss of contact with the planet Seyllin I.
Although the measure is being called "precautionary" by Federation officials, many view the act as reckless
given the dangers inherent to such large war fleets operating in proximity to each other.

Analysts have stated that the lack of communication with Seyllin I means an attack on the planet cannot be
ruled out, as fluid router hubs are typically the first targets of any orbital bombardment or commando-style
operation.

The Caldari Navy has responded in kind, mobilizing its forces along its border in what appears to be a purely
defensive posture. State Executor Tibus Heth is expected to issue a statement to address these developments
within the hour.

10/03/2009
Heth: No Military Operations in the Vicinity of Seyllin

NEW CALDARI 0920 - Caldari State Executor Tibus Heth has issued a message directed at President Foiritan,
intended to diffuse escalating tensions along the border zone. In the address, he states that they are not
responsible for instigating the crisis in Seyllin, but will defend themselves if provoked. The full statement is as
follows:

"The Caldari State does not ever discuss the deployment of forces necessary to defend our interests. However, I

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feel that the current situation warrants an exception to the rule. As of now there are no military operations in the
vicinity of the Seyllin System, or in fact the entire constellation of Thoulde. Although we regret the aggressive
posturing by President Foiritan in the border zone, I believe that his actions stem from a lack of information
regarding the fate of the planet Seyllin I, and are therefore tolerable-for now. "However, we are always vigilant. I
have therefore ordered our armed forces to mobilize and prepare to defend the sovereign territory of Caldari
State. They will not attack unless provoked. At the same time, I offer our assistance to the Gallente Federation in
determining not only the cause of the communications disruption in Seyllin, but in providing the technical means
of ensuring it does not happen again. Such is the least we can do, considering the bond we share in Luminaire.
We mean no ill will towards these or other citizens of the Federation, and wish a speedy and safe resolution can
be found in these trying times. Thank you."

10/03/2009
BREAKING NEWS: Seyllin Communications Restored, Emergency Channels Flooded with Planetary
Distress Calls

SEYLLIN 0936 - Fluid router traffic restored with Seyllin I has opened to a flood of distress signals originating
from all four primary cities of the Federation planet. It is believed that the communications system was restarted
autonomously following a self-imposed shutdown to protect itself from an external threat. Emergency channels
have since been overwhelmed with distress calls, many with specific requests for an evacuation from the planet
itself. There is no official word on the cause of this calamity or the extent of damage incurred. CONCORD and
Federation vessels are reported to be scrambling towards the planet at this time.

This is a breaking news story. More information will be provided when available.

10/03/2009
Report: Seyllin Fluid Routers Located Kilometers Beneath Surface

LUMINAIRE 0909 - The FTL communications link between Seyllin I and the Federation is located several
kilometers beneath the surface of the barren mining world, stated engineers familiar with the planet. Four main
subterranean cities linked by underground magrails hold the bulk of the planet's population, whose residents
mostly support mining operations. Access points to the surface are limited due to extreme daytime surface
temperatures, but robust thermal shielding methods allow for spaceport access and limited space elevator
operations. Most of the power generation for the planet is conducted through geothermal or aneutronic fusion
means, as some excavation sites have reached depths of more than 100 kilometers below the surface.

The economic value of Seyllin to the Federation is significant, accounting for a quarter of all raw ore production
in the Thoulde Constellation, and making up a significant fraction of the Federation's supply of key heavy
metals. It is unknown if the communications outage is associated with the earlier reported loss of the planet's
Cassandra weather monitoring system.

10/03/2009
Breaking News: All Contact Lost With Seyllin

LUMINAIRE 0901 - Federal Administration has reported that all contact with the planet Seyllin I has been lost.
Attempts to restore communications are ongoing, but SCOPE has learned that the Federation Navy has diverted
a task force towards the area, and that CONCORD has offered "the full scope and breadth of its capabilities" in
assisting them.

This is a breaking news story. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

10/03/2009
Weather Satellite Glitch Causes Travel Disruption

SEYLLIN 0843 - A disruption in solar weather monitoring services has forced travel delays in the Seyllin system.
The satellite network known as "Cassandra" is reported to have dropped offline shortly after 0840 local time,
temporarily locking out traffic attempting to enter the system.

Researchers at the base monitoring facility on Seyllin I are attributing the incident to a communications glitch,
and expect service to be restored shortly.

10/03/2009
CONCORD Confirms "Topological Defects" are Wormholes, Imposes "Unenforceable Travel Ban" From
Portals in Regulated Space

YULAI - CONCORD has just confirmed that the "topological defects" predicted earlier by the Sisters of EVE have
begun appearing throughout the New Eden cluster. The wormholes are reported to be structurally stable enough
to traverse, although they cannot predict the duration that they will remain open.

In addition, CONCORD has stated that they can only protect those who enter or leave from portals within hisec
space, and have thus declared an "unenforceable travel ban" in an attempt to discourage pilots from entering.

-811-
Rumors have begun circulating that probes sent through wormholes can maintain contact with their deployment
platform, but cannot determine their location on the far side.

10/03/2009
Federation, CONCORD Ships Pulling Back from Seyllin I; Stargates Blockaded

SEYLLIN – In an apparent confirmation of New Eden's worst fears, the flotilla of rescue ships above Seyllin I has
left orbit and are pushing towards the system’s stargates. SCOPE News vessels attempting to defy system-wide
evacuation orders were fired upon by Federation Navy warships. Before leaving the Seyllin System, SCOPE was
able to confirm that no dropships remained at any of the spaceports.

CONCORD warships have blockaded the entry points into Seyllin from the Aporulie, Ane, and Metserel Systems.
SCOPE News will be unable to report on events on the far side until the blockade is lifted.

10/03/2009
Report: Communications Lost with ORE Survey Team in Outer Ring

3HQC-6 0855 - Fluid router traffic linking a remote ORE expedition in Outer Ring with its headquarters in the
Heart Constellation has been severed following reports of an emergency. Although ORE was unavailable for
official comment, SCOPE has learned that the mining corporation dispatched a small task force to the Sword
Constellation to investigate.

The lost expedition is believed to be prospecting on 3HQC-6 I, the system's innermost planet. Establishing fluid
router communications is standard operating procedure for any remote mining or surveying operation, and
disruption of established links is most commonly caused by equipment failures or accidents.

The expedition is believed to have been performing deep core surveys on the planet's interior when the
emergency was sounded.

10/03/2009
CreoDron Discovers Wormhole, Refutes CONCORD Advisory

Following on the heels of the travel ban established by CONCORD, Creodron's lead Astrophysicist Lianda Burreau
announced the discovery of a "stable wormhole" in an undisclosed system.

Speaking to The Scope from an undisclosed location, Prof. Burreau has staked a claim on the safety of the
wormhole, stating that she is so confident of the "needless overstatement" in CONCORD's travel warnings that
she will travel through to the other side herself. She added that the excursion would not be pursued recklessly,
and that long-range autonomous scout drones had already been deployed ahead of her to warn of any
unforeseen risks.

Prof. Burreau is understood to have the complete confidence of CreoDrone CEO Roni Darieux and the Board of
Directors. No comment has been forthcoming from Federation officials, as they, the scientists, and millions of
citizens alike wait to hear back from the scout drone expedition.

10/03/2009
Creodron Scout Drones Transmit Initial Findings

CreoDron scout drones, sent through a "stable wormhole" discovered by CreoDron astrophysicists, transmitted
the first images from the other side of the wormhole.

The first pieces of data received included five blurry image captures. The images clearly depict another system
unlike any seen before, with darkened, empty planets set against an unfamiliar, crimson nebula.

Prof. Burreau, the woman responsible for the wormhole's discovery, conducted a brief conference from an
undisclosed location thought to be near the site of the wormhole.

"Despite the strange nebulae, we believe what we are seeing here is a system not unlike those familiar to us in
New Eden, although it is far, far away. Initial data gathered from intracluster medium analysis on the other side
has led us to strongly consider the possibility that this system resides in a galaxy other than our own.

"Aside from that, everything about this system appears to be typical of our own. We are encouraged by early
signs. The planets are in heliocentric orbit, which suggests that the environment there should remain similar to
ours, although some abnormalities in the readings suggest a level of volatility in this system's local
electromagnetic fields."

Prof. Burreau remained resolute that a manned excursion into the unknown system would proceed, despite the
risks. "We must not fear the unknown, we must understand it," she said before calling the conference to an end
and excusing her team to prepare.

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10/03/2009
Signs of unknown civilizations found by CreoDron scout drones

CreoDron scout drones have identified "non-natural deadspace signatures" while currently exploring an unknown
system on the other side of a wormhole, suggesting they were designed by intelligent lifeforms.

This startling news was delivered moments ago by Prof. Lianda Burreau, this time via a local fluid router
broadcast in the Balrille system. This system is in the process of being heavily locked down by local Federation
Navy pilots.

Although the news cannot be confirmed at this time, dozens of eyewitness reports from Balrille all relate the
same story. Those present to hear her communication claim that Prof. Burreau seemed "hurried" with the news.
"She just opened up in local comms before I could make sense of what she was saying. Something about
discovering signatures, that she was going, and that she would transmit from the other side," said one
anonymous witness. "She seemed defiant, more than anything. I think people were trying to stop her," stated
another.

10/03/2009
Federation Held In The Grip of Recent Events

Luminaire - People from all across the Federation are expressing their sympathy and support to the families of
victims of the Seyllin disaster. Many families are also complaining that the media attention had instead turned to
recent discoveries by CreoDron instead of focusing on the world-shaking tragedy.

According to Gallente authorities, the amount of donations to families of the victims has surpassed any previous
relief drives by an extensive margin. Federation citizens also formed large queues in front of the banks in order
to contribute as much as they can.

"I had some distant relatives in Seyllin's Metal City," said Orla Meale, an orbital assembly worker, as she exited
the branch of a local bank. "We were never close, but now I can't stop thinking about them. I have donated all
my savings to help the victims' families, and a lot of my friends have done the same."

Emerging from this disaster is the news of CreoDron's expedition. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered on
the streets of Gallente cities, watching the holovid systems broadcast real-time news on the expedition's
progress.

"It is a travesty," shouted an outraged woman outside the bank. "Our friends and relatives have died, and yet
the media act as if nothing has happened!"

Compared to the nationwide interest in the CreoDron expedition, these complaints are far and few between.
Mark Ufford, a teenager eagerly watching the holovid broadcast, told The Scope team, "Don't think I'm not sorry
for those who died today - I really am. But what we are seeing now can change our lives forever."

10/03/2009
Federation Navy Detachment Locks Down Barille Constellation

The Federation Navy has ordered a reserve detachment, destined for Seyllin, to seize control of the CreoDron
site and all key system-wide infrastructures across the Barille constellation, including the receiving station for
the scout drones. Eager to pre-empt negative speculation, military spokespeople have already pressed their
case to local media that all measures currently underway are precautionary and "designed to limit any further
loss of life and property."

When questioned about the location of Prof. Lianda Burreau's research team, military officials revealed that she
had left through the wormhole "long ago." They stressed that the professor "had in no way been threatened or
coerced" and that she "entered the wormhole out of her own accord." They added that her decision to enter the
system risked not only her life, but potentially that of "many other innocent and law-abiding citizens."

The Federation Navy issued a statement warning interstellar travelers to continue avoiding any system
disturbances and has encouraged starship captains to report any unusual sightings.

10/03/2009
Navy reports loss of contact with CreoDron team

Only moments after seizing a CreoDron facility somewhere in the Barille constellation, Federation Navy officials
have reported to local media that contact with the CreoDron team cannot be established. The Navy is claiming
to have only just recently located the site of the wormhole, which they believe Prof. Burreau and her team have
entered, aiming to explore the other side.

"Immediately upon securing the facility, we set about establishing a priority commlink with Professor Burreau,"
stated one military official. "We have not yet been able to make contact with her team, nor the drones that

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initially entered the system. For now, the best we can do is wait and hope."

11/03/2009
Expeditions underway across New Eden, rumors abound

Following in the footsteps of others such as CreoDron, numerous organizations across New Eden have begun to
prepare themselves for expeditions of their own. From small, private endeavors to larger entities such as the
Imperial Navy, people are mobilizing exploratory squads en masse, all in the hope of finding some answers to
today's extraordinary events.

Various rumors of hostile encounters on the other side have been filtering down from the capsuleer class
already, almost as often as whispers of rare new resources have surfaced. Reactions to these claims have been
mixed so far, with nobody yet willing to state any definitive facts in a politically-charged public arena. Some
have brushed the talk of hostility aside as a mistaken case of capsuleer piracy. Others have charged the
capsuleer class with conspiring against the baseline populations and lying about the threat as they try to
monopolize resources that they, above all others, would have the easiest time accessing. None of the empires
have confirmed or denied these claims, preferring instead to focus on their own expeditions and defensive
deployments.

With talk of strategic resources and potential threats flying around FTL comms, the Empire navies appear to
have decided to maintain their current state of alert. Prepared now after the events of Seyllin, they stand more
ready to guard against any number of unforeseen eventualities. In amidst a chaotic mixture of rumor and fact,
the growing sentiment seems to be that the capsuleers of New Eden, with their immense resources and access
to cloning technology, will be the best hope for some answers in the near future. Until that time, each of the
Empires seems content to simply brace themselves for the unknown.

Initial ardishapur speaking engagements ''doing well''

reported by ISD Caleb Kang 26.04.2009 15:01:28

As Yonis Ardishapur's speaking tour continues through the Empire, initial reports indicate the events are gaining
in success. Held mainly in churches and other areas of religious gathering, the Heir has attracted sizable crowds.
While many of the venues can hold several thousand safely, seats have been taken quickly, leading to some
being turned away at the door. In addition to those in attendance, tens of thousands have watched broadcasts of
the engagements.

Commenting on the popularity of the events, a factory worker from Romi stated, “It's not every day you get to
see an Heir in person. The nearest I'd ever seen before was Lord Kador's vehicle passing by during a parade.
And he makes perfect sense, too! I never thought the royalty were so much in touch with the common faith.”

The Royal Heir's celebrity is only one factor in the popularity of the events, however. “He speaks of times of
glory and how to regain what we've given up, and his suggestions are remarkably apposite,” remarked one
Holder. “It would be wise of us to give him credence.”

The initial positive reaction to the events has encouraged Ardishapur, who recently announced plans to expand
the tour to larger venues, along with broadcast deals that would project his speeches into less-inhabited areas.

Secondary explosions lead to further loss of life

reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau 2010.05.04 15:54:02

Pashanai - A series of secondary explosions has rocked the shattered hulk of the Ministry of War station in
Pashanai. Given the extensive and ongoing rescue and recovery operations taking place, this new series of
blasts is sure to add to the death toll, especially among responders and aid workers.

It is unclear as yet what caused these secondary blasts. While some theorize that they are the result of charges
placed by the original terrorists with the express purpose of targeting first responders, the Bloody Hand of Matar
has not yet claimed credit. Further, there is some indication that these smaller explosions may be the delayed
result of damage to the station's power-generation infrastructure.

Rescue crews are redoubling their efforts to free aid workers who have become trapped. Ministry of War officials
have brought in an investigative crew in an attempt to determine the cause of the blasts, though serious
forensic work may be forced to wait until the bulk of critical rescue operations are complete.

Boundless creation marketing holo banned

reported by ISD Gaspard Sorelo 24.04.2009 11:50:59

Hagilur – A review panel at the Republic Justice Department has ordered a ban on the latest marketing holoreel
produced by Boundless Creation after fierce opposition from a Minmatar-Gallente based pressure group. The
group, named “Reconcile,” is a pro-peace movement seeking to move the major governments of New Eden
toward a peaceful end to current hostilities.

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Reconcile filed a petition with the Republic Justice Department several days ago, stating that the upcoming
Boundless Creation marketing holoreel was “needlessly antagonistic and totally lacking in any measure of class.”

The disputed holoreel contains publically sourced footage of the recent capture of the last Curatores Veritatis
Alliance outpost in AY-YCU in the Providence region, where an all-Minmatar starship taskforce was assembled by
the alliances Against ALL Authorities and Ushra’Khan, as well as several other capsuleer organizations.

A Reconcile spokesman stated the following after the hearing today: “We are very happy with the ruling and feel
that something worthwhile has been achieved here today. As our first major move into any high-profile lobbying,
we are understandably excited with the results, and the prospects of future success.”

Aardishapur holding public court during engagements in own domains

reported by ISD Caleb Kang 2010.05.05 09:57:17

Sasta – In an unusual move, Lord Yonis Ardishapur has begun

holding public court while touring his domains. Following his speaking engagements, the Heir has been opening
his ears to the grievances of his underlings.

During a recent speaking engagement in the Ammatar system of Sasta, Lord Ardishapur held a public court,
encouraging all members of society to bring their problems before him. While it is common for the Heirs to hold
Royal Courts and hear the grievances of Holders under their rule, it is highly unusual for commoners to be
granted equal standing.

His subjects' reactions have mostly been positive. “Lord Ardishapur's words made me realize the error of my
grievance,” said Arro Hakim, a Ni-Kunni merchant who had long been attempting to escape a contract made
with a Dabka holder. “I made the agreement in good faith and, while it may have ended up worse for me, it is
my responsibility to bear, no one else's. I've had scripture quoted at me before, but this time it honestly made a
new kind of sense.”

Ducia foundry team target of mysterious attack

reported by ISD Ria Nicaea 07.05.2009 00:30:51

X-7OMU - Following up on an anonymous report, The Scope has obtained classified sensor data from a Sisters of
Eve search vessel sent deep into w-space. The operation was undertaken at the request of Ducia Foundry for the
recovery of a team which was reported missing earlier in the week. The leaked sensor data reveals damage
visible on recovered ships and outpost structures which is minimal and does not follow known Sleepers attack
patterns. All members of the missing team are as yet unaccounted for after a thorough search of the mining
outpost. Ducia Foundry spokesman Youd Rassosa has declined to comment at this time.

Ardishapur refutes claims he has overstepped bounds of power

reported by ISD Caleb Kang 10.05.2009 10:05:57

The popularity of Lord Ardishapur's speaking engagements have continued to rise, with events now selling out
stadium-sized venues and being broadcast to millions system-wide. The engagements have not been without
some controversy, however, as some claim the Heir has overstepped the traditional bounds of his power.

The claims began after an incident in Dantan, where two long-feuding Holders approached the Royal Heir for
advice to resolve their dispute. According to one of the Holders, they “have been unable to find satisfaction in
other public courts.” Lord Ardishapur agreed to hear them and listened as each man listed his grievances with
his neighbor.

Once they had finished, the Heir prefaced his opinions by the reminder that, “Any words I say here are merely a
suggestion, as it is beyond my power to bind your actions. Only Lord Kador, your liege-lord, holds that authority.”
The Royal Heir then laid out his understanding of their grievance and offered several suggestions, including a
complicated, large-scale swap of territory that the Heir claimed “would resolve many of your issues.”

Several high ranking Amarr officials have claimed that such an act undermines the authority of Lord Kador and
the Theology Council, before whom the two Holders have argued many times. The Holders dispute this
contention, one claiming, “Had I thought poorly of Lord Ardishapur, I could simply ignore his suggestions.”

Lord Ardishapur himself says there was no harm intended with his actions. “These are his subjects alone and I
have no hold over them. I would never attempt to usurp the rightful power of the Heirs.”

For his part, Lord Kador appears to be pleased that the dispute has been resolved, claiming, “If only Lord
Ardishapur had been here before, hundreds of hours may have not been wasted on those two.”

26/05/2009
Khanid 1st Fleet crosses Imperial border, meets Amarr Navy

Moments ago, the Khanid Royal 1st Fleet crossed into the Tash-Murkon Region of the Amarr Empire. The Fleet

-815-
was immediately met by the Amarr Navy. The Amarr Navy ships took up escort positions around the Khanid 1st
Fleet and the two fleets tandem warped away. Current reports have the two fleets traveling toward Tash-Murkon
Prime.

The presence of the Khanid 1st Fleet in Imperial space marks the first time Khanid warships have entered
Imperial sovereign territory in centuries. Neither the Amarr Empire nor the Khanid Kingdom had any comment to
make regarding the unprecedented border-crossing.

The 1st Fleet is the traditional honor guard of King Khanid II. Since it normally leaves Khanid Prime only when
King Khanid II does so - a scenario that has become increasingly rare in recent centuries - the 1st Fleet is today
a largely ceremonial posting.

26/05/2009
King Khanid II arrives in Tash-Murkon Prime, met by Catiz Tash-Murkon

Tash-Murkon Prime - King Khanid II arrived in Tash-Murkon Prime earlier today along with the Khanid Royal 1st
Fleet and an honor guard of Imperial Navy warships. News of the arrival came hours after the 1st Fleet
unexpectedly crossed into Imperial space and was met by an Amarr Navy escort force.

King Khanid was met in person by Lady Catiz Tash-Murkon, Royal Heir of the Tash-Murkon Family. Both King and
Heir were accompanied by throngs of dignitaries and officials. The two groups quickly retired to private quarters
without addressing the media.

A representative of the Tash-Murkon Family released a brief statement, saying only that "the arrival of King
Khanid II was anticipated" and that the meeting between Catiz Tash-Murkon and King Khanid "marks the
beginning of a new era for the Amarr Empire." The Tash-Murkon Family has been engaging in extended
diplomatic negotiations - mostly centered around trade agreements - with the Kingdom and its corporations over
the past several months.

The 1st Fleet remains in Tash-Murkon Prime, while their Amarr Navy escort has returned to its normal duties
patrolling the Tash-Murkon/Khanid border.

28/05/2009
CONCORD Issues Additional Agent Licenses Due to Professional and Corporate Demands

Yulai – CONCORD authorities responsible for licensing and auditing the activities of station agents have agreed
to issue an additional 23 licenses for highly-qualified agents, as a result of lobbying from the Association of
Market and Contract Brokers (AMCB) and major empire corporations. The AMCB negotiators had pointed to a
considerable increase in the demand for agents in a number of key hubs and lobbied very hard to relieve the
pressures on the agents it represents, mainly Gallente and Minmatar professionals.

Originally a professional body for market brokers dealing with negotiations with the SCC over terms and
conditions, the AMCB had expanded to represent contract brokers, recently changing its name to reflect this.
Following some high-profile cases of station agents making severe errors or engaging in criminality, the pressure
on agents to conform to CONCORD regulations while serving the needs of corporations and pilots increased
considerably. Coming from a wide range of corporate backgrounds, many agents were unable to agree on how
to put their concerns to CONCORD until Julius Scarpacchio, President of the AMCB, suggested to an Intaki
acquaintance working as an agent that his organization was well-placed to represent agents' interests.

Initially representing a bloc of Gallente agents, the AMCB was soon able to prove its value by negotiating a
comprehensive package of compensation for agents who were forced to move locations due to CONCORD re-
organization of routes and stations. Joined by more Gallente and many Minmatar agents, the AMCB then
embarked on a six-month period of negotiation with CONCORD on behalf of agents in major hubs.

Parallel pressure was also exerted on CONCORD by a number of Caldari State and Amarr Empire corporations,
whose agents were not represented by the AMCB. CONCORD insiders have indicated, however, that the State
and Empire corporations preferred to allow the high-profile lobbying to be done by the AMCB, possibly to
capitalize on the perception that this was primarily an issue of maintaining agent integrity and professional
welfare. The process of lobbying by corporations and the AMCB culminated in an agreement to issue 23 high-
level agent licenses for positions in various empire hubs.

Julius Scarpacchio commented on the agreement, "It has been a long road and at times a hard battle but I am
pleased to say that the needs of our agent members have been recognized and CONCORD has acted on them."
Asked if a further name change would be forthcoming for the AMCB, Scarpacchio indicated that it was quite
likely but would be a matter for the membership’s consideration. CONCORD issued a statement through its
public relations office stating that, "Agreement has been reached with the empires, corporations and
professionals on further high-level agent licenses, to the number of 23, which we believe will benefit agents,
their employers and pilot contractors."

-816-
01/06/2009
King Khanid II departs Tash-Murkon Prime, arrives in Amarr

Amarr - Following several days of closed door meetings with Lady Catiz Tash-Murkon, King Khanid II departed
Tash-Murkon Prime along with the Khanid Royal 1st Fleet early this morning. The 1st Fleet immediately traveled
the short distance to the Amarr system, where it proceeded to Amarr Prime.

After roughly three hours of maintaining an orbit around the planet, several atmospheric transports were
observed departing the flagship of King Khanid II and descending to the planet below. The transports landed in
the Imperial city of Dam-Torsad a short time later.

According to reports, the Khanid delegation is awaiting the arrival of an Imperial party before it disembarks.

02/06/2009
Empress Jamyl I meets with King Khanid II

Amarr - In a historic first, Empress Jamyl I met with King Khanid II in the Imperial city of Dam-Torsad today.
Flanked by Imperial Paladins, the Empress greeted Khanid II and welcomed him back to Amarr Prime.

Mimicking what transpired several days ago on Tash-Murkon, the Empress swiftly retired to private council with
Khanid II, where they have remained since. Once again, neither side has issued any comment about the meeting.

The meeting between the two heads of state is historic for several reasons. It marks the first face-to-face
meeting between Khanid II and an Imperial ruler since early in the reign of Doriam II. Additionally, Khanid II has
not set foot on Amarr Prime since the Kingdom split from the Amarr Empire over 300 years ago.

03/06/2009
Royal Heirs called to Amarr Prime; Privy Council to hold emergency session

Amarr - The five Royal Heirs of the Amarr Empire have been recalled to Amarr Prime for an emergency meeting
of the Privy Council. The order comes after days of meetings between Empress Jamyl I and King Khanid II that
have fueled rampant speculation throughout the cluster.

All five Heirs have already arrived at Dam-Torsad to attend the meeting. Catiz Tash-Murkon was the first to
arrive, followed shortly after by Merimeth Sarum, then Aritcio Kor-Azor and Uriam Kador, with Yonis Ardishapur
arriving several hours later from the Ammatar Mandate.

A full meeting of the extended Privy Council - which also includes representatives from the Civil Service,
Theology Council, Ministry of Internal Order, Imperial Chancellery, Ministry of War, and Imperial Navy - last
occurred prior to the coronation of Empress Jamyl I.

06/06/2009
Yonis Ardishapur departs Privy Council meeting

Amarr - Royal Heir Yonis Ardishapur abruptly departed the emergency meeting of the Privy Council early today.
The meeting, which has stretched over several days, was convened after extended meetings between Empress
Jamyl I and King Khanid II.

In his place Lord Ardishapur left his nephew, Arim Ardishapur. According to an official statement by the
Ardishapur Family, the Royal Heir left to attend to "vital matters inside his domains" that could not be delayed.
The statement also declared that Arim Ardishapur "speaks with the full authority of the Ardishapur Family" and
claimed that "the Empress has given full permission for Lord Ardishapur to leave the meeting."

07/06/2009
Khanid Kingdom granted Privy Council seat

Amarr - In a stunning move, Empress Jamyl I has announced that the Khanid Kingdom has been granted a full
seat on the Privy Council. The announcement came after days of meetings between the current members of the
Privy Council in the Imperial city of Dam-Torsad.

The entire Privy Council - including a returned Yonis Ardishapur - stood along with Jamyl I and Khanid II on the
steps of the Imperial palace at Dam-Torsad as the Empress made the announcement.

"Faithful of Amarr, it has been our pleasure to welcome our noble brother Khanid home to Amarr Prime. It is now
our pleasure to welcome his majesty and all the people of the Khanid Kingdom back into the embrace of Holy
Amarr. Our noble brother has long stood sentinel over the outer marches of God's domain and we know that the
requirements of his faith have oft-times made it a painful vigil. Now his patience is rewarded, and a true and
faithful son of Amarr stands once more before the people.

"Our noble brother has acted according to God's will. He engineered the capture of the greatest traitor in our

-817-
Empire's history, the heretic Karsoth. He has affirmed his belief most firm in the Word of God and the holy
burden of our Empire. It is God's divine command that we today confirm the status of Kingdom of the Empire on
the territories our noble and majestic brother shall continue to rule in the name of Holy Amarr.

"In acknowledgment of our noble brother's service and with his glad acceptance, we today make of him a Privy
Councilor and confirm that his seat in our council shall be House Khanid's in perpetuity. Let all subjects of the
Holy Empire of Amarr know that this man has our trust and our faith, as he has given his trust and faith to us.
Let it also be known, by the people, by our friends, and, yes, by our enemies, that today Holy Amarr stands
united in our faith and our holy mission. In the name of God, we declare this and shall see it done."

While acknowledging the rightful reign of Jamyl I as Empress of Amarr, the Khanid Kingdom will remain an
independent nation. It will continue to field its own navy, but will enjoy a pact of mutual protection with the
Amarr Empire. Khanid II will officially hold the Privy Council seat but will be allowed to name a proxy when he is
unable to attend.

15/06/2009
Tibus Heth Awards Caldari Militia with National Distinction

New Caldari - Following the fall of the last Federation stronghold in contestable losec space two weeks ago,
Caldari State Executor Tibus Heth issued a nationwide address commending the State Protectorate Militia for
their "momentous achievement" and promised to award each pilot with the Distinguished Blade, a national
medal of recognition from the Caldari State. Heth noted that their achievement marked "an inflection point in
history" that "established the legacy of the capsuleer for time immemorial," further adding that their challenge
is to continue holding on to those conquered territories.

Meanwhile, the Federation government has given no official reply. Sources report that President Foiritan has held
multiple high-level sessions with cabinet members and national security officials attempting to formulate a
response to these events and lobby for additional support from capsuleers. According to unnamed insiders the
beleaguered president is facing "arguably the most difficult period of his time in office."

A spokesperson from the Caldari Provide Directorate stated that pilots can expect to receive their State-issued
Distinguished Blade medal on June 23rd.

The full transcript of Tibus Heth's address is below:

Patriots of the Caldari State,

As a civilization, we have reached an inflection point in our history. Just as our forefathers struggled to liberate
themselves from Gallentean tyranny, our immortal warriors today continue the fight for Caldari providence
among these stars.

With their help, we have expanded the frontiers of our great nation, driving away a cruel and cowardly enemy
attempting to force its will upon a peace-loving people. Mark my words, frontier settlements will benefit from the
liberation of their worlds from Federation hands. Indeed, we will unlock the true potential of these regions by
lifting those who earn the right to lead and prosper.

Honored patriots, we have achieved true greatness in such a short time. Our challenge now is to maintain this
momentum. Our brave capsuleers will face a bitter enemy eager to enact reprisals against our liberated worlds.
We must stay vigilant, for we know not when or where they will strike. Yet it serves us well to honor their
momentous achievement-the complete dominance of Federation naval forces in the warzone systems of
Essence, Verge Vendor, Placid, The Citadel, and Black Rise-for it has established the legacy of the capsuleer for
time immemorial.

It is thus that I present our immortal warriors of the State Protectorate Militia with The Distinguished Blade,
awarded for unity in bravery and valor towards the fulfillment of national military objectives. This distinction
serves notice to all that there is no greater power in New Eden than combined empyrean might, and we are
honored to have you with us.

Thank you, brave capsuleers, and long live the Caldari State!

11/08/2009
Heth Auctioning Development Rights of Conquered Federation Systems to Caldari Mega-
corporations

New Caldari - SCOPE News has acquired a dated top secret memorandum issued from the Caldari Providence
Directorate to all Caldari mega-corporations, stating that the "development and exploration rights" for all
Federation systems occupied by Caldari militias are to be auctioned off to the highest bidders. Although issued

-818-
nearly a month ago, the auction-which has been ongoing in complete secrecy-ends on August 21st, YC111.

The memo specifies that winning bids are effectively entering a three-party agreement with the State and with
all other mega-corporations; this agreement honors the rights of the bidder to hold title over all "resources,
property, and opportunities" developed within the system. The deal is binding irrespective of sovereignty
changes. However, the CPD makes it clear that no additional national resources are to be allocated to protect
mega-corporate activities from Federation militia counterattacks "unless directed as part of strategic Caldari
naval operations in the vicinity."

The language of the memo suggests that the winning mega-corporations, most of which own separate military
security corporations, would be free to operate in contested Federation systems on their own accord, and more
importantly, would be legally authorized to use as much force as they can bring to bear to secure their interests.

As of the time of this publication, all contestable Federation systems remain under strict Caldari control, which
was unilaterally established in May and has remained virtually unchallenged ever since. The memo, entitled
"Caldari Providence Appropriations and Development Rights Issue," states that money procured from the bidding
process will be used to "support the Caldari Navy and repay national obligations."

The CPD and mega-corporations are not answering questions about the memo at this time. The Federation is
expected to release a statement regarding this development within the next 24 hours.

12/08/2009
Foiritan to Invoke Wartime Powers Act to Nationalize Federation Arms Manufacturers; Senate Calls
Emergency Session

Ladistier - In what is clearly a response to Tibus Heth's auction of captured Federation systems, President
Foiritan has issued an executive mandate to seize control of the nation's arms manufacturers. For the first time
since the Caldari-Gallente War, this extraordinary decree invokes the Hueromont Act, which grants the president
sweeping emergency powers in the event of national crisis. The Senate has decried Foiritan's act, calling it an
"impeachable offense," and a session is underway to formulate a response.

The nationalization of Federation arms manufacturers-which includes behemoths CreoDron and Duvolle
Laboratories-would give the President's office the legal authority to direct manufacturing and production
operations without corporate consent, and thus to bypass any Senate approval for the measure.

The decades-old Hueromont Act was passed to mobilize Federation resources in the event of an emergency. It
states that "such authority may be invoked directly, without approval from the senate, in times of extreme
national duress such as war or natural disaster, for the express purpose of galvanizing the nation's resources
toward relieving the imminent threat as quickly as possible."

Foiritan's invocation of the act implies that the Federation is in an official state of emergency, as the Caldari
militia has controlled several lowsec Federation systems since May. The Presidential Office issued a brief
statement that, by its interpretation, Foiritan's action was legal, "reflect[ing] the actions of a president who is
determined to protect the nation from further harm by relying less on uncontrollable factors and asserting more
control for the better good of its citizens."

Federal Intelligence Office Director Mentas Blaque has been assigned to enforce the directive, meaning it will
likely be executed by the Black Eagles, the paramilitary arm of the FIO that has grown substantially in scope
under Blaque's direction. It is unclear exactly how much power the director can wield to enforce the presidential
mandate. Meetings between corporations and FIO officials are already underway, although SCOPE has agreed to
honor a temporary request to refrain from listing exactly which specific corporations are "engaged in dialogue."

This is a SCOPE breaking news story. More coverage will follow as details emerge.

13/08/2009
Breaking News: Roden Shipyards Refuses to Comply with Executive Order; Standoff between
Federal Agents and Corporation Forces Underway

Alentene - A tense standoff between the security forces of Roden Shipyards and the Federation government is
underway at the corporation's headquarters in Alentene. SCOPE has learned that the altercation began shortly
after Federal Intelligence Office (FIO) agents arrived to enforce President Foiritan's executive mandate to
nationalize arms manufacturers.

Government officials have closed access to the scene by reporters. Sources report that Jacus Roden, the retired
founder of Roden Shipyards, personally refused to allow federal agents to enter the facility. A brief statement
released by the corporation reads as follows:

"Our position is that the president has no legal authority to commandeer the operations of this firm. The
Federation government is therefore trespassing on private property. We have no intentions of escalating this
matter further, but we refuse to yield ground on the issue."

-819-
Momentum is gathering in the senate to proceed with an impeachment hearing-the first for a president in
decades. Lawmakers worked through the night lobbying for votes, as fresh polls show that President Souro
Foiritan's popularity has dropped to a record low, with just 26% of respondents viewing the president's
performance favorably.

Jacus Roden, known to be a capsuleer, is the largest single shareholder of the corporation bearing his name. He
retired more than twenty years ago, but not before installing his granddaughter Miloise Roden as CEO. She has
since extended the company lines of business into "super-capital" ventures that include terraforming operations
and the construction of advanced warships for the Federation Navy.

This is a SCOPE breaking news story. More coverage will follow as details emerge.

13/08/2009
Breaking News: Federation Corporations Refute Nationalization Mandate; Senate Approves
Impeachment Hearings for President Foiritan

Villore - Following the defiant example of Roden Shipyards, Federation arms manufacturers have collectively
refuted President Foiritan's nationalization mandate. A hastily arranged charter has been signed by twelve of the
largest Gallentean corporations and delivered to the Presidential Office in Ladistier. According to sources, the
charter states their explicit refusal to comply with the Hueromont Act and boldly demands that government
troops leave corporate properties "with immediate effect."

In what many see as a surprising move, Federal Intelligence Office (FIO) Director Mentas Blaque has ordered
federal agents to "belay prior enforcement directives and stand down." It is unknown if his actions represent
direct insubordination, or if the order was issued by the president. The FIO refuses to comment.

In what many are calling the death throes of the Foiritan presidency, the Federation Senate voted by a two-to-
one margin to begin impeachment hearings as early as next week. This is the latest in a series of national
misfortunes for the beleaguered president, whose popularity since the outset of the Empyrean War has
plummeted.

While confrontations between government and corporations have yet to turn violent, reports of civil unrest are
trickling in from throughout the Gallente Federation. Populist groups are largely divided between the president's
actions and the hawkish measures needed to rescue frontier Federation settlements from Caldari occupation.
Libertarian groups decry the president's actions as a "totalitarian" attempt to take sovereign rights away from
corporations, but have traditionally sided against pro-business causes.

As of now, the president has not officially responded to the corporation charter or the senate impeachment
hearings.

This is a SCOPE breaking news story. More coverage will follow as details emerge.

15/08/2009
Breaking News: President Foiritan to Resign, Call for New Elections in November

Ladistier - SCOPE News has learned that Souro Foiritan, president of the Gallente Federation for the past six
years, has tendered his resignation to the Senate. He is expected to address the nation later today, during which
time he is expected to announce new elections to take place in November.

His resignation comes during a tumultuous period for the nation. Yesterday, the senate voted in favor of moving
forward with wartime impeachment hearings, the first for a president in decades. A rapid succession of national
misfortunes -- the loss of Federation systems to Caldari militias, Heth's brazen auction of these systems as spoils
of war, and Foiritan's decision to nationalize the arms manufacturers in response -- proved to be too much
adversity for the administration to overcome.

Once considered the most popular president in Federation history, Foiritan has fallen dramatically from political
stardom. His descent is generally regarded to have been marked by two key betrayals: that of Admiral
Alexander Noir, whose singular act of terrorism helped spark the Empyrean War, and Grand Admiral Advent
Eturrer, who was convicted of selling vital military secrets to the Caldari.

"That both betrayals came from within the Federation Navy seems fitting for the issues facing the nation today,"
said Vercoure Dilloux, professor of political science at the University of Caille. "The legacy of President Foiritan,
despite his administration's grand accomplishments in economics, culture, and technology, will likely be shaped
by the decline of its armed forces and his failure to enlist capsuleers more directly in the defense of the nation."

The Scope will cover the presidential address later today.

-820-
15/08/2009
Breaking News: President Foiritan to End Term Early, Admits "Regrets"

Ladistier - President Foiritan addressed the nation earlier today, formally announcing his resignation and calling
for new elections. Because Foiritan's term is ending prematurely, the elections must be held in November, and
he himself is ineligible to be a candidate. The president's speech was personal and conciliatory, revealing a
softer side to the man who infuriated the nation days ago with his bid to seize control of the nation's arms
manufacturers. The president admitted that his decision to invoke executive powers on the matter was "wrong,"
but emphasized that it seemed like the best solution to quickly mobilize the nation's defenses against the
Caldari onslaught in frontier systems.

The full transcript is below:

----

"Honored members of the Senate, fellow citizens of the Federation, friends and well-wishers throughout New
Eden:

"The time has come for me to step down as president.

"I have served this great nation as best as I could. If I could somehow express what the Gallente Federation and
its people mean to me, I would do so. But I can't. There are no words. Nor can I describe how difficult some of
the decisions were that we've faced, not just in the last year, but every day since I took this office.

"Any leader who serves for any amount of time will admit regrets. Let it be known that I certainly have my own. I
say that despite the great accomplishments of the past six years-the ones that we achieved together. We have
become the wealthiest nation in New Eden. We are pioneers in the reformation of worlds. We have created a
better life for billions of people. And yet I am burdened by what we did not achieve, and the goals that we fell
short of.

"This November, you will elect someone to continue where I have left off. I will not endorse any candidate who
runs for this office, but I will fully support whoever wins your final vote. I give you my word that our government
will transition smoothly over to your next elected leader, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that
the voting process is fair.

"I have learned much of myself these last years. Indeed, we have learned much from each other. The greatest
advice I can offer to the next leader is to empathize with the nations of New Eden. Know that no matter how
deep our convictions to liberty and prosperity, it is a sad truth that they are not universally cherished nor
admired. We have become the envy and scorn of many. We became the victims of our own success. And we
have paid dearly for our complacency.

"But despite all that has happened, we must never back down from who we are. No matter what happens, we
can't lose faith in the Gallentean beliefs that have carried us so well for so long. The tragic events of the past
year shocked us all, but they don't have to rob us of our soul.

"As a nation, we have strayed from the path. I bear the responsibility for allowing it to happen. And I know in my
heart that the Federation's interests are best served by stepping aside, so that the next president can set us
right once more.

"The senate has accepted my resignation, which is effective this November. Until then, I will continue to operate
the government in its full capacity. In addition, I have retracted my executive invocation of the Hueromont Act.
In light of the situation with our frontier worlds, I felt this to be the best course of action to help our citizens. I
realize now this was wrong, and that I should have instead worked directly with the senate and corporations
towards a solution.

"The urgency of these times cannot be overstated. No matter what our differences, we must work together to
overcome the challenges we face. For united-even now, in the final days of this presidency-we can, and we
must, persevere.

"Thank you."

17/08/2009
Jacus Roden to Announce Candidacy for President

Algogille - Jacus Roden, the founder of Roden Shipyards, has officially filed his candidacy for the Federation
presidency. The news follows an explosive week in Gallente politics, during which Roden Shipyards openly defied
a national decree, the latest in a string of failures that ultimately resulted in President Foiritan's resignation.
Roden, who ranks amongst the Federations richest individuals, has been retired for years, and is the first
candidate to file all the requisite paperwork with the Federation Administration.

-821-
While emerging as a folk hero in the face of last week's defiant standoff, some senators are already questioning
the reclusive man's qualifications. Roden's early career was mired in scandal, as he was charged by Federal
prosecutors with felony counts of theft and racketeering. Although the courts eventually dropped charges
against him, the damage to his reputation remains.

Since handing the corporation to his granddaughter, Roden Shipyards has grown into an industrial giant,
producing nearly all of the Federal Navy's warships. In addition, the corporation has long-standing strategic
partnerships with Allotek Industries and Duvolle Laboratories. It is rumored that Jacus Roden is the man who
founded these relationships, but went to great lengths to keep his name out of the public spotlight.

Although Mr. Roden has filed for candidacy, he has yet to make any public appearance or announcement. While
not unusual considering the reclusiveness of the man himself, filings with the Federal Administration are usually
followed by the fanfare of a presidential run and the launch of a national political campaign. Jacus Roden will
have to emerge to address the public at some point, as the Gallente public is anxious to learn more about him.

20/08/2009
Breaking News: Ishukone Wins Development Rights to Intaki System

New Caldari - The SCOPE has learned that the Ishukone Corporation has bid for and won the rights to develop
the Intaki System. It was revealed last week that Tibus Heth authorized an auction amongst the Caldari
megacorporations for the development rights to recently conquered Federation systems. The terms of the Intaki
acquisition are unknown.

The Caldari Providence Directorate released a brief statement officially acknowledging the auction and
announced that they would disclose the winning bids and systems after bidding concludes this Friday.

A spokesperson for Ishukone confirmed that the Intaki System was the only acquisition for the mega-corporation
in the auction.

This is a breaking news story. The SCOPE will continue to report any developments.

21/08/2009
Providence Directorate announces Gallente auction winners

New Caldari - The Caldari Providence Directorate has today announced the winning bids for their recent auction
of Gallente space. Big winners include Kaalakiota and Sukuuvestaa, while Ishukone makes do with just a single
solitary system. The winning corporations are now authorized to exploit these systems to the fullest for as long
as they remain in Caldari hands.

As expected, the wealth and reach of the megacorporations has driven smaller corps entirely out of the running.
The "blind auction" format seems to have made it difficult for even comparatively wealthy sub-megas - such as
perennially successful Ytiri - to gain any kind of foothold. All eight megacorps had at least one successful bid,
with Suvee leading the charge and claiming fourteen systems. Meanwhile, in a move many are describing as
"baffling", Ishukone has laid claim to a single system - Intaki, generally considered to be the least promising
prospect in the auction due to its comparative lack of mineral wealth and vast native population. Sources
believe that this was the only bid Ishukone made, and several question where the financially struggling
megacorp managed to find the money.

Political analysts are in agreement that a large degree of politicking has taken place behind the scenes, with
many pointing out that the coherent clustering of both individual corporations and ideological blocs is not
something that would occur without extensive horse-trading. There is much disagreement over what the long-
term consequences of the auction will be, but there are signs that the megacorps are already moving assets into
place to begin exploitation as soon as possible.

The full results follow :-

Sukuuvestaa Corporation [14 Systems]:
· Abune
· Costolle
· Deven
· Fliet
· Heydieles
· Indregulle
· Ladistier
· Loes
· Menmaniel
· Muetralle
· Murethand
· Old Man Star
· Ouelletta
· Vifrevaert

-822-
CBD Corporation [6 Systems]:
· Covryn
· Dastryns
· Harroule
· Hevrice
· Jovainnon
· Ostingele

Nugoeihuvi Corporation [2 Systems]:

· Iges
· Uphallant

Hyasyoda Corporation [4 Systems]:

· Agoze
· Annancale
· Brarel
· Vey

Ishukone Corporation [1 System]:

· Intaki

Kaalakiota Corporation [8 Systems]:

· Alamel
· Alparena
· Arderonne
· Athounon
· Mantenault
· Mercomesier
· Odamia
· Reschard

Lai Dai Corporation [4 Systems]:

· Aldranette
· Anchauttes
· Esesier
· Evaulon

Wiyrkomi Corporation [8 Systems]:

· Aslavoinon
· Aubenall
· Eugales
· Fraire
· Moclinamaud
· Oicx
· Renarelle
· Vlillirier

Mandate recovery from elder invasion continues as shipyards are rebuilt

reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius 14.09.2009 16:28:23

Sasta, Derelik – In an announcement that further signals Royal Heir Yonis Ardishapur's determination that the
Ammatar Mandate be a major contributor to the strategic goals of the Amarr Empire, the Ammatar Fleet has
declared five major shipyards in and around the Sasta system as once more fully operational, ready to supply
and refit the ships of the combined Ammatar and Ardishapur fleet forces.

In remarks transmitted from Fleet HQ in Sasta, Grand Admiral Hastar Jibril of the Ammatar Fleet expressed his
"deep satisfaction that the reconstruction of these essential shipyards has been carried out on time thanks to
the unstinting work of the Ammatar people." Since his appointment, Grand Admiral Jibril has been overseeing
the integration of the Ammatar Fleet and those units of the Ardishapur forces assigned to his command. The
reconstruction of these shipyards, all heavily damaged by Minmatar-Thukker strike forces during the Elder
Invasion, was a major priority for the Grand Admiral as they will allow the necessary refitting and retasking of
the Fleet's disparate units to proceed quickly.

In a related development, the Ammatar Fleet has announced that it intends to refit a line of 'Yonis variant'
Abaddons for use on extended patrols of the Minmatar border. Usually reserved for important garrisons or major
taskforces, the Abaddon-class has not been favoured by Amarr commanders as a patrol vessel due to its high
energy requirements and large crew complement. It is speculated by naval architecture experts that the 'Yonis
variant' will feature additional power plants and possibly reduced crew and firepower requirements to make it
practical for prestige patrol duties.

-823-
Nefantar defector presses court case against urban management
reported by ISD Katerina Markova 18.09.2009 14:52:07

Trytedald - The Vherokior tribal court has agreed to hear the case of Oguko Hagori, a former Mandate
industrialist who fled to the Republic during the Elder War last year. Hagori is suing Urban Management for
control of land his family once controlled on Trytedald III. His case is one of many being pursued by Nefantar
immigrants in the wake of the Elder War, as most such lands were confiscated by the Republic government
during the Minmatar Rebellion and made available for public use.

Hagori is the first such plaintiff that has managed to get his case seen by a high tribal court - a result of three
previous appeals - and it is expected to set significant legal precedent in the Republic. His record in the
Mandate, as a quiet supporter of stronger Mandate autonomy and a proponent of abolition, is believed to give
him a better-than-average chance of winning his case with the Vherokior court. However, Urban Management is
so far undefeated through the hundreds of court cases they have had on this very issue, and most legal analysts
seem to agree that Hagori faces an uphill battle.

"Obviously, it's a difficult situation, because the land has not simply been left fallow - handing it over would
displace homes and businesses that have been there for over a century, something that courts seem very
unwilling to do," said Rian Elselfur, one such analyst, speaking on a recent Scope broadcast. "The point of view
from the court in previous cases seems to be that the land was abandoned, for whatever reason, and therefore it
became the property of the Republic negating all previous owners' claims. Revelations about the role of the
Nefantar in the Rebellion notwithstanding, this would be a simple case, but that makes the issue considerably
more muddled."

Republic justice accepts thukker demand for krullefor

reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim 18.09.2009 11:27:10

Pator - The Minmatar Republic will not ask the Thukker tribe to release the apprehended fugitive crime lord
Baliggan Krullefor. This decision was reached in a special meeting yesterday between the Republic’s most senior
judges and several members of Sanmatar Shakor’s government.

The emergency session was held in response to an announcement from Thukker Mix claiming their refusal to
extradite Krullefor to Republic authorities. Following the conclusion of the meeting, representatives of this
assembly declared that the Thukker demands for Krullefor would not be challenged by the Republic.

Public reaction to the announcement has been mixed. "It's a shame to see tribal relations deteriorate like this,"
says Yuce Velkhamme, a Vherokior merchant on Matar.

In Molden Heath, where the Krullefor Family was based, there are others eager to comment on the fate of
Baliggan Krullefor. Magellek Fruterol, a miner in the Weld system, said, "It's an outrage. A man who has done so
much evil in the Republic will not rot in our jail."

"I don't trust the Thukkers for a second, said Gothi Hurjafren, a clerk in the Skarkon system. "I wouldn't be
surprised if the Thukkers organized the whole thing."

Thukker Mix stated that Krullefor will serve time for his offenses under Thukker tribal law, and that his 19 years
in Republic prison will be taken into account in his sentencing.

In the wake of jarek, religion continues to be contentious issue

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 20.09.2009 18:36:44

Pator - The murder of Abel Jarek several weeks ago in what seems to be a religiously-motivated attack has
highlighted growing tensions over the Amarr faith gaining a foothold in the Republic. According to a survey by
the Republic University, most Nefantar and a significant portion of other recent immigrants from the Mandate
and the Empire are choosing to keep their Amarrian religious beliefs. While this segment of the population
remains a tiny minority, according to the survey such a minority was, just a few years ago, "so small as to be
nearly nonexistent."

Nowhere is this clash of cultures more evident than on Matar. Though Jarek's Salvation township was the most
obvious of the new Amarr religious communities, it was not the only one. In the low-rent districts where many
immigrants have settled, makeshift "churches" have been established in backrooms and empty warehouses,
often advertised only by word of mouth.

Even before Jarek's death, many within the immigrant communities feared similar attacks. "Many people do not
understand that the word of God is universal," said Dovirch Brettirdur, pastor of one of these small churches.
"They see our faith as brainwashing, or an attempt by the Amarr to infiltrate the Republic, when nothing could
be further from the truth. We only want to make his light available to those who seek it."

Unfortunately, for many outside these communities, it is impossible to separate the Amarr faith from the Amarr
Empire and its history with the Republic. Perhaps most ironically, some of the strongest critics of this minority

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have been other recent immigrants, many of whom were enslaved until recently. The fact that many of these
people often live in the same or nearby neighborhoods only intensifies the problem. While Republic government
authorities as high as Sanmatar Shakor have said they are committed to ensuring the safety of all Minmatar
citizens, regardless of tribe or religion, many of the people in these communities remain skeptical about the
commitment of those charged with protecting those rights, noting that Jarek's murderers still remain at large.

Ammatar mandate food production restored to pre-invasion levels

reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius 23.09.2009 18:54:13

Tanoo, Derelik – Officials of the Amarr Trade Registry monitoring the Ammatar Mandate have declared that food
production within the Derelik region has returned to pre-invasion levels with a consequent reduction in food
imports from other regions of the Amarr Empire. Since the Elder Invasion, the Mandate has been highly
dependent on food imports and has barely managed to stave off famine in some areas.

The Elder Invasion of YC110 caused widespread damage to many agricultural plantations within the Ammatar
Mandate, despite the invasion forces limiting their strikes to military infrastructure and strategic installations
which posed a threat to their primary goal of recovering slaves. As slaves were seized by the Minmatar-Thukker
forces, the holdings on which they worked were often heavily damaged during the initial assaults. Further
incidental damage, up to and including the burning of some plantations, is associated with rioting and sporadic
clashes with Amarr troops during the invasion and in its immediate aftermath.

Adreyi Ezion, the Chief Financial Officer of the Ardishapur Family and the architect of much of the Mandate's
reconstruction, welcomed the assessement of the Amarr Trade Registry and stated that the ultimate goal of the
Ardishapur administration was to make the Ammatar Mandate self-sufficient in food staples and, eventually, an
export partner with the rest of the Amarr Empire.

Ammatar fleet launches first 'yonis variant' abaddon from sasta shipyards
reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius 04.10.2009 10:58:58

Sasta, Derelik – The Ammatar Fleet has launched its first 'Yonis variant' Abaddon-class battleship from a military
shipyard in Sasta, the Fleet HQ system. The launch is the first of an unspecified number of Abaddon-class
battleships from the Ardishapur house fleet that are being refitted for duties with the Ammatar Fleet.

Designed for extended 'prestige patrol' duties on the Minmatar border, the 'Yonis variant,' named after Royal
Heir Yonis Ardishapur, is understood to have modified energy plants and does not carry the energy-hungry and
crew-intensive tachyon beam batteries often seen on Imperial Navy Abaddon variants. The decision of the
Ammatar Fleet to deploy the formidable Abaddon-class on the border with the Minmatar Republic is regarded by
observers as yet another signal from Royal Heir Yonis Ardishapur that he considers it vital that the Mandate be a
major contributor to the strategic goals of the Amarr Empire.

Tribal court decides for urban management

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 09.10.2009 12:52:04

Trytedald - Today, in a split decision, the Vherokior tribal court sided with Urban Management in the case of
Hagori v. Urban Management, effectively ending Oguko Hagori's attempt to reclaim lands on Trytedald III.
Previously owned by his family prior to the Minmatar Rebellion, the land had been confiscated by the Republic
government and had been returned to public use.

As many had suspected, the decision in the case hinged on whether or not the the land was considered
abandoned. The Vherokior court pointed to the lack of any claim by Hagori's family since the Rebellion, citing it
as evidence that the family had relinquished their claims. While Hagori maintained that the de facto state of war
between the Mandate and the Republic made such claims, even if they had been filed, unlikely to be
acknowledged, the court decided that the fact there was not even an attempt to do so was in effect a
relinquishment of the family's right to the land.

At the moment, what that means for the many other similar lawsuits is unclear; however, most legal scholars
agree that the decision raises the bar for further attempts by Nefantar immigrants to reclaim previously held
property in the Republic. Nefantar tribal leaders have so far been silent, a move seen by many parliamentary
insiders as an attempt to avoid such a hot-button issue with the pending tribal assembly closing in.

Yonis ardishapur appoints ammatar civil servant as mandate governor

reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius 14.10.2009 15:03:42

Tanoo, Derelik – In a surprising move, Royal Heir Yonis Ardishapur has appointed Ekroz Salaf, an ethnic
Ammatar, as Governor of the Ammatar Mandate. Governor Salaf is a career imperial civil servant who most
recently held the position of District Collector for the Ministry of Assessment in Parud constellation, Domain
region.

The appointment of a new governor has been the subject of intense speculation since Yonis Ardishapur was
given the Mandate to rule as a personal fief by Empress Jamyl I. The policy of granting True Amarr Holders key

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planetary and system fiefs, together with a purge of the Ammatar nobility, had raised fears that the Ammatar
people were being relegated to an entirely subservient position in the new order. Political scientists at the
Ammatar Consular University in Tanoo suggest that the appointment of Governor Salaf will do much to allay
concerns among the Ammatar populace.

House Ardishapur officials have confirmed that Yonis Ardishapur took a critical role in overseeing the search for
the new governor, requiring that the personal histories of all candidates be presented for his personal review.
Ekroz Salaf has been an official in the imperial civil service for 37 years and began his career as a liaison
between the Ministry of Assessment and the Nefantar Miner Association in Derelik. His official biographical notes
state that his talent for logistical administration was recognized by a Ministry review board that appointed him
System Assessor in Tanoo in YC80. In YC87, Salaf was promoted to the rank of District Collector for San Matar
before transferring to his posting in Domain in YC98. Governor Salaf will officially take up his duties in the next
few weeks.

New ammatar fleet security taskforce begins patrol of republic border

reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius | 18.10.2009 17:06:35

Sasta, Derelik – The Ammatar Fleet has announced that the newly formed 5th Derelik Border Security Task Force
is to begin a 6-month tour of duty patrolling the Ammatar Mandate border with the Minmatar Republic this
week. Comprised of a core of three 'Yonis variant' Abaddon-class battleships and numerous Apocalypse- and
Armageddon-class battleships, the task force is charged with "maintaining the integrity of the borders of the
Amarr Empire and destroying all threats to the security of the Ammatar Mandate."

In other developments, it has emerged that several penal regiments are currently being raised within the
Ammatar Mandate. Sources within the Ammatar Consulate indicate that dishonored men and officers of the
Ammatar Fleet and Ammatar planetary defense forces are being offered the choice of service in penal
regiments as an alternative to permanent slavery as punishment for their failings during the Elder Invasion.

It is also reported that failed defectors and the families of defectors who have come under suspicion are also
being offered the chance to serve in penal units rather than being convicted of collusion with defectors and
entering formal slavery. The appeal of these offers lies in the fact that formal enslavement would in most cases
lead to the dependents and descendants of the enslaved joining them in slavery. Ardishapur authorities have
declared their "hope that the mercy of Lord Ardishapur will lead to the redemption of these lost souls."

Many starkmanir refugees finding new life difficult

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 20.10.2009 15:49:16

Rens - The transition to life as free citizens is proving to be difficult for many Starkmanir, despite the success of
some individuals. Many Starkmanir tribesmen have emigrated to Rens, hoping to take advantage of the
system's booming economy. However, Starkmanir immigrants have since found themselves homeless or herded
into refugee camps.

"We've seen an inordinate amount of refugees suffering from substance abuse problems or mental illness," said
Alusane Irhi, one of the many Sisters of EVE workers helping at the refugee camps. "The shift from slavery to
freedom is always difficult; we have not seen troubles on this scale since the Rebellion."

Some Starkmanir are even questioning the worth of their move to the Republic, especially in the wake of
Empress Jamyl I's Emancipation Decree. "Nearly everyone who was left behind was freed by the Empress," said
Uidvard Eiren, a leading voice among Rens' Starkmanir population. "Many Starkmanir here are even considering
going back to the Mandate. At least in the Mandate, social structures were largely intact, but the pace of the
migration here has destroyed much of that support network."

Eiren notes that there is a danger that the Republic's leaders must not ignore. "If the Republic does not allow the
Starkmanir the same opportunities as the other tribes, it will make the sacrifice of those who died in the Elder
War meaningless. That cannot be allowed to happen."

Starkmanir, nefantar face uphill battle in minmatar politics

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 05.10.2009 18:41:34

Pator - As the Starkmanir and Nefantar search for tribal leaders to represent them at the upcoming tribal
assembly, many within the two tribes are expressing worry over whether the two tribes will be able to find an
equal voice at the table. With much smaller populations in the Republic than the other five tribes, they worry
that they will be simply drowned out.

"It isn't some sort of conspiracy or malice that we suspect," said Elettan Skias, a leader among the Starkmanir
refugees in the Pator system. "It is only natural though, given our small population, that the concerns of the
larger tribes will be addressed before ours. Unfortunately, that is making it very hard to raise the hopes of my
tribe that real progress for us will come out of this."

Some among the Nefantar tribe, however, seem to suspect a more deliberate effort to shut them out of the

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political process. Agrik Tolenni, a Nefantar trader who left a profitable business in the Mandate to return to the
Republic during the Elder War, told us that he and many other leaders of the Nefantar community have been
shut out of many parts of the assembly's planning process. "Those of us who came here, most of us gave up
everything we owned to return to our homeland. Many within the other tribes seem to have forgotten that
though, and still see us as traitors or worse."

Sanmatar Shakor has tried to allay such fears, declaring that all tribes should have equal say at the assembly.
As preparations for the assembly continue, however, it remains to be seen whether other tribal leaders and
members of the bureaucracy will follow his lead.

Penal brigade drawn from ammatar mandate sent to support 24th imperial crusade
reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius 23.10.2009 19:12:01

Sasta, Derelik – A freshly assembled penal brigade drawn from the Ammatar Mandate has been given orders
sending it to support the efforts of the 24th Imperial Crusade. Grand Admiral Hastar Jibril of the Ammatar Fleet
has posted orders transferring transport units of the Ammatar Fleet to temporary secondment with the 24th
Imperial Crusade, and it is understood these will carry three full regiments of penal troopers to the Bleak Lands
to serve as ground support for the 24th Imperial Crusade fleets.

The 1st Mandate Redemptionist Brigade is comprised of the 1st and 2nd Tanoo Redemptionist Regiments and
the 1st Sasta Redemptionist Regiment. These regiments have been assembled using dishonored Ammatar Fleet
personnel together with many civilians suspected or convicted of support for defectors and offered service in
penal battalions in lieu of the harsher punishment of full slavery. The brigade is primarily a logistics and
engineering formation. The 1st and 2nd Tanoo comprise logistical troops along with the 1st Sasta, which
possesses a high proportion of former Ammatar Fleet personnel, providing combat experience.

Initial reaction to garioss's presidential campaign mixed

reported by ISD Caleb Kang 27.10.2009 19:26:01

Reactions to Senator Vilard Garioss's Presidential bid have proven to be mixed, with supporters citing his
positive reputation in the senate, commitment to peace, and background in economics, while detractors point to
his low profile in Federation politics, opposition to the war, and inconsistent voting history on non-economic
policies.

"Senator Garioss has long been popular with his constituents," said Kep Ekatemi, political analyst for the
University of Caille. "He has been a stable hand in the government for over a decade. He is widely respected by
his peers. He is known as an intelligent man, but one who is humble at the same time. And while he has not
been at the center of any high-profile bills or movements, he has worked diligently behind the scenes to
improve the well being of the Gallente people. He has chosen to make the war a central theme of his campaign,
obviously focused on ending it. Anyone who knows the man would have predicted this; he is a great conciliator,
wishing nothing more than for everyone to live in peace for the benefit of all. The Federation could use a man of
his learning and compassion in these troubled times."

Stiff opposition to the Senator is rare, though political commentator Rourke L'feene has been among the most
vocal in decrying his anti-war rhetoric. "The fact is, the Caldari State is run by a war mongering dictator who
wants to see the Federation burned. They will not respond to peaceful overtures and putting someone as weak-
willed as Vilard Garioss into power will be a death kneel for our great nation."

Many common people have responded with apathy to Senator Garioss's campaign, however. "I've never heard
of him before now," said Lamia Ire, a student at the Center for Advanced Studies. "I know he's against the war,
which I agree with, but I think he may be a little extreme in it. I'd really need to know more."

Governor celes aguard confirms rumors of presidential candidacy

reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim 27.10.2009 19:51:14

Mies - A new candidate confirmed her bid for the upcoming Federation presidential elections. Celes Aguard,
Governor of the Mies system, announced her candidacy, promising to turn the tide of the war, Aguard pledged
to "empower and strengthen outlying systems" and to "eradicate the factors that have turned our great Navy
into a slow, lumbering beast."

The announcement was made at a press conference held at Aguard's residence, confirming a rumor that had
been circulating Gallente political circles for the better part of the year. Governor Aguard is recognized as a
driving force in the development of the Mies system. and her work in infrastructure development has can be felt
throughout the Essence region. This candidacy comes in the middle of her second term as governor, having
triumphed in the last election through a landslide victory.

Republic university amarr research grant under scrutiny

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 27.10.2009 19:00:17

Hulm - Senior faculty members at Republic University have asked the school's Board of Trustees to reconsider a

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grant awarded to Velys Gorra, an associate professor of history and anthropology. The request, signed by over
100 faculty members, raises objections to Gorra's work, which deals with the influence of the Amarr on
Minmatar culture, and other controversial papers from her academic career.

Prof. Lillaka Uithmil, the organizer of the protest, views the research grant as particularly insensitive to the true
needs of the Republic. "For a public university, our job is to pursue research that is in the public interest," she
said. "Prof. Gorra is a known supporter of pro-Amarr studies in public education. This is not something that
needs to be funded at this sensitive time for our Republic."

Prof. Gorra defended her work, saying that she is not "pro-Amarr" as her detractors claim. "My research is
conducted in order to uncover facts, not push an agenda. I have never argued for a 'pro-Amarr' curriculum,
merely one that acknowledges such a big part of our history. Ignoring our past will not make it go away."

The Board of Trustees has so far declined to comment.

Ardishapur orders reconstruction funds and redemptionist brigade to ezzara

reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius 29.10.2009 19:01:33

Ardishapur Prime – Royal Heir Yonis Ardishapur has personally ordered a massive injection of funds to be made
available to the 24th Imperial Crusade for the purposes of reconstruction in the war-torn Ezzara system. Ezzara
has been the scene of bitter fighting between the 24th Imperial Crusade and the Tribal Liberation Force since
the beginning of the conflict in YC110. The system has changed hands several times and its infrastructure is
significantly degraded.

In addition to the funds, the Ammatar Fleet has confirmed that at the order of the Heir, the 1st Mandate
Redemptionist Brigade is to take up duties assisting in the reconstruction of vital infrastructure in Ezzara.
Primarily a logistical and engineering brigade, the 1st Redemptionist is composed of three regiments of penal
troopers drawn from the ranks of dishonored Ammatar Mandate forces and civilians convicted of aid or
sympathy for defectors.

Political pressure intensifies on republic university trustees

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 30.10.2009 18:59:17

Hulm - Fenn Khuhurit, a prominent Sebiestor MP, added his voice to those questioning a research grant awarded
to Prof. Velys Gorra by Republic University. Khukurit remarked on this issue during an interview with Sebiestor
Tribal Broadcasting.

"There's quite clearly a disconnect between the University's charter and this kind of apologist nonsense. How is
this kind of spending at all in the public interest? Research money should be going towards progressing
Minmatar achievements, not extolling Amarr ones."

Though he is the first MP to comment on the issue since the controversy began last week, several other officials
have come out in support of his position. Some have threatened to conduct parliamentary hearings on the issue.

The Board of Trustees released a statement today, saying that research grants were given "on the
recommendation of University administration and faculty representatives," and claimed that the grant had seen
"almost unanimous" approval. Prof. Lillaka Uithmil, leading the opposition to the grant, called the statement a
"dodge." "Research grants should not be based on popularity contests, but on the social benefits they provide to
the Minmatar Republic," she said. "Clearly there was a lack of consideration for the wider impact of such a grant
on the trustees' part."

New governor takes up duties in ammatar mandate

reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius 04.11.2009 18:40:07

Tanoo, Derelik – Governor Ekroz Salaf arrived in Tanoo system yesterday to take up his duties as plenipotentiary
of Royal Heir Yonis Ardishapur in the Ammatar Mandate. Ammatar Consulate officials have stated that Governor
Salaf will spend a few days familiarizing himself with the latest Mandate developments before embarking on a
tour of inspection across Derelik region.

As head of the Ammatar Consulate, Governor Salaf will run the civil administration of the Mandate on behalf of
House Ardishapur. The Ammatar Fleet, under Grand Admiral Hastar Jibril, will continue to report directly to Heir
Ardishapur although the Governor will have the authority to directly request Ammatar Fleet deployments as
necessary. The Ardishapur reorganization of the civil and military branches of the Mandate recasts each as
separate centers of power answering to Yonis Ardishapur as Holder of Derelik region.

Morale among the Ammatar populace has risen considerably in the weeks since the announcement of Governor
Salaf's appointment. As an ethnic Ammatar, his selection has allayed rising fears that the Ardishapur regime
intended to permanently relegate the Ammatar people to a subservient role in the region. His years spent as a
senior official at the Ministry of Assessment in Domain region have also attracted comment. Observers of
imperial politics agree that the choice of Ekroz Salaf was a shrewd move by Yonis Ardishapur, given that the

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Governor represents an Ammatar figurehead untainted by the failings of the previous regime and of proven
loyalty to the Amarr Empire.

Life after emancipation: the road home

reported by ISD Ria Nicaea 08.11.2009 17:12:23

Bittanshal – In the months following Empress Jamyl’s emancipation announcement, millions of released slaves
have made their way to the welcoming arms of the Minmatar Republic. Millions more still remain within the
Amarr Empire, however, hindered by the fear of leaving behind everything that they have ever known.

Onyeka Djekatro was a twelfth-generation slave maintaining production line equipment for the Inherent Implants
factory in Bittanshal. When the emancipation order was issued , the corporation released Onyeka’s entire family,
forcing them to fend for themselves. ”It was before the Sisters [of EVE] started their work. We couldn’t afford to
leave,” Inevne Djekatro, her mother, explains. ”We were told to leave the workers’ housing, but where are we
going to go if there’s nowhere else?” With nowhere to go, the family was forced to take menial service jobs on
the station in order to pay for lodging and food.

”We thought life would get better at first,” says Onyeka, ‘But it only got worse. We saved what we could, but it
was months before we had enough for a place on a shuttle.” At the expense of reduced power to the family of
eight’s single room apartment, they saved enough to send Onyeka to the Republic to begin a new life.

For the nineteen-year-old woman, the prospect was both exciting and terrifying. Her family served Inherent
Implants since the installation’s inception. Onyeka was born on the station, and though some family members
were sold to other Holders, she has neverleft the station’s vicinity. ”I sometimes didn’t want to go,” she admits.
"But [my family] decided I would have the best chance. I have good skills and some training. Maybe it won’t be
so bad.”

Orthodox amarr faith increasingly supplanting ammatar church

reported by ISD Nestor Pelagius 2009.10.11 20:08:59

Tanoo, Derelik – Officials of the Theology Council working in the Ammatar Mandate have released details of a
formal 'Survey of Faith' carried out in Derelik during the last three months, the main finding of which is that the
Ammatar Church is being steadily supplanted by the orthodox Imperial codification of the Amarr faith. While the
Ardishapur regime in the Mandate has taken no steps against the Ammatar Church, and indeed has expressly re-
affirmed it as a valid sect of the Amarrian faith, the Imperial rite of faith was declared the official religious
doctrine of the Mandate by Royal Heir Yonis Ardishapur on receipt of the Mandate as his personal fief.

Iris Selantar, a former lay preacher of the Ammatar Church now observing the Imperial rite, explained her
decision to leave the traditional Ammatar sect for the orthodox church. "The invasion taught us many things –
the incompetence of our nobles, the failures of our fleet and the spiritual poverty of so many Ammatar. I believe
the destiny of the Ammatar people, and all Minmatar, lies in the holy embrace of Amarr and I feel that
worshipping with the mother church of the Empire brings me closer to Amarr."

Subdeacon Ottoko Razirshz of the Theology Council mission in the Mandate confirmed that such feelings were
typical of those Ammatar surveyed by his officials. "The Ammatar Church is a loyal and faithful branch of the
great Amarr holy family," stated Subdeacon Razirshz. "However, it is clear that observance of the Imperial rite is
growing in the Mandate. The Theology Council views this as in line with the goal of transforming the Mandate
into a core domain of the Amarr Empire."

Life after emancipation: refuge and resettlement

reported by ISD Ria Nicaea 13.11.2009 17:05:23

Rens - While known primarily as Heimatar's largest market hub, Rens also serves as home to the Republic's main
immigration facility. The system's close proximity to the Minmatar-Amarr border and its location along the main
hisec routes make Rens an ideal harboring point for refugees. As a result, some stations throughout the solar
system have difficulties in supporting the influx of immigrants. "One of the problems we encountered early on
was that Holders who opted to send their former slaves to the Republic were reluctant to pay for passage further
than was absolutely necessary," stated Immigration and Resettlement Officer Rais Ephrintak. "Oftentimes, ships
would simply leave entire families there without any support. The stations in Rens simply weren't designed to
handle such a mass influx of people."

Eventually, the Sisters of EVE offered offices and temporary housing space in their stations orbiting the moons
of Rens VII. "It really was the best windfall we could have hoped for, under the circumstances," Ephrintak
enthused. "Just having the stations to work from has made integrating the refugees much easier."

For the former slaves, the assistance is gratefully accepted. Onyeka Djekatro found herself welcomed like a
"long-lost sister," and has received more help than she had expected. "There were many tests," she says. "They
wanted to see where my skills are, and there's so much to write! They want to know everything and more." In
addition to basic aptitude examinations, all arrivals are given a basic medical scan and inoculations. Interviews
are conducted in order to arrange suitable work placement and provide emotional support, if necessary.

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Retired naval officer daren fasio announces candidacy
reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau 14.11.2009 15:56:03

Dodixie - At a press conference outside his home, retired Federation Navy Rear Admiral Daren Fasio announced
his entry into the upcoming Gallente presidential election. The 61 year old retiree, an ethnic Mannar and an
unabashed hawk, was openly critical of the previous administration's conduct in the ongoing militia war with the
Caldari. "By failing to fully and immediately mobilize the substantial economic and industrial power of this great
Federation, President Foiritan has led our nation into a fool's war." Fasio elaborated, stating that "It's not that we
can't beat the Caldari, it's that we refuse to try to our fullest potential. "

Fasio was equally critical of several of the other candidates, particularly Senator Vilard Garioss, whose pro-
reconciliation agenda Fasio labeled a "platform of surrender." Fasio also criticized industrialist candidate Jacus
Roden for refusing to comply with President Foiritan's invocation of the Heuromont Act. "If Roden cared less
about his quarterly profits and more about the good of the nation, he'd have been eager to comply with the act.
How can we ask our ordinary citizens to make sacrifices for the good of the Federation if our prominent leaders
will not?"

If elected, Mr. Fasio has pledged to take a number of steps designed to put the Gallente Federation in a more
aggressive stance. His plans include a renewal of the invocation of the Heuromont Act, the institution of a
national draft, increased conversion of civilian manufacturing to military production, and a program of civilian
rationing for critical war materiel. "War is hard, and if we mean to fight it, we should all be doing our part. It's
not too late to reverse the course, but if we continue to fight with one hand tied behind our backs, we will surely
suffer further defeats."

Senate debates issue of voting in occupied territories

reported by ISD Caleb Kang 15.11.2009 12:23:23

Villore - As the Federation presidential elections draw closer, the issue of voting rights for citizens of occupied
systems has been raised by the Senate. Debate over the issue consumed much of the Senate's deliberations
today.

Senators from occupied space, led by a coalition of senators from the Placid region, have strongly pressed that
elections still be held as normal in the occupied systems, despite the logistical difficulties. According to the
senators, their constituents are highly invested in the upcoming election, which will dictate the future face of
Federation politics and its stance toward the ongoing war with the Caldari State. The senators proposed several
methods of holding the elections in the occupied systems, such as requesting the neutral assistance of the
Servant Sisters of EVE, holding secret balloting, and other covert methods.

Political experts, invited to the Senate assembly to weigh in on the subject, raised numerous issues with the
prospect, leading to the formation of a strong opposition to any plans. "The task of collecting, tallying, and
verifying votes would be nigh-impossible with the continued communications blockade enforced by the Caldari
State on occupied systems," noted veteran election organizer Fitale Jean. "That is to say nothing of ensuring that
voters are aware of who they're voting for and the high possibility of fraud."

Despite the experts' recommendations, the legality of an election where a portion of the populace was denied
the right to vote remains murky. The Senate broke session without coming to a conclusion, but the debate is
expected to resume in the following days.

Off-duty military personnel hold pro-fasio rally

reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau 15.11.2009 14:50:45

Duripant - Hundreds of off-duty Naval personnel and Federal Navy Academy cadets turned out for a rally to
support Mannar presidential candidate Daren Fasio. A retired Rear Admiral, Fasio has received the enthusiastic
endorsement of a large segment of military personnel from all of the armed services.

Commander Kevet Rivasse, an Academy astrogation instructor who served as an ensign under Fasio, said, "I
have the utmost respect for the man and all he stands for. I know from personal experience that he is capable of
making the difficult command decisions, andhe isn't afraid to tell it like it is."

An equally ringing endorsement was given by Cadet Calvine Fouchard. "Politicians got us into this war. It's going
to take someone with real military experience to get us out of it. "

Cadet Whelan Jao, president of one of the academy's several pro-Fasio student organizations, has been active in
getting the Fasio message heard. "Any time we have leave or downtime between classes, we're out there
spreading the word. Be it GalNet or good old-fashioned door-to-door interactions, we want people to understand
the threats facing the Federation and that Admiral Fasio's plan is the best way to use our chief strengths as a
nation: our dynamic economy and our strong tradition of public service."

Concerns have arisen that public endorsements on the part of Academy faculty amount to the political
indoctrination of the cadets. Academy spokesman Gerart Oulallen sought to address that issue directly, saying,

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"While the Academy itself does not officially endorse any particular candidate, our faculty, staff, and students
are encouraged to participate in the political process. Everyone here has sworn an oath to protect our nation's
free, democratic ideals. To forbid the teachers or cadets to voice their views would be counter to everything the
Federation stands for."

Life after emancipation: adaptation and adjustment

reported by ISD Ria Nicaea 16.11.2009 13:42:19

Dumkirinur - The immigration facilities in Rens serve only as a filter to assist former slaves toward integration
with Minmatar society. Unless complications arise, such as medical issues or an extreme unwillingness to
incorporate, the new arrivals are moved within the first week to housing programs, where they receive further
support and work placements or education.

"The numbers of trained and educated refugees we've been seeing are surprisingly high," reports Tjaard Mtaki,
one of the career advisors employed by the integration facilities. "All of those immigrants who served on
stations and ships have a high level of education in fields such as mathematics and physics. We've seen expert
mechanics and engineers who can't read or write a word, but they can accurately explain the finer points of
essential systems maintenance. We're finding the gaps in their education and helping to fill them."

For younger refugees like Onyeka Djekatro, the changes can be intimidating. She has been offered a place at the
Republic Military School, helping to maintain the station's vast essential systems. "It's so different. I have no one
to tell me what I should be doing. I go to classes every day. They tell us what we can expect from living here, but
sometimes it doesn't seem real."

Onyeka is far from being the only former slave who has reported difficulty in adapting to their new liberty. Many
freed slaves have admitted to feelings of apprehension when venturing beyond the confines of their quarters,
and groups residing in the same housing clusters have begun to band together in small pseudo-family units. "We
look out for our own," said one woman, who refused to be named.

Senate votes to deny votes to occupied systems

reported by ISD Caleb Kang 17.11.2009 08:19:24

Villore - The Federation Senate passed special legislation today to deny occupied systems the right to vote in
Federation elections. The bill, which is expected to be signed into law by President Souro Foiritan later in the
week, passed with little opposition, the only dissenting votes coming from senators from Placid and Solitude.

The bill applies to any Federation territory occupied by a foreign power, which currently includes much of Placid,
including population centers such as Intaki Prime.

Presidential candidate Senator Vilard Garioss, who voted for the bill, said, "[This bill] cleared up a potentially
messy legal issue [that could have] potentially invalidated the results of the upcoming election." Other
candidates have yet to comment publicly on the issue.

Senator Jolie Maurice of Reschard denounced the bill, saying, "The people who must suffer under Caldari
occupation are the ones who will be affected the most by the election. We should have looked for solutions to
their inability to vote, rather than passing a law that essentially tells them they don't count."

Life after emancipation: citizenship

reported by ISD Ria Nicaea 20.11.2009 10:12:28

Dumkirinur - For emancipated slaves, entering the Minmatar Republic and integrating with its culture is a long
and slow process. Entire families have been uprooted as a result of Empress Jamyl's emancipation proclamation
last year, and many former slaves have been split apart by the difficulties of leaving the Amarr Empire. Millions
of refugees now struggle to find each other again and reclaim an identity they barely knew before their
emancipation.

"Sometimes I just can't deal with it," says Onyeka Djekatro, recently freed slave who returned to the Republic.
"There are so many people and so much to take in. Your mind just closes."

Counselors attending to the new citizens' needs have noted a high percentage of depression and various anxiety
disorders in the former slaves. "We've made a concerted effort to reduce the levels of stress [the returning
Minmatar] may experience," one counselor explained, describing the support network which has been made
available. "The hardest part is to get them to take advantage of it. They're so accustomed to being ordered
around by their Holders."

In the two months since her entry to the Republic, Onyeka has settled into the routine of her work at the
Republic Military School, including supplemental education and cultural introduction sessions and visits to the
station's Amarr worship center. She has made a few friends, and together they have adjusted to a more relaxed
social life. "I still live on a schedule," she smiles. "It's not easy to simply break habits." Now that her family has
benefited from the free transportation provided by the Sisters of EVE, Onyeka says they feel whole again,

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despite the new surroundings, and each family member looks forward to their new life as citizens of the
Minmatar Republic.

Governor aguard draws record numbers to broadcast debate

reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim 24.11.2009 17:44:56

Olide - In an event hosted by the Center for Advanced Studies last week, presidential candidate Celes Aguard
attracted the eyes and ears of nearly 19% of the Gallente Federation's estimated daily total audience. In the
Everyshore region, the percentage was even higher, with almost 35% of the regional audience having followed
the show. The percentages exceed most other programming within the Federation, where it's rare even for the
most popular entertainment channels to attract such numbers.

The show, "CAS Profile of Influence," is produced and administrated by students of the Center of Advanced
Studies, The program has been known to hold interviews of many high profile people, from corporate directors
and CEOs to famous scientists and politicians. The Aguard interview was not the first time a presidential
candidate appeared on the show, but Aguard's rising popularity in the region, together with the show's recent
syndication over the Egonics network, contributed to the show's success. In addition to having broken the
regional viewer record, the show also set a new record for audience for a student program.

In the interview, Aguard spoke about her mixed Gallente/Jin-Mei heritage and career in Mies, as well as her plans
to support fringe economies, as well as her controversial criticism of CONCORD. Post-show polls at the CAS show
an increase in support for Aguard and her policies, placing her behind Jacus Roden, but ahead of Vilard Garioss
in the race for the presidency.

Political analysts question aguard's chances following no-vote bill

reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim 27.11.2009 18:13:17

Following the passing of the bill to deny votes in occupied Federal systems, several political analysts in the
cluster agree that presidential candidate Celes Aguard may have lost one of her largest voter blocs.

"Aguard's pledge of support for frontier settlements and low-security regions, as well as her wish for a total
military effort to reclaim the lost systems gave her a strong base of support in Placid and Verge Vendor," says
Arroch Dermani, an expert at Gallente politics working for Amarr Certified News. "The disenfranchisement of
those territories has denied the Aguard camp one of its strongest cards."

"This has strengthened Jacus Roden position as a top candidate, followed by Garioss. Aguard still places high in
Everyshore polls, but with the loss of these potential votes her chances of winning the presidency are slim,"
comments Felisenne Olvenari, Professor of Political Sciences at the University of Caille in Aporulie.

The Scope's own Remi Eyeleranne said in his news segment Eye on the Election: "Celes [Aguard] now has to
fight an uphill battle where most of her opponents have the higher ground." And the passing of the bill prompted
him to move Aguard down from her position in his "Election Prognosis" after having been one of the front
runners for many weeks.

Aguard herself was an outspoken opponent of the bill, and called Senator Vilard Garioss - supporter of the bill
and one of her opponents in the race for president - "a villain who ravages our constitution with no thought of
the implications for the people of the Federation."

Presidential candidate aguard holds political rally for jin-mei

reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim 30.11.2009 19:00:55

Lirsautton - Celes Aguard, Governor of the Mies system and candidate in the upcoming Gallente Federation
presidential election, attracted a crowd numbering in the thousands for a political rally at the planet Chakaux in
the Lirsautton system yesterday. Aguard spoke at length of her Jin-Mei heritage and the promise to sponsor the
development of "fringe worlds and minority communities," gaining positive reactions from those assembled.

"When frontier settlements starve under Caldari blockades, and riots and panic spreads among those who feel
they are voiceless, all our leaders can say is 'toughen up,'" said Aguard in her speech. "Fear is a powerful
motivator, but it has failed to quell the governmental apathy toward the minorities of the Federation."

Many of Aguard's supporters agreed with this sentiment. "I am a strong supporter for maintaining the
independent cultures of groups such as the Jin-Mei, Mannar and Intaki," says Cephan Langlier, a civil rights
lawyer in Lirsautton who attended the rally. "I would be ecstatic to see a president who gives more than token
support to the minority cultures of the Federation."

Governor Aguard is expected to follow her tour of the Everyshore region with several rallies and debates in the
Essence region next month.

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Fasio withdraws candidacy, endorses aguard
reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau 30.11.2009 18:45:58

Dodixie - Amid slipping poll numbers, presidential contender and retired Rear-Admiral Daren Fasio has
announced his withdrawal from the race. Addressing a disappointed but supportive crowd at a press conference
this morning, Mr. Fasio took the opportunity to endorse Governor Celes Aguard's candidacy, saying, "though
Governor Aguard and I have disagreed on several issues, I feel strongly that she is an able candidate for the
presidency. Further, she has the best interests of the Federation at heart, and I believe she has the political will
to do what is necessary to preserve and defend this great nation."

While extremely popular among both serving and retired military personnel, Fasio's candidacy has been plagued
since the beginning by a message that many have viewed as extreme. Fasio's stated intention of instituting a
draft and putting the Federation's economy on a war-footing has won him few friends in the business community.

Fasio's campaign was also hurt by his own demeanor, described by many as "overly impersonal." Zalawi
Marguva, a political analyst for The Scope contrasted candidates Aguard and Fasio after a recent debate, saying,
"The way these two address crowds publicly is very different. Governor Aguard delivers rousing political
speeches designed to fire peoples' ardor. Admiral Fasio delivers dry, fact-filled briefings designed to inform
peoples' decisions."

Given the similarities between their platforms, Fasio's withdrawal would naturally lend to a bump in Governor
Aguard's numbers. His endorsement was symbolic however, and Governor Aguard thanked Mr. Fasio graciously,
saying "Admiral Fasio's spirit of service, both in and out of uniform, should be an example for us all. He has been
an honorable and worthy adversary."

03/12/2009
Caldari Leaders Wary of New Federation President

New Caldari - State Executor Tibus Heth took time today to speak to the press on the recent Gallente elections.
He said that "any attempt to intrude upon the sovereign territory of the Caldari State will be met with an
immediate and overwhelming response" by Caldari forces. His statement was seen as a warning to the new
Federation administration against attempts to retake Caldari Prime and the Gallente border systems occupied by
the State, something which Jacus Roden mentioned several times during his campaign. Caldari Navy forces in
the occupied territories have been at an elevated state of alert since Tuesday's elections.

Elsewhere in the State, public reaction has been muted. Most corporations have followed the lead of Ishukone,
which released a statement saying that the company hoped that the new Federation administration would
"recognize the need to stabilize the cluster-wide economic and political situation," avoiding any comment on
specific Federation policy.

Such caution is not unexpected, according to political analyst Ylle Audre, due to the business interests that
many of the megacorporations and their subsidiaries still maintain in the Federation despite the ongoing border
hostilities.

"Roden is probably the closest you can come to a Caldari CEO outside of the State itself, and despite his Caldari
Prime comments during the campaign, I think many Caldari CEOs see him as someone they may be able to deal
with," says Audre. "Whether or not they can -- or if Heth and the Provists will allow them to do so -- remains to
be seen, of course."

03/12/2009
Roden Wins Gallente Presidential Election with Convincing Majority

Having secured a convincing majority of 58.7% of all votes cast in the December 1st election and easily gaining
the required number of districts, Jacus Roden is now President-elect of the Gallente Federation. With votes from
all participating districts checked and tallied by the morning after polling day, the Federal Elections Commission
was able to declare Roden the outright winner in its formal communication of results to the Gallente Senate.

President-elect Roden ran on a broad-based and relatively simple platform that included pledges to root out
corruption in government, improve strained relations with the Minmatar Republic, reform the Gallente Navy, and
include capsuleers more closely in the war effort. His most pointed campaign pledge, however, was his promise
to recover Caldari Prime and restore Federation control throughout the Luminaire system. Polling evidence
suggests that many citizens consider the Luminaire situation to be an "open wound," citing corrupt and
incompetent political and military leadership. His comfortable majority indicates the success of his campaign in
playing to these concerns among the electorate.

Roden's closest challenger for the presidency was Governor Celes Aguard of the Mies system, who polled 31.2%
of the vote. Governor Aguard personally transmitted her concession to Jacus Roden this morning and pledged
her support for "all policies of the Presidency that uphold the interests of the entire Federation." Some analysts
believe that the votes of many frontier worlds excluded from the election process due to the "No Vote" law may
have significantly increased Aguard's share of the vote and denied Roden an outright majority. Others have

-833-
noted that the endorsement of her campaign by Admiral Darien Fasio appears to have had a negative effect on
Governor Aguard's poll ratings, suggesting that Fasio's hardline militarist image resonated poorly with some
sections of the governor's electoral base.

The other significant challenger, after Fasio's withdrawal from the race, was Senator Vilard Garioss of the Nexus
constellation. Senator Garioss polled 8.8% of the vote. According to polls and focus groups, Garioss's campaign
never quite recovered from what many citizens perceived as a confused and "overly academic" platform.
Senator Garioss issued a brief statement conceding defeat shortly after Governor Aguard made her concession.

The remaining 1.3% of votes cast were accounted for by votes for protest candidates and spoiled ballots.

President-elect Roden will assume office at his inauguration before the Gallente Senate, following the formal
relinquishment of power by President Souro Foiritan.

03/12/2009
Republic Greets Roden Election With Optimism

Pator - The Minmatar government and its people welcomed news of Jacus Roden's election as the new
Federation president, with Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor being one of the first to congratulate the president-elect on
his victory. Shakor announced that he was looking forward to a "productive relationship" with the new Federation
administration. "President-elect Roden and I agree that our nations must cooperate in order to survive and
prosper in these trying times. A threat to either nation is a threat to both -- and we must treat them as such. "

Other Minmatar leaders echoed Shakor's statements, but public response has been largely indifferent. "Foiritan,
Roden, whoever...it doesn't make a difference to me," said Jandh Rehsmerold, a factory worker on Kulheim.
"Their candidates are basically complete strangers. How are you supposed to make a good decision who to
vote for? At least here in the Republic, they are members of our tribe."

Still, many in the Republic echoed the Sanmatar's hope for the future. "I don't know that much about Roden,"
admitted Ranniko Viftuin, a farmhand on Pator. "I do know that I have a lot of family that still lives in the
Federation, though, and I want them to be safe. If Roden is the man that can do that, then I'm all for him."

04/12/2009
Amarr Empire Formally Congratulates Roden, Rebukes Outgoing President

Amarr – In a statement released through the Amarr Certified News agency, the Amarr Court Chamberlain Pomik
Haromi formally congratulated President-elect Jacus Roden on his impending "assumption of power" and
expressed the hope that the new Federation government will "respect the sovereignty of the Amarr Empire". The
chamberlain's statement also welcomed the "fall from grace of the arrogant Souro Foiritan" and rebuked the
government of the outgoing Gallente president for what he described as its "peerless record of meddling in
matters that did not concern it. "

Experienced analysts of Amarrian diplomacy have interpreted the court chamberlain's statement as a
remarkably positive welcome for President-elect Roden. For the statement to be issued by the chamberlain
himself, rather than his office or a lesser ministry, would typically indicate that Empress Jamyl I was speaking to
Jacus Roden through the chamberlain. The reference to the Empire's sovereignty can be considered a coded sign
that the Amarr Empire would be prepared to respect the sovereignty of the Gallente Federation.

Of particular note, according to Professor Ifor Sellay of the Caille University Center for International and
Diplomatic Studies, is the care with which the strident criticisms of the Gallente government are focused very
precisely on the outgoing Foiritan regime. Professor Sellay suggests that this reference indicates the Amarr
Empire is adopting a cautious policy of assessing the new President before reaching any firm conclusions.

The Office of the President has issued a brief statement welcoming "the recognition by the Amarr Empire of
another demonstration of the Gallente Federation's long tradition of peaceful transfer of power."

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EVE News 2010 YC 112
18/01/2010
President Roden Assumes Office

President Jacus Roden formally assumed office earlier today at his inauguration before the Gallente Senate.
Shortly beforehand, incumbent President Souro Foiritan made a brief, formal statement to the Senate. Executive
power rested briefly with the Senate before Chief Justice Broyal Alserette of the Federation Supreme Court swore
in Jacus Roden as the new President of the Federation.

To a standing ovation, President Roden then took the rostrum and stood quietly for a moment before motioning
for silence and giving a speech in which he reaffirmed his election pledges. President Roden stated that it was
the policy of his government to "restore Federation control over the space and planets of the Luminaire system
and to all Federation systems and worlds occupied by Caldari State naval and militia forces," and noted that
capsuleer forces of the Federal Defence Union had liberated several Gallente systems since the election. His
wide-ranging speech took in aspects of policy such as corruption - another theme of Roden's campaign -
industrial policy, and the importance of the capsuleer class to the economy and security of the Federation.
President Roden is himself a capsuleer.

President Roden finished his speech with a pledge "to return the Gallente Federation to the greatness that has
been its undoubted destiny from the moment our peoples united to realize the historic project of universal
freedom." As he stepped back from the podium, the Senate once more erupted in a standing ovation, which the
President acknowledged before leaving.

04/03/2010
Intaki Assembly Requests FDU Ceasefire

Intaki - In a brief press conference directed primarily at FDU and independent capsuleers, the Intaki Assembly
today requested that all loyalist captains cease hostilities against Ishukone and Mordu's Legion vessels in Intaki
space.

The Intaki spokesman stated that vessels belonging to the Ishukone Corporation and Mordu's Legion are
"present in Intaki at the specific and un-coerced request of the Assembly," adding that "any captains detaining
or destroying such vessels are acting directly against the interests of the Intaki people as determined by this
Assembly, and further are viewed as committing acts of piracy."

She did clarify that, "Ishukone corporation is permitted to operate only civilian vessels in the system, and
Ishukone Watch is explicitly excluded from entry under the terms of the Agreement." Mordu's Legion, however,
has been afforded complete military access, subject to command oversight from the civilian Assembly.

04/03/2010
Federal Navy Turned Back at Intaki Stargate

Intaki - The Federation Navy relief force assigned to re-establish control of the Intaki system was denied access
to the Intaki stargate in Agoze earlier today. Representatives of the Intaki System Command reportedly informed
Admiral Gouenette, who is commanding the force, that the Navy had no jurisdiction in Intaki, and that their
presence was "neither required nor welcomed."

After the liberation of Intaki and other systems by Federal Defence Union pilots last week, the Federation Navy
rapidly mobilized units to systematically restore military command to the affected areas. However, Intaki
leadership has rejected the protection that the navy offered to provide, preferring instead to rely on their
newfound Caldari associates.

The future of Intaki has been a subject of much speculation since the arrival of Ishukone and Mordu's Legion
vessels several months ago. While many citizens have assumed that the liberation of the system would see a
return to the previous status quo, signatories to the Federal Charter retain the legal right to determine various
aspects of the Assembly of their original territories. This includes the "Shipping and Security" franchise, which
regulates commercial shipping and which is traditionally assigned to FedMart and the Federation Navy and
Customs.

Sources within the Intaki Assembly assert that the deal with Ishukone and Mordu's Legion was made in good
faith and in the interests of the Intaki people. On condition of anonymity, a senior official said, "The Ishukone
Agreement represented, and continues to represent, the best option for the long-term safety and security of our
society." Federal officials have refused to comment on what they describe as "an internal Intaki matter."

11/03/2010
Caldari Analysts Predict Economic Upheaval

Jita - The consensus among analysts at an economics conference this week is that the Caldari State has a rough
ride ahead, with recent gains by the Gallente militia forces throwing a wrench in the works for many

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megacorporations.

Soon after the Caldari militia completed its conquest of the systems making up the Federal Defense Cordon last
year, the Caldari Providence Directorate auctioned off development rights to the affected constellations. The
megacorporations involved in the bidding believed the high prices were justified by the acquisition of highly
valuable assets, but the recent push by the Federal Defense Union and allied capsuleer corporations has driven
them out of many systems.

This week's Economic Sustainability and Co-operation Conference was hastily reorganized to focus on this issue,
with most delegates agreeing that the impact will likely be significant. Yarin Mesla, an analyst for Expert
Housing, said, "The megas are keeping their numbers very close to their chest, but it's hard to see how this can
be good for any of them. We all know the rough magnitude of the winning bids, and they can't possibly have
made back their investments already." Others were quick to point out the political implications. Mercantile Club
analyst Ridd Gerin said, "It's hard not to look at the list of six remaining auctioned systems and notice that five
of them belong to SuVee. Sure, they've probably taken a hit, but if they can hold onto what they have left, it will
still shift power in the State slightly in favor of the Practical faction."

Others were a little more guarded in their comments. An anonymous delegate from Lai Dai would only say that,
"[The Gallente militia] have taken back some systems, sure, but it remains to be seen if they can hold onto
them."

Zero-g appoints third coo in 18 months

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 23.03.2010 16:26:54

Aunenen - The Zero-G Research Firm board voted today to replace the company's COO for the second time in a
year and a half after the company posted multi-billion ISK losses for the fourth quarter in a row. The Kaalakiota
subsidiary has been dogged by production problems over the last year, despite a promising showing at last fall's
Black Rise Development Conference.

The next-generation habitat presented at that conference, initially expected to go into production this summer,
has been pushed off until at least early YC 113 due to continuing delays at component factories.

Many business analysts expected the change, citing not only Zero-G's business troubles but also rumors that
outgoing COO Ishuhara Kappunen was regularly butting heads with Zero-G's suppliers and business partners.
"Zero-G's stock has taken a pummeling since the announcement of the production delays," said Taimo Poraila,
an analyst at Modern Finances, on today's "Games of State." "The board had to do something to reassure
investors, and Kappunen was an obvious target."

Both Kappunen and his predecessor, Hetsen Appas, were previously high-ranking members of the Caldari
Providence Directorate prior to being appointed COO, and Zero-G CEO Nanata Yansen is a prominent ally of
Tibus Heth. This relationship has given some ammunition to the Directorate's critics, who have pointed to the
problems at Zero-G as a case for Provist mismanagement. So far, however, the general public seems to be
taking this as an isolated case, and confidence in Directorate leadership remains high.

25/03/2010
BREAKING: Ministry of War office in Pashanai rocked by massive blast

Pashanai - Pandemonium has erupted at the Ministry of War's Bureau Offices in the Pashanai system in the past
hour. Conflicting reports are still coming in, but several Scope sources have confirmed that a powerful explosion
has torn through a number of the station's levels, taking lives and destroying crucial infrastructure. It is unknown
at this point what the death toll is, though it is believed to number in the thousands. The Amarr Navy has been
placed on high alert and is deploying relief vessels at this time.

More on the situation as it develops.

25/03/2010
BREAKING: Explosion cause unclear, Amarr Navy redeployment

Pashanai - The Scope is still attempting to get news on the explosion that apparently ripped through the Ministry
of War's Bureau Offices in the Pashanai system. Reports are coming in, but the explosion's cause and the extent
of damage remain unclear.

What is clear is that the Amarr Navy has begun a massive re-deployment along its border with the Minmatar
Republic. We have no comment from the Navy at this time.

25/03/2010
BREAKING: Theology Council Head potentially among Pashanai dead

Pashanai - The first casualties from the site of the Pashanai incident have been confirmed in excess of 4300,
according to numbers just released by Amarr Navy High Command. Containment and relief operations are

-836-
underway at the scene, with several station sectors still either on fire or suffering dangerous gas leaks.

It has also been reported that Mervan Moritok, the head of the Theology Council, may have been among those
on the station at the time the explosion took place. Attempts to confirm this with the Empire are underway.

We will have more on the situation as it develops.

25/03/2010
President Roden Sends Condolences to Empress; Urges Caution

Villore - President Jacus Roden has officially transmitted condolences to Empress Jamyl I following the deaths of
several thousand people - including Theology Council head Mervan Moritok - in a devastating explosion at the
Amarr Ministry of War station in Pashanai system. Although the explosion was initially believed to be an
accident, the Amarr Ministry of Internal Order are now investigating it as an act of terrorism.

In a statement on behalf of the Gallente Federation government, the President's office said, "The explosion and
the thousands of deaths and injuries are a tragedy for the entire New Eden cluster. We note with regret the
death of High Deacon Mervan Moritok and offer the condolences of the Gallente Federation for his and other
deaths resulting from this terrible event."

Commenting on public statements of Amarr security officials suggesting the station explosion was a deliberate
act of terrorism rather than a tragic accident, the release urged caution: "The Gallente Federation stands ready
to offer any and all assistance that may be required both for rescue workers and investigators. If this tragic
event is confirmed to be an act of terrorism we respectfully urge caution so that the true perpetrators may be
punished without any further unnecessary loss of life to innocents."

The President's office confirmed that Federation Navy units have been put on stand-by along the border with the
Amarr Empire to serve as an aid and security task-force should any assistance be requested.

25/03/2010
Trade on Ammatar-Minmatar Border Halts as Authorities Impose Order

Pashanai - In response to heightened terror alerts across the Amarr Empire following the Pashanai attack, Amarr
Customs has mobilized to lock down civilian travel on many heavily trafficked transit routes. At checkpoints
along the Ammatar-Minmatar border, the sudden density of traffic and limited customs presence has resulted in
complete curtailment of trade and transit vessels.

Jaikhan Dhomn, a Thukker merchant employed at the Trust Partners Trading Post in Tanoo, was planning to cross
the border with his family when he learned of the security lockdown. "Everyone is afraid and angry after this
[attack]. The Amarr fear us for what the Bloody Hand did, and we fear the Amarr for what they will do in return,"
he said.

Capsuleer traffic remains unimpeded across the Empire. Amarr Customs Commander Bachain Zhaide
commented, "Everything that happens to a capsuleer ship, every ounce of goods moved on or off it, is logged in
meticulous detail by CONCORD. Amarr Customs has directives not to interrupt capsuleer traffic beyond standard
procedure. We barely have enough manpower as it is, so if CONCORD keeps track of the capsuleers, we have
more resources to dedicate to keeping everyone else safe."

Amarr Customs has given no indication of when it expects the lockdown to end.

25/03/2010
BREAKING: Bloody Hands of Matar claims responsibility for Pashanai explosion

Pashanai - The Bloody Hands of Matar, one of the most notorious terrorist organizations in New Eden, has come
forward to claim responsibility for the massive explosion on a Ministry of War station at Pashanai III earlier today
which claimed the lives of just under 5600 people and destroyed several billion ISK's worth of infrastructure.

In a prepared video statement released to several media outlets simultaneously, an unidentified man with a
black cloth across his face speaks in a distorted voice, explaining intricate technical details of the operation that
experts have now confirmed indicate a reliable level of involvement. The man then proceeds to direct scathing
political rhetoric toward the Empire and the Ammatar Mandate, starkly berating them for their "centuries of
unlawful subjugation and violence."

The Minmatar Republic has moved swiftly to denounce the attack. In a nationally broadcast statement just
minutes ago, Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor expressed his condolences to to the innocent people of Amarr, caught
up in this brutal attack unawares, and pledged to assist with relief efforts in any measure the Empire requested.

The attack represents by orders of magnitude the biggest act of terrorism ever perpetrated by the Bloody Hands
of Matar. The organization has kept largely out of the limelight since assassinating an Ammatar consulate
ambassador just under three years ago. Their numbers, resources and the extent of their operational capacity

-837-
are unknown at this point.

25/03/2010
Slave rescue corps first responders

Pashanai - Following the massive explosion that tore through the Ministry of War station, dozens of first response
teams have been deployed to search for survivors. These teams, each numbering nine slaves strong and
commanded by an Amarrian overseer, are typical rescue corps employed by the Empire during times of possible
danger.

"The rescue teams shall enter through several points," explained Captain Jamar Dinn, the Ministry official
commanding the effort. "Most will enter through hull breaches and continue from there, while others will begin
from docking points and move toward the most damaged areas."

On the use of slave labor, Captain Dinn said, "These teams are used to working orderly and efficiently even
under extreme stress. In addition, individual members are employed under a special merit system whereby their
performance and rescue numbers directly influence the personal liberties of themselves and their families. As
such, they are ideal for these circumstances, as they are unlikely to be discouraged by any amount of death and
destruction. Their efforts allow the Navy and other vital forces to remain on high alert for the duration of the
rescue."

Officials anticipate that once the areas have been swept by the slave teams and the risk of futher detonations or
structural collapses has been mitigated, Naval teams shall move in as a compliment.

25/03/2010
Amarr Construction sends specialists to ailing station.

Nererut - At a hastily-organized press conference today, Amarr Construction Assembly Manager Terma Tesh
declared that a team comprised of their best structural engineers, site workers and nanite technicians had
already departed for Pashanai. The team will work to stabilize the station structurally and attempt to keep
essential services running in support of rescue and evacuation efforts. When pressed on the matter of security,
Tesh revealed no Minmatar workers were selected for the specialist team.

25/03/2010
BREAKING: Mervan Moritok confirmed casualty,

Pashanai - Mervan Moritok, head of the Theology Council, has been confirmed as one of the roughly six thousand
casualties of the Pashanai explosion. Habi Ghamri, Commander of Security at the Amarrian Ministry of Internal
Order, has furthermore gone on record to state the explosion was not, as previously believed, caused by an
accidental gas leak, but rather represented an orchestrated act of terrorism.

"This was no accident. It is an empire-wide criminal investigation at this point and will continue as such until we
have apprehended those responsible," he said. "A clearer picture is emerging of the details on the site. We're
confident we'll have some solid leads in the very near future."

When asked if the Empire believed the attack to have been politically motivated, Ghamri said, "At this stage the
most we can do is speculate, but we aren't ruling out the possibility."

25/03/2010
Yonis Ardishapur addresses badly shaken Empire, sends personal fleet to assist with relief efforts

Ardishapur Prime - Royal Heir Yonis Ardishapur has just addressed the Amarr Empire in a widely telecast speech.
Speaking from the steps of his palace on Ardishapur Prime, the heir outlined several strategies for dealing with
the aftermath, offered words of comfort to those affected, and pledged to use his personal resources to ensure
the tragedy was dealt with as completely as possible.

"You can never prepare for a day like this," he said, "when the cruelty and evil of the world for one terrible
moment reveal themselves in the heart of your home. A great blow has been dealt us this day, but to the brave
and loyal souls of the Empire I say: you have faced worse before, and you have prevailed. You now stand faced
with this, and now too will you prevail. As God is my witness, we shall weather this storm."

"And make no mistake either that a great man has fallen today. His decades of contribution to the well-being of
our nation will pass safe into the realm of history. But let us not forget the other thousands who rejoined our Lord
today. Let their sacrifice, and all the pain it's caused us, be the bedrock from which we launch our retribution
against those who would harm us. And let no man, woman or child in New Eden think that the Empire will ever
let itself be cowed by brutality. Not now, not forever. Amarr Victor."

Several detachments from Ardishapur's personal fleet have been scrambled and are en route to Pashanai
bearing medical supplies and personnel. The casualty figures appear to have leveled off by this point, with the
latest reported total standing at 5563.

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Senior caldari funds unlimited personnel resign
reported by ISD Katerina Markova 26.03.2010 12:05:30

Litiura - Four highly placed members of Caldari Funds Unlimited's executive staff resigned today, as reports
continue to trickle out of the Caldari Business Tribunal regarding its ongoing investigation of the State's largest
independent bank. The Tribunal has now confirmed that it has opened an investigation into the corporation's
finances, and details are emerging as to the exact nature of the irregularities being looked into.

The four CFU executives, Sirotova Fukikaga, Tsurkuma Siainki, Orpakku Konken and Tatkashin Pukuwakai, were
all junior vice-presidents in the corporation's investment banking and retirement account divisions. No reason
has yet been given by either the executives or Caldari Funds Unlimited for the resignations, but there are reports
that at least two of the four have been taken into custody by the Home Guard.

Meanwhile, sources within the Tribunal have told the Scope that investigators believe Caldari Funds Unlimited
may have misreported thousands of financial transactions to the House of Records, a violation of Caldari banking
regulations. As a result, CBT officials believe CFU may have far less ISK reserves than it was reporting to the
House of Records and Tribunal, possibly even below the minimum demanded to secure its deposits and maintain
its other operations. If this is true, it would constitute a major violation of Caldari law.

In addition, Caldari Funds Unlimited CEO Jaan Omura is apparently under personal investigation, due to alleged
contact with individuals linked to the Gallente Federal Intelligence Office. Though the Tribunal has officially
denied that this is the case, the Scope has it from reliable sources that both the Caldari Navy and Corporate
Police Force have been contacted for assistance with the investigation. Neither CFU nor Omura herself have
been available for comment.

26/03/2010
Jamyl Sarum meant to have been on Pashanai station at time of explosion, cancelled briefly before
incident

Pashanai - New information has come to light on the explosion that occurred yesterday at a Ministry of War
station in Pashanai. According to station manifests, Empress Jamyl Sarum was scheduled to make a short stop at
the station at the time the explosion happened.

Sarum was making a diplomatic tour of the outlying areas in commemoration of St. Kuria's Day, a little-known
Amarr religious holiday observed annually by the Holders and the religious establishment, though it is generally
not celebrated outside of these cirlces. By tradition, the emperor spends this day meeting with religious
figureheads and observing rites with them.

Approximately twenty minutes before the explosion took place, Empress Sarum's office cancelled her meeting at
the station. She was to have met with Theology Council Arch Deacon Mervan Moritok, who was present at the
station and died in the blast. Representatives of her office could not be reached for official comment, but a
highly-placed source within the Empire has gone on record saying, "Diplomatic tours [such as the St. Kuria's Day
one] are verydifficult logistical undertakings, and scheduling conflicts often arise with very little warning."

The explosion at Pashanai, an act of the Minmatar revolutionary organization the Bloody Hands of Matar,
claimed the lives of 5,563 people.

Khanid innovation, modern finances buy stake in samarkand financial

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 28.03.2010 12:51:57

Khanid Prime - Khanid Innovation and Modern Finances have announced that they now own a controlling stake in
the Khanid Kingdom's largest investment bank, Samarkand Financial. The move, which is the culmination of two
months of negotiations, gives Modern Finances an even stronger presence in the Khanid Kingdom and secures a
strong financial partner for Khanid Innovation, one of today's most powerful Khanid corporations.

Samarkand Financial has been a large player in the Khanid financial sector for over three decades now, but until
recently has had little presence outside the Kingdom. Last year marked its biggest departure from that strategy
when the company helped to finance the stock purchase that propelled Mens Reppola to the CEO position at
Ishukone in April. It was that purchase that brought the company to the attention of Modern Finances.

"Modern Finances has always looked to the Khanid Kingdom as a growth market," said CEO Alasunda Yeki. "This
partnership with Khanid Innovation and Samarkand Financial ensures that we will have a strong presence in the
Kingdom for the long term."

Khanid Innovation CEO Ganortchar Asabona said that the deal is part of a larger strategy for the company.
"Khanid Innovation has been a leader in the technology sector since our founding, but our goals have always
been to become a leader in innovation cluster-wise. This partnership is another step toward that goal."

The two CEOs made it clear they had no intention to upset the current leadership of Samarkand Financial, saying
that they would be keeping the executive board intact. "We bought the company because of its success and we

-839-
see no reason to change up a winning team," explained Yeki.

29/03/2010
Station Vacancies on the Rise at Pashanai Blast Site

Pashanai - Commercial and residential station vacancies have risen sharply since the Bloody Hands of Matar
attack on the Ministry of War Bureau Offices station at Pashani III. Businesses across the system continue to
cancel rental agreements, while some homes have simply been abandoned.

Kadeyn Osirani, a rental agent at the local Amarr Certified News Development Studio, said several reasons, from
changing plans to "unsafe conditions," have been given for the termination. The development studio orbits less
than 550 kilometers from the site of the attack and has been the location hardest hit by the exodus of tenants
thus far.

"People are frightened," Kadeyn explained. "They feel this kind of thing shouldn't have been allowed to happen,
not again. The attack was a harsh reminder of Malkalen and Yulai."

One renter, who refused to identify himself to The Scope, said he was born on the station and had never
considered leaving it until now. "You don't know where or when the next attack might be," he said.

Analysts across Pashanai agree that this trend will reverse itself in due course and noted that the majority of
residents are staying put, though stations will experience the effects of lost rental revenue for some time.

Kaalakiota corporate bank may devalue scrip

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 30.03.2010 12:55:06

Nonni - As Kaalakiota's corporate currency board meets for the third straight day, rumors continue to circulate
that the company is considering a significant devaluation of their corporate scrip. Sources within the company's
central bank say that the board is considering this step due to a sudden spike in Kaalakiota scrip-to-ISK
transfers, which corporate economists are blaming on black market currency exchanges in the Intaki Syndicate.

No megacorporation has considered such a step in nearly two decades, since Ishukone took a similar step in YC
93 to mediate an ISK shortage. The rumors have only compounded the problem, as many Kaalakiota citizens
have begun exchanging their scrip for ISK at the bank limit in anticipation of the move, further sapping the
company's reserves.

Serge LaFleur, an economist at the University of Caille, says the move could have far-reaching implications for
Kaalakiota and the rest of the Caldari economy. "This is usually seen as a sign of desperation, due to the panic it
can set off in the general populace," he explained. "If Kaalakiota is short enough on ISK that it's considering such
a move, the worry is always there that it won't be enough, and the company may have to turn to Caldari Funds
Unlimited for a loan to keep the company from defaulting on financial obligations."

CBT investigating caldari funds unlimited, according to reports

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 31.03.2010 12:51:50

Maurasi - Sources within the Caldari Business Tribunal tell the Scope that the CBT has opened an investigation
into financial malfeasance at Caldari Funds Unlimited, the largest independent financial institution in the State.
While the exact nature of the investigation was not disclosed, the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
claimed that the investigation was looking at decisions made "at the highest level."

The repercussions of such an investigation could be enormous, according to Meungette Dosille, professor of
Caldari Studies at the University of Caille. "Caldari Funds Unlimited isn't just any financial institution," she
explained. "CFU is the largest retirement fund manager in the State, as well as the closest thing the Caldari have
to a national central bank. If something is rotten there, it could damage every one of the Big Eight and cripple
the entire State."

Even if the allegations prove false, according to Dosille, the fallout could end up causing significant turmoil
within the State. The last time anything like this happened was in the Seaguard Financial Incident more than 80
years ago. The Tribunal investigation found that a CFU competitor had engineered a propaganda and corporate
espionage campaign to throw doubt on its stability. The worries triggered riots all over the State, and the end
result was that the CEP approved "extreme sanction" against Seaguard Financial. Within a year, the
megacorporations had dismantled the company, financially and militarily.

Caldari stock markets have already begun to feel the effects of the rumors, as financial stocks have fallen nearly
10% over the last three days. Analysts with the Garoun Investment Bank tell the Scope that if speculation is
allowed to continue, they could see as much as a 50% drop from last year's highs.

-840-
Tibus heth creates state loyalty tribunal
reported by ISD Katerina Markova 02.04.2010 15:53:26

Nonni - State Executor Tibus Heth has ordered the creation of the "State Loyalty Tribunal," an independent
committee tasked with investigating national security threats within the highest ranks of Caldari corporate and
political power. "Recent events have made it clear that our enemies seek to subvert the State at every level,"
said Heth. "The State Loyalty Tribunal will bring an end to this and prevent further infiltration."

Asiaineras Isuki, commander of the Home Guard's Surveillance Division, has been appointed to fill the
chairman's seat for the new Tribunal. The other members of the committee have not yet been announced, but
insiders tell the Scope that they will likely be selected from the ranks of the Caldari Providence Directorate and
Patriot-bloc megacorporate security forces.

So far, Lai Dai and Wiyrkomi have pledged to cooperate with the new body, but the other megacorporations
have so far declined to comment publicly. Privately, sources at Hyasyoda and Nugoeihuvi have told the Scope
that they perceive this as yet another attempt by Heth to encroach upon corporate sovereignty, and that they
are preparing legal challenges should the State Loyalty Tribunal target their employees.´

Republic university scholar causes controversy over pashanai attack

reported by ISD Gaspard Sorelo 02.04.2010 09:18:31

Hulm - A senior scholar at the Republic University upset many Amarr citizens today over his comments
regarding the attack in the Pashanai system system a week ago. Erglan Vros, a Krusual professor of social
studies at the Republic University, made the controversial remarks during an interview to The Wider Social
Review, a respected Gallente-based political analysis journal.

When asked by TWSR on last week's events in the Amarr Empire and their effects on the Minmatar Republic's
future, Vros stated that he foresees little to no impact on the current political situation as the seven Minmatar
tribes work toward a common government.
"The loss of life may be tragic," said Vros, "but I don't see how the bombing in Amarr will disrupt the
reunification process. We are forging ahead with creating a new future for the Minmatar people. Our focus is on
our new government, not the problems of the Empire."

When asked to expand upon this comment, Vros continued with the controversial statement,
"Given the social factors at play between the Amarr and the Minmatar, it is clear how violent organizations such
as the Bloody Hand will continue to spawn. If the Amarr want to look at who brought about such actions, then
they should look to themselves."

Since their publication earlier today, Erglan Vros's remarks have been met with outrage among many in the
Amarr Empire, including prominent Holders and theological scholars. The Republic University has yet to issue
comment on the situation.

Kaalakiota currency board devalues scrip by 2%

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 03.04.2010 12:52:26

Nonni - The Kaalakiota corporate bank's currency board voted to devalue Kaalakiota corporate scrip by 2%
today, causing panic in several major Kaalakiota enclaves and making clear the ongoing troubles in the Caldari
State. While the company's stock has declined nearly 10% in the last week, the board's action appears to have
halted the decline for now.

The currency board stated that the change was made to rebalance the corporation's ISK holdings, blaming illegal
currency exchanges in the Intaki Syndicate for destabilizing the amount of Kaalakiota scrip in circulation.
Despite the financial turmoil, however, the currency board assured the company's investors that no further
measures would need to be taken in order to secure the company's ISK holdings. This action has reduced fears
that Kaalakiota would need to take significant ISK loans from one of the major independent banks in order to
shore up its reserves, which has become a larger worry in light of Caldari Funds Unlimited's ongoing troubles
with the CBT.

While the 2% devaluation was significant, many analysts had expected it to be larger, as much as 6% by some
estimates. As a result, many investors breathed a sigh of relief even as the other megacorporations expressed
concern that Kaalakiota was overextended and urged the company to take a more conservative posture.

Meanwhile, the mood in many of Kaalakiota's major enclaves has been extremely tense, as Home Guard troops
have been deployed in force. This troop movement came after at least twelve clashes between corporate police
and citizens trying to exchange their Kaalakiota scrip for ISK on various colonies throughout the State, including
New Caldari Prime. No serious injuries have been reported, however, and Home Guard commanders have told
the Scope that the situation is expected to return to normal within the week.

-841-
Crielere inquiry announced by the caldari providence directorate
reported by ISD Kohm Akino 06.04.2010 13:47:58

New Caldari -The Caldari Providence Directorate announced an inquiry into the Crielere project today, amid
rumors that evidence of "anti-Caldari" activities has been unearthed.

Nugoeihuvi recently began research for a documentary about the Crielere Project, and it is understood that the
CPD became interested in the project after a researcher leaked information concerning a private deal between
Jacus Roden and an unconfirmed Caldari megacorporation.

The Crielere Project was a joint Caldari and Gallente research project that ended in YC 106 following significant
scientific breakthroughs, including the potential of morphite in manufacturing processes. The project ended in
controversy after numerous thefts, espionage scandals, and the deaths of the head scientists.

Reppola, osmon meeting with suvee leadership

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 07.04.2010 13:36:03

Saisio - Sukuuvestaa news networks are reporting that the company's executive board met with Ishukone CEO
Mens Reppola and Hyasyoda CEO Ahtonen Osmon today at the company's Saisio headquarters. The meeting
appears to have been planned in secret, or at least called on short notice, as Saisio traffic control was alerted of
the two CEOs' arrival only minutes before Reppola's Chimera-class carrier jumped into the system.

Such a high level meeting between the leader of the State's Liberal political bloc and the leader of the Practical
bloc's largest megacorporation has set off a torrent of rumors throughout the newsnets. The fact that all three
corporations are downplaying the meeting, saying only that the summit was convened to discuss "broad-based
collaborations involving a wide range of corporate ventures" has only fueled the fire.

On today's "Games of State," host Shiomiken Savalenta suggested that this was a deliberate attempt on the
part of the Liberal bloc to flex its muscle. "Mens Reppola has been CEO of Ishukone for almost a year now, and
the company has made great strides toward recovering from the death of [Otro] Gariushi."

Her guest, political analyst Taya Otnen, suggested that the move was more showmanship than substance. "It's
important not to make more of this than it really is. Ishukone has recovered somewhat but I can't see SuVee or
even the Liberal bloc openly opposing Tibus Heth right now. Reppola and Osmon are playing a dangerous game
here, and I can't see [Sukuuvesta CEO] Onita wanting to rock the boat too much."

Ishukone negotiates terms with federation regulators

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 12.04.2010 16:23:18

Algogille - Trade negotiators from Ishukone Corporation arrived in Algogille today, where they plan to meet with
Federal Administration representatives in order to discuss a relaxation of Federation restrictions put in place
shortly after the invasion of Caldari Prime. According to Ishukone, the corporation was invited to meet with the
Federal Administration by the president's office last month.

While President Roden has taken a hard line against the Caldari occupation of Caldari Prime, he has made some
indications since his election that he would be open to a reconcilation with Caldari business interests, in contrast
to his predecessor. This stance has caused some concern among hawks in the Senate, but the reluctance of
most Caldari interests to open negotiations with the Federation has seemingly made the point moot until now.

Ishukone's move has caused a wide range of reactions on both sides of the border. According to highly placed
sources at the Caldari Providence Directorate, both Executor Tibus Heth and Provist director Suvasemi Aikinen
were furious at the news, while the Federal Defense Union released a statement calling any relaxation of the
Foiritan administration restrictions "inadvisable" and "a significant threat to national security." Meanwhile, the
Federal Chamber of Commerce released a statement saying that a more welcoming business environment in the
Federation would "be beneficial to both consumers and the Federation." In the State, several other
megacorporations are said to be watching the results of Ishukone's negotiations carefully in order to determine
whether they will follow suit.

Negotiations are expected to take several weeks, and both Ishukone and the Federal Administration are playing
down the summit, saying that these talks are the opening step of a longer negotiating process. Both parties,
however, emphasized that they are optimistic about the results.

13/04/2010
Ardishapur to begin empire-wide speaking tour

The Ardishapur Family announced that Yonis Ardishapur will tour the Empire over the coming weeks. The royal
heir, whose recent success within the Ammatar Mandate has led to high popularity in that domain, is planning
on speaking engagements in a variety of venues and locations.

Coming on the heels of his actions following the terrorist bombing that claimed the life of High Deacon Mervan

-842-
Moritok, the heir expressed a desire to "connect with the true people of Amarr and revitalize their faith and
loyalty." After discussion with his advisers, it was decided that the speaking tour will allow the Heir to reach the
broadest audience.

Over thirty dates have already been announced, with Ardishapur making up to three appearances on the same
day in some cases. Demand is likely to be high, as admission is to be free of charge.

The heir has dismissed worries that the extensive tour will affect his governance of House Ardishapur's domains,
including the extensive Ammatar Mandate. "I have many capable administrators and governors ruling the family
lands. [Heir-Designate] Arim Ardishapur will be overseeing things in my stead."

Mentas blaque announces senate resignation

reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau 14.04.2010 17:22:02

Villore - After a long and distinguished career, Senator Mentas Blaque announced today that he would be
stepping down from his elected position in the Gallente Senate effective immediately. With over two years
remaining in his current term, Senator Blaque's early departure will trigger a special election within his home
district to name a successor.

Of greater importance is the loss of Blaque's leadership role as the Head of Senate. For years, Mentas Blaque
has had a direct hand in shaping Gallente policy, and has used this influence in advancing his political agenda.
An internal election will be held over the next few days, in which the Senate will promote one of its current
members to the vacant position.

In his surprise announcement made from the Senate floor at the conclusion of this afternoon's session, Senator
Blaque stated that this move is far from a total departure from public life. Indeed, Mentas Blaque will continue to
serve as head of the Federal Intelligence Office, an appointment that was re-confirmed by President Jacus
Roden. Given the recent acrimony caused by Blaque's unique position in both the legislative and executive
branches of government, this move is seen as a way to appease his harshest critics. Some political experts have
suggested that this was a back-room deal brokered by President Roden. If true, this move could indicate that
Roden has been able to deliver what several attempts at internal Senate censure could not.

More jaded political commentators continue to criticize Blaque however, going so far as to imply that this move
allows him to concentrate his energies in the FIO, where he can act without the intervention of the Federation
Senate.

CPD press conference: 'nothing to hide, nothing to fear'

reported by ISD Kohm Akino 15.04.2010 12:56:56

New Caldari - The Caldari Providence Directorate held a press conference today in an effort to allay fears about
its inquiry into the Crielere Project. The inquiry has drawn criticism from members of the public following the
detainment of several individuals.

The total number of citizens questioned in the inquiry is unknown thus far, although a CPD spokesman described
the inquiry as "comprehensive, concentrated and complete." Former employees on the project, including
scientists, laboratory technicians, engineers, and administration staff have been called on to provide witness
statements.

According to Metsama Ovai, the CPD spokesperson for this project, "These citizens are not interned. In a few
cases, we have given accommodation to some citizens while we conclude our enquiries. A few key witnesses
have volunteered to stay on station."

Playing down allegations that this investigation was an inquisition to root out opponents of Heth, the spokesman
concluded, "The inquiry is not about who is pro-Heth and who is anti-Heth. It is about finding out the truth about
the Crielere Project. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."

Provists call for quafe to lose state corporation status

reported by ISD Sharae Kalani 16.04.2010 20:53:35

New Caldari - Quafe Company shares dropped today on the major Caldari exchanges following a petition to the
Chief Executive Panel by the Caldari Providence Directorate to revoke the Gallente firm's State-granted
corporate status.

Citing Quafe's ties to the Federation and its government, the Directorate's petition states Quafe's unique status
as the only non-Caldari corporation with domestic corporate sovereignty and its attendant rights pose an
"insidious economic and political threat to the stability of the Caldari State."

The CEP tabled consideration of the petition after initial discussions failed to reach a consensus. Sukuuvestaa
Corporation in particular seemed opposed. "Quafe is an integral part of the State's economy," said Sirotova Uesi,
CFO for the megacorporation. "Gallente or not, suddenly revoking their status could have undesirable

-843-
consequences."

Agencourt Ambrulle, Chief Coordinator of Public Relations for Quafe, disagrees with Ms. Uesi's comments. "We
currently employ millions of hard-working Caldari citizens [in the State], none of whom would be pleased with,
for example, wage loss due to State injunction."

In regards to the CPD's position that Quafe is a liability, Ambrulle stated, "Quafe is not an organ of the Federal
government, nor do we act on its behalf."

Nominations begin for head of senate

reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau 16.04.2010 12:54:11

Villore - Today's lively Senate session was given over entirely to the internal process of naming and winnowing
down candidates for the vacant Head of Senate position. Early debate has identified three potential front-
runners for the position.

Vance Opheron, who currently serves as chairman of the Senate Defense Committee, was quickly nominated
and seconded by a large contingent of senators who feel his experience on military matters would serve the
nation well. In light of the ongoing armed conflict with the Caldari State, this sentiment appears popular.
Remnants of the earlier Naval Review scandal surround Opheron, but his position in that matter has since been
largely vindicated.

Also nominated was Aulmont Meis, head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A career diplomat, Meis is
seen as a moderate voice within the government. Though some charge that she was too closely associated with
former President Souro Foiritan's policies, Meis herself categorically denies this claim. Her voting record shows
several key issues in which she did not back Foiritan initiatives, but her harshest critics remain dubious of her
legislative independence.

Rounding out the leading candidates is Suvio Bellaron. Viewed as something of an "elder statesman," the
conservative Bellaron was one of Mentas Blaque's most stern critics during Blaque's tenure as the Head of
Senate. Bellaron was a co-sponsor of the unsuccessful bill that would have forced Blaque to resign one of his two
positions.

Several other candidates have been nominated and seconded, but as yet none of them have the backing
enjoyed by the three front-runners. The final vote for Head of Senate will take place in three days.

16/04/2010
Ardishapur focuses on ''roots of the faith'' and ''embracing new races into the traditional fold''

Amarr Prime – The first of Yonis Ardishapur's speaking engagements was held today in Dam-Torsad on Amarr
Prime. Speaking before a crowd of just under a thousand for little over an hour, the heir has focused mainly on
his views on religion, the Empire, and the roles of all peoples in its future.

Ardishapur called on all those attending the event to “remember where you came from. Be you a freed slave, a
descendant of slaves, a merchant, a Navy officer, a Holder, or even royalty, it is paramount to remember the
roots of the faith. All men are created to serve God and do His will. It is not merely time served that shall be
rewarded, but the conviction and faith with which you serve.”

Additionally, Ardishapur made clear his views on the other races of the cluster. “All people must one day be
brought into God's embrace, through their own choice or through our guiding hand. Embrace those who would
learn, defeat those who would make mockery of God's way. Through the penance of deeds, the sins of
forefathers may eventually be washed away. This is the Amarr way and it is the future, if the Empire is to thrive.”

The heir closed his speech thanking those for attending and promising that he would “never forget the sacrifices
made by the true faithful in times of falsehood.”

16/04/2010
Ardishapur focuses on ''roots of the faith'' and ''embracing new races into the traditional fold''

Amarr Prime – The first of Yonis Ardishapur's speaking engagements was held today in Dam-Torsad on Amarr
Prime. Speaking before a crowd of just under a thousand for little over an hour, the heir has focused mainly on
his views on religion, the Empire, and the roles of all peoples in its future.

Ardishapur called on all those attending the event to “remember where you came from. Be you a freed slave, a
descendant of slaves, a merchant, a Navy officer, a Holder, or even royalty, it is paramount to remember the
roots of the faith. All men are created to serve God and do His will. It is not merely time served that shall be
rewarded, but the conviction and faith with which you serve.”

Additionally, Ardishapur made clear his views on the other races of the cluster. “All people must one day be
brought into God's embrace, through their own choice or through our guiding hand. Embrace those who would

-844-
learn, defeat those who would make mockery of God's way. Through the penance of deeds, the sins of
forefathers may eventually be washed away. This is the Amarr way and it is the future, if the Empire is to thrive.”

The heir closed his speech thanking those for attending and promising that he would “never forget the sacrifices
made by the true faithful in times of falsehood.”

Aulmont meis named head of senate

reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau 19.04.2010 10:02:38

Villore - In a close vote, Senator Aulmont Meis was named as Mentas Blaque's successor to the coveted position
of the Head of Senate. Formerly head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Meis has nearly four decades
of experience within the assembly.

A graduate of the University of Caille, Meis went on to graduate studies in international relations at the
prestigious Hedion University in the Amarr Empire. Mr Meis returned to Caille to pursue his doctorate in
diplomatic studies. After serving in the Administration's diplomatic corps for 12 years, during which his
experience in negotiating with the Amarr was particularly useful, Meis served a term as one of the Gallente
Federation's special envoys to the CONCORD Assembly. This distinguished diplomatic career led to an easy
election to an open Senate seat in his home district of Dodenvale, as well as a junior position within the Senate's
Foreign Relations Committee.

Since that time, Meis has continued to be an active voice in the Senate. Though some critics allege that he is too
willing to negotiate, his voting record indicates his capablilities with taking a hard line against other nations
when the situation warrants. Very much a consensus-builder, Meis exhibits none of Mentas Blaque's
contentiousness.

With Meis taking on his new role as the Head of Senate, his old position as head of the Foreign Relations
Committee will be filled by Renvieve Jolousse, the next most senior member of that committee.

Aulmont Meis will be sworn in during a special ceremony tomorrow morning. President Jacus Roden and a
number of other key government officials are expected to be in attendance.

Crielere project scientist detained by provists

reported by ISD Kohm Akino 21.04.2010 12:54:08

Kaaputenen - Dr. Tamo Kinttonen, one of the leading research project managers for the Hyasyoda Corporation,
has been detained for questioning by Provists at a CBD Sell Division station in Kaaputenen. It is understood that
Kintonnen had prepaid for passage on an unidentified ship to Penirgman system in the Domain region.

Kintonnen worked on the Crielere Project as part of a Hyasyoda team concerned with cloaking technology.
Although divorced now, he was married at the time to Dr. Sycia Tillbeaux, a Gallente scientist, and they
appeared in a joint Federation- and State-funded advertisement promoting the project's diversity. A former
colleague of Kintonnen's commented, "Tamo told me how upset he was about the inquiry [into the Crielere
Project]. He felt that it was reopening old wounds on both a personal and professional level. I'm not surprised he
tried to leave the State before the inquiry reached him."

Hyasyoda Corporation released the following statement about Kintonnen's detainment: "Dr. Kintonnen was on
leave when he was abducted by the Provists. There are no restrictions on Hyasyoda employees travelling to the
Amarr Empire, and we are content that Dr. Kintonnen was not in possession of any scientific documents. We
object most strongly to his incarceration and demand that he is released immediately."

Senate proposes easing restrictions on quafe corporation

reported by ISD Sharae Kalani 23.04.2010 09:52:58

Villore - Citing economic concerns, Senator Faron Shu confirmed to the Scope today his intention to introduce
legislation that eases restrictions against Quafe Corporation trading and other operations in the Federation.

This announcement comes in the wake of rumors concerning meetings between Quafe Company officials and
representatives of both the Federation Senate and the Minmatar Parliament. Sources indicate a similar motion
has been brought forward in the Republic.

Speaking outside his office, Senator Shu described a desire to encourage the Gallente firm to increase focus on
its business dealings in the Federation and associated territories. "Support for our largest domestic firm during
times of economic instability will benefit all Federation citizens," he said. The new legislation, which will be
introduced early next week, also includes similar concessions for a number of other Gallente corporations.

Quafe officials could not be reached for comment.

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CEP approves stricter controls on quafe holdings
reported by ISD Sharae Kalani 27.04.2010 11:20:15

New Caldari - The Chief Executive Panel met again today to discuss the Caldari Providence Directorate's petition
to revoke Quafe Company's corporate status. The panel concluded to postpone further consideration until a
future, as yet unspecified, date, but a motion was approved to implement stricter auditing of Quafe operations
within State borders.

Quafe Company is one of the largest corporations in New Eden and is allowed to operate in the State as a
domestic company, subject to the same laws, regulations, and protections as Caldari corporations. The company
has a history of cooperating with Caldari business regulations, and thus far no evidence of criminal intent has
been presented.

Ikane Hadonei, a member of Wiyrkomi Corporation's CEP delegation, said, "Approving the petition's motion at
this time seems like a misappropriation of resources. However, if Quafe does pose a problem, these additional
audit measures will ensure we'll have adequate time to respond."

The House of Records has already begun implementing the new controls, but a spokesperson indicated the
additional data would not "immediately paint a clearer picture" of the Gallente firm. Quafe officials, meanwhile,
appear content with the decision. "We have no objections and would be happy to assist the State," Agencourt
Ambrulle said, adding, "There is no question the audit will have a favorable outcome for Quafe."

Crielere project scientist released

reported by ISD Kohm Akino 28.04.2010 15:33:26

New Caldari - Dr. Tamo Kintonnen, research scientist for Hyasyoda, has been released by Provist investigators
after a week of what has been described as "intensive interviews."

The Press Office of Hyasyoda released the following statement about the scientist's detainment:

"We have made a formal complaint to the CPD over this matter. Hyasyoda employees and their professional
intellectual property belong to the Corporation. It is against the founding principles of the State for an outside
agency to interfere with individual corporations' employees, and we question the legality of this inquiry."

The Caldari Providence Directorate refused to comment on the ongoing Crielere inquiry.

CBT investigators arrest caldari funds unlimited ceo

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 05.04.2010 19:52:06

Litiura - Caldari Funds Unlimited CEO Jaan Omura was taken into custody this morning by investigators from the
Caldari Business Tribunal on charges of treason, espionage, fraud, and embezzlement. The arrests accompanied
a continuing investigation into financial malfeasance at the State's largest independent bank.

A Tribunal release laid out the charges against Omura, which stem from a series of "unusual financial
transactions" between accounts registered to Omura at Caldari Funds Unlimited, the State and Region Bank, the
Garoun Investment Bank, and a number of other smaller financial institutions in the State, Federation, and the
Intaki Syndicate. In addition, the Tribunal also stated that Omura had been documented meeting with known
Gallente agents on at least four separate occasions, and that her personal clearances had been used to access a
number of low-level House of Records databases.

Reaction from the Caldari megacorporations has generally been in the form of shock. Indications appear to be
that few people outside the CBT saw this investigation and the subsequent arrests coming before rumors began
to leak out earlier this month. Both Kaalakiota and the Directorate have declined to comment, but Wiyrkomi CEO
Kuruta Irio demanded that the Tribunal hand over their initial findings to the Chief Executive Panel immediately.
Nugoeihuvi CEO Morimo Yagala released a statement saying that the charges were "extremely troubling" and
demanded a "thorough and expedient" investigation in order to allay the fears of the market.

Omura released a statement through her lawyer denying all charges, saying that she was not involved in any
criminal acts at the financial giant, nor was she aware that any of the people she had met with were connected
to Gallente intelligence. She blamed the charges on "political pressure to create a scapegoat" and called for an
internal review of the Tribunal investigation.

CBT investigators arrest caldari funds unlimited ceo

reported by ISD Katerina Markova 05.04.2010 19:52:06

Litiura - Caldari Funds Unlimited CEO Jaan Omura was taken into custody this morning by investigators from the
Caldari Business Tribunal on charges of treason, espionage, fraud, and embezzlement. The arrests accompanied
a continuing investigation into financial malfeasance at the State's largest independent bank.

A Tribunal release laid out the charges against Omura, which stem from a series of "unusual financial

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transactions" between accounts registered to Omura at Caldari Funds Unlimited, the State and Region Bank, the
Garoun Investment Bank, and a number of other smaller financial institutions in the State, Federation, and the
Intaki Syndicate. In addition, the Tribunal also stated that Omura had been documented meeting with known
Gallente agents on at least four separate occasions, and that her personal clearances had been used to access a
number of low-level House of Records databases.

Reaction from the Caldari megacorporations has generally been in the form of shock. Indications appear to be
that few people outside the CBT saw this investigation and the subsequent arrests coming before rumors began
to leak out earlier this month. Both Kaalakiota and the Directorate have declined to comment, but Wiyrkomi CEO
Kuruta Irio demanded that the Tribunal hand over their initial findings to the Chief Executive Panel immediately.
Nugoeihuvi CEO Morimo Yagala released a statement saying that the charges were "extremely troubling" and
demanded a "thorough and expedient" investigation in order to allay the fears of the market.

Omura released a statement through her lawyer denying all charges, saying that she was not involved in any
criminal acts at the financial giant, nor was she aware that any of the people she had met with were connected
to Gallente intelligence. She blamed the charges on "political pressure to create a scapegoat" and called for an
internal review of the Tribunal investigation.

Sansha invasion underway

reported by ISD Zachary Zain 13.05.2010 03:09:55

New Eden – Over the last two days, Sansha incursions have been reported in multiple systems across New Eden.
On 12.05.112, four more raids took place, with True Slave transports apparently abducting people from the
planets below.

Niarja, Balle, Tama and Kamela systems were attacked by Sansha's Nation today. Sansha's Nation fielded an
estimated 50 vessels in Niarja, mostly of Sansha custom design, but brought in carriers similar to the Amarr
Archon in Tama and Kamela. The fleets appear to have entered the target systems through extremely unstable
wormholes that seem to be under Nation control; capsuleers report that they are blocked to non-Sansha ships
and seem to close if the Sansha forces are destroyed, or when they achieve their goal and depart.

Sansha Nightmare engages capsuleer resistanceNiarja VII was the first of the attacks where it was confirmed
that the Sansha had abducted approximately 50,000 citizens from the planet's surface. Imiarr Timshae, one of
the many capsuleers who came to the system's defence, said "…The speed at which capsuleers arrived was
admirable, but being on the scene there were simply not enough. Too many pilots were concerned with
destroying the battleship-class attackers and the transports slipped through." The Sansha fleets abducted an
estimated 100,000 in Tama and another 50,000 in Kamela, bringing the total count of people taken to at least
200,000. Sansha have been alleged to implant captives to create more True Slaves, but their intentions for these
captives are as yet unknown.

Tama appears to be the first verified system in the current set of raids where an Archon-class carrier was
deployed by Nation forces with a full support fleet of battleships, battlecruisers, cruisers and frigates. Again
capsuleers of all races banded together to defend the system from the common enemy. Pilots on the scene
report that a Scorpion pilot from the Caldari Navy successfully hacked into at least one of the Nightmare
battleships, causing it and some of its fellows to turn on the carrier. Gallente pilots in the fleet then allegedly
turned on the Scorpion pilot, possibly trying to obtain the unknown technology he used to accomplish this feat.

Another Nation Archon and support fleet were deployed in Kamela, but beaten back swiftly by a combined
defence. Once the Sansha fleet had been routed, an Imperial Navy commander gave orders for all allied pilots to
open fire on the Minmatar who only moments before they had considered fleet mates. “This is Admiral Ihsam
Dasirel of the Amarr Navy High Command elite taskforce. All faithful squadrons are hereby instructed to engage
all Minmatar Republic ships."

Julianus Soter, founder of the Synenose Accord, whose channel SYNEpublic has become an unofficial central
point of coordination for the capsuleer defence fleets, believes he may have some insight into the Sansha. "We
have suspicions that these attacks are somehow related to the system the Ducia Foundry attack reported
several days ago… The system with the locus signature of J235456" and is asking all pilots to be on the lookout
for a wormhole that may lead to this system.

Mr Soter is also believed to be in possession of a series of leaked DED documents. These documents, known as
the ISHAEKA Leaks, were published with the message "CONCORD is hiding something from you. Look further.
Spread the truth." and contain information on a CONCORD investigation into directed transmissions from Stain
into Gallente Federation space. Following public statements from the Synenose Accord on the Inter-galactic
Summit, further ISHAEKA documents were leaked that seemed to indicate that the Synenose Accord has been
placed under CONCORD surveillance. Further, a statement in ISHAEKA-0018 alleging the agreement of a media
blackout with CONCORD's news outlets has been denied by the Interstellar Correspondents' Vice Admiral,
Serathu Ashke.

One message has appeared at least twice in communications with the Sansha. Slave 32152 has twice referred to
"a mistake" that is being corrected. "Capsuleers are the heirs to a mistake, and we are the correction." While the

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most obvious reference would seem to refer to the four Empires attacking and nearly exterminating the Nation
years ago, capsuleers have postulated that capsule technology itself might be the error to which the Sansha
refer.

Pilots deployed in systems around the Minmatar Republic after the attack in Kamela, attempting to anticipate
the next target, but no further attacks have occurred at the time of writing. Six systems - Kaaputenen, Frarn,
Renyn, Ashab, Eystur and Urlen - were reported by capsuleers as having been attacked on the 11th, with
another four systems - Niarja, Balle, Tama and Kamela - being invaded on the 12th, when over 200,000 people
were abducted in a continuing series of apparently unprovoked attacks by the Sansha. A possible seventh attack
on the 11.05.112 in the 3-CE1R of the Jovian Empire, remains unconfirmed.

Sansha incursions on the increase

reported by ISD Zachary Zain | 2010.05.16 07:57:57

Intaki, Placid - In the latest (at the time of writing, 15.05.112) of the incursions by the Sansha "Harvest Fleet,"
two Chimera-class vessels and support fleet were destroyed with the help of a Nyx and Aeon from Cry Havoc.

11.05.112 Kaaputenen – First recorded incursion into capsuleer space. This was followed by incurions in Frarn,
Renyn, Ashab, Eystur and Urlen.

12.05.112 Balle - No information currently held.

Niarja - Approximately 50,000 citizens abducted.

Tama – Archon-class carrier deployed by Nation forces – Estimated 100,000 citizens abducted.

Kamela - Imperial Navy commander gave orders for all allied pilots to open fire on the Minmatar who only
moments before they had considered fleet mates.

13.05.112 Incursions took place in Auga, Penirgman, Gyng, Abudhan and:

Umokka – Evidence of Sansha communications scrambling technology. Colony on planet 2 in the system totally
wiped out – Estimated 150,000 citizens abducted.

Sansha's Nation forces are engaged14.05.112 Intaki – Comfirmed deployment of 2 carriers by Nation forces.

Penirgman - No dropships, believed by many capsuleers to be a diversionary attack whilst Nation forces
prepared to invade Teonsude system.

Teonsude – Estimated 150,000 citizens abducted.

Arnon – CONCORD pilot had ship destroyed by capsuleers after the vessel's commanding officer Sutola Endoma
who told the pilots “Any conversation regarding the situation that may or may not have happened in Arnon is
strictly forbidden.” Endoma also refused to vacate the system when ordered to by the Federal Navy.

Hek – Estimeated 25,000 citizens abducted with no CONCORD presence recorded at the scene.

Vevelonel – Two capital class vessels in hostile fleet.

15.05.11 Odatrik – Estimated 25,000 citizens abducted.

Tama – Slave Tama01 appeared for the first time, piloting a Wyvern-class supercarrier that was destroyed by
forces from Cry Havoc, Rote Kapelle and Advocated Destruction amongst others. Many have pointed out the
correlation between the Nation's first use of a Caldari-originating capitals and supercapitals and extraordinarily
rapid elevation of the slaves from Tama to capsuleer status. Taken from the planet raided in Tama only a few
days previously, the True Slave capsuleer Tama Slave01 returned to the system and talked to capsuleers in local,
stating “Master has allowed me to return, to speak. We plan to uplift humanity. To correct the mistake that is the
capsuleers.”

Melichor Duraldi asked Tama Slave01 “…By what means do you create your wormholes?” to which Slave Tama01
replied “That is not for you to know” , which makes many capsuleers believe that they do indeed have the
technology to either create or control wormholes.

Intaki – The latest incursion (at the time of writing which included two capital vessels was repeled various
capsuleers, including a Nyx and Aeon from Cry Havoc.

The Intaki incursion happened in the small hours of the morning of the 15th. While capsuleers have many
theories on means to predict the time and place of the next incursion, no-one has yet publically announced any
successful insight, save that target planets to date have all been temperate in climate.

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When the next raid is due, if there is a next one, no-one knows, but capsuleers and naval forces remain vigilant.

Umokka raided by sansha's nation, abductions escalate

reported by ISD Najax Lergazin | 2010.05.16 07:25:40

Umokka, Lonetrek - In the evening of 112.05.13, a Sansha's Nation raiding fleet attacked Umokka II and VIII
simultaneously. During the raid, which lasted no more than thirty minutes, an estimated 50,000 citizens were
abducted from planet VIII, while the Sansha claimed that Ummoka II was "completely harvested," and some
100,000 people have been reported missing.

Sansha Vessel Orbiting Umokka VIIIAccording to Yoshitaka Moromuo, who was leading Ishuk-Raata Enforcement
Division's response fleet, the Nation vessels entered Umokka through a wormhole that opened in close proximity
to Umokka VIII. After few minutes hostile battleships were also reported orbiting Umokka II.

Capsuleer defence forces made it to the scene fairly swiftly and were called to the defence of planet VIII by
Sutola Endoma of CONCORD, while Koja Tsutariba of the Caldari Navy worked with forces defending planet II.

After defenders moved to reinforce Umokka VIII, an unknown vessel ambushed Koja Tsutariba and outgoing
transmissions from his vessel were jammed. The remnants of the so-called "Harvest Fleet" were reinforced by
further Nation battleships and an Archon-class carrier. Yoshitaka Moromuo said "How they managed to enter
high-security space with it is beyond me."

While numerous pilots present at the fray confirmed that they had both seen and fired upon Sansha vessels,
CONCORD official Sutoma Endoma (speaking in apparent defiance of a CONCORD media blackout) dismissed the
event as just a capsuleer engagement and declined to confirm any reports of abductions from Umokka. "Reports
of landing parties and the abduction of citizens cannot be confirmed at this time."

Capsuleer conference to address sansha harvests

reported by ISD Clarity Brown | 2010.05.17 19:11:00

Yulai, Genesis - At 04:30 on 18.05.112, a conference will begin in "The Summit" virtual reality channel. The
conference, formally titled "The Strategic Accord on Re-Emerging Powers" aims to formulate a united strategic
posture for capsuleers of all Empires that can be deployed against both the current Sansha raids and possible
future Sleeper threats.

The conference will be hosted by Abbess Ashar KorAzor of the Order of the Blessed Sisters of Amarr, in
partnership with Julianus Soter (founder of the Synenose Accord [SYNE] and current CEO of Moira. corporation)
and Justin Vallar, the current CEO of SYNE.

The conference currently has 4 chairpersons chosen to represent each of the four main cultural blocs of New
Eden: Graelyn, former Admiral of Aegis Militia for the Amarr; Dex Nederland of Lai Dai Infinity Systems for the
Caldari; Kaleigh Doyle of Murder Dolls for the Gallente and Evanda Char of Re-Awakened Technologies Inc for the
Minmatar.

Abbess KorAzor has invited any and all capsuleers involved in fighting the recent Sansha raids to attend, along
with military and scientific personnel from the Empires of New Eden, members of the press and other enemies
of Sansha's Nation. Sansha representatives are not expected to be permitted to speak at the conference.

The Strategic Accord on Re-Emerging Powers conference, which starts at 04:30 on 18.05.112, will run in The
Summit channel for the coming week, with topic announcements and summaries being published on the
Intergalactic Summit periodically.

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Sansha kuvakei's resurrection: truth or trickery?
reported by ISD Caleb Kang | 2010.06.03 21:51:32

Yulai - Sansha's Nation continues to assault settlements of all four empires, with the total number of abductions
rising into the millions. The sudden intensity and frequency of the attacks has fueled rampant theories about
their motives and the nature of their resurgence. Most distressing to some is the possible revival of Sansha
Kuvakei.

The founder of the Nation, Kuvakei has long been assumed dead, killed during the invasion by a coalition of the
empires under the then-nascent CONCORD. While his corpse was never discovered, the likelihood of his survival
was considered "near zero."

However, the appearance of a man identifying himself as "Master Kuvakei" on the Intergalactic Summit has
whipped up a frenzy of speculation. The speaker, while not directly using the name Sansha Kuvakei, appears
similar to historical images of Sansha and refers to the Nation as "my Nation" in his brief, two-line statement.
Additionally, many of the attacking Sansha pilots have spoken of their Master Kuvakei in the present tense.
Some experts remain skeptical, however, that it could truly be Sansha Kuvakei.

Aralin Jick, an expert on the Nation with the Ministry of Internal Order, believes it is all a smokescreen. "The
Nation uses command interfaces to control their True Slaves, who are programmed to follow the orders of
Sansha Kuvakei," he explained. "The True Slaves may believe they are receiving orders from Sansha, but in
reality it's little more than some taskmaster doing an impersonation. "

Despite Jick's skepticism, many citizens across New Eden are concerned. A CONCORD official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, believes Master Kuvakei is the actual Sansha. "Anyone saying it's not Sansha is deluding
themselves. I know many people say it's impossible he could have survived this long, but it's not unheard of in
this day and age."

Imperial fleets on high alert following evidence of sansha capital fleet in jove space
reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim | 2010.06.26 21:31:24

Amarr - In reaction to the data acquired by capsuleer Mouse Nell, indicating a major Sansha military presence
within the borders of the Jove Empire, the Amarr Empire has set all its military forces to a state of high alert.
This marks the first time the entirety of the Empire's main capital force - The Imperial Domain Fleet - has been
mobilized since the invasion in YC110.

In addition to the activation of the Imperial fleets, Amarr Certified News reports that the regional forces of the
Royal Houses have mobilized similarly, and that representatives of the fleets of the various Houses have been in
meetings with the Ministry of War. In response to the news, Court Chamberlain Pomik Haromi spoke on behalf of
the Empress in announcing a special delegation to be sent to the CONCORD Assembly. The delegation, headed
by Minister of War Perimum Amyn, was said by the Chamberlain to "speak for the interests of Amarr and the
people of the Empire, and will stand with unwavering faith in matters of war."

Honored composer to commemorate empress

reported by ISD Ria Nicaea | 2010.06.29 13:48:35

Amarr Prime - Renowned composer Khitian Maritak, whose numerous canticles earned her the coveted Theology
Council title "The Holy Inspired" and whose recent historical opera, "The Trials of Jiustan and Daro," won acclaim
across the cluster, has announced the her latest creation, a choral titled "Sarum Symphony."

Jamyl Sarum's mysterious and explosive return to power two years ago signalled the beginning of a new era for
the Amarr Empire. This symphonic piece is to be performed in the Grand Nave of the Basilica of Saint Nhyron on
Mekhios by the imperial choir Voices of the Sefrim, and will be directed by Maritak herself. The composer
created the choral over the course of seven exhaustive months to commemorate the event. The Khanid-born
Maritak has declared the piece to be her "magnum opus."

Criticism has been levelled for the composer's choice of venue: Saint Nhyron was a notoriously outspoken
opponent of the Sarum family during the last Ardishapur reign, though no ill will has existed between the houses
in recent centuries. Maritak insists that her selection of the building is purely artistic, that the "Sarum
Symphony" was written specifically for performance in the basilica in order to utilize the chuch's striking
acoustic properties, and that the contentious history has no bearing on the choice.

The symphony's debut performance will be held on Lightbringer's Eve, a planetary holiday celebrating the first
day of springtime. Invitation to the event is limited to members of the Theology Council, the Privy Council, heirs,
and the Empress herself. A live broadcast will be held across the Empire by the ACN for the benefit of all Amarr
citizens. Security for the event is expected to be tight in light of the recent attack by the Bloody Hands of Matar
and the ongoing Sansha threat.

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Luminaire's market affected by nation raids
reported by ISD Khepri Shaleigh | 2010.07.01 12:53:21

Luminaire - Retailers in Luminaire blame recent Sansha raids for sharply declining sales this week across almost
all sectors. As the Sansha attacks have increased a new poll finds that people have cut back their shopping
time. Some have also stopped buying altogether. Eighty percent of those polled in a recent Garoun Investment
Bank study say they are "somewhat concerned" about Sansha incursions. A majority of those asked said they
have stopped buying luxury items and no longer eat out. Of the remaining Twenty percent, a clear majority
stated confidence in the Federation Navy as the reason they are not concerned.

"Lack of confidence is always a major factor in sales," said Mattiu Lamont of the Fraise Institute, a research
group that monitors market trends in the Federation on behalf of the Garoun Investment Bank. "People are
scared, and nothing can hurt an economy more than fear."

Asked if he felt this would be a long-term trend, Allyx Godrieu, an adjunct professor at the University of Caille,
said, "If you buy into the fear and panic syndrome, you are accepting that business will decline, and that will
affect sales." Pointing to another study by a consumer advocacy group, he said, "Arms sales are up, travel
companies and transportation companies are booming. Business adapts and some people will see opportunity
when others panic. This is just a small bump in the road."

Sansha sympathizers arrests sparks legal debate

reported by ISD Khepri Shaleigh | 2010.07.05 04:13:24

New Caldari - A State appeals court yesterday backed the Provist's power to indefinitely detain a citizen
captured on State soil without any criminal charges being laid. The ruling came at the hearing of 6 men arrested
last week, who officials said were involved in a plot to lure Caldari citizens into space where they were to be
offered to Sansha's Nation.

A host of civil liberties groups weighed in on the accused men's behalf, calling on the State to supply evidence
and charges. The presiding judge disagreed, though, stating that such authority is vital during this time to
protect the State from Sansha incursions. The men, four Gallente and two Caldari, will continue to be held
without charges.

Rikko Sattonnen, chief counsel for the Caldari Legal Foundation, said the ruling "gave the Provists the needed
flexibility in dealing with war criminals. You can't treat them as though they are just another criminal defendant."
Adivaan Kouver, senior associate at Citizen's Rights First, said the ruling "could lead to the Provists being
allowed to hold anyone who, for example, accessed what they consider the wrong kind of reading from a
database."

Laak Katomi, a Provist Spokesman, gave no evidence and few details, saying only: "All of the State's security
agencies are actively working to protect the Caldari people from the Sansha threat."

False media report sets off panic

reported by ISD Khepri Shaleigh | 2010.07.08 06:14:41

Pator – A story carried by The Scope news service and relayed by various media outlets throughout the cluster
sparked panic today on Pator. The story, which turned out to be fraudulent, gave explicit details about a Sansha
fleet on its way to invade the Minmatar homeworld. The local stock market on the planet took a steep dive
following the false news story. Some areas saw mass looting in their retail districts, while fires broke out in some
residential districts in major metropolitan areas. The confusion did not dissipate when officials confirmed the
news stories to be rumors.

By far the worst incident was in Liberton, a relocation camp for recently freed slaves, where local media reported
Sansha dropships would be landing at their location. Approximately one million refugees evacuated their
settlement camp in response to the reports. Camera drones showed large crowds of refugees heading toward
the bridge leading out of camp when they suddenly surged forward. During the crush, iron railings on the bridge
gave way, and hundreds of people fell into the water. Many victims, mostly women, children or elderly, were
crushed or drowned.

Officials had suggested that someone in the crowd triggered the stampede by saying they had seen a Sansha
dropship. Survivors later confirmed this report.

The Liberton story has been traced to a Scope employee who has now disappeared. According to investigators,
this man is also the source of the original story that went over the news services in the early hours of the day.
The Scope has issued a public apology and has vowed to help officials in their search for the missing reporter.

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Former ammatar elite speak about defecting to the republic
reported by ISD Caleb Kang | 2010.07.12 14:41:22

The invasion of the Ammatar Mandate by the Minmatar elders, an event which took place two years ago in
YC110, is perhaps best known today for having allowed millions to reclaim their heritage as part of the Nefantar
Tribe. Among those millions were thousands of the Mandate's elite; former overseers, planetary governors, and
Holders in all but name.

The most difficult thing for those involved was making the move. "My family had been given a special station in
the Mandate," said Rafin Chorda, a slave owner who defected along with his household and a large number of
slaves. "An Amarrian would have never called us a Holder, but that's what we were. We had wealth, power, and
status. I could have lived an opulent life, as could my children, and their children, and so on for generations. But
it would have always been under the shadow of the Empire. I couldn't stomach it."

The sentiment is shared by many. "I was a leading member of the Mandate," said Ramius Throten, a former
district governor. "But to the Empire, I was nothing. I had to bow my head to the lowest Holder, one whose only
holdings were worthless patches of dirt in some dead-end low-sec system. It was a demeaning life, no matter
how much power I supposedly held. The Republic is the true home of my people; I had to return there when
given the chance."

Despite good reasons to defect, the decision was not easy for some. "It weighed heavily on me for months," said
Omad Durgen, a former Vice-Admiral in the Ammatar Fleet. "I gave up much for an uncertain future. But what
price is too great for a man's freedom? I was not called a slave, but I was one, no matter how hard I tried to
pretend otherwise. Now I am free. I have come to terms."

Lists of sansha abductees increasingly inaccurate

reported by ISD Caleb Kang | 2010.07.13 13:47:41

Yulai - As Sansha's Nation continues its raids into Empire space, the number of those abducted rises. While
official numbers report over two million missing, the stark reality is that many of those abducted remain simply
a number on a ledger.

"Approximately one million are reported missing from Schmaeel," stated a Kor-Azor family official tasked with
keeping track of the raids. "However, we have a list of names numbering barely half that many. We know the
numbers are right, but we do not know the full identities of those missing."

The Amarr Empire isn't alone in having these problems, as large numbers of missing civilians from colonies in
the Republic, Federation, and State also remain unidentified. According to recent reports, nearly thirty percent of
the colonists abducted by Sansha's Nation remain unidentified by their empires.

"It's a simple matter of logistics," said Sister Amia Kathis of the Servant Sisters of EVE. "Many of the colonies
being assaulted by the Nation are remote and poorly defended. Census reports may be years or even decades
old. Say a new colonist arrives days before the Nation attacks. Who will miss them? Who will report them
missing? What records will state they were ever there?"

Kathis is one of many in the SSoE who is trying to uncover the identities of those missing. "We owe it to those
poor people to figure out who they are. Imagine suddenly vanishing from existence and no one caring. It's a
terrifying thought." According to Kathis, efforts have been stymied by the empires' reluctance to allow outsiders
access to census records.

Among the four empires, the Caldari State has been the most diligent about identifying its missing citizens.
Currently, nearly 90% of those taken from Caldari worlds have been identified. Asked for an explanation, PR
representative Yukuro Shiba of NOH said, "All colonists are employees of a corporation. Discovering who is
missing is a simple task of cross-checking corporate rosters."

Calls for return of coalition of empires go unanswered

reported by ISD Caleb Kang | 2010.07.14 16:12:49

As Sansha's Nation continues its renewed offensive against the citizens of New Eden, many have called for the
four empires to band together, as in centuries past, and destroy the threat as one. These calls, however, appear
to have so far fallen on deaf ears.

"Sansha's Nation was a threat over a century ago," said Professor Fontine Mereux of the University of Caille, a
leading expert on the history of CONCORD. "But in the cluster's darkest hour, all of the empires banded together
to smash them. Sansha's Nation is now resurgent. For too long they've been allowed to fester in Stain. It's time
that the four empires band together once more to wipe it out."

Thousands of others have raised similar calls to arms, believing that the only way to counter the Nation's threat

-852-
is through cooperation between the four empires, but years of mistrust and fighting between the empires has
made that path appear unlikely.

"If it wasn't Sansha's Nation doing it, it'd be the Amarr," stated Jorel Yat, a high-ranking Vherokior tribesman. "I
say the Republic should focus on stopping the Nation from attacking us and let the others worry about their own
citizens. Make us a less appealing target and we'll be left alone."

Gugiere Ladux, a Gallente politician, said, "I heard the Caldari Navy managed to hack an invading force and turn
the Nation's agents against each other. If they really wanted to help, why haven't they turned this technique
over to the rest of the cluster? If we sent our Navy into Stain, what's to stop the Caldari from hacking the Sansha
to kill us first?"

The effort has not been aided by CONCORD, who continue to insist publicly that the Nation is not a threat. "At
the present time, CONCORD does not require additional empire-provided manpower to deal with pirate
incursions," a short statement from the CONCORD Assembly read.

Many nefantar elite find adapting to republic life difficult

reported by ISD Caleb Kang | 2010.07.15 13:23:54

Following the Elder Invasion over two years ago, thousands of the Ammatar Mandate's former elite defected to
the Minmatar Republic. For many of them, the road to reintegration into the Minmatar tribal system has been
lined with hardship.

Stripped of their former power and coming to a nation that views them with centuries of built-up suspicion and
hatred, the Elite have been faced with challenges that many of them have not been able to overcome. "I
oversaw an entire planet in the Mandate," said Ramius Throten, a former Mandate district governor. "I did what I
could to assist my fellow Minmatar. I made sure the slaves kept in my district were well treated. I turned a blind
eye to raiders whenever I could, which wasn't often enough for some. Despite my efforts, I have been ostracized
in the Republic."

Throten is one of many who has been soured by the prejudice he has faced. Though he spent over a year living
in the Republic, he has recently immigrated to the Gallente Federation. "In the Empire, I was derisively called
‘minnie' and treated as inferior to any Amarrian. In the Republic, I was called slaver and always viewed as a
traitor to my people, even though I'd come back." He added, "I had everything and now I have nothing. There
are days I wish I had never defected. At least in the Federation, I can live in relative peace."

While some have taken Throten's path and left for the Federation, others have stuck with the Republic. "I can't
run back to the Mandate," said Sadamang Suh, a former Ammatar Consulate official. "My family and I left most
of our belongings behind. We had so little time to evacuate. We are penniless, so we cannot leave. I have a
janitorial job with Eifyr and Co. It's better than nothing. Things will get better. They can't get any worse."

Aftermath of nation attacks ''eerie'' and ''disturbing''

reported by ISD Caleb Kang | 2010.07.16 16:41:02 | NEW

Ation - Nearly 750.000 Federation citizens were abducted from the Ation system by Sansha's Nation in a recent
raid. Much like in previous raids the Nation left the attacked sites nearly devoid of human life, carrying off
everyone from the newly born to the elderly.

Estigone, a settlement of nearly 200.000, was one of the main sites of the Sansha attack. Before the attack it
was a bustling industrial community in growth, centered around several factories belonging to Aliastra. Now it
lies deserted, with nearly every one of its citizens taken during the Nation raid.

Across the settlement, evidence of its previous inhabitants is easy to come by. Half-eaten dinners sit rotting on
tables. Holoplayers loop their reels unceasingly. Computer screens display incomplete messages. Unfiled reports
sit on office desks. Family pets claw at cages and gnaw at restraints.

Perhaps most baffling is the lack of evidence for any resistance. Though Estigone had an organized and armed
police force, there is little indication that they mustered any opposition to the Nation's raiders. Weapons remain
unfired in their lockers, the safeties still on. While there are some small signs of conflict, such as blaster holes
and scattered debris from small explosions, much of the city is undamaged.

"It's almost as if everyone just got up and peacefully walked into the Sansha dropships," said Therion Niemann,
a representative of the Sisters of EVE who was dispatched to search for survivors. "I've seen some disturbing
battle sites before, but nothing has been quite so eerie as this."

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Nefantar elite make best of their situation
reported by ISD Caleb Kang | 2010.07.18 13:27:59

While many of the ex-Ammatar elite who returned to the Republic following the Elder War have found the
transition difficult, there are a good many who have retained the optimism that led them to defecting in the first
place.

Omad Durgen was a Vice-Admiral in the Ammatar Fleet before the Elder Invasion. He and a group of loyal
officers commandeered a ship and defected to the Republic, even aiding the Elders for a brief time before the
ship sustained too much damage to continue. "It was glorious," Durgen said. "We all thought we'd come to the
Republic as heroes. The wayward sons, returning with the heads of our enemies held high. It wasn't to be so."

Durgen, like many others, found that the long-held beliefs and hatreds that had developed in the Republic were
difficult to overcome. "It didn't matter that I had defected. All that mattered was that, at one time, I had fought
the Minmatar on the side of the Empire. I was a murderer, a butcher, a race-traitor," he said. "I hoped to enlist in
the Republic Fleet, but they would not have me. I was a security risk, they said. A potential spy for the Empire. "

Durgen has been able to find work, as a low-grade security operative for the Minmatar Mining Corporation. "It's
respectable," he said. "It doesn't pay well and I'm constantly being watched by my superiors. Many of my co-
workers hate me for the crimes they believe I committed against the Republic, but I will win them over
eventually. It will take hard work. I never expected this to be easy."

Former nefantar holders attempting to become tribal leaders

reported by ISD Caleb Kang | 2010.07.21 15:51:05

The vast majority of Ammatar who returned to the Republic to reform the Nefantar Tribe were commoners in the
Mandate. They are now coalescing into the new tribal leadership. Among those former Elite who defected,
however, are some who believe they should lead the tribe's rebirth.

"I was more or less a Holder in the Mandate," said Rafin Chorda, who was the owner of a large number of slaves
during his time in the Mandate. "I know how to organize the masses, how to keep proper account of funds and
manpower. I have experience in diplomacy and business negotiations. I've had to face down Amarrian Holders
and Caldari businessmen. I am the right man to lead the Nefantar people."

Many of his fellow Nefantar are distrustful of Chorda, however. "He owned slaves," said Domash Kroil, a political
opponent. "How can he face the leaders of other tribes? How can they not look down on him? The Nefantar
would never achieve anything with men like Chorda in charge. We would forever be burdened by the dark
treachery that those like him perpetrated against the Minmatar people."

Chorda is dismissive of such claims. "I was a kind and just master. I was less a master and more of a caretaker. I
rescued abused slaves and rehabilitated them. I gave them proper care and attention. When the time came, I
freed them with the help of the Elders."

Opinions from Chorda's former slaves are mixed. "He wasn't the best master I ever had," said one former slave
of Krusual descent. "But he wasn't the worst, either. Can't say it'd be easy to deal with him on even terms now.
Doubt I'd be too fair with him."

Despite people's generally low opinions of him, Chorda remains confident he can rise to the top of the Tribe's
ranks. "I have enough supporters," he said, "who know that I will provide the best leadership the Nefantar can
ask for. Some will always doubt me, but after I show my talents, many doubters will quickly come to realize how
wrong they were."

Thukker political integration sees difficulties and delays

reported by ISD Gaspard Sorelo | 2010.07.29 17:34:26

Pator – Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor publicly expressed frustration after yet another in a series of delays plagued
negotiations with Thukker tribal leaders. For months the Sanmatar’s staff has been moving forward in trying to
assemble a new Council to represent the seven Minmatar Tribes. “It was my fervent hope that this process
would go more smoothly,” said Shakor, “but dealing with representatives of the Thukker tribe in particular has
imposed a number of difficulties.”

Amongst the problems that the Sanmatar’s staff have had to deal with is a lag in communications. While FTL
transmission technology makes interstellar communication relatively simple, the demands on the time of a
Thukker caravan master are many. Be it in dealing with coordinating fleet movements, overseeing the
maintenance of generations-old vessels, or engaging in protracted commercial negotiations that impact the
livelihood of their entire caravan, Thukker tribal leaders take a very active role in the day-to-day administration
of caravan affairs.

-854-
A further difficulty is in simply identifying who amongst the Thukker chieftains is best suited to speak for the
Tribe as a whole. Over the last several months Trust Partners CEO Einnar Aeboul has emerged as the leading
voice for the tribe, but internal support for him is far from universal. As masters of their own fleets, Thukker
leaders tend towards fierce independence. Issuing a sharp retort to Sanmatar Shakor’s expression of frustration,
caravan master Jagnus Drur hotly replied, “the Brutor may bow to the rule of a single strong man, but we
Thukker are masters of our own destinies.”

While some progress has been made, staff members within the Shakor administration expressed little
confidence that a final agreement on the final form of the Tribal Council would be forthcoming in the near term.

Settled thukker deal with tribal identity crisis

reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau | 2010.08.31 17:17:44

Rens - As Thukker tribesmen integrate into Minmatar society in greater numbers, many are giving up their
nomadic roots and settling down. This has raised questions within the tribal community as to what it truly means
to be a Thukker.

Hugh Gunnur, a Thukker by birth, has relocated his family to Symhafen, a metropolis on the bustling planet of
Rens. He sees the move as worthwhile. "My family have been maintenance techs on the station in EO2-IK for
four generations. We were never part of a caravan, and aside from one of my great-uncles, no one in my family
lived a nomadic lifestyle." He further indicated that living on Rens was a significant improvement over station
life. "I never have to worry about leaking atmosphere here."

But even Gunnur admits he is concerned about maintaining his tribal identity. Many traditions developed and
passed down by space-faring Thukkers are difficult or impossible in planet-bound life. For instance, many
Thukker feel the Voluval ceremony, central to the personal identity of most Minmatar, should be administered
only in space. Some extreme interpretations require the ritual to be performed in vac-suits, so strong is the
Thukker affinity for the void.

"My son's almost old enough, but I can't afford to book passage on a ship for him to undergo Voluval properly,"
lamented Gunnur. "Does that mean he's not really a Thukker?" Gunnur admits he doesn't know, and that the
subject is a sore one within his household.

Worse, planet-bound Thukker find themselves increasingly estranged from the politics of their space-faring
brethren. Many have expressed concern that nomadic caravan masters no longer represent their needs. Some
have even considered the drastic step of adopting into other, more sedentary tribes like the Vherokior.

Regardless of the outcome, the Thukker tribe as a whole will continue to struggle with its identity and place in
modern Minmatar society.

Media watch-group outraged

reported by ISD Khepri Shaleigh | 2010.09.01 17:39:43

PATOR - The Minmatar People's Theatre announced their new season today, drawing fire from media
watchgroups outraged at the inclusion of what they call a “rascist” play. The MPT, who were the last group to
receive funding from the now-defunct parliament, will stage a version of the 600-year-old 'Plantation' by
Ammatar author Dekkameron. Though the play is considered by many a classic, at least one of the groups,
Equality in Action, plans to protest the show. "There is no redeeming social value in this play whatsoever, and it
is disgusting that government money would go towards perpetuating racist stereotypes” said Keinnan Bakkia
the group's spokesman.

Sarum symphony a glorious triumph

reported by ISD Ria Nicaea | 2010.09.02 09:55:11

Mekhios - From the hushed and pensive opening notes to the stirring triumphal finale, Khitian Maritak's choral
Sarum Symphony held listeners entranced for the entirety of its three-hour length. "I wanted to express [the
Empress'] rise to power as the journey of her lifetime, to make the audience feel her experience," the honored
composer stated later in an open interview. Home viewers may not have received quite as powerful an
experience as the attendees, but the program has been recorded to produce the closest possible facsimile and
will be available next month for purchase.

Featuring the vocal talents of soloists Ameyn Jural and Louwi Kil, the Symphony presented an immersive
experience incorporating subtle lighting to enhance moods and utilizing to their fullest extent the unusual
acoustical properties of St Nhyron's Basilica. The extensive twelfth movement, expressing the climactic battle
above Mekhios, has already been called a "marvel" of precision composition, with singers representing both the
Sarum fleet and the Minmatar Elder fleet passing around and amongst the audience in a recreation of the chaos
and unpredictability of the fight, and culminating with the Elder fleet singers faltering and scattering from the

-855-
Sarum singers' concentrated sound. Members of the audience flinched from the blinding golden light which was
projected from behind soloist Kil, filling the Grand Nave with radiance recalling the Empress's finishing blow to
the Elder fleet titan.

Impressions from the audience have ranged from "moving" to "breathtaking." Privy Council member Arem
Mecshilad enthused, "I have never heard -- experienced -- something so powerful. The five minutes of total
darkness with the single soloist [Jural] representing Jamyl's lost years was especially poignant." No reaction has
yet been issued by the Empress, though she and her retinue were in attendance in full formal regalia.

Composer Maritak appeared unconcerned by the lack of comment. "The Symphony was written of her, yes, but
not for her. She was there, she does not need to experience it the way her people do." Added Maritak, "this is
the story of a remarkable woman who has had the Lord's hand upon her shoulder, and we must all remember
that."

Politician defends funding decision

reported by ISD Khepri Shaleigh | 2010.09.03 09:51:54 | NEW

PATOR - Wentach Mennar, an ex-member of parliament for the Representative Party, issued a statement today
defending the decision to award grant money to the Minmatar People's Theatre for their staging of 600-year-old
play ‘Plantation.’

"Grants are made on the basis of the applicant, not on the merits of the project. The MPT has been providing
quality theatre here in the capital for over 15 years," said Mennar. “The fact so many people are talking about
the play should be proof this troupe knows what they are doing.” Equality in Action, a media watch group
protesting the staging of the play, responded by saying they found nothing funny about "cashing in on racism to
fill seats."

-856-
Writers union backs mpt
reported by ISD Khepri Shaleigh | 2010.09.06 09:57:43

HEK - The Matari Writers Association, a union representing writers of theatre and holovid pieces, today backed
the MPT's decision to produce the highly controversial play ‘Plantation.’ “While we do not normally condone the
adaptation of works outside of their intended millieu, we also do not condone repression of freedom of any kind.
We find the actions of those upset with the MPT's decision to stage this play to be reprehensible,” said Koto
Rydd, the group’s spokesman.

The play, written 600 years ago by Ammatar author Dekkameron, explores the issues of power among the
powerless. Set on an Ammarian plantation, the play focuses not on the cruelty of slavery but the cruelty
amongst slaves. The Ammarian slave holders, rather than being the antagonists, are portrayed as benign
individuals whose good intentions are abused by those slaves who seek power over their own kind. Rydd
explained “The play is not about slavery, it is about power. The juxtaposition between slave and slaveholder,
which shows the latter to be basically powerless against a small group of slaves that effectively run the
plantation, is a brilliant literary device that Dekkameron uses to great effect.”

Mass suicide on mining colony

2010.09.07 10:14:30

GERERIQUE – An Astral Mining ore hauler made a grisly discovery yesterday when docking for its regularly
scheduled pickup. After the vessel had proved unable to reach anyone on the colony for over an hour, some of
the crew were sent to investigate. They found every man, woman, and child on the colony dead, seemingly by
their own hand. According to Lenz Kaaloaka, a Sisters of Eve Agent who was one of the first on the scene: “We're
not sure exactly how it was done, but it does appear as though they did it themselves.”

Kaaloaka cited notes found on the scene, as well as mails discovered to have been sent shortly before the hauler
arrived. “They took the time to say goodbye to loved ones and generally described a state of despair, but didn't
give specific reasons. We don't know what to make of it yet.”

Plantation director receives death threats

2010.09.10 10:00:05

PATOR - Protestors upset with the planned staging of controversial 6-centuries-old play ‘Plantation’ picketed the
box office of the Minmatar People's Theatre today. As the office opened and season passes went on sale,
protestors carried signs and chanted slogans portraying the MPT as slave-holders.

"This is ridiculous" said the show's director, Jaken Lagos. "I'm receiving death threats over this. The setting is
updated to modern day Pator, and all the characters are now Minmatar, so how it can be racist?"

"People should see the play before they judge,” he added.

Equality in Action has claimed no knowledge of death threats but vowed to continue pressuring the MPT to
cancel the production.

Cultural friction turns minmatar refugee ghettos into battlegrounds

reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim | 2010.09.14 09:52:27

Rens - Organized crime and culturally motivated violence have become staples of life in the housing shanties
dotting Rens and other systems taking in Minmatar refugees. The Sisters of EVE have admitted to difficulties
maintaining order in the temporary settlements, and hope to launch joint efforts with help from the tribes and
local law enforcement.

The mixture of Minmatar who still adhere to the Amarrian faith and Minmatar who possess staunch anti-Amarr
sentiments has become a problem. Aggressive tendencies are evident on both sides, with members of the
faithful minority sometimes coming into violent conflict with the anti-theists. "Escalation comes rapidly in these
enclosed areas," said SOE security spokesman Soger Neyd. "By the time police forces can mount a response, it
is often too late."

The Sisters of EVE admit that refugee housing has proved to be inadequate, but the organization blames the
Minmatar tribal governments for the difficulty in relocating repatriated slaves. The Starkmanir and Nefantar, in
particular, have had great difficulties navigating Republic bureaucracy due to the lack of tribal structure. Many
refugee camps have also been pressed to accommodate Republic citizens fleeing the warfare that rages in the
low-security parts of the Heimatar and Metropolis regions - especially in systems such as Siseide and Lantorn,
which saw extended occupation by 24th Imperial Crusade forces before their liberation early this year.

In debating a solution to the hostilities, the Sisters of EVE have been supportive of plans to segregate refugees

-857-
depending on culture. This solution has generally been met with resistance from the Republic government, while
the refugees themselves are supportive of the plan. "We are already segregated," commented Olaufin Jastl, a
Starkmanir religious sage. "The difference here would be that I could meet my parishioners in streets and
markets instead of bulkheads and secret shelters."

Sages like Olaufin Jastl are a holdover from the Starkmanir slave society on the planet Halturzhan. Since they
are clerics of the Amarr faith, their services have grown to become focal points for faithful Minmatar in these
refugee societies. As a result, they are often targets of religiously motivated violence.

"Our brothers are afraid," said Sage Jastl. "They think they have to throw away their faith for the tribes to accept
them, and that they need to punish us to gain their affection. I love my tribe, and the Starkmanir accept me as I
am. We know that we are together, because we stand with God."

But not all Starkmanir stand on the faithful side. Alep Yivanikh is a Starkmanir who has decided not to stand with
the sages. "I think the society we had on Halturzhan was designed to keep us in check. It's nice that some have
decided to maintain our culture from back then, but we're in the Republic now. If we want to be taken seriously
we'll have to find a more modern way of life and focus on other parts of our culture instead."

Intertribal tensions plague resettled thukker

reported by ISD Haruziel Tormau | 2010.09.15 19:39:38

Ryddinjorn - Ethnic violence broke out today in the normally quiet town of Hrangsdor, as the predominantly
Brutor community reacted to the presence of resettled Thukker members of the Fuldis caravan.

Formerly nomadic, nearly half of the members of the Fuldis caravan opted to form a permanent settlement last
fall, choosing Ryddinjorn as their new home. Since that time, the lukewarm welcome has turned to outright
suspicion, culminating in today's outbreak of widespread vandalism and protests.

Many residents are suspicious of the Thukkers' motives for settling down. "Everyone knows that the Thukker will
adopt anyone," said Amadou Zoreya, a local Brutor man. "They come here, fill our kids' heads full of wild stories
about deep space, and lure them into their caravans. It's not right."

These Thukker maintain that their nomadic days are behind them, however. "We just want to fit in," said Emmen
Ulffsson, one of the resettled Thukker. "We want to live our lives and prosper just like everyone else."

But the cultural divisions go deeper. During the Amarr occupation, the pragmatic Thukker viewed mobility as the
best defense against enslavement. But to proud Brutor tribesmen, this same mobility was viewed as tantamount
to cowardice. Raelan Kahoku, a Hrangsdor Brutor elder said simply, "I would rather die fighting than flee into
space," and it seems this sentiment is widely shared.

Authorities have brought the situation in Hrangsdor under control, but the violence has left many Thukker once
again contemplating relocation. Lamented Ulffsson, "Maybe our nomadic days aren't quite over yet."

Mystery cargo seized

2010.09.17 09:51:03

WERAROIX - A routine ore hauler customs check yesterday uncovered a cargo that officials are still at a loss to
explain. The ship was carrying supplies to be traded at Yvaeroure, where they were to make their next pick up.
Among those supplies was a container of individually wrapped pills, unidentified except for the word 'Liberty'
etched into each one.

Upon analysis of the pills it was discovered that each one contained a small cluster of nanobots, the function of
which is still unknown. The crew was held for questioning, but none of them, nor anyone on the colony in
Yvaeroure, has claimed any knowledge of how the cargo came to be on the ship, or what the pills' purpose is.

'Liberty' pill identified

2010.09.21 09:52:08

LUMINAIRE – Gallente Customs officials have solved part of the mystery surrounding the 'Liberty' pills seized last
week in the Weraroix system. The nanobots each pill contained appear to have been designed to make their way
to strategic parts of the body, including the lungs, where they instigate general hypoxia and eventually lead the
subject to quietly expire from oxygen deprivation.

-858-
Preview marred by protest - violence
2010.09.22 09:57:56

PATOR - Social activists opposed to the newest production of controversial 600-year-old play ‘Plantation’ at the
Minmatar People's Theatre on Pator launched a highly visible complaint last night. About an hour before the
curtain went up on the preview, the protestors appeared at the front entrance. As a result, the performance
started slightly behind schedule.

The protest remained peaceful until the curtain closed. As the crowd exited the theatre, the protest shifted gears
and became violent. The minimal police force present was briefly overwhelmed, but quickly regained control of
the crowd. "This production is not racist, it's traitorous," exclaimed one protester as he was arrested.

Wentach Mennar, an ex-member of parliament for the Representative Party, said "It was a good show. An
important show. We have been without a parliament for over a year and it is good that someone is asking these
questions. People are becoming impatient."

The Sisters Of Eve have since confirmed the 'Liberty' pill to be behind the mass suicide at Gererique. “We found
a similar package containing some extra pills, and autopsies then revealed all the people died in the same
manner. We are now relatively certain of the how, we just still don't understand the why,” said SSOE agent Lenz
Kaaloaka.

Gallente Health and Safety officials have called for anyone with any knowledge of the pill or its manufacturers to
come forward.

Massive raid lands pharmaceutical company ceo in jail

2010.09.23 09:52:13

HARNER – A cross-agency Gallente law enforcement task force conducted an early-morning raid on a small,
unlicensed and unregistered pharmaceutical company following a week-long sting operation. Acting on
information received from an informant, agents posed as mining colony directors attempting to purchase the so-
called 'Liberty' pill.

Once put in touch with company head Pierre Allendreau, authorities quickly moved to shut down the
manufacturer. On-site they found over five million ‘Liberty’ pills, after which they swiftly arrested Allendreau,
charging him with over 50 infractions. Six other employees were arrested and then released without charges.
Officials say they have not ruled out the possibility of criminal charges being laid on employees and middle men,
as well as prospective buyers.

Theatre bombed
2010.09.24 09:51:23

PATOR - The Minmatar People's Theatre's main stage was bombed this morning, only a few short hours after the
opening night of controversial play ‘Plantation.’ The theatre was empty and there were no injuries.

A group calling themselves Free Our Families has claimed responsibility with a statement issued to press. "The
Amarrian slave holders in this play are cast as thinly disguised caricatures of Shakor and the other tribal chiefs.
This goes beyond racism. If the MPT will not shut down this parliament-funded propaganda, we will shut it down
for them."

A tearful Jaken Lagos, the show's director, said "We weren't trying to make a political statement about slavery or
Shakor or anything else. We were just trying to make beautiful art." The play’s sets, costumes and props were
destroyed in the blast. The MPT has said it will not restage ‘Plantation.’

Starkmanir religious leader killed in violent riot

reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim | 2010.09.28 16:03:49

Abudban - A Brutor Tribe-owned Minmatar refugee settlement in Abudban endured a violent riot last night,
during which visiting Starkmanir Sage Uldas Dreeter was killed by anti-theists who were protesting his public
services. The Brutor Tribe has deployed a number of riot police units to the refugee outpost and is in the process
of relaying the different groups to segregated habitation modules.

As a cleric of the Amarr faith, Uldas Dreeter had been touring the Republic for several months. He had visited
many refugee communities and was one of the most widely known religious figures in the Starkmanir tribe. His
visit to Abudban yesterday was one of the last he had scheduled on his tour, after which he would have returned
to his home on Rens III. Amarrian faithful throughout the Republic gave Dreeter a moment of silence out of
respect for his work.

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"He was one of our best bets for uniting the tribe," said Fredivar Parch, a member of Dreeter's tour staff.

Culturally motivated violence toward Minmatar adhering to the Amarr faith continues to ravage refugee
settlements in the region.The Brutor Tribe has stated it will only implement complete segregation in the most
extreme cases, calling the current process "a method of acclimatization." The Sisters of EVE have decried the
statement, saying it implies the Republic is trying to punish or eradicate faithful Minmatar. The Brutor Tribe has
fiercely denied this accusation, instead blaming government-defined guidelines on refugee processing.

Paramilitary organization pledges to protect starkmanir sages

reported by ISD Sheliak Mesarthim | 2010.10.01 09:53:16

Frarn - A group calling themselves the Starkman Milisi announced earlier today that they intend to provide free
security for those Starkmanir sages who request it. This comes in response to the recent killing of Sage Uldas
Dreeter in Abudban at the hands of Minmatar opposing the Amarr faith.

"We may be the child brother of the Tribes, and people in our tribe may have beliefs that some find strange, but
that does not mean we have to turn the other cheek. We have little in the way of culture, but we do have a way
of life worth protecting, a way of life worth dying for," said Milisi spokesman Jeoran Setul in the announcement.
"Some of our tribe have decided to keep their beliefs despite living in an environment hostile to those beliefs,
and we admire them for it and stand by their side, because they are our brothers. We are the Minmatar, we are
the Tribe, and we are the Republic. Those who attack us are enemies of everything we are."

Soger Neyd, representing the security forces of the Servant Sisters of EVE's refugee camps in the region, spoke
in support of the Milisi. "Though I fear this can lead to further escalation if left unchecked, I absolutely applaud
this effort to protect the freedoms of a relatively small religious group."

The Milisi has received statements of support from other Tribes in the Republic, especially the Brutor Tribe which
has pledged to actively support the Milisi efforts with hardware and training. The Starkman Milisi consists mainly
of ethnic Starkmanir who served in the Tribe's various regional militias and police forces during their life in the
Ammatar Mandate, and claims modern military training over the past two years.

Colony directors defend suicide pill maker

2010.10.05 16:26:47

LUMINAIRE - The trial of Pierre Allendreau, the man accused of manufacturing and distributing the suicide pill
‘Liberty,’ saw an unusual turn of events today, when those the prosecution are painting as the case’s victims
rose to the defense of the accused.

“He wasn't out to make a buck. He sold basically at cost, and would make as many as requested. We would have
paid a lot more,” said Hebark Tooten, director of a mining colony in Postouvin. Another director from the same
system, Freid Lefebre, said, “He was the only one protecting us from being victims. If Sansha comes for us – any
of us – CONCORD can't protect us, the Empires combined can't protect us… who are we supposed to rely on?
The capsuleers? They're just as likely to kill us even if they do manage to stop a Sansha raid. What other options
do we have?”

The prosecution asked for a short recess, which the judge denied. The string of witnesses speaking out in the
accused's defense continued. Said Gael Sorchine, director of still another colony that had contacted Allendreau
to purchase the suicide pill: “The Nation promises the death of liberty, the capsuleers promise death. If we are
the victims in this case, it is not Mr. Allendreau that made us so.”

Multiple sansha attacks reported; low security population left devastated

2010.11.27 22:44:23

BREAKING NEWS: Yulai - CONCORD has reported to media outlets across the cluster that Sansha's Nation has
just undertaken three separate attacks in the systems of Leran, Uedama and Esescama. In a separate press
release, local authorities in Pashanai reported that the entire population of neighboring Leran IV had been taken
captive aboard Sansha dropships.

Capsuleer resistance was reported to be heavy in both high security systems, but eyewitness accounts from
Leran claim that there was little resistance in the dangers of low security space. One pilot claimed in an
anonymous report that Sansha's Nation had deployed two Chimera-class carriers to the field, and were being
assisted by a group of Sansha loyalist capsuleers, who had an Archon-class carrier of their own.

Over the course of the next two hours, unopposed dropships devastated the local population. At this moment
only a few hundred survivors have been discovered from a population originally exceeding one million people.

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The attacks in Leran were quickly followed by invasions of Uedama and Esescama. The SSoE has placed an
initial estimate on abductees at 4,000,000 citizens in Uedama, but claims that these figures are based on data
still being compiled. Sister Renori, one of the SSoE local representatives for the Uedama system, stated that
these attacks were some of the most savage yet.

Capsuleers from the battle at Uedama were reporting Nation battleship squadrons numbering in the hundreds,
easily matching the 350 pilots assembled to meet the Sansha threat. SSoE reports listed casualties from two
planets, Uedama II and VII, with the former being the most heavily hit. Capsuleers who followed from Leran
stated that after the Sansha had completed their attack there they relocated to Uedama VII to support the
invasion, increasing the count of abductees marginally.

More information is still being acquired on the Esescama attack, as well as the full extent of the damage dealt to
the populations of Uedama and Leran. National leaders and local politicians are expected to address their
respective constituents as soon as the immediate humanitarian crisis is over.

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Saccade

Arkhan walked nonchalantly into the alley. It was a cul-de-sac, with dilapidated buildings on either side. Aside
from the scattered junk and debris, the only thing of note was a door into one of the buildings. Its wood was
rotten and scorched, and it looked as if it might tear off the hinges when opened.

Arkhan stood in front of it, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. There was the constant odour of the city, a
mixture of burnt fuel and rotting waste. A slaughterhouse nearby added the unmistakable stench of its
profession, as did a cyberimplant factory. The mixed smell of blood and silicone made Arkhan feel nauseous. He
yanked the door open and strode in.

The building had been vacated eons ago, and not even the homeless had wanted to claim it. Dust had settled
on most surfaces, but the floor was so dirty and matted with ancient filth that you couldn't even see whether
anyone had walked on it recently.

Eight steps took him to another room in the house, and another eight to the right took him to an inside wall. He
didn't knock, or stamp, or cough. He closed his eyes again, stood very still and waited. If he listened closely, he
thought he might hear the high-pitched hum of unseen monitoring engines. Or maybe it was just his nerves,
twanging.

Soundlessly, a section of the wall swung inwards, revealing a small room about the size of a broom cabinet. For
a moment Arkhan wondered if this had all been a practical joke; if he would walk inside and find taped to the
inside of the hidden door a paper with "Gotcha!" scrawled on it. A part of him desperately wanted to run, to take
off and never look back. But a deeper part of him, the one that overrode even the flight instinct, knew that if he
ran he'd be murdered. And besides, he had no life left here. No money, no job nor hope of one, no home, no
family. If he stayed and somehow managed to avoid their agents, he'd still be dead within winter.

He had been offered a job, and he needed to accept the offer.

He stepped inside. The door closed behind him without a sound. There was total darkness.

His innards felt like they were being lifted, and he reasoned that the chamber must be an elevator heading
downwards. After an indeterminate amount of time, the ride stopped and the door opened again.

In front of Arkhan stood a man, neatly dressed. The man's hair was cut short, and his face was beardless. He
had a neutral expression for the most part, with the slightest hint of a smile. The man extended his hand, which
Arkhan shook.

"You do realize that if this goes wrong, we'll just have to kill you," the man said.

"Oh, I plan to make a run for it," Arkhan replied.

The two men stood for a moment, regarding each other with growing amusement. Despite knowing that this

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man would likely be his executioner if it came to that, Arkhan found himself liking him.

"Name's Melak," the man said. "Come on, I'll show you the place." He turned and walked off, Arkhan following.

They passed through a series of small corridors, dimly lit. There was no visible air conditioning, yet the air didn't
have the feel of stilled death common to enclosed, rarely used spaces. They eventually reached a door, which
opened automatically and flooded them with the aroma of exotic flora, the smell of earth, and the stench of
sweat.

Beyond lay a vast greenhouse, big enough to hold a spaceship. Lamps were set into the walls and ceiling, their
light bright enough to make it feel like high noon in summer. On the walls hung huge white placards with writing
Arkhan couldn't read from the distance; all he could make out were the numbers "10" and "50".

As Arkhan began to follow Melak through the main path in the greenhouse, he saw people hard at work
harvesting all sorts of plants. Most of them wore light clothing, often nothing but thin white cotton pants and
either t-shirts or bras. The men had shaven heads and more often than not had handkerchiefs bound around
their foreheads; the women were apparently allowed long hair, but kept it tightly braided.

"What do you think?" Melak asked.

"Impressive," was all Arkhan could think of to say. "How many people do you have here?"

"It varies. This greenhouse, around two hundred, two hundred ten. There's several other houses in this area, but
their sizes vary according to what we grow. Some need to be small and have just a couple dozen people nursing
the plants, others are even bigger than this."

They walked slowly through the main path in the greenhouse. Arkhan saw that most people did not have any
kinds of fetters. A few who appeared extremely fit had ankle chains, but that was about it.

"Are these people prisoners?" Arkhan asked.

"Not at all," Melak replied. "They're free to run and get shot any time they like."

Arkhan laughed. "Good, good," he said. He was doing his best to keep down the nervousness that gripped him,
and he suspected Melak's gallows' humour was an attempt to put him more at ease, let him laugh things out. A
small gesture, but at the moment he felt quite grateful for it. "Still," he said, "can you trust them with this? I
can't imagine they're happy about working the soil, not if they're kept here against their will. And you're
certainly not going to release them any time soon, I expect."

"There's no such thing as trust," Melak said. "There's only hope and expectation, and your place in life is
decided by which one of these applies to you." He turned to one of the prisoners, who was picking thin leaves
off a tall plant and putting them in a large wicker basket. "You there!" Melak yelled to him. "Are you happy here?"

The prisoner looked up and put down his basket. "No, sir!" he said.

"Would you escape if you got the chance?"

The prisoner grinned, or at least showed his teeth. "Yes, sir!"

"And if you caught one of the guards unawares, no one else around and no cameras or motion detectors, what
would you do?"

"I'd offer him a smoke, sir!"

Melak raised his eyebrows. "Really, now?"

"And then I'd beat his brains in, sir!"

"Good man. Good man. As you were."

The prisoner went back to picking leaves, shooing a horde of little flies off the leaves in his baskets. They lifted
for a moment, then settled right back in the same place.

"Did I just see that?" Arkhan asked as they resumed their walk through the greenhouse. "Did he just tell you that
he would kill a guard and escape?"

"How do you propose a drug-making plant using slave labour could be made to work? Torture and force?" Melak
asked in return. "Any given moment there's ten times more prisoners here than guards. If there's a problem, the
doors seal and nobody gets out, which means the guards are practically dead. If the cameras indicate the plants
are in danger, we flood the area with somnambulants, although we try not to do it too much because it's bad for

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the health and it affects the guards as well. What we don't do is beat people up."

"No physical punishment?" Arkhan asked in astonishment.

"Only for open revolt, which carries a death sentence. Other than that, no."

"Why not use high-tech chips, then? Pain implants, for instance. Or those mind torture things the Caldari
supposedly use. Those things'd make it impossible to plan a rebellion."

Melak shook his head. "Not worth it. High-tech is expensive and unreliable. We only really have one proper piece
of electric wizardry here, and it's not used for crowd control." He thought for a moment. "Well, not primarily,
anyway."

"What is it?"

"Face scanning," Melak said. "That aside, we've got a policy here to keep things as simple and failsafe as we
can. You noticed how high the ceiling is?"

"Sure."

"That's not by accident. When we built this place, we made sure it wouldn't feel claustrophobic. You feel walled
in, you start thinking about breaking out." Melak waved away some flies that kept trying to settle in his sweaty
hair. "Damn things. Anyway, the prisoners get decent food, full freedom of expression like you just saw, and
time for themselves. We've got a library, some exercise equipment, and I'm pretty sure the ball court is still
operational, though we need to have it looked over a bit. We want people to last here, Arkhan."

Arkhan nodded and was about to comment on it when something occurred to him. "You know my name," he said.

"Of course. Did you think we wouldn't?"

Arkhan felt flummoxed. "No, of course not. You would. It's just, it's-..."

"It's fucking unnerving, is what it is," Melak said. "You show up, don't introduce yourself or tell us anything about
you, and then it turns out we know everything anyway."

"Precisely," Arkhan said.

"It'll help to think of it this way: You've been screened already, and you've passed. The reason I'm even talking
to you is because I know you won't fail us. Same reason why you're allowed to see all this, same reason why you
can ask me just about any question and get an honest answer." He clamped a hand on Arkhan's shoulder. "We
know you; it's only fair you get to know us. After all, we're offering you a lifetime job in our assembly unit.
Barring the occasional R&R, this place will be your home for a long time." Melak swung at the flies again, but
they only buzzed away for a second.

"I've got a question, then," Arkhan said.

"Shoot."

"Why don't you use pesticides, if those flies annoy you all so much?"

To Arkhan's surprise, Melak laughed out loud. He turned to Arkhan and said, "That's actually one of the few
things I can't tell you. Not yet, at least. Let's just say that they have their uses, like everything else here."

Despite the man's reticence, Arkhan felt relieved. He had been amazed by Melak's candidness, but the fact that
something was kept from him felt comforting. It made all the other revelations seem honest.

They were nearing the exit of the greenhouse. Arkhan felt there was something he had to be sure on. "So there
isn't any torture at all? No violence, no punishment?"

"Are you thinking about escaping?" Melak asked.

"No," Arkhan said. He was silent for a moment, then said, "Yes."

The two men walked on in silence. Eventually, Arkhan added, "I'm never leaving this place alive, am I?"

"Not permanently, I'm afraid," Melak said. "If you do well you'll get the occasional paid vacation, but you'll never
work for anyone else, and if you talk, you die. But you knew that."

"Yes," Arkhan said. "Yes, I did." He slowed his pace, kicked a bit at the dirt. "There is really no punishment here?"

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Melak regarded him for a moment, then said, "Come on." Instead of heading for the exit, he walked in among
the plants. Arkhan followed.

A minute later, they came to a small clearing. While other parts of the greenhouse had been filled with the
susurrus of working people, there was no sound here but the buzzing of the flies. Yet there were humans here,
too. Arkhan saw them pick the leaves off various plants and put them in their wicker baskets. And he saw them
walk around in the familiar light clothing everyone else had worn. What he did not see was their faces.

Every one of them was wearing a white plaster mask. The masks were badly cast, as if gauze had simply been
wrapped around the poor people's faces, soaked in whitewash and left to harden. The masks had ragged holes
for the eyes, nose and mouth, but otherwise seemed very much a permanent part of their wearers' faces.

Eventually, Arkhan turned to Melak, and even though they were quite out of earshot, he asked in a whisper,
"Who are they?"

Not looking at him, Melak responded, "They are ghosts."

"That's the punishment?" Arkhan asked. "That's what happens if you revolt? What have you done to these
people?"

Melak ignored the last question. "No. Like I said, if you revolt, you're dead. Simple as that. These people were
chosen for a different purpose."

"What purpose?" Arkhan asked, but received no answer. His employer turned and headed towards the
greenhouse exit.
***

This room was far smaller and had a more clinical air. There were assembly lines and conveyor belts all over the
place, along with all sorts of mechanical equipment. Arkhan noticed that most of the equipment was ancient in
style and design; it was efficient, to be sure, but looked quite dissimilar to the modern high-tech implant
factories in the neighbourhood.

Melak glanced his way, and noticed his expression. "You look disappointed," he says.

"For some reason I always expected drug making to be glamorous," Arkhan said. "Same way we idolize all sorts
of crime, I suppose."

Melak nodded. "And the end of the day, all it turns out to be is people trying to make a living, same as everyone
else."

Arkhan nodded back.

"Sturdiness," Melak went on, "dependability, low maintenance, simplicity. Those are the mottoes. Equipment
that seldom breaks, and that we can repair by ourselves when it does. This is where you'll be working." He
walked over to an inoperational assembly line. "Boosters with imperfections need to be weeded out. It's
incredibly monotonous work, so we only set people on two-hour shifts, but everyone pitches in. Then there's
ferrying stock around, regular maintenance, so on and so forth. Also, test inspections must be made at random
from all our supply lines, and the mechanisms need to be tuned and altered according to the types of orders
that come in. We need someone with mechanical aptitude and a sharp eye. Someone like you."

"Why can't you use the slaves for this?" Arkhan asked. "Seems like you've already got a prime workforce."

"Sometimes we do," Melak said. "We have a rough hierarchy here, kind of a caste system. Maybe you start out
as a worker in the fields, but if you do well you'll be promoted to an overseer. If you show an aptitude for
numbers, we'll move you to stock, and if you have ingenuity or any kind of natural talent, then yeah, you'll go
over to assembly. But that's fairly rare, so we need to bring in outsiders as well.

"And those who don't do well ... the masks?" Arkhan asked.

"In a manner of speaking." Melak replied. "You remember the placards? Big white things hanging from the
ceilings?"

"Sure. Couldn't read them, except for a couple of numbers."

"They're lists of names. If you make the list, you won't get picked," Melak said.

"For the masks."

"Right."

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"And to make the list ...?" Arkhan asked.

"Do good work. Think up improvements. Let us know of any trouble brewing. Brings you to the top fifty list."

Arkhan was amazed. "You've turned these people against one another for the sole reward of avoiding
undeserved punishment?"

"Precisely. You snitch on a rebellion plot, you make the top ten list. Anyone touches you while you're on that list,
they're judged as accomplices to the rebellion and will be killed. Of course," Melak added with a wry grin,
"anyone will eventually drop off the list, so it's in their own best interest to keep thinking up new ideas." Melak
pointed to the assembly lines. "You get any ideas of your own, please share. We've got other incentives for non-
prisoners."

Arkhan walked slowly around the pieces of machinery. Each one was taller than he was, and they were all kept
immaculately clean. There were several steel barrels stacked near one machine, and Arkhan pulled the lid off
one. It was full of boosters.

"Feel tempted?" Melak asked.

"Not hardly," Arkhan said.

"You sure?"

Arkhan picked up a handful of boosters and let them sift through his grasp, back onto the pile. "You're making
combat boosters, not the regular stuff. These things are bought only by pod pilots, and even they are wary of
them." He fished out another handful, let it trickle into the barrel. "There's nobody I know on the streets who
does these."

Melak walked over to him and leaned on one of the barrels. "How do you know that isn't due to their
availability?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, these are just improved versions of drugs that people have already been doing for a while. Maybe the
reason they haven't been adopted by the druggie community is that they simply haven't gotten into proper
circulation yet. Capsuleers have kept them to themselves."

Sighing, Arkhan pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed his eyes. "Look, combat boosters give pod pilots
special abilities to control their ships and that's it. Anyone else who's stupid enough to take one won't get high,
they'll go nuts. These things aren't meant for normal people."

Melak stepped close to him. When he spoke, it was in a low tone of voice. "Except that not everyone is normal."

"What do you mean?"

"Eighty percent of regular joes who take the pod pilot boosters get incredibly messed up and can't use them as
drugs. But there's ten percent who can, who merely get high."

Arkhan blinked. "News to me."

"That's how it is."

"What about the remaining ten percent?" Arkhan asked. He was beginning to feel increasingly nervous.

"Come on," Melak said and walked away, into the drug installation. Arkhan followed.

They walked past pipes and assembly lines, past vast metal compression tanks that steamed quietly and had
several valves on the side, past large monitors with dozens of inset gauges that ticked rapidly back and forth.
They walked over metal grilles, and in the darkness below Arkhan spotted a white powdery residue covering
various pieces of sludgy debris, like half-dried chunks of old paint.

Along the way, Melak said, "Remember how I said that we rewarded low-tech solutions? Guy who thought up
this one, as low-tech as it gets and relying only on local materials, easily available, he made his way to the top
ten list for a long time."

"What solution?" Arkhan asked. "And what about those last ten percent?"

"They die."

"Oh."

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"Usually from massive haemorrhaging, though it varies from drug to drug."

Arkhan tried to swallow, but his throat felt like it had constricted. "Charming."

"The boosters work on the parts of your brain and body specifically used to control ships," Melak said. "If you
aren't using them to control ships, the body rids itself of the effect in other ways." He walked Arkhan over to a
large room with metal walls on all sides. There was a soft hum from inside the room, irregular but constant, that
reminded Arkhan of buzz saws.

They stood in front of a door to the room. It was a steel door with bolts circumnavigating it. It looked as if it
could stop a tank.

"You will understand," Melak said, "that someone who's part of that ten percent who get addicted, they cannot
work here. It is crucial - absolutely vital, in fact - to your future here that you have a violent, adverse reaction to
taking boosters."

With an ugly suspicion dawning, Arkhan said, "How do you know that I wouldn't fake it? Toss myself around,
scream and yell, bang my head..."

"That's not a concern," Melak said.

Knowing what was coming, Arkhan still tried to stall for time. "You sure? Because I'm sure a person could be
very persuasive."

"Not a concern. It's time, Arkhan. This is what you're here for. I know you won't fail me now." He walked to two
small pipes running alongside a wall and followed them until he came to a sink. There, he picked up an empty
glass and filled it with water from the faucet. When he returned to Arkhan he proffered the glass, and some
small white object Arkhan hadn't seen him hold before. It was a pill.

"No," Arkhan said. "No, no, no."

"Terms of the trade," Melak said.

"What if I die?"

"Better you do it here in the factory. Less trouble to clean things up."

"That's not what I meant, Melak," Arkhan said.

"Let me put it this way," Melak said, still holding the glass and pill out to him. "If you don't swallow this Drop, the
chances of you dying are one hundred percent."

Arkhan stared hard at him, then at the Drop. It looked perfectly innocuous, as pills do. He knew what Melak was
saying was true. He knew it. And the faint illusion of choice was a lot more than he might have expected from
someone in Melak's position. But still...

Booster trips were the worst. They varied from type to type, and Arkhan had never experienced any, but he
knew people who had. Sad wrecks who'd been reduced to anything they could find. These were people who'd go
into a general store and come out with nail polish dissolvent and spraycan glue. They'd find sick friends and
convince them to procure some outlandish stuff from their doctors. One guy had been abusing epilepsy pills to
the point where, if he tried decreasing his dosage, he would actually get an epileptic fit. And each of them who'd
somehow happened upon a booster - it was always a single pill, no more - and tried it, each and every one of
them swore they'd never do it again. Said there was nothing good about them. This from people who thought
paint thinner was a luxury.

It occurred to Arkhan that right now, in this place, living was a luxury, too.

"Fine, fine, all right. Here we go," he said, took the pill and gulped it down with the glass of water.

"Well done," Melak said.

"Go to hell," Arkhan said. "Now what?"

Melak reached out and picked up something that was hanging from a hook on the wall. He handed it to Arkhan
with a grin, the first time he'd shown any kind of expression since they met. "Glad you asked. This is the final
test. Like I said, it's as low-tech as they get, it relies entirely on local materials, and it can't be faked. If you pass,
you'll be employed here. If you fail, you will be killed."

Arkhan looked at the thing. It was a fly swatter. One side of its head was decorated with a caricature of a fedo,

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its cartoon face smiling wide.

Arkhan looked back up, and something inside of him gave way. "You're insane," he said, his voice somewhere
between the tremble of fear and the cackling giggle of the mad. "You are! You do realize that. You're clinically
insane."

Stepping around him, Melak reached for the door handle. He said nothing, just smiled, and slowly opened the
door.

"In any proper society," Arkhan said, the stress overwhelming him now, "they would have recognized you for
what you are, and hung your gibbering, scrawny, louse-infested body in a cage over the castle gates to
entertain the peasants."

Melak laughed. "I'm glad you're finally breaking out of your shell," he said, and ushered Arkhan into the room.
Apart from a small red circle in the middle of the floor, and a couple of grilles in the bottom part of one wall,
there was nothing there.

"What do I do with this?" Arkhan asked and raised the swatter.

"Break somebody else's shell," Melak replied, and closed the door.

It was pitch black for a moment. Then, red lights came on. There was the sound of bolts sliding into place. The
buzzing noise was louder in here

"What do I do?!" Arkhan yelled. There was no answer.

Now there was a slight swishing noise. Arkhan looked around, then down. His hand, the one holding the fly
swatter, was trembling. He didn't even feel it. He placed his other hand over it, to still it, but as soon as he let
go, the hand began trembling again. He began to feel angry at that hand. It was supposed to stay still unless
told otherwise. He grabbed it again, harder this time, then let go.

Swish swish. It wouldn't stop.

The red circle in the middle of the floor was hard to make out, in the red lights. He gingerly stepped into it.

Nothing happened.

He was becoming very annoyed now. And the insistent buzz was giving him a headache.

He stepped out of the circle, and back in. He stamped. He hopped. Now both his hands were trembling, and he
was really becoming quite goddamn furious.

He was just about to go pound on the door and give Melak a piece of his mind when there was a hiss, and a
large panel on the wall slid to the side. Behind it was a pane of glass, and behind that were ... thousands of flies,
tens of thousands of the ones he'd seen all over the greenhouse, swarming over one another, zooming around
in agitation in that enclosed space. Their wings beat against the glass panel like a distant storm.

Arkhan gulped, his throat dry like never before. The flies disgusted him; their writhing mass felt like black, tarry
poison. He started swinging the fly swatter back and forth, grinding his teeth in hatred. His vision began to blur
at the edges, and the focus of his gaze shifted faster and faster to each individual fly; he felt like he could count
them all before killing them, every last one. His throat released a low, throaty sound that was somewhere
between a hum and a growl, and he saw nothing but death.

The glass panel slid aside, and the storm enveloped him.

Melak stood in front of the door. He reached out and slowly opened it.

Inside, on his knees, was the twitching form of Arkhan.

The walls were black and covered with meaty little bumps and blotches. Silvery wings floated around on little
currents of air like tiny clouds.

Arkhan was covered with bug blood and tiny flecks of bug entrails. His breath came in short, ragged gasps, and
sweat dripped from his brow onto the mound of fly corpses that covered the floor.

"The Drop work?" Melak asked, standing in the doorway.

Arkhan raised his head, staring out into nothing. A shiver ran through his body. He grimaced, keeled over and
vomited prodigiously, the raspy sounds echoing off the walls.

-868-
After Arkhan had stopped retching, Melak waved a hand to some unseen person. Soapy water began to flow
down the wall panels, rinsing them clean. When it reached the floor, it washed away the mound of fly husks, and
the chunky bits from Arkhan's stomach, down into the small grilles.

When the floor had been flushed of most of its contents, Melak walked into the room. His shoes squelched in the
sticky mess.

He gently removed the fly swatter still dangling from Arkhan's hands. They were trailing little tendrils of blood.

"Welcome to work," he said.

-869-
The Spirit of Crielere

Even from afar the partially built space complex showed all the signs of being a place of science. The circular
shape representing eternity was a good omen to Ariko Cumin. The perfect symbol. Maybe the punishment her
father had intended for her by sending her here would turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Ariko felt her spirit
lift, for the first time in weeks. Maybe this wouldn't hurt her career as much as she'd feared.
The powerful cruiser she was traveling on made slight adjustments to its direction vectors as it entered the
docking procedure, sliding majestically towards the station that already loomed large despite being only half
finished. Other ships were cruising around the station, some waiting to dock, others outward bounds. Ariko
noticed that many of the ships were Gallentean and despite herself she gave a shudder; like all Caldari children
she had meticulously studied the war between her own people and the Gallenteans. The ninety years since the
war ended had done little to ease the apprehension any Caldari felt in the presence of a Gallentean, even for
those, like Ariko, that had never experienced the war personally. The war stories were all-too vivid in her mind to
be at ease and she felt her small fists bunch. As the ship eased into its berth, groaning to a halt as the docking
arms grabbed it and embraced, Ariko had to utter a few mind mantras under her breath to calm her nerves. She
should be calm when entering her new place of work, duty dictated it.

The station had that unique smell that only new stations have before the ventilation filters start cluttering up
and the lingering odor of humanity overrides everything else. Crielere, Ariko thought, smelled like freshly
polished, brand new hover car. There was no one to greet her. She was just one of the many employees flocking
to the station; engineers, technicians, scientists and common workmen, numbering in the thousands. The place
was a total chaos and it took Ariko several hours to sort out the locations of her workplace and living quarters.
By the time she entered the room assigned to her she was exhausted.

Lying down on the narrow bed to rest, she reflected on the events which brought her here. The total anarchy
she'd met on the hallways didn't improve her view of the place and, as so often in the last few weeks, she got
that nagging feeling that she'd made a mistake. As if that didn't bother her enough, it also meant that her father
had been right and she wrong. She cringed at the thought. Only a few months earlier she had been the most
promising physics student the School of Applied Knowledge had seen in ages, sure of a bright future at
Wiyrkomi, her foster corporation. And now here she was, stuck somewhere on the outskirts of civilized space,
participating in some mad scheme hatched by two crazed scientist she knew next to nothing about.

She had been so sure she wanted to belong to something big, something grand. Something else than the dead-
end job her father had. And yet her conscience troubled her now that she had broken free of the silk-bonds that
Caldari society bound. She knew she should be repaying her corporation, her family, for the sacrifices they'd
made on her behalf. But she feared the lifelong commitment demanded once she'd become an employee of
Wiyrkomi, her ambition pleaded for more. Thinking of her ambition she recalled the words of her father the day
she stood up to him. ‘A child is irresponsible in its desires, it learns responsibility through duty. Are you a child,
Ariko?' Her mind cursing the desires of her heart, she drifted into a fitful slumber.

Ariko woke with a start. Somewhere in the distance a horn was sounding, its muted cries blearing on in
dissonance. Rubbing her eyes it took her a few moments to gather her senses. The horn stopped for awhile,
then started blasting again. It was 7 am , time for work.

-870-
Ariko's incredible academic success made her a privileged recruit for the Crielere project. Despite her young age
and lack of work experience she had been assigned as a junior assistant to the two pioneers responsible for the
whole project, Henric Touvolle and Taromi Umailen. The two held some administrative duties due to their status,
yet they insisted upon working in a lab, allowing them to get their hands dirty with the common research
worker. The lab was located in the only part of the station completely finished and Ariko was pleasantly
surprised to discover that it was fully equipped with the latest gadgets and science equipment. . The lab was
actually divided into several rooms. The anteroom, which Ariko's workbench was located in, was the largest and
served as the main research area. The wall leading back to the station's corridor had only the one entrance
door, but the other three walls had several doors each, leading to conference rooms and offices as well as
restrooms and a kitchen. There was even a small greenhouse at the back, breaching the hull of the station to
reach some sunlight. It wasn't utilized to produce food or oxygen rich plants, though, the main greenhouse
section several levels down took care of that. Instead it was used by the biochemists in their research. The chief
scientists had their own spacious offices in the back, though Ariko soon found out they seldom used them,
preferring to work in the main area with the rest of the staff. A slender Gallente boy met her as she entered the
lab and shyly introduced himself as Gunaris the apprentice. He showed her the workstation she was assigned to
and left her there. For some reason Ariko felt really self-conscious around him, but in a pleasant sort of way. She
scolded herself for her feelings; they were totally inappropriate, after all, he was a Gallentean! She had long
since laughed off the boogey stories she heard in her youth that Gallenteans had black hearts and poisonous
fangs, yet she had always been uneasy fraternizing with them. But here she was going all gooey over a
Gallentean boy!
Ariko caught herself staring at the boy from across the room. Furious at herself, she turned her back and set
about familiarizing herself with the computer systems and equipment at her desk, some of which was of
Gallentean design and thus unfamiliar to her. She was wrapped up in trying to get a simple tachyonphotometer
to work when she noticed two men enter in a hurry, each carrying wads of paper and looking more than a little
flustered. She recognized them as Touvolle and Umailen. She had seen holoreels of them in the news, but knew
little about them personally. She knew that they had met during the war, Touvolle working as a researcher in a
biological warfare unit and Umailen as a military engineer. But the details of their first meeting or why they
became these great philanthropic scientists were unknown to her. She had been brought up not to jump to
conclusions when there was insufficient data to support an educated opinion, but she couldn't help but feel
some indignity towards the pair; wasting their brilliant minds on dreamy delusions.

While Ariko knew relations between the State and the Federation were improving she nevertheless felt a little
resentful towards Umailen, befriending a Gallentean was so totally alien to what she had been taught. But then
she remembered her own feelings when meeting Gunaris and shook her head in confusion. ‘My first day here at
Crielere and already everything is so much more complicated than home,' she thought, for the briefest second
pining for the comfortable routine and stability that State citizens enjoyed.

She was hoping to get the chance to chat a little bit with the two scientists, but when she approached them a
plump, red-faced woman of Mannar ancestry intercepted her, blocking her path to the venerated pair.

“Get back to your workbench,” the woman snapped. Taken aback, Ariko retreated to her workstation, quite
bewildered. Out of the corner of her eye she watched the woman fawn around the scientists. Gunaris sidled up
to her, also watching the woman.

“Don't take too much heed of Medila,” he whispered, “she's the personal assistant to Touvolle and Umailen and
she's, well, very protective of them, to say the least. I'd advice you to stay out of her way as much as possible.
You don't want her badmouthing you to the bosses.”

“Why do they let such an obnoxious person be their assistant? Don't they see her behavior can impend the
work we're doing in all sorts of ways?” Ariko asked, still bristling from the way she had been treated.

“It wasn't their choice. The Federation Senate appointed her when they accepted the funding of the project.
She's a Senate crony through and through. You'll soon discover that politics play just as large a role here on
Crielere as real science. Everyone seems to be looking for an opportunity to stab each other in the back.”

“Are you?” Ariko shot back before she could catch herself. Gunaris blushed, then smiled shyly.

“No, I was only talking about the Big Guns, that's what we call those that call the shots around here.”

“You mean Umailen and Touvolle?”

“No, the money men. Men like Otro Gariushi, Pier Ancru and Jacus Roden. Umailen and Touvolle provide the
vision, they provide the wealth.”

“But isn't the Crielere project supposed to benefit everybody equally?” Ariko asked, somewhat confused.

“In theory yes,” Gunaris replied, sounding a little sad. “It's a complicated matter, some discoveries will become
public right away, other only after some time. I don't know the details all that well, it's not something I'm all that
interested in.”

-871-
By now, the over-protective Medila had herded the two scientists into an adjoining office, teaming them up with
people Gunaris described as ‘those on her good side'.

“You're not on her good side?” Ariko inquired. Gunaris shrugged.

“I don't think she even knows I exist,” he said. Ariko could see that he was quite content with this arrangement.

“Well, I'm supposed to be a junior assistant to them, how can I do my job if I can't even talk to them?”

“You've been misinformed,” Gunaris replied, sounding apologetic. “That title doesn't mean anything else than
you work in this lab. Getting access to them is quite another thing.” Ariko stood quiet for awhile pondering this.
Gunaris found the silence awkward and soon excused himself so he could carry on his work.

Her mind still in turmoil, Ariko sat at her console and started to browse reports and documents concerning the
research taking place in the lab. If she was in doubt about the wisdom of coming here before, she was doubly so
now after her conversation with Gunaris. She had been quite exhilarated that morning to be a participant in
something so grand, she now felt she was a mere sidekick. ‘If that's the case,' she thought sourly, ‘I could have
just as well have stayed home and behaved properly.' For the briefest moments she wondered whether she
could just return home, begging her father for forgiveness. But she banished such thoughts from her mind as
soon as they surfaced; she was not a quitter.

Returning to the reports she was soon totally engrossed in them. As more and more of the Crielere project was
revealed to her, the more exited she got. What dreams Umailen and Touvolle had! And yet, it all sounded so
simple, so elegant and so plausible. These guys were way ahead of anything being done in the State, Ariko
realized. In fact, she now pitied her fellow science students back home, toiling in darkness on trivial research
projects. She might not be on the straight and narrow career-path needed to reach prominence within the State,
but she now understood she was in a unique position to actually make a difference; to make her mark on the
world.

But for her to do so she would have to get past that pesky Medila. She would just have to show that old sow!
The grim-looking Mannar woman might be headstrong and vengeful like all her kind, but Ariko was resolved to
show her what Deteis were truly made of. Feeling all fired up Ariko wanted to storm into the conference room
and confront Medila then and there, but if her strict upbringing had taught her anything it was the merits of self-
restraint. Patience was the keyword here; she would bide her time, learn more about the work schedule of the
scientists and their daily routines. Then she'd make her move.

Soon, Ariko had settled into the routine of her work, which mainly consisted of double checking test results of
others and filing them appropriately. It was a menial job that required little thought. As she suspected, Medila
kept the two pioneers isolated from all but those she deemed favorable, i.e. those she could dominate and bring
under her forceful will. The research progress was painfully slow. Medila was largely to blame, but there were
other distractions. There seemed to be an endless stream of bureaucrats and officials visiting, all needing time
and effort to deal with. And the station itself was only half built yet. Even though the lab was in perfect working
order the same could not be said of most other facilities on the station. Routine things such as just getting
something to eat could be an adventure in itself.

Ariko was one of dozen or so junior assistance working in the lab. It was a mixed crew. Every member race of
the Federation seemed to have a representative, the stubborn Mannars, the elegant Intakis, the materialistic
Jitai and of course numerous Gallenteans. The Caldari had representatives of their own, including one other
Deteis. He was a middle-aged man named Wobanen with a carefully combed hair and distant demeanor. Ariko
tried to strike up a conversation with him on several occasions, but never got more than grunts and curt retorts
from him, so she gave up trying to befriend him.

Instead, she found herself drifting closer to Gunaris. The two were of similar age, whereas most of the others
were older. They were also the only ones lacking work experience; Ariko having only just graduated and Gunaris
still working on his final thesis. He was studying mathematics at Caille University , but was offered an internship
at the lab after winning a mathematical competition sponsored by the Quafe Company. He was touted as a
mathematical genius and though she was skeptical at first, considering herself to be a more than a competent
mathematician on her own, she soon discovered that her talents paled next to Gunaris's. Moreover, while Ariko
regarded mathematics simply as a necessity giving her choice of career, Gunaris was refreshingly enthusiastic
about the field; it was almost like he revered or loved numbers the way he talked about them. Ariko couldn't
help but share in his contagious enthusiasm and let herself be drawn into his world of numbers as he, with a
dreamy stare, started talking. Theories and functions formerly so dense and boring sounded simplicity itself
coming from Gunaris, and interesting too! As the days passed Ariko discovered that her little talks with Gunaris
kept the tiresome monotony of work from making her go crazy. One time he tried to explain to her the work he
was doing, but she had difficulty comprehending it. Apparently, there were places in space where earlier
macroscopic phenomenon left microscopic residues resulting in dense clouds of plasma particles and charged
microscopic dust which blocked electromagnetic radiation. Space ships inside these clouds could get no
bearings from cosmic background radiation or known pulsars and were thus unable to warp out again. Gunaris
was working on an algorithm, which, when coupled with a common sensor array, would filter out much of this

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interference. Along with complex multilateration based on nearby gravity wells, it would allow for an accurate
location lockdown for ships inside such clouds, allowing them to warp out. She'd gotten a headache after
listening to him for awhile, and he didn't broach the subject again.

Ariko was unable to completely shrug off feelings of discomfort when talking with Gallenteans, so she was glad
her relationship with Gunaris never developed beyond the chit chat phase. But there were times when she
cursed her inhibitions and wished for more.

Ariko used every opportunity to get familiar with the complex political situation on the station. As she had
discovered on her first day at work the philanthropic vision of Umailen and Touvolle was only the tip of the
iceberg. The Crielere project was the largest undertaking the Gallente Federation and the Caldari State had
jointly embarked upon since the end of the war. The funding was divided between the Federation Senate,
spurred on by president Souro Foiritan, independent Gallentean moneymen and the Caldari mega-corporations,
notably Ishukone and Kalaakiota. The intense public interest in the project coupled with the expectations of
what would be accomplished put immense pressure on everyone involved. The share scale of it was also far
beyond anything Ariko had imagined. The Crielere station would be a high-tech jewel the likes of which the
world had never witnessed, but it was becoming ever more obvious that the construction process was not going
well, delay upon delay already had the fund raisers squirming. But the whole management structure, faulty as it
was, was strictly regulated and interference from the leaders of the corporations and federal agencies was
forbidden. The clause had been inserted as one of the amendments demanded by the Senate before they
agreed on funding the project; fearing undue influence by the Caldari mega-corporations.

But the main reason was something that Ariko could well identify with; the Gallenteans and the Caldari simply
didn't get along all that well. Apart from daily confrontations between construction workers from either race that
often escalated into fisticuffs or even worse, the two races had radically different views on work procedures and
methods. It was obvious that the whole construction process was an administration nightmare, lacking all
coherency due to lack of direction from above and many feared the station would never be finished, never
being able to fulfill its promises. Failure loomed high on the horizon and morale was low. Ariko was hard put to
keep her concentration while at work. A distressful call from her mother begging her to come home and plead
for her father's forgiveness didn't help her state of mind. Maybe it was the ingrained xenophobia in her, but to
Ariko it was obvious that the Federation Senate was largely to blame for this mess. And with Medila the top
Senate official on the station Ariko felt it was only the patriotic thing to do to undermine her authority. That this
would increase her chances for getting access to the scientists was only an added bonus.

A plan was needed, but Ariko was desperately short of options. Then aid came in the guise of a job offer. It
wasn't a normal job offer in any normal sense of the word. She would even get to keep her current job in the
lab; in fact, her presence in the lab was an essential requirement for this new job. In short, an agent working for
the Wiyrkomi corporation approached her one day during her lunch hour and said if she would indulge in a bit of
industrial espionage for her parent corporation her sins for leaving would be forgiven and a golden career path
ensured. Ariko was skeptical at first, but when the agent offered help in ousting the pesky Medila as an added
incentive, she couldn't refuse. Getting rid of Medila was all well and good, but the vision of her returning
triumphantly to the State, Wiyrkomi singing her praises and her father browbeaten, was enough for her to
accept the offer. She felt lightheaded all afternoon and it wasn't until she was alone in her small room that
evening that it finally sank home; she was now a secret agent for the Wiyrkomi corporation, engaged to spy on
her paymasters.

For the next week Ariko got an impromptu crash course in covert ops, especially in communicating and
exchanging information in the utmost secrecy. Though a part of her was still reeling from what she was doing
she couldn't help but enjoy it all immensely. She met her contact, who called himself Mitsu, every night in some
unfinished part of the station. One night, another man was with him. It was a very ordinary looking Caldari,
clothed in unassuming workers cloths. Yet even if he was so nondescript that he almost blended into the gray
background she could sense that his mind was something else entirely. Her contact introduced the man and
said he owed Wiyrkomi a small favor, which he would now repay by helping them to besmear Medila. The name
Mitsu gave, Jirai Laitanen, didn't ring any bells with Ariko.

“I see you do not recognize me, even if I decline to employ some ridiculous pseudonym to hide my identity,” the
stranger said. “Maybe you know me better by my nickname, Fatal?” he asked mockingly. Ariko did. She felt a
cold shiver run down her spine. Fatal, and his companion the Rabbit, were the leaders of the pirate group called
Guristas. The pair, along with their fellow pirates, had harrowed the Caldari State for years, pulling stunts that
seemed almost as much aimed to taunt the State as ruin it. Ariko was curious to know why Wiyrkomi owed this
enemy of the State favors, but didn't dare ask.

“So are you enjoying your little spying game?” Fatal asked, still using that mocking tone.

“It's interesting, but I'm still a bit uneasy, what with the whole moral issue and all that,” she answered hesitantly.

“Yeah, I know what you mean. It's like when you're having sex and need to take a dump at the same time. While
you're going in and out at the front you don't know if something will stay in or come out at the back.”

Ariko blushed at his vulgar words, then blushed even fiercer when Fatal laughed scornfully at her obvious

-873-
discomfort.

“Enough of this banter,” Mitsu said brusquely. “Let's talk business. Medila is a Senate puppy and will remain so
while the Senate sees her as the champion of their cause. We must drive a wedge between Medila and the
Senate, it's the only way possible to get rid of her for good without rousing suspicion. Now, my thought was to
try and besmear her in the eyes of the Senate by showing her cavorting with Caldari, but Fatal has a much
better idea. Tell her about it, Fatal.” Fatal produced a small crystal vial from inside his grubby coat, exaggerating
his gestures as he showed it to Ariko, holding it between his thumb and forefinger.

“In this little vial here is a small gift I received from my very good friend Virge. It contains a little something his
labcoats cooked up for him.”

“Is it toxin?” Ariko asked. “Are you going to poison her?”

“No, nothing so crude. Killing her would rouse unwanted attention, which, Mitsu tells me, is a definite no-no.”
Fatal said this as if he lamented not being allowed to kill Medila. It sent another cold shiver down Ariko's spine.

“This stuff here makes you go funny in the head,” Fatal explained.

“A drug?” Ariko asked, still unsure where Fatal was going with this.

“Sort of. Sort of a drug. But not quite. It makes you go funny as in crazy.” A nasty laughter gushed from him.
“Completely goo-goo.” Realization dawned on Ariko.

“You're going to drive her mad?”

“Yes,” Fatal answered, returning the vial to his coat pocket.

“For how long?”

“Oh, fifty, maybe sixty years. Depends on how long she'll life.” Ariko was aghast. Pangs of conscience assaulted
her. She had asked for help to get rid of Medila, but this? She knew there was no way for her to stop it, the ball
was already rolling and she had no say in the matter now. That much was clear. The question now was, was she
willing to take part in this scheme? Standing there, with the two intimidating men hovering over her, she
wanted most of all to run away, to forget it all. But it wasn't an option. She'd gotten herself into this situation,
foolishly letting silly romanticism about being a fancy spy cloud her judgment. The only way for her now was to
go through with this.

Fatal procured the repulsive vial, but she had to administer it to Medila. She was the only one of the three in the
position to do so. The only problem was for her to get the vial into the lab, as there was a tight security
regarding everything entering or exiting the research zones. Fatal came up with the solution, using Ariko's
personal code he could break into the security system and program it to disregard any survey checks made on
Ariko. After discussing the task a little longer, Fatal finally gave her the vial. She hid it in her bra, praying it
wouldn't break.

“Oh, one last thing,” Fatal said as if it was an afterthought. “I may be paying my debt to the Wiyrkomi
corporation, but I expect a favor returned from you in the near future.” He indicated Ariko. She wasn't sure what
he meant, so she just nodded her head. He seemed satisfied and bid his farewell. Ariko wasn't sorry to see the
back of him.

The next morning a bleary eyed Ariko entered the lab, still dazed from her lack of sleep. Her conscience was
nagging her constantly so she was actually glad when Medila confronted her later that morning and launched
into one of her furious tirades about some perceived insubordination. Once the verbal assault was over Ariko
was all poised and ready drive the tiresome woman mad, literally. That very evening Ariko snuck into the small
lab kitchen, rummaging in the refrigerator until she found Medila's favorite food; it was some kind of a meat
pâté native to the Mannars, but most others found revolting. Ariko carefully unscrewed the vial and stirred its
contents into the foul-smelling pâté.

Only when she was falling asleep that night did she wonder just how insane Medila would become. Perhaps
some precautions would have been wise. But it was too late to do anything about that now. The next day Ariko
would almost come to regret it.

The morning turned out to be quite peaceful actually. Ariko managed to lose herself in cross-referencing data
codes for a promising drone AI project, with no sign of Medila anywhere. After lunch, though, with Medila having
eaten a generous portion of her loathsome pâté, things quickly escalated into the realms of the absurd.

It started innocently enough, with Medila being unusually domineering around Umailen and Touvolle. But as the
hours passed she grew more and more possessive, while at the same time showing increasing megalomaniac
tendencies. Late in the afternoon Medila had convinced herself that the fate of the project rested on her
shoulders solely and that it was her genius and her genius only that would spark all the wonderful new

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discoveries. This didn't sound too bad until she got the notion that only be devouring the brains of the other
scientists could she fulfill her own prophecy of becoming the Queen of Inspiration. She managed to lock herself,
along with Touvolle and Umailen, inside one of the offices, barricading the door. Someone had called security,
but the door wouldn't budge.

Ariko was in shock. It was bad enough being responsible for driving poor Medila insane, but now she had to
contend with her possibly killing the two men that the whole project hinged upon. She watched the frustrated
efforts of the security guards trying to force the door open. ‘This is absurd,' she thought, ‘this is a lab. There
must be something here that can help us open this damn door.' She looked around, searching for something,
equipment, chemical components, anything. Her eyes finally came to rest on a half-assembled infinite impulse
processor, part of some linear audio phaser research she wasn't party to. But it gave her an idea.

Grabbing the equipment she made her way to her own workbench, where she located a small fusion array. She
wasn't all that sure this would work, but it was worth the try. Working quickly, she fused the two items together.
She then rushed to where the security guards were still trying to pry the door open, all the while shouting
through the door for Medila to give herself up. There was no time to ask nicely.

“Get away,” she shouted, as she put her newly created audio blaster on the floor in front of the door. The
security guards looked at her in confusion, but Wobanen was quick on the uptake and dragged them away. Ariko
activated her newly created weapon, cursing for not having enough time to set up a timer. She could only hope
the directional field in the processor was working adequately, or she would blow the eardrums of everyone in
the room. And possibly fry their brains in the process. She waited for the fusion array to charge completely,
then she turned it to maximum output, released the holder key and scampered away.

The sonic boom shook the room like an earthquake. Ariko was sure it could be felt around the station. After all, it
was circular. Raising herself, all she could hear at first was a high-pitch buzz in her ears. It faded quickly though.
A few others were not so lucky, as she would later find out, the blast causing permanent damage to the
sensitive auditory system.

Most importantly, the door was now open. The two halves of it were bent backward as if they were made of
butter instead of a hardened steel alloy. Ariko rushed into the room, fearing the worst. The office was a mess,
but the three people inside were thankfully unharmed. The security guards quickly took hold of Medila, even as
she fought them with the inhuman strength of the deranged. She was no longer screaming for brains to feed
her newfound queenhood. Instead, she was shouting abuses at the guards.

“I'm Medila!' she screeched hysterically. “I must contain the maniacs!” She nodded her head in the direction of
Touvolle and Umailen. “I gave a sacred oath!” she continued. “To Mentas Blaque himself. He charged me with
suppressing this whole idiotic project! I'm a smotherer! A smotherer!” she screamed as the security guards
dragged her away.

‘This is interesting,' Ariko thought. ‘In her crazed state she has given up her secret mission.' During her research
on the political structure behind the Crielere project she had often come across the name Mentas Blaque. He
was the leader of the Federation Senate and a sworn enemy of president Souro Foiritan. She chuckled to herself.
While she felt sorry for the sudden and tragic downfall of Medila she couldn't believe how things had played into
her hands. Not only was the Senate crony now gone forever, but the Senate wouldn't dare replace her now that
it had been revealed it had tried to impinge on the project in a most improper manner. Ariko also realized that
her first impression of Medila being the main obstacle to the project really taking off was completely accurate.

Following the downfall of Medila, the Senate was quick to denounce any knowledge of any secret dealings with
the mad woman and withdrew completely from meddling with the running of the station. Ariko could easily
picture Mentas Blaque sulking in some extravagant luxury yacht somewhere, cursing the name of Medila and all
her ancestors from here to eternity. The thought made her laugh.

In the quiet aftermath following the uproar few witnessed the arrival of the man destined to be responsible for
the rise and then the ruin of the Crielere project. Otro Gariushi, CEO of the Ishukone Corporation, arrived silently
at the half-built station in the early hours of the morning, slipping almost unnoticed into a docking bay on an
unassuming shuttle. Branded an ugly brute by his enemies, of which there were many, he had never been quite
able to shake off the dark rumors of a shady past that followed him wherever he went. Driven by some secret
inner demons, his blind ambition lent him a powerful charisma that swept those around him into a maelstrom of
obedience and compliance.

Gariushi, tipped off by his agents on the station, was quick to grasp the change in the power structure and his
arrival was no mere happenstance. Like the other CEOs of the mega-corporation Gariushi had watched in worry
the problems on Crielere escalate, but unlike the other CEOs he was more than willing to take an active part in
rectifying the situation; a breach of protocol was not something Otro Gariushi lost any sleep over.

A former adversary of Gariushi once remarked that ‘Gariushi fills a power vacuum like an obese person a
spandex suit' and before the day had turned to evening Otro had firmly asserted himself as the man in charge
on the Crielere station.

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Though Gariushi was not held in high esteem in the State due to his shady background Ariko was inwardly
pleased that a Caldari was now calling the shots. The Gallenteans naturally grumbled a bit, but they had
suffered from the lack of leadership just as acutely as the Caldari and most of them were simply glad that
someone was taking charge, even if it was an obnoxious Caldari.

Ariko decided it was best for her to lay low for awhile until the situation had stabilized. She had no idea how
Gariushi might react to what she had done or, more importantly, if he knew anything of her secret dealings with
Mitsu or Fatal. Working the graveyard shift for a few weeks was much preferred than being booted out of the
station. She had accomplished what she set out for; getting rid of Medila and gaining the favor of the scientists
in the process. She wasn't about to jeopardize that now by sticking her neck out. Instead, she opted to observe
activities from afar. There was another reason for her decision, the family name Cumin might ring some
unwanted bells with Gariushi. She didn't know all the gritty details, but she knew that when she was a girl, her
father, an important negotiator for Wiyrkomi at the time, had been sent to the headquarters of Ishukone to
barter a deal. Gariushi had entangled her father in a conspiracy ploy and then threatened to reveal it to
Wiyrkomi unless a very favorable deal would be settled on. Her father had no alternative but to accept, being
branded an idiot was far better than that of a traitor. After his return her father's career slowly faded into
obscurity and instead he pinned the hope of his family on Ariko's slender shoulders. Ariko was pretty sure that
Gariushi had long since forgotten the name of Cumin, but she didn't want to take any chances on the matter.
She would stay in the shadows for the time being.

Gariushi was quick to stamp his mark and in only a few days the construction process was as fast as it had ever
been. In fact, construction materials were soon in short supply. At first Gariushi tried to increase shipments from
the contracted shipping firms, Inner Zone Shipping and Ytiri, but they were slow to respond. Undaunted, his
next move was to get freelance pilots, mainly from independent companies, to ship materials in. By appealing
to the altruistic nature of the Crielere project, aimed to aid everyone, the response was overwhelming and gave
a good indication what a shrewd nose Gariushi had when it came to political machinations.

The problem of an inadequate workforce remained. Much of the budget allocated to build the station had been
spent, yet it was only half built. A week after his arrival, Gariushi ordered the construction zone to be sealed off,
as well as the docking bay serving the zone. He justified this by stating that the workforce needed to shield
itself from outside interruptions and attractions, so they could concentrate fully upon the task at hand. Ariko
couldn't quite understand this need for seclusion, but dismissed the conspiracy theories about slaves being
used to bolster the workforce as fabricated rumors spread by former cronies of Medila. The sudden appearance
of burly Amarrians walking the station's halls was merely a coincidence, Ariko reasoned. Whatever methods
Gariushi was employing he certainly seemed to be getting the results, as new sections of the station seemed to
open up almost every day.

The impact these development had on the research effort was evident to everyone. Better facilities, coupled
with optimism that the Crielere project was finally spreading its wings, meant that new and fabulous discoveries
were being made. Already blueprints were being churned out and the eye of the world again turned to Crielere
for wondrous news. Ariko enjoyed being part of what was happening, particularly for her small but significant
contribution in getting things on the right track. Vanity tickled her to shout her accomplishments to the world,
but she had plenty of common sense to wrestle it to the ground. But when Gariushi declared that the first fully
developed blueprints, for advanced mining equipment, would be made public to everyone, she felt that it was
time to come out of the shadows again. She didn't know what Gariushi was up to, giving away discoveries like
that. She doubted his stated reasons of philanthropy, but couldn't discredit them. But his actions meant that if
she wanted to be of any value to her new secret employers then she'd better get closer to the two pioneers.

Gunaris was still working on his calculations, happily oblivious to the hectic goings on in other parts of the
station. But he was on the inside track when it came to communicating with the two scientists. Through him,
Ariko got to meet the scientists on a regular basis, even sometimes participating in brainstorm meetings or
being asked to note down theories or ideas they seemed to be constantly throwing between themselves. The
creative atmosphere surrounding the pair was so contagious that Ariko found herself easily caught up in the
fever and enjoyed every second of it.

Umailen and Touvolle turned out to be quite the characters. Their relationship was almost a symbiotic one, they
complemented each other so perfectly that after decades of working together they often finished each other's
sentences or merely glanced at each other to see what the other was thinking. Far from being the stuffy old
bores like many people imagined scientists to be they were almost like children in their irresponsible, playful
behavior. Ariko could sense a darker side to them, something to do with their war experience all those years ago
when they were both young men. It was as if those haunting memories they had drove them on, yet never
surfacing in a negative manner. In fact, Ariko often felt like she was back in college, such was the atmosphere in
the lab now that the stifling regime of Medila was at an end. She especially enjoyed the silly banter the
scientists often engaged in. When they entered the lab in the morning they frequently made boastful
proclamations about who would discover more wondrous things that day. She particularly enjoyed their ‘science
is' game, where they likened science to some thing or another, in a tongue-in-cheek manner. In time she
became a participant herself in this game, where the trick was to out-do the others based in previous comments.

“Science is like a prostitute,” Touvolle would perhaps say out of the blue. “You lust for a short-lived pleasure, but
are left with something itchy and indescribable in the long-term.”

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“I beg to differ,” Ariko would counter. “Science is like a callgirl. You know the number, but have no idea how to
handle all the complexities.”

“Ah, you're on the wrong track all together,” Umailen would retort. “Science is like a marriage. It starts with an
exiting affair and ends up eating all your time.”

Thus it would go back and forth for awhile, before they all delved once more into serious work. Despite spending
time playing silly games like ‘science is' they were still even more productive than before and new blueprints
saw daylight more or less every week. It was a fantastic achievement.

While Ariko was in a privileged position being part of the team surrounding the two scientists she was still just a
junior assistant and as such still had some tedious assignments to complete. Working late one evening she
decided to make a routine check on the blueprints already filed. It wasn't the most fun job in the world, but it
always filled her with a sense of accomplishment seeing a concrete proof that coming here hadn't been the
disaster she initially thought it would be. Her father had sent her here when she refused to come work in his
office after graduation. It was intended as a punishment and she had taken it as such initially. Now she knew
differently. She thought it was ambition that had brought about her little rebellion, but now she knew it really
was a longing to be part of something important; where she felt her contribution was not only appreciated, but
also of value to more than just her family's prestige or her corporation's bottom line.

Ariko couldn't come near the blueprints themselves; their high value meant they were only accessible to a
handful of people. Instead, she had to use a complicated robotic system to access and file the blueprints.
Putting her mind into automatic, she filed the blueprints one by one while letting her mind wander about the
impact these blueprints would have on the world. A soft beep on the console she was working on brought her
back from her reverie. Blueprints were missing. Accidentally, Ariko had made a fateful discovery of the most
innocuous nature, but which would unleash a series of events that would in the end shake the whole world.

At first Ariko thought it was an oversight on her part, due to tiredness, but she double-checked, then checked
again, always with the same results. Missing were original blueprints of many of the most stunning and exciting
discoveries made so far on the station. Ariko was at a loss what to do. Was it a theft or just an innocent
mistake? She wanted to believe the latter, but her gut feeling told her otherwise. Her sense of duty told her she
should report this to her superiors. But if this was a theft, who was responsible? Even the mere existence of the
blueprints was top secret, making it almost impossible this was an outside job. Ariko didn't like the path her
train of thoughts was taking her down, but there was only one inevitable conclusion; if this was theft it was done
by an insider. Not only that, it was done by someone high up in the chain of command.

Ariko was in no position to investigate the matter herself. But she had no idea whom she could trust. The one
thing she did know was that she had to report this to someone, otherwise the blame would fall on her. Gariushi
she didn't trust. Besides, he was away on a visit to New Caldari. But she knew just the people to turn to.

The news spread like wildfire through the station. The next day when Ariko woke up the station was buzzing.
She had told the scientists last night; after telling Mitsu first. Obviously the scientists had wasted no time in
getting the story out, or at least not bothered much to conceal it. When Ariko entered the lab the tension was
tangible. No one managed to do much work that day, suspicion and uncertainty the only thing on people's
mind. Ariko hadn't slept much during the night. She was out in the open now, with all eyes on the station on her.
She felt naked and defenseless, sure that everyone could she all her dirty little secrets. During the night she
had half expected the police to come crashing through the door, dragging along Mitsu bound and gagged. At a
time she even thought that the whole thing was a setup. After all, how stupid was it to steal these blueprints? It
was bound to be found out eventually. How much better just to make copies or at least record the information,
but leave the originals behind, then no one would have been any wiser that anything was amiss. In the darkness
of her room Ariko was certain the only explanation was that someone wanted to pin this on her. Now, in the
daylight, she laughed at her silly paranoia, though the uneasy feeling remained. There were other explanations:
maybe the thieves didn't have time to make copies, or maybe they wanted to possess the blueprint technology
all to themselves, or maybe they were simply cocky and didn't care if they were found out.

Gariushi, back from New Caldari, and his people were also ominously silent. Some took this as a sign that the
whole thing was a hoax and would be cleared up shortly. Others took it as a sign that Gariushi was trying to
think of ways to cover this up. As day turned to evening the first orders from Gariushi's office filtered down; no
one was allowed to leave the station, communications with the outside world were severely restricted and only
employees of the station were allowed in.

At first Ariko thought these measures were to hinder the thief or thieves from getting their ill-gotten items out of
the station, but then she realized that it was much too late for that – the thieves could have left long ago. The
only explanation for this order was to hinder news of the theft from spreading outside the station. Ariko
suspected it was also much too late for that. Of course, this also meant it was too dangerous for her to talk to
her contact for the time being. But she had talked to him last night and there was no need to talk to him again
quite yet.

The next day Ariko was finally called in for questioning. She had had butterflies in her stomach the previous

-877-
day, fearing what her discovery the previous night might entail. A couple of officials showed up at her small
apartment and escorted her to a secluded room in the upper levels of the station. There she met a soft-spoken
man that simply interviewed her about her findings and her subsequent actions. It wasn't quite an interrogation,
because Ariko was so co-operative, but she sensed that the soft-spoken man was quite ready to turn the screws
on her if the need arose. He even seemed a bit disappointed for her not giving him an excuse for doing so. The
interview only took a couple of hours, after which she was allowed to go. Ariko breathed a sigh of relief. It
seemed that although Gariushi was unhappy with developments, having openly raved about her incompetence
and disloyalty in informing the scientists first, he wasn't going to take it out against her. And more importantly,
her cover was still intact.

The atmosphere was muted when she got back to the lab. Ariko was certain that Umailen and Touvolle would be
crestfallen at the loss of such valuable blueprints, but they seemed as cheerful as ever. Touvolle summed up the
feelings of the pair when he said:

“Ah, those blueprints may be of some value at the moment, but with the ideas me and Taromi have they'd be
obsolete in a few months anyway.” Having said that he urged his coworkers to start working again, the best way
to stick it to the thieves was by producing even better blueprints as soon as possible. Touvolle's short speech
lifted the gloomy spirit in the lab and soon everyone were back at their workstations, toiling away happily. Ariko
joined the others, glad that the research effort was still in full swing. ‘All the more for me to report,' she thought
grimly.

The next day the station was again buzzing. Not because of the stolen blueprints, but because Otro Gariushi
had slipped away during the night, disappearing just as quietly as he had appeared a month earlier. While
leaving behind a deputy to take care of business, it was obvious that Gariushi was washing his hands clean of
the Crielere project. Ariko suspected he had already got what he wanted. She could only admire the man. He
shrewdly manipulated the public opinion to remain in charge, while behind the scenes he carefully acquired
what he was really after. ‘Then he slipped away like a thief into the night,' Ariko mused. There was no doubt in
her mind that Gariushi was responsible for the stolen blueprints. It was only a question of whether he would get
away with it or not. She couldn't help but compare how differently Ishukone did business than her own Wiyrkomi
corporation. ‘With Gariushi at the helm Ishukone simply comes in and takes what it wants. All Wiyrkomi could do
was to recruit lowly me.'

The deputy left behind by Gariushi did his best to hush the blueprint theft. He launched an internal
investigation, but gave no progress reports, or even an indication on when the investigation would be
concluded. Days passed and still there were no official news. But there were subtle hints that behind the scenes
a cleanup was taking place. Several high-ranking officials, including some Caldari scientists, had handed in their
resignations, claiming they were too distraught by the theft to continue working on the project. All of them
immediately got jobs elsewhere for empire corporations. The theft was becoming old news. Ariko was hoping
the whole thing would blow over, allowing the research effort to resume. But she failed to take the
righteousness of the Gallenteans into account. They wouldn't forget something like this and they would want to
find the culprits. All they needed was someone to enforce their will. And that is just what they got. A week after
Ariko first reported the stolen blueprints, Souro Foiritan, president of the Gallente Federation made an
unannounced visit to the station.

Foiritan had been one of the staunched supporters of the project from the very beginning. It was well known
that the man had a passionate interest in technology and new gadgets, and from what Ariko had heard from her
coworkers Foiritan had to wrestle the Federal Senate tooth and nail to get it to fund the project. Thus, his arrival
now when his pet project was in danger came as no surprise.

Of course, Foiritan had no official authority on the station, but with the current leadership being as tentative as
it was he could steamroll over all barriers and protocols like a scorpion in a henhouse. Ariko would have thought
Foiritan would storm right to the command center to take control, but she didn't count on his fascination for
technology. He had to take a tour of the facilities first, starting with a visit to Umailen and Touvolle, whom
Foiritan had come to love and respect. They showed him around the lab. Foiritan's face lit up each time a new
invention was shown to him and by the time they came to Ariko's desk he was positively beaming.

“Here is the girl that discovered the missing blueprints,” Touvolle said, introducing Ariko. She shyly shook
Foiritan's hand. A shadow had past over his face at the mention of the stolen blueprints and now he looked
grave and troubled.

“Ah, yes. The missing blueprints,” he said softly, staring Ariko straight in the eyes as they shook hands. She
could feel the charisma radiating off him and understood finally what the Gallenteans saw in this man that
many considered a buffoon not fit for office. She remembered all the times she and her schoolmates had
mocked this man after his latest folly. It made her blush and avert her eyes. Foiritan smiled knowingly and
released her hand.

“Such a shame that some people are willing to sacrifice the future for such a short term gain,” he continued
softly, still looking intently at Ariko.

“Quite so,” Touvolle concurred, a bit bewildered by the short exchange of words between president Foiritan and

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Ariko the junior assistant.

Ariko tried to breath calmly as Foiritan continued his tour of the lab. The sheer animalistic charisma of the man
was enough to overwhelm anyone, but his words had hit her like a sledgehammer. Did he know about her being
a spy? Or was it just innocent small talk? She couldn't tell.

She watched Foiritan as he talked privately with the two scientists for a few minutes, his bodyguards making
sure no one could approach them. The scientists glanced furtively around the lab a few times, but never at her.
She breathed a sigh of relief. If they were talking about her they surely would have looked in her direction at
least once.

Later that day Ariko found out that Foiritan had ordered a thorough investigation into the theft, to be carried out
by a team of independent investigators brought from outside. Foiritan made it quite clear that this team would
have full access to the station and all relevant data, in order to speed up the investigation process as much as
possible. Having come what he set out for, Foiritan and his entourage of PR people and the media, left the
station on the large luxury yacht that had brought them here.

The next few days went by like in a dream. Ariko tried to keep her mind on the job, but her mind kept returning
to the stolen blueprints. She knew that the future of the project hinged on the results of the ongoing
investigation and so did the rest of the workers. Even Gunaris seemed too distant and preoccupied to talk to
her. Only now, thinking about the future of the project, did she realize really how important it had become to
her. She had been skeptical for a long time and the spying game had distracted her from seeing where her true
priorities lay. Now she knew; with the project. With Umailen and Touvolle. She also feared that the investigation
would turn up something unwanted, such as her being a secret agent. She hadn't heard anything from Mitsu in
days, and though she hoped this merely meant he was being cautious she sometimes feared he had been
arrested. She needed someone to talk to so she wouldn't go mad, turning these thoughts around in her head
again and again. She finally managed to break Gunaris down and get him to talk to her. She stayed well away
from discussing current affairs with him, as she feared this would shut him up, so she opted instead to talk
about his youth. After a hesitating start, he soon got into gear and started telling her about his enthusiasm for
numbers.

“I've always been fascinated by numbers, for as long as I can remember,” he confessed. “My home planet,
Ation VIII, has 21 moons and I remember I thought this was a magic number when I was a boy.” He smiled his
shy little smile that Ariko thought so endearing before continuing.

“To me mathematics was like magic and I loved number puzzles or strange sequences. Like this number,” he
said, picking up the light pen on his desk and drawing the number 142857 in the air. “It seems like just a
random six-figure number, but try multiplying it by two.” Ariko quickly did so in her head.

“285714,” she said.

“Right, now multiply it by three, four, five and six.” This was more difficult, and Ariko scrunched her face in an
effort to do this quickly. Gunaris laughed merrily as he saw her struggle.

“Never mind,” he said. “I'll give you the numbers.” He wrote the numbers down below the first number, in a list.
“Now, add the individual numbers of the first number together, what do you get?”

“27,” Ariko replied promptly. This was easy.

“Correct, and the next and the next?” She looked at them, wonder spreading around her face.

“27, they're all twenty-seven.”

“And if you add them vertically?” he prodded. Now she gasped and smiled in amazement.

“27 too, for all of them. That's amazing!” They both laughed.

“Yeah, well, this was the kind of stuff I found fascinating when I was a small boy, four or five probably. It sparked
an interest in numbers that has never dwindled. Even though I've found no true magic in there.”

“Are you still looking?” she asked. It was meant as a tease, but Gunaris became serious.

“I am,“ he finally said and Ariko saw he meant it. Then the investigators arrived in the lab and the conversation
ended.

The investigators, most of them Gallenteans and Intakis, worked fast and efficiently. The thieves hadn't been all
that careful in covering up their tracks, as they seemed confidant that the powers that be would protect them.
So the investigation was over swiftly and the results didn't particularly surprise anyone: men working under
direct orders from Otro Gariushi had systematically plundered blueprints and even prototype equipment.

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After the findings of the investigators had been announced it was like all the racial and political tension that
Gariushi had held in check were now out in the open twice as forceful as before. With growing dismay, Ariko
watched helplessly as confrontations between Gallenteans and Caldari escalated by the hour. Bar brawls
became common, soon intensifying into full scale riots. The day after the investigative report was made public,
a Senate delegation arrived to take stock of the situation.

With the arrival of a new Senate delegation, throwing the leadership on the station into confusion, things quickly
escalated beyond control. The security personnel on the station, hitherto considered to have the easiest jobs
around, suddenly found themselves in full riot gear, facing a mob that seemed ready to tear the just completed
station apart with their bare hands. Conflicting orders filtered down from above, inflaming the volatile situation
even further. Martial laws were declared, but with little effect. People started leaving in droves.

The Senate delegation left in a huff, furious about not being given sole command of the station. It came as no
surprise to Ariko when she heard the next day that they had pulled the financial plug. The Caldari mega-
corporations followed suit shortly after. The Crielere project was in a crisis, with most of the staff gone and now
no budget. And yet, Ariko felt defiant. Not because she wanted further chances to conduct industrial espionage
for Wiyrkomi. In fact, she was fed up with the greedy corporations and their power politics. She didn't want the
project to end.

The Crielere project was a like a dream you have when you're neither awake nor asleep, one you never want to
end. Ariko realized what she wanted most of all was to keep the dream alive. It was too valuable for it to
succumb to petty corporate rivalries and racial antagonism. She was reminded of one of her heated
conversations with her father shortly before she left where he accused her of betraying her corporation. She
could still feel the sting of tears of frustration in her eyes. To be branded a traitor and a spoiled brat by her
father, whom she'd looked up to her entire life. She remembered how angry and humiliated she'd felt at being
accused of betraying the corporation that had reared her, even if it wasn't true. She had intended to work for
Wiyrkomi. She only wanted to do it on her own terms. But now, his accusations were true. She didn't even try to
convince herself that staying with the scientists gave her further opportunities to wring some valuable
information out of them. She was too smart for that. She was staying because she wanted to use her talents the
way they were supposed to; not stifled by the corporation, but allowed to flourish doing something that really
mattered to all mankind.

Ariko had thought that coming to Crielere, bad as it sounded at first, would at least quench her thirst for
adventure, but instead it opened her eyes to how narrow-minded her father was, or she had been, for that
matter. How could she stay loyal to her corporation when it meant betraying humanity?

Entering the lab, Ariko mused that what was now left of the Crielere project was the essence of what it stood for.
All the money grabbers and band wagoners were gone, leaving only those that truly wanted to make a
difference, even if it meant sacrificing their careers. Gunaris was there and the sight of him made the cynical
side of Ariko wonder how much the fact that he was staying behind had influenced her own decision
unconsciously. Ariko knew the time was drawing near when she had to bare her feelings for him, as much as she
dreaded it.

Touvolle and Umailen were seated in their favorite brainstorming chair, but for once they weren't discussing
new science theories. The pair had earlier in the morning sent out a plea to the outside world asking for
support, financial or otherwise. It had met with a bland response. There was an air of resignation around the lab.
Ariko knew that if she didn't convince them to continue with their work, then all she had to look forward to was
to return to the fold of Wiyrkomi and sign her life sentence of obedience with them. A few months earlier it
would have truly honored her. Now it was abhorrent to her. Ariko had never considered herself to be of much a
motivational speaker, but she had passion and hoped it lent her some powers of persuasion. She surveyed the
motley crew assembled before her. There were maybe fifty of them left, a fraction of the thousands that had
swarmed the station only few short weeks earlier. All had the look of gloom in their eyes, but she hoped the
reason they hadn't left yet was because they still harbored some secret hope that the project could go on. She
recalled a parable from back home, told to all aspiring young Caldari students.

“There once was a great rich merchant,” she began hesitantly, suddenly all too aware that all eyes in the room
were on her. But she plunged on regardless, steeling her nerves. “He lived to a grand old age and possessed
every wealth a man could dream of. Many looked to him in awe or envy, coveting his treasures and desiring to
imitate his great successes. Yet the old man was never happy and on his deathbed, a young clerk working for
him asked: ‘You must feel that your life has been one great success story, what with all the wealth you have
accumulated.' But the old man replied. ‘My life has been one of misery and sorrow. As a young man I chose
wealth over family, discarding the love of my life. When I die all that I will leave behind in the world is money.
But money is the same all over, mine is no different from anyone else's. Once my wealth has been scattered, all
that I will be is dust and vague memories. My life is a failure young man, don't make the same mistakes I did.'
The young clerk heeded the old man's advice, making sure he had the time to rear a family even if his focus
was on his career path.” Ariko took a deep breath, watching her attentive audience ponder her little anecdote.
“Now, this story may not be all that relevant to our situation here, but to me, and I hope for the rest of you, I've
become to realize that the Crielere project is the love of my life. If I abandon it now, no matter how successful
I'll become later in life, I'll always regret having done so. This is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make our
mark on the world, to create something that will go down in history and not scatter in the wind like dust. I have

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no idea if we can pull this off on our own, but by Fate, I'm willing to try my best until all avenues are spent.” By
this time Ariko was almost shouting, her passion and enthusiasm shining through. She didn't know what more
she could say. She wanted to run to each and every one of those in the room, shake them by the shoulders and
beg them to stay on.

No one spoke for a minute. Ariko was certain her words hadn't hit home, that she'd sounded too desperate, too
manic. Then Touvolle stood up, a thoughtful expression on his face. He slowly walked over to where Ariko was
standing and, in a sudden gesture, embraced her. “Thank you,” he whispered in her ear. “Thank you.”

It was done. They would stay and continue. Ariko was thrilled, but at the same time, her pesky cynical side
couldn't help but wonder if all of them were living a dream they hoped never ended, but a dream nevertheless.
No. This was no illusion. The Crielere project was real. Maybe more real than anything else she'd ever known.

Ariko had grown accustomed to the hustling and bustling of the station while the project was in full swing. Now
the empty corridors echoed back her footsteps, hammering home the bleakness of the place. Everything
seemed to be malfunctioning and the few dozen people she'd managed to convince to stay on had to spend
most of their time keeping the station up and running. Closing down a few sections had alleviated the problem
somewhat.

Touvolle had taken Ariko's speech to heart and was now carrying the torch for the rest of them. Ariko was happy
to step back into the sidelines and let the energetic old man take on the role of a leader of this rag-tag team.
Umailen was not far behind in spurring people on and together great progress was made everyday. But supplies
were getting low and the crew was even forced to beg benevolent visitors for handouts. And Fatal would come
soon and claim his reward, somehow Ariko was sure of that.

Mitsu was long gone, but he left her with a small communication device she could hide in her room. It was
dangerous to use, even if they employed codes and encryptions. She used it only sporadically, just enough to
keep Mitsu happy. But he was becoming impatient with the lack of hard data she was sending, demanding more
and more. For a long while his threats of total ostracism from the State kept her in line. He even stooped so low
as to threaten to make the life of her elderly parents difficult if she didn't comply. But as her admiration for
Umailen and Touvolle grew she began to loath this secret side of her life ever more. It was beginning to affect
her self-esteem; she began to loath herself for her treachery and low moral fiber. She was thankful to the State
for rearing her for all those years, but since her arrival here at Crielere she had seen a darker, more sinister side
of it. This was its true face, she realized. This is how the State behaved behind the pretty veil it cast on its
citizens. It may shelter them, but it deceived them at the same time. What worth was the life's work of an
honest man when it was made under deception and guile? She knew it was time to cut the umbilical cord for
good. Maybe complying with Mitsu offered her a future with the State, but it wasn't a future she wanted
anymore. She contemplated just throwing away the communication device; maybe Mitsu would think it had
been damaged or she found out. But she wanted a clean break. It took her a few days to amass enough
courage, but in the end there was nothing to it. Sure, Mitsu cursed her and all her ancestral line. He dragged her
poor parents into it again. But she wouldn't budge. It was an ugly break, she shook all over for an hour after
cutting the com-link for the last time, but it was over. She was now a persona nongrata. A person without a
nation. She was remarkably relaxed about this, given that to most Caldari this was almost worse than being
dead. The State had given her the time and the resources to grow and be educated, but she had given it all her
time in return. Yet it always demanded more, demanded all of her time all for itself. This she was not prepared
to do. Her time was now here, on the Crielere station, with the scientists and the all-important Project.

‘If only we had a little more time,' Ariko thought for the umpteenth time. ‘Then we could complete some of the
stuff we're developing and sell the blueprints. With a bit of luck we can become self-sufficient in a few weeks.'
Ariko didn't consciously think the world worked in a predestined way, but if she did, then she would have cursed
Fate for the blow it dealt next. The empires withdrew their police forces from the Crielere system. And then Fatal
arrived. With his friends. Lots and lots of them.

The Guristas were quick to assert their authority in the system. Fatal had come to exert his due reward – full
access to the station and every secret it held. This was an extortion of the highest magnitude and Ariko didn't
blame the scientists to balk at Fatal's demands.

The empires turned a deaf ear when the scientists pleaded for their help in fending off the Guristas. It seemed
as if they were on their own. But then help arrived from an unexpected source. The independent pilots, formerly
so helpful in getting the station completed in time, arrived in droves. They had heard the pleas of the scientists
and, unlike the callous empires, they had decided to respond.

Some came because they wanted to help fellow humans in need. Others because they believed in the project
and wanted to help keep it intact. Still others came for glory, for the chance to hunt down pirates, hoping to get
valuable loot or simply out of curiosity. But their strength and determination amazed Ariko and showed her how
strong and vivacious the independent pilot community was becoming. She knew many discounted them as
being immaterial, but Ariko now knew better. They were the future because they were organized yet flexible,
tolerant yet principled; an ever growing organism whereas the empires where bound by their traditions and
mistrust of each other.

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The skeleton crew left on the station was already stretched thin working on the energy systems so the huge
particle accelerators and other energy draining research equipment didn't overheat or destabilize. Now it also
had to contend with bolstering what little defenses the station possessed. Power was re-routed to the shields
and weapon platforms. It gave them all some sense of security, but Ariko knew enough about shields and
weapons to deem the station defenses as pathetic; if it wasn't for the pilots out there sacrificing their ships or
even lives then the Guristas could almost have waltzed right into the station. This was undoubtedly what Fatal
had counted on, hence his decision to risk directing his pirate fleet so far from their traditional playing grounds.

The arrival of the freelance pilots was a surprise to the Guristas, but it wasn't a sufficient threat to make the
pirates flee. A fierce battle ensued. Most of the Guristas engaged the freelance pilots, but several cruisers
headed towards the station and started blasting it with everything they got. The Guristas obviously hoped to
damage the station so severely it would be forced to surrender. Missile after missile slammed into the feeble
shields, battering the hull in the process. The crew watched in mounting horror as the fission core used in their
morphite plasma research became unstable to the point of threatening to explode. A team was hastily deployed
to make emergency repairs, Ariko being one of them.

Laboring in the bowels of the station to stabilize the overheating core took Ariko out of the loop, leaving in her
complete darkness as to how the battle was going. Later she would often reflect if it would have mattered had
she been in the command center when the greenhouse was breached. Would she have stopped Gunaris from
going there for emergency repairs? Would she have argued with Umailen for his decision to close the section
off? Would she have had time to say goodbye?

In the end it didn't really matter. The only thing that mattered was that Gunaris volunteered to enter the
greenhouse, in an order to seal a breach that was letting essential oxygen escape. When subsequent explosions
damaged the greenhouse section beyond repair, Umailen had ordered it to be sealed off before the whole
station was extinguished. It hadn't been an easy decision, Ariko knew that when she looked into Umailen's
haunted eyes. Yet she wished he hadn't had to make it.

They found his body the next day, lying peacefully between some tomato plants as if in deep slumber. It was
impossible to tell whether he had suffered in his death or not, but Ariko didn't feel it mattered. She felt empty
inside. Never having experienced true sorrow before in her life, she was unsure how to behave. Suddenly her
time with Gunaris, their small talks and short walks, took on a whole new meaning. They were now cherished
memories of someone she would never see again. Never talk to again. Never touch. In the first few hours after
she returned to the lab and found out his fate emotions had raged through her. Anger, bitterness, loneliness,
confusion, denial, grief.

The Guristas were beaten back finally, retreating into nearby systems to lick their wounds. This hardly
registered with Ariko. Yet again she lost sleep that night, her mind in turmoil. For the first time in her life she
prayed to her ancestors. She knew many Caldari did it; her mother for one. Until know she had scorned such
practices as relics of the past, but now she found solace in it. It also allowed her to steel her mind against the
grief that threatened to overwhelm her. All the emotions she had felt for Gunaris, but suppressed, now came
flooding back, multiplying her sorrow. When morning came she had resolved to stay strong. She would find time
later to grief properly. Now he scientists needed her. And she needed to focus on the task at hand: successfully
defending the station against the Guristas. They might have been driven back yesterday, but they were not
beaten.

The lab had been turned into a makeshift command center. Nobody had wanted to take up residency in the old
one, so they'd simply stripped the necessary equipment and set it up anew. Some had even started sleeping in
the lab, not wanting to wander the empty corridors alone. Ariko couldn't blame them, thought she still stayed in
her drab room. With half the station at her disposal she could have easily found something more grand, but she
didn't bother.

Yesterday's events were being discussed as Ariko entered. The lab grew quiet. Everyone knew how Ariko and
Gunaris had felt for each other. ‘Everyone but me,' she lamented. She managed a smile and joined the
discussion, brushing off all attempts at compassion. Soon, the conversation was back on track.

“That should show the empires how people feel about the Crielere project,” Touvolle exclaimed when the
independent pilots were being discussed. “These pilots can understand the value of our work.”

After the initial rush of euphoria a battle council was called on the urging of Ariko to discuss how the station
could be defended on a permanent basis.

“The Guristas will most likely attack us again,” she explained. “And even if they don't then somebody else will
pop up sooner or later. We can't depend on those independent pilots to keep defending us. Heck, from what I
gather they've already started bickering amongst themselves over spoils of war following the retreat of the
Guristas. They could even end up turning against us.” This sobered the elated scientists somewhat. Umailen
spoke up:

“We don't have the money to hire professional help and the empires have washed their hands clean of us.
Maybe depending on those pilots is naïve, but they're our only hope as it stands. We just have to keep the

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wolves at bay for a few more days, some of what we're researching is nearing completion.”

“If we can find the time to work on them,” Ariko answered gloomily. “Listen, I don't particularly enjoy being the
party-pooper, but somebody has to do it. Sure, we don't have money in the hand know, but we're rich in human
resources. Surely we can sell that to somebody.”

“You mean selling future discoveries?” Umailen said, sounding skeptical. “Then we'd lose our independence. We
could just as well give up right away and start working for one of the large research firms. Being independent is
essential so we can fulfill our promise of helping all mankind.” The others nodded in agreement and Ariko saw it
was a futile argument.

Touvolle had remained silent during much of the discussion, resting his chin in his hand. Now, seeing Ariko's
discomfort, he spoke up.

“You have to understand, Ariko, where we are coming from. During the war, both me and Taromi worked for our
respective governments. They used our creative energy to increase the suffering and the pain of the common
man. Have you heard of Rutheren IV?” When she shook her head no, he continued. “That is understandable, few
have. The name was stricken from the records, erased so completely that even those that were there have a
hard time convincing themselves it was real. But it was. I bet you have heard of Nouvelle Rouvenor or
Hueromont, but there were greater atrocities committed in the war than even those, bad as they were.
Rutheren IV was the worst of them and it's there that I and Taromi met. On the ground. Face to face with those
bleeding and dying. Until then I had been proud of my work for the Federation, convinced, nay, righteous in my
belief that what I was doing was for the greater good of all. On Rutheren IV the reality, the enormity, of it all
came crashing home. Through happenstance, which takes too long to describe, I met Taromi in a hospital tent,
tending for those still clinging to life. And we made a pact. Good intentions count for little if the cause isn't right.
I know you belief in Fate, Ariko, though you try to deny it. That day we decided to take our destiny into our own
hands. That is only possible if we're our own masters. Getting funds from the Federation and the State to bring
the Crielere project about was a necessary evil we had to endure. We hoped by having both sides onboard, then
the common good of all would prevail. Maybe that was naivety on our part, I don't know and it doesn't really
matter. What matters is that we can't now put our destiny in other hands than our own. We simply can't. I hope
you can understand that.” Ariko only nodded her head, she couldn't argue with that.

The meeting was soon called to an end. Pretty much the only thing that had been agreed upon was to urge the
independent pilots to remain alert and prepare the defenses of the station as best as possible. Umailen had
come up with a way to bolster the station's shields manifolds by re-routing the power generator through the
heat sink system. Though it wouldn't hold a determined attacker at bay indefinitely it was nevertheless a great
improvement.

The Guristas came at them again the next dawn. The vigilant freelance pilots engaged them as soon as they
came in sight and soon had the assaulters pinned down. Umailen and Touvolle looked a bit comical sitting in
front of the command desk with com-link devices covering their ears and eyes. Yet Ariko felt strangely
affectionate as she looked upon them in their excitement. They monitored the battle from the lab, using the
sophisticated sensor systems brought from the command center. The old men participated fully from afar, often
shouting encouragements or warnings to the pilots who so valiantly defended the station.

The Guristas showed little in the way of devious battle tactics and seemed happy just to slug it out with the
resilient defenders. This seemed very strange to Ariko, as the Guristas were not known to squander their ships
in such a wasteful manner.

“The Guristas are retreating again!” Touvolle exclaimed. “They're withdrawing to the Thelan system. We cant
allow them to rally now that they're in disarray! Follow them!” By now Touvolle was literally jumping up and
down in his seat, sweat pouring of his face as he scanned the screens in front of him, tracking the pursuit.
Suddenly, Umailen chimed in.

“I've spotted a second Guristas task force coming from the opposite direction. They're closing in on us.” Ariko
could feel cold sweat trickle down her spine. The retreat was a ruse. But the shields were up, stronger than
ever, and Ariko was confident they could keep this small marauding fleet at bay until the defenders returned.

But then her personal console lightened up. It was Fatal. Ariko furtively glanced around, but thankfully no one
was looking in her direction. She quickly disconnected the visuals in the com-link, blackening the screen once
more.

“Hello there, pretty one,” Fatal said, teasingly. “How's your parents?”

“What do you want?” Ariko said between clenched teeth. She wondered briefly how he knew about the threats
Mitsu had made to her parents during their last talk.

“Now, now. Don't take that tone with me,” Fatal continued, faking indignation. “You and me go a long way back,
I thought we were friends.” Even if Ariko could no longer she Fatal's face she could easily visualize the slimy

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smile licking his lips as he spoke. When Ariko didn't answer, Fatal continued.

“Well, enough fooling around. Me and my boys are keeping your vigilantes occupied, allowing my friend Rabbit
to do what he does best; sneak around,” Ariko shivered at his words. What was he up to? “I want you to open
bay door number 3 for him. Open it up and you will have repaid your debt,” he continued matter-of-factly. Ariko
was incredulous.

“You bastard. You think you can make me sell the station into your hands just like that?” Ariko was fuming, she
knew she had promised to repay the debt she owed Fatal, but this was too much.

“Ah, well,” he sighed. “I was hoping your sense of duty was stronger. Obviously fraternizing with Federation
puppies has tainted your sense of responsibility. But nevermind. I wanted to give you the opportunity to redeem
yourself.”

“Shut up!” Ariko screamed, turning a few heads around her. She had had enough of this arrogant bastard.
“You're never getting in here. You hear me? Never!”

“Listen to the girl,” Fatal now sounded amused, infuriating Ariko even more. “I don't need your help. What do
you think I was doing on the station the other day? Taking a vacation? Thanks to you, I have the access codes.
You really shouldn't have let me rig the security system, it allowed me to plant this nice little Trojan. Oh! Will you
look at that? Bay door number 3 opening up! Heh! I think Rabbit will accept your invitation. You'll be seeing him
in a jiffy.” The com-link went dead. Ariko sat paralyzed. What had she done? Thanks to her desire to get near
the scientists she had inadvertently given the station's access codes to the leader of the Guristas!

The others had noticed the bay door opening. Ariko listened as if in a trance as they desperately tried to
override the docking system, to no avail. Thankfully no one blamed her for what was happening. A small part of
her almost wished she would be blamed, sacrificed. She deserved it. When Umailen declared in panic that the
Guristas were inside the station, she blushed in shame. She couldn't let the station fall. It would mean Gunaris
death had been in vain.

Ariko tried to call an emergency meeting on how to meet the onrushing threat. She knew confronting the
Guristas face-to-face was out of the question. Though they had access to some weapons left by the security
personnel, they would be no match to the trained ruffians that the Rabbit was leading. But chaos had engulfed
the lab. The din made by those shouting to be heard meant that nothing could be heard. Some rushed out of
the lab to engage the invaders without even bothering to check if anyone was following. Precious minutes were
lost before Ariko managed to calm things down. Touvolle had aided her, Ariko felt it was remarkably that the
impulsive researcher managed to keep cool head. But by then Umailen had already left along with a few others
and Ariko had no idea where he was.

The only option available to them was to seal the lab and the surrounding living quarters from the rest of the
complex. Unfortunately, the station had not been designed with combat purposes in mind, which meant that
five corridors had to be closed, along with several bypasses and maintenance tunnels. Time was of the essence,
the Rabbit was closing in and Ariko had no idea how long it would be for him to arrive. But she was sure he
would take the most direct route, not foreseeing any trouble. So she rushed a team to close the main entrance
way into the lab section, hoping this would stall the raiders.

Meanwhile, Touvolle, still watching the sensors, reported that Fatal and his task force had turned the table on
the defenders and where closing in on the station again. Undoubtedly, his intentions were to continue harassing
the independent pilots to give his comrades inside the station time to complete their mission. It meant that
Ariko and the rest were on their own. This only made her more determined to succeed.

Ten agonizing minutes ticked by. More teams had been dispatched to seal off more corridors and entrance ways,
but Ariko was waiting anxiously to hear from the first team. Were they quick enough? She had contemplated
moving out herself to help out, but someone had to stay behind to coordinate the effort. So instead she tried to
calm her frayed nerves by focusing on a large map of the complex, searching for some entrance way she'd
missed. Finally, her headset chimed. The main entrance way was closed. There had been no sight of the Rabbit
or his henchmen. Ariko allowed herself to breath easier. Now if only they could locate the foolish Umailen,
rushing off without so much as taking a communication device with him. Then Ariko's headset chimed again. It
was the team leader at the main entrance again. It seemed that the Rabbit had found Umailen first.

It was blackmail, plain and simple, and listening to the Rabbit Ariko was sure it wasn't the first time he'd done
something like this. His demands were simple. Open up the lab and give up or Umailen would get it. Ariko told
him they would think it over, but she knew there was nothing to think about. None of the crew wanted to be
responsible for Taromi Umailen being executed. The death of Gunaris was still too fresh on their mind. Ariko, as
the spokesperson for the crew, negotiated with the Rabbit, trying to set at least some conditions on their own.
But the Rabbit knew he held all the aces and all he was willing to promise was not to kill anyone.

The Guristas wasted no time once inside the lab to raid it off the few blueprints still remaining. Ariko had
imagined the Rabbit to be a haughty, cocky son-of-a-bitch following their curt negotiations, but he turned out to
be quite the opposite, modest, quiet and well-behaved. But he had a mind of steel and when he declared that

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Umailen and Touvolle would come with them, Ariko knew that all pleas would fall on deaf ears.

It took the crew several minutes to register just what had happened once the Rabbit and his men had left.
Taking Taromi Umailen and Henric Touvolle along with them. The lab was in shambles after the pirates' raid,
which had resembled more of a tornado. Touvolle and Umailen had become almost like permanent fixtures in
the rooms and with them now gone the lab seemed strangely deserted. Not knowing what else to do they fixed
the communication equipment, restoring communication with those outside the station.

The Guristas were getting away, Fatal and his men shielding the Rabbit and his marauders with their valuable
cargo. But the defense forces, bigger than ever, where giving the Guristas everything they got. The pirates fled
towards the Olettiers system, with the defense forces snapping at their heels. Finally, one of the puppies
managed to bite into Fatal. The pirate's ship slowly disintegrated as his comrades sped away, none willing to
share their leader's fate. Fatal, in his pod, made a futile attempt to reach the stargate jumping him to Olettiers
and safety, but Doc Brown was having none of it and promptly obliterated the pod. The rest of the Guristas got
away, but they had paid a heavy price for their wild foray into the Crielere system.

Ariko rejoiced over the death of Fatal, hating the man for his betrayal. Yet his death paled in comparison to that
of Gunaris. And the scientists, whose work Ariko had pinned her hopes and dreams on with Gunaris gone and all
bridges to the past burnt; now they were gone too. Continuing their visionary work without them was
impossible. Ariko felt lower than she had ever done in her entire life. And to top it all off, the station had finally
had enough of the battering it had received over the last few days and was slowly disintegrating. The awe Ariko
had initially felt for the majestic place had now been replaced by nothing but loathing. It now held too many bad
memories; of Fatal and the Rabbit, the racial disputes destroying peace and harmony and last but not the least,
the greenhouse where Gunaris had died. It was time to leave the crumbling Crielere station for good.

Several old shuttles nestled in the docking bays, leftovers from the hurried exodus of the last few weeks. Ariko
entered the passenger cabin of one along with a few other Caldari heading home. ‘Home,' she thought. ‘This
was my home, do I still have one at Wiyrkomi?' She knew that even if they let her back in, she'd be reduced in
rank, probably forced forever to toil away her entire life as a lowly clerk, serving as a warning to others. The
thought didn't please her at all. Fidgeting in her seat, she pondered her destination. The Crielere system was
directly on the borders of Federation and State space. The shuttle was heading for the Kubinen system, on the
Caldari side of the border. Once inside there might be no turning back. The thought frightened her. She realized
it was not because of the fate that awaited her. She feared it would be the final nail in the coffin of the late
Crielere project.

Ariko hadn't let her thoughts linger too much on the fate of Umailen and Touvolle, but it was undoubtedly much
worse than what awaited her. But now that the hectic departure from the station was over and she had time to
reflect upon the situation, she felt ashamed for abandoning the scientists in their terrible predicament, and to
abandon the vision of the Crielere project. She realized that the spirit of the project could only be kept alive if
the scientists were free to continue their work, for the good of all mankind. Yet there was nothing she could do.
The scientists were gone with the Guristas deep into the outer region. Retrieving them would be impossible.
Still, Ariko had a nagging feeling she should wait.

Just as the pilot was about to activate the shuttle's warp drive to make the short jump to the gate leading to
Kubinen, Ariko made up her mind; she would stay and see how things panned out. The shuttle changed course
at Ariko's insistence, much to the chagrin of her fellow passengers. But she was only taking a short detour; her
destination was the Artisine system close by. The Scope had a development studio there and a reporter Ariko
had met some weeks earlier was working there. The reporter, Jinette Pandour, was an experienced investigative
reporter that had covered the Crielere project from the start. Ariko considered her to be little more than an
acquaintance, but Pandour had interviewed her and had struck Ariko as a sensible person passionate about her
work. Not knowing anyone else in the region, it was the only place Ariko could think of while waiting to hear of
the fate of her two scientist friends.

The Scope station was a low profile station that didn't see many visitors outside those that had some business
with the huge media conglomerate. Nevertheless, Ariko received a warm welcome there. Pandour was eager to
hear all about the events of recent days, as news from the faltering Crielere station had been little more than
rumors since the empires pulled out. The energetic reporter felt the events warranted more coverage and
managed to convince her editors to get an exclusive on the goings-on in the Crielere complex in its last few
days of operation. The daring Guristas raid and brave resistance of the independent pilots would surely merit
the attention of the Scope.

So Ariko found herself having agreed to provide Pandour with all the nitty-gritty details of everything that had
transpired in the station since her arrival. Naturally, Ariko left out the covert ops parts, but otherwise remained
cooperative. After all, being on an all-expense account paid by |the Scope was nothing to sneeze at.

Ariko was certain she had a long, anxious wait ahead of her before hearing anything from the scientists. But less
than a week after her arrival in Artisine, Pandour burst into her room one morning shouting:

“They're being sold! The Guristas have put them up for ransom!” Pandour was pacing the room in her
excitement, her mind racing at the possibilities these news opened up. Ariko finally managed to get the whole

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story out of her. The Guristas, now led by the Rabbit after the fall of Fatal, were in disarray and wanted to
offload Umailen and Touvolle to the highest bidder to get some heat off themselves. Ariko was glad to hear that
Fatal, in his typically arrogant manner, had refrained from buying a quality clone of himself and thus found
himself with severe memory loss and reduced motor functions, once he was revived after being podded. In his
weakened state he had been ousted out of the Guristas and gone into hiding. ‘What goes around, comes
around,' Ariko thought.

Ariko found the idea of her friends and mentors being sold like cattle to be totally repugnant, but at least it
would mean they'd escape from the clutches of the Guristas. Once more she wished she had the opportunity to
talk to them, instead of being forced to fret in total darkness. Pandour was kept busy over the next few days
keeping track of those in secret or not so secret negotiations with the Guristas. Ariko routed with an effort
launched by the same independent pilots that had helped defend the station during the last few dark days of
the project. But though they managed to collect an impressive sum, their financial strength was still too weak
for them to compete effectively. Still, Ariko was confident that she would soon be able to see her friends again,
free at last.

Then Fate dealt her another blow, as if to scorn the visionary efforts she was part of along with Umailen and
Touvolle. Ariko Kor-Azor was the highest bidder, by a large margin from what Ariko gathered from Pandour. It
seemed the man had no qualm about plundering the estates that his father, the current emperor of the Amarr
Empire, had so carefully cultivated over the decades. The royal heir intended for the two scientists to head a
new research lab he was constructing. Ariko didn't know what they were supposed to research but was certain it
had nothing to do with their previous work. Ariko Kor-Azor was not known for his benevolent nature.

Now that Ariko knew Umailen and Touvolle were to be released by the Guristas in mere hours she grew even
more restless than before. She couldn't wait to speak to them again. She got just that opportunity later in the
day, thanks to Pandour using her media links as leverage. When Ariko finally saw the haggard face of Touvolle
on the screen, she felt she would cry from joy. The two chit-chatted for a few minutes, Ariko was so
overwhelmed she hardly noticed what she said. She barely registered what Touvolle said. He and Umailen where
being held in an Amarrian station at the outskirt of empire space, he didn't know the name of it. The Guristas
had released him and Umailen at dawn, seemingly glad to be rid of the pair.

“We will be transported later today to the research lab,” Touvolle said wearily.

“Do you know what it is you will be working on?” Ariko inquired.

“No, we've been told nothing. I'm just hoping that getting back into a lab will at least allow us to keep our pet
projects alive, even if we cant work on them except periodically.” Touvolle replied and sounded a little more
upbeat when the discussion turned to the work they'd been engaged in on Crielere. “The little I've been told,”
he continued, “is that this new research facility is only just completed and it hasn't even been properly staffed
yet. In fact, the only thing the Amarr officials said to me after we were taken into their custody was to order us
to recruit other scientists to join the lab. They're obviously putting much stock in our reputation, hoping to use it
to attract others.”

“Oh?” Ariko hadn't considered that. Now it made her wonder. The possibility of working again with Umailen and
Touvolle, even if it was on some nefarious research for the loathsome Articio Kor-Azor, excited her no end. “I'd
love to have the opportunity to work with you again,” she'd blurted out without really thinking about it, but she
didn't regret it.

“That's fabulous news, Ariko,” Touvolle replied, the relief visible in his eyes. “I was afraid to ask, after all we may
have to work on something despicable for this man, but I'm really happy to have you aboard. It makes all this so
much easier to bear.”

The two chatted for a little while longer, Touvolle much more upbeat than he was at first. Finally, the Amarrians
grew impatient and terminated the communication link, hardly giving them time to bid farewell.

Afterwards, Ariko was in really high spirits. Even the thought of traveling into Amarr space and working in some
potentially hostile place didn't put her off. This was what she had been waiting for all those long days here at
Artisine. She had no home in the State, she would not be welcome there. It was a remarkable easy decision to
make.

She had allowed Pandour to listen in on her conversation with Touvolle, as part of their arrangement. Now, with
Ariko leaving soon, Pandour had to decide whether to wrap up her story or follow it through all the way. It was
also an easy decision for her. She would accompany Ariko into the Amarr Empire and witness the happy reunion.

Ariko finally felt at ease. The last few days she had been in a limbo, with no clear future ahead of her. Now she
had a plan, something to aim for. She would travel into the Amarr Empire and become a full fledged researcher,
working alongside Umailen and Touvolle. It was like a dream come true for her.

For the first time in awhile she allowed herself to think about Gunaris. Every time she'd thought of him, she felt
sorrow threatening to wash over her, engulfing her. She thought of him when she saw something beautiful or

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remarkable. It always made her think how unfair, how tragic, it was that he couldn't be here to see or
experience the same. That he would never get the chance to experience beauty or awe ever again. Now she
wondered whether he would have approved of her decision.

Early the next morning Ariko and Pandour left the station on a Vexor cruiser owned and operated by the Scope.
Their destination was a system in the Kor-Azor region, named Nebian in the Jatari constellation. There they
would rendezvous with another Scope reporter, a veteran of the intricate political structure of the Empire. As
Ariko was not yet officially an employee of the Kor-Azor's new research lab, she had not been told the
whereabouts of this highly secret place. But she saw no reason to lope around in Artisine waiting for her
employment status to come through. Pandour also wanted to cover this new twist in the story of Umailen and
Touvolle from early on, so she had arranged for the transportation. They expected a dull and uneventful voyage,
but while they were still in Federation space they received the news that president Foiritan was working behind
the scenes to get the scientists released.

In light of the new information they decided to halt on the border of Federation space, before heading into the
Genesis region. Ariko was unsure what to make of the news, so many unexpected twists and turns had
happened in the last few days that she was becoming quite confused. Pandour, who was no great fan of
Foiritan, was certain that there was something fishy about the whole thing. Was Foiritan's reasons purely
humanitarian in nature, did he want to thwart Kor-Azor's research scheme or did the scientists possess some
secret knowledge that Foiritan didn't want to fall into the wrong hands? All these speculations came up as the
hours ticked by. Ariko was pretty sure that the last conspiracy theory was untrue, but then she remembered the
private talk between Foiritan and the scientists the day he visited Crielere and wondered. The Senate was livid
that Foiritan was negotiating with Articio, which it considered to be immoral and dangerous to the interests of
the Federation.

As evening drew near it became evident that the matter would not be settled any time soon, so they decided to
camp out at the border. Ariko was confident that matter would be settled overnight, but she had to wait three
whole days before a settlement was finally reached. Articio would give up the scientists, but what he was
getting in exchange was kept secret. Ariko didn't care, she hadn't really hoped this would happen and now that
it had she was overcome with joy. She even began making plans on how the scientists could continue their work
once they were back in Federation space.

Pandour was clamoring to be present when the scientists were handed over, but everywhere she turned she hit
a dead end. It seemed no one wanted a reporter anywhere near the place where Articio was giving the
scientists into Federal custody. Pandour was quite agitated by this, and claimed Foiritan was holding a grudge
against her after she had released a story last year that didn't paint him in a favorable light. Ariko only half-
heartedly listened to her prattle; her mind was already with her impending rendezvous with Touvolle and
Umailen.

Again, Ariko was forced to stew in her own anxiety for several days before the paperwork for the release of the
scientists could be cleared up. She had no opportunity to speak with the scientists, as they were already on the
secret research lab and outside communication was not allowed. Finally the word arrived: Federal officials had
arrived to take the pair into their custody. But once they did, they immediately saw that something was amiss.
The two persons the Amarrians handed them were Minmatars.

Ariko was in shock. Fortunately, Pandour was at hand to gather information on what had happened. It was
almost beyond belief. Articio Kor-Azor, in his arrogance, had shipped the two famed scientists on a common
slave transporter to the research lab. Somehow, two of the slaves managed to steal their ID chips and pose
themselves as the scientists. As the research station was only occupied by construction workers and security
personnel, who had no idea whom to expect, the ruse only came into light when Federal officials arrived at the
station.

Pandour was investigating what had happened to the scientists and her findings were disturbing. They had been
shipped, along with the rest of the slaves on the transporter, to a slave colony in the Inis-Ilix system.
Presumably, they were then dumped there with the other slaves. Ariko was sure she was going to faint when
she realized that for several days the two old men, accustomed to life in a peace and quiet in a lab, had been
working in a hard labor camp. A hard labor camp where ground condition where terrible, to boot. Inis-Ilix IV was
little more than a blasted rock with a barely breathable atmosphere. Ariko shuddered at the thought what it
would do to the two old men.

Ariko was certain that an immediate rescue effort would be launched by all parties involved, but she was sorely
disappointed when all that happened over the next day or so was silly bickering between Articio Kor-Azor and
president Foiritan regarding the fate of the two Minmatar imposters. Articio wanted the two executed, while
Foiritan claimed that Kor-Azor had handed the pair over to the Federation, thus it was up to the Federation to
decide their fate. Finally, Articio grew tired of the whole matter, not wanting to further his embarrassment by
engaging in an international dispute over some inconsequential Minmatars. Ariko for her part couldn't care less
about their fate. She wanted the scientists found. She couldn't sleep, every time she closed her eyes all she
could see in her mind's eye was an image of Umailen and Touvolle toiling away in some filthy sulfur-mine, sweat
pouring of their frail bodies as the brutal ultra-violent sunrays blistered their skin. She had to find them.

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Fortunately, Foiritan's involvement had Pandour all fired up and she was more than willing to go the extra mile
to get to the bottom of the story. She was just as keen as Ariko in finding the two scientists, though for different
reasons. She wanted to interview them to see how deep Foiritan's involvement really was. The Vexor was still
parked in the docking bay ready to go and since their permission from Amarr authorities to land on planets
within the Empire was still valid, Ariko and Pandour simply decided to assemble a rescue team of their own.
Again Pandour managed to get the Scope to foot the bill. The company's money made it easy for Pandour to
attract people to their cause and in less than a day they were ready.

The team Pandour had assembled in record time wasn't professional by any stretch of the word, but to Ariko
they seemed up to the task. Or at least she hoped so, as she was pinning her future hopes on them. Only in the
recent few days, which had given her ample time to contemplate, had Ariko finally come to grips with her
decisions. Her path was that of Umailen and Touvolle, aiding them along the way to human enlightenment in
science. Only her fear of cutting all ties with her past had held her back in realizing this sooner. It was a big
mental step for her to wrench her foot from the doorway leading to the State, but she had to do it. Now all she
had to do was to find Umailen and Touvolle and she could begin building her life anew. When they finally
departed and headed into Amarr space, it wasn't a moment to soon for her.

The journey, as usual, was uneventful. On the way they learnt that Articio Kor-Azor had finally handed the two
Minmatar impostors over the Federation, grudgingly. Foiritan had also acted quickly and had assembled a
rescue team of his own, which was also heading to the Inis-Ilix system. In his typically blunt manner he had
simply put a huge bounty on the heads of the two scientists, thus sparking the interest of every bounty hunter
in the area. Of course, the bounty would only be paid out if the scientists were brought back alive and well.
Ariko silently thanked the energetic president for his efforts; the more people searching for the scientists, the
sooner they would be found. But she didn't voice her feelings to Pandour, who sarcastically called this a mere
‘token gestures' to make up for his earlier blunders. Ariko didn't ask what these supposed blunders were. It was
irrelevant.

They arrived at Inis-Ilix IV at dusk, docking at an Amarr Construction foundry station orbiting the planet's only
moon. The bounty hunters hired by Foiritan were already there, unloading their gear in the docking area and
preparing to descend to the planet. A handful of Amarr officials hovered nearby bewildered by this sudden
invasion of dozens of tough-looking bounty hunters, most of them of Caldari or Gallentean origin. Ariko herself
quickly became floundered in the chaos, but fortunately Pandour was used to such hectic rush and not before
long Ariko, Pandour and the rest of the team were onboard a shuttle heading for the surface.

It was nighttime when they arrived. The night air was chilly, but Ariko could feel the heat rising from the ground,
indicating how hot it had been during the day. The air was thin and had a rank sulfuric taste that clung to the
tongue. The team set out erecting a base camp; the search would begin at dawn. Despite the terrible condition,
Ariko was feeling very optimistic that she would be reunited with Umailen and Touvolle sooner rather than later.
She was already planning in her head what she would say to them and how they could get back on track with
their work. Lying there in the make-shift tent, she played these fantasy conversations again and again through
her mind.

But she had to wait four days before getting a chance to act these conversations out for real, and by then she
had all but forgotten them in her fatigue and frustration. Dealing with the Amarr authorities on the planet was
an exercise in futility. They seemed to have no understanding of the notion of individuality of slaves. Slaves
were labeled for inter-stellar transportation, but once on a slave colony they lost all identity. There was no need
for the slave masters to know their name; to think of them as unique or special in any way was totally alien to
them. Time and again Ariko and her team spent hours trying to make stubborn, narrow-minded officials
understand, often to no avail.

Then on the fourth day they received the news that the bounty hunters sent by president Foiritan had found the
scientists, in a cave outside one of the slave camps. The news was vague and failed to mention the condition of
the pair. Pandour rushed them to the hover cars she'd rented for the team, herself taking control of one. Sitting
next to her, Ariko noticed the strange gleam in her eye as she commanded her media crew to get their
equipment ready. This was her big break.

It took two hours for them to reach the cave, even if they traveled the whole way at breakneck speeds. There
was already considerable activity around the cave, kicking up dust clouds that triggered coughs and watery
eyes, but at least shielded them from the worst of the sun. Yet despite all the people already on the scene when
she arrived, she was surprised at the lack of urgency or even some token show of joy. Instead, the burly bounty
hunters looked sour while scrawny Amarrian officials wandered aimlessly around. Then she saw the stretchers
being carried out of the cave, white cloth covering what lay beneath. Even without actually seeing their faces,
she knew they were dead. Somehow she had always known since she heard where they were, she had just
embraced the soothing illusion of denial, convincing herself otherwise. She was on her knees now as she
watched the stretch-bearers entering a tent a short distance from where she was; she didn't remember falling
on her knees.

“No!” she wanted to shout to the world, but it only came out as a croak, barely audible. Tears cleared shiny
paths down her dirty cheeks and soon she was raked with sobs.

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She felt she cried for hours, but it was only a couple of minutes. She had to see them. One last time. With a
renewed resolution she stood up and set out for the tent. She was vaguely aware that Pandour was following
her every footstep, making sure the holo-cameras hovering around were aligned correctly. Two grim-faced
bounty hunters stood either side of the entrance to the tent, but they barely registered with Ariko. Only when
one of them grabbed her as she was about to enter did she come out of her daze. An Intaki man appeared from
inside the tent. He was clad immaculately and seemed the only one around not affected by the dust that
permeated everything. Ariko found him familiar and when he looked her in the eye she remembered him as one
of Foiritan's entourage when he visited the Crielere station. She saw recognition in his eyes too and when he
smiled it was the first comfort she felt since she saw the stretchers.

“She can come in,” he said softly, indicating Ariko. “But keep the others out.” Pandour protested loudly, then
when this didn't have any visible effect pleaded with Ariko to speak on their behalf. But Ariko didn't have any
patience for the prattling Scope woman now.

The tent was dimly lit and it took her eyes some time to adjust. The bodies of Henric Touvolle and Taromi
Umailen were lying on narrow tables in the middle of the tent. The white cloth still covered them from the waist
down, revealing their thin, shrunken chests. A doctor and a nurse where setting up field gear to conduct an
autopsy. Ariko felt oddly relieved they hadn't started the gruesome operation. The Intaki man, introducing
himself as Endt Strovare, escorted her to the tables. The doctor, taking Ariko for someone important, started
yammering something about respiratory problems and malnutrition, but he quickly shut up when he noticed
that nobody was listening.

Apart from Gunaris, this was the first time Ariko saw bodies close up, though whether she should blame or
thank her sheltered upbringing she was uncertain about at the moment. With Gunaris her grief had been too
overwhelming for her to notice the small details and she was too distraught to partake in preparing him for his
funeral. She had heard all the stories about how serene someone looked that had just died peacefully, and to an
extent she saw they were true. But she also saw red-rimmed eyes that stared into oblivion and bluish lips that
no breath passed between. She saw their destroyed bodies and smelled the foul stench of their feces disposed
from their loosened bowels. Death might be peaceful, but it certainly wasn't pretty.

Ariko had seen enough here. But she also wanted to see the cave where they were found. Strovare, who
seemed to be the man in charge, approved quickly, but for her alone. He escorted her from the tent and
followed her to the cave, keeping a respectful distance. Ariko had heard that the Intakis had great empathy for
the feelings of others and this certainly seemed true of Strovare. Thinking about the Intaki she couldn't help but
wonder what one of the top aides of president Foiritan was doing here. And why he was in charge, and not the
Amarrians. But then they were at the cave and she let it go.

It was not a big cave, perhaps 15 meters deep and 4 meters wide. The floor was sandy, the rock wall was brown
with a yellowish tint. A few items indicating human inhabitation littered the floor, but they didn't interest Ariko.
The walls did. They were covered with scribblings, painted on the wall with anything the scientists had laid their
hands on, juice from berries, soot, even dung if her nose wasn't deceiving her. Everywhere her head turned she
could see intricate formulas and advanced theories, written by men on the brink of death possessed with ideas
they had to get out, lest they died with them.

A few workmen entered the cave, clad in body-covering suits with breathing masks. Strovare indicated to her
that they had to leave, gently taking her by the arm. Ariko didn't resist at first, but then she realized what these
men where doing here. They were going to wash the walls clean, eradicate the last message Umailen and
Touvolle had for the world. She tried to wrestle out of Strovare's grip, but he had anticipated her reaction and
held fast. He had to drag her from the cave, as the workmen fired up their powerful hoses and started hosing
the walls.

It was the next day. Ariko, Pandour and the team were back on the space station orbiting Inis-Ilix IV's lonely
moon. They had been told gently, but firmly, that they were no longer welcome on the planet now that the
scientists were found. Pandour was still seething at the treatment she had received, but her nose for news was
also as strong as ever and she could easily smell the story here. Some sort of a cover up was taking place, but
she had no idea what. President Foiritan might be involved, or maybe it was just the stubborn Amarrians. She
had been intrigued by Ariko's account of events in the cave. The scribblings themselves didn't interest her that
much, but the hint of conspiracy did.

It was the opposite for Ariko. She didn't care for conspiracy theories or corrupt politicians or imperialists. The
ideas of Umailen and Touvolle did. With them gone, these ideas of theirs were all that was left. It was their
legacy, and she was the only one that could appreciate it. But already Ariko could feel her memories of the cave
scribblings fading. She had only had a chance to look at them for a few seconds before being ushered out.
Although she had scanned all the walls, it was only for the briefest of moments, much too short for her to get a
clear picture of what was being written.

But this knowledge couldn't be lost. She couldn't let it happen. She had burned all the bridges linking her to the
past, pinning all her hopes and dreams on the two scientists and their wild but wonderful schemes. She had
jumped aboard and taking a ride to the heavens and now there was no way back. In a sense, she was the only
thing that remained of the great pioneering spirit that had roamed the halls of Crielere for few short weeks and

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shifted the world. But she wasn't a pioneer herself. The most she could hope for was to be a spectator.

Or a courier. This new thought flashed in her mind and physically jolted her. Of course. She could never hope to
revive the spirit all by herself. But she could be the vessel for which to bring the message to the world. What
she saw in the cave was still in her mind. She couldn't recall it herself. But she knew somebody that could. The
Jovians.

It was a wild idea. It wasn't even a longshot. It was borderline lunacy. But in a way it made sense. The Jovians
were wonderfully advanced, they possessed the technology to extract the cave memory from her mind. And
they would most surely agree to do it once they knew what was in her head. She didn't know much about
Jovians, but she knew they craved new knowledge above everything else. So she would bring it to them. And
enlighten the world.

A week later a Caldari Navy frigate on a patrol on the border of Caldari space noticed a small shuttle cruising to
a stargate that would take it deep into the outer regions. It wasn't really his business, but the captain felt
obliged to warn the occupant of the shuttle of the dangers it was heading into. The only reply he got before the
shuttle disappeared into deep space:

“Fate won't kill the Messenger.”

-890-
Forsaken Ruins
E8-YS9 Solar System, EL8Z-M Constellation,
Immensea Region

20.01.106 - 05:41 EVT

Failure always begets reflection, and Mattias

found himself asking the same question over
and over again:

How could it have come to this?

He stared in crushed disbelief at the rippling

translucent inner membrane of the warp
tunnel, watching the planets and moons of
the E8-YS9 system shoot past his ship. The
Blackbird-class cruiser at his command was
hurtling through the tunnel at hundreds of
times the speed of light. Mattias was amazed
the battered vessel was still capable of
sustaining this speed without breaking apart.

We were so close to killing him, he thought. So very, very close.

The tragedy would not be in his own death, but in the fact that his prey would continue to live out its wretched,
despicable existence. For Mattias and the team of loyal bounty hunters that he had dedicated his life to, this
was the ultimate failure. They had lost the bounty, were about to lose their lives, and worst of all, lost an
opportunity to do some good in a galaxy controlled by greed and evil above all else.

“Do you believe in God, Mattias?” asked the voice of his enemy. Mattias cursed his own misfortune and refused
to answer.

“And what of the Amarr and Minmatar comrades that you are leading to death?” the wicked voice sneered. “Are
they believers in an afterlife?”

In an instant, Mattias thought of the entire history of the two outstanding bounty hunters—and great
friends—whose lives were in as much peril as his own. Kirlana was an Amarr by birth, but had rebelled against
her lavish upbringing and become ashamed of her cultural roots. She renounced her family name and turned
her back on the fortune that would have been hers by birthright. The only “possession” she took with her was
Matuno, the Brutor slave that had looked after her since childhood. She transformed him into an independent,
Tempest-class battleship captain. Now, he answered to no one. But he would never forget those he was
beholden to.

Forever grateful for being set free of Amarrian bondage, Matuno found himself unable to leave Kirlana's side,
and together they sought greater purpose in life. After months of wandering Empire space, fate would introduce
them to Mattias Kakkichi. Inspired by his passion for truth and justice, they readily joined his self-appointed
mission: To become the arm of justice where the laws of Empire space could not reach. The money received
from collected bounties was unimportant to them. The real reward was the righted wrong, accomplished
through the kill itself. Watching evil succumb to the thunder of guns filled each of their souls with delicious
satisfaction. No single feeling was more powerful than knowing that an injustice had been avenged. But on this
day, the odds of lethal misfortune for pursuing such a risky profession finally caught up with them.

Mattias, Kirlana, and Matuno were fleeing from the scene of an assassination attempt on Trald Vukenda, the
leader of the infamous Angel Cartel and the highest profile target they had ever hunted. The operation had
gone horribly wrong. Within sight of their prey, the enemy surprised the bounty hunters with reinforcements,
and they suddenly found themselves greatly outnumbered. Their ships were punished almost to the breaking
point, and they were lucky to have escaped into warp. But there were only two jumpgates leading out of the
system, and Trald already knew which one the bounty hunters were running towards. Both exits were already
blockaded by Angel Cartel ships.

“I'm going to nail your self-righteous corpse to that jumpgate, Mattias,” snarled Trald. “As a reminder to others
about the perils in pursuing delusional moral obligations.”

The hatred that Mattias felt swelling in his heart was powerful. He forced himself to suppress his anger and
focus on trying to find a way to keep his good friends alive. They would be emerging from warp in just a few
moments.

“Kirlana, Matuno…I'm sorry I got the both of you into this, but I'm not ready to say goodbye just yet.” Mattias
willed the camera drones orbiting his ship to zoom out so he could see all three ships traveling inside the warp

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tunnel. Kirlana's Omen-class cruiser was in the worst condition of
them, venting plasma from a rupture in the hull plating alongside
one of the ship's engines.

“Standing by,” said Kirlana. Her voice was terse, and filled with fear.

“At your service,” said the deep voice of Matuno, who had not
known fear since the day Kirlana set him free. Their ships were
already beginning to decelerate.

“We're only going to get one shot at this, so pay attention.” Mattias
was thinking quickly. “When the warp engines quit, Kirlana, point
your bow at the nearest object you can warp towards and get
out…Matuno, we have to give her enough time to get aligned, so
fire up your sensor boosters as soon as you're able to and
concentrate fire on anything that tries to cut her off. I'm going to
target link with your ship to assist your artillery tracking and target
jam anything that tries to close in…” The warp tunnel surrounding
them had just about disappeared, and the jumpgate was coming
into view. “Matuno, as soon as she's out, warp yourself out of there,
anywhere you can…”

Both of them started to protest at the same time. “Mattias, what

about you—“

“Go, damnit! Go! Go! Go!” The warp core disappeared, and the
Blackbird's engines switched to impulse power. The ship's threat detectors registered danger immediately.
Mattias counted at least 4 ships, and saw the unmistakable profile of a deadly Arch Angel Warlord floating
directly above the jumpgate. An icy lead ball formed in his stomach. He was well within range of the Warlord's
most powerful cannons, and three Arch Angel Scout cruisers were speeding directly towards them. Mattias was
certain that the Scouts were equipped with warp scramblers.

“Kirlana! Go!” Plasma trailed behind the Omen as it pitched upwards and turned away from the jumpgate. The
first spread of Arch Angel heavy missiles began coursing towards them. The cruiser made painstakingly slow
course adjustments to align itself perfectly with the warp tunnel projected in front of it. The ship accelerated
and vanished just in time. Missile exhaust plumes crisscrossed each other at the exact spot in space where the
Omen was just a fraction of a second earlier. One away. Right on queue, the Blackbird's sophisticated
electronics systems established targeting locks on the three incoming Arch Angel Scout cruisers. Mattias linked
with the weapons system onboard Matuno's Tempest, feeding it telemetry. The enormous 1400mm artillery
turrets spread along the battleship's hull began tracking in unison. The Arch Angel Scouts unleashed a second
spread of heavy missiles towards them.

“Matuno, go!” Mattias could see missile plumes from the Warlord extending towards them now as well. The
Tempest's portside seemed to explode as the 1400mm artillery pieces unloaded. The shells slammed into the
lead Arch Angel a split second later, nearly breaking the enemy cruiser's spine on the first salvo. Mattias willed
his shield hardeners online and target jammed the second Scout. He simultaneously launched a missile volley of
his own towards the crippled Arch Angel. “Warp now now now!” Mattias screamed in his mind at Matuno,
inadvertently gulping down some of the ectoplasm inside of his pod.

Mattias could see the massive Tempest slowly swing its bow around in the same direction that Kirlana had
warped towards. A half second before the detonation of the first incoming missile, a bluish-white aura engulfed
the goliath battleship as Matuno activated his own shield hardeners. Mattias counted off eight devastating
explosions as the Warlord's cruise missiles slammed into the Tempest, throwing it off course and ripping
enormous gashes into the hull. The shockwaves expanding from the explosion sites crashed into the Blackbird,
tearing through its shields and punching through the last of the ship's armor. The Tempest was violently
spewing plasma and debris directly into space now, and a third Arch Angel missile spread was already on its
way as Matuno desperately tried to coax his crippled battleship into warp.

The lead Arch Angel Scout exploded just as Trald's fleet arrived. Mattias activated one last blistering burst of
signal-scrambling electronic noise towards the third Arch Angel Scout—now just 12 kilometers away—before
randomly selecting a planet on his navigation list and activating the warp drive. Mattias thought he saw a flash
erupt from the direction of the Warlord a half-second before the Blackbird's computer registered near-
catastrophic hull breaches all over his ship. It was such a powerful impact that Mattias swore he could actually
feel the shells slam into the hull from inside his pod.

That's it, thought Mattias. This is how it finally ends.

The Blackbird's thrusters were still trying to correct the ship's course from the devastating impact. The first
spread of cruise missiles from Trald's ship began arcing towards it.

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“My regards to hell's keeper, Mattias,” said Trald. “Good bye.”

Mattias rotated the camera drones around and focused them on the ship of his enemy. He always told himself
that when the time came, he would stare death in the eyes, and take the hatred for his enemy to eternity.
Severing the communication link between himself and Trald, he allowed his mind to let go of the ship's controls,
and waited for the inevitable to consume him.

But instead of greeting death, he saw the image of Trald's Seraphim-class battleship yanked away as the
Blackbird miraculously accelerated into warp. Mattias nearly swallowed more of the pod's ectoplasm, and had to
make a concerted effort to control his breathing through the nose tubes. For the time being, he had survived,
and the subsiding adrenaline rush from his near-death experience nearly left him incapacitated with nausea.
The ship's vital signs projected a grim image onto his mind's vision:

Shields: 8% and rising.

Armor: 0%
Structure: 4%
Capacitor: 2% and rising.

Come to your senses, Mattias thought. Think. The capacitor was almost completely drained. Wherever it was
that he set course for, his ship would come up well short of the target destination.

“Mattias, check in.” Matuno had made it out! I need to be strong here, he thought.

“Roger that, Matuno, still alive. Are you with Kirlana?” The Blackbird was decelerating from warp. He was
beginning to get his shaking under control.

“I'm here with him, Mattias,” she answered. “We're in orbit around the 5th planet in the system. Hull and armor
levels are negligible, diagnostics are red across the board.”

“Must be that lousy Amarr engineering.” It was a half-hearted attempt to relieve some of the tension with
humor. Mattias sensed it didn't work, and the Blackbird was nearly out of the warp tunnel. “Make sure you keep
moving, and warp to my location as soon as your capacitor will let you.” Mattias checked his weapons inventory:
no extra missiles other than what was already loaded in the launchers, and 34 total antimatter charges for the
Blackbird's 250mm railguns. Mattias grimaced underneath the mask covering his eyes. “How are you two on
ammo?”

“A dozen fourteen-hundred shells and a handful of six-fifty rounds, no missiles,” replied Matuno.

“Radio crystals loaded, multi-frequencies in the hold, bingo missiles,” answered Kirlana.

Great, thought Mattias. Here's where I come up with something brilliant to get us out of this. The situation could
not possibly be any worse. His fleet would not survive another engagement with Angel Cartel forces, or any
other adversaries for that matter. Some said that Trald Vukenda was the most powerful man in all of
unregulated space. Whether or not that was true was debatable, depending on which pirate you asked. But they
would all agree that Trald was definitely the most powerful man in this region of space. As the head of the most
notorious pirate organization in existence, it was well within his means to seal off entire systems to prevent
anything from coming in or leaving. This space, and everything in it, belonged to the Angel Cartel. Mattias knew
that the longer they stayed here, the tighter the noose around their necks became.

In the bounty hunting profession, lofty ambitions bear enormous risks. Mattias was the one being hunted now,
and he had placed the lives of the people he cared for most in great danger. Why was doing the right thing
always so damn difficult, he asked himself. Why is it that so few of us find the courage to fight for the
unpunished injustices of our time? Mattias focused the drone cameras on the Blackbird, inspecting the massive
gashes in its hull. Judging from the metallic carnage, he estimated that sections of at least 6 decks were now
exposed directly to space. Somewhere beneath where he was sitting, hundreds of crewmembers were sealing
off compartments, fighting electrical fires and desperately struggling to keep his ship's vital systems
functioning. How many of them died because of this, he wondered. As the captain of the ship, he was sealed
inside a pod made of an ultra-strong, Jovian-manufactured alloy and neurologically connected to the Blackbird's
systems. Inside of it, so long as the ship was intact, the captain was immune from harm. It was the Jovians who
had introduced this remarkable innovation, and it had changed the face of naval warfare forever.

Mattias began contemplating the Jovians and their technology. As spectacular as the pod was, it was also
emblematic of the traits that defined the entire Jovian race: hyper-intelligent, but utterly and completely numb
to human emotion. Modern day starships are massive and incomprehensibly complex. Before the pod, there
were so many points of failure between a captain's decision and the execution of his orders. The ability to
create a direct neurological connection between a human mind and a ship's systems reduced those points of
failure to zero. Commanding a starship was now a natural extension of the mind's will. All a captain needed was
to just think about what he wanted his ship to do, and it was done.

To Mattias, it was all so impersonal. Because of the technology, a captain could skipper numerous ships over the

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course of a lifetime without ever meeting a single crewmember from any of them. Mattias was one of the few
who made an effort to meet at least some. It seemed like the least he could do in exchange for their
unquestioning faith in his abilities, and their trust in him to keep them alive.

As the Blackbird's warp drives shut down, Mattias expected to find himself surrounded with the vast expanse of
nothingness that exists between celestial objects within solar systems. Instead, he saw that the ship had exited
the warp tunnel just 40 kilometers from the surface of a colossal rock formation the size of a mountain range. It
was surrounded by several small asteroid fields, and looked almost serene against the greenish-black nebula
backdrop of the E8-YS9 solar system. Mattias was no geologist, and was at a complete loss to explain how such
a bizarre formation could have formed. He willed the Blackbird to cruise towards it, contemplating the idea of
using the range as a place to hide from the Arch Angels.

“Mattias, we are en route to your destination,” said Matuno. “Be advised, Arch Angels warped to our location
just as we got aligned.”

“You guys aren't going to believe what I just found,” Mattias answered. The formation was growing larger as his
cruiser approached. The Blackbird's avionics registered the arrival the Omen and Tempest.

“Whoa…” breathed Kirlana. “Is this formation mapped?”

“Negative, but it does appear on scanner, which rules out using it as a place to hide,” said Mattias.

“I'm not sure the Angels have ever been here,” said Matuno. “No debris, no containers, no mining
equipment…no signs of activity anywhere along the range.”

Mattias rotated the view 180 degrees away from the rocks and watched as his two comrades pulled their
battered vessels alongside of his own. The Omen was about the same size as his Blackbird, but the Tempest
was much larger than the two of them combined, with more than twice the number of crew onboard. Amazing
that the three of us are still in one piece, thought Mattias. The three ships were cruising above the rocks, still
trailing long jets of fire and plasma behind them.

“No, something was definitely here,” interrupted Kirlana. “Look closer at those pinnacles directly beneath
us…can you see that flashing?”

Mattias swung the camera downwards and zoomed in closer. Yes, there it is. The sides of some rock pinnacles
jutting outwards from the formation were being illuminated intermittently. He slowed down the Blackbird's
speed almost to a stop and altered course just a few degrees to try and find the source of the light.

“There…it's a strobe or beacon of some kind. Actually…that looks like an escape pod or something,” said Kirlana.

Mattias zoomed the cameras in even further and was finally able to focus on the image. It was about 5 meters
in length, with a polished metallic black exterior. One end was lodged against the base of the pinnacle, and the
other had the flashing strobe light. Mattias did not recognize the object, and it was still invisible to his ship's
sensors.

“Matuno, do you still have salvage drones onboard?”

“Yes, deploying now.” Mattias watched as a tiny drone began orbiting the Tempest. Salvage drones were not
available anywhere within Empire space. Matuno had found this one among the wreckage of a pirate convoy
that he had destroyed. For all of its risks, bounty hunting occasionally yielded some rare finds. Mega-
corporations weren't the only organizations with talented engineers, and pirates were more than capable of
generating their own prototype technology. “I can't lock the object, my sensors think that it's physically part of
the formation's surface. The drone might be able to make the distinction, if I can get it close enough.”

The drone descended from the Tempest to near the formation's surface. It started flying small racetrack circles
around the pinnacle area. After several orbits, it abruptly stopped and changed direction, heading directly
towards the mysterious object.

“The drone acquired it. Stand by for extraction,” announced Matuno. The drone came to a stop and dropped its
four, tentacle-like arms onto the surface, gently drawing them around the object. The arms appeared to struggle
a little bit, and then it came free amidst a plume of dust and pebbles. Within a few moments, the drone and its
mysterious cargo were onboard the Tempest.

For a few moments, there was silence.

“Hold…hold on…” Mattias could feel his eyebrows rise slightly. Not like him to get flustered at anything, he
thought.

“This is no pod,” Matuno started. “It's a casket of some sort. There are no neurolinks or traces of ectoplasm
inside. The beacons were affixed to the external structure intentionally, and there is an engraving on the

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outside that reads ‘FORMATOR IMMENSEA'.”

“Immensea? The region we're in?” asked Mattias. He started a

routine to perform deep-space scans covering every direction
around them. As much as this find was interesting, they were all
still in danger of being found.

“If it's a casket, then who's inside of it?” asked Kirlana.

Again, Matuno paused before answering. “A Gallente male

dressed in some sort of ceremonial robes. He…looks like he was
murdered.”

“Murdered?” said Kirlana. “How can you—“

“There is a gold-plated dagger driven up to the hilt through the

man's sternum, but his hands are resting on each other over his
navel. He actually looks like he's at peace. The body appears that
it was deliberately arranged in this exact fashion and laid to rest
inside the casket.”

Mattias thought about that for a moment. He had killed before. In

fact, all of them had, but only by using their ship's weapons as an
extension of their mind. To plunge a dagger through another
man's heart…that was grotesquely barbaric, if not outright
inhuman.

“One more thing,” Mantuno interrupted his thoughts. “There are coordinates engraved on the inner plating of
the casket. They point to somewhere within this system.”

Somewhere. Well, there were risks in trying to find out where that was, and risks for not trying as well. Staying
on the move was an absolute necessity, but he was surprised at how his own curiosity exceeded his fear of
being discovered by the Arch Angels. Whoever put him in there, he thought, wanted him to be found. The man
inside the casket had been murdered, and Mattias found that to be a compelling enough reason to investigate.

“Matuno, transmit those coordinates to my navigation computer. I'm going to have a look.”

“Roger.” There were no protests from either of them this time, at least not spoken. For all they knew, Trald
himself could have planned all this, and set the bait which would deliver them to a pack of bloodthirsty Arch
Angels.

Mattias engaged the warp drive. Immediately, the computer indicated that the target destination was a mere
300 kilometers from the rock formation. A few seconds later, the view of an enormous space station rushed into
view. He thought for certain this was a trap, and that sentry guns were moments away from cutting his ship to
pieces. Mattias was about to panic when he realized that there were no guns or defenses of any kind at all. As
the Blackbird approached the dark, foreboding structure, Mattias realized that the station was abandoned. And
more importantly, according to the CONCORD maps, it didn't exist.

“Warp to my location,” he ordered. “And tell yourself that what you're about to see isn't an illusion.” Mattias
steered the Blackbird alongside the station's greenish-metallic hull. Is the dead Gallente the owner of this place?
Some of the exterior hull plating was missing along several decks. An ominous feeling descended over him.
Something isn't right here, he thought. Every station he ever visited was always bustling with activity, even the
ones in deep space. There were no signs of life here at all, even though the station still had power. The
contrasting images in his mind made him uneasy.

The Omen and Tempest suddenly appeared.

“Unbelievable,” said Kirlana. “This isn't on the map!”

“No sentry guns, no defenses except for the shields.” said Matuno. “And harbor control rejects all docking
requests.”

“So the big question is how the heck do we get onboard this thing,” Mattias wondered out loud.

“And why haven't the Angel's claimed it for themselves, assuming they even know it's here,” said Matuno.

“The shields,” said Kirlana, sounding a little nervous. “Take them down, and you'll get in. It's an emergency
failsafe mechanism built into most station's AI. If no active defenses are remaining and the shields are
breached, the AI automatically shuts harbor control down, allowing anything from the outside to get in, and
anything from the inside to get out. The thinking was that if something was powerful enough the take down a

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station's defenses—natural or man-made—then it
assumes that hull failure and catastrophic loss of life
are imminent. It makes zero sense to keep harbor
control active at that point. The station is either already
lost or about to be destroyed.”

“How do you know all this?” asked Mattias.

“The Amarrs learned about it the hard way during the

Rebellion,” she answered. “The Minmatars tried it
successfully during some pretty ballsy missions to
rescue slaves just after the Jovians crushed the Amarr
invasion fleet.”

“Thank God for that,” muttered Matuno.

“God had nothing to do with it,” she answered.

“Because there's no such thing.”

Her words resonated in Mattias's mind. He wasn't a religious man—at least not in a traditional sense. But the
comment still made him uncomfortable. Regardless of her rebellion against the religious paradigms of the
culture that she was born into, to hear an Amarr say there was no God was extremely disturbing.

The plasma and fire escaping the gashes in her ship drew his attention for some reason. He decided to reclaim
his team's focus.

"So what you're telling us is that we don't have the firepower to get inside.”

“In so many words, yes. Even if we had unlimited ammunition, our three ships combined couldn't overtake the
shield's rate of regeneration.” Mattias's attention was diverted again, this time towards the station's hull, now
more than 3 kilometers away from the Blackbird. The surface appeared to distort itself slightly, and a ripple
began to move across it from left to right. Mattias's sixth sense screamed danger to him, and his heart stopped
as he realized what was happening.

“Both of you, put your shield hardeners on.” Mattias ordered.

“Say again? I don't see any—“

“Now! Quickly!” Whitish-blue auras enveloped all three ships as the bounty hunters followed Mattias's
instructions, unsure of their purpose. One second later, the reason became perfectly clear, as a Jovian Wraith-
class frigate uncloaked just 300 meters from Mattias's Blackbird. Although the Wraith was the smallest ship in
the group, it was the most technically advanced, and had the enormous tactical advantage of being able to
cloak itself. In numbers, the Wraith was among the deadliest ships in space. Mattias wondered if there were
more of them nearby.

“I can't lock him up,” said Matuno. “And even if I could, he's too close, I doubt I could hit him with anything.”

“Stop trying,” answered Mattias. “Who knows how many others are out here. We'd be in pods or worse by now if
he had bad intentions.” He brought his ship to a complete stop. The Wraith gracefully slid alongside, closing to
within 100 meters. The Jovian opened a communications channel with him.

“A thousand apologies for my abrupt appearance, Captain Kakkichi” began then Jovian. “But the circumstances
required this choice of tactics.”

“What can I do for you?” asked Mattias. He had never spoken to a Jovian before, let alone been this close to one
of their ships. The camera drones were snapping pictures like crazy.

“My name is Veniel, and as you already know, I hail from the Jovian Empire.” His voice sounded almost hollow,
like a drone. Mattias studied the portrait of the “man” speaking to him. He was human, but so…not human
either. The Jovians were products of genetic engineering, literally harvested from cultures and grown in fetus
test tubes until “maturity”, as they coldly referred to it. “Would you like me to invite your crew to participate in
our conversation?” he asked.

“Allow me,” answered Mattias, patching in Kirlana and Matuno. “How long were you following us for?”

“It isn't often when the Angel Cartel actively hunts anyone specifically, let alone blockades the entrances to
solar systems for the occasion. I had to find out for myself who the recipient of this honor was.” He paused for a
moment. “I have to say Captain, that I am very impressed with your tenacity for survival.”

“I'm glad you find it entertaining,” Mattias shot back. “But as you can see from the condition of my fleet, I don't

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have time for games.”

“Of course not Captain, I understand completely. But before I leave you to
your business, I have to ask…how, exactly, did you find this station?”

Mattias thought about his question carefully before answering. Odds were
that the Jovian already knew the answer, if he was able to follow them to
the rock formation. Veniel was fishing for information, and Mattias decided
to play along.

“We discovered an artifact in an asteroid field not too far from here, and it
led us to this location.”

“And this ‘artifact', did it contain the corpse of a Gallente?”

Aha. The man knew exactly what he was looking for. “Yes, it did.”

“Then I have a proposition for you and your crew, Captain. First, let me
begin by saying that you will not survive another attempt to run the
gauntlets in place at the gates in this system. Trald is focused on your destruction, and you will not escape from
him again. Therefore, in exchange for the artifact in your possession, I offer you all three of the following:
Access to this station, the explanation for its existence, and a way past the blockades in this system.”

Mattias had heard about the Jovians insatiable lust for knowledge, and that they were often willing to trade
hyper-advanced technology in exchange for it. Veniel, on the other hand, was offering ways to spare their lives
in exchange for, of all things, a corpse. Why he wanted it was both beyond explanation and irrelevant in this
context. The upper hand in this agreement belonged to Veniel, and Mattias knew he'd be a fool to refuse. The
Jovians were never known for cruelty or deceit, and although this one seemed atypical of the stereotype, he
sensed no ill will on Veniel's part.

“Very well, Veniel. Deal.”

“Excellent, Captain. Now, the artifact, if you please.”

“I have your word that you'll fulfill your part of the bargain?”

“Most certainly, Captain.”

Mattias took a deep breath through the nose tubes. “Alright, then. Matuno, please jettison the casket.”

“Roger.” A tiny cargo container appeared just above the Tempest. Mattias was thankful that the errant plasma
and fire jets still erupting from the damaged ship were pointing away from it. The Wraith slowly pulled away
from the Blackbird and positioned itself above the floating cargo container, guiding it on board.

“Superb. Now, for my part of the bargain, if you'll excuse me for just a moment…” The Jovian broke the
connection. Mattias focused his view on the Wraith hovering above the Tempest, already beginning to question
his own judgment. It wasn't the first time he'd done that today.

Orien Solar System, Besateoden Constellation, Molden Heath Region

Orien III – Moon 3

Expert Distribution Retail Center

06:45 EVT

The DED is the police force of CONCORD, and a Spartan affair even by military standards. Charged with the
responsibility of maintaining law and order within the borders of Empire space, the men and women who make
up its ranks are meticulous in their work, fervently devoted to their mission, and strict advocates of structured
rank and their own respective place within it. Candidates wishing to join the DED are subjected to a near
ruthless application process. If accepted, recruits are given a training regime whose intensity rivals or exceeds
any military institution in mankind's history.

Their philosophy discourages autonomy insofar as its place within fighting units is concerned. DED ships are
rarely seen alone. They patrol Empire shipping lanes and property in balanced fleets of varying military
capacity, and are always within range of other patrols so that the response time to any crisis is almost
instantaneous. The DED's prowess for coordinating strikes and rapid-response counterattacks within Empire
space is staggering, thanks to the uniquely trained individuals that CONCORD enlists for the task.

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But no large organization is without its informants. And the DED, despite the extensive background checks,
personality evaluations, and constant surveillance of new and experienced employees, was not without their
own. With so much power concentrated there, entities both malicious and neutral went to great lengths to
infiltrate the law enforcement agency. The DED quietly dealt with the moles they were able to catch. But with
espionage at this level, where the stakes are so high and the potential for damage so great, no one could ever
be certain that every spy was purged.

Tantoseisen Kakkichi—the Chief of Internal Security at the DED—knew that other spies existed within the
agency. He had been reviewing disinformation items designed to expose potential operatives when the Jovian
contacted him. Midway through the conversation, Tantoseisen started believing that he was being set up for a
disinformation play as well.

“How many stations did you say there were again?”

“Sixty-nine, to be exact,” Veniel repeated.

“In twenty three deep space regions surrounding Empire space?”

“Correct, Commander.”

Tantoseisen sat back in his chair, glancing towards Veniel's dossier on the other screen. Although they never
formally met, this was one of the few Jovians that CONCORD had some record of. Ever since the legendary trade
that brought pod technology to the forefront of naval warfare, contact with the elusive race had been rare.
Veniel was the only Jovian who surfaced from time to time, and whenever he did, there were always significant
repercussions. The consensus among DED intelligence analysts was that Veniel was the Jovian equivalent of a
maverick, and they had serious doubts that his actions proceeded with the blessings of his own kind. That
notion alone would make anyone wary of trusting him, let alone believe his claim that dozens of stations existed
in deep space which CONCORD knew nothing about.

“Veniel, with all due respect, you'll understand that I'm having a difficult time believing your claim.” And that's
about as delicately as I'm capable of saying that, he thought.

“If you so desire, I can show you proof.”

“Very well then. Show me proof.”

Veniel's pale, vein-crossed, elongated face was replaced with the image of a Jovian frigate cruising slowly

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against the backdrop of a station. That could be anywhere, Tantoseisen thought. Something did seem different
about it, but nothing so much out of the ordinary.

“Are you convinced yet, Commander?” asked Veniel.

“I'm afraid I haven't seen anything to make me change my mind.”

The image rotated so that the camera perspective was behind the frigate, still continuing its deliberate pace
outside the station. Tantoseisen could see the outer hull of the base in more detail. Emergency lighting, he
thought. But again, that could be any one of dozens of Gallente stations here in Empire space. Approaching the
end of an enormous hull section, the ship began a slight bank to its left. When it finished rounded the corner,
the camera panned back again.

The image of a critically damaged Tempest-class battleship came into view.

“Veniel, I thought you said that no one in Empire space knew about this.”

The Jovian did not answer. A second ship—an Omen-class cruiser, also badly damaged—was there, floating
alongside the battleship. Both ships looked like they were on fire.

“If my word alone will not suffice,” said Veniel. “Then perhaps his will.” The view focused back to the Tempest,
then panned to an angle above and behind it. A third ship—a Blackbird—was also there, on fire and…

The image suddenly registered as being very familiar to Tantoseisen: A Caldari, an Amarrian, and a Minmatar…

Mattias! How can that be? “Is that my brother?” he asked incredulously. His question was answered
immediately, as the view was replaced with portraits of his older brother on one side, and the Jovian on the
other. “Mattias, where are you? What happened to your ship?”

“Tantoseisen, it's good to see you”, said Mattias, who sounded angry. Veniel was silent. “I'm really sorry you got
brought into this, but as long as we're all here, this is what happened…”

Mattias explained the entire course of events that brought them to the abandoned station. He talked about the
tip they received about Trald Vukenda's whereabouts and movements, the operation that he and his team had
planned to ambush him, and how it went terribly wrong. Tantoseisen was stunned.

“My God, Mattias…why Trald?” Tantoseisen didn't want to start an argument, but he just couldn't help asking.
You're completely out of your league is what he should have said. Mattias was always like that, pushing himself
to pull off impossible feats and insisting on doing things his own way. It was reckless, and it endangered
everyone in his care. The strict military officer of Tantoseisen's psyche hated it. But as a younger brother, he
found it inspiring. Mattias was always a source of strength in his life growing up. Tantoseisen surprised himself
to discover that he still admired his brother's courage. He knew exactly what motivated him, and what the reply
to his question would be.

“Same reason as always, little brother,” he answered. “Because it was the right thing to do.”

Yes, the right thing to do. Tantoseisen nodded his head slightly, not saying anything. He often passed along
information about criminals who escaped the punishment of CONCORD to Mattias, always in secret. The DED, as
powerful as it was, lacked the resources to chase felons past Empire borders. Justice should have no bounds, the
brothers always said. Mattias would be the instrument of CONCORD where the Tantoseisen and the DED could
not tread.

“Commander, I can give you the exact locations of the other 68 stations,” said Veniel. “But that is conditional on
two terms. First, you and your fleet must come to our present location here in the Immensea region.”

“Hey, wait just a minute—“ Mattias started, but was cut off again by Veniel.

“The second term is that you do not, under any circumstances, tell any of your superior officers of your
intentions.”

“So that's how you plan on fulfilling your agreement with me? Goddamn you, Veniel,” cursed Mattias. “You know
he can't do that, he's a DED officer! He could be court-martialed and executed for doing something like that.
Tantoseisen, don't listen to this snake, we'll be alright over here.”

Veniel was unfazed. “It is true that the risks are great. But there is greater risk by not acting.”

Remarkable, Tantoseisen thought, that he could put the both of us into positions that pit our mutual fates with
each other's decisions. Was this man seriously prepared to let Mattias die at the hands of the Angel Cartel if I
refused? Was he seriously capable of doing something that sinister? What was it that he really wanted, and why
all this trouble for a corpse?

-899-
“Why the second term, Veniel. Why is it that my superiors are to be kept out of this?”

“There are certain elements within the DED which stand to benefit directly from this information, Commander.
Some would almost certainly use it to advance their own personal incentives, rather than promote the cause of
the greater good, as the DED mission statement specifies.“

Tantoseisen was losing his patience. “'Certain elements'? Veniel, don't be cryptic with me, give me straight
answers—“

“Elements who would take this information and attempt to conceal it from the other Assembly members. Tell
me, what do you suppose the repercussions would be if it was revealed that a member government was hiding
the existence of these stations?”

Veniel had a valid point there. Unbeknownst to the general public, the political situation within the Assembly
had become very volatile, with disagreements between member governments on issues ranging from debt
restructuring to deep-space territorial disputes. The internal strife wasn't serious enough—yet—to endanger the
integrity of CONCORD, but this was precisely the kind of thing that could ignite the situation. If the right spies
were to get hold of information this sensitive, the results could be drastic.

Sixty-nine stations, Tantoseisen thought. Trillions of isk worth of property and assets, up for grabs to whoever
wants them…nations have gone to war for much lesser reasons than that.

Veniel continued his case. “Commander, time is running short. Trald's forces are actively hunting your brother,
and they could appear here at any moment.”

The comment infuriated Tantoseisen. “What's in this for you, Veniel.” He spoke through clenched teeth.

“Knowledge, of course. And clarity of vision, for I consider myself a student of humanity.”

This didn't surprise him. Jovians were known to covet the things that most other races took for granted. Judging
from their grim, ghastly appearance, Tantoseisen could easily see how rediscovering humanity would be at the
forefront of any Jovian's agenda.

“I suppose you need my fleet there as well to get inside?”

“Correct. We can begin during your journey here.”

“No! Goddamnit, Tantoseisen, don't listen to this man!” Mattias protested.

“Mattias, I've already made up my mind. The Jovian is right; it's riskier not to do this. This is the right thing to
do, even if the DED thinks the contrary.” He began tapping commands on the screen console in front of him,
readying his battleship and replacing the hybrid weapons with energy turrets. “I just hope I don't have a mutiny
on my hands once I tell the crew where we're going.”

“You are a courageous man, Commander. The crew will rally to you, not to a DED protocol.” said Veniel.

“Veniel, I'm still not sure what kind of elaborate scheme it is you have going here, or if I even understand what
your true intentions are. What I do know is that it is not your place to make assertions of any kind about me,
and especially not about my crew. I want you to know that I am disgusted about the manner in which you
decided to handle this situation, and that I would prefer it if you ceased making any more judgments about
what you think my brother or I believe is right. Are we clear?”

“I intended no disrespect, Commander. I am deeply regretful for offending you.”

“You're making a mistake, Tantoseisen”, said Mattias. “Your command, your career, your life, all of it is in
jeopardy—“

“And I'm talking to someone who has done the exact same thing for years. For this one, I think I'll be the big
brother for a change, Mattias.” He keyed in an order to have spare armor and hull repair modules loaded into
his battleship's hold. God knows we'll probably need them also, assuming we actually make it there, he thought.
“The order to recall my fleet from their patrol has already been issued. They will rendezvous with me here in
Orien within 20 minutes, then we're going to set course for E8-YS9. That's 44 jumps…my ETA is 2 hours. I'm
going to leave this channel and will contact you after we cross the line into unregulated space. Any questions?”

Neither of them said a word.

“Good. I'll be seeing the both of you soon.” Tantoseisen terminated the connection and looked down at the DED
5-star patch insignia on the breast of his uniform. He was about to violate every principle that he held his own
crew accountable for. The only way out of this, he thought, is by going right through it. Without hesitating any
longer, he rose from his desk and made his way for the door.

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E8-YS9 Solar System, EL8Z-M Constellation, Immensea Region

Planet VI, Moon 4

Unknown Station

08:58 EVT

Mattias was awestruck as the CONCORD-class battleships and

their escorts unleashed a torrent of devastating firepower into
the station. Tantoseisen had brought an entire task force with
him—18 ships in all. Minutes earlier they had decimated the
same Angel Cartel blockade which, hours before, had nearly
killed Mattias. Using his cloaked Wraith, Veniel told Tantoseisen
exactly what to expect before his fleet jumped in. The Warlord
battleship was destroyed so quickly that the remaining ships
retreated, but Trald—the slippery snake that he was—warped out immediately after the CONCORD ships arrived.
It was anyone's guess whether or not he would return with a bigger fleet. But oddly enough, no one seemed
concerned.

The mood should have been more elated, given the brutal decisiveness of the battle that had just taken place.
Instead, there was complete silence, even as the tachyons and heavy beam weapons drilled into the station's
shields. Everyone was stunned by the story Veniel had told during Tantoseisen's journey to E8-YS9.

About 40 years ago, a movement of radical thinkers emerged from the swirling maelstrom of galactic politics
that were unhappy with the institutions responsible for shaping the post-EVE era." The group saw no purpose in
borderlines or the imposition of cultural ideals into the populace through the use of government. They cited that
this kind of thinking was counterproductive and ultimately to blame for the greater “fallacies and debacles of
our time”, as Veniel had said, which included the continued imprisonment of Minmatar slaves by the Amarr
Empire and the Caldari-Gallente War. They wanted to create a society that looked beyond bloodlines and
focused more on the commonality between all the races; to embrace human diversity yet retain the true
“embodiment of mankind” that has “kept our species from disappearing from the universe forever.”

Every generation, Veniel had explained, has its prodigies. From time to time, people with extraordinary gifts
surface in the gene pool, and the results are often unprecedented breakthroughs and contributions in a
discipline commensurate with the individual's talent. The leader of the radical thinkers was a man named
Sébastien Moreau, and his gift was charisma unlike anything the galaxy had ever seen. He was a powerful
speaker and motivator, but could also make anyone feel at ease within minutes of meeting them for the first
time. His charm—and soon, his mission—became irresistible to almost everyone who listened. Through the
sheer power of Moreau's persuasion, “Immensea” was born.

Refusing to take his cause for racial unity to the floors of government halls out of pure spite for the “antiquated
institutional paradigms” they represented, Moreau sought believers of his mission in private. He recognized that
his dream society could not coexist with the Empires. To make real strides in pursuing his goal, he needed to
attach the idea of racial unity with a physical objective that his followers could work towards. Therein, Veniel
explained, the concept of “Immensea” was defined: The “immense sea” that separates the horrors of yesterday
from the utopian bliss of tomorrow. Earth—like the notion of utopia—is out there, but a vast physical and
spiritual distance must be traversed in order to reach it. “Paradise was always within”, Moreau had once said.
“And so the journey home completes the circle: From one we were defined, and to one we shall return, unbound,
and true to our own pure selves.”

Moreau's followers, now numbering in the thousands, became so passionate about this quest to “return home”
that the task itself began to assume the form of a divine imperative. A massive research initiative was planned
with a host of ambitious objectives, which included studies on how to stabilize the EVE gate in New Eden and a
fast-track development of jump drives. All they needed was a base from which they could pursue these studies
in earnest, far from the prying eyes of governments and “institutional bigots”. The cost to build even a single
station was astronomical, but money, as it turned out, was hardly an obstacle.

Immensea was spreading, picking up momentum, members, and resources at a frenzied pace. Because of
Sébastien Moreau's supernatural gift, the talent pool and economic resources of the Immensea were enormous.
CEO's of mega-corporations, high ranking military officers, government officials, and brilliant scientists from
each sovereignty were either secretly a part of it or contributing directly to its growth. Immensea had become a
cult with the financial and intellectual capital to rival any organization in EVE, and because it had pervaded
every level of society—military, government, corporate, and even criminal—people looked the other way as
convoy after convoy disappeared into the deep of space.

True to the cult's directive to keep the institutions in the dark, no one said a word. People who tried to raise

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alarms about missing equipment or deleted journal entries were bribed to stay quiet. When that failed, they
were silenced permanently. The first stations were built in the Immensea Region; they would eventually be
constructed in a total of 23 regions, in some cases with the direct assistance of the local pirate cartels
themselves. These “institutional outcasts” were especially vulnerable to Moreau's persuasion, who welcomed
them as would a “foster parent to an abandoned child.”

Every station was completely isolated from the commerce of Empire space, but entirely self-sufficient. They
were all equipped with refineries, factories, clone banks, research facilities, and starship fitting hangars;
everything that they needed to exist harmoniously with each other and pursue their mutually shared goals
under the now prophetic vision of Moreau. Loners, families, and sometimes even entire colonies would vanish
from Empire records as they traveled to deep space. They wandered into the open arms of the Immensea,
which held no person accountable for any sins committed under the roof of the Institution and never, ever
discriminated by bloodline. Caldari, Amarrs, Minmatar, Gallentes, and even the occasional Jovian found refuge in
this hidden society. Utopia, so it seemed, had been achieved.

But it was not to last, said Veniel. Two things had happened which spelled the beginning of the end for the
Immensea. One, its members began to think of Moreau as a god; and two, Moreau also began to think of himself
as a god. It was all perfectly sensible to Moreau that the Immensea should worship the man who had created so
much from so little. How else to explain his wondrous powers of persuasion and the results of his vision as
anything other than divine? Sébastien Moreau cultivated the image of a god as much as he could, fabricating
miracles with the use of technology and demanding worship from his followers. There was nothing that he
would not take; no custom that he would respect; no law that he would honor; and no woman—married or not,
young or old—that he would not ravish, for who could deny the seed of a god?

Moreau had descended into the darkest realm of the categorically psychotic, yet he retained his charismatic
personage—a lethal combination that has manifested itself many times over in various rulers and tyrants
throughout mankind's history.

The deification of Moreau began to resonate deeply within the souls of the Amarr among the Immensea. While
some were born directly into the cult, every Amarr was still deeply rooted in his or her belief in One God, and
that hell itself awaited anyone who blasphemed the Faith by creating false idols to worship. “For the Amarr,”
said Veniel, “it is better to have never been born, should you be guilty of this sin.” As for Moreau, the only evil
more sinister than worshiping an idol was to claiming to be one. In the end, the religious conscience of the
Amarrs proved to be too much, and they tried—unsuccessfully—to assassinate Moreau.

The botched attempt on his life enraged Moreau and catapulted him even further into a deranged, diabolical
mental abyss. He was now “fully capable of horrific atrocities and astounding cruelty.” He issued an edict
declaring that all of the Amarr among them were to be exterminated for “interfering with the divine imperative
that is the destiny of Immensea.” The result was effectively flat-out civil war and genocide. Suddenly bloodlines
were drastically relevant again, and the Amarr were pitted against everyone else. In the end, all of the
Amarr's—every man, women, and child among them—were mercilessly butchered by the other followers.

Moreau meditated on the event and decided that its cause was due to the stations being too autonomous,
thereby detracting from his “divine” cornerstone philosophy of interdependence and unity for one, single race.
To set matters straight, he ordered the destruction of all but one of the three “life essence” modules aboard
each station, decreeing that only one of each shall be permitted to exist per region. If his people would not
cooperate with each other in the exact way that he ordained, then he would force the issue upon them and
mend their foolish ways. His remaining followers rendered station modules useless by sabotaging them in ways
that would make them impossible to repair, and murdered anyone who tried to stop them.

In Veniel's opinion, the act merely accelerated the inevitable. Rumors of the slayings began to spread, and
contacts within Empire space quietly began distancing themselves from any association with the Immensea.
The logistical nightmare of having to support three stations with one module each for every region they had
settled in was unmanageable. One by one they fell into ruin and were abandoned. Almost overnight, the
Immensea had all but disappeared, and some of its survivors—many of whom were the source of Veniel's
information—took their own lives, overwhelmed by the heavy burden of guilt from their complicity in the
greatest human atrocity of the post-EVE era.

Veniel said that there are remnants of the Immensea among us. Most of the Empire-based intelligentsia who
supported the cult, but did not actively participate in the Amarr massacre, continued the grim task of keeping
their identities and roles within the Immensea a closely guarded secret. Veniel said that he was once close to
obtaining clear evidence that “the government officials of several sovereignties” were secretly hunting down
Immensea survivors, but suddenly lost all contact with his source. Many intelligentsias still remain in positions
of considerable power including, very much to Tantoseisen's concern, positions within CONCORD. Veniel refused
to name anyone he personally suspected until he had irrefutable evidence, which as always, he would
trade—for a price.

Until this day, the fate of Sébastien Moreau had been unknown. By blind luck, Mattias had unwittingly stumbled
across the final piece of the puzzle, and Veniel would have paid handsomely for it had the bounty hunter's
situation been any less dire. He explained that Moreau's corpse held enormous scientific value to the Jovians,

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who were extremely interested in determining the biological components of Moreau's legendary charismatic
qualities. The Jovians had been actively monitoring the Immensea stations for some time, searching for clues on
the whereabouts of the cult figurehead. But to everyone's amazement, the Jovian's never ventured inside any of
the stations to look, believing that it was not their place to disturb what was left before the Immensea's
existence became known publicly.

According to Veniel, the Angel Cartel knew the exact locations of every Immensea station in space. In fact, all of
the major pirate organizations did, including the Serpentis, the Guristas, and the Blood Raiders. And most
importantly, so did Trald Vukenda, who by now had to know where Mattias and the CONCORD fleet were, and
that the dark secret of the Immensea was about to be revealed.

As the tachyon laser turrets from the CONCORD battleships continued to spit focused white beams of searing
energy into the station, Mattias focused on the last thing that Veniel said before concluding his story. He said
that the pirate cartels wouldn't go near the Immensea stations. Far away from Empire borders, legends and
stories can grow unchecked by rationality. The isolated life that pirates lead in the remote systems of deep space
lends itself to being highly vulnerable to superstition. Out here, said Veniel, the word “Immensea” was a curse.
The pirate's tale was that if you listened closely enough, you could still hear the screams of dying Amarrs as the
demonic Moreau and his minions struck them down by the thousands. For the more practical minds among the
scoundrels such as Trald, the reason to stay away from the stations was apparent in their condition. The
Immensea made certain that the damage they inflicted to their own outposts was permanent. The pirate cartels
were well financed and smart with their money. It was far more economical to build a station from scratch than
to even attempt to make use of stations in such bad shape.

There was one more part of the story that Veniel had intentionally omitted, saying that he would continue it once
he was onboard, and in doing so complete the three terms of their agreement. Mattias panned the camera away
from the CONCORD ships and back towards Kirlana's battered Omen. Neither she nor Matuno had uttered a word
since the Jovian stopped speaking. He was deeply concerned about her.

“Mattias…” said Tantoseisen. “It is done.”

He panned the camera back around and saw that the CONCORD fleet had ceased firing, and were slowly aligning
themselves behind the Wraith. One by one, the ships began a procession into one of the station's massive
hangar bays. Matuno's Tempest swung around behind Tantoseisen, with Kirlana's Omen trailing in its wake. The
ominous feeling that Mattias had when he first saw this station was much worse now.

E8-YS9 Solar System

Immensea Uncharted Base One – Main Hangar Concourse – Deck 22

09:23 EVT

My God, you just lose perspective when you're looking at all

this from a camera drone, thought Mattias. He was standing
inside of the Mobile Gantry Unit (MGU) that had just
extracted his pod from the Blackbird. The size and scope of
the damage to his ship made him shake his head as the
MGU flew downwards past one of the cruiser's massive
engines. As big as his ship was, it was nothing compared to
the immense size of the hangar it was floating inside of.
They built so many of these stations, he thought. How could
they have done all this so quickly? The darkness made him
uncomfortable. Usually there was lighting from the windows
of hundreds of offices, labs, and living quarters built into the
walls of the hangar. In here, all of them were darkened. The
entire cavern had a hazy, bluish glow from the emergency
lighting system, and he could see debris drifting throughout
as the MGU continued its descent towards the concourse.

A click hiss sound marked the end of the trip as the MGU docked with the deck hub. Mattias oriented himself as
the door in front of him opened. The hangar was a zero-G vacuum environment, but all sections that were
accessible by habitants were surrounded by gravity wells and pressurized with breathable air. His knees buckled
a little as he stepped through and adjusted to his own weight again. Matuno was waiting for him inside.

“Mattias, Kirlana is not herself”, he said. “She has not been the same since the Jovian told his story.” Matuno was
speaking quietly. “She will not tell me what troubles her.”

“I'm worried about her too,” said Mattias. “I don't think she's ever been that close to death before in combat, and
as if that wasn't enough for her, to hear about what happened to the Amarrs who used to live here…” Mattias
kept trying not to think about the comment she made earlier, about there being “no such thing as God”. He took

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a deep breath. “I know I don't have to tell you this, but…just keep an eye on her.”

“There is something else,” added Matuno, leaning even closer. “The Jovian and your brother started looking
through station's logs as soon as they arrived. Veniel pointed to something on the screen and said very audibly,
‘Without question, that is Admiral Sulei Manatir. Now, look at the hooded female surrounded by the Amarr
bodyguards.' Your brother looked very surprised, almost shocked, and then said 'Veniel, are you sure that's her?'
The Jovian answered that he was ‘certain of it'. Then your brother re-entered the hub and went back to his ship.”

Mattias blinked. “Back to his ship?”

“Yes. Veniel is still here, just outside in the concourse, still pouring through the logs. Tell me, Mattias…do you
know who this hooded female is that they were referring to?”

Mattias said he honestly had no idea, and shrugged. Matuno took one step closer to him. The Minmatar Brutor
towered over Mattias, and was almost twice his weight.

“I certainly hope you'll tell me if you know.” Mattias was slightly unnerved, and stepped to the side.

“Of course, Matuno. I'll…see what I can find out.” As he took a step forward, Matuno lowered a giant hand onto
his shoulder, preventing him from exiting the hub.

“Mattias…if it is her, then you know how personal it is with me.”

Mattias looked up at him. “I know it is, Matuno. It's probably personal for a lot of other Minmatar's as well. But
now is not the time, even if it's who you think it is. So, if you'll please excuse me, I need to get back to the
business of trying to keep us alive.”

Matuno removed his hand and allowed Mattias to pass into the concourse. The only light came from the hangar
itself, through the transparent side of the concourse. The arched doorways to offices, freight warehouses, and
even hovertram stations on the other side were barely visible. The Blackbird was high overhead, and its blinking
navigation lights sent soft pulses of light throughout the darkened hall. Kirlana was sitting on floor with her back
against the glass, staring blankly at a locket she held in her hand that was still hanging from her neck.

Veniel was standing in front of a console built into the hub that Mattias had just exited from. The greenish hue
from the console gave him a ghastly appearance. Without saying a word, he extended has hand towards Mattias.
A disc was between his thumb and index finger.

“What's this?” Mattias asked, taking the disc.

“The last part of our agreement,” Veniel answered. “A way for you to get past the Arch Angel blockades on either
side of this system.”

“You mean having a CONCORD fleet blast through them for us wasn't your plan all along?”

Veniel dismissed the remark. “Your brother has also been given a copy of that.”

“What's on it?” Mattias asked. Matuno stepped out from the hub.

“The Immensea had some help when they built these stations, Captain”, Veniel said. “What you are holding in
your hand are the exact locations of not only these bases, but of a jumpgate network that you will not find on
any CONCORD maps.”

“What are you talking about?” Mattias asked. Kirlana looked up from her fixation on the locket.

“This jumpgate network rings Empire space, but does not traverse it. Thus, every region in deep space is
interconnected and completely independent of Empire influence.”

Mattias was stunned. “The Immensea built them?”

“Not the first ones, but once Immensea began establishing a presence in the outer regions, the gate builders
realized they shared common ground with Moreau, especially where it concerned hiding their existence from
certain Empire influence.” Veniel emphasized that word.

“So, the Amarr built them?” asked Mattias.

“Quite the opposite,” answered Veniel, who was now looking directly at Matuno. “The rise of Minmatar power
was always puzzling to us, considering the extent to which the Amarr Empire went to suppress their ambitions.
Amarr ships used to patrol all of the gates leading to and from Minmatar systems; nothing could travel in or out
without being checked. We wondered how an enslaved nation was able to amass armies and construct warships
right before the watchful eye of their alleged masters.”

-904-
“The answer was hidden jumpgates, unknown even to us until very recently. With the help of Gallente engineers,
Minmatar tribes began construction on the gates in complete secrecy and without Republic knowledge. The
pirate cartels operating in the vicinity were sympathetic to the Minmatar's plight, but also saw an opportunity to
advance their own agenda by assisting them. The gates provided the Minmatar with a ‘back door' through which
rescued slaves, construction materials, supplies, troops, and warships could travel unhindered by Amarr
checkpoints.”

“Years after the Rebellion, the cartels continued work on extending the network to include more systems. When
the Immensea constructed their first bases here in the Immensea Region, Moreau convinced the cartels of the
mutual gains that could be realized by sharing resources. Moreau offered them access to his stations in
exchange for access to their jumpgates. The resulting partnership quickly accelerated both projects, since they
complimented each other's practical needs and counter-institutional ideals. In the end, 96 gates were
constructed over the course of more than 140 years, with more than half built in the last 30 or so, after
Immensea was founded.”

“One of those gates is in this system, Captain, and Trald Vukenda believes that you are unaware of its existence.
Most of the smuggler gates are used primarily to ferry supplies, the majority of which are illegal within Empire
space. The pirates have never felt a compelling need to guard them, except when traveling near the borders of
rival or competing clans. The only ships you will see near there will be Cartel industrials, although I imagine all
that will change once knowledge of this network comes to public light.”

The sound of the click hiss from another MGU startled Mattias. Tantoseisen emerged from the hub.

“Well, it's official, I'm to be court-martialed as soon as I return,” he said. “But so long as I'm here anyway, I'm
going to have a look around. If there is any evidence here about any intelligentsia still in power within Empire
space, I need to find out.”

“How did CONCORD take the news?” asked Matuno. Tantoseisen shook his head.

“They're completely shocked. I'm still not sure they even believe it, and knowing them, there's going to be an
expedition—this time, an authorized one—to confirm everything.”

“I hope you exercised caution in choosing whom to share that information with, Commander” said Veniel.

“It's been taken care of,” he answered. “No matter what, they won't be able to keep this discovery quiet.”

“Court martial,” Mattias breathed. “Tantoseisen, I'm sorry,” said Mattias. He knew how hard his little brother had
worked to build such a remarkable career in law enforcement, and that if not for his own bad luck and poor
decisions, this would have never happened.

Tantoseisen took a deep breath. “We were spotted near the Edbinger crossing by a convoy that was on their way
out to deep space, and they reported it to the press. Now it's public knowledge that we're out somewhere we
shouldn't be, and the spin on things is that I'm ‘defecting', or some other nonsense. Anyway, it's against the
rules to take a CONCORD task force on a joyride through unregulated space without authorization, and I'm going
to be punished accordingly for it.”

“Where should we be looking for clues?” asked Matuno. “And how do we know for certain we're really alone
here?”

“I cannot say I agree with this idea,” said Veniel. “But if that is what you feel you must do, this is where I would
look.”

Matuno, Tantoseisen, and Mattias gathered behind Veniel, who stepped aside so everyone could see the screen.
Displayed on it were schematics detailing the deck level they were currently on. Mattias could recognize the floor
plan of the concourse and the hub they were standing in front of. Five blue dots were clustered around it.

“In this program, the blue represents detectable heartbeats. These sensors and others like it are embedded in
hull structures throughout the station,” Veniel explained. Then the image zoomed out slightly so that more of the
area was visible, but a section covering the entire right half was blacked out.

“The dark areas denote zero data. The sensors in this area were either intentionally disabled or destroyed. This
section is also where the clone facility would be, prior to its destruction as per Moreau's orders. I can tell you for
certain that nothing lives outside of this area.” Veniel tapped on the darkened section. “But in there, I cannot say.
There is no way to find out if any clones are intact unless someone goes inside. However, the station's computer
is indicating that the area is a ‘breach zone', which means there is no air, and no gravity.”

“I have to do this,” said Tantoseisen. “And I know I don't have a lot of time to get it done. The troops outside are
understandably restless, and I can't ask them do to much more for me.”

-905-
“I'll go with you,” said Kirlana. Everyone turned towards her. It was the first time she had spoken since coming
aboard.

“Kirlana, are you sure? You haven't—“ Matuno started.

“I'm fine, really.” She picked herself up off the floor. She appeared alert, and the distant look she had up until
now was gone. “But we're going to need survival suits and weapons, and mine are on my ship.”

“Weapons?” asked Mattias. “Who do you think is going to be shooting at you in there?”

“You've always been a cautious fellow,” she answered, almost sarcastically. “And I've always been a cautious gal.
If I don't know what I'm getting into, then I say bring a weapon.”

That sounded like the Kirlana of old, but for some reason the confidence in her voice still wasn't as reassuring as
it used to be. It sounded so feigned. “Well, if you're going, then I'm going,” said Mattias. “And that means Matuno
is also.”

Veniel had a strange look on his face, almost as if he was worried. “There is a former security outpost alongside
the bulkhead which separates the corridor from the clone facility. You will find weapons and survival suits there.”

“Are you coming with us?” asked Tantoseisen.

“With all due respect Commander, no. But I will remain in contact with you from here, and provide whatever
assistance I can. But again, I highly suggest you act quickly, and not overextend yourself for the task.”

“Noted, Veniel. And thank you for your support,” said Tantoseisen. “We'll be aboard our ships in 60 minutes time
at most.”

“All of you, be careful,” Veniel said. He spoke without emotion, but it was sincere.

Deck 22 Security Outpost – Main Concourse

09:53 EVT

Mattias watched Kirlana recheck the ammunition clip on her rifle. She was acting as though nothing was wrong,
even as the rest of the group acted cautiously around her. His brother was testing the camera feed and a
portable radar-imaging device (PRID) with Veniel over the radio. Matuno was lucky to find a suit big enough to fit
him, no doubt a product of the multiethnic culture that this place once fostered.

None of this feels right, thought Mattias. It had felt that way for so long now that he wondered if anything would
ever feel right again. He could understand his brother's reasons for doing this. It was a last ditch effort to save
his career, and Mattias felt he had no right to complain since they'd all be dead without his brother's help. But he
had put Kirlana and Matuno in enough danger already, and this was by far the riskiest proposition of the day. You
could make a mistake in a starship and maybe your crew and your shields would get you out of trouble. But in a
pitch-black, zero-G chamber with god-only-knows what floating around in there, the margin for error was a lot
narrower, and most of this bunch hadn't seen zero-G training since flight school.

The bad feeling he had about Kirlana just wouldn't go away. And since he failed to understand exactly what was
causing it, he couldn't justify putting a stop to her coming along. He'd seen her and Matuno argue about
missions he had objected to her participating in a hundred times. That was just the kind of person she was. In
fact, they were all stubborn that way, the three of them. Tell any of us that there's something we can't do, and
you may as well consider it done. Until today, their collective stubbornness had paid off well.

But now even Matuno wasn't sure how to read her, and he couldn't remember the last time he ever expressed
concern over how she was acting. It was the combination of her past and the events of today which kept coming
to mind; her rejection of God and the entire Amarr culture, this crazy Sébastien Moreau person and the cult he
created, and who could forget what happened to all those Amarr people...

And then it dawned on him: She's questioning all of it, Mattias thought. Everything that's happened today is
making her question the choices she's made in her life. That must be what it is. Who could blame her? We were
all probably doing the same thing.

“Alright team, helmets on,” said Tantoseisen. “We're just going to check a few of the clone banks, then we're out
of here. Veniel, we're ready when you are.”

Mattias could hear Veniel on the radio via the earpiece inside his helmet. “Have your team enter the airlock,
Commander.”

“Roger that. Everyone inside,” said Tantoseisen. The “airlock” in this instance was actually the antechamber
allowing access from the security post to the clone facility. Stations were built like ships; every compartment was

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separated by one or more antechambers that could be sealed off in the event of an emergency. The corridor
between the two doorways was barely large enough for the four of them to fit inside. “Everyone inside and clear
of the hatch?” Tantoseisen asked. All answered affirmatively.

“Clear,” said Tantoseisen.

“Sealing the hatch, standby,” said Veniel. The door behind Mattias hissed shut.

“Disabling gravity well.” Suddenly Mattias felt himself rise off the floor grating slightly. “Mag boots,” said
Tantoseisen. There were eight thumps as the magnetic fields generated by the survival suit boots were all
switched on.

“Standby for depressurization.” A loud whoosh sound filled everyone's ears as the air inside the chamber was
removed. Mattias immediately felt claustrophobic. He was standing behind Tantoseisen, who was facing the door
leading to the clone center. Or whatever the hell else is on the other side.

“Opening the clone center door,” said Veniel. The helmet's breathing apparatus made each exhale much more
audible than usual, and he could hear himself start to breathe faster. The door slid open slowly, and there was
nothing beyond it but pure blackness. It was suddenly very cold, and Mattias could feel the survival suit
generating more heat to compensate. He watched his brother step through the doorway.

Beams of light from Tantoseisen's helmet cut through the darkness. “Okay, Mattias, I'm on solid ground where I
am. Move forward and hold next to me.”

The magnetic boots made a hiss ker-chunk sound that was audible only to Mattias as he took several steps
forward and stopped alongside his brother. He kept the light beam pointed downward at the floor grating until he
saw his brother's right boot. Looking up, the light beam caught reflections of some small debris floating not too
far in front of them. There was a considerable amount of dust in the room, and the beams weren't powerful
enough to reach through to any walls or structure in front of him.

“Mattias, fire up the PRID,” said Tantoseien.

“Roger,” he answered. Mattias set the tripod in front of him, kneeling to make sure it was anchored to the floor.
Satisfied that the device was secure, he turned a dial and the tiny parabolic dish began tracking slowly back and
forth.

“No one move,” Veniel said suddenly. Mattias froze. The dish was sending its return images to Veniel, giving him
a fuzzy picture of what was inside. “You are standing on a catwalk about 125 meters in length, but there is a gap
in the scaffolding about 5 meters in front of you. There is a 60-meter drop on either side, at the bottom of which
there appears to be significant quantities of wreckage. The ceiling is approximately 50 meters overhead, and you
should be able to see breaches in the hull which are directly exposed to space.” Mattias looked up and to his left,
hoping to see something that would help him get his bearings. He only saw more dust and haze in his beam, and
blackness everywhere else.

“The entire facility is filled with a large debris field,” Veniel continued. “And there are several large fragments
floating directly above the both of you.”

Kirlana was still waiting in the doorway, eyes wide as saucers. She took one step forward.

“Don't come in here,” warned Tantoseisen.

Kirlana was training the beam from her rifle upwards of Mattias and Tantoseisen, holding the weapon out in front
of her as she took another step, clear of the doorway.

“Kirlana! Wait!” said Matuno. Mindful of Veniel's warning, Mattias rose slowly to a crouched stance. For some
reason, he felt like he was going to lose his balance even though the boots fastened him securely to the floor. He
turned around to face Kirlana, watching the light beam from her rifle slice through the dusty blackness above
them.

Veniel's voice came through the radio, directed only at the brothers and Matuno. “Her heartbeat is racing, and
her breathing is fast and shallow,” he warned. “You should disarm her and get her back inside.”

Mattias was about to speak, when the length of the beam from Kirlana's rifle suddenly shrunk as it illuminated
debris just 2 meters over her head. Her eyes opened wider and she started to scream, just as Matuno's hand
came from behind her and swatted the weapon away. The rifle tumbled end over end, its beam cutting 360-
degree arcs through the blackness, changing directions several times as it collided with invisible objects. Matuno
wrapped his massive arms around Kirlana and pulled her back inside the doorway.

“What the hell happened?” shouted Tantoseisen. Mattias could see her anguished, horrified face through her
helmet, screaming as though in extreme pain and agony. Suddenly, the inside of Kirlana's facemask was

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splattered as she retched violently and began coughing spasms.

Matuno was banging on the hatch leading back inside the security outpost with one hand, and holding Kirlana
around him with the other. She didn't look like she was moving anymore.

“Veniel! I have to get her back inside!” Matuno screamed.

“Mattias, Tantoseisen, get clear of the door,” said Veniel, whose voice was completely devoid of panic, urgency,
or emotion.

The doorway closed and sealed, leaving the brothers standing in a sea of darkness. The only light came from
their helmets and Kirlana's rifle, far off in the distance. Mattias's head was spinning, and he was trying not to
panic. He wasn't used to this at all. But his brother was well trained for zero-G operations, just like all enlisted
men and women in the DED were.

“What did she see that made her react like that?” Tantoseisen asked.

Mattias dropped to a knee again, just wanting to be close to catwalk grating. It was the only thing he could use
to keep his bearings. “It was right above the door,” he breathed, trying to stay under control. He was just staring
at the floor grating. “I should have never allowed her to come, I don't think she's ever had this kind of training
before.”

“Oh my God…” gasped Tantoseisen.

Mattias looked up, and saw the beam from Tantoseisen's helmet focused on something almost directly above
him. His heart stopped from the reaction that something invisible had been so close to him all this time. But then
his eyes widened in terror as recognition of what was floating there settled in.

The ghastly visage of a corpse was staring right at him, illuminated by Tantoseisen's beam. The skin was a
grayish-drab color, preserved from the lack of oxygen and extreme cold. Its eyes were still open, mouth agape,
neck split across the Adam's apple. Mattias stopped breathing for a moment, and then started shallow breaths as
his own heartbeat started to race in panic.

“Stay under control, brother...” breathed Tantoseisen, panning the beam to his right and catching the suspended
arm of a second corpse floating over the door. The dead appeared to be wearing the same expressions as the
instant they perished.

Veniel's voice came through. “Kirlana is in shock, and is being rushed to a CONCORD ship for treatment. She has
suffered some kind of traumatic emotional breakdown, and will be unable to pilot the Omen.”

“Veniel,” breathed Mattias, trying to get his breathing under control. He felt extremely dizzy now, almost as if in
a nightmare, for he could not think of anything except darkness and the face of the corpse. “Find a way to light
this place…flares, emergency lights, anything…”

Mattias was on all fours now, resting his helmet on the grating. Veniel did not reply. He felt a hand on his back.
“Mattias, easy,” his brother said. “We're going to get out of here, right now.”

“Veniel…Veniel, do you copy?” said Tantoseisen. “Veniel, come in, we need to get back inside. Veniel!”

There was no answer, and Mattias started to lose his composure as the panic began to overwhelm him. He could
hear his brother shouting something, cursing, but none of it registered. He just focused on the floor grating now
resting directly against his face shield, getting lost in the details of its nothingness, wishing he could escape from
the corpse who was trying to speak to him and the blackness that existed everywhere else.

Mattias lost consciousness while listening to the words of the dead, who spoke to him of righteousness and
avenging injustices.

Epilogue

Using the smuggler jumpgates, Tantoseisen Kakkichi's CONCORD task force returned safely to Empire space.
Veniel provided forward scouting for the fleet, breaking contact after they had safely crossed the border.
Tantoseisen immediately turned himself in to DED authorities and was arrested. All charges, save for one, were
eventually dropped after the full account of the Immensea became known.

Before starting the long journey back to Empire space, the remaining crewmembers of the Blackbird and Omen
cruisers were transferred to CONCORD ships. The vessels were then scuttled outside of the Immensea station in
E8-YS9.

Mattias Kakkichi would make a complete recovery from the temporary delirium that was induced when he
succumbed to spatial disorientation inside of the clone facility. Shortly after he lost consciousness, Veniel

-908-
appeared at the security outpost, manually pressurizing and then opening the door from there. He claimed that
the station's AI would no longer allow him to operate the door remotely after Matuno and Kirlana were back
inside.

Kirlana would not fare as well. She vowed to never pilot a starship again, and that her days as a bounty hunter
were over. She never disclosed to anyone, not even Matuno, exactly why the story of Immensea was so personal
to her.

Before breaking formation with the CONCORD fleet near the Empire border, Matuno asked Tantoseisen to pass
his brother a message for him. Tantoseisen agreed; Matuno transmitted the encrypted message and then
disappeared. When asked some time later what that message was, Mattias would only say that Matuno was
chasing after his “life's ambition”, and that when the time was right, he would contact him again.

The press demanded an explanation as to why a CONCORD task force would leave Empire space. Dantennen
Fisk, the legal counsel and longtime friend of Tantoseisen Kakkichi, answered before the DED could. He publicly
stated that his client's actions were “justified” and that the reason for his excursion to deep space was not
rebellious or the result of any falling out with DED high command. Because of the publicity surrounding the issue,
CONCORD had no choice but to associate the discovery of the abandoned stations with Kakkichi's actions, which
they did in a press release of their own. But before they would reveal the station's locations, they wanted
answers about the Immensea, and to recover as many of the dead as they could.

Through a deal brokered in secrecy by Veniel between the DED and the Jovians, CONCORD was able to recover
thousands of bodies and compile a detailed history of the Immensea. DED scouting vessels carrying investigators
met Jovian warships at all 69 stations, exchanging information for the firepower required to get inside. With the
exception of a single leaked photograph from the inside of one of the E8-YS9 disabled modules, the DED has
clamped down on the release of any investigation details.

Veniel disappeared after brokering the deal. No one has reported seeing him since.

The regional government's public reaction to the Immensea was one of apathy, but in reality sent their
respective intelligence agencies into upheaval. Furious officials scrambled for an explanation as to how, exactly,
news of this scope and size could have eluded them all this time. No government would ever publicly admit to an
intelligence failure so pronounced.

Mattias Kakkichi found other bounty hunters who shared his ideals, and continues to patrol deep space in search
of injustices to avenge.

-909-
The Artifice Maker

The tall man moved slowly through the packed transit hall.
His gaunt, eagle-nosed face registered total lack of
interest in his surroundings, like he had seen the same or
similar ones a thousand times in the past. His garments,
cheap and somber, were identical to those worn by
millions of migration workers, constantly on the move
from one station to another in search of work. A small
satchel was slung over his shoulder, seemingly holding
the man’s only possessions. At the back of his bare skull a
crab-like cyber-ornament clung, its azure colored arms
extending all the way to his temples.
The large transit hall was an irregularly shaped circle, with
a glass dome overhead. The transit hall had been
strategically positioned so that people arriving or leaving
the station could gaze through the dome at the reddish
planet below and the pale sun in the background. But like
with so many small industrial stations in the empire’s
interior the almost total lack of maintenance had long
since ruined the spectacular view, a greasy-brown film of
dirt giving those below in the hall only a vague idea of the
vista outside. The walls were covered with a once-colorful
mural depicting an often-used theme in Amarrian wall
paintings – scenes of the Emperor performing assorted
heroic deeds. Here and there the mural was severed by an
entryway to one of the dozen passages leading to and
from the transit hall.

The large man headed towards the passage leading to the

lower levels of the station. For a fraction of a second his
darting eyes looked directly into the security camera
located above the entryway. Then he disappeared down the passage, his face as impassive as when he stepped
out of the shuttle fifteen minutes earlier.

The small room was illuminated solely by a two dozen monitors mounted into the back wall. Before them sat a
tired looking officer, his heavy eyes scanning the screens before him. The picture on a screen in the middle had
been frozen; a gaunt face with a patriarch nose filled the screen. In the far corner of the room a figure stood
leaning on a cane, the glare of the monitors only managing to paint it in a ghost-like blue silhouette.

“He’s here, sir. He’s heading towards the lower levels.” The officer said. “Do you wish me to have him
apprehended?”

“No need for that yet.” The shadowy figure answered. “We’ll allow the fox to flush out some hens before moving
in.”

Etian pressed his back into the corridor’s wall, his head bowed to his chest as the process of Holders passed him
by.Leading the process was the governor himself, his fine linen cloths embroidered with gold threads and
platinum pearls. Out of the corner of his eyes Etian watched the others lined up against the wall, commoners like
himself, stealing furtive glances at the majestic process as it passed. On some faces Etian could read envy or
awe or odium, but each one also registered fear. For those men passing them were the most powerful men on
Inis-Ilix station and each and every one of them had the power and the authority to dictate the destiny of any of
these commoners that lined the walls in apparent reverence.

Once the Holders had disappeared round a corner Etian straightened his small but stocky body and continued on
his way to the St. Helion Social Club, his favorite after-work retreat. As he walked he wondered what the Holders
were doing down here on the lower levels, they seldom visited the levels of the commoners. The fact that the
Holders had been traveling without any personal guards didn’t come as a surprise to Etian; to the common
Amarrian a Holder symbolized the grandeur of the Amarr Empire and to attack one was to attack the Empire
itself. Such an act was unthinkable to the common Amarr man; the Empire, with its age-old traditions and
structure, was the foundation of society itself. To every Amarrian life without the Empire was nothing but
anarchy, chaos, dread and darkness.

Etian belonged to a group of skilled workers that traveled from one station to another in the Trigentia sector,
offering their services to factories and foundries on the space stations. This custom, which is found almost
nowhere else within the vast Amarr Empire, started several centuries ago when the sector was recently settled.
At that time numerous minor Holders vied for power, each with his own ideas on how to run things. This resulted
in a complex tapestry of rules and regulations regarding for instance education, travel permits and freedom of
employment. With time this resulted in great economical diversity between the stations in the area, some
prospered while others stagnated. When the emperor re-organized the administration in the sector a sole Holder

-910-
was chosen to govern it as a whole, with governors on each station working under him. Soon thereafter the first
migration workers appeared – people with some specific skills that only a handful of the stations could train and
produce. This system worked well in the economical sense – the sector was prosperous and was fast becoming
one of the most important industrial zones in the Amarr Empire. But this prosperity came at a price; the
migration workers were better informed and enjoyed more liberties than other workers, let alone the slaves.
They gobbled up dangerous ideas regarding their rights and stature, resulting in demonstrations and protests,
sometimes violent. The Holders were facing a dilemma; they were anxious to keep social stirrings to the
minimum, but were unsure how to accomplish this without breaking their golden eggs – the migration workers.
While the Holders were searching for ways to keep things getting out of hand the migration workers were
clamoring ever louder for greater rights and higher wages – on many stations in the Trigentia sector tension was
rising to the boiling point. On many there had been bloody fights, sometimes resulting in the total expulsion of
migration workers or severe restriction on their privileges. But there was one fabled one where the workers had
succeeded...

To Etian this development was making him deeply anxious. Born into a strictly orthodox family and raised to
respect the social order no matter what, these stirrings by his fellow workers seemed almost treasonous, even
sacrilegious. Yet, Etian had to admit that this fight for increased rights seemed reasonable enough. His mind was
torn between his duty to the state and loyalty to his co-workers; the responsibilities of his public life against the
comfort of his private one; all these things sat heavily on Etian’s mind as he made his way towards the club.

Inis-Ilix station had seen its share of unrest in recent months, only the week before two migration workers had
been imprisoned for ‘disturbing the peace’, as the official statement read. Etian knew of several small cells
operating, but they didn’t amount to much – only a handful of the migration workers had truly succumbed to the
fervor of power politics, most, like Etian, were doubtful. In their view this whole turbulence could be blamed on
those impulsive fools on Turba.

St. Helion Social Club was opened some 30 years earlier by a religious order with the purpose of spreading the
word of St. Helion the Virtuous among the lower classes. The order was at that time under the patronage of Lady
Temal Kador, one of the Five Heirs, and through her influence the order opened vast number of similar clubs all
over Kador’s domains. But a few years later the order fell out of favor with the Heir and their clubs were sold. In
the three decades of operation the club had slowly degenerated from a respectable, if boring, religious
establishment into a grubby workers bar. The club was not big, one room crudely split in the middle by a bar. The
interior was still covered with religious symbols and signs but St. Helion’s order had long since left and the word
of God had been replaced by the drunken drivel of the workers frequenting the place.

Etian took his usual seat in a back corner, scanning the familiar faces on the tables around him. He nurtured his
drink for a few minutes in silence until a friend and a co-worker of his, Ryed Gambala, moved over to Etian’s
table. Most of the people in the room were migration workers like the two of them and many of them were fellow
employees at RPI. Yet they were grouped in pairs or at most three at a table, occasionally a person moved from
one table to another, this always spurred a person on that table to move on too. The station authorities had
banned migration workers from grouping together – a group of more than 2 or 3 people together made the
authorities extremely paranoid. So even while relaxing in a bar the migration workers took the precaution to give
the impression of separation, in case of lurking informers or camera drones.

“So, Etian.” Ryed said, half-whispering, glancing furtively around the bar before continuing: “Will you be
coming?” Etian sighed, seeing where this conversation was leading. Ryed was in one of these newly formed cells
that dreamt of the success their brethren at Turba had got.

“Look, Ryed, I don’t think a public protest will get you anything but trouble. I mean, how many are you? Maybe a
dozen. That’s hardly a sufficient number to shake the foundations of this station’s government. From what I hear,
the Turba protesters numbered at least a few hundred. It’s a doomed prospect, man.” Etian said, exasperated.
This wasn’t the first time that Ryed brought this up, but each time Etian had turned him down. Much as he
wanted to see some changes, Etian was much too clever and cautious to take part in any risky demonstration
like the one Ryed’s cell was planning.

“Where’s there will there’s a way. We may be few, but we’re dedicated to the cause. Come on, it’s now or never.”
Ryed continued chanting his slogans like in a religious fervor. It was clear to Etian that Ryed had become
fanatical about this whole business: he was obviously never going to change his mind and, more exasperatingly,
never going to change the subject. Etian began looking for an excuse to bring the conversation to an end, when
he saw her.

She walked into the bar with a light spring in her step that spoke of perfect body control and self-assurance.
Etian only knew her first name: Deka. Like him she frequented the club, but apart from her name he knew
nothing about her; this perceived mystique only made Etian all the more infatuated with her. Watching her from
afar Etian’s ample imagination had time and again played out one dramatic scenario after another where he was
the hero in white and she the damsel in distress. Afterwards Etian always felt sick of himself; of the way he
dawdled over his daydreams constantly, never having the courage to act any of them out in real life. And this
time it was no different. While Ryed droned on in the background Etian once again let his mind slip into the
comforting mode of daydreaming. The more he dreamt the more he drank and the more depressed he felt.

-911-
Staggering home some two hours later he wondered for the umpteenth time if he’d ever be man enough to go
talk to her.

The factory of the Royal Precision Instruments, known as RPI, was situated on the lowest deck, like most of the
factories on the station. Most of the year the permanent workers made micro-optics and fiber-conduits, but
during the months of Domar and Nemar the workforce of RPI tripled as migration workers came in to make
quantum clocks, using the volatile argon isotopes laboriously mined in a nearby asteroid field. In those two
months the migration workers used up all the factory’s supplies of the substance, which then took the company
a whole year to restock.

The month of Domar was coming to an end. Etian, working through his hangover and cursing himself for drinking
so excessively the night before, let his mind wander while performing his tedious work on the clock’s
escapement. It seemed to him like the whole RPI was seething, that his fellow migration workers were like a
dormant volcano only waiting to erupt. Etian knew he was caught up in one of the rarest of social phenomenons
in the Amarr Empire; that of social uprising. Somehow this privilege didn’t comfort him all that much.
Overhearing snippets of conversations around him Etian learned that a big gathering was planned for tonight at
St. Helion’s Social Club. Etian decided to go, he couldn’t tell why. Maybe it was out of curiosity, maybe to show
solidarity, or maybe just to get yet another glimpse of her, Deka.

When Etian entered the social club it was already teeming with people. His usual table at the back was already
occupied by loud-mouthed men in overalls, so he sat at a table closer to the center. A man was already sitting
there, hunched with a cape hiding his features. There was no sign of Deka.

“Are you here for the demonstration?” The stranger asked, a pair of pale-blue eyes peering at him from under
the hood of his cape. Etian felt strangely naked in front of that stare. Looking into those eyes set his head
spinning and it took seconds before the question registered in his mind.

“I, uh… I don’t know.” He finally stammered. The stranger seemed a bit annoyed by his answer and Etian felt
strangely compelled to please this man he’d never seen before.

“I came here to give my support to the cause.” Etian said more forcefully, hoping that this vague answer would
satisfy the man sitting opposite him without sounding as a commitment to do something foolish. The stranger
stared at him for a few moments before speaking:

“I’m Fradis Ludono.” He declared, staring intently at Etian as if to gauge his reaction. Again it took Etian a
moment to get his mind around what the man had said. Then the name registered and Etian jumped. Fradis
Ludono. The man from Turba. The man who led Turba’s migration workers to a victory against the station’s
rulers. The man who faced down the Holders of Turba and won for the workers a freedom to work and life as they
chose. The man was a living legend, traveling from station to station to preach the word and support the people.

For several seconds the two men stared each other in the eye. Finally Etian managed to get his mind into gear:

“I’m Etian Subidam.” He said and extended his hand. Fradis gripped it firmly. Then he spoke:

“Etian Subidam, will you help me help you? Will you aid me in securing for you freedom from the tyrants of Inis-
Ilix station?”

“I guess I do.” Etian stammered. At that moment he noticed Deka sitting by the bar and suddenly Etian had flash
of insight. His biggest weakness was his lack of self-confidence and what better way to alter that than to rub
shoulders with none other than Fradis Ludono. If anything was going to work in bringing Etian some self-esteem
this was it. And heck, with Fradis here this demonstration might not be as dicey as before.

“I will help you.” He said with fervor, the conviction clearly evident in his voice. Fradis seemed satisfied.

“Good.” He said. “I haven’t been here for long, but we must act as quickly as possible. If the authorities discover
I’m here before we’re ready things could turn bad. From what I’ve heard there are already some cells operating
in this area, so preparations should be easy.”

“It is true that there are a number of cells around.” Etian said. “But they don’t hold much sway. I’m afraid that
most of the workers are a bit skeptical about this whole thing.” He finished almost apologetically, aware that not
so long ago he had been one of those skeptics. Fradis didn’t seem at all daunted by this news.

“That’s because they haven’t heard the word yet.” He said with confidence. “We will show them what it means to
be a real man.” With that Fradis removed his cape, revealing his bald head with its intricate implant at the back
of the skull. If Etian had ever been in doubt if the man really was who he said he was that doubt was totally
expelled now – the image of Fradis Ludono was almost as well known in these quarters as the portrait of the
emperor himself. No sooner had Fradis removed his cape than people began pointing and whispering excitedly.

Fradis climbed onto the table and then stood there surveying the room calmly, scanning the faces of the excited
but hushed workers thronging around him.

-912-
“Fellow migration workers.” He finally said, his sonorous
voice carrying to the farthest corners of the room. “You all
know me. And you know my background. So you shouldn’t
guess why I’m here. In a way, I’m answering your call, for
many of you have already laid the foundation for our
glorious victory over the tyrants of this station that is soon
to come.” The crowd was now hanging onto his every word.

“But I know many of you also have doubts in your hearts.”

Fradis continued. “You doubt the righteousness of this
deed. You doubt whether you are worthy of taking the
power from those that took it from you so long ago. For
you’ve been conditioned from birth to respect and fear
those men that claim to be better than you. I say: cast
those shackles of you!” Etian could see that Fradis was
getting to the people, yet there were still those that were
unconvinced. Etian suspected himself as being one of
them. Fradis sensed this all, he knew from experience that
more was needed to convince them, or at least to
persuade them join the fray. He continued:

“They have told you time and again that you’re not capable of governing yourself, that you’re too weak of mind.
Their teachings have long since reached the core of your souls. I say: to free your soul you must forget those
teachings. You must stop believing that you’re incompetent to rule yourself and start believing that a free mind
can accomplish anything it wants!” Fradis was reaching a crescendo. The crowd was shouting encouragements,
the majority already gleefully shouting their approval. Etian saw Ryed among them. To Etian the words Fradis
spoke were much more radical than those he’d heard previously and that frightened him. Ryed and his gang had
only been advocating a demonstration for higher wages and more rights, but Fradis’ words seemed to imply a
complete overthrow of the government of the station. Yet Etian, for all his misgivings, couldn’t help but be
moved by the passion of Fradis and the excitement of the crowd.

Maybe you don’t believe me when I say that you’re all conditioned.” Fradis shouted to the frenzied crowd. “But
let us all look at one example. Name me a poem that we all know, a poem that is taught to all children at an
early age. A poem that supposedly shows that man should not try to usurp God but put their faith in him, but
which in reality describes the way the upper classes trample on the ignorant commoners. Yes, you know what
poem I’m talking about. You all know it by heart. Why don’t we recite it together so your eyes can be opened to
just one of the cunning ways the Holders have put their shackles on your souls.” And Fradis began chanting,
many in the crowd joining in:

‘I raised my head and saw this stair;

A solid structure made of stone,
Reaching high into the air.
I looked around, I stood alone.
This muddy field held no appeal;
Full of care I neared the base;
Sure enough, the stair was real.
What hidden dangers might I face
Climbing up this endless stair?
I knew not, nor ever could
For always gazed in unknown fear
Of future bright or bleak or good;
‘Tis matters not when control lack;
The fate of man in other’s hands.
But then again this skybound track
Might lead me to the promised lands.’

“What does this first verse tell us?” Fradis asked. He waited a second before continuing: “It tells us that we all
have a desire to govern our own live, that this desire is ingrained in every one of us and that we dream of
becoming our own masters.” He then said, answering his own question. Then he continued:

‘With eager heart and earnest face,

I set out to seek this exulted place.
And once I had the first flight won
I felt as the climb was halfway done.
Soon I learned to stride the stair
With ease and thus became aware
Of my surroundings for the first time,
Around me saw this view sublime.
Fresh air caressed my cheek and jowl,
Below me saw a friendly fowl.

-913-
 With joy I climbed and noticed much;
Happy games and wonders such.
I knew this world belonged to me
Now at last that I was free.
‘Why, arts and music; life and joys;
And let’s make all those science toys.’

“And here, like a glimpse into paradise, we’re given a taste of what self-government might achieve.” Fradis
declared. “But dangers lurk, as the next verse tells us:”

‘Finally I felt my powers could

Choose my fate as I saw fit;
This world I owned and understood,
It was made for my own benefit.
When I slept I dreamt sweet dreams
Of things to come I knew where true.
Once I’d reach the top my schemes
To make this world all anew
Should at last all bear fruit.
But this sound beneath my soles,
Restless, endless, nagging, crude,
Rasped my soul and raped my goals.
The stair behind me slowly fell,
Erased forever with a tired sigh.
Empty steps with tales to tell
Raced towards me in a silent cry.’

“Here, we’re told that our greed and our stupidity will always come back to haunt us. That only those better than
us are capable of ruling wisely enough to keep us from destroying ourselves. And the last verse tells us the
ultimate price our pride may have to pay if we don’t stay in our place:”

‘Now I realized this frail old track

Chased me up with no way back.
Faster, faster, I fled in dread;
My every effort spent, I sped
Upwards, fearing death and drop,
When suddenly I reached the top.
Before me stood this man in white.
Slipping still, in dismay I cried:
“Old man, help me on my feet!”
“Poor victim of your filthy greed,
Learn the humble way,” he said.
And spat and kicked me in the head.
I fell and felt my mind go blank.
I hit the ground, in mud I sank.
‘Who am I and where is here?’
I raised my head and saw this stair.’

“I say to you: is this the world we want to live in? Are we to accept that we’re not good enough to govern our
own lives?” Fradis was whipping the crowd into a frenzy and Etian felt himself swept into this vortex of emotions
and passions, shouting himself hoarse, for the first time feeling enraged and disgusted with the way the
authorities had been playing him like a fool. ‘No more!’ echoed through his mind and his thoughts were being
shouted throughout the room. Fradis raised his hands, waiting for the room to calm down before giving his final
verdict, in almost total silence:

“I say, my brothers and sisters: they may govern the way we live, but we can still govern the way we die and if
there is any cause worth dying for, then this is it. I have put myself at risk a thousand times for this cause; I have
faced death a hundred times; and I’ve come here tonight to tell you that I will continue to do so until a day will
come when we can live our lives as we please with no-one trying to oppress us or kill us.” Etian was sold, as was
the whole room. If Fradis had ordered it Etian was sure that the whole crowd would march to the upper levels this
very minute to die by his side. But Fradis ordered no such thing. Instead he said:

“This is only the first step. We must now prepare ourselves, but we must move quickly before suspicion arises.”
He stepped down from the table and was immediately surrounded by people asking him questions or simply
touching him in awe. Suddenly Etian noticed that Deka had slipped beside him.

“I saw you talking to him earlier.” She said quietly, keeping her eyes on the man in question.

“You noticed that?” Was all Etian could utter.

-914-
 “I’ve also noticed you staring at me in the past.” She
said amusingly.

“Ah…” Etian felt himself blush.

“What did you two talk about?” Deka asked, looking at

Etian for the first time. He had to muster all his willpower
to refrain from shuffling his feet. She was so forward!

“We talked about the upcoming demonstration.” He

finally answered.

“Really? Are you planning it with him?” She probed.

“I’m helping him out.” Etian said evasively. By now they

had moved over to a nearby table and sat down. Etian
was cursing himself for lying to her. ‘But I didn’t exactly
lie,’ he thought. ‘I only omitted some of the truth,’ he
then justified. But he also knew that only through his
supposed association with Ludono did he have enough
self-confidence to stay there talking casually with the
woman of his dreams. ‘I’m now eternally committed to
this demonstration,’ he reflected gloomily. ‘Or should I
say revolt? That seems to more to the mark.’

Fradis dispersed the crowd a little later, wisely remarking

that such a large gathering was bound to draw notice
sooner or later. Etian tried not to look too crestfallen when Deka left, at least he had her promise to meet again
to sustain him. Etian was just about to dive into some heavy drinking to sooth his nerves when Fradis laid his
hand on his shoulder.

“We’ve got some planning to do.” He said. Etian saw Ryed standing behind Fradis, grinning like a maniac in the
company of some of his mates. ‘Sink or swim,’ Etian thought, joining his fellow conspirators into a back room.

The spacious office overlooked a pleasant little garden, a rare sight on any space station. The man leaned on his
cane, looking out over his garden of retreat. Behind him stood a small man clad in a blue and black security
uniform.

“Has he made contact yet?” The man with the cane asked.

“Yes, sir.” The small man replied. “Last night in…” he glanced at his notes. “St. Helion’s Social Club.”

“Good, good. Keep a tab on things. He should move soon, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Yes, sir. Is that all, sir?”

“For now, just remember to clear out Hangar 8.”

“Yes, sir.”

The old furnace could still be turned up for heat, making the small alcove cozy and warm. Etian lay on the divan
going over the events of the last couple of days in his mind. He was certain that nothing he had experienced
before came close. Not only was he in the midst of some sinister plot to uproot the government, but here, on this
very divan, lay the woman of his dreams snuggled up against him sleeping soundly.

She had told him her life story, more or less. Her ancestors were of the lowest class of the commoners, just
above slaves. Her large family was still eking their living out as the poorest of the poor. But she had managed to
get out, quite an accomplishment by the standards of the empire. But he hadn’t managed to get her to tell him
what she did for a living.

And now the woman in question was stirring in his arms, slowly returning to the waking world.

“Good morning.” Etian said cheerfully. Deka yawned, bleary eyed.

“Mornin’” She muttered, rubbing her eyes. Etian suddenly felt the urge to probe deeper into her life:

“Say, why don’t you have to worry about going to your job? I know you didn’t go yesterday and you don’t seem
to worried for today?” He inquired, hoping to get a glimpse into what she did for a living. Deka only muttered
something under her breath.

-915-
“Your not unemployed are you?” Etian asked teasingly.

“Certainly not!” She snapped, sitting bolt uprights. “If I didn’t have a job I would be forced to go back to my
family, I’d rather die.” She said with a feeling. Etian was a bit taken a back by her outburst, frightful that it might
affect their budding relationship.

“I’m sorry, it just looked to me like you didn’t mind your job too well.” He said apologetically.

“I mind it very well, thank you.” Deka said, still irritable. “My job and my status means everything to me.”

“So you’d do anything to keep your job?” Etian asked, racking his brain for what this job of hers might be.

“Of course, it’s all I’ve got.” Deka replied. Etian was a little hurt by this remark, but kept quiet. He rose from the
divan ensconced between the furnace and the wall and started dressing.

“Why do we have to meet here instead of your apartment?” Deka asked.

“Because my apartment is maybe being watched. Fradis pointed that out to me. This is safer. No-one but you
and me know about this place. Nobody comes down here anymore after the new reactor was opened. We’re
secure here. I’ve even stocked this place full with food, we could hide here for ages.” Etian answered, pulling on
his boots. “Come on, we’ve got a big day ahead of us.” He said eagerly, throwing Deka’s cloths to her.

The demonstrators came trickling into the back-alley storage area. Etian had left Deka at the entrance earlier –
they planned to meet after the demonstration, although both of them knew that things were likely to change
dramatically in the next few hours, making any such plans hollow. Etian looked around him, the demonstrators
were close to one hundred – young and eager. Most of them male; most only in their early twenties. As could be
expected trepidation and uncertainty battled with anticipation and exhilaration on their faces as they unfurled
their banners and hid their long knives in their jackets. At last Fradis stepped up and made his last speech before
they’d march.

“Remember our aim, people. We will march to level 2 where the governor’s quarters are and demand our rightful
share in the government of this station. We will not resort to violence unless absolutely necessary – we can talk
to the guards, they will understand our cause and maybe join us. If things get tough you will follow your group
leaders to the designated rally point, where we will re-group and re-organize. Now lets move!”

The march had been carefully stage-managed, the mob was grouped into small groups of 10 people, with one
person responsible for their movements and coordination. Etian was one of the group leaders, his group was the
third from the last. Fradis marched with the last group, egging people on. As soon as the demonstrators were out
on the street they started waiving their banners and chanting their slogans:

“Power to the People!”

“Down with Tyranny!”
“Out with the Old, In with the New!”

The procession slowly weaved its way towards the upper levels, in every street and at every corner they were
met with astonished onlookers. Some shouted jeers or obscenities, other shouted encouragement and a few
even joined in the march, swelling the number to well over hundred.

Then they turned into the street leading up to the 4th

level. It was empty. On they marched, their shouts
echoing on the empty street, putting fright into some of
them, their shouts growing fainter. At the end of the
street they met a line of security guards blocking the
street. The foremost groups happily marched towards
them, expecting them to open up before them. Etian
became apprehensive – he looked back and noticed that
another group of heavily armed security guards were
advancing up the street towards them. The front of the
march now met the barricade of guards – they didn’t
budge. Tension was rising, some were fiddling with the
sleeves on their jackets fingering their knives. Etian
could easily see where this was heading. He sought out
Fradis, but the tall man was nowhere visible. Others in
the group were noticing the absence of their leader.
Fear set in.

-916-
Catch of the Day
“Gallente frigate Notrimus, you’ve been cleared for docking.
Prepare for initiation of docking sequence. Enjoy your stay in Korridi
station.” The monotonous voice of the command tower’s personnel
sounded even more bored than Gaspar Anoun was feeling.
Although the journey had been short and relatively uneventful it
was always tiresome to deal with Amarr custom officials, and
Gaspar had met a lot of them in the last few hours since his arrival
into Amarr space.

The Amarr station loomed large above him, majestic in its

monstrosity. Gaspar swiveled his camera drone around, behind him
he saw a line of ships waiting to dock while a handful of police
vessels shuffled along the lines keeping an eye on the foreign
merchant ships. Looking forward again he noticed that from his
angle the sun was already partly obscured by the planet - it was
late afternoon at the station.
Gaspar felt his ship respond to the commands of the docking
sequence sent by the command tower. The ship sailed in a gentle
curve towards a docking bay close to the lower end of the station.
Gaspar noticed that the docking bay was only half full. This years
Trade Fair wasn’t particularly well attended, it seemed. The auto-
control eased the ship into a berth, fastening it with a loud clank and a low hiss.

The camera drone had entered the ship when it docked and only the infrared sensors were available to Gaspar to
get a picture of his surroundings in the few moments it took the berth crane to lift the capsule from the ship.
Gaspar always hated these moments, he relied heavily on his camera drone to get a sense of his whereabouts
and with it gone he always became uncomfortably aware of the sticky goo and the blackness enveloping him in
the capsule. But this discomfort was offset by the anticipation that in a few minutes he’d be free of the confines
of the capsule and his senses would again be allowed to feel and function normally.

Gaspar washed himself clean in the neat little shower box adjacent to the disembarkation room. Then he dressed
himself, putting on clothes he kept in the small storage box in his capsule. He chose a smart looking suit with a
long-sleeved jacket, nothing too fancy - he didn’t want to irritate the Amarrians too much by his appearance.
Gaspar left the room and commissioned a cart robot to follow him with his luggage taken from the ship’s cargo
hold.

On the corridor connecting the docking area with the main body of the station Gaspar was greeted by a short
Gallentean in a ruffled suit. The man introduced himself, matching his stride with that of Gaspar’s.

“My name is Naine, Niedanai Naine. I have been appointed as your diplomatic attaché during your stay here.” He
wheezed, smoothing his greasy hair.

“A diplomatic attaché you say.” Gaspar said, hiding his surprise. “I don’t recall having requested one.”

“It’s the policy now, sir.” Naine said with a tiny smile. “The Federation demands that all Gallenteans wishing to
enter into a formal trade agreement with the Amarrians must be accompanied by a diplomatic attaché from the
Foreign Ministry.”

“How very thoughtful of them. So, your role is what? Fetch my slippers, make me coffee, that sort of thing?”
Gaspar answered sarcastically.

“No, sir.” Naine said, visibly hurt. “No. I’m to ensure that your dealings with the Amarrians remain civilized and
go through smoothly. In the last few months there have been numerous incidents where the negotiating parties
parted on bad terms because of some real or imaginary slights. It is my job to make sure that any
misunderstandings don’t escalate into a serious breach.”

“I see. Tell me Naine, you must have extensive experience in dealing with the Amarrians, right?” Gaspar asked.

“I have worked for the ministry for 14 years. During that time I have analyzed and filed thousands of field reports
on every race there is.”

“So you have no direct experience of a face to face contact with the Amarrians?” Gaspar probed.

“Well… I, uh…” Naine’s face suddenly seemed flushed. “Not as such, sir.”

“So, correct me if I’m wrong.” Gaspar said in an amused tone. “You, a man with absolutely no experience in
dealing with the Amarrians or anybody else for that matter, are going to supervise me - a 20 year veteran of
inter-stellar trading - in how to conduct my business. Is that right?”

-917-
“Well, I won’t supervise as such. I’m more of an advisor, you see.” Naine said hesitantly.

“Ok then, Mr. Advisor. Why don’t you give yourself the advice to stay out of my face and we’ll have peace and
harmony all around. I’ll quietly make my deal and for you it’s mission accomplished.” Gaspar said convincingly.
Naine mulled things over for a minute before answering:

“I guess that could work, as long as I’m present when you’re conducting your negotiations, sir.”

“Splendid. Stick to me my dear Niedanai, and not only will we swing a hefty profit back home sweet home, but
along the way I’ll teach you a trick or two about being a Gallentean super-trader.” Gaspar said raucously and put
his hand over Naine’s shoulders.

“So Naine, where are you from?” Gaspar asked in a friendly tone.

“Me, sir? I’m from Sacreaux.” Naine replied perplexed. “In the Neronne district.” He added when he saw the lack
of recognition on Gaspar’s face.

The two men navigated the narrow corridors of Korridi station en route to Gaspar’s suite, the cart robot trudging
behind them carrying Gaspar’s emerald-green travel trunks. Gaspar knew his way well around the station as he’d
been here many times before. He stayed clear of the busy thoroughfares, preferring the side corridors as they
allowed for a more relaxed stroll. He used the time to explain to the woefully ignorant attaché the purpose if his
trip here.

“You know, Naine, the Amarrians can be a real pain in the ass to
deal with. But the Amarr Empire is a huge market and it seems
every soul there is crying out for Gallentean or Caldari or Jovian
goods. The Amarrians like to regulate things, just to let you know
who’s got the power, and these Trade Fairs are a part of that. You
can’t just waltz into the Empire and start trading left and right. You
have to have permission to trade certain goods. That’s what these
Trade Fairs are all about - establishing contacts, making trade
agreements, getting permission, you get the picture.”

“So it’s not a market fair, then?” Naine asked. Gaspar shook his
head.

“No,” he answered. “There’s very little actual trading going on, it’s
all about making those connections.”

“Sir, I’ve been waiting here since yesterday morning, when the fair
started. Why are you running so late, the fair ends at midnight
tonight?” Naine inquired.

“It’s all part of the head game.” Gaspar said, tapping the side of his head. “My trade rivals will be thinking the
exactly same thing. And the more they wonder, the more irritated they become, which is good for us. It’s all a
part of the Plan.” Gaspar finished with a flourish, waving his hands in the air like he was talking about some
religious experience. Then he laughed heartily and slapped Naine on the shoulders.

“Very clever, sir.” Naine said, obviously wondering how much truth was in what Gaspar had just said.

“Remember, my dear Niedanai, appearance counts for everything.” Gaspar said and looked at Naine’s skeptical
face. “You’ll see.”

Gaspar’s suite was more of an apartment, with a huge living room and a luxurious bedroom. The suite was
decorated in the latest Gallentean fashion, contrasting nicely with the somber but stylish Amarr fashion. Gaspar
unloaded the cart robot in the living room and sent it rumbling back. Then he ushered Naine out of the room.

“I’ll have to make some small preparations before we go to the main hall. I’ll be with you in five.”

Once the door had closed on Naine, Gaspar in a quick motion belying his former easy manners opened his
briefcase, revealing a small portable computer. He plugged the computer into the station’s public system. For
the next few minutes his agile fingers tapped furiously at the keyboard, only stopping occasionally when he
established contact with persons in other parts of the station and brief conversations ensued. Finally, he slapped
the computer shut, locking it again down into his briefcase. Brushing down creases on his trousers, he then
proceeded out into the corridor once more, where Naine was patiently waiting.

“Ready, sir?” Naine asked, the disdain in his voice over Gaspar’s apparent fussiness over his physical
appearance barely visible.

-918-
“Ready for anything.” Gaspar replied cheerfully, again embracing his jovial charismatic behavior as they set out
for the elevators to the main hall.

The floor of the main hall was an unblemished white marble and the ceiling was a sparkling glass dome, through
which the lush Korridi planet was clearly visible. The effect was quite magnificent, something the Amarrians
excelled in portraying.
The sheer size of the hall seemed to engulf everyone in it and it almost had the appearance of being deserted.
Numerous small groups of people were scattered around it, huddled together in discussion. The majority of those
present were Amarrians, with Caldari and Gallenteans being of about equal number. There were even a few
Jovians visible, but understandably not a single Minmatar was in sight. Waiters scurried around carrying trays
stacked with glasses filled with every kind of drink imaginable.

A gaudily dressed Gallentean waddled towards Gaspar and Naine. The man was obese and reeked of greed.

“I knew you would come, Gaspar you bastard!” The man almost shrieked, turning a few heads in the vicinity.
“Not sure if could stomach another round against Anton, eh? I’m telling you, this time you’ll leave empty handed.
Anton hasn’t been idle in your absence, no he hasn’t.”

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the great Anton Ecumide. Master of shaky investments and lost deals.” Gaspar replied,
seemingly unruffled by Anton’s rude manners.

“Don’t you taunt me, Gaspar. It will only make you look all the more of a fool when I’ve stolen each and every
one of your deals from under your nose.” Anton said and grinned nastily. It didn’t help his appearance a bit.

“Let me introduce you, Niedanai this is the esteemed entrepreneur Anton Ecumide. Anton, this is my diplomatic
attaché Niedanai Naine.” Gaspar said, continuing to ignore Anton’s outbursts.

“I see yours sticks to you like a fly on shit. How appropriate. I kicked mine out the moment I arrived. I believe
he’s sulking in some corner composing a complaint to his superiors.” Anton said nastily.

“Aw, I saw pity on the poor lad. I’m teaching him the ropes of inter-racial trading.” Gaspar said. Anton replied,
addressing Naine:

“Watch out, boy. Don’t let the manipulative bastard screw too much with your mind. As for you, Gaspar, I hope
you’ll sleep well tonight.” With that Anton stormed away, giving Gaspar an evil side-look as he passed him.

“I can sense you two share a lot of history.” Naine said to Gaspar once Anton was out of earshot.

“Yes, our paths have crossed many times in the past. Old Anton never seems to get the breaks and he blames
me for his bad fortune.” Gaspar answered.

“And is he right? Are you to blame?” Naine inquired. Gaspar just smiled, clasped his hands behind his back and
ventured further into the hall at a leisurely pace.

Gaspar set the course for a couple of richly dressed Amarrians standing by themselves. Once close enough to be
heard Gaspar said:

“Governor Sed-Innad, you’re looking older than ever.” Naine jumped at the words, fearing the Amarrian would
flare up at the insult. But when the older Amarrian just smiled he remembered that to the Amarrians looking old
was a sign of maturity and stature. The younger Amarrian, probably still in his twenties, had even made obvious
efforts to make himself look older than he actually was, thinning his hair and painting his face pale and gaunt.
The older Amarrian, the one Gaspar had addressed as governor, was at least a century old. The two shook
hands, they undoubtedly knew each other well.

“Gaspar Anoun.” The governor said warmly. “So you turned up after all.” The old man indicated the younger
Amarrian standing beside him and continued:

“This is my nephew, Tarnak Nas-Innad. We’re searching for a suitable position for him.” The young man bowed a
little to Gaspar.

“Of course.” Gaspar said nonchalantly. “After all, next to despotism nepotism is the favorite past-time of the
Amarrians, right? You guys never change.”

“And neither do you, Gaspar. Always the witty one. One of these days your rude quips will become your bane.”
The governor replied, yet he didn’t seem the least bit ruffled.

“Forgive me, my lord.” Gaspar said. “Unfortunately Asslicking 101 wasn’t on the curriculum at my school. Instead
I had to learn such useless tasks as adding and subtracting. Such a pity.” By now Naine was literally jumping
from foot to foot in his anxiety, fearing the worst.

-919-
“Gentlemen, meet my diplomatic attaché, Niedanai Naine. He seems a little agitated at the moment.” Gaspar
said and turned to Naine. “What’s the matter? You need to use the little boys room?” Naine, noticing that the
Amarrians were still calm despite Gaspar’s words, composed himself.

“No, sir. I’m fine. Don’t mind me.” He finally murmured. Gaspar turned back to governor Sed-Innad.

“How’s the wheeling and dealing going?” The governor asked.

“I just got here. No time to screw anybody over yet.” Gaspar answered jokingly.

“And the Upper Debyl deal?” The governor inquired, taking a sip from his glass.

“On schedule. It can proceed.” Gaspar answered, giving Naine a glance. The governor stood silent for a minute,
sipping his wine.

“So what’s this I’m hearing about you trading in Caldari wares, Gaspar?” He finally asked.

“Pure coincidence. I happened upon this heap of excellent Caldari scanner systems a while ago. Dead cheap. You
know I’m not scrupulous about what I sell. Or to whom.” Gaspar answered.

“Well, lucky for you then. Scanner systems are always in demand. Anywhere.” The governor said innocently.

“My thought exactly, governor.” Gaspar said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to mingle a bit.” The
Amarrians nodded their heads in farewell and Gaspar and Naine did the same. Then Gaspar set out for a group of
Caldari standing near the main entrance. Naine took the opportunity to berate Gaspar.

“What you did was very dangerous, sir. The governor could easily have been offended and where would you
stand then?” He said.

“Me and governor Sed-Innad go way back, Naine. He’s as close to being a friend of mine as an Amarr Holder can
be. Besides, I’ve told you, it pays to get people on the edge.” Gaspar answered.

“I’m still not convinced of that, sir.” Naine said sourly.

“Look, it’s very simple.” Gaspar explained. “Both the Amarrians and the Caldari put a huge stock in maintaining
their dignity and posture. If you crack that mask a little by unorthodox behavior you make them uneasy, unsure
of the situation. Pierce that crack a bit more open and before long you have them eating out of your hand. And
that, my dear Niedanai, is the whole idea.”

By now they were very close to the Caldari group. Naine saw by the military uniforms some of them wore that
they were representatives of the CBD Corporation. The Gallenteans stopped just outside the little group.
The Caldari ignored them for a few minutes, on purpose no doubt, trying to gain the upper hand in the upcoming
discussion. Finally, one of them, apparently the head of the delegation turned towards them. He was a tall, grim-
looking man in a military uniform.

“I’m major Ati Mittuchi.” The man gave a brief military salute. “Whom do I have the pleasure of conversing
with?” He continued in a formal tone, looking questioningly at Gaspar and Naine.

“I’m Gaspar Anoun, this is my diplomatic attaché Niedanai Naine.” Gaspar said, giving a mock salute in
response, something that didn’t go down too well with the Caldari.

“Ah, so you’re Anoun.” The major said. “I should have recognized you by your flamboyant arrogance.”

“The one and only.” Gaspar said, showing no sign of irritation over the major’s insult. “Tell me major, this is a
Trade Fair. Where’s the war? Why this military showdown?”

“The Amarrians respect power, Mr. Anoun. They, like everybody else, want to make sure that what they’ve
bargained for gets delivered in one piece. Now, with all those pesky Minmatars pirates around, the Amarrians
appreciate all assurances that the border-zone trade routes are safe.” The major said confidently.

“So you’re giving a safe delivery guarantees? That must cost a bit.” Gaspar said.

“Our trade package is very reasonably priced, Mr. Anoun. And most importantly, for a few extra credits every
item is guaranteed to arrive safe and sound. That’s naturally much better than never getting anything at all.”

“Is it?” Gaspar looked surprised. “Gosh! I never would have thought of that. You Caldari sure do think things
through.” The major seemed to inflate with smugness. Beneath that dignified exterior hid a pompous man Naine
thought. And Gaspar flushed him out right away with some silly sarcasm, something most people saw right
through.

-920-
“Well, too bad for you then that the Amarrians are planning on dealing with me.” Gaspar continued. The major
exhaled, his face turning red.

“What?” He shouted. “So you’re the one that have been offering our scanners to the Amarrians at a ridiculous
price, eh? Well, I’m interested to know were you got your product from, Mr. Anoun. I wouldn’t be the least
surprised if we found out that these were stolen goods. Ah, ah, don’t look so offended, Mr. Anoun, it isn’t your
style. So, can you show us legitimate papers to certify where you acquired the scanners?” Suddenly the Caldari
seemed more menacing, looming over the two Gallenteans. Gaspar took his time reaching for a glass from a
passing waiters’ tray and taking a sip before answering the major’s accusations.

“Your paranoia amuses me, major. I will indulge your interest. I got them from Yria Base.” Gaspar reached into
his pocket and produced an id-chip, handing it to the major. “Check this out. It should satisfy your curiosity.” The
major gave the chip to one of his assistants, who inserted it into his palm computer. He scanned his screen for a
few minutes before speaking.

“The chip seems to be authentic, sir.” The assistant said.

“Just to make sure contact Yria Base, check their logs.” The major said, handing the id-chip back to Gaspar. The
assistant established wireless contact to the Korridi station’s mainframe and requested a com link to Yria Base.
Gaspar put the chip back in his pocket and Naine noticed he seemed to finger something in his pocket for a
second before retrieving his hand. The assistant fiddled with his palm computer for a minute before speaking
again:

“Sir, we’re unable to establish contact with Yria Base, there’s some interference. The Amarrians think it’s one of
these sun flare phenomenons.” The major seemed disappointed.

“Well, Mr. Anoun. How fortunate for you. You seemed to be sweating there.” He said.

“The idea of all the credits I’ll make on these scanners tonight makes me all hot, major.” Gaspar teased. The
major frowned.

“Good evening to you, Mr. Anoun. And don’t expect to get lucky every time.” He said and prepared to leave.

“Believe me, major. Luck has nothing to do with it.” Gaspar replied and raised his glass in farewell. Gaspar and
Naine watched the Caldari delegation depart, the major cursing the poor assistant for his incompetence.

“Come, Niedanai, lets return to my suite. “ Gaspar said and started to leave the main hall. Naine was stunned.

“But, Mr. Anoun, you just got here. You haven’t made any deals yet.” He said.

“There are still two hours till midnight. Plenty of time.” Gaspar said while they waited for an elevator.

“If I may say so, sir, I don’t understand why you’re trying to outbid the Caldari on their own product, it seems so
far fetched. And what is this Upper Debyl deal you and the governor were talking about?” Naine asked, his
curiosity getting the better of his manners.

“It will all be revealed in good time, my dear Niedanai. For now, let’s just say that I’m playing the head game for
the high stakes. It’s all about keeping your adversaries occupied.” Gaspar answered as they entered the
elevator. Once the elevator’s door had closed behind them Gaspar fetched a palm computer from his pocket. He
frowned at it for a moment.

“It seems my palmer is out at the moment. Can I borrow yours for a second? I just have to send one simple
message.” Gaspar asked.

“Uh, sure. Here you go, sir.” Naine handed Gaspar his palm computer. Gaspar operated it quickly and efficiently
and finished before the elevator reached their floor. Nothing more was said before they came to the double-
doors leading to Gaspar’s suite. Gaspar spent some time staring at the doors like he was expecting them to open
on their own. Finally the two of them entered the suite. Gaspar sat by his desk and once again opened his
briefcase with the portable computer. He established a com link and briefly chatted with a Gallentean on the
other end.

“Who was that?” Naine asked when Gaspar had closed his briefcase.

“That was my good friend Barridour. He’s organizing a little something for me later tonight.” Gaspar answered.
Naine stood mulling things over for a while before he poured himself a glass of water from a jug on a side table.

“I wouldn’t drink that if I was you.” Gaspar said as Naine raised the glass to his lips.

“Eh? Why not?” Naine asked.

-921-
“Because there is a sleeping potion in there. It will put you to sleep for the rest of the night.” Gaspar answered.

“How do you know?” Naine said, putting the glass down.

“Because the fool Anton Ecumide more or less blurted it out when we ran into him. And when I noticed that
someone had fiddled with the lock on our door it was easy to figure out. But now, we must ready ourselves for
the night. Don’t you have anything better to wear than that wrinkled suit?” Gaspar asked. Naine looked down on
his suit.

“Uh, yeah. I’ve got a spare suit.” He answered.

“Good, why don’t you change into that and meet me here in 15 minutes?” Gaspar said.

“Very well, sir. But I can be ready in five.” Naine said.

“But I can’t, Mr. Naine. Fifteen minutes, ok?” Gaspar said. Once Naine was out of the room, Gaspar once more
got his portable computer out of the briefcase and fired it up. First one to appear on his screen was governor Sed-
Innad.

“Well?” Gaspar asked.

“He bought it. Double what we’d figured.” The governor said smiling. “And the Caldari?” He asked.

“They took the bait. Expect to haul them in later tonight.” Gaspar answered. “That only leaves our little deal…”
He finished.

“Yes, of course. I’ll give you the confirmation later tonight. And the guards you asked for will be ready, as you
requested.” The governor replied.

“Good, good. Then all is settled. See you tonight.” Gaspar said and cut off the link. He established another
connection. This time a serene Jovian face appeared on the screen.

Naine was waiting patiently outside in the corridor when Gaspar left his suite some ten minutes later. Naine
looked marginally better in a light gray suit, but still left a lot to be desired.

“Where are we going, sir?” Naine asked.

“Now, my dear Niedanai, I’m going to show you how real Gallenteans conduct their business.” Gaspar exclaimed.
“Until now we’ve been playing by the business books of the Amarrian and the Caldari - boring conversation
between somber men making somber deals that might earn their grandchildren a nickel. They’re always
complimenting themselves how smart they are in their long term planning, but there’s no fun in it Niedanai, no
fun in it at all. I mean look at them. They labor like ants around the clock, setting aside some measly sum so they
can go on some lame space cruising when they’ve become too old and spent to work anymore. They’re spending
their youth toiling away so they can have a bit of fun when they’re 150 years old. Too old to have any real fun, as
I see it. Where’s the logic in that, I ask you? You know what their problem is?” Gaspar paused, obviously
expecting some kind of an answer from Naine.

“Uh, I don’t know, sir. What’s the problem?” Naine ventured.

“They’re too fixed up on keeping work and leisure separate. To them, the two things don’t go together. But we
Gallentean traders know that work and leisure go very well together, they’re just two sides of the same coin.
Meaningful playing and playful working, that’s what I always say.” Gaspar finished his speech just as the two
reached a large double-door at the end of a corridor.

“And now, Niedanai, I’ll show just what I mean.” With that Gaspar threw the doors open. Loud noise and bright
lights engulfed Naine, battering his every sense. Behind the doors was a large room and at the moment it was
filled with laughing, shouting people. There was a wild party going on.
The attendants were mostly other Gallenteans, but a number of Amarrians and some Caldari were also to be
seen.

“What do you think?” Gaspar shouted over the din.

“I don’t know, sir. What’s going on?” Naine asked clearly bewildered.

“This is what I was organizing. This is playful work, or meaningful playing, which ever you prefer, in it’s purest
form.” Gaspar said and then dived into the crowd.

Gaspar quickly got into his host gear, walking among the guests, shaking hands with many and sharing a brief
chat with some. Naine trailed behind, trying to grasp the situation.

-922-
In one of the corners Gaspar came upon Anton Ecumide seated with couple of girls on each arm. The man was
already well drunk. When he saw Gaspar he cackled loudly and shouted:

“Gaspar! I bet you’re wishing you were asleep right now because I stole the Upper Debyl system from right
under your nose, just as I promised!” Anton laughed loudly, enjoying his victory to the fullest. Gaspar seemed a
little taken aback.

“How did you know…?” He stammered. “Well, never mind. Say, Anton, I’ll buy it back from you. Whatever you
paid plus 50% extra, that’s a hefty profit right there.” He said, looking hopeful.

“In your dreams. That system is mine. You’ll never get it!” Anton laughed again, even louder this time. Gaspar,
dejected, walked away. Anton’s shrill laughter chasing his heavy steps. Naine followed Gaspar, wanting to
comfort him but unsure how to go about it without embarrassing him even more. Once they were close to the
entrance Gaspar whispered quietly to Naine:

“Can he see us?” Naine looked back, Anton was hidden from view by a happy throng of party-goers.

“No, the crowd is in the way.” Naine replied.

“Good.” Gaspar said and then he lifted his slumped shoulders and unwrinkled his saddened face. The old Gaspar
was back again, jolly as always.

“Well, Naine. That went rather well, didn’t you think?” He said merrily. Naine felt his head spinning.

“But, sir. Anton just bought the system you were after.” He said.

“Yes, he did.” Gaspar said. “And do you know why I was after it?” He asked with a twinkle in his eye.

“Well, I guess because there’s something of value there.”

“No, the system is totally and utterly void of anything interesting or valuable. I was after it because I wanted
Anton to buy it.” Gaspar said. Suddenly it dawned on Naine:

“I see, sir. You knew that if Anton heard about your interest in the system, then he would become interested in
it. So you deliberately started the rumor that you wanted to buy it. Very clever, sir. But from whom did Anton
buy it? No! Don’t answer, let me guess. Governor Sed-Innad, right?

“Well, the governor’s brother actually. But otherwise you’re correct in your assumptions, well done. You might
have a future in politics after all.” Gaspar said. Naine beamed. Gaspar spotted governor Sed-Innad and his
nephew. He waved them to come over. Then he leaned towards Naine and said:

“Meet me at my suite in one hour. I’ve got some business to discuss and then some hard partying to do.” Then
Gaspar took Naine’s arm and led him to a sofa where two Gallentean beauties were seated. “Why don’t you in
the meantime get on first name basis with my friends over here?” Gaspar whispered into Naine’s ear and
steered him down into the sofa.

“Sir, are you sure about this?” Naine wailed in near panic as the two girls leaned into him on both sides.

“One hour, remember that!” Was all Gaspar shouted as he led the Amarrians away into the crowd.

An hour later a sweaty but happy Gaspar rounded the corner to his suite. It didn’t surprise him all that much to
see Naine already waiting in front of the door. His hair was tangled and his cloths disheveled.

“So, did you get on ok with the girls?” Gaspar asked him as he led them into his suite.

“They… they we’re like animals!” Naine exclaimed, clearly still flustered from his encounter.

“Ooo! You lucky man!” Gaspar said smiling. The two men entered the living room. Two heavyset Amarrians were
seated near the door. They stood up when Gaspar and Naine came in.

“Ah, gentlemen.” Gaspar said, not the least surprised to see the two Amarrians there. Gaspar seated himself
while the Amarrians planted themselves on either side of Naine.

“Well, Naine. I’m afraid this is the end of the road for you.” Gaspar signaled the Amarrians, which promptly
pinned Naine’s arms to his sides. Naine’s face registered astonishment and fear in equal proportions.

“What’s the meaning of this? I will let you know that I’m employee of the Foreign Ministry, they’ll surely hear
about this and then it’s the end of the road for you, pal.” Naine said, anger welling up in him.

“I’m afraid not. The Foreign Ministry has fired you and absolved themselves from any fate that may befall you.

-923-
And your fate is in my hand.” Gaspar said harshly. “I can see you’re confused, Mr. Naine. I’ll make things a bit
clearer for you. I know that you’re a Caldari agent.” Naine licked his lips, but otherwise his face was impassive.
For a minute neither man said a word, then Naine spoke:

“You come here all high and mighty, constantly making boisterous remarks and outrageous claims. But now you
have gone too far. I’m afraid I cannot let these accusations go unanswered.” He said, sounding confidant, but
sweating profusely.

“Don’t bother with the lies and denials.” Gaspar said. He reached into his pocket and produced a small data-vis
chip. He activated it and a pale hologram sprouted from the floor between the pair. Even if it was grainy and
occasionally out of focus the men in the hologram were clearly the Gallentean diplomatic attaché Niedanai
Naine and major Ati Mittuchi of CBD Corporation. The two were conversing in hushed tones in a bar or
restaurant it seemed.

“Do you want me to turn the sound up?” Gaspar said. “It’s pretty condemning, what with you spilling your guts
about all sorts of interesting issues supposedly a secret. I have a whole stack of these holograms.” Naine
seemed to go weak at the knees, slumping like a drunken man. Then he contemplated for a moment trying to
escape the steel grips of the hulking Amarrians, but thought better off it.

“Your fate is sealed, my dear Niedanai.” Gaspar said, driving the facts home.

“What made you suspect me?” Naine finally moaned pathetically, seeing no point in trying to deny anything
anymore. He was clearly crestfallen, his little world collapsing around him.

“Huh! You’re more Caldari-like than many Caldari I know. You practically reek of being their spy.” Gaspar
answered. “All I needed was a confirmation and I got it earlier tonight from a Jovian contact I have. Do you know
what I had to pay for a proof? Do you know what you’re worth to the Jovians?” Gaspar taunted. Naine shook his
head.

“A rock. A medium sized rock from Gallente Prime. Not a special rock at all, just… a rock. Don’t you find that
funny?” Naine vas visibly shaking by now, his body hanging limb between the Amarrian strongmen. Gaspar
continued:

“But then again I understand that is the standard price for a Caldari spy: a medium sized rock from Gallente
Prime. Weird, don’t you think? If you ask me I think the Jovians are conducting a little experiment. Are there
more Caldari spies within the Gallente Federation than there are medium sized rocks on Gallente Prime? I don’t
know, maybe one day we’ll have to go to the Jovian Empire to visit our ancestral planet.” Gaspar let out a short
laugh at the thought.

“What are you going to do to me?” Naine whispered.

“I’m selling you to the Amarrians.” Gaspar said coldly. “Oh, don’t worry, you’ll be well cared for, you’re going to
one of their better slave plantations. I gather the work is not so hard there once you get used to the heat. I hear
they got a slave spokesman there, sort of like a union leader. I’m sure if you put the things I’ve taught you
tonight to good use you can work your way up to it. And until then, remember, playful working. Take him away,
boys.” The Amarrians started dragging Naine towards the door.

“Wait, wait!” Naine wailed. “Answer me just one question. How did the Caldari deal go?” Gaspar motioned the
guards to halt. Then he withdrew the id-chip from his pocket and threw it at Naine’s feet.
“That chip is a phony, Mr. Naine. Just like you.” Gaspar said. “It was all a ruse, a bit of a trickery by me and
governor Sed-Innad. He got the Caldari to lower their price by 15%, I’ll get a share of the profit and my own little
deal involving Gallentean-made ship thrusters went through smoothly, what with all my rivals focusing on
something entirely different. I guess major Mittuchi is quite
pleased with himself at the moment for ‘outbidding’ my Caldari
scanners, but I’m not so sure if his superiors will agree when they
discover that I’ve never bought any scanners on Yria Base. That’s
what happens when they send amateur negotiators to do a real
man’s work. Goodbye, Mr. Naine.” The two guards dragged the
whimpering man out of the suite.

Gaspar sat down at his desk, pouring himself a stiff drink and DNA
drug tested it before sipping. He ran the events of the day
through his head. The thruster deal alone netted a hefty 200%
profit and his share of the Upper Debyl sale and the Caldari deal
was not too shabby either. Firing up his portable computer he
scanned his diary, making a few notes and reflecting upon those
things next on the agenda. He established connection with the
station management office.

“Wake me up at 7 am tomorrow.” He said to the receptionist,

-924-
glancing at his timepiece. “And can you contact the docking bay and make them have my ship prepared at 8
am?”

“Yes, sir. Have a good night.” The receptionist answered. Gaspar leaned back in the chair, taking another sip.

‘Tomorrow its Hrokkur station for those sly Krusuals and their contraband goods. And the day after… Well, lets
not waste today thinking too much about future days. I’ll play it by the ear as always.’ Gaspar thought. Saluting
himself in the mirror he drank the rest of the spirit and went to bed.

-925-
The Ray of Matar
“…and the bloated Rock perched itself on the top of the
new mountain, gloating and wallowing in its own self-
esteem.

‘Look, Mountain,’ the Rock said. ‘Look at me on top of my

own mountain.’ But the Mountain answered:

‘Foolish Rock, look beneath you. Your mountain is weak. It

cannot support you.’

The Rock looked down, and saw it was true. Its mountain
was feeble, frail. The Rock could hear all the little rocks in
the mountain groaning beneath its weight.
‘Maybe my mountain will crumble, but I got to the top, as I
set out to do; I fulfilled my dream.’ the Rock righteously
said to the Mountain.

‘Yes, but then what?’ The Mountain enquired. ‘You had a

good place on the side of me; you were in the light, with
the wind caressing you and the sun warming you and the
moss licking you.’

Suddenly the little mountain the Rock had erected

collapsed. The Rock felt itself being dragged down; it
toppled down the mountain side and all the little rocks
came in its wake. It hit the ground and the little rocks
piled in front and back and the sides and on top the Rock.
It was trapped beneath all the small rocks that it had gathered for its mountain; they squeezed it tight and the
Rock felt like suffocating.

‘Mountain!’ it wheezed weakly. ‘Help me!’

‘What can I do?’ the Mountain said. ‘You brought this onto yourself. You couldn’t be satisfied with the place I
gave to you; you had to get to the top. And now look at you, trapped beneath your own mountain forever.’

‘But it was my dream,’ the Rock sobbed, ‘everybody has got to have a dream.’

‘Not if your dream is based on a fantasy, rather than reality.’ The Mountain replied sagely and went back to
sleep.”

Vormar finished the story with a small bow and Karin started breathing again. She didn’t hold her breath through
the whole story, that was humanly impossible, but she always held her breath during the last part of the story,
when the Rock was smothered under its own mountain. Maybe she did it to empathize with the Rock; as a child
Karin always took the side of the Rock in its struggle with the evil Mountain. That was before she understood the
metaphorical meaning of the story and realized the folly of the Rock’s actions. But the story had always
remained one of her favorites and the chance to hear it now from a master storyteller like Vormar enchanted her
even more.

The large tents were the only constructions allowed close to the sacred ground.
The large tents were the only constructions allowed close to the sacred ground.
People thronged the large, dimly lit tent. The tent was at the apex of a small camp situated close to the sacred
ground. Karin’s eyes were watering because of the smoke in the tent and her buttocks were sore from the
uncomfortable cushion she sat on. But the tents were the only dwellings allowed within miles of the sacred
ground, a tradition refurbished after the rebellion to give people a better feeling for the ancient rituals and
ceremonies performed at the place. One of these ceremonies was to take place that night and Karin was to
participate in it. This was the most important ceremony in a Minmatars life, called Voluval or the Test of Destiny.
In the Voluval a Minmatar faced his true inner-self and, most importantly, the findings would permanently mark
the body for all to see. Karin was to participate that night.

Vormar was her essence instructor. His responsibility was to educate those undergoing the test on what it
involved and prepare them mentally for it.

Karin was thankful to Vormar for telling them the story of the Rock and the Mountain, for it calmed her nerves
for the upcoming event. She approached Vormar at the back of the tent where he was putting away his battered
copy of Minmatar folk tales; he didn’t actually read from the book, but in his old age he felt comfort in having it
at hand in case his memory suddenly failed.

“Ah, Karin,” Vormar said when she entered his field of vision. “What can I do for you?”

-926-
“Well, it’s about my tattoos…” Karin began hesitantly.

“Yes, your tattoos.” The old man said. “You’re unsure

what motif to go for, right?”

“Yes, that’s it.” Karin said. “Well, as I’m a slave-child

and all that. Not knowing my family clan…”

“Don’t worry. You’re of the Minmatar tribe Sebiestor;

that’s what is most important.” Vormar said and
smiled reassuringly.

“But what family clan motif should I choose? I might

upset somebody by my choice…”

“Not all families have a motif and not all motifs are
associated with a specific family.” Vormar said.
“Here, let me show you something.” The old sage
started rummaging in his trunk. After a while he
produced a large leather-bound book.

“My father gave me this book when I was your age.”

He said. “It illustrates and explains everything you
want to know about tattoos. Take a look at it, maybe it will help you decide what motif you want.” Vormar
handed Karin the book. She opened it at random. The page showed a picture of a tattooed man, with
explanations for each tattoo.

“This book was published shortly after the rebellion.” Vormar continued. “While we were under the yoke of the
Amarrians they systematically tried to erase many of our most sacred traditions; tattooing amongst them. This
book was intended to re-introduce this ancient custom to those that had never experienced it. Admittedly not all
modern motifs are in it, but all of the old major ones are there. I’ve used it before to teach slave-children such
as you about tattooing. You can borrow it for a few days.”

Karin flicked through the aged tome, examining the finally drafted images. She already knew the gist of the
tattooing tradition; that part of the face was reserved for the clan tattoo and the shoulders for rank tattoos. She
also knew that facial war tattoos based on nano technology were very popular among the younger generations.
This special type of tattoo could appear and disappear depending on the emotional state of the person. Like all
Minmatar children in the Republic, Karin had picked up this basic knowledge of tattoos at an early age. But she
was still uncertain about what kind of tattoos to choose and now that the Voluval was fast approaching the time
was running out, as she was allowed to get tattoos once the ceremony was over. It wasn’t exactly essential to
make the selection now; many only did so after they saw what mark they got. But for Karin the selection meant
more than just decorating her body, to her the tattoo motif revealed and reinforced her identity, something she
had always struggled with, being a slave-child. Karin sat down in the far corner of the tent to look more closely
at the book Vormar had given her. In half an hour Vormar would give the last lesson to her and the other
adolescents preparing for the Voluval in his role as their essence instructor and she intended to use these few
minutes to study the tattoo book. But when she had just started a commotion in another corner of the tent
distracted her.
Mattmar Graur and a few of his friends were light-heartedly arguing with some girls. Karin noticed that Mattmar
gave her a smile and a wink when he noticed her looking at him and she quickly looked down at the book again.
‘The silly fool’ she thought. She involuntarily ran through the events of last night in her head.

Karin was sitting on the flat roof of the tent-house of Graur at the outskirts of the camp. Troinn Graur was the
richest merchant in Karin’s hometown of Mithuris, and his son and heir, Mattmar Graur, was sitting beside her.
They had been friends since childhood, but since Mattmar hit puberty they’d sort of drifted apart. Mattmar
became pompous, vain and superficial, all traits that Karin loathed. But their mutual trepidation for the
upcoming test tomorrow night made them seek each other out for support.

“What’s on your mind, Karin?” Mattmar asked, watching her stare at the night sky.

“You should know.” Karin answered after some pause.

“How could I know?” Mattmar laughed, “I’m not a mind-reader.”

“Well, I know what’s on your mind.” she replied, leaning backwards on her hands and staring even more intently
at the stars above.

“That’s because I always have the same thing on my mind.” Mattmar said with a twinkle in his eye and moved
closer to Karin. Karin paid him no attention.

“What are you going to do after the ceremony tomorrow?” She asked him.

-927-
 “I dunno, depends on my mark, I suppose.” He answered,
obviously not all that comfortable talking about it. Karin
looked at him.

“You haven’t thought about your mark?”

“No, why should I? It’s all subconscious anyway,”

Mattmar said, adding: “And besides, almost all males in
my family get the same basic mark: an upside-down
triangle with two spokes at the top; the bull-mark. I’ll
probably get the same.”
Karing and Mattmar talking under the starlit night sky
Karing and Mattmar talking under the starlit night sky
Karin saw that he was far from being as confidant about
it as he would let her belief, but decided not to press him
about it. She was nervous enough about her own mark as
it was. She feared she would get one of the degrading
marks: the spiraling circle; the scarecrow; the purple
cross; or any of the numerous other marks that could
forever exile you from Minmatar society. Fortunately this
didn’t happen often; Karin had only witnessed it once,
when she was six years old. A teenage boy got the worst
mark there was: the pale eye. The poor boy had been
driven away from the town, not even his family was
willing to recognize him, let alone help him. The memory
still sent shivers down Karin’s spine and she huddled
closer to Mattmar. Of course the boy misinterpreted this
for a sign of affection and he tried to put his hand around
her shoulders. She shook him off.

“What?” Mattmar said in mock surprise. This wasn’t the first time he tried it and failed. Suddenly Karin flared up,
all her uncertainties and inner anxiety bursting out.

“What!? I tell you what, Mattmar Graur. Tomorrow you’ll be tested, tomorrow you’ll find out what future lies
ahead of you, and you shrug it off like it was unimportant. I remember the time when we could talk about the
future, our dreams, but now… Now, all you want to do is hang around with the guys and ogle the girls. What
happened, man?” Karin shook her dark tresses in disgust.

“Hey, chill out kid. I care for the future. I just find it smarter to live in the now, rather than to constantly dwell on
the future.” Mattmar leaned towards Karin, his tone suddenly more serious. “To tell you the truth, I dream of
becoming a High Justice.”

“Well, in that case you should spend more time on your school books than on partying. With your grades you’re
lucky if you get to be a waiter in a Vherokior diner.” Karin said teasingly.

“Aw, come on. I’ve got brains.” Mattmar replied. “Plus, daddy has some friends in high places; he can get me an
internship in the Justice Department. And once I’ve got my foot inside the door…” He thrust his hand upwards.
“I’ll shoot straight for the stars.” He finished, laughing.

“So, it seems you’ve got it all figured out.” Karin said.

“Sure I do. I always have and always will. What about you? I bet you have some fanciful dreams for the future.”
Mattmar asked.

“Yes…” Karin said reluctantly, unsure of how wise it was to confide in Mattmar. “It’s only fair I tell you, right?
Well, I feel deeply about the poor situation we Minmatars are in today.”

“What are you talking about, kid?” Mattmar said. “We threw out the Amarrians, we’re free.”

“Maybe so, but we’re still divided into multiple factions. The Republic is nothing but a loosely united assembly of
factions, each seemingly with the only agenda to disrupt and disintegrate the state. We can’t extend our
political thought beyond the clan and it’s tearing us apart. The result is that the Minmatars are scattered
throughout our world of EVE; billions of them are still enslaved within the Amarr Empire and we don’t have the
wits to pull ourselves together to free them.” Karin paused for breath.

“So we all hate the Amarr Empire.” Mattmar chimed in. “Don’t worry your pretty little head over these big
issues.”

“I do worry, I’m slave-child, remember. My parents risked their lives getting me smuggled out of Amarr space

-928-
 and they’re still there, slaves to some hideous Amarrian.” Karin
almost shouted, her anger and frustration again getting the
better of her.

“We do fight the Amarrians, we’re doing our best.” Mattmar said
soothingly.

“We’re not fighting the Amarrians, we’re fighting the Ammatars,

our own cousins.”

“Those scums deserve to die, we’ll finish them off and then the
Amarrians.” Mattmar responded.

“No, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. The Ammatars aren’t our
real enemy. The Amarrians just play them off against us,
keeping us both occupied. But if we’d unite we could take out
the Amarrians for good.” Karin said heatedly.

“It’s impossible, we can never unite with the Ammatars.”

Mattmar said. “Many have tried, and failed. You don’t want to
become a failure, now do you?”

“I don’t care, all I know is that uniting the Minmatars is

something I’m willing to fight for, even die for.”

“You know, it’s fanatics like you that give the rest of us a bad
image.” Mattmar said, obviously tired of listening to what he
considered to be silly ravings.

“No!” Karin screamed and jumped to her feet. “It’s people like you that are stifling the Minmatar race. It’s your
narrow-mindedness that’s keeping billions of our people enslaved and oppressed this very minute!” Karin was
fed up and stormed away, furious.

Thinking about all of this now, sitting here in the murky tent with Mattmar and his friends nearby, made Karin
regret having said those things to him. Not that she was ashamed of her beliefs, but she shouldn’t have blurted
them out like that, Mattmar was just the type to misunderstand the whole thing. She also regretted loosing her
temper, it didn’t improve her views in Mattmar’s eyes. Hopefully he would forget the whole thing.

Karin was pulled from her reverie by Vormar’s voice. He was gathering the adolescents around him, in
preparation for the guidance he was going to give them in his role as essence instructor. Once they were seated
around him, he began.

“Well, this is our last discussion before the ceremony begins. We’ve already covered pretty much everything and
I think you’re all ready for the test. Just remember to stay calm during the ceremony and keep your mind
focused. We have a last minute arrival here, Eliza. She’s been space cruising with her family for the last few
weeks and they just arrived in time for the ceremony. So if the
rest of you don’t mind, I’ll give Eliza a quick review. The rest of
you can stay if you want to.”

No one moved, Vormar’s presence helped them to relax,

something they all needed at this time. Vormar continued:
The destiny mark describes that person's Inner-self; what sort of
person he or she is deep down.
The destiny mark describes that person's Inner-self; what sort of
person he or she is deep down.
“Eliza, maybe it’s best if you ask me about anything that’s on
your mind.”

“So, how exactly does the mark appear as it does?” It came as

no surprise that Eliza, obviously a keen and bright girl,
immediately asked about the most troubling matter on the
minds of those undergoing the test.

Vormar cleared his throat before replying: “Yes, thank you Eliza
for coming right to the point. As you know, if you’ve witnessed a
Voluval before, those being tested undergo a special treatment
by the spirit conductor overseeing the ceremony. This treatment
involves direct injections into the heart and the ventral root
area…”

-929-
 “What kind of injections?” Eliza interrupted.

“Well, a large quantity of tyrosine is injected into the heart, which then,
through metabolism, is turned into melanin by the body. Frankly, I’m not
sure what exactly the mixture injected into the ventral root area
consists off; it’s a closely guarded secret of the chemists that prepare it.
Only a few of the ingredients are commonly known, among them are
acetylcholine, oxytocin, calcitonin, and vasoactive intestinal
polypeptide.” The names were clearly just as unfamiliar to Vormar as
the rest of them, but at least it was something.

“And what does it do?” Eliza probed further. Vormar didn’t seem
annoyed by Eliza’s discourteous questions; he was probably used to all
kinds of weird or silly or rude questions from those he was preparing for
the Voluval.

“Magic!” Vormar said and smiled. “No, seriously speaking, I can’t tell
you with certainty. The melanin spreads all over the body through the
blood stream, but only the small bit that is affected by the other
injection is actually used. The rest flushes out of the body. Now, the real mystery is what the ventral root
injection does. We only know what little the chemists that prepare it tell us: that it connects with the sub-
consciousness and then uses the free-flowing melanin to form intricate marks on the body. These marks become
a permanent feature of the person’s skin, a permanent tan so to speak that alters according to the skin color of
the person to be constantly visible. They describe that person’s inner-self; what kind of person he is deep down.
I’m afraid that’s all I know, and I guess you’ve heard it many times before.”

Eliza continued to ask Vormar about the effects and nature of the injection, but Karin ignored them, she’d heard
it all before. It was obvious to her that Vormar knew nothing more, or at least was unwilling to reveal it.
Like most Minmatar men Vormar was bare from the waist up, only thus could the multiple tattoos be displayed
and appreciated properly. She scrutinized Vormar’s mark: a circled dot just above his navel. Sinuous tattoos
coiled around it, but none covered it.
It was forbidden to put a tattoo over ones mark. Karin wished her mark would appear on the abdomen like
Vormar’s. It was humiliating to get it on the legs or arms or even the back. Karin knew that many dreamed
about getting their mark in the face; it was the ultimate honor and brought instant fame to anyone that
acquired it. But only one in a million got a facial mark, and the social burden of getting one was something that
Karin was certain she could never handle at her age.

Once the session was over Karin joined a group of buddies from school. She couldn’t really call any of them a
friend; being the only slave-child in the school she was an outsider to most of the others.

The group was chatting about idle things, school and the weather; none of them wanted to think too much
about the ceremony that was to start in a couple of hours. Not that the ceremony itself was that terrible, but the
results of the ceremony could permanently alter the lives of any of them. Suddenly Mattmar barged into the
group along with his loud and boisterous friends.

“Why’s everyone so gloomy?” He cried. “We’re getting our ticket into adulthood in a few hours and you act like
a bunch of scared sissies. C’mon you guys, brighten up. We’ll party through the night and tomorrow we go and
get ourselves our first tattoos.” Mattmar finished with a flourish. All the kids around him cheered. But like the
night before, Karin felt that Mattmar’s attitude was immature, even if it lightened the crowd. He was too
superficial about the whole thing, like it was some kind of a game. Mattmar spotted her sour face and called out:

“Hey Karin, what’s up? Afraid you won’t get your martyr mark?” He then turned to the others and continued:

“Karin wants to become friends with the Ammatars, she wants to go on a

crusade with them.” All the kids laughed and jeered at Karin.

‘The bastard.’ She thought, fighting the tears. ‘How could he?’ Karin
finally realized what kind of a person Mattmar was. To him friendship
meant nothing. He only called someone a friend when it suited his own
selfish purposes. ‘How could I be so stupid to trust him?’ She thought.
The taunts continued, the kids began calling her names:

“Stupid Ammatar bitch…”

“Filthy slave-lover…”

“Your mother was raped by an Amarr Holder, you ugly bastard…”

-930-
Karin ran away, the taunts following her retreating steps,
silent tears streaming down her cheeks. She knew her
dream was to most people absurd, but she fervently
believed in it, and she wasn’t going to give it up for
anybody. ‘Maybe I’m like the Rock in the story.’ She
thought to herself. ‘Maybe I want to build my own
mountain, pebble for pebble, stone for stone. And cripple
myself when it crumbles.’
Chapter 7
The sacred ground was a flat piece of land about quarter
of a kilometer on each side. It formed a small stage-like
plateau of crystallized rock, formed by the extreme heat
caused by the thrusters of a landing space ship. The
sacred ground marked the place where one of the huge
colonization ships carrying the ancestors of the
Minmatars landed thousands of years ago.

A circle of fires enclosed the plateau, the flickering lights illuminating the place and blocking out the stars.
Spectators numbering a few thousands thronged the area around it, but the plateau itself was empty. In the
middle of it, circles and signs had been painted in preparation for the upcoming ritual.

The ceremony was about to start. The spirit conductor entered the plateau; his appearance silenced the
expectant crowd. Behind the spirit conductor the lesser supervisors filed along, each taking their places on the
plateau. Music, rhythmical beatings, sprang forth; the men on the plateau began humming a hymn in time to
the music; the Voluval had started.

On a stony hillock some two kilometers from the sacred ground a lonesome figure huddled on a rock. Karin
watched the ceremony commence, uncertainty written over her face. She wanted to crawl under the rock she
sat on, crawl beneath it and disappear forever. But she couldn’t do it, she owed it to the parents she never knew
to go back and take the test. She kicked a small pebble at her feet and watched it roll down the hillside, taking
dozens of its brethren with it. She made up her mind. If she couldn’t face her fears here, among supposed
friends and allies, then when could she? If she wasn’t ready to stand up for her beliefs against her compatriots,
then how could she do so when facing Ammatars, or Amarrians? Karin stood up and started running.
The first few participants were through. All had escaped humiliation and many were proudly brandishing
respectable marks. Karin joined the back of the line, ignoring the curious gazes around her. Next up was
Mattmar.

He strode to the spirit conductor, confidence radiating from him. He kneeled before the conductor, who
sprinkled Mattmar’s head with a smelly brew intended to cleanse the spirit. Then Mattmar raised his head and
one of the assistants handed the conductor a silver syringe. With one swift stroke the conductor plunged the
syringe right into Mattmar’s chest, through his breastbone and into his heart. Mattmar’s body tensed, but he
didn’t cry out, as so many did. The conductor pulled the syringe out again in another practiced stroke and the
assistant pressed a cloth against the small puncture wound on Mattmar’s chest.

The conductor continued his ritual mumblings, walking behind Mattmar. Kneeling behind the boy he took
another syringe from the hands of an assistant. With his left hand he felt Mattmar’s small back for a second
before plunging the syringe into the base of the spine. Again Mattmar tensed, but there was no cry.

The conductor rose to his feet and walked in front of Mattmar again. Now it was Mattmar’s turn to speak, the
only time during the ritual he was allowed to. A small saying was required, while the potions started racing
through the body. The saying was intended as a declaration of the person’s look on life, himself, or his
surroundings. Through the ages, many of the sayings
became standardized, children saying the same thing as
their mother or father before them. Karin had thought long
and hard about her saying, finally deciding on two lines
from a poem by Hantur Gutreren: ‘Place yourself in the
heart of your family/Then nothing can separate you’,
finding it appropriate for her background and future
dreams. Mattmar didn’t say anything new, his saying was
the same as his father’s: ‘I take pride in protecting my
people and honor in housing them.’

Mattmar rose to his feet and the conductor placed a black

mantle around his head and shoulders, covering him
completely. It would be removed once the mark had
appeared. Everyone waited in anticipation; the minutes
ticked by. Finally the conductor declared that the mark had
appeared and removed the mantle. Mattmar looked down,
then turned towards the crowd. The bull-mark, the horned
triangle, was sitting squarely in the middle of his chest. It

-931-
was the ultimate place for such a mark. Mattmar beamed with pride when the crowd enthusiastically applauded.
He took his place on the plateau among those already tested, his haughty manners disgusting Karin.
The ceremony continued, one adolescent after another. Karin didn’t pay much attention to the procedure.
Between her nervousness and the arrogant glare of Mattmar in her direction her mind didn’t seem to function all
too well. At last it was her turn. She walked up to the conductor, trying not to shake visibly. She went through
the motions of the ceremony like an automaton, not even noticing whether she cried or not when the steel
syringe penetrated her flesh. The conductor’s voice broke through to her; it was time for her saying. She opened
her eyes. Over the shoulder of the conductor she saw the toothy grin on Mattmar’s face. Karin opened her
mouth and listened to the words spill out: ‘Vain flame burns fast/and its lick is light/Modest flame lasts long/and
burns to the bone.’ Karin didn’t realize what she said until it was all out; she was as startled as the others. She
saw Mattmar’s smile falter a little. He knew what she meant.

Karin felt the tingle, in her spine and under her skin. She wasn’t sure if it felt discomforting or merely
unpleasant. The conductor placed the mantle on her shoulders and lifted the hood over her head, shielding her
eyes from those around her. Her mind was a blur, but from its depth she heard Vormar’s voice: ‘Keep your mind
focused.’ She forced her mind clear, her skin now felt cold and clammy, then suddenly the mantle was pulled off
her. She blinked once or twice, accustoming her eyes once more to the bright lights illuminating the small
plateau. She looked around her. Every face was staring at her like she had suddenly materialized from thin air.
Silence, none spoke, all she heard was her own shallow breathing. The decade old memory of the boy and his
pale-eye mark popped into her mind; the reaction then was the same stunned silence. Karin looked down on
herself. Nothing, she saw nothing on her torso or abdomen or legs or arms. Then the conductor lifted a mirror
and she saw her face. And there, extending down and side-ways from her left eye were several dark lines,
ranging from one to three centimeters in length. She caught her breath. It was the Ray of Matar mark, the rarest
and most revered of all the marks.

Epilogue

Karin felt dizzy, like she was going to faint; her mind was in turmoil. And yet her face, staring at her in the
mirror, remained impassive and calm. She looked the conductor in the eye; the man was obviously in a state of
shock and disbelief. As Karin was the last of those undergoing the test the conductor should be finishing off the
ceremony at this very moment, but he stood there immobile. She scanned the faces of the crowd, finally finding
a familiar face in Vormar. The pleading in her eyes was not unnoticed by the old man and he walked to her.
Vormar took her hands in his and softly said:

“You’re obviously meant for something great, my dear.”

“Yes.” Karin answered confidently. “Yes, I’m sure I am.”

In her mind, the stones were beginning to pile up, one by one.

-932-
The Jovian Wetgrave
Lieutenant Hirakii Pirkotan looked at his freshly shaven face in the steel mirror in his cabin aboard the Caldari
cruiser Okarioni. Immaculate. For the first time in weeks the young lieutenant had the almost forgotten feeling
of excitement in the pit of his stomach. Pirkotan's father had fought in the war against the Gallentean
Federation and his thrilling tales of battles and bravery had made their mark on the teenage mind of Pirkotan.
But the war had been over for 15 years, and in all the years that Pirkotan had spent in the navy, hardly anything
noteworthy had ever occurred. Scrubbing, drilling, sleeping - that seemed the be-all and end-all of navy life. But
then, less than two months ago, a new race had made contact with the Caldari. Pirkotan knew little about the
race, except that they were most likely of human origins. Shortly after the first contact, the Okarioni had been
ordered to the frontier where the new race had introduced itself. And now, after days of uneventful cruising
through Caldari space, the ship was nearing its destination - a rendezvous with a ship belonging to the new
race.

Pirkotan straightened his jacket for the umpteenth time and left his cabin. While walking towards the bridge his
mind once again turned to this unorthodox mission. There were too many loose ends and unanswered questions
for Pirkotan's comfort. Why had the Okarioni been ordered to berth on a high-security military shipyard
belonging to the Ishukone corporation for two weeks before coming here? And what strange devices had been
installed and then sealed in Cargo Hold B? Why this secrecy, preventing even him, the second-in-command,
from knowing what was going on? Pirkotan was not happy with the situation and while he was aware that many
of the crew members felt the same way, he knew better than to complain. With these troubled thoughts on his
mind, Pirkotan reached the bridge.

Captain Ouriye was seated in the command chair on the bridge, overseeing the last course-changes to the
meeting point. Pirkotan sat himself down in his own chair to the left and a little bit behind the command chair.

"So what's the situation, sir?" he asked.

"We should rendezvous in about 20 minutes," Ouriye responded. The captain and his sub-ordinate sat in silence
for a minute. Finally, Ouriye spoke:

"Now that we're about to rendezvous I can fill you in on our mission." Pirkotan’s ears perked up; at last he'd
know why they were being sent here. The captain sat silent for a full minute before he spoke again.

"This race we've made contact with calls itself Jove. I know nothing more of them, except that the high
command informs me that they seem highly advanced. The reason for us being here is to exchange information.
It seems these Jovians regard the acquisition of information to be their highest goal in life and are willing to pay
handsomely for it," Ouriye chuckled, then continued:
"We're giving them all kinds of information: data on social issues...
"We're giving them all kinds of information: data on social issues...
"We're giving them all kinds of information: data on social issues, historical facts, navigational charts, even
some military secrets," captain Ouriye was visibly upset by this last statement.

"But our superiors feel that what we're getting in exchange is worth it..." the captain trailed off.

"What are we getting in exchange?" Pirkotan asks.

"I'm not sure, lieutenant, I'm not sure. It's some sort of a device for controlling or communicating with your ship,
that's all I know."

Pirkotan sat thoughtfully, scratching the back of his

neck. It was still sore after the operation. While berthed
on the Ishukone station Ouriye had encouraged Pirkotan
to have neural implants inserted into his spinal cord and
cerebellum, saying that it would definitely further his
career.

"Sir, these things we're giving them, are they in Cargo

Hold B?" Pirkotan asked the captain.

"No, that, uh... device, is what we're getting in exchange

from the Jovians." Ouriye answered.

"What? We already have what we're getting here on this

ship? I don't understand, sir." Pirkotan said puzzled.

"We've got a part of it. All the vital bits, such as the
cognitive pattern decoders, are missing. The Jovians
we're about to meet will bring those missing bits and
show us how everything works." Ouriye said.

-933-
Pirkotan pondered for a while. "What I don't understand, sir, is why we were sent on our own to meet these
Jovians."

"What do you mean?" inquired Ouriye?

"Well, I'd think that at this early stage in our relationship with the Jovians that diplomats, not soldiers, would
deal solely with them, sir. I wonder why we weren't assigned a diplomat to handle the discussions..."

"We're not here as official representatives of the Caldari State. Our orders come directly from Rato Momoriyota,
CEO of the Ishukone corporation. This mission, this trade, is strictly the business of the Ishukone corporation.
Our superiors have every confidence in us to complete this mission on our own." Ouriye explained.

"By our superiors, you mean the heads of the Ishukone corporation, sir?"

"Yes, that's correct, lieutenant." Ouriye replied. "But that doesn't make this mission any less important or
meaningful."

By now, the vessel they were to meet was clearly visible on the radar.

"Their ship doesn't seem all that big," Pirkotan observed. Indeed, the vessel was only half as big as the Okarioni,
only slightly bigger than an average Caldari frigate. The ship was a combination of rather dull-looking shiny-
metal green, brown and gray. It had a most peculiar shape, almost like it had been grown or carved, instead of
built.

The communication officer waved them over. "We're receiving a message from the Jovian vessel," the officer
said. "It says they're coming over."

"All right," Ouriye said, "Lieutenant, you know your duty."

"Yes, captain," Pirkotan answered and exited the bridge. He went to the shuttle bay, bringing four marines with
him. "Behave yourself, men," Pirkotan said, "These are distinguished guests we're to escort, each and every one
of you is now an ambassador for the Caldari State." 'Or the Ishukone corporation, at any rate.' Pirkotan thought.

A shuttle, in the same colors as the Jovian ship, was docking in the bay. Three small men exited the shuttle.
Each of them wore a tunic-like uniform of fine materials, light-brown and gray in color. Although they were
definitely human, they looked very strange: their skin was pale grayish yellow, almost transparent, with veins
clearly discernible. The heads seemed abnormally big, but otherwise their bodies were thin and feeble-looking.
Pirkotan couldn't help the uneasiness he felt by looking at them. The three men walked towards Pirkotan and
one of them, walking in front of the others addressed Pirkotan. "Greetings, Caldari officer. I'm Anu of Jove and
these are my aides Yed and Elas," the Jovian spoke in perfect Caldanese, with almost no detectible accent, his
movements and gestures were lithe and graceful. Pirkotan wondered where the Jovian had learned such good
Caldanese.
Although they were definitely human, they looked very strange
Although they were definitely human, they looked very strange
Pirkotan caught himself staring into the pale yellow eyes of the Jovian and stuttered his answer. "Yes, uh...
welcome aboard the Okarioni, sir. Um... I'm lieutenant Hirakii Pirkotan. Please follow me." Pirkotan tore his eyes
away from the probing gaze of the Jovian, turned on his heels and started walking towards the main deck. The
Jovians followed and Pirkotan heard them chattering among themselves in a strange language that seemed to
consist entirely of vowels.

Back on the bridge, Pirkotan introduced the captain and

the Jovians. Ouriye seemed perfectly at ease conversing
with the Jovians, unlike Pirkotan, who was nervous and
uncomfortable. But while the Jovians were making small
talk with the captain, Pirkotan for the first time managed
to see them as humans and not some outer space aliens.
They even laughed dutifully at the captain's jokes,
showing their full understanding of the social etiquette
found everywhere among humans. Soon, the
conversation turned to the matters at hand and the
Jovians asked to see the items they were to receive.

"Lieutenant Pirkotan, bring the crate in my personal

quarters." Ouriye ordered Pirkotan, handing him a
security key. "Bring it here to the bridge."

"Yes, sir." Pirkotan answered, motioning the four marines

to follow him. As he was leaving the bridge he heard one
of the Jovians ask: "Has he been prepared, captain?" and

-934-
Ouriye replied: "As much as he needs to be." Pirkotan hesitated for a moment, but then continued,
contemplating what he'd overheard. 'Were they talking about me?' he thought.

The crater was not all that big, maybe one meter in length and half a meter in height and breadth, but it was
surprisingly heavy. Pirkotan unlocked the security bindings and the four marines struggled with it to the bridge.
Pirkotan handed Ouriye back the security key and the captain used his personal code on the crater. The lock
snapped open with a loud hiss and Ouriye stepped back, allowing the Jovians access to the crater.
They fired up hologram reels and fast forwarded through them, casting flickering lights around the bridge and
made the heads of the Caldari spin in confusion
They fired up hologram reels and fast forwarded through them, casting flickering lights around the bridge and
made the heads of the Caldari spin in confusion
Anu opened the crater and started pulling items out of it and handing them to his assistants, who compared
them to a list they had, marking things off. Once the Jovians were satisfied that everything was as it should be
they began studying the items carefully. They worked incredibly fast, inserting data disks and info clips into their
palm computers, scanning the contents for a few seconds, then throwing it away for another. They fired up
hologram reels and fast forwarded through them, casting flickering lights around the bridge and made the heads
of the Caldari spin in confusion. After a few minutes the Jovians suddenly stopped all at once and began
chattering excitedly to each other. It was obvious that they were satisfied with what they had seen.

"This crater contains what we bargained for. Please take it to our shuttle." Anu said to Ouriye.

"First, let's make sure everything we bargained for is in order." Ouriye replied wryly, emphasizing 'we'.

Pirkotan noticed a momentary hesitation in Anu before he answered: "Of course, captain. A deal is a deal.
Everything according to the plan, eh?"

"Yes," Ouriye answered, glancing at Pirkotan, "according to the plan."

The doors to Cargo Hold B had been welded shut and it

took few minutes to cut them open. Pirkotan felt his gut
tighten in excitement, but also dread. He'd always prided
himself in having full knowledge of every situation, full
control. Now that he was left more or less in the dark, he
feared the unknown. Pirkotan remembered a saying of
one of his teachers in officer training: 'Always expect the
unexpected. Then all surprises will be pleasant ones.'
Somehow, this did not comfort him all that much at the
moment.

The inside of Cargo Hold B was cold and darkly lit. In the
middle of the floor was a black metal object, about four or
five meters tall. Numerous pipes and wires linked it with
the walls of the cargo hold. The object was obviously of
Jovian design; it had the same oddly carved shape as the
Jovian ship and shuttle. The Jovians walked up to the
object and made a quick inspection of it.

"This is a capsule," Anu said to the Caldari. "It is used to

control a ship. With it a ship a big as this one can be
controlled with only a handful of crew and smaller ships,
like your frigates, can even be controlled by a single
person."

"How is this possible?" Ouriye asked. He was obviously

skeptical, even if he didn't seem as surprised by what Anu
said as the other Caldari.

"The controller, captain if you like, of the ship is stationed inside the capsule. Through it, he's neural rigged to all
parts of the ship. The capsule is like one gigantic computer, with the captain at the core, controlling everything."
Anu answered.

"But how can a single man control a whole ship?" Ouriye pressed.

"Thank you, captain, I was coming to that. As I said, the captain acts as the central unit in a highly advanced
computer. This role allows him to access and evaluate data at extreme pace. He can easily handle the jobs it
takes 5 or 10 people to do normally. It also makes him a better commander, he has better understanding and
awareness of his environment and he's not boggled down by tedious crew management issues and frequent
communication breakdowns are now history." Anu finished, looking over the faces of the thoughtful Caldari
standing before him.

-935-
"So what is the downside?" Pirkotan asked. "There is always a downside."

"Not in this case, lieutenant," Anu replied. "The capsule offers greater control to ships, yet fewer crew members.
As you know one of the biggest costs in maintaining a ship is training the crew, this cost is now much reduced.
We Jovians are not numerous, yet we can field a very formidable fleet because of capsules."

"So what about this capsule controller? Can anybody control this thing?" Ouriye probed, obviously eager to
garner as much knowledge as he could about these capsules.

"Not anybody, no," Any answered. "The controller must have the required neural implants."

Pirkotan fingered the newly planted implants at the back of his neck; a grim realization dawning in his mind.

"But why this huge structure? Couldn't the controller simply be strapped into a neural chair?" Ouriye inquired.

"The neural riggings for the capsule are much more elaborate and advanced than those you know, captain; they
require the user to be in complete stasis for efficient usage. The capsule is filled with a fluid, in which the
captain floats. This fluid filters out all external interferences, as well as protecting and nourishing the captain."
One of the Jovian aides had now opened a hologram blueprint of the capsule and Anu used it while explaining
how it was built. "Also, the capsule has extremely strong armor, giving even more protection to the captain. We
Jovians do not like unnecessary squandering of lives." Pirkotan thought Anu said this last sentence with an
unusual fervor.

"So, can you make it work?" Ouriye asked, he had obviously satisfied his curiosity about this thing and now
wanted to see it in action.

"Yes, as long as your engineers followed our instructions correctly when building the capsule and connecting it
to the ship."

"You mean, this capsule will take control of the ship?" Ouriye asked anxiously.

"Yes, but we can override it easily. This is only for demonstration purposes." Anu answered.

The Jovians started fiddling with various control panels on the capsule. One by one, the systems in the capsule
came to life, lights started blinking and a low humming noise emanated from it. Finally, Anu turned to the
Caldari: "The capsule is now operational. It is ready for testing."

The eyes of the Jovians and captain Ouriye turned to Pirkotan. He felt like a mouse trapped in a cage. He knew
now that Ouriye's suggestion about the neural implants hadn't been based on friendship; he'd been cunningly
manipulated into this position and he knew it was impossible to refuse now. But why this duplicity? Why hadn't
they simply ordered him to take the implants?

"I, uh... you want me to go into that thing, sir?" Pirkotan

stammered, hoping against hope that his suspicions were false.

"Yes, lieutenant Pirkotan. You have the honor of being the first
Caldari to test a capsule." Ouriye answered. "Don't you feel
honored?"

"Ah, yes. Yes, sir. I'm deeply honored," Pirkotan whispered. The
two Jovian aides were now standing beside him. Pirkotan started
walking forward, as if his body was moving of its own accord. He
was now standing before Anu, who placed his hands on the back
of his neck. Anu explored the neural implants with his fingers and
stared intently into Pirkotan's face. Pirkotan couldn't make himself
meet the gaze.

"Please stand absolutely still," Anu said to him. "We need to hook
you up." Pirkotan was too numb to answer, let alone move. One of
the Jovians placed a tight rubber cap with lots of tube sockets over
his head, covering his eyes and ears. Another Jovian inserted
tubes into his nostrils. Finally, he felt his neural jacks being
plugged. "He is ready," a voice said. Pirkotan felt hands lead him,
he was lifted and he felt liquid engulf him. He was sinking!
He had read about people being accidentally buried alive in olden
times and now he felt like they must have; this capsule, this thing,
felt like a wet grave, burying him. 'Is this the end?
He had read about people being accidentally buried alive in olden
times and now he felt like they must have; this capsule, this thing,
felt like a wet grave, burying him. 'Is this the end?

-936-
But he could still breath through his nose. He couldn't see and he couldn't hear. All he felt was this cold, sticky
fluid all around him. He was inside the capsule! Pirkotan slowly ran his hands over the inner surface of the
capsule. It was very smooth and Pirkotan found no seams or cracks, or any controls or buttons for that matter.
The capsule was tightly closed and no discernible way to open it from the inside. Pirkotan was not normally
claustrophobic, but now he felt panic rise within him and he wanted to scream and run. But he could do neither;
the thick fluid hindered all fast movements and when Pirkotan opened his mouth it was instantly filled with the
strange-tasting bluish liquid. Pirkotan was forced to swallow it so he could breath again. Pirkotan tried to calm
himself down, but when nothing happened for what seemed like eternity he once again despaired. He had read
about people being accidentally buried alive in olden times and now he felt like they must have; this capsule,
this thing, felt like a wet grave, burying him. 'Is this the end?' Pirkotan thought. 'Maybe the machine has
malfunctioned, maybe they can't get me out!'

Then, all of a sudden, a bright light filled his eyes and a sound like rushing wind filled his ears. After few seconds
the light dimmed down and Pirkotan was able to see, but everything became deadly quiet. And what he saw
made his stomach somersault. He was looking at the Okarioni from the outside! It was as if he was floating in
space maybe 100 meters from the ship.

"Can you hear me?" a voice said. It was Anu. Pirkotan tried instinctively to speak, but his mouth was again filled
with the fluid and only a strangled croak emerged. 'Hello?' he thought.

"Hello, lieutenant Pirkotan," Anu said. "We can hear you. The communication link in this demonstration capsule
is automatically open, normally you control whether it's open or closed. We are monitoring your progress. Can
you see the ship?"

"Yes," Pirkotan replied, simply by thinking about it. "Yes, I can see the ship. But whose eyes am I seeing
through?"

"You're viewing the ship through a camera drone. Think about moving. Try to move to the right. See what
happens."

Pirkotan thought about this and was delighted to find the camera move according to his wishes. He swooped
alongside the ship, spinning the camera in circles and zooming it out, all with a mere thought. Pirkotan noticed
that no matter how he turned the camera, the ship always stayed in the middle of his vision. As he got more
accustomed to this new sensation he could feel his surroundings much better. In fact, if he concentrated he
could feel Okarioni, like he and the ship were one; he felt the engines purr in his belly, he felt the electrodes
bounce on his skin, he felt the crew crawl around inside him. The feeling was exhilarating.

After a while Anu's voice came back: "You're doing very well. Now we are going to activate the audio
synthesizers."

"Audio synthesizers? What do you mean?" Pirkotan thought.

"As you know there is no sound in space, but when we were developing the capsules we found that people
wanted to use as many of their senses as possible, thus we added the sound. By letting a computer create three
dimensional sound we also add to the awareness you have while in battles, for instance."

Several seconds later Pirkotan could hear the audio synthesizers kick in; he could hear the low humming noise
of the propulsion system and the sudden hissing sound of course-correctional thrusters. Anu came back on:
"Now we'll test the audio system."

Suddenly a missile was launched from one of the missile bays. It flew majestically out from the ship and
disappeared to the right of Pirkotan's vision. Pirkotan turned the camera and watched it fly away from the ship.
Then a stab of green and yellow light came from the Jovian vessel, accompanied by a loud crackling noise. The
weapon burst hit the missile and it exploded. Pirkotan heard the explosion clearly and when he turned the
camera to the Jovian vessel he could still hear the explosion's residue in the background. Once again, Anu
spoke: "That went very well. Now for the final test. I want you to shut down the propulsion system, and then
turn it back on. You must open the ship control menu and use that.

Pirkotan thought about the propulsion system. Nothing happened. Then he thought about controlling the ship.
And then, before him and overlaying the ship, a menu appeared. Pirkotan navigated himself through the menu
with his mind and found the shut down action for the propulsion system. He activated the action and the menu
disappeared. Pirkotan now saw the propulsion glow fade out and the constant humming slowly died out. Pirkotan
now repeated the process, turning the propulsion system back on.

"Well done, lieutenant Pirkotan," came Anu's voice. "You have concluded the testing. Your performance was
faultless."

As suddenly as it had appeared the vision before Pirkotan's eyes disappeared and darkness engulfed him. He
blinked his eyes several times, the vision of Okarioni still embedded in his nerves, but slowly fading away.
Pirkotan then felt as if he was falling at a great speed, but before he could react he passed out.

-937-
Epilogue

Pirkotan awoke slowly like from a deep sleep. His eyes

were open and he was staring at a dull gray wall. He
tried to look around, but found that he couldn't. He felt
strangely disoriented. From somewhere behind him he
heard low voices speaking. He recognized the voice of
his captain and that of Anu of Jove. He tried to speak, to
let them know he was awake, but nothing happened.
Suddenly the chatter in the background registered in his
mind:

"I have examined him, I'm afraid the symptoms all point
towards it." Anu was saying. "This mind-lock as you call
it, is it permanent?" captain Ouriye asked. "I'm afraid so...
"I have examined him, I'm afraid the symptoms all point
towards it." Anu was saying. "This mind-lock as you call
it, is it permanent?" captain Ouriye asked. "I'm afraid so...
"I have examined him, I'm afraid the symptoms all point
towards it." Anu was saying.

"This mind-lock as you call it, is it permanent?" captain Ouriye asked.

"I'm afraid so. We have studied it thoroughly and found no cure. It's a shame, if I may say so."

"But how do you prevent it in the first place? I mean, was this bound to happen?" the captain enquired.

"Under the circumstances, yes. The only way to prevent this is with intense training for many years. That
timeframe was unacceptable to your superiors. Besides, you knew what was going to happen all along. You have
no grounds for complaints now."

"I know, I know," Ouriye sighed. "I had my reservations, but what could I do? I was under strict orders."

"I understand," Anu replied. "The lieutenant performed admirably. You can be proud of him."

"I am," Ouriye answered.

Silence. 'What is going on?' Pirkotan thought. 'They must be talking about me. What mind-lock?' Then the
captain and two of the Jovians appeared before him. They looked at his face, into his open eyes. 'Hey!' Pirkotan
screamed in his mind. 'Help me!'

"He looks so peaceful, lying there. Is he conscious?' asked the captain.

"Who knows? Maybe, maybe not," came Anu's reply.

"It's sad to loose him, he was an efficient officer. And a valued friend," Ouriye said. "He will receive the Medal of
Valor for this, it will be sent to his parents. His father will be so proud."

"And rightly so," Anu said. "Anyway, we have certain... treatments that can be beneficial to him, if you're
interested...?"

"I thank you for your offer, but it is unnecessary," Ouriye replied. "We have very good institutions that can take
care of him. He will be well provided for."

Pirkotan screamed a silent curse. His fate was sealed. He had been sacrificed for the greater good of the Caldari
State, like a clog in a great big machine. Just before he passed into a murky slumber, Pirkotan read the motto of
the Caldari Navy embedded on the captain's sleeve: 'All For the Good of Many.' Much good it would do him,
stuck in his own mind for the rest of his life.

-938-
Caldari State

The Caldari State is ruled by several mega-corporations. There is no central government to speak of - all
territories within the State are owned and ruled by corporations. Duty and discipline are required traits in Caldari
citizens, plus unquestioning loyalty to the corporation they live to serve. The corporations compete aggressively
amongst themselves and with companies outside the State, resulting in a highly capitalistic society.

CBD Corporation
The CBD Corporation is one of the biggest export/importer in Caldari space. The corporation has established
trade links far and wide, with huge amount of goods in constant fluxuation.
Spacelane Patrol is the police and security arm of the CBD mega corporation.

CBD Sell Division

Originally part of the mother company CBD, the CBD Sell Division was made independent some years ago in an
effort to revitalize the stale retail business of the company. This paid off and the Sell Division has shown steady
profit ever since it was created.

Caldari Business Tribunal

The Caldari Business Tribunal is the only non-corporate justice system and police agency in the Caldari State,
tasked with policing the megacorporations and their disputes. The main function of the Tribunal is to provide a
nonviolent means for corporations to resolve grievances, as outright inter-corporate war tends to do significant
damage to corporate bottom lines. Tribunal justices are appointed by the Chief Executive Panel, and many
appointees are corporate lawyers or security executives prior to their nomination. Additionally, Tribunal
investigators are among the few people in the State who are ostensibly free of corporate loyalties.

The Tribunal's courts are modeled after the Raata Code, an inquisitorial system where the court's goal is to
determine the facts of the case, not the prosecution of an individual or corporation. Tribunal agents have the
authority, in theory, to enter any corporate facility and confiscate corporate property, provided that a warrant is
issued by a Tribunal justice; in reality, agents are often delayed by corporate legal teams and stymied by
corporate security. This situation varies depending on how much political power the corporation driving the
investigation can wield.

The Tribunal does not generally deal with crimes against the person and is not the “Supreme Court” of the
Caldari State, as many outsiders assume. Most criminal prosecutions, such as those for murder or
embezzlement, are handled by megacorporate justice systems, and they cannot appeal to the Tribunal. The only
time the Tribunal deals with such cases is when they are committed by or against government officials, or when
asked to resolve a question of jurisdiction

Caldari Customs Authority

The Caldari Customs Authority (CCA) is a division of the Caldari Business Tribunal, which is the only nationwide
law enforcement agency in the Caldari State.

The CCA is in charge of policing trade at the borders of Caldari space and enforcing any customs duties or
tariffs, though the State generally has few of those with both the Liberal and Practical factions both being free
trade advocates. However, the CCA tends to be short-staffed, despite being adequately funded, and as a result
they often outsource customs duties to the Navy or corporate security forces, who will in turn sometimes
subcontract to individual pod-pilots.

In general, customs duties are a low priority (and sometimes an obstruction) for many of the Caldari
megacorporations' operations, so they tend to be pushed upon pilots and officers towards the low end of the
totem pole.

Caldari Constructions
After the great exodus during the Caldari Breakout when the Caldari left their home planet, a new state had to
be built from the scratch in very short time. Caldari Constructions was one of the companies that participated in
that great effort and it has been living on this past achievement ever since. Though not very active any more in
the wheeling and dealing of power politics it still holds some very valuable cards on its hand.

Caldari Navy
The Caldari Navy is smaller in personnel and total ships than both the Federation Navy and the Amarr Navy, yet
they have more battleships than any other fleet and the average age of the Caldari ships is considerably less.
This is because the Caldari are constantly replacing their oldest ships with newer ones, with better hi-tech
equipment. The strategic doctrine of the Caldari Navy is simple: to be able to defeat any other navy in the
world. Most experts believe it is.

Caldari Providence Directorate

The Caldari Providence Directorate (CPD, aka 'the Directorate') is an organization controlling corporate interests
under the nationalistic movement led by Executor Tibus Heth. Currently in power in the Caldari State, the CPD
was founded by Tibus Heth in YC110, capitalizing on anti-Gallente sentiments following the Malkalen Incident.

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In a dramatic series of corporate upheavals, Heth, beginning as a violent corporate protestor, rose quickly in
power to first CEO of Caldari Constructions, then to CEO of Kaalakiota Corporation, and finally to leader of the
State via the Directorate. Heth's stated goal in the founding of the CPD was the "restoration of [the] State's
dignity".
Provists

Gendarmerie founded by Tibus Heth shortly after the launch of his successful coup against the Caldari
Constructions Corporation. Initially manned by Constructions workers loyal to Heth, Templis Dragonaurs were
secretly appointed as the agency's officers and were responsible for providing State-wide internal security and
running Heth's anti-Gallentean/Caldari supremacy propaganda campaign. Noted for their physical perfection and
trademark dark blue uniforms, these men and women were nicknamed "Provists" by the Caldari population.

Background
Heth's Rise to Power

(YC110.05.02)
Tibus Heth secured unauthorized airtime for the Caldari State's largest news broadcast hub to make his first
public address since the Constructions Revolt. In a passionate, fiery speech, Heth asserted his ownership of the
corporation and accused mega-corporate leadership and Federation influence as being the core root of the
Caldari State's woes, and promised to make an example of Constructions to "restore the State's dignity".

The Malkalen Incident

(YC110.05.15)
During the visit of a Gallente diplomatic envoy to Ishukone headquaters on, a Nyx-class mothership, piloted by
Alexander Noir collided with the station causing massive damage and destroying itself in the process. The high
death toll included Ishukone CEO Otro Gariushi. Tibus Heth rallied the resulting rise of anti-Gallente sentiment in
the Caldari State, turning it to support for the newly formed CPD.

Partnership with Megacorporations

(YC110.05.29)
The Sukuuvestaa, Nugoeihuvi, Wiyrkomi, Hyasyoda, CBD and Lai Dai mega-corporations reached a breakthrough
agreement with the Kaalakiota-Ytiri conglomerate led by Tibus Heth. The deal gave the Directorate immediate
access to the State's industrial base.

CAESA Training Program

(YC111.01.02)
Based on the Caldari-Amarr Economic Stimulus Agreement negotiated in early YC111, the Directorate is
responsible for implementing a training program for freed slaves chosing to take up residence in the Amarr
Empire.

Caldari Provisions
Caldari Provisions is one of the companies that were created by war veterans of the Gallente-Caldari War.
Specializing in the distribution of supply and logistics, Caldari Provisions have carved themselves a nice little
niche within the Caldari State and are looking towards expanding their operation in other empires.

Corporate Police Force

Hyasyoda's private security corporation, the Corporate Police Force, focuses on counterintelligence and
counterespionage work, largely due to its parent company’s distrustful nature. As a result, it is one of the most
effective corporate security forces in the State, despite Hyasyoda's small relative size to most of the other
megacorporations. It is not uncommon for CPF agents to be contracted by the Navy for their expertise on such
matters.

In comparison, the CPF does not maintain as large a military force as the other megacorporations, preferring
instead to protect its assets through superior intelligence networks. However, these civilian police forces are
second to none; while corporate police are often seen as softer on run-of-the-mill crime, the CPF is a notable
exception, and many independent corporations use the CPF as their preferred security provider.

The CPF tends to favor smaller, better-equipped starcraft for its operations, especially those ships equipped with
high-end electronics. The Ishukone-designed Falcon is a particular favorite of the CPF, and they are common
sights near Hyasyoda colonies and installations.

Chief Executive Panel

The Chief Executive Panel is the main bureaucratic apparatus through which the Caldari megacorporations rule
the State. The Panel's primary purposes are to determine the budgets for the State's few government agencies,
such as the Navy and the Tribunal, and to act as a way for the State's corporate powers to coordinate national
policy, such as foreign relations, customs and trade regulations, and inter-corporate business laws.

The Panel itself consists of the major megacorporate CEOs and a non-partisan director. In reality, the CEOs
usually send a delegation of trusted executives, corporate lawyers, or board members to represent the

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corporation's interests on the Panel, and the director is nothing more than a figurehead, a pawn of the most
influential political bloc at the time.

Though the State Executor and the Caldari Providence Directorate exert a great deal of influence over the
Executive Panel since its creation in 110 YC, the CEP must endorse the policies of both groups in order to make
them law. So far, however, there have been few substantive challenges to proposed initiatives.

Deep Core Mining Inc.

Deep Core Mining is a young company that was founded on the basis of a revolutionary new mining drill
technology. This new technology, details of which have never been revealed, gives much higher yield than older
techniques and has promoted DCM to the top echelon of mining companies very quickly.

Echelon Entertainment
Echelon Entertainment was created by the Kaalakiota Corporation as a direct answer to NOH. Though NOH still
has an overwhelming market share in the entertainment industry Echelon Entertainment has still managed to
shine on its own and their products are becoming more and more popular.

Expert Distribution
The Expert brand can today be seen in all major cities in the world of EVE, this retail company has seen
phenomenal growth in the last decade, thanks to their self-service policy and low overhead. Part of the NOH
family, Expert Distribution is Caldari's answer to the large Gallentean retail chains that have dominated the
market in the past.

Expert Housing
Expert Housing was founded at the same time as Expert Distribution, but the two sibling companies have fared
very differently. While Expert Distribution has been a continuous success story Expert Housing has suffered in a
tough, highly competitive real estate market. The company is on the lookout for investment funds, which it
hopes will help revive it.

Home Guard
Home Guard is the police and security arm of the Kaalakiota mega corporation. As the mega corporations only
trust each other so much, they all have their own police force to guard their properties.

House of Records
The fragmentation of the Caldari government has often proved to be problematic when it comes to documenting
events, deals and communications. The House of Records was set up by the Caldari mega corporations to act as
a central source for all this information. Information on all transactions, business deals and governmental
involvements within the State must be sent here and are stored in huge data banks.

Hyasyoda Corporation
Hyasyoda is one of the oldest Caldari megacorporations, formed shortly after contact with the Gallente. The
corporation is conservative and cautious in its business dealings. Hyasyoda focuses on bread-and-butter
industries such as agriculture, mining, and consumer products. Its operations are largely contained to the State
itself, although it has partnerships with foreign companies to market many of its products in foreign territories.

The corporation is still largely controlled by the Osmon family that founded it, though much of its stock has been
sold off over the company’s long history. Perhaps as a result of this history, Hyasyoda’s corporate culture is just
as conservative as its business strategies, with a strong leaning toward old school corporatism and established
tradition. The amount of social pressure on Hyasyoda employees to “fit in” is extremely high, even for the
Caldari State, where such pressure is part of daily life.

Hyasyoda is also extremely distrustful of the other megacorporations, the exception being Ishukone, their
longtime ally; the corporation is also wary of any hint of centralized State authority. As a result, Hyasyoda has
been one of the strongest critics of the Caldari Providence Directorate, despite joining it voluntarily shortly
before the Caldari Prime invasion, and has led opposition to the Executor in the CEP.

Corporate Police Force is the police and security arm of the Hyasyoda mega corporation.

Internal Security
Internal Security is the police and security arm of the NOH mega corporation. As the mega corporations only
trust each other so much, they all have their own police force to guard their properties.

Ishukone Corporation
Ishukone is a corporation with a long and storied history in the Caldari State. A special point of pride for the
company is their contribution of Jovian hydrostatic capsule technology to the war effort during the Gallente-
Caldari War. Ishukone’s primary business model deals with the development of high-end technologies in fields
such as advanced spacecraft engineering, electronics, medicine, and biotechnology.

The megacorporation is the leader of the liberal bloc in Caldari politics, a position it has held since Otro Gariushi
seized control of the company during a period of complacency and decline in YC100. Under his leadership, the

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company advocated free market policies, relaxed trade barriers, and an easing of tensions between the State
and the Gallente Federation. Gariushi also gave the company its reputation for being relatively employee
friendly and for its ruthless competitive practices with rival companies. Despite the death of Gariushi in the
Malkalen Disaster, his policies still cast a long shadow over the corporation, and the current leadership appears
to be following in his footsteps.

As a result, Ishukone remains a reluctant partner in the Caldari Providence Directorate. With little choice but to
go along with the Directorate after Gariushi's death, the corporate leadership remains of two minds about the
situation. On the one hand, many board members support the meritocratic reforms instituted by the Directorate,
which were similar to policies already in place under Gariushi. However, considerable resistance to the
centralization of power and the Directorate's belligerence remains among the corporate leadership.
Ishukone Watch is the police and security arm of the Ishukone mega corporation.

Ishukone Watch
Ishukone Watch is the police and security arm of the Ishukone mega corporation. As the mega corporations only
trust each other so much, they all have their own police force to guard their properties.

Kaalakiota Corporation
The largest of the Caldari mega corporations, the KK, as it is commonly known as, has its fingers in most
everything. They are manufacturers, distributors, retailers and researchers, as well as being a formidable voice
in Caldari politics. Their great rivals in both business and politics is the Sukuuvestaa Corporation.
Home Guard is the police and security arm of the Kaalakiota mega corporation.

Lai Dai Protection Service

Lai Dai Protection Service is the police and security arm of the Lai Dai mega corporation. As the mega
corporations only trust each other so much, they all have their own police force to guard their properties.

Mercantile Club
The Mercantile Club has grown from being a simple gentleman's club into a full fledged political entity, such are
the peculiarities of the Caldari governmental apparatus. The Mercantile Club is a meeting place for diplomats,
business men, CEOs and politicians to make deals and discuss matters of the state.

Minedrill
Minedrill traces its history back to the war with the Federation, to a special force unit within the Caldari Navy
that rigged asteroids with explosives and used them as booby traps. After the war the personnel in the unit
created Minedrill and used their special knowledge to quickly gain prominence within the mining industry.

Modern Finances
The largest investment company in the cluster, Modern Finances was started by Nugoeihuvi during the Gallente-
Caldari War in order to raise its profile among the other megacorporations; at the time, Nugoeihuvi was the
smallest and newest of the Big Eight. Formed largely to isolate risky investment opportunities from its parent
company, Modern Finances has achieved great success by bankrolling high-risk, high-reward endeavors.
Unfortunately for Nugoeihuvi, setbacks over the years have forced the megacorporation to sell off Modern
Finances stock in order to recoup losses; though the company still maintains control with its remaining shares
and proxies, its control is no longer absolute.

In addition to bankrolling risky business ventures, Modern Finances has also made a strong profit bundling high-
risk financial instruments and selling them to investors. At times, this practice has brought them under CBT
scrutiny, as unhappy investors have accused the company of misleading investors as to the prospects for so-
called “junk bonds,” but no serious charges have ever managed to stick.

The company's other major line of business has been funding expansions of regional corporations into Statewide
operations or, conversely, State-based corporations into international ventures. Modern Finances helped
facilitate Lai Dai's establishment of both the Carthum Conglomerate and Khanid Innovations, for instance, and
also established the investment fund that expanded the CBD Corporation's Federation-based operations shortly
after the signing of the Yulai treaty.

Because of their experience and success, Modern Finances has built a strong relationship with many foreign
governments, especially the Khanid Kingdom, and stands poised to take assert its dominance in foreign markets
even more in the future.

Nugoeihuvi Corporation
The only Caldari mega corporation that has focused on the entertainment industry. NOH, as they're commonly
called, have always been suspected of strong ties to the Caldari underworld, mainly because many of their
products cater to that social element or are on the borderline of legality.
Internal Security is the police and security arm of the NOH mega corporation.

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Peace and Order Unit
Peace and Order Unit is the police and security arm of the Sukuuvestaa mega corporation. As the mega
corporations only trust each other so much, they all have their own police force to guard their properties.

Perkone
One of the few remaining Caldari corporations that were founded during the Industrial Age on Caldari Prime,
before the arrival of the Gallenteans. Perkone took to the Gallenteans like ducks to water and had its glory days
in the years leading up to the war with the Federation. After the war Perkone has struggled, but still manages to
produce solid, high quality equipment.

Poksu Mineral Group

Poksu was founded by a group of independent miners. Through shrewd business deals and solid mining income
Poksu has slowly grown to join the ranks of the big boys in Caldari corporate politics.

Prompt Delivery
Prompt Delivery is a express delivery company that operates mainly within the Caldari State. They have a fast,
efficient, quality service, but the price of this excellence is that they must keep the company small and
compact.

Propel Dynamics
Propel Dynamics was founded by the team that discovered the first functional warp drive for short jumps within
a system. Though it has never managed to live up to its early expectation the company has always turned out
innovative and interesting designs that have driven the field of propulsion forward.

Rapid Assembly
Manufacturer of cheap gadgets and low-level equipment, Rapid Assembly is by no means a driving force in the
manufacturing sector. By catering to low-budget buyers they fill an important niche, unsexy as it may be

School of Applied Knowledge

The School of Applied Knowledge (from where future Caldari industrialists graduate) focuses mainly on technical
studies and is considered the best school for aspiring engineers. The school collaborates with many leading
Caldari corporations, an arrangement which benefits the school, the companies and not the least the students.

Science and Trade Institute

Like all Caldari schools, the Science & Trade Institute (from which all Caldari Business Students graduate) has a
very formal curriculum that focuses primarily on the practical side of education. This results in a very dull and
tedious learning process, but one that is remarkably efficient.

Spacelane Patrol
Spacelane Patrol is the police and security arm of the CBD mega corporation. As the mega corporations only
trust each other so much, they all have their own police force to guard their properties.

State Protectorate
We are the State, and we have claimed our long-lost homeland. Now we are at war; united, whole and full of fire
and purpose. The State calls you, capsuleer, for it needs your strength and your leadership to fend off the
encroaching Gallente menace. The State will not fall. Join us. Fight. Conquer.

War Academy
The State War Academy (from which all Caldari enlists graduate) was founded shortly after the Caldari State
came into being, while the war with the Gallente Federation was still in full swing. Due to this, the academy has
always had a very combat oriented slant, as opposed to the broader scope of ship handling.

State and Region Bank

One of the oldest banks in the Caldari State, the State and Region Bank dates back to before the Caldari
secession and has a long tradition of being the bank of record for the elite of Caldari society. It caters to
corporate executives and highly placed government officials – not that there is much difference between the
two in the State. The Wiyrkomi Corporation has held a controlling interest through proxies and direct stock
ownership since the Caldari secession from the Federation, when the Seituoda family carried the bank through
rough economic times, largely for the purpose of securing its own sizable fortunes held by the bank.

The State and Region Bank has historically focused on conservative investments, such as low-yield corporate
bonds, index funds, and precious metals, though it has provided short-term loans to favored clients for riskier
purposes in the past. Over the last decade, however, a shakeup at the highest levels of corporate management
has led to an increased amount of investment in cutting edge sectors such as celestial industry and colonial
development, as well as expanding the market for their services to Amarr and Khanid clients as well as Caldari
ones. This shift has caused some concern for members of the corporation's old guard as well as its partners in
the Patriot faction, but so far there has been little actual resistance.

Sukuuvestaa Corporation
Sukuuvestaa, or SuVee as it is commonly called, is the second largest Caldari megacorporation and is heavily

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focused on agriculture, mining, real estate, and consumer products. According to estimates from the House of
Records, over a third of all Caldari real estate is owned by SuVee or one of its subsidiaries, though most of it is
largely uninhabited, used for vast automated farms or hazardous environment mining operations.

SuVee has a reputation as one of the State's most ruthless corporations, seizing smaller rivals and selling off the
pieces to ensure its dominance. While this often causes tensions between it and the other megacorporations,
even allied ones like Nugoeihuvi and CBD, it has also forced them to think twice about challenging Sukuuvestaa
in any market where it has significant influence.

Since resettling in the Achura home system of Saisio after the evacuation of Caldari Prime, the corporation has
become the sentimental favorite of the Achura population for both employment and purchasing decisions. Many
of the corporation's high level positions are filled by Achura, and images from Achura culture are often used for
corporate products. However, corporate philosophy is still dominated by SuVee traditions that date back to its
origins on Caldari Prime, not Achura culture.
Peace and Order Unit is the police and security arm of the Sukuuvestaa mega corporation

Top Down
Top Down is a small manufacturing company that specializes in component assembling. It is owned by the Lai
Dai corporation, which provides it with new technology to keep up with other manufacturing companies.
Although Top Down has never really taken off, many believe their products to be of the highest quality on the
market, as befits a company associated with Lai Dai.

Wiyrkomi Corporation
Known and respected throughout the cluster, the Seituoda name has been the driving force behind the
Wiyrkomi corporation ever since its inception in the years prior to the Gallente-Caldari War. With a reputation
built upon the unimpeachable word of its founder, Tyunaul Seituoda, Wiyrkomi continues to enjoy unique
relationships with many of New Eden’s most influential corporations. Given the reputation of most
megacorporations, Wiyrkomi is regarded by those inside and outside the State as a curious anomaly, though
one that is not to be underestimated.

Stoically patriotic, the Seituoda family’s love of the Caldari State and its stubborn insistence on the promotion of
Caldari ideals above all else has been criticized for limiting the company’s ability to expand its market share
beyond the manufacturing and industrial sectors. The company has traditionally enjoyed significant success in
these two sectors, namely through its multiple energized plating and containment field product lines. The media
frenzy surrounding an alleged incestuous relationship spanning at least two generations of the family led to the
Seituoda’s increasing reclusiveness, and the family jealously protects its privacy. Only Duisla Seituoda, great-
grandson of Tyunaul Seituoda, is ever seen in public, leading many of the family’s most bitter detractors to label
the secular heirs as irrelevant and out of touch.

Other theories about the corporation have even speculated that the Seituoda family is nothing more than an
ingenious marketing ploy, devised and orchestrated to maintain the image of honesty and transparency that are
the hallmarks of the Seituoda legacy. or that the family no longer exists, if it ever did. Despite the hearsay, the
Seituoda brand remains largely untarnished, and the company has publicly stated its intent to reach out to high-
end consumers outside of the established capsuleer demographic.

Though largely uninterested in Sleeper technology, Wiyrkomi has in recent years invested significant sums in
developing small arms technology, with an apparent eye towards refactoring some of its most popular engine
designs for atmospheric flight. Civilian versions of this technology are already being made available to
interested parties in limited quantities.
Wiyrkomi Peace Corps is the police and security arm of the Wiyrkomi mega corporation.

Wiyrkomi Peace Corps

Wiyrkomi Peace Corps is the police and security arm of the Wiyrkomi mega corporation. As the mega
corporations only trust each other so much, they all have their own police force to guard their properties.

Ytiri
Ytiri is a rare example of an outsider company that manages to establish itself within the Caldari State. Formerly
an underworld smuggling company, Ytiri adjusted its operation to gain admittance into the State. Since then the
company has flourished and is one of the fastest growing companies in Caldari space.

Zainou
A biotech company founded by the eccentric Todo Kirkinen, the first man to have his mind transferred into a
machine. Zainou has from its inception been at the forefront of bio-chemical and nano-mechanical research, its
headquarters are described as a combination of a mad scientist's lab and a jungle zoo.

Zero-G Research Firm

A small research firm that specializes in space habitats and other life support modules for humans. In its heyday
Zero-G was hailed as the great hope of the Caldari people, but the company has been in a steady decline for the
last few decades.

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Minmatar Republic

The Minmatar Republic was formed over a century ago when the Matari threw out their Amarrian overlords in
what is known as the Minmatar Rebellion. The Matari had the support of the Gallente Federation and to this day,
the two nations remain close allies. Yet, only a quarter of the Matari people reside within the Republic. The rest
are scattered around the world, including a large portion still enslaved within the Amarr Empire. Minmatar
individuals are independent and proud, possessing a strong will and a multitude of tribal traditions.

Brutor tribe
The Brutors suffered the worst under the Amarr occupation and many of them are still enslaved within the
Amarr Empire. This fuels their hate for the Amarrians and they are the only tribe to actively pursue a
continuation of the war against the Amarrians and their underlings, the Ammatars.

Core Complexion Inc.

The great success story of Minmatar business, Core Complexion is one of very few Minmatar corporations that
have managed to succeed on a universal scale. The company combines innovative designs with cost-effective
production methods to create equipment that gives much bang for the buck.

Eifyr and Co.

Founded shortly after the Minmatar Republic’s establishment by the renowned, yet enigmatic, biochemist Kolvil
Eifyr, the Eifyr and Co. corporation swiftly became a potent force in the biochemical and cyber-implant
industries. Backed by investment from the shrewd leaders of the Krusual Tribe and steered by Eifyr, the
corporation remains a lean, relatively small, but highly efficient powerhouse. However, its emphasis on secrecy
and rumored connections to the Minmatar underworld have fuelled speculation as to how the company really
makes its money. The most persistent rumors and occasional accusations have centered on allegations of illegal
booster manufacturing and secret contracts with the Serpentis Corporation. Whatever the truth may be, none of
the investigations mounted against Eifyr and Co. have ever uncovered concrete evidence of wrong-doing, and
no prosecution has been attempted to date.

For much of its history, Eifyr and Co. pursued relatively mundane biochemical manufacturing and distribution on
the open market, while its cyber-implant division developed and released popular ranges of gunnery and
propulsion implants for the lucrative capsuleer markets. When the SCC deregulated markets with regard to
boosters, and the possibilities of synth boosters came to light, Eifyr and Co. were immediately ready to take
advantage and began offering biochemical reactors and other equipment vital to booster manufacturing on the
open market. The corporation also released new implants designed to enhance booster uptake and alleviate
adverse reactions, leading to a resurgence in speculation regarding links to the underworld booster rings. Many
observers asked how Eifyr was able to swiftly and effectively respond to the booster deregulation.

The widespread emergence of unstable wormholes and the technological possibilities opened by these
phenomena is the most recent opportunity seized by Kolvil Eifyr's remarkable corporation. Eifyr and Co.'s
expertise in chemical reactor technology was swiftly adapted to the newly emerging polymers derived from
wormhole space gas clouds. Additionally, Sleeper technology became a particular interest of the corporation.
Today, Eifyr and Co. acquires Sleeper-related data in a variety of forms primarily from capsuleers, who encounter
the ancient civilization’s drone guardians in wormhole space.

Freedom Extension
Freedom Extension was founded by Minmatars that moved to the Gallente Federation following the Rebellion,
but returned to the Republic to foster the good relationship between the two races. Freedom Extension is a
courier company modeled after Gallentean ones and quickly established itself as the main shipping company in
Minmatar space.

Krusual tribe
The Krusual tribe is sly and cunning, shrouding its ways in lies and secrecy. It is isolationist by nature, but lately
it's been becoming more and more involved with the power politics of the Republic, staking a claim for its
mastery.

Minmatar Mining Corporation

Minmatar Mining Corporation is the only Minmatar corporation still in existence that can trace its foundation to
before the conquest of Minmatar space by the Amarrians. It managed to stay in business while the Amarrians
ruled the Minmatars only because it was useful to the Amarrians. Now it is useful to the Republic by providing
the raw materials to build a space fleet to defend the Republic against the Amarr Empire and its minions.

Native Freshfood
The Amarrians had tried to eradicate the Minmatar heritage during their occupation of Minmatar space. One of
them was the Minmatar cuisine and Native Freshfood has been at the forefront in establishing traditional
Minmatar food all anew.

Pator Tech School

Pator Tech School (from where Minmatar business people are commonly educated) was founded on the principle
of helping gifted Minmatar children be better qualified for high-level positions; something the Republic was in

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dire need of when assembling a new government and administration virtually from scratch. This principle has
held intact to this day, even if the foundations of the Republic were firmly set a long time ago.

Republic Fleet
The Republic Fleet was formed from the surviving elements of the rebel fleet after the Minmatar Rebellion.
Though it has not the same access to advanced weaponry or hi-tech equipment as the fleets of the other
empires, it more than makes up for this with fierce spirit and clever battle tactics.

Republic Justice Department

Once an uninspiring part of the Minmatar government the Justice Department has in recent years taken on a life
of its own by supporting the Minmatar rebels. Though not an official policy of the Republic, the Justice
Department promotes what most Minmatars secretly want: to defeat the Amarrians, and is thus cordially
allowed by the Parliament.

Republic Military School

The Republic Military School (from which all Minmatar enlists graduate) was for a long time the bastard child of
the Minmatar education system - it existed because it was perceived as needed, but it had no support; most
military personnel were Gallente trained. In recent years, however, as the Republic tries to ascertain its total
independence, efforts are being made to transform the RMS into a top-notch military school.

Republic Parliament
The Parliament is the main political vehicle in the Minmatar Republic and has replaced the gathering of the tribal
leaders as the place of power and decision. Though the Parliament has little say in the internal affairs of the
tribes it acts as the voice of the Minmatar people to the outside world and governs the relations with foreign
powers.

Republic Security Services

The Minmatars learnt early on in their freedom that it can only be kept by wrapping it in secrets and deceit. The
vigilance of the RSS has helped the Republic weather many storms that threatened to engulf the fledgling state.
The RSS has strong links with the underworld elements in the world of EVE, the information exchange and black
marketing strengthens both sides.

Republic University
The Republic University (from where future Minmatar industrialists graduate) was founded by Minmatar
emigrates as a show of support for the fledgling republic shortly after its inception. The school is modeled after
the University of Caille and based on the Gallentean education system.

Sebiestor tribe
The Sebiestors are technically and mechanically inclined, most Minmatar technology comes from them. The
Sebiestors have always been the leading tribe in the Minmatar Republic, though their authority has many times
been under attack from the crafty Krusual tribe, their main rivals in Republic politics.

Six Kin Development

One of the many companies that was formed after the Rebellion, the Six Kin dived headfirst into the rebuilding
effort. Considered to be hard working and decent the company has seen a steady growth in recent past and
seems poised to become a major player in the galactic construction business in the near future.

The Leisure Group

The enigmatic Kolvil Eifyr is a large shareholder in the Leisure Group and this ties the company in with the
criminal elements so strong in the shady world of Minmatar power politics. The Leisure Group is an
entertainment company that is known for its barbaric, yet stirring, pleasure nodes.

Tribal Liberation Force

The Minmatar heart sings for freedom and the Minmatar soul strives for open skies, but the Minmatar heart has
been withering away in captivity. It is now up to you, capsuleer. You hold the power to free our people. You are
the heroes of your generation. Join us in the struggle for freedom. Death to Amarr; long live the Minmatar Nation.

Urban Management
When the corporation was a part of the Minmatar government, Urban Management was responsible for the
disbursement of land throughout the Republic after the Minmatar Rebellion. Following the immediate
reconstruction period, the company was privatized, and it is now one of the Republic's largest corporations, with
large real estate holdings and the majority of the Republic's construction and civil engineering services. In a
growing economy like that of the modern Republic, such industries have been thriving, and Urban Management
is now one of the largest such companies in the entire cluster.

Despite being privatized, the Minmatar government still maintains contracts with the company to provide many
of the Republic’s necessary administrative functions, such as tracking property ownership and certifying
construction projects. Urban Management also serves in advisory roles, assisting the government in designing
new urban centers and transportation projects.

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Since the Elder War, Urban Management has been under a cloud of lawsuits by Nefantar families migrating from
the Mandate. Prior to the Rebellion, many of these families held land in the Republic, but when the Mandate was
formed, Urban Management confiscated that land and distributed it to other tribes on behalf of the government
at the time. Thus far, no lawsuit has been successful, but Urban Management has invested a significant amount
into its legal defense, cutting into its bottom line.

Vherokior tribe
The Vherokior tribe is perhaps the least troubled of the Minmatar tribes, with little aspirations for dominance,
content to live on the fringe. Most Vherokiors are shop-keepers or small scale businessmen, seldom venturing
into the big boy's league.

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Amarr Empire

The largest of the five main empires, the Amarr Empire is a sprawling patch-work of feudal-like provinces held
together by the might of the Empress. Religion has always played a big part in Amarrian politics and the
Amarrians believe they are the rightful masters of the world, souring their relations with their neighbours.
Another source of ill-feelings on part of the other empires is the fact that the Amarrians embrace slavery

24th Imperial Crusade

It was us who brought civilization to this dark and perilous world, and it is us who uphold it, with compassion,
strength and courage. We need you to help us save the Minmatar from themselves. We will help the lost ones
find their way, capsuleer, and we will do it with the deathless force only you can wield.

Amarr Certified News

The Amarr Certified News is one of the largest news corporations in all of New Eden, rivaling the Scope in size. In
terms of sheer numbers, the Amarr Certified News is certainly a powerhouse, maintaining offices throughout the
Amarr Empire and reporters in the State, Federation, Republic, and the nullsec space lanes.

The ACN covers all events in the Empire, from the pronouncements of the Emperor, to smaller, planetary stories
of interest only to locals. It is the only news agency allowed to report directly from the royal courts, giving it
unparalleled access into the inner worlds of the Heirs and other Amarr nobility. The news agency also has access
to the highest justices on the Theology Council, naturally making it one of the few news sources that can cover
matters relating to the Amarr religion with true authority.

When it comes to the other empires, the ACN tends only to cover those major events which can be painted with
a pro-Amarr brush. While the State is given a relatively easy time, the ACN frequently depicts the hardships of
the Federation and Republic, while completely ignoring their successes. When events are so major that the
Empire has little choice but to cover them, it tends to push those stories to the margins.

This tendency has led opponents of the Empire to declare the ACN as little more than an Imperial propaganda
tool. While this is in some cases a fair assessment, in practice the Empire does little to censor its news agency.
The ACN was the first news corporation to cover embarrassing events such as the gruesome public trial of
Aritcio Kor-Azor, all in a relatively unbiased and open manner.

Amarr Civil Service

The Amarr Empire is a bureaucratic juggernaut and the Amarr Civil Service has taken on a life of its own at the
center of the vast web of governmental offices and institutions. The civil service is the largest employer within
the empire and wields considerable political power through its ability to smother or speed up cases.

Amarr Constructions
A low-profile, conservative construction company that likes to keep out of the lime-light. Amarr Constructions
had its heyday when the Amarrians were first entering space and participated in the construction of the first star
gates. The innovative side of the company is long gone, though it still retains much of its old power and majesty.

Amarr Navy
The history of the Imperial Navy stretches back to the beginning of the Reclaiming on the continent of Amarr,
making it the oldest armed force in the cluster.. In its time, the Navy has been a driving force in Amarr society,
responsible for much of the Empire's advances in technology and exploration. The Navy's touch can be felt on
every facet of the Amarr lifestyle, from the Emperor down to the lowest slave.

Nearly every corner of Empire space was first visited by the Navy's exploration corps, which investigates
uncharted regions of space and surveys them for possible future conquest. First contact between the Amarr and
nearly every other race in New Eden was facilitated through the Navy; sometimes peacefully, but often ending
in violence.

The Imperial Navy is the largest naval force in New Eden, though much of the fleet has become obsolete in
recent years. Its primary battle doctrine is one of overwhelming force, sending its large, well-armed and armored
ships onto the field to mow down the opposition. This tactic served the Navy well for thousands of years, and
between the launch of the Reclaiming beyond Amarr Prime and its meeting with the Jove Empire, the Navy could
claim to have never lost a major fleet engagement.

It was the meeting with the Jove, however, that shattered the Navy's illusion of invulnerability. In the system of
Vak'Atioth, an Amarr fleet was utterly decimated by the Jovian forces. Shortly after, with the Navy in minor
disarray, the Minmatar people used the opportunity to rebel and successfully drove the Empire out of their
homes. The Navy recovered from this disaster, and over the next hundred years re-established itself as a major
force to be reckoned with. However, the events of the Elder War found the Empire under a large-scale invasion
from Minmatar forces, and the Navy was saved from another serious defeat by the arrival of Empress Jamyl I and
her fleet.

Despite this black mark to the Navy's record, it remains a powerful fleet inside the Empire. Citizens with military
records are held in high regard in Amarr culture, and families with a long history of military service elevate
themselves within Amarr society. The Navy offers one of the few ways that someone can raise themselves from
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poverty. The fleet is remarkably non-discriminatory for an Amarr institution, accepting personnel from all
bloodlines. Many people of Udorian, Ni-Kunni, and even Minmatar birth have served with distinction within the
Navy.

The ascent of Jamyl I to the Imperial throne brings fears from the Navy’s detractors that the Imperial Navy will
be transformed into an even greater institution. It remains to be seen what the full impact of her reign will have,
but it continues to be one of the most powerful and capable forces in all of New Eden.

Trade Registry
The Amarr government seeks to control as many aspects of the daily life of its citizens, especially everything
that has to do with trade and communication. The Amarr Trade Registry has records of all transactions within
Amarr space and also monitors all foreign trades and investment made within the empire.

Ardishapur Family
The Ardishapur family is the traditionalists of the royal families. They are conservative and champions of the
Amarrian religion. Their domain is in many ways backward, but it is stable and secure.

Carthum Conglomerate
The Carthum is a fairly new company that was formed with aid from the Caldari Lai Dai mega corporation, which
owns a considerable share in the company. Carthum brought much needed vitality into the stale field of research
and development and has been responsible for the respectable hi-tech gadgetry in many recent Amarrian space
ships.

Civic Court
The secular arm of the Amarrian justice system, the Civic Court has always acted in the shadow of the Theology
Council. The Civic Court has often become a pawn in the political machinations of more powerful entities, though
in latter years it has managed to stay relatively independent.

Ducia Foundry
One of the few Amarr companies that has ventured outside its borders in search of business opportunities. Ducia
Foundry is an energetic mining company that is willing to take chances in their search for rich minerals. The
company has been known to send heavily armed mining expeditions deep into the outer regions, a risk that few
respectable companies are willing to take.

Emperor Family
An integral part of the bureaucratic behemoth that is the Amarr Empire, the Emperor Family acts as an extended
court of the chosen sovereign. Upon his coronation, a new Emperor is expected to take his immediate family and
trusted members of his royal house to join the families of previous Emperors. The structure of the Emperor
Family promotes continuity and conservatism, as many key positions in the Family are invariably held by allies of
Emperors past. This passive safeguard against change has helped the Amarr Empire remain stable for nearly
1400 years.

Since its creation during the Moral Reforms, the Emperor Family has always been a quiet political power, with
the edges of its web touching upon every facet of imperial administration. The mixed heritage of the Family
denotes that no single royal house is ever in complete control of Amarr, and that the Emperors must maintain
good relations with all houses, constantly balancing expansion of power and the division of influence. The
Family's secretaries and bureaucrats have no explicit power, as they are retained purely to implement the
Emperor's will. However, the nature of such an organization allows them to subtly thwart edicts and initiatives
that conflict with their own agendas.

The Court Chamberlain of the Amarr Empire is often chosen from among the most able members of the Emperor
Family, and former Chamberlain Dochuta Karsoth was particularly adept at managing the disparate political wills
of the Family. Through his contacts within the Emperor Family, Karsoth was able to remain in that position
through the reigns of two Emperors, and effectively steal the power of the throne after the death of Doriam II.

Although it is uncommon for an Emperor to demand a member of the Emperor Family to leave the court, it has
become a regular occurrence under the reign of Empress Jamyl I. Karsoth had many close allies within the
Family, and Jamyl's allies have spent the better part of the past year purging the court of dissenters, who were
presented as collaborators of the former Chamberlain. Until the Empress can be certain of the loyalty of the
group, the Emperor Family remains in a greatly weakened position.

Further Foodstuffs
A small agricultural company jointly owned by the Ardishapur and Sarum families. The products of Further
Foodstuffs are mostly used by the subjects of these two families, with what little is left surplus allowed to be sold
on the open market. This has curbed the expansion opportunities of the company, though it means the fleets of
Ardishapur and Sarum will never lack for food.

HZO Refinery
A small, but aggressive mining company that has concentrated its operation in the highly disputed regions
between Minmatar and Ammatar space. Many of these areas are very mineral rich and HZO Refinery has shown

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a hefty profit in recent years. The company is backed by the Ammatar authorities and the Sarum family, which
has given the company the military power it needs to operate safely in this hotly contested space.

Hedion University
Hedion University (graduating the best Business students in the Empire) is located in the Hedion system - the
first solar system colonized by the Amarrians after their own. The university was founded by spirited and liberal
scholars, free from the scrutinizing eye of the Emperor and his theologians.

Imperial Academy
The Imperial Academy (from which all Amarr enlists graduate) is rooted in tradition and generally considered
sub-par to the more modern military institutes found in the other empires. However, it is the only one of its kind
within the Amarr Empire, thus serving a vital function.

Imperial Armaments
Imperial Armaments is the largest weapon manufacturer in the world of EVE. The company manufactures a full
range of weaponry, from small arms to battleships. Typically of the huge Amarr Empire, the company has always
preferred quantity over quality, thus its equipment is not particularly interesting from a technological
standpoint, but it is reliable and durable.

Imperial Chancellor
The head of the executive branch of the Amarrian administration, the Imperial Chancellor is appointed by the
Amarr Emperor and is answerable only to him. Though the Chancellor's authority is mostly confined to the
bureaucracy of the empire, he is still considered one of the most powerful individuals within the empire.

Imperial Shipment
Imperial Shipment started out as the official courier service of the Amarr Emperor, but evolved some decades
ago into a full fledged shipping company that operates throughout the Amarr Empire.

Inherent Implants
Inherent Implants is the leading cyber implant company in the world of EVE, which is easy to understand as
they've been in business for centuries. Inherent Implants started by catering to the needy Holders, especially
the royals. This is still their largest clientele, but recently the company has also started selling to other
Amarrians and even foreigners. This has increased their profit many times, but is frowned upon by the
conservative elements of the Amarr Holders.

Joint Harvesting
Joint Harvesting was formed a decade ago when several agricultural and mining companies joined together to
form one giant company. One of the largest raw material companies in the world of EVE, Joint Harvesting
conducts a wide variety of resource gathering and operates both inside and outside the Amarr Empire.

Kador Family
The Kador family symbolizes the grandeur of the empire. The family has had the most emperors elected in the
past and to most Amarrians they stand for the strong, majestic empire of the old.

Kor-Azor Family
The Kor-Azor have traditionally been in the middle of Amarrian politics, actively trying to find compromises and
peaceful solutions to any problem. Their diplomatic style is favored by the public, but has created many
powerful enemies that are biding their time.

Ministry of Assessment
The Ministry of Assessment is responsible for surveying and exploring the solar systems in and near Amarr
space, charting lucrative asteroid belts and planets. It is also responsible for monitoring the mining activity in
these same areas and organizing the mining operations of Amarrian companies.

Ministry of Internal Order

The Amarr authorities have vast experience in molding their citizens as they want. The Ministry of Internal Order
is responsible for hunting down disgruntled elements in the society and eradicating them. Since first contact the
Ministry of Internal Order is also responsible for monitoring the activities of foreigners within the Amarr border,
especially Minmatar terrorist cells.

Ministry of War
The Ministry of War wields extensive powers within the Amarr Empire through their control of the armed forces.
The Ministry of War is responsible for the construction and maintenance of the Amarrian military and space
navy, and it also has a great say in the foreign policy of the empire.

Noble Appliances
A small manufacturing company that specializes in customized jewelry for the very wealthy. But the company's
managers have been shrewd enough to expand its production line to increase its flexibility and security. Today,
the company manufactures many kinds of both luxury and mundane items, usually in high quality and small
numbers.

-950-
Gallente Federation
The Gallente Federation encompasses several races, the Gallenteans the largest by far. The Federation is
democratic and very liberal in a world full of dictators and oligarchies. The Caldari State was once part of the
Federation, but a severe dispute resulted in their departure and a long war between the Gallente Federation and
the Caldari State. The Gallenteans are the masters of pleasure and entertainment and their rich trade empire
has given the world many of its most glorious and extravagant sights.

Aliastra
A well-run retail company that has a broad inter-stellar scope, with operations in all the empires. Aliastra has not
been able to compete domestically with FedMart, but has seen moderate success in other empires.

Allotek Industries
Allotek Industries is an offshoot from Roden Shipyards, founded several years ago to develop and manufacture
top quality ship modules. Though the company is still in its infancy it already has an impressive product catalog
that promises great things for this company in the future.

Astral Mining Inc.

Astral Mining is considered by many the best run mining company in the world of EVE. It is well organized, with
well defined surveying, mining and selling divisions that year after year make Astral Mining one of the biggest
earners in the corporate world.

Bank of Luminaire
The national bank of the Gallenteans, located on Gallente Prime. The bank has been in operation for many
centuries and has a web of vested economical interests throughout the Federation, allowing it to participate or
interfere with most aspects of Gallentean society.

Center for Advanced Studies

Originally conceived as a think-tank for researchers at Chemal Tech, the Center for Advanced Studies (the
breeding grounds for future Gallente industrialists) evolved into an independent educational facility that today is
considered one of the very best technical schools in the universe.

Chemal Tech
Chemal Tech is an established hi-tech company that was at the forefront of electronic warfare technology a few
decades back. Though the fortunes of the company have somewhat dimmed since then it still cranks out top
quality EW equipment.

Combined Harvest
The main agricultural company in the Federation, Combined Harvest is conservative and passive in nature. It
operates solely within the Federation and has no aspirations to muscle in on other markets. However, it is
extremely paranoid about its own market share and is willing to go to any length to protect it.

CreoDron
Founded by Old Man Darieux after his return from his fantastic journey to the Ouperia system, CreoDron has
been the leading corporation in drone manufacture and development for many years.
As the largest drone developer and manufacturer in space, CreoDron has a vested interest in drone carriers.
While sacrificing relatively little in the way of defensive capability, CreoDron ships can chew their way through
surprisingly strong opponents - provided, of course, that the pilot uses top-of-the-line CreoDron drones.

Duvolle Laboratories
Duvolle Laboratories is one of those rare companies that focus more on the research than the practical
application of their discoveries. Duvolle is engaged in a myriad of R&D, ranging from hi-tech weaponry to nano-
robots to cloning equipment.
Duvolle Labs manufactures sturdy ships with a good mix of offensive and defensive capabilities. Since the
company is one of New Eden’s foremost manufacturers of particle blasters, its ships tend to favor turrets and
thus have somewhat higher power output than normal.

Egonics Inc.
Egonics holds a unique place in the music industry. The company uses a special technology for broadcasting
sound, which has become extremely popular, especially amongst the younger generations. Egonics employs its
own music makers and can tailor the music to the individual taste of every listener. Not everyone is happy with
the Egonics technology and it has been outlawed from the Amarr Empire.

FedMart
The largest retail corporation in the world of EVE, FedMart is close to having a monopoly within the Federation,
something that is of great concern to the Federal administration.

Federal Administration
The Federal Administration has greater presence in space than the bureaucratic apparatus of the other empires.
This is mainly due to the fact that space travel became a common thing for the ordinary Gallentean citizen much

-951-
earlier than for the other empires and also because inter-stellar trade is proportionally much larger in the
Federation than elsewhere.

Federal Defence Union

The Federation has awoken to the threat, and now its strength shall be tried. We wanted peace, and now we are
faced with war, provoked by the destructive Caldari. We need brave pilots to fly into the fray and protect not
only the ideals for which we stand, but the Federation that upholds them in these dark times. Join us, capsuleer.
With your strength and your conviction we shall endure.

Federal Freight
Even though Federal Freight is smaller than many other shipping companies it is still the most recognized
shipping brand within the Federation. The company is old and established and has always concentrated their
efforts within the Federation, even at times when it seemed lucrative to expand out of it.

Federal Intelligence Office

The FIO answers directly to the President and its works are shrouded in secrecy and covert operations. It is
believed to operate an extensive spy network that is only rivaled by the Jovians.

Federal Navy Academy

The Federation Navy (where all Gallente cadets are enlisted) has recently begun upholding extremely strict
standards of professionalism for its cadets. The result of these standards, draconian even for a military school, is
a leaner, meaner academy with much stricter entry
requirements than before and more effective tutoring.

Federation Customs
With trade, especially inter-stellar trade, such an integral part of Gallentean society, it is no wonder that the
Customs office has gained so much power and influence. Goods are constantly flowing in and out of the
Federation and the Customs have its hands full in monitoring that everything is done by the book.

Federal Administration
The Federal Administration has greater presence in space than the bureaucratic apparatus of the other empires.
This is mainly due to the fact that space travel became a common thing for the ordinary Gallentean citizen much
earlier than for the other empires and also because inter-stellar trade is proportionally much larger in the
Federation than elsewhere.

Federation Navy
The Federation Navy has seen better days, since the end of the war with the Caldari and the thawing in relations
with the Amarrians the budget for the Navy has been slashed severely. It still relies on its drone armada to
defeat opponents, but ship wise the Federal Navy is lacking.

Garoun Investment Bank

The Garoun Investment Bank specializes in funding startup companies, especially in the hi-tech and
entertainment sectors. It is owned by Quafe and the media mogul Raphel Bar, they formed it to further their
influence in these vital industries.

Impetus
Impetus is the main producer of holo reels in the world of EVE, producing anything from epic historical movies to
cheap porn flicks. Impetus has in recent years led the development of instant news arrays, a technology that will
revolutionize the news business once complete.

Inner Zone Shipping

A small shipping company that specializes in the bulk shipment of raw materials. The Bank of Luminaire bought
a majority share recently and has employed IZS in shipping money and other valuables between stations, due to
IZS' excellent security system.

Material Acquisition
Material Acquisition has grabbed a sizeable market share in the short time since it was founded, mainly due to
its ruthless business practices and tendency to buy out competitors. MA's mother company is Quafe, which has
poured money into MA in an attempt to make it the largest mining company in the Federation.

Pend Insurance
Pend Insurance was founded by Pier Ancru some 20 years ago. Ancru is a true Gallentean success story; he
comes from very poor background, but through grit and determination he rose to the top and is today one of the
richest person in the Federation. His company is mainly an investment firm, though they also act in the role of a
traditional bank.

Poteque Pharmaceuticals
Poteque is one of the leading biotech corporations in the world of EVE. In its rich history it has often worked
small miracles in discovering or developing cures for a host of human sicknesses. It is currently embroiled in a
top secret research project for the Federal government, the result of which should come to fruitition in the near

-952-
future.

President
The President is the head of the executive branch of the Federal government. He wields great power and is in
many respects the most powerful individual in the world of EVE. The current President, Foiritan, is very much a
man of the people.

Quafe Company
One of the largest corporations in the world of EVE, Quafe bases its phenomenal success on their extremely
popular Quafe drink. But the company operates in many other fields and its power is such that it has a
considerable political clout.

Roden Shipyards
Owned by the infamous Jacus Roden, a robber baron and scoundrel if there ever was one. Under his cunning
leadership the company has established itself as a leading manufacturer of frigates and shuttles in the
Federation. The company also operates a strong RDdivision, Roden has been active in hiring the best talents out
there, often by prying them from other companies with promises of fame and fortune.

Senate
The Senate is the legislative arm of the Federal government. It also oversees the Federal budget, which gives it
great powers. The Senate has often been weakened by factionalism, but the current one has often presented a
united front to the President, making his life very hard.

Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the highest judicial institution in the Federation. It makes sure the Federal constitution is
upheld, but it is mainly concerned about the higher truths of authority, striving to make the administration as
open and honest as possible.

The Scope
The Scope is the leading news agency in the world of EVE. Though based in the Federation the company takes
pride in its total independence and operates separate agencies throughout the world. The Scope swings slightly
to the left, but it's conservative enough to be considered a reliable news agency even to the toughest
businessmen and politicians.

University of Caille
The largest school in the universe at almost half a million students, the University of Caille has long acted as a
melting pot for cultures and ideas from all over. As befits its status, it offers a wide range of studies, but is best
known for its extensive anthropology department.

TransStellar Shipping
The largest shipping company in the world of EVE, TransStellar Shipping offers a cheap and reliable service
almost anywhere. Considered the next best thing to InterBus in interstellar shipping, TransStellar Shipping is a
stellar example of a big company getting bigger due to pure marketing muscle.

-953-
Nurtura
The Amarrians have whole planets dedicated to food production, the populous state has bitter experience from
famine and wants to make sure it never experiences famine again on a large scale. Nurtura is one of the larger
Amarrian agricultural companies, one that has been in the forefront of exporting basic foodstuff to the other
empires.

Royal Amarr Institute

One of the oldest educational facilities in the universe (the breeding grounds for future Amarrian industrialists),
the Royal Amarr Institute dates from an era when the Amarrians were still confined to their continent on Amarr
Prime, before the Empire and the Great Reclaiming.

Sarum Family
The Sarum family has always been the most belligerent of the royal families, always willing to take up arms
whenever required. The family has vested interest in the Amarr military and the armaments industry. They are
the only royal family that wants to revive the Reclaiming efforts of old.

Tash-Murkon Family
The Tash-Murkon family was elevated to the status of a royal family following the departure of the Khanid family.
The Tash-Murkons are also outsiders because they are of Udorian ancestry, not true Amarrians. Yet through their
vast wealth they have managed to buy themselves to the top.

Theology Council
The last great vestige of the religious sect that once ruled the empire, the Theology Council has the same role as
the supreme court has in other empires. It also acts a moral police and hunter of heretics, which gives it
considerable power within the empire, allowing it to investigate, question and even imprison almost anyone at
its whim.

Viziam
Viziam is only a few years old, having been founded around the remnants of a hi-tech company that floundered.
Viziam received support from the Carthum Conglomerate and has quickly risen to prominence in the industrial
sector of the Amarr Empire.

Zoar and Sons

Zoar and Sons is one of the oldest manufacturing companies in the Empire, dating back to the Moral Reforms
around 1500 years ago. The company was founded by an influential and shrewd Holder named Zoar, who had
numerous connections with the newly formed Privy Council. Utilizing those connections to the fullest degree,
Zoar managed to propel his company to the top, becoming the most widespread and powerful corporation in the
Empire.

At its height, Zoar and Sons supplied nearly every region of the Empire with everything from electronics to
vehicles to construction supplies. Beyond his own connections, Zoar proved to be an amazing businessman, and
he enjoyed rare successes with both commoners and Holders. His techniques were so effective that they are still
taught to aspiring Amarr businessmen, and even in some Caldari schools.

However, the success lasted only as long as Zoar did. Upon his death, he left his many sons in charge, each the
head of different divisions. With every son desiring to leave his own legacy on the company, the once unified
corporation found itself driven in a multitude of incompatible directions, weakening the company significantly.

In addition, the company found itself under attack by the many political enemies Zoar managed to accumulate
during his life. The company lost many of its manufacturing contracts with the Imperial Navy and Heirs, and on
more than one occasion the sons considered selling out to foreign investors.

Eventually, one of the sons managed to secure investments from Khanid Innovations and bought out his
brothers. Finally under a single umbrella, Zoar and Sons managed to stay afloat, and the old grudges against
Zoar died and were forgotten.

Since those days, the company has managed to regain some of its standing in the Empire. It has never regained
the importance it once held in Zoar's time, but the company is larger today than it ever has been, serving a
majority of the Empire with its products.

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Jove Empire

The Jove Empire is isolated from the rest of the world to all but a selected few. The Jovians are a mystery to the
other races, fueled not only by their elusiveness, but also their highly advanced technology, eons ahead of the
other races. The Jovians have been civilized longer than any other race in the world of EVE and have gone
through several golden ages, now long-since shrouded in the past. The current Jovian Empire is only a pale
shadow of its former self, mainly because of the Jovian Disease - a psychological disorder that is always fatal.

Academy of Aggressive Behaviour

Most Jovians have had their aggressive instincts curbed or even removed through genetic engineering. The
Academy for Aggressive Behaviour, responsible for training space cadets, uses the latest in gene therapies to re-
introuduce the base instincts to their students to ensure the animalistic nature of humans, so important for
fighting, is alive and fresh in them.

Genolution
Genolution is the leading cloning company in the world of EVE. Not only was it the first company to start offering
clones to the public, but since then it has improved the cloning technique considerably, paving the way for
others to follow in their footsteps.

Impro
Impro is a small hi-tech company that is one of the few Jovian companies to operate outside Jove space. It
manufactures mainly electronic hardware, far superior to those produced by the other empires.

Jove Navy
No one knows how big the Jove Navy is, though judging by the number of Jovians it can't be all that big. Yet it is
universally revered and feared, considered the most powerful of all the empire's fleets. Its reputation dates from
the Amarr-Jove War when it decimated a whole Amarrian armada in a single battle.

Jovian directorate
The Jovian directorate is believed to be the highest governmental authority in the Jove Empire, though this has
never been confirmed or denied by the Jovians. The inner workings of the directorate are also uncertain.

Material Institute
The Jovians, with all their power and resources, are not always very pragmatic. The Material Institute was
founded precisely to combat this. Most Jovians are already well schooled in the technical aspects, but they need
some tutoring on the practical application for use in industry and manufacturing.

Prosper
Prosper is a financial corporation that has in recent years invested in several hi-tech companies around the
world. It has never sought a majority ownership in any company and has a policy of non-interference.
Nevertheless, most companies welcome their capital with open arms, simply for the prestige that having a
Jovian investor gives.

Shapeset
Shapeset is the main manufacturer of Jovian ships and ship modules. It operates solely within Jovian space and
has refused all approaches from abroad to sell the products to non-Jovians.

X-Sense
X-Sense manufacture medical equipment that it sells all over the world of EVE. When neural boosters were legal
X-Sense was also one of the leaders in that field, though it naturally stopped producing them once they became
illegal.

-955-
CONCORD Assembly
CONCORD is an independent organization founded a century ago to facilitate negotiations between the races to
improve relations, as well as to foster inter-stellar trade through policing and regulations. Starting as a fledgling
meeting ground for diplomats CONCORD has in the decades since it was founded slowly increased its power and
influence. It has become an entity independent of the races, as it is able to largely fund its own operation
through customs, confiscation of contraband goods, and other means.

CONCORD
CONCORD was jointly formed a century ago by all the empires. The intention of it was to foster the fragile
relationship between the empires and act as a meeting place where they could discuss their differences and
hammer out a compromise solution. CONCORD has since taken on a life of its own, proud if its independence
and determined to uphold its duties.

DED
DED (Directive Enforcement Department) is the police enforcement arm of CONCORD. DED has the
responsibility of tracking down known criminals and attacking criminal facilities. They frequently operate outside
empire space, wanting criminals to understand that they are nowhere safe from the long arm of the law.

Inner Circle
Inner Circle is the top level department of CONCORD. The policies of CONCORD are discussed and decided on
Inner Circle meetings, which are usually closed to the public. At first the members of the circle were nominated
by the empires, but now they rise from the ranks of CONCORD employees. Thus, their loyalty is no longer bound
to any one empire, but rather to CONCORD itself.

Secure Commerce Commission

The SCC is responsible for regulating and monitoring all trade transactions that take place on space stations. It
has agents on all stations that record the transactions and they also offer courier and escrow services to make
trade smooth.

Ammatar Mandate

The Ammatars are part of the Amarr Empire, but are of Minmatar origin. During the time the Amarrians occupied
the Minmatar home worlds one of the Minmatar tribes, the Nefantars, collaborated heavily with the Amarrians.
The Nefantars fled Minmatar space during the Minmatar Rebellion and the Amarr Emperor set them up in Amarr
controlled areas close to Minmatar space. Soon everyone had started calling them Ammatars. Today, the
Ammatars enjoy a semi-autonomy in their own space and are still embroiled in war with their former Minmatar
brethren.

Ammatar Consulate
The Ammatars have a semi-sovereign state bound to the Amarrians. The Ammatar Consulate is the highest
governmental office for the Ammatars and takes care of the general running of the Ammatar state. It is manned
by Ammatars, but they all bow to the Ammatar governor, which is an Amarrian.

Ammatar Fleet
The Amarrians allow the Ammatars to operate their own fleet, knowing that it will be employed against the
Minmatars that otherwise would harass the Amarr Empire. The Ammatar Fleet is neither big nor sophisticated,
but it's strong enough to keep the Minmatars at bay.

Nefantar Miner Association

The Nefantar Miner Association is primarily a mining company, but with a strong militaristic overtone. This is
because it operates mostly in the areas between Ammatar and Minmatar space. The area has many rich mineral
zones, making it coveted by more or less everyone.

-956-
Khanid Kingdom
The Khanid Kingdom, also known as the Dark Amarr, was founded a few centuries ago when the last Amarr
Emperor was chosen. Khanid was one of the royal heirs at the time and, in accordance with tradition, should
have killed himself after failing to become emperor. This Khanid refused to do and split his vast domains from
the Amarr Empire. The empire retaliated, but only managed to conquer some of the vulnerable outer regions
from Khanid. The Kingdom still upholds many of the tradition of Amarr society, but has also wholeheartedly
embraced the customs of others, mainly the Caldari. Many visitors to the Kingdom feel like it is a surreal mix of
the Amarr and Caldari empires.

Khanid Innovation
Khanid Innovation is a hi-tech research firm that has come up with many astounding discoveries in the past few
decades. The company has always been at the forefront of weapon research thanks to the urgency in combating
the threat of an Amarrian invasion.

Khanid Transport
Khanid Transport is a small shipping company that operates mainly within the Khanid Kingdom. It has also tried
its hands at exploration, but there have been no news about its successes or failures in that endeavor.

Khanid Works
One of the first things that Khanid II did after separating from the Amarr Empire was to set up a company
capable of building a brand new space fleet to deter the Amarrians from invading. Khanid Works cranked its first
ship out within weeks and its success is evident as the Amarrians have never invaded the kingdom.

Royal Khanid Navy

The Royal Khanid Navy consists of ships designed by the Dark Amarrians themselves, with a bit of help from the
Caldari, which the kingdom has always held good relations with. The RKN is not big, but much more hi-tech than
that of their cousins the Amarrians.

The Syndicate
Formed by Intaki exiles from the Gallente Federation during the Caldari-Gallente War. The Syndicate has slowly
grown in stature and influence and now serves as an important link between the empires and the illegal
elements in the outer regions. Syndicate space is a pirate haven, but still retains enough civility to allow pretty
much anyone to travel there to do business. The Syndicate markets are always chockfull of contraband goods
and illegal wares that are hard or impossible to come by elsewhere. Each Syndicate station is a autonomous
entity, but they cooperate on security and information issues. The unofficial leader of the Syndicate is Silphy en
Diabel, a former Sister of EVE that returned to Syndicate space to save her family's fortune. Since then she's
turned out to be just as resourceful and ruthless as her late father.

Intaki Bank
The Intaki Bank has seen brisk business in the decade since it decided to keep the names on all accounts secret
and inaccessible to anyone. Everyone knows that dirty money pours in and out of the bank, but the general
consensus of the Syndicate is that if it doesn't provide this service, then someone else will.

Intaki Commerce
The Syndicate is the biggest black market dealer in the world of EVE, a place where shady traders from the
outer regions can meet merchants from empire space. Intaki Commerce handles these transactions, making a
nice profit for the Syndicate.

Intaki Space Police

The Syndicate wants their space to be relatively trouble-free, so as to encourage people to visit and spend their
money. With empire policing infrequent, they employ their own police force to enforce the peace.

Intaki Syndicate
Formed by Intaki exiles from the Gallente Federation during the Caldari-Gallente War, the Syndicate has slowly
grown in stature and influence. It now serves as an important link between the empires and the illegal elements
in the outer regions. Syndicate space is a pirate haven but still retains enough civility to allow pretty much
anyone to travel there for business. Its markets are always chock full of contraband goods and illegal wares that
are hard or impossible to come by elsewhere. Each Syndicate station is an autonomous entity, but they
cooperate on security and information issues. The unofficial leader of the Syndicate is Silphy en Diabel, a former
Sister of EVE who returned to Syndicate space to save her family's fortune. Since then she's turned out to be
just as resourceful and ruthless as her late father.

-957-
Guristas Pirates
Formed by two former members of the Caldari Navy, the pair go by the names Fatal and the Rabbit, the Guristas
are a constant thorn in the side of the Caldari State. The Guristas are traditional pirates in the sense that their
operation is not based around some creed or ideology, but rather a plain and simple greed. The Guristas have
bases close to Caldari space and from them they embark on daring raids, often into the State itself. Though the
Guristas are considered more honorable than many of their counterparts, they are still extremely dangerous and
not to be tampered with

Guristas
The Guristas are a pirate cartel that has harassed the Caldari for some years. The Guristas are led by former
members of the Caldari Navy and they are the best organized and most disciplined pirate cartel operating in the
outer regions.

Guristas Production
A recent addition to the Guristas pirate cartel, responsible for maintaining the cartel's fleets and stations.
Guristas Production is also believed to be engaged in several top secret research projects, mostly in the missile
field.

Angel Cartel
Operating from the heart of the Curse region, the Angel Cartel is today the largest and best organized of the
space-based criminal factions. The Angels are divided into several groups, each with a very special function. It is
commanded by the Dominations and in the century they've been lurking in deep space they have stolen,
plundered or sabotaged countless number of ships and kidnapped, molested or murdered thousands of people.
The Angels recruit members from all the races, and are thus not bound to any one zone of operation, which
spans almost the entire known world. Many believe that the Angels got their power by uncovering Jovian
technologies hidden in their ancient homes, now infested by the Angel Cartel.

Archangels
The main arm of the Angel Cartel, the Archangels have no one center of operation, but can be seen roaming the
space lanes most everywhere. They are equally adapt at piracy, scavenging and smuggling.

Dominations
The Dominations is the command division of the Angel Cartel. The Dominations are quite elusive and seldom
venture far from their bases in the Curse region. Little is known about the identities of the leaders of the Angel
Cartel, though it is understood they come from all the races.

Guardian Angels
The Guardian Angels is a division of the Angel Cartel that are today exclusively occupied with guarding Serpentis
space stations. The Serpentis Corporation pays the Angel Cartel handsomely for the protection, that is strong
enough to keep even the DED at bay.

Salvation Angels
The Salvation Angels are the non-combat division of the Angel Cartel. The Salvation Angels are responsible for
building and maintaining the Angels stations and space ships. For this, they frequently salvage what they need
from the wrecks their fellow Angels have left behind.

-958-
The Blood Raider Covenant
The Amarr Empire has had its share of religious cults and fanatics in the past, but few have been as successful,
or been feared as much, as the Blood Raiders. The Blood Raiders are a sect of a ancient cult called Sani Sabik,
which uses blood in their rituals. The Blood Raiders believe that cloned bodies have 'purer' blood than other
bodies and this explains while they operate mainly in space, attacking unwary space farers and draining their
bodies of blood. The Blood Raiders are led by the fearsome Omir Sarikusa, who has remained on top of the DED
most wanted list for many years now. Under his leadership the Blood Raiders have become more organized and
they have established several bases in the Bleak Lands region.

Blood Raiders
The Blood Raiders evolved from an ancient Amarrian cult into a cut-throat bandits that revel in killing and
maiming. Considered among the most dangerous and depraved of all pirate elements operating in space
CONCORD strongly advices people to stay out of their zones in the Bleak Lands.

The InterBus

The InterBus is one of the more successful joint ventures the empires have undertaken. It was formed some 30
years ago to act as a neutral passenger transportation company that would span the entire known world. Since
then it has evolved a bit, especially when it started to ferry goods too. The InterBus is used by the SCC to ferry
goods between stations, as they are reliable and operate in every station in the world. As InterBus has to
operate not only in empire stations, but also in pirate havens and other stations associated with organized
crime, the company has to uphold a very strict policy regarding neutrality and secrecy. Even if the company is
owned by the empires, no information regarding to shipments or station locations is ever given out. The strict
adherence to these rules has allowed InterBus to operate without harassment in every corner of the world of
EVE, making them one of the pillars of the inter-stellar community.

ORE
Outer Ring Excavations, or ORE, is the largest independent mining corporation around. ORE was originally a
fledgling Gallentean company, but struck gold when they found extremely rich Nocxium asteroid belts in the
Outer Ring region. When the Gallente Federation tried to force ORE to reveal the location of the asteroid fields
the company left Gallentean space and set up base in the Outer Ring region. They used their massive wealth to
buy protection for their bases and keep their operation secret. Several pirate factions have tried to muscle in on
the ORE territories, but with little success.

A filthy rich corporation that disassociated itself from the Federation when it tried to encroach on the companies
riches. ORE operates mainly in the Outer Ring and Cloud Ring regions, where they have mining installations
scattered around in hidden locations, grinding out the most valuable minerals on the market.

Thukker Tribe
The Thukker tribe is one of the seven original Minmatar tribes. After the Minmatar Rebellion the Thukkers left
Minmatar space and took up the nomadic lifestyles of their ancestors, only this time in space. The closest thing
they've got to home is the Great Wildlands region, where they are very numerous, but the Thukkers like to be on
the move, constantly going from one solar system to another in their huge caravans, trading and scavenging.
Respectable citizens of EVE frown upon the Thukkers, considering them to be nothing but scoundrels and thiefs.
Indeed, the Thukkers often operate on the shadier side of the law, but their resourcefulness and diligence count
a lot more for their success than their criminal activities.

Thukker Mix
The Thukker tribe is one of the Minmatar tribes. It is nomadic in nature, constantly roaming from one place to
another. The closest thing to a home they've got is the Great Wildlands region, where they have several pirate
havens.

Trust Partners
The Thukkers are by many considered to be scoundrels and pirates, but many of them actually operate on the
right side of the law. Trust Partners has established itself as a decent shipping and trading company that even
respectable empire corporations have started dealing with.

-959-
The Servant Sisters of EVE
The Sisters of EVE are mainly known for their humanitarian aid efforts to those suffering because of war, famine
or even just being lost in space. But the Sisters of EVE base their existence on strong religious beliefs, which
they have coupled with scientific facts. They believe that the EVE gate is a gateway to heaven - that god resides
on the other side of the gate. As well as dedicating themselves to aiding those in need they are also busy with
scientific experiments around the EVE gate, hoping to gain a better understanding of the forces at work there.

Food Relief
Food Relief is the humanitarian aid arm of the Sisters of EVE. The company collects donations from all over the
world of EVE and uses them to buy food and medicine, which it then distributes to those in need.

The Sanctuary
The Sanctuary is the center of the science research the Sisters are undertaking on the EVE gate. It also acts as a
typical refuge haven as all other SOE stations, but this activity is secondary to its scientific pursuits.

Sisters of EVE
The Sisters of EVE are a humanitarian aid organization that is based on religion. The Sisters operate many
stations outside empire space where weary travelers can seek refuge. SOE is also engaged in a scientific
research project on the EVE gate, which they consider to be the gateway to heaven and are determined to
unlock its secrets.

The Society

The Society of Conscious Thought is three centuries old and was founded by a Jovian named Ior Labron, who was
in search of spiritual enlightenment. The Society has since then taken many guises and been anything from a
religious sect full of hermits to a political institute playing the power game. Today, the Society is mainly known
for their scholastic achievments, their schools are widely regarded as the best ones in the world of EVE and rich
and influential parents everywhere fight to get their kids admitted. Offering large sums of money is, however, no
guarantee for admittance, as the Society has its own peculiar selection process that seems to have little rhyme
or reason to outsiders. The Society operates in remote areas, where they build strongholds called kitz. Not all
kitz are schools, some are still devoted to spiritual enlightenment or scientific pursuits.

The Society of Conscious Thought was founded some 300 years ago. Since then it has seen many guises,
including spiritual healing-house and political power-block. Today, it is one of the finest and most respected
educational facilities in the world of EVE. As it is only loosely connected to the Jove state the Society admits non-
Jovian students. For them, being admitted to a Society school is a great honor and an almost certain ticket to a
prestigious position later in life.

Mordu's Legion Command

The origin of Mordu's Legion lies in the Gallente-Caldari War when a group Intaki military personnel sided with
the Caldari. The Intakis were put into a separate unit with a Caldari officer named Mordu. After the war the
Intakis settled in Caldari space, but unwillingly became entangled with Caldari locals in the Waschi Uprising.
Mordu's Legion was formed at that time as a mercenary fighting force and after the uprising it continued in
existence. The Legion is loosely associated with the Caldari Navy, but are in most part totally independent.
Mordu's Legion is commonly hired by companies to protect valuable assets outside empire space, for instance
Outer Ring Excavations pays them handsomly to patrol the Outer Ring region.

Mordu's Legion is a mercenary corporation that operates outside Caldari and Gallente space, hired by
respectable companies such as ORE to protect their operation. Originally the members of the legion were mostly
Intakis and Caldari, but lately they've started accepting members from most races.

-960-
Sansha's Nation
Sansha's Nation was founded more than a century ago, shortly after all the empires had come into contact, just
when space exploration and colonization was taking off. Sansha was a Caldari tycoon that carved out a sizeable
piece of space for himself. There, he set out to create an utopian state. His vision and charm attracted thousands
of people and for some time the Nation flourished. But Sansha became ever more warped as his success
increased. He started experiments, combining capsule technology with the human mind, creating a zombie like
creatures that had the cold, calculating mind of a computer, but the ingenuinity of humans. When this became
public knowledge Sansha was condemned and the other empires joined forces to bring him down. His forces
were decimated and scattered to the winds. Remnants still remain far in the outer regions, but the once glorious
Nation has been reduced to pirates and pillagers.

True Creations
Despite the fact that Sansha's Nation was destroyed decades ago, remnants still remain in deep space and are
in many ways growing in stature. True Creations operate several shipyards that are increasing the number of
Sansha's ships roaming space each and every day.

True Power
True Power is what remains of the military arm of Sansha's Nation. Though it is mainly concerned about
protecting the remaining assets of the Nation, it also is engaged in mining and manufacturing operations to
maintain its strength.

Serpentis
The Serpentis Corporation was founded a few decades ago by V.Salvador Sarpati. At first it was engaged in hi-
tech research, but with time its ties with the underworld grew and the Serpentis research stations, scattered
around in remote areas, became infamous pirate havens. Sarpati made a deal with the Angel Cartel early on to
provide protection for his stations and the duty was taken on by the Guardian Angels. Both sides have prospered
enormously for this deal - Serpentis can operate in peace and the Angel Cartel gets access to the illegal research
efforts of the Serpentis. It is strongly believed that Serpentis is the main developer and manufacturer of illegal
neural boosters, especially since Sarpati's father was a renown specialist in that field. The home of Serpentis is
in the Phoenix constellation in the Fountain region.

Serpentis Corporation
The Serpentis Corporation was initially a Gallentean research firm that evolved into a drug cartel. The Serpentis
Corporation is believed to be the biggest producer and distributor of illegal neural boosters. They have employed
the Guardian Angels to protect their assets in space.

Serpentis Inquest
Serpentis Inquest is a offspring of the Serpentis Corporation that is also a research company, but instead of
focusing on neural boosters Inquest is researching black cyber implants and alternative cloning methods.

-961-
Regions

AB21-A:
"It was like the gods of old, descending from the heavens and handing us fire, empowering us far beyond our
comprehension.. and then vanishing."
- Treatise on the rise of the capsuleer.

Aridia:
"It has been a long, tedious journey. Whilst my cartographer maintains that the distance from the central Throne
Worlds is not great, the travails of getting here were, for many reasons, too tiresome to enumerate. The mineral
survey report is also grim. It seems the riches we were led to expect are nowhere to be found. This region seems
literally devoid of anything of worth, a desert with no oasis in sight, where even my faith seems to shrivel and
die. Perhaps others will find worth here. I cannot."
- From the journal of Soruma Aquiun, Commander 51st Exploration Corps.

Branch:
The northern hinterland of Branch remains a dismal and largely desolate region, despite its considerable mineral
wealth. Unlike the rest of the densely-packed northern cluster, Branch and its neighbor Tenal occupy a sector of
space located behind the vast tracts of Guristas-infested Venal, making access to them even more hazardous
than usual. Perversely, this inaccessibility is also one of its greatest attractions: many capsuleer regimes have
found this isolated fastness perfect for establishing the fortified core of their dominion.

Cache:
The history of Cache is shrouded in mystery, even among the highest levels of the four Empires. No record
remains of its original explorers, or what they were after. The region stretches out into the eastern darkness like
a mangled claw, stringing far-flung stars into a twisted necklace of frozen tears. What did the nameless
voyagers hope to find out in the cold tomb of trackless space? And given the abrupt end to which the region
comes, did they find it, or did some darker fate befall them?

Catch:
Catch has long been a strategically important region. During the initial expansion into the rim territories, it
linked the Khanid Kingdom, Sansha's Nation and the Angel Cartel to one another, and through its connections to
Providence was given considerable status as the "Southern Gateway" by the Amarr Empire. Unlike regions such
as Pure Blind, however, its importance did not fade with the dawn of the capsuleer era, as its branching links
east and west ensured continued relevance. As a consequence it has earned itself a bloody reputation - some
say the very stars reverberate with the dying breaths of the countless lost souls.

Cloud Ring:
Named by noted Intaki astronomer Alnadil Jouber, Cloud Ring is notable for its central constellations, which are
encompassed by a massive ring of dust and gas expelled from an ancient stellar catastrophe of colossal
proportions. The first scientist to observe and detail this phenomenon from observatories in the Placid region,
Jouber went on to theorize that analysis of the ring's extent, density, and rate of expansion could give insight as
to what monumental event could have caused such a disturbance and when it might have occurred.

He further theorized that such an explosion might have had far-reaching gravitic effects that could destabilize
wormholes, and might have been a contributing factor in the collapse of the EVE Gate. While later researchers
have discounted many of his ideas, the validity of his theories has yet to be categorically disproven. It is
noteworthy that the Sisters of EVE maintain several bases in Placid, from which scientific expeditions to study
the Cloud Ring are coordinated.

Curse
Once we were mighty,
Stars bent to our will,
Our reach was infinite,
Our power incontestable,
With outstretched hands we tried,
To touch the face of perfection,
But we came too close,
To that which is not due mortals,
And our punishment is our curse,
Our endless sorrow.
- Translation of an old Jovian poem

"Perfection ain't all it's *****ed up to be"

- Angel saying

Deklein:
Deklein is a narrow band of stars loosely connected by some of the most ancient gates outside of empire space.
Reminiscent of a skeletal finger pointing out toward the void, it is such a remote region that some of the gates
found when the area was first explored are still in use. While in most regions gate crews swap out every five

-962-
years or so, in Deklein some of these ancient gates have been run by the same family for hundreds of years.

These families have intricate knowledge of their gates and the network they're connected to. It was once the
practice that aspiring gatemen would travel to Deklein to do their year and come back “Deklein-trained” – a title
of some honor which would almost guarantee them a chief gate operator position upon their return. Of course,
some never would return...

With the gradual influx of heavy Gurista presence in the area this practice ceased, although the families still
exist, keeping the gate network running and passing on their extensive knowledge to any gate operator crazy
enough to run the gauntlet of dangers to reach them.

Delve:
Bloody Omir ran away
Hiding from the light of day
Made a base out in the night
Far far from the Empire's might
Holders think they all are safe
Protected by the Emp'ror's grace
Silly people, they should know
You shall reap just what you sow
Bloody Omir's coming back
Monsters from the endless black
Wading through a crimson flood
Omir's come to drink your blood
- Nursery Ryhme

Derelik:
The Derelik region, sovereign seat of the Ammatar Mandate, became the shield to the Amarrian flank in the
wake of the Minmatar Rebellion. Derelik witnessed many hostile exchanges between the Amarr and rebel forces
as the latter tried to push deeper into the territory of their former masters. Having held their ground, thanks in
no small part to the Ammatars' military efforts, the Amarr awarded the Ammatar with their own province.
However, this portion of space shared borders with the newly forming Minmatar Republic as well as the Empire,
and thus came to be situated in a dark recess surrounded by hostiles.

Given the lack of safe routes elsewhere, the local economies of this region were dependent on trade with the
Amarr as their primary means of survival. The Ammatar persevered over many decades of economic stagnation
and limited trade partners, and their determination has in recent decacdes been rewarded with an increase in
economic prosperity. This harsh trail is a point of pride for all who call themselves Ammatar, and it has bolstered
their faith in the Amarrian way to no end.

Detorid
In the outer reaches of the south, nestled behind its formidable neighbors, lies Detorid. This unassuming region
is home to what have become termed dead storms, a phenomenon thus far not found anywhere else. They
appear randomly, centered around certain planets, ravage the area for days, then abruptly vanish.

Scientists have had relatively few chances to travel to the region to study dead storms, as Detorid once marked
the edge of the Jove Empire and now lies within the Angel Cartel’s territory. Current theory points to the storms
being tears in the fabric of space. Why they exist in the first place, or the reason for their being focused around
certain planets, remain mysteries and will no doubt do so for some time yet.

Devoid:
Only through many hardships
Is a man stripped to his very foundations
And in such a state
Devoid of distractions
Is his soul free to soar
And in this
He is closest to God

- The Scriptures, Book of Missions Verses 42:5

Domain:
"In God's name, the Amarr have reclaimed the entirety of our world. Now, blessed with the divine mandate of
God, we spread our reach unto other worlds. From nearby Hedion, to the distant Misaba, to the burning southern
star Penirgman, and all lands in-between. They are our birthright, our duty, our Domain."

- Emperor Heideran III, 21290 AD upon the opening of the first stargate since the collapse.

Esoteria:
When Sansha's Nation was at the height of its power, Esoteria was one of its richest territories. Scholars,

-963-
philosophers, scientists, and many of its most affluent True Citizens made it their home. The occupants relied on
the remoteness of the region to keep them safe, anticipating that the legions of True Slaves in Stain would
remain an impenetrable shield that none could pass.

When the Alliance of Empires swept down upon the Nation, the shield was shattered and their forces crushed
under the alliance’s unassailable might. Then, like barbarians of old, the forces of the Amarr Empire crashed into
Esoteria, pillaging and slaughtering all before them.

Now, all that remains of the Nation’s once-pervasive presence in the area is floating husks; great ruins that
stand as both a eulogy to Sansha's former dream and a stark warning to any who might provoke the ire of all
four Empire. The Nation continues to send their own ships into the area, scouring it for any bit of lost technology
that might give them an edge in their attempt to resurrect Sansha's dream.

Everyshore:
The first region that the Federation colonized after Essence was Everyshore. The asteroid belts of this region
were found to hold significant amounts of Veldspar and Scordite, which the Federation mined with a vigor never
seen before in order to fuel construction projects that their quickly expanding borders required. When the belts
were mined to a level that made large scale operations uneconomical, greedy eyes turned towards the planets,
intent on mining these for minerals.

An incident on a lush jungle planet in the Aclan system forced the government to intervene. Astral Mining, filling
a large contract for the Federation Navy, introduced a herbicide into the atmosphere to clear the jungle and
enable mining to begin. Outraged at this senseless destruction, where many species of flora and fauna were lost
that had not even been studied, prominent ecologists managed to force a bill through the Senate: no planet that
supported any life-form was to have its ecosystem tampered with in any way without a license being granted
from the Federation Senate. This law became known as The Aclan Agreement and it remains in place to this day.

Fade:
A foreboding area of space long considered to be the backwater of the galaxy, Fade was once the home of no
less than a dozen small competing pirate sects. Never managing to pose much of a threat to Empire space due
to their frequent clashes, they were mostly ignored. That is, until the Serpentis came to be and began expanding
its power base.

Seeing a region ripe for the picking, the Serpentis began to insinuate its people into several of the most
powerful factions, playing them off against each other until they were sufficiently weakened both politically and
militarily that moving in and taking control was simply a formality. This audacious move put the Serpentis firmly
on the map of even the major Empires.

Feythabolis:
The human diaspora throughout the systems of New Eden was quite widespread prior to the collapse of the EVE
Gate. In many areas, cultures cut off from other civilizations thrived in isolation. One of these regions was
Feythabolis, a relatively small empire of progressive thinkers and egalitarian political philosophers.
Unfortunately, this state lagged behind other empires significantly in technological advancement, having only
recently started to colonize the local space just as the ruthless Angel Cartel was moving in to establish their
control. Completely outclassed by the military forces of the Cartel, the fledgling empire was defeated with ease
and its entire population bent to the will of the Angels.

Fountain:
"You young pod pilots have it lucky! Why, back in my day, we didn't have these fancy pants lawless regions like
Pure Blind and Stain! We had Fountain! We had to go to Fountain! Through Aridia, both ways! And it was infested
with Blood Raiders! They stole our blood and we didn't complain. We liked it! Because the other option was
going to Providence, and they had Sanshas who stole your BRAIN! So when you're out there, smoking your fancy
tobacco, drinking your fancy spiced wine, and mining with your fancy Hulks, remember: it wasn't so long ago
that we had to give our first born to the Emperor just for a chance to apply for a permit to mine in Fountain! So
be thankful for what you have!"

- Old Prospector Yurskeld to anyone who will listen to him.

Geminate:
Despite being overrun by Guristas, Geminate is home to the Society of Conscious Thought. Their headquarters
are located in the middle of the region, quite a distance from civilized space. Many contend that the Society's
most gifted students are brought here to learn the innermost secrets of the Society, far from the prying eyes of
their parents and the Empires. Though the claims appear quite outlandish, the fact that the Guristas give the
station a wide berth has lead to rumors that the Society isn't nearly as passive as many think.

Genesis:
In the beginning all things were as one.
God parted them and breathed life into his creation
Divided the parts and gave each its place
And unto each, bestowed purpose.

- The Scriptures, Book I Verses 1:4

-964-
Great Wildlands:
"Pirates. Scoundrels. Vagabonds. The most enigmatic of all the Minmatar tribes members are called many
things, but no one truly knows them. I have researched them perhaps more than any scholar alive and still I feel
I’ve barely scratched the surface."

- The Travels of Germone Ferush

Immensea:
Immensea was mapped entirely by successive generations of an Ammatar Wayfinder clan. Driven by tales of
massive clusters of Arkanor in the deep south, they forged deeper and deeper into unexplored territory,
mapping out a long corridor of space. Eventually they encountered one of the many great voids littering the
southern expanses and could go no further. Failing to locate precious minerals in any extraordinary volumes,
they reluctantly turned back and returned to civilized space, content with the knowledge that they had pushed
further south than any previous human.

It was only on their repatriation that they learnt of the Amarrian expedition launched many years later that,
capitalizing on a number of technological advancements, had pushed down a parallel route through what is now
Tenerifis, penetrating almost ten light years further into uncharted territory and returning decades earlier. The
name of the clan who mounted the expedition is now lost to history.

Impass:
During the initial expansion of Sansha’s Nation, some factions in the Imperial Court foresaw the coming conflict
with that which they once supported and began formulating plans for an invasion. It was clear right from the
beginning that the inability to penetrate into Esoteria without running the gauntlet of Stain would play in
Sansha's favor, so they commissioned a military expedition to search for an alternate route in. Its leader,
Commodore Barius, made good progress initially but soon ran into a great empty expanse blocking their path.
His ships roamed high and low through the wall of stars marking the void's eastern edge, mapping many
systems but failing to make any forward progress. Eventually, admitting defeat, he sent a single blunt
transmission to Fleet Command: "Sir, we have reached an impasse."

Insmother
Little is known by the Empires about the region known as Insmother. Long a haunt of the Angel Cartel, it forms a
tangled barrier between the dense south-eastern cluster and the barbed mystery of the Cache region. Once the
guardian of a little-visted backwater volume, in the wake of the Spectrum Breach incident it now serves as the
primary corridor between the southern expanse and the drone-infested eastern regions.

J7HZ-F:
Children.
Leave us be.

Kador:
Despite belonging to the Heir House known as the "Old Imperial Family," Kador is one of the least developed
regions in the Empire. The Kador Family has not been progressive in encouraging trade and investment into the
region, favoring older, established Holder families with proven bloodlines and heritage. Though in many ways a
musty embodiment of the old ways, Kador may be one of the few parts of Amarr territory where a traveler can
still get a glimpse of the grand and majestic Empire of days gone by.

Khanid:
"I will not be ordered by some whimpering fool to destroy myself when my work is unfinished. You will not take
anything from me - not my kingdom, not my people and least of all my life."

- Khanid II

Kor-Azor:
During the time that Doriam Kor-Azor controlled this region it became a prosperous and thriving center of
interstellar trade, its planets and cities flourishing. The whole area went into a state of shock following their
beloved Emperor’s assassination, and despite many attempts at rekindling the economic prosperity and spirit,
the region and its people still mourn the loss of one of their greatest leaders.

Lonetrek:
"Our surveys show that there are many planets capable of sustaining life in these systems. However, the lack of
a proper stargate network has drastically increased the travel time for our mission. I think it is worth it. I don't
trust those Gallente further than I could throw one, and that isn't very far, given their indulgences.

The initial speculation for a fallback position seems to be sustainable, but we have one potential problem. The
long-range probes we sent out have been reporting some strange readings. Our science teams think they are
reading stargates and an adjoining region, which is disturbing. I do not think it possible that the Gallente have

-965-
yet moved that far. Until we can confirm these readings and determine who or what these stargates belong to ,
it would be ill-advised to place ourselves in a position where we have our movement restricted on multiple
fronts."

-Minato Zumari, Caldari Navy Commander

Metropolis:
It has long been an established fact of civilisation that wherever a seat of government lies, then so will a
concentration of its subjects, the better to fuel the halls of bureaucracy. In this, the Republic has been no
exception and in locating their Parliament and Justice Department in the Gedulf constellation, they guaranteed a
huge population influx. This population needs supporting, and so some of the largest Matari corporations also
have their head offices here, making the region bustle with activity, not unlike a large Metropolis.

Molden Heath:
The common ground of the Heath, away from the bustling crowds of Heimatar and Metropolis, was in the days of
the Elders committed as neutral ground between the Matari Tribes, to be claimed by none and developed by all.

Its scarcity of resources, as well as its proximity to the untamed reaches of Great Wildlands and the hated space
of the turncoat Ammatar, have all diminished its value in the eyes of modern Minmatar society. Coupled with
barriers imposed by bordering singularities and voids, this has created a region with an unsettled history and an
uncertain future.

Today, as legitimate claimant to the title of "center of the cluster," and as the site of the Golgothan Fields, the
region still evokes great national pride, but despite this it remains mostly undeveloped. Indeed, in recent years
the outcast Thukker Tribe have been making inroads, which does little to enhance the region’s already tarnished
image.

Omist:
Out in Omist, civilization gives way to survival. Here, it is not one corporation against another. It is one tribe
fighting in a blood war against another, not out of differing ideologies or any higher reasoning. It is only for the
basest necessities of humanity that men wage war in Omist. Such is the way of life on the frontier's frontier. It is
dark, brutal, and unforgiving. In a way, Omist is the rest of the galaxy, distilled down to its most elementary
nature. Those who can survive and thrive here seem as untamed gods to those who luxuriate in more civilized
space.

Outer Ring:
Before the discovery of nocxium changed the way industry functioned, the Outer Ring was considered nothing
more than an average parcel of space. That was why Outer Ring Excavations was able to get their start here,
mining the "low end" ores while braving unlawful space. But once the process of refining nocxium was
discovered, the Outer Ring became a gold mine. Outer Ring Excavations quickly became leaders in the field of
asteroid mining. Of course, such wealth always brings challenges.

For decades, ORE called Mordu's Angels their closest allies. The highly trained and proficient mercenaries
patrolled the Outer Ring for troublemakers, focusing in particular on the Serpentis who made regular raids into
the area. The Serpentis had the last laugh, though, when they bought a majority share in ORE. Now the
Serpentis prowl the space lanes of the Outer Ring virtually unopposed.

Paragon Soul:
Dearest Heloise: I apologize for the tardiness of this message. It seems our host has relocated his research
efforts further abroad, making this slave delivery a much longer endeavor. When I asked why, our host assured
me that our upcoming tour of the facility would explain everything. I remain skeptical. Regardless, I promise to
return to you soon.

Heloise: The facilities here are astounding! Our host has assembled a team of the finest minds to bring his
dream to life. They have made major strides-- the implications of their cranial implant technology alone are
dazzling.

Heloise: Our host introduced what became of the slaves I delivered. The brutes were silent and inert. I tell you, it
was as if their very souls had been stripped from them. I will voice my concerns with our host tomorrow.

Heloise: Our host announced the birth of his 'Nation.' I sent a communique to the Ministry of Internal Order.

Heloise: I discovered my messages are being blocked. Our host never had any intention of sending them. His
automatons are everywhere now. Their number grows every day. They are watching me.

My Darling Wife: How I miss you. The slaves have been set against everyone not of the Nation. I survived only
by grace. The things are slow, but efficient. I hear their footsteps pass the room, regular, constant. It is only a
matter of time. I pray God forgive us our terrible transgressions. I love you, Heloise. I am sorry that I must break
my promise.

-966-
Period Basis:
When attempting to determine a universal timekeeping standard between regions, one of the factions
attempting to make their case came to be known as the Arithmetics. Comprised mainly of engineers and
physicists, the Arithmetics sought to use naturally occurring phenomena and mathematical permutations thereof
to dictate a "pure" clock. During this time, the region now known as Period Basis was an area of intensive
research. The region's inordinately high concentration of pulsars of various frequencies led the physicists to try
to find some lowest common denominator among the harmonics, or in the common parlance of astronomer
Callentus Holzine, "a basis from which the shortest period can be rigorously calculated, with all larger units of
time expressed as multiples of that period." Once the Traditionalists carried the day with their historical
reconstructions of the Earth-standard clock, extensive scientific exploration of the region lapsed in importance,
and today the region's large number of pulsars and other stellar phenomena are largely considered merely a
curiosity.

Placid:
In reality, Placid is anything but. The southern reaches of the region are home to the notorious Intaki, whose
huge emphasis on personal freedom goes some way towards explaining its general lawlessness. The situation is
not helped by the Federation's seeming reluctance to invest heavily in the region - a source of some resentment
among the Intaki who haven't already fled to Syndicate.

To make matters worse, much of what does get earmarked for the region ends up being used to bolster the
Federation's increasingly important military presence in Placid's turbulent and far-flung northern extremities,
which are constantly under threat.

Providence:
The Empire long had its eye on the region it named Providence, a wealth of minerals on its border ripe for the
plucking. Those plans were forced off the shelf with the Minmatar rebellion and the following disaster of
Vak’Atioth. Hamstrung by these events and their repercussions, the expansion into Providence failed to
materialize.

So the region was left to waste. Capsuleers now rule the byways, and Sansha’s reborn Nation attempts to
expand their influence into the region. But only a fool would assume that the Empire has forgotten its plans
entirely. The enduring Amarr have learned to be ever patient, ever watchful.

Querious:
The Querious region was originally referred to as JK-FIX, and was seen as merely an administrative grouping for a
large mass of disparate systems discovered near to the already-established Delve region. Many of these should
by most conventions be part of Delve proper, but the growing Blood Raider presence in that region drove the
administration at the time to fold them in with the rest of what is now Querious. When that region too was
overrun by Blood forces the issue became irrelevant, but by then the maps had been finalized. The region was
given its current name (a reference to an obscure piece of scripture) relatively recently, and while its original
designation is no longer present anywhere in official records, part of it has been adopted by the region's hardy
capsuleer residents who keep alive what they see as the old traditions.

Scalding Pass
Scalding Pass is a vast stellar nursery, the birth place of stars. A harsh and unforgiving region of space home to
violent ion storms and rocked by intense solar winds, the Pass is littered with the wrecks of ships that were
blindsided by the unpredictable dangers this region holds.

However, there are some who manage to find solace and safety in such a tumultuous place. The Cartel is
rumored to have many outlying bases in the region, masked by stellar phenomena, and in recent times many
capsuleer groups have braved its burning embrace in pursuit of their dark dreams of power.

Sinq Laison:
Sinq Laison suffered terribly during the war with the Caldari. On the front lines for much of the conflict, many
small settlements were ruthlessly destroyed by small Caldari raiding parties operating a scorched earth policy to
deny any industrial use of the region. It is testament to the hardiness of the human spirit that now it is
economically one of the strongest regions in the Federation, ironically owing much of its rebuilding to the vast
quantities of Caldari goods that are imported and traded at the many outposts and stations in the border region.

Solitude:
Despite its name, Solitude is hardly peaceful and quiet. Physically separated from the rest of the Federation it
lies wedged between the Syndicate and the Amarr Empire. But for such a small, segregated sector of space,
Solitude commands a great deal of influence in the Federation. Not only for its strategic location but the fact that
many of the Federation's most influential and charismatic politicians come from Solitude. Over 15% of the
current Senate, such as former Presidential candidate Senator Blaque, either represent Solitude or were born in
the region and later migrated to others. This, some speculate, is what has led to the somewhat more warlike and
isolationist tendencies within some quarters of the Federations politics.

Stain:
"So long as a single citizen of my nation survives, my dream lives on."

-967-
Syndicate:
"A den of thieves, scoundrels, bandits, black market dealers, gamblers, pimps and prostitutes. All in all, a nice
place for a holiday"

- Unnamed Gallente Senator.

Tash-Murkon:
Even before they were an Heir Family, the Tash-Murkon house controlled much of the space they now lend their
name to. Thanks to their enterprising ways, the Tash-Murkon transformed the once-backwater locale into a
bustling trade hub. Though the pressures and duties of being a Royal Family have rendered the region less of an
economic juggernaut than it once was, Tash-Murkon continues to be the friendliest and easiest region of the
Empire for the average trader to make a living in.

Tenal:
Tenal has long been a refuge for those wishing to stray far away from the State, for one reason or another. The
journey there is perilous due to the intervening Guristas territories, but that remains a major element of its
appeal, and many pioneers, hermits and less reputable travelers have risked everything to travel to this quiet
backwater and make it their home. Several Caldari mystics have claimed that Tenal is the place that one should
travel to in order to come face to face with the Starsmith, although whether this is in reference to the view into
space from its outermost systems or the likely outcome of trying to negotiate the dangers of the route has never
been made clear.

Tenerifis:
Dividing much of the southern expanse into two, Tenerifis acts as both a transit corridor and a sinuous line of
fortification, having seen plenty of violence in its recent bloody history. As with most of the outer territories, the
advent of the capsuleer era brought wealth and warfare in equal measure. Indeed, the mere mention of the
names of some of its systems will unsettle capsuleers all across the cluster.

The Bleak Lands:

When the Sani Sabik cults were first deemed heretical by the Council of Apostles millennia ago, they were driven
out of the homelands of the Amarr Empire. Many of them fled to the Bleak Lands, where they sulked in hiding for
centuries fighting amongst themselves until one stood victorious, The Blood Raiders. The Bleaks remained their
seat of power until June 107 when, following the horrors of Mabnen, the Amarr Navy descended upon the region
with all their fury and rage, forcing the Blood Raiders to retreat out of the Bleak Lands. Their presence is still felt,
as the region remains a lawless danger to even the most wary traveler.

Recent times have pushed this traditionally neglected region once more back into a position of some
prominence. The brief War of Defiance was fought almost entirely within this region, and the ripples of that
conflict and its fiery conclusion are still spreading. Many see the Bleaks as a central battlefield in the oft-
predicted conflagration between the Empire and its former slaves, ensuring that some at least still have serious
plans for the volume.

The Citadel:
Acting as both an ideological fort as well as a physical impediment to invasion, the Citadel is among the most
well fortified regions in the cluster. Despite their penchant for squabbling and competing with each other, nearly
every Caldari corporation keeps a presence here, all working together to diligently defend their home. After
having been ejected from one homeland, the Caldari are not about to suffer such a fate again. The Citadel
stands as proud testament to that resolve.

The Forge:
"The greater the State becomes, the greater humanity under it flourishes."

Tribute:
For a long time, the Caldari State maintained an illicit but considerable military presence in the region they often
referred to as "The Northern Barrier," patrolling the crescent-shaped region in an attempt to detect and intercept
raiding parties from the Gurista strongholds in Venal. The arrival of capsuleer alliances made their listening posts
both untenable and unnecessary, so they evacuated their assets and retreated from the region. Where the
Empires saw a barrier, the capsuleers see a transit corridor, and the "Tribute Pipeline" is now a strategically
important route carrying trade between the State and the northern territories.

Vale of the Silent:

A sprawling region in the galactic "north," the Vale of the Silent has a reputation as one of the most foreboding
regions in the cluster. The Guristas pirates who prowl the area, scavenging for resources, do little to dispel the
notion that the Vale is a haunted relic of times past. Rumors of secret Jovian experiments in the area abound,
though no one has ever given proof of such things. The region is one of the closest areas to Jovian space, despite
no longer having any functioning stargates leading there. Many of the other Empires have made attempts to set
up spying stations in an attempt to probe out Jovian secrets, but none have lasted long in the harsh area. Now,
the area is left totally to capsuleer control and they have proven hardier than those who came before them.

-968-
Venal:
"I can neither confirm nor deny the allegations that... what are we being accused of again, Rabbit?"

"This time? G-g-grand piracy, sixth-degree m-m-multiple-homicide, terrorism and littering, i-i-if I'm reading this
right"

"Yeah, that. No comment"

Verge Vendor:
While otherwise unnotable, Verge Vendor is the home to one of the most infamous experiments of all time.
Tierijev is found in Verge Vendor, the site of a doomed cooperative between the Caldari State and the Gallente
Federation. While the ripples of Tierijev have long since settled, Verge Vendor still evokes memories of
cooperation for the sake of scientific progress in many. As such, the number of young, idealistic scientists found
in the region is disproportionately higher than found in other larger, richer areas. Many dream of the day the
hope of Tierijev set won't be a simple one-off, but rather a blueprint for greater scientific harmony throughout
the galaxy.

Wicked Creek
Forming the core of the southeastern cluster, this has long been a heartland of the Angel Cartel, as well as a
frequent stomping ground of Thukker outriders. Its maze of systems, centralized position and multiple exits have
also made it a favored hideaway of many particularly notorious criminals over the course of its long, tainted
history. Some of the most infamous villains in living memory (including serially genocidal Black Harold, the arch-
defiler Lucias, and the enigma that was Susa'tah) have run to - and occasionally been run to ground in - the
Creek's dark embrace.

-969-
Landmarks
09-4XW:
Settlers from the Caldari State and beyond took up residence in 09-4XW a few years back after incredibly
valuable gas clouds were discovered in the constellation. They braved the Guristas territories to get there, but
have now become embroiled in a bitter war with local racketeers and pirates. The migrant's force is vastly
outnumbered and it is only a matter of time before the Guristas launch an attack on their outpost.

760-9C:
Rumor has it that the infamous Thukker warlord, Martokar Alash, was last seen in the constellation 760-9C. He
apparently fled his homeland after Republic authorities threatened an invasion should he not be extradited into
their hands. It is believed that he has become involved in the booster smuggling business, working alongside
the Angel Cartel.

Martokar's previous crimes include the murder of CONCORD officers, kidnapping and sale of Republic citizens
into slavery. Investigators also blamed him for managing a large criminal network inside the Republic territories,
which had direct links to the Angel Cartel. And although it is common knowledge that the Thukker Tribe
leadership has strong ties to the Cartel, Dulinar Nerhoger, chief of intelligence in the Republic Justice
Department, believes that Martokar's crimes are grave enough to warrant special attention. He advises all
travelers venturing into 760-9C to keep an eye out for Martokar, he is considered extremely dangerous.

9HXQ-G:
The Sansha's Nation wishes to expand its borders, and 9HXQ-G is one of its targets. They have set up a major
base of operations in 3GD6-8 and are slowly destroying all opposition to their forces, while their peons build
their new starbases. The biggest hindrance to their plans is in MW-W1V. A gigantic mining colony, along with a
trading hub, is located there and the inhabitants are extremely afraid of what might happen to them should
Sansha declare ownership of their solar-system. They have assembled a sizable fleet of Amarr and Ammatar
ships to protect their assets, and prevent the Sansha's Nation from expanding their sovereignity into 9HXQ-G.

Algintal:
The Algintal constellation is a natural beauty spot. Sporting several spectacular natural phenomena of breath-
taking splendor, it was once one of the main tourist attractions in the Federation. But being situated on the
border of the Federation and Republic has made Algintal a prime location for smugglers, which have entrenched
themselves in many of the resorts, driving the tourists out. To top it all of the Caldari mega-corporation Wiyrkomi
bought the mining rights in the constellation and massive construction plans are underway. The environmentally
minded Gallenteans are not about to let some foreign capitalists corrupt and damage their precious nature and
are flocking to the constellation to oppose Wiyrkomi anyway they know how.

Ani:
Former home of the Nefantar tribe, now better known as the Ammatars, the Ani constellation has been largely
ignored by the Republic. But the Republic badly needs to bolster its public image, and what better way to do this
but to settle the ancestral home of their treacherous cousins?

Assilot:
The famous dueling tournament, 'The Legends Trial', has moved to PPG-XC, to escape various expenses
associated with having its tournament inside Federation space. Also by staging the tournament here, it can
choose from a larger variety of competitors, such as criminals and members of outlaw organizations which
would be immediately arrested in Federation space.

The Legends Trial is a popular show on Federation TV, it is broadcasted to billions of screens across many
regions. Huge money is at stake, and gambling on the events is extremely popular. It is therefore not surprising
that various criminal networks are working hard to 'influence' the outcome of the show and rig fights. The
organizers of the Legends Trials have hired a sizable mercenary fleet to protect its assets, but even so it has
become extremely vulnerable to pirate meddling, especially due to its new location outside of the protective
embrace of Federation space. Certainly a freelance merc pilots dream come true.

Audesder:
Amarr militarization of nearby Kenobanala has forced the Minmatar and their allies to hastily build up a
defensive perimeter inside Audesder.

Araz:
The Araz constellation typifies the feudal system found throughout the Amarr Empire. Wherever widely different
ambitions and talents meet a power surge is inevitable. Uriam Kador, one of the five royal heirs, is the liege lord
of Araz and he likes to employ the 'divide-and-conquer' approach in his governing; allowing his feudal lords to
duke it out between themselves, making it unlikely they will join forces against him and also giving him a clear
idea of their strengths and weaknesses. The two most ambitious and powerful noble families in the constellation
are the Arachnan family and the Methros family. The two families have been rivals for decades, but now their
rivalry is on the verge of escalating to a full fledged war between them. Kador is closely monitoring the situation,
not the least because of the sudden appearance of a sizeable force of Blood Raiders that seem intent on taking
over the constellation.

-970-
Black Rise:
Black void divides the western regions of the mighty Gallente Federation and the Caldari State, apparently
without mass or dimension but still inexplicably closed to the eyes of science. During the Gallente-Caldari War,
both empires tried to establish travel routes through the utter vacuum in order to outflank their foe, but all such
endeavours were lost in the gloomy bowels of the Black Rise, never to be seen again. For decades no man has
ventured far into it and no one really knows what secrets lie hidden in its murky depths.

City of God:
Built by the megalomaniac emperor Zaragram II some 2000 years ago, intended to be the home of the living
god, namely himself. Zaragram set out to uproot and eradicate many of the most sacred traditions of the
Amarrians, replacing them by his own mad ideas on divinity. He called his city Mezagorm, meaning Vision of
God. Eventually, he was assassinated and later emperors, under pressure from the clergy, did their utmost to
bury his memory. The ruins of Zaragram's city still exist, haunted by ghosts and pirates.

Cord of the Elements:

Winding through the Syndicate region is a natural phenomenon that has baffled scientists for centuries. The
phenomenon, a super-dense dark cloud, bends time in such a way that all space-travel in or close to the
phenomenon is impossible, or at least extremely hazardous. Most scientists believe that the Cord is the remnant
of collision between two black holes millions of years ago that permanently 'scarred' space. Others belief the
Cord to be the result of a science experiment, possibly conducted by alien life forms, that went seriously awry
eons ago.

Curse:
Curse is the old home of the Jove Empire. The Jovians departed their home centuries ago after the fall of their
Second Empire and set themselves up in their current whereabouts to form the Third (and current) Empire. The
cause of the departure was the dreaded Jove Disease, which only Jovians could catch. Having found no cure for
the disease the Jovians decided to leave their home worlds in a desperate bid to rid themselves of the disease
once and for all. The attempt failed. Today, the former Jovian systems are occupied by the Angel Cartel, the
strongest pirate clan in the world of EVE. Rumor has it that the source of their power is old Jovian technology
scavenged from the relics of old Jovian stations and settlements.

Divinity's Edge:
In the early stages of Amarr expansion through space they encountered Divinity's Edge - a huge void with little
in way of solar systems or other stellar bodies. For a long time they believed this was the end of the galaxy and
that beyond this point, nothing existed. Centuries later the Great Wildlands were discovered and this theory was
abolished, although the name for the place has remained.

E-8CSQ:
The Caldari State have found something significant in G5ED-Y. The State military has set up a huge base of
operations in that system, and its presence there is thick as sour milk. The Guristas on the other hand are
extremely curious as to what their arch nemesis has discovered, and have set up many bases in the surrounding
systems to oversee reconnaissance missions into G5ED-Y. A division from the Serpentis has also been sent to the
constellation on behalf of the Smuggler Cartel, led by the infamous Black Jack.

Eve Gate:
In the system of New Eden sits the impenetrable EVE Gate. Thousands of years ago the forefathers of all the
human races used the gate to travel to the world of EVE. But the gate has been closed for a long time, a
catastrophe that destroyed all planets in the New Eden system and plunged the fragile human settlements to
the brink of extinction. Anyone foolish enough to get too close to the gate today will be ripped apart by the
magnetic storms that still surround the massive gate.

Fountain:
The Fountain region was one of the first areas opened up to public colonization by CONCORD - it was intended to
be the 'fountain of inter-stellar cooperation and prosperity'. Although the colonization process began fine
enough, in time the lack of empire protection and coherent regional authority began to tell. Slowly at first, then
more surely, pirate clans and bandit gangs started taking over the settlements one by one. In the end the region
was totally in the hands of pirate kings and robber barons. Later, these criminal elements were the foundation of
the illegal booster industry and today the region is best known for its neural booster production, mainly in the
form of the Serpentis Corporation.

Ginnungagap:
Ginnungagap is a huge black hole at the edge of Minmatar space. It is the largest black hole close to civilized
space. The black hole has already rendered several solar systems close to it uninhabitable, but otherwise it is
not considered to pose any great risk to inhabited space for the foreseeable future. The black hole can be seen
very clearly in the Konora system, located very close to it.

Golgothan Fields:
The Minmatar Rebellion saw many battles, both on ground and in space. The largest of the space battles took
place in the Ennur system a few weeks after the start of the rebellion. The main Amarr battle fleet had returned

-971-
from Jovian space and intended to break the power of the rebels once and for all by sweeping through their core
systems. The Minmatars met the Amarrians with everything they got. The battle was fierce and lasted for hours.
In the end the Minmatars withdrew and the Amarrians claimed a victory, but the Minmatars had succeeded in
disabling or destroying the best capital ships in the Amarr fleet, thus reducing their offensive strength
dramatically. Today the old battlefield, commonly known as Golgothan Fields, is littered with old shipwrecks and
infested with pirates that have taken refuge in the giant hulks. They fiercely defend their base, but daring
scavengers can still sneak in and rummage around.

Great Wildlands:
The Great Wildlands area has been the bastard child of all the empires at some stage. During the Minmatar
Rebellion it acted as a base for Minmatar guerillas and was also the avenue through which the Amarrians and
Jovians fought their war at the same time. The Caldari invested heavily in the region at one point searching for
rare minerals, but later pulled out due to ownership conflicts with the other empires. Today the region is a
mismatch of pirate havens and mining facilities. Its jump routes are still used as short cuts, but only by those
bold enough. The nomad Thukker tribe is a common sight in the Great Wildlands and is the closest thing to a
home to them.

I-3ODK:
A gold rush has stricken this constellation, as rumor has it that extremely valuable gas clouds were found in
various systems in the area. Potential excavators from all over the Eve universe have come to I-3ODK in the
search for the hidden treasure. Obviously this influx of people has caught the attention of the Angel Cartel, who
already had a strong prescence in the area, and they have imposed high 'taxes' on any harvesters caught in
their territory.

But the mainly Minmatar harvesters and pioneers are not the only outsiders the Cartel have had to deal with.
The Sansha's Nation have also sent a fleet of worker-slaves escorted by an armada of warships to the
constellation. Led by the brutal Sansha general Abufyr Joek, their task is to secure a supply route of booster
regents to their headquarters.

When the Cartel leadership found out about Sansha's meddling in their territory, they sent in their own armada,
spearheaded by the military genius Krur Tajar, to secure total domination of I-3ODK. He has set up camp in BJD4-
E, claiming the mining outpost Freeboter's Haven for himself, from where he has launched repeated attacks
against all those who refuse to pay the Cartel their due tribute.

Kenobanala:
A political crisis has encouraged the Amarr to militarize the zone between Kenobanala and Audesder, along with
their allies, the Khanid Kingdom, Ammatar Mandate and Caldari State.

OK-FEM:
One of the most revered holy sites of the Blood Raiders is located in the constellation OK-FEM, called the Pagera
Manton. The Pagera Manton was a giant space-ship that was at the head of a massive Amarrian exploration
team that had ventured into unknown lands hundreds of years ago. A malfunction in its warp-drive stranded the
ship, far away from the rest of the fleet. During that time space-communication was not as sophisticated as
today, and it had no way of contacting other vessels of the expedition. Years passed and the crew had finally lost
all hope of survival. Food supply was running dangerously low, and it seemed that starvation was inevitable. It
was then that one of the officers, an Ammatar by the name of Kalorr Makur, took matters into his own hands. He
staged a successful coupe against the commanding officer of the ship and had his most loyal followers bind and
gag the dissidents inside a secure chamber under his control. These unfortunate souls became the crews new
food supply, unbeknownst to most of the crewmembers. For over a year this plan worked, although Kalorr did
have to turn to his own followers eventually to replenish his stock of human meat.

Over a century later the ship was discovered by Blood Raider pioneers scouring the distant solar-systems of OK-
FEM. They found the remains of the crew, and more importantly a few dozen gigantic tanks encasing millions of
liters of blood. Unbeknownst to them the blood had been collected by Kalorr who dried the human meat before
consumption. The blood had been meant as a final foodsource after the meat supply had run out, but was never
actually consumed as the machine responsible for recycling the air supply malfunctioned which caused the
remaining crew to slowly suffocate. Fortunately the blood containers were kept in sub-freezing temperature,
which despite over a centry of decay were still up and working when the Pagera was found. And not only that,
Kalorr Makur's body was discovered in its very own container, along with his closest allies.

News of the find quickly spread through the Blood Raider territories, and their revered High Priest at the time
declared it a 'gift from God'. The blood was stripped from the tanks and brought back to the Blood Raider
headquarters for examination and ritualistic purposes. Kalorr was cloned, using genetic material retrieved from
his body taken from the Pagera, and he was immediately instated as an officer of the Blood Raiders. Years later
he was even made into a saint.

And to this day the Pagera is closely guarded by Kalorr and his small army of clones, extremely loyal to the
Blood Raiders. Drugs, many generations of cloning and a terrible history has rendered the former Amarrian
traveller completely insane. And despite the Pagera being a popular point of pilgrimage for the members of the
Blood Raider organization, few venture there outside of large, heavily armed groups. Kalorr is known to pick off

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stragglers for his sinister rituals, no matter to which religion or organization they belong to.

Okkelen:
A sparsily populated constellation in the middle of the Caldari State. Long since claimed by pirates and
smugglers, the State is now launching a concentrated effort to wrench control of the constellation from the
hands of the criminals and outlaws living there.

Outer Ring:
The Outer Ring is a mineral rich area controlled by Outer Ring Excavations, which was the first company to start
operating in the system. The Outer Ring Excavations (or ORE) is an independently run mining company, the
largest of its kind. ORE is very envious of their priced asteroid belts and have employed the service of Mordu's
Legion to protect the region.

Pegasus:
Extremely valuable gas clouds have been discovered in the Pegasus constellation which have created a gold
rush. ORE was quick to claim 'ownership' as the constellation borders its sovereign space, but the Serpentis and
the Syndicate, as well as multiple entrepeneurs from the Gallente Federation, have all claimed their own piece of
the pie. Inevitably collisions have occurred and the constellation has become a sort of 'warzone' between
various groups of greedy claimants.

Point of No Return:
Point of no Return is a small black hole located not far from empire space. The black hole is rather old and was
formed by a sun only just large enough to create a black hole when it collapsed. One interesting fact about it is
that it’s located more or less exactly in the center of the known world, if you only count those systems that have
been linked with star gates.

Pool of Radiance:
Space holds many spectacular sights and few are as spectacular as the crystal-clouds in the Pool of Radiance.
The Pool is illuminated by surrounding stars, which makes it shimmer and shine in every color imaginable,
radiating an almost hypnotic glow that delights anyone that sees it. The only problem is that the Pool is located
in space controlled by Sansha's Nation, so any prospective visitors are advised to carry an armed escort.

R55 Colonial Ruins:

In the system of Isie the Lai Dai Corporation once ran the largest bio-chemical research facility in Caldari space.
The facility was intended to establish Lai Dai as the main biotech company within the State. But only a few years
into its operation an accident ruptured the storage tanks and the station had to be abandoned. The myriad
chemical substances leaking from the storage tanks mingled in unexpected ways in the zero-g vacuum outside
the station and in time formed a eerily beautiful, but highly toxic, gas cloud around the station. After the
accident Lai Dai scuttled their biotech ambitions and the station remained vacant for years. Recently, Guristas
pirates have started using it as an outpost.

Serpent’s Coil:
The Serpent's Coil is at once one of the most exotic and most dangerous of all space locations in the vast world
of EVE. It is currently inhabited by agents of the Serpentis Corporation, which use the place as a gathering point
for smugglers and raiders alike. At the heart of the Serpent's Coil lies a ruined military installation. This military
base was constructed by the Gallente Federation during the Gallente-Caldari War to defend against marauding
Caldari ships. After the war the strategic importance of the base diminished and it was eventually abandoned.
The base is ringed by huge rock boulders the size of mountains. These magnificent boulders broke off a comet
traversing the Vilinnon system long time ago and today they stand proud in their protection of the most
audacious Serpentis base around.

Stain:
The home of Sansha’s lost dream of utopia. True slaves once stood legion here, strong and unassailable, or so
the Nation presumed. That presumption was crushed when the empires joined forces, for the only time in their
existence, with the sole purpose of wiping Sansha’s Nation from the face of EVE.

The empires thought the Nation vanquished, but however undeniably powerful the eradication was it did not
destroy all that was created. Now Stain is home to numerous planets whose dark sides are lit up by eerily
symmetrical city layouts. Stations hanging in space that are unnaturally quiet, the passive stares of the
denizens sending a chill down even the hardiest of spines. The Utopian dream may have been shattered
centuries ago, but the nation persists, carrying on with its purpose unfeeling, unrelenting, a testament to
Sansha’s shattered dream.

The Cauldron:
In the Cauldron the remnants of several supernovas render the space unstable and treacherous. Filled with
volatile gravity currents and large chunks of stellar debris the whole area is much too dangerous for space
travel. The Cauldron lies between the Amarr Empire and the Khanid Kingdom and acts as a convenient natural
barrier between the two hostile factions.

The Myridian Strip:

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Several decades ago the Amarr Empire was desperate to improve their relations with the other empires, mainly
to increase trade and tourism. One of the projects they embarked on was to build the Myridian Strip vacation
resort, located above the plasma clouds in the Ezzara system. From an aesthetic point of view the location was
perfect: stunningly beautiful and exotic. The resort itself was also a wonder of the world and for the first few
years of its operation tourists from all over flocked to it. But the location had one fatal flaw, one that was to
manifest itself less than 5 years after it opened: it was located too close to Blood Raider space. The Blood
Raiders eagerly jumped on the opportunity presented to them on their doorstep and hundreds perished in their
initial raid. Not long after the resort was permanently closed and since then only inhabitants it has had are Blood
Raiders, reveling in their prized asset

The Syndicate:
The Syndicate is the home of the Intaki Syndicate, an independent organization of exiles from the Gallente
Federation. The members of the Syndicate are not pirates as such, but rather unscrupulous businessmen willing
to strike any kind of deal. You can expect to find all kinds of scumbags lurking within the Syndicate borders, but
they will probably let you be, as they can appreciate the necessity of a safe haven as much as the next guy.

The Traumark Installation:

The Traumark Installation represents the proudest moment in the history of the Tash-Murkon family - a massive
fortress guarding the southern space territories of the vastly rich royal family. But that moment came and went
when the fortress, once thought to be impregnable, fell into the hands of Sansha's Nation. All efforts to retake
the installation have failed and today it stands as a thorn in the side of the proud, but humbled, Tash-Murkons.

Trace Cosmos:
The fields of Trace Cosmos hold miniscule black holes and weird spatial rifts, making it much too dangerous to
traverse. It is widely believed that the fields are the remnants of a massive collision between two galaxies
millions of years ago. The colossal occurrence permanently altered the areas most affected, turning them into
barren death traps.

Vapor Sea:
Vapor Sea, also known as Crib of Stars, is a melding pot of gaseous clouds where new stars are being born.
Although new stars and solar systems are still millions of years away the area is of great interest to scientists.
The lack of gravity wells makes it impossible to create stargates anywhere near the area.

Venal:
The Venal region lies far from empire space and few roam there except those that have direct business with the
Guristas. The Guristas is a clan of pirates, though they like to describe themselves as 'adventurous
opportunists'. The Guristas have no evil agenda beyond that of preying on the weak and stupid for quick profit.
They have their own code of honor and can be quite amiable, but they're not to be messed with. Fighting the
Guristas is one of the few things the Caldari State and Gallente Federation agrees on, but a lack of coherent
action on their part means the increasing power the Guristas enjoy in the outer regions is only slowed down, not
stopped.

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Theodicy
An EVE Online Novella
By
Tony Gonzales

Alpha

"I give to you the destiny of Faith, and you will bring its message to every planet of every star in the heavens: Go
forth, conquer in my Name, and reclaim that which I have given."

Book of Reclaiming, 22:13, The Scriptures

"And so we watched, those of us who had survived, from afar as our home world burned and the legions of evil
marched before their sign, herding our people like so much cattle into transports. A life of slavery awaited those
cursed souls; it would have been better for them had they never been born. How, dear God, did it come to this?
Were these invaders not of flesh and bone like us? What evil is this that compels men to commit such horrors
against each other?"

Sebiestor Tribe Chronicles, Minmatar Archives, "The Path of Krogan"

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Derelik Region ­ Aguh Constellation
The Hahyil System: Diemnon Planetesimal
Diemnon Mining Complex

23216 AD

A normal man would have screamed at the scorching agony unleashed by the shockwhip. Instead, the slave
merely picked his mining laser off the ground and switched it back on, continuing with his work as though
nothing happened. The Amarrian guard, staring at the fresh wounds on the man's back, considered delivering a
second blow. A slave numbed to pain was difficult to control, and besides, replacements were due to arrive at
any moment should this one perish. The Reclaiming had conquered the planet Eanna yesterday, and hundreds
of thousands of repentant pagans were taken prisoner. Those heathens who refused to embrace the Faith were
dealt swift justice by the Emperor's Holy Paladins.

The guard wound his arm back and struck again. Sparks exploded from the slave's back, and this time he
crumpled to the ground in a heap. The cauterized wounds intersected the previous marks, creating an
approximate visage of the Sign. The beauty of the Faith, the guard thought, is that it offers a path for the
unborn. Paradise was the exclusive birthright of pureblooded Amarrians, but for all others--including the
Matari wretch lying at his feet--salvation had to be earned. Only through suffering can the unborn rise from
the shadow of death to gain the blessing of immortality. I might yet walk in heaven with this one, the guard
thought. His subservience speaks mountains of his quest for forgiveness.

Just as his arm drew back to strike for a third time, the guard's earpiece squawked. A slave transport was about
to land, and he was to assist with processing the new arrivals. There were Glaive-collars to be fitted; labor tasks
to be assigned; and mining equipment to be issued. He looked downwards at the slave, now crawling along the
dirt and gravel. Yes, this one will see paradise soon enough. Sheathing the shockwhip, the guard turned and
started back towards the section lifts.

Reaching against the cavern walls for support, the slave struggled to pull himself back onto his feet. Waves of
excruciating pain pulsed through his wiry frame. He was terrified of each surge--not for its physical torment,
but for the cruel reminder that death continued to elude him. If there was a time in this man's life that was not
plagued by anguish, then its memory had long since been lost. Besides pain, all he knew was that he was
damned for the crime of not being Amarrian by birth, and that the equipment now in his hands was the key to
salvation. The escape from hell lies beyond these walls, the Paladin had told him. Use the laser to burrow
through them, saving the hemorphite that the cavern yields as an offering to God. Switching the device on, he
plunged the laser into the rocks before him, working the beam from left to right, searching for the precious
oreand praying for forgiveness...

A searing heat erupted from a mysterious device that until now had lain dormant inside the slave's stomach.
The pain swelled suddenly and then exploded in all directions at once. The mining drill fell to the ground as the
slave clutched his abdomen and dropped to his knees. Then a second source of scathing heat originated from
deep inside his skull, as if molten metal was injected behind his eyes. Writhing on the gravel in convulsions, he
could feel the scalding liquid course through his bloodstream, incinerating everything in its path.

At the peak of his agony, a blinding flash overwhelmed the slave's vision. He unleashed a deafening scream, and
its fevered pitch caromed throughout the pits and catacombs of the mines. But the reverberation assaulting the
eardrums of countless slaves was not the shriek of a man in pain; it was the fiery shrill of a battlefield war cry.
The fire that flowed through his veins had become the source of pure, exhilarating strength. Rising to his feet,
the slave patted his skull and stomach down for wounds, but found none. He knew that he was just
transformed into something inhuman, something stronger and more powerful than he could ever imagine. His
hands latched firmly onto the Glaive-collar gripping his neck. Immediately, he could feel the device puncture
his skin and inject its lethal toxins into his arteries. But the poisons that should have crippled and then killed
him had no effect.

With a sharp, metallic crack, the collar shattered from the sheer strength of the man's hands. Slaves gathered
and watched in amazement as he removed broken syringe needles from his neck and cast them harmlessly
aside. Now keenly aware of his powers, he heard the voice of someone he had never met, but commanded his
devout, absolute obedience:

Awaken, Minmatar! They have our Elders!

The slave shook his head in despair, clutching at his own skull as though it were about to break apart. There
was an immediate clarity of purpose for his life. The voice came from inside, and he knew that he was born for
a single mission.

They have taken them here, Minmatar! They are hidden among the ones who just arrived!

Immediately, he felt the presence of the Elders nearby and knew that the voice was truthful. His memory
reached backwards in time to the exact moment when the Amarrian guard was poised to strike him a third
time, to the radio squawking in his earpiece. The slave's mind amplified the sound, processed the words, and

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learned in that instant that the Elders were being held in the landing bay just beyond the mines.

You must go to them now!

The urgency of the voice betrayed the presence of a shockwhip's charged lace screaming towards his back. Time
slowed down to a crawl. Sidestepping the whip, he pivoted on one foot towards his attacker and lunged with an
outstretched arm in a single, blurred motion. The slave felt his own tightened hand rip through the throat of
his assailant. The Amarrian guard fell, his life spraying through the gruesome wound in his neck. No time was
wasted savoring this delicious moment of revenge; instead, the slave turned and started to run. The inspired
crowd, recognizing the opportunity, erupted into frenzy and ran after him.

Hurry, Minmatar! Time runs out for us all!

Three more guards died instant, violent deaths as they tried to stop the rogue slave. Behind him, the crowd had
grown into an uncontrollable riot. Shedding their mining drills and running blindly onwards, the mob sought
Amarrian blood to spill but found only the mangled remains left by the powerful one who had gone ahead.
Reaching the great doors of the landing bay, the slave crushed the sternum of his next victim with a single
strike. The radio on the corpse announced a terse warning:

"His Glaive-collar has been removed; disperse rifles to your squads and fire at will!"

Open the doors, Minmatar!

In a whir of motions, he pressed the dead man's palm against the glass console and typed a five-digit sequence.
The slave never considered how he could have possibly known what that code was. The mighty doors opened,
and there before him stood hundreds of Minmatar men, women and children. The Elders were among them!

Come to us, Minmatar!

A bolt of fire slammed into his chest with terrific force. The sound of the shot caused the crowd to scream and
panic. Feeling no pain, he took another step forward. Again, a powerful impact pushed him backwards, but
instead of falling into open space, he was swept forward as the wrathful crowd of rioting slaves
rushed past.
Staggering through the fray, the slave ignored the madness, desperately seeking the Elders who had summoned
him from his sleep. Death was everywhere, but his eyes locked onto the frail figure of a hooded man moving in
a slow, ethereal glide through the struggle.

Everything hangs in the balance; the destiny of worlds rests with the outcome of these days. Warn the others
that the remaining Elders must not perish. Send this message with haste! Immortality awaits, Minmatar! Go!

And the slave could feel pain again, but not from the bullet wounds in his chest. The searing torture originating
from the pit of his stomach returned, and the Elder disappeared into the chaos. Suddenly aware of his own
mortality, the slave broke towards the lifts that would take him to the surveillance posts at the surface of the
mines. He ran through crowds of flashing knives and spilled blood; past men clutching at their Glaive-collars
with one hand and bashing Amarrians with the other. With abdominal pain intensifying every step, he hurled
himself into a lift and shut the door. The elevator began rocketing upwards amidst a hail of bullets. Guards
filed into a second lift and gave chase.

The pain spread upwards to his solar plexus, and tinges of agony began radiating from the gaping wounds in
his chest and back. A computerized voice announced a warning as the lift shot past the gravity zone. Then came
the nausea, and in a violent heave dotted with blood and serum, a small metallic sphere was forcefully expelled
from his mouth just as the lift stopped. Summoning as much strength as he could for this final effort, the slave
grabbed the tiny device and pulled himself out.

Bullets scorched overhead as he bounded towards the airlock entrance. The inner doors opened, and with the
press of several keys, he ensured they would not close behind him. Air pressure alerts echoed throughout the
cavern, amber-colored warning lights flashed, and sirens wailed as he waited until the exact moment to open
the outer seal.

The slave heard a deafening whoosh, then silence. As his lungs imploded, the last image to be processed by his
failing brain was the sight of Amarrian guards hurled through an opening in the surface below. The tiny device,
encased in the death grip of this nameless slave, flashed once before converting every atom of its mass into an
immensely powerful energy pulse that traversed light years of space-time in an instant.
The celestial event registered on the instruments of exactly four ships. In that single moment, the course of
history was altered forever.

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I

"I will not hesitate when the test of Faith finds me, for only the strongest conviction will open the gates of
paradise. My Faith in you is absolute; my sword is Yours, My God, and Your will guides me now
and for all eternity."

The Prophet Kuria, "Paladin's Creed"

"It is said that cowardice lurks behind power; that every tyrant ruler fears the day when his subjects learn where
the source of real power lies. What better way for an emperor to hide that truth than by
claiming the will of deities and threatening divine consequence to those who question it!"

"The Elder's Tome", Matari Chronicles

-978-
Derelik Region ­ Joas Constellation
The Ubtes System: Planet IV

A darkened path, littered with charred bones and glowing embers, weaved through the smoking remnants of a
dead forest. The mark of evil was everywhere in this forsaken place, and the whisper of demons taunted its sole
visitor to turn away. Suppressing her fear, she pressed onwards through the blackened, shattered tree trunks
and emerged into a vast field. A single object broke the emptiness of this desolate expanse: A stone crypt with
its heavy lid resting alongside, waiting to be sealed for eternity. The sky overhead boiled with thick, black clouds
that warned of the apocalyptic storm coming to destroy this world once and for all. But she had come too far to
turn back now, and after taking a deep breath for strength, dared to venture one step closer.

Immense grief seized her instantly, the kind of suffocating misery that only the loss of a loved one can elicit. A
great hero was laid to rest inside that crypt, struck down on the brink of vanquishing the curse of this land.
Approaching the tomb of this unknown champion, she realized that she was no longer alone. Beside her walked
countless other souls whose number filled the field for as far as she could see. They too were stricken with grief,
and had braved the treacherous landscape to bid this great hero farewell.

She reached the open crypt, but was unable to gaze upon the corpse that lay inside. Looking elsewhere, she
found that the people surrounding her were faceless. They stood silently, shoulder to shoulder, as if waiting for
her to speak. But it was the demons that spoke first, as their sinister murmurs reached across the wasteland to
her ears. A flash of lightning lashed out from the wicked clouds overhead. The spirits suddenly vanished from
the great field without a trace. Only the crypt--and the greatest fear that she had ever known--remained.

Without warning, the corpse lunged at her with outstretched arms and shouted:

"Viola!"

Pulling her firmly into the depths, the corpse screamed again as they fell deeper and deeper towards oblivion:

"Viola! Pull up!"

With a gasp, she awakened to the blare of warning klaxons and flashing instrument lights. The cockpit's canopy
was filled with the swirling, reddish-brown cloud bands of Ubtes IV's upper atmosphere. Viola pulled back hard
on the flight stick and jammed the throttle all the way forward. The massive gas giant dropped from the
canopy's view and was replaced by the blinding light of the system's sun. The Allotek engines behind her roared
to life, and the spacecraft started to rattle violently.

The earpiece in her helmet shouted again: "You dropped below the grav deck, use more thrust!"

Viola's left thumb depressed a switch on the throttle. The afterburners erupted, and the rattling subsided as the
Atron-class frigate accelerated safely away from the powerful grip of Ubtes IV. These dreams are going to kill me
someday, she thought. Switching the engines off, she took in several deep breaths of oxygen and tried to calm
down.

"What the hell is wrong with you? That's the third time this month!"

Still shaking, she unclipped the mask and reached for the vial of painkillers resting below the MPD(Multifunction
Projection Display). Her face was moist with perspiration and tears. She popped the lid off and let two of the pills
roll into her mouth.

"Viola!"

After swallowing the pills, she tried to forge a harsh edge to her voice. "Baer, shut up already!" she yelled.
"Could you mind your own business for once when I'm out here?" The drugs started to take their effect. The high
was not as potent as she had hoped, but the effects were welcome just the same.

The voice in the earpiece matched her harshness. "I just saved your life again! God-damnit, Viola! Give me one
good reason why I shouldn't take that ship away from you right now!"

Through her watery eyes, the bluish-black canvas of Ubtes space came into focus as she turned the craft away
from the sun. "Because you've made a career of riding on the success of my work, and you're not going to do
anything to jeopardize that."

"You should remind DIVCOM of that more often," Baer sneered. "They seem to forget about the success of your
work all the time."

Viola ignored the veiled threat. If those fools want my resignation, all they have to do is ask. But they're not
going to do that now, not since the Hror System was taken by Emperor Heideran, as I predicted. "Listen to me,"
Baer continued, his voice more subdued. "I'm speaking to you as a friend now: You're burning yourself out, and
it's going to draw attention from the wrong people. They're going to start auditing the flight recorder logs, Viola.

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I can't cover up these mishaps forever."

Especially if anyone finds out about these pills. "Baer, this ship is the only shelter I have from Federation
politicians," she answered. Leaning forward against the harness straps, she tapped on the MFD. The cockpit's
instruments bathed her flight suit in a greenish hue as data scrolled down the screen. "Do you have the latest
casualty estimates for Eanna?"

There was a pause. "At last pass, sixty-three million dead, mostly from orbital bombardment directed at
population centers. One million or so killed during the surface landings; another million in subsequent ground
combat. At least two million were taken as slaves, but we won't know exact numbers for some time."

The faceless souls of her dream returned to the forefront of her memory. She closed her eyes and tried to push
them away. "And the Elders?"

"Viola, please--"

"The Elders, goddamnit," she yelled, angered now. "Have you heard any reports at all?"

"Nothing," Baer answered tersely. "And no word from your mysterious `Order', either."

"Then make sure the ELINT technicians retask any local assets to monitoring the transports that leave the
surface," she responded, reaching forward for the painkillers again.

"That's a waste of time and you know it," he argued. "We'll never learn the identities of anyone who was down
there, let alone--"

Two more pills rolled into her mouth. "I don't want to hear your opinion, Baer." She felt the drugs work over her
muscles, relaxing them. "Just get it done. Do you have anything else for me?"

"Actually, yes, Viola," he retorted. "DIVCOM wants a report detailing your estimates on which systems the
Amarrians will attack next."

The crypt in the barren field was beckoning her to walk forward, and the demons started to whisper again.

"Have them tell the politicians that Luminaire is next," she breathed.

Viola switched off the commlink before Baer had time to protest.

Essence Region ­ Crux Constellation

The Renyn System: Planet IX ­ Moon 4
Federal Intelligence Office Headquarters

Lieutenant Colonel Baer Gesdeneau slammed his fist against the desk. That miserable bitch, he thought, trying
to raise her again on the commlink. There was no answer. His eyes scanned the display of live telemetry
broadcasting from Viola's frigate. The toggle switch for the subspace comm had just been switched off from the
inside. Why do I bother, he asked himself. If she wants to kill herself, there's nothing I can do to stop her.

With a sigh, he leaned back in his chair and stared at the holographic information dancing before him. Viola
Antionnes had been with the Federal Intelligence Office for almost twenty years, and in that time became the
F.I.O.'s leading expert on the Minmatar-Amarrian conflict. Her expertise was driven by her passionate--and
extremely unpopular--opinions about the moral responsibilities of governments. The Amarrians, with their
embracement of slavery and expansionistic ambitions, became the natural target of her intellectual wrath. The
Gallente Federation was still embroiled in a bitter war with the Caldari State, yet she continued to lobby
tirelessly for direct military intervention on behalf of the beleaguered Minmatars. Political suicide, Baer thought.
Whatever the moral purity of her beliefs, the Federation was too weary from war to listen.

Viola ruined her career when she portrayed the F.I.O. as being critical of government policymakers, accusing
them of collectively failing to uphold the Federation's "implicit obligation" to safeguard human rights beyond
Gallente borders. It was not the opinion that infuriated Agency superiors and alienated her from colleagues--
after all, she was paid to have opinions. It was the manner in which she decided to make them publicly known.

Tasked by the F.I.O. to produce a routine intelligence briefing for the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Viola
secretly produced two separate reports. One such report detailed what Division Command thought she would
say. The other copy--worded much differently--is what would eventually make its way into the hands of Gallente
Senators.

Baer still grimaced whenever he thought about the Committee's reaction. In her report, Viola cited "the utter
lack of foreign policy backbone" as bearing partial responsibility for the Amarr Empire's aggressive push into
Minmatar space. She decried the "political cronies" whose "gross incompetence was evident in their belief that

-980-
rational dialogue was even possible with fanatical zealots" and the "deadly failure of publicly elected imbeciles
to recognize the Reclaiming for what it is: State-sponsored genocide, by far the gravest threat ever faced by
humanity, let alone the Federation". The resulting political fallout put so much pressure on the agency that
DIVCOM (Division Command) contemplated taking legal action against her, except for the fact that doing so
would deprive them of a valued resource whose contributions to the Federation were uncontested.

The F.I.O. ultimately decided that incurring the wrath of politicians was worth the price of keeping Viola around,
but only under the condition that her visibility--both publicly and internally--be reduced to nothing. Despite more
than twenty years of professional experience, she was stripped of her rank and made the hierarchal equivalent
of a first year associate. Viola's life was the agency; she had devoted little time to developing a social life, and
had no friends or family to lean on. She was crushed, Baer thought. And she has never been the same since.

Baer lit a cigarette and slowly exhaled a plume of smoke through the visual telemetry floating over his desk. The
agency wanted her out of sight, but they still wanted her talents; what better way to reconcile those needs than
by giving her a ship. The electronics on Viola's Atron-class frigate were modified to broadcast her location to the
agency at all times, and her security clearance was adjusted so that she could only access restricted information
if she was physically onboard. On stations or planets, her clearance was blocked. Division Command was taking
every precaution to avoid a repeat of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee fiasco while still getting productive
work from her, and could care less if they crushed her ego in the process.

It was cruel, Baer thought, but it was working...until she started looking for ghosts. Despite the magnitude of the
fall of the planet Eanna, Viola was investigating nonsense about secretive `Orders' and hidden figures of power
within the Minmatar tribes whose importance to Gallente interests she deemed as paramount. Yet she could
produce no evidence of their existence, and still insisted on devoting precious intelligence-gathering resources
to investigate her wild suspicions. I'm losing her, and it's just a matter of time before all of this ends badly, Baer
thought. The intelligence business was costly enough to the psyche, but it was especially hard on those
assigned to the Amarrians. Viola would not be the first analyst to lose her mind because of them.

He stamped out his cigarette and pushed himself away from the desk, giving the telemetry one last look: Ubtes
System, fourth planet, geosynchronous orbit, all systems green, and all ambient signal strengths at zero. She's
completely alone out there, Baer thought. A fitting picture for the life she chose. Straightening his uniform, Baer
left his office to attend a meeting with the other task officers.

As soon as the door closed behind him, the telemetry graphic depicting ambient signal strength flashed bright
red and held for a few seconds before returning to normal.

Metropolis Region ­ Tiat Constellation

The Hror System, Planet VI: "Eanna"
Armageddon-Class Battleship "Impervious"

As seen from the vantage of ships patrolling high above, the swirling cirrus clouds of the planet Eanna still bore
long, dark streaks that spanned the width of continents.

Speak to me, God.

The screen cycled through different views provided by Imperial warships surrounding the former Minmatar
world. Approximately twenty-four hours had passed since the last guns stopped, but uncontrollable firestorms
still raged all over the planet. The occasional break in the clouds revealed green landmasses pockmarked with
wide swaths of blackened scars.

Tell me that the millions of people I killed yesterday deserved to die.

Commodore Faus Akredon tapped the console, and the images disappeared. He swiveled the chair so that he
faced the window of his quarters. The Hror System's sun gleaned off a section of the Impervious's hull,
illuminating the darkened room with an eerie, gold-tinted aura. He put a hand to his forehead and closed his
eyes, fighting back tears that threatened to reveal sympathy for an enemy of God.

"I...will not...hesitate...when the test of Faith...finds me..."

Faus broke down into sobs as he tried to recite the prayer which, hours earlier, compelled him to follow the
Grand Admiral's orders to bombard the planet Eanna from space. The Impervious was just one of hundreds of
Imperial Navy battleships in the armada sent to take control of the planet, and Faus was likely to receive special
military honors for his role in the attack. The fleet under his direct command was one of the few that
encountered serious Minmatar resistance. By the time the Impervious was training her deadly tachyon beams at
the cities below, Faus Akredon had coordinated the systematic destruction of dozens of enemy warships. Not
one Imperial ship was lost in the engagement. The decisiveness of the victory carried divine implications that
inspired his crew, further strengthening their belief that he was a true Paladin: An executor of God's Will.

My God, I beg you...speak to me, please!

-981-
Faus wiped away the tears and ran his hands along his bare scalp. Dozens of military awards and religious
artifacts lined the walls of his quarters. Most of the distinctions were presented by Emperor Heideran himself
during elaborate ceremonies attended by the most powerful figures in the Amarr Empire. Commodore Akredon
was already a legend in the Imperial Navy, renown for crushing pockets of Minmatar resistance throughout the
Empire and requesting the most dangerous combat assignments for his fleet.

The Emperor treated Faus like a son; he placed more faith in his abilities as a Navy commander than he did in
his own Admirals. It was publicly known that there were shared bloodlines between House Akredon and the royal
Kador family, but in truth there was little contact between them. Emperor Heideran loved Faus not for his
ancestry, but for his relentless dedication to the Reclaiming and deeply devout faith. They both envisioned a day
when New Eden became the glorious paradise it was meant to be, when the faithful of every world within the
cosmos lifted their universal praise to God.

But now his faith was rattled to the core. Grand Admiral Mekioth Sarum--the supreme commander of all
Amarrian military forces--never asked Faus to participate in a surface bombardment before Eanna. Perhaps it
was simply a tactical necessity; a military requirement to maximize the firepower directed against such a vital
target. Or, it was the Emperor administering a final test of faith, one that would
ultimately determine his ascension to the rank of Admiral. Faus was a man whose success in combat was driven
by his belief in the divine righteousness of his actions. Yet today he found himself unable to rid the images of
Eanna from his mind.

This burden is more than I can bear, My God...Was it not your divine will that these pagans be burned for their
sins? Why do I not rejoice at the slaughter of your enemy now?

A soft tone broke the silence. Faus looked towards his desk.

You have listened, and now you speak to me...

The tone resonated a second time.

"What is it, Lieutenant."

The voice sounded apologetic. "My lord, I'm sorry to disturb you, but we have a situation."

"Go on."

"Comms detected a powerful burst of gamma and x-ray energy that was not generated by any known celestial
objects. When they checked the recorders, they found that subspace ambient signal strength spiked at the same
exact time, and...there was structure embedded in the transmission. It was a distress signal, but hugely
amplified."

"From whom?"

"Some of our own high priests, my lord. The message is distorted, but we can confirm the voiceprint of the
Apostle Taj Rukon. There are other voices in the recording, but we cannot identify them. It sounds like they were
ambushed."

Another test of my faith? Faus's hands rolled into tight fists. "Rebels?"

"Correct, my lord. The message is explicit."

"Where did the burst originate from?"

"My lord, this will sound unusual, but the originating source is Diemnon."

Anger formed on the brow lines on Faus's expression. "The mining complex in Hahyil?"

"Yes, my lord. The comms officers checked several times."

I am your humble servant, my God, and I will show no mercy to the animals responsible for this atrocity.
"Lieutenant, hail the other captains and instruct navigation to set course for Diemnon. Best possible speed. I'm
on my way to the bridge."

"Yes, my lord."

The battered planet Eanna moved out of sight as the Impervious started its turn. Faus stood upright and caught
his reflection in the window.

I am your humble servant...

With a deep breath, he collected himself and moved towards the door.

-982-
There were no dreams this time. Only blackness prevailed.

Chirp.

Viola slowly opened her eyes, wondering for a moment how long she was asleep for and then realizing that she
had barely slept at all. She felt so numb that she was having trouble focusing on her surroundings. The high was
still there, sort of, only it was just as painful as it was relieving. Like trying to quench thirst by drinking seawater,
she mused.

She blinked several times. Her mind was working slowly, drudging through fogged memory trying to remember
how to interpret the myriad of readings and instruments on the MFD. The warning that had saved her from
plummeting into the atmosphere of Ubtes IV had a different tone, she realized. This one was a signal.

Chirp.

She leaned forward and tapped the screen. Gamma and x-ray, she said aloud. The fog suddenly evaporated as
she realized the significance of the signal type.

The Order!

She started tapping quickly on the screen, coaxing the Atron's sophisticated electronics to find the source of the
signal. Frowning at the computer's first answer, she ran the analysis again. This time, it displayed a much
different response. Viola's eyes opened wide, and she slowly moved her hands away from the controls. The
screen read:

VIOLA ANTIONNES

WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING YOU

COME TO DIEMNON

BEFORE GRUUL SHATAN STRIKES

I'm not dreaming this, Viola thought as a chill ran the length of her spine. The literal translation of "Diemnon" in
the Amarrian language was "Demon's Stone", and its location was deep inside of territory controlled by the
Imperial Navy. Known as an infamous labor camp for Minmatar slaves, Diemnon was a planetesimal--a titanic
asteroid that could be considered a failed planet. At just over 1,300 km in
diameter, it was still geologically active and featured constant volcanic events on the surface.

The most pronounced danger to Diemnon was its highly elliptical orbit. One revolution took 238 standard EVE
days, but its path intersected a dense asteroid belt--the remnants of the planet Diemnon used to be--that rained
epic destruction on the surface every 119 days. The Amarrians called this cataclysmic meteor storm "Gruul
Shatan", and it transformed the space around Diemnon into lethal kill zone for
spacecraft.

But deep beneath the surface of this hellish world were vast deposits of hemorphite. Too deep for the cutting
power of ship-mounted mining lasers to reach, the Amarrians drilled and blasted some 30 kilometers into the
crust to access the precious ore. To sustain mining operations, a sprawling complex was constructed deep inside
of the massive cavity. Billions of cubic meters of material were excavated and hauled away, sometimes only to
be replaced by magma vents welling upwards from the mantle or deposited from above by the wrath of Gruul
Shatan.

Only Amarrian arrogance--and slave manpower--could make such an impractical venture possible, Viola thought.
Without question, if there was such a thing as hell in New Eden, then its doorstep was Diemnon. And it was
Minmatar slaves that converted this underworld into a precious resource for an Emperor who considered himself
an ambassador to God. The thought enraged Viola,
but the chills returned as she realized that the 119 day of Diemnon's orbit was just a few hours away. The Order
has eluded me at every turn, Viola thought, reaching for more painkillers. A clue here, something unexplained
there...Now this--an offer to meet them in the most dangerous region of space during its most dangerous time of
the local year. She chewed the pills instead of swallowing them, but hardly noticed the bitter taste.

"Before Gruul Shatan strikes," Viola recalled from the message as the drugs ran their wicked course through her
veins.

Why not? The Atron shuddered as the warp drive engines powered on. I'm dead already.

Viola was right. Again.

Baer's mind was racing as he rushed back towards his office. He hated to admit it, but the task officer's meeting
had touched on everything that she asked him to look for. All diplomatic channels between the Federation and

-983-
the Minmatar tribes were still severed because of the invasion. But information continued to flow from
intelligence assets observing Amarrian and Minmatar movements, and the implications of the latest data were
extremely unsettling to DIVCOM.

The meeting focused on an industrial believed to be carrying the first Minmatar prisoners taken from Eanna.
Shortly after that ship's arrival at the Diemnon mining complex, a riot erupted which claimed the lives of several
Paladin guards--a completely unheard of occurrence given the brutal effectiveness of slave control methods
used by the Amarrians. Most interestingly of all, Diemnon was about to make an orbital pass directly through the
Hahyil System's largest asteroid belt. No ships would be able to approach the complex until the resulting meteor
storm passed.

That was just too much of a coincidence, Baer thought, wincing from the stench of cigarettes and sweat as the
front door to his office opened. The ELINT task officers at the meeting stated that `chatter' on known Minmatar
military frequencies spiked right after that riot took place, and the amount of chatter was already elevated
because of the Eanna invasion. Viola had asked about the Elders several times, and this series of events implied
that someone extremely important to the Minmatars--"elder" or otherwise--was taken to Diemnon.

The desk console buzzed the moment he reached his seat.

"This is Baer."

"Lieutenant Colonel, we just isolated a voice intercept from a Matari Tribe military channel that you need to
listen to," the voice said. It was one of the junior analysts from the ELINT desk. "It's about an hour old. Parts of it
are missing, but the conversation triggered some keyword alarms. Standby."

Baer made sure his own electronics were recording before the playback started.

"...brought to Diemnon...care about the risks anymore, we don't have time for...rapid-response team we
have...Valklears...back from their current...Talon squad--...as quickly...death sentence...what choice
do we really have..."

The recording stopped abruptly with a burst of static.

"That's all of it," the analyst said. "We're working on the voice print now. Call you if we get a match."

"Alright, thanks." The line clicked off.

Holy shit, Baer thought as he fumbled for a cigarette. They're really going to try and get someone out of there!
The Valklears were a legendary special operations force composed of the best warriors from the Minmatar tribes,
and their involvement all but guaranteed that a rescue mission was either in the late planning stages or already
in progress. And that mission would certainly fail, no matter how good those Valklear commandos think they are,
Baer thought as he brought up the telemetry data from Viola's frigate. Replacements for the Amarrian guards
killed during the riot are probably already on their way to Diemnon, and...

Baer stopped in mid-thought when he saw the destination locked into the Atron's navigation system. The unlit
cigarette fell from his mouth.

"Fuck," Baer muttered as he tapped furiously into the console to remotely disable the Atron's engines. But it was
too late. The holographic display flickered as Viola's frigate entered the stargate that
would take her into the Hahyil System.

The Federation intelligence officer stared in disbelief. How the hell could she know about this already, he
wondered. There are more subtle ways for her to chase a death wish.

-984-
II

"Zakara saw the danger to his brother, and did not hesitate; without weapon or armor, he hurled himself at the
beast, attacking with his bare hands. Enraged, the beast turned and struck Zakara, opening a terrible wound in
his side. Seizing the moment, Garum ran his sword through the beast's heart, thus ending the battle
victorious.But Zakara, mortally wounded, cried out in pain. `You sacrificed yourself for me,' Garum said, taking
his hand. `We are brothers,' Zakara answered, just before breathing his last. `And in God we shall remain
brothers for all of time..."

Book of the Prophet Junip, 10:25 - 30, The Scriptures

"I will tell you how this madness is born: A man peers over the edge of chaos, into the event horizon, where light
can never escape. Then he turns and sees the remnants of his shattered life, of what was taken from him
without pause or remorse. The soul decides, because the man is already dead, and it craves chaos for this
purpose: To kill the god who did this to him."

The Thukker Testament, excerpt from Volume III

-985-
Derelik Region ­ Bedaleya Constellation
The Irshah System: Valklear Talon Squadron Rally Point
Typhoon-class battleship "Hellwraith"

My son...

Decades of unremitting guerilla warfare carved severe lines into the face of the Valklear Admiral known as Karth
Mutana. The long, narrow mane of hair that grew from the center of his scalp was streaked with bands of gray,
but his muscular frame still possessed the size and strength of a Krusual tribesman half his age. Today his eyes
were darker than usual, and his expression betrayed both anger and sadness instead its prevailing fortitude.

They killed my only son...

The crewmen seated in the trenches alongside the bridge took note of his grim demeanor, and felt the heavy
burden on their shoulders grow unbearable. The reality that Eanna was lost to the Amarrians was just too
difficult to absorb, and many were receiving news of loved ones lost--or worse, not hearing anything at all. The
Admiral was always a pillar of strength for them, but seeing him like this was bitterly demoralizing and added to
the depth of their own sorrows.

My hatred of them is all that remains now...

All of the Hellwraith's officers stood beside their Admiral, listening to the Valklear mission planners explain the
roles of each squadron in the rescue operation. A large screen built into the bulkhead above the forward bridge
windows was divided into four sections, one for each commander in the briefing. Karth heard his name
mentioned several times as the planners talked, but his mind never wandered from the memories of his son.

Before he was a soldier, he would watch as I spilled the blood of Amarrian sons...the blood of Amarrian
fathers...and he would say to me, `You are what I want to become...'

"Admiral?" The planner mentioned something of the mission to him directly, but was ignored once more.

I am Karth Mutana, freedom fighter of the Krusual Tribe, Valklear warrior of the Minmatar people, wretched
father of a dead son...

All eyes focused on the grizzled veteran seated in the captain's chair of the mighty Hellwraith. The scowl on
Karth's brow deepened, but he remained transfixed on the space directly in front of him. No one dared to press
for his attention. The mission planner cleared his throat, and then continued.

This will be my final battle...

"...Talon Squadron will warp into the CZ first to engage all Imperial forces in the area. Surface-based defenses
must be neutralized before any spaceborne threats. You'll only have a few seconds to declare a `go, no-go' for
Omicron, and anywhere from three to five minutes to egress from the CZ before the meteor storm pulverizes
everything in the area..."

My last vendetta...

"...the jump-in point will put you directly on top of Diemnon, matching her orbital velocity and trajectory around
the Hahyil System's sun. Omicron must be protected at all costs. If Omicron fails to enter the primary vent
cavern within two minutes of your arrival, the odds of this mission succeeding--"

History will remember me as a godslayer.

"Omicron will reach the cavern," Karth interrupted, snapping out of his haze. "The Hellwraith and her Talons will
see to that. My crew and I are prepared to give our lives so that Omicron may succeed. The question is what
odds are you giving Minmatar to succeed?"

The mission planner shifted his weight. "I'm sorry Admiral, but--"

"The Valklears could not help Eanna, Colonel. All the strength assembled here was powerless to stop the
Paladins from laying waste to one of our civilization's most sacred planets. Did we not have a plan to defend the
world that most of us here called `home'?"

Karth's officers remained at attention, making every effort to hide their shock at the Admiral's words. The
mission planner was flustered, and tried to answer the question candidly.

"We did, sir, but the sheer size and strength of the invasion force overwhelmed--"

"Colonel," the Admiral interrupted again, as the lines in his face deepened. "They killed millions of us. Tens of
millions! Please tell me that the plan to defend those people was the best that the Valklears could offer. Tell me

-986-
how that plan accounted for the odds of facing a larger than expected attack force." His voice lowered to a
whisper. "Or the odds my son faced as tachyon beams fell from the sky above him."

The mission planner was speechless. Every precious second that passed brought the deadly meteor storm closer
to Diemnon, and the window for rescuing the Elders--if they were even alive--was closing fast.

"Admiral, you have my deepest sympathies for the loss of your noble son, but the Amarrians must have secured
below the surface by now, they won't detect Omicron's entry if we attack just as the first meteors impact--"
Karth flew out of the captain's chair in a rage. Thick veins bulged from his neck and temples as he roared.

"We failed to save Eanna because of a miscalculation of `odds', Colonel. The Elders are all that remain of that
world, perhaps of our entire culture. And you dare to speak of `odds' like this is some sort of game? Navigation!"

One of the officers besides Karth snapped his boots at attention. "Yes, sir!"

"Set your course for the Hahyil System, and make sure your final jump point is set against the coordinates that
the Colonel has provided!"

The officer's expression beamed sheer determination. "Nav course to Diemnon, yes sir!" He leapt into the trench
and started barking orders to the crewmen seated inside. Karth glared at the cameras above the screen.

"Omicron, you have your go. Lock in your course and meet us at Diemnon."

The Omicron flight leader stared quizzically at the screen.

"Now!" Karth screamed. "Move it!"

The mission planner tried to speak, but was cut off again by the furious Valklear Admiral.

"You mention the word `odds' one more time, and I swear, I'll crush your skull if I live to see you again. There is
nothing left to chance! Do you know what we are fighting for now, Colonel? The right to bury our own children.
Because of odds, saving them is no longer an option!"

The Hellwraith started its turn as dozens of Minmatar warships positioned themselves alongside. Omicron wing--
comprised of two Rifter-class frigates loaded with one squad of Valklear commandos each--moved away from the
main fleet. The group was just seven jumps from Hahyil, and although most of the crew did not yet know their
destination, they sensed that fierce combat was imminent.

Another bridge officer approached Karth and spoke quietly. "Sir, I have the information you requested."

Karth turned towards the officer. "Tell me."

The man hesitated before answering. "The Gallentes provided us with real-time information as the Imperial fleet
moved into position above Eanna. Comparing it with reconnaissance data of damage placement on the surface
gives us a high level of confidence that--"

"I trust your information, Lieutenant," Karth interrupted. The floor grating underneath both men's feet shook as
the Hellwraith's warp drive engines powered on. "Just give me a name."

"Yes, sir," The man was beginning to sweat. "The Imperial flagship positioned over the city where your son was
lost...it was the Impervious, sir. It was Commodore Faus Akredon."

Derelik Region ­ Bedaleya Constellation

The Irshah System: Valklear Talon Squadron Rally Point
Rifter-class frigate "Omicron-One"

The Valklear squad captain focused on the sound of the Rifter's engines, allowing its steady hum to drown out
the replay of the Operation Tempest mission plan. Years of combat experience taught him to seize these
precious moments of rest whenever he could. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and allowed his mind to wander
back to the hopeless days of his youth, and to a moment that he revisited often:

"I see that you used a Kri'tak to murder them. Why use this weapon?"
"Because it's quiet."

"Slitting the throats of four Nefantars is hardly quiet, boy."

"I set them down gently so that no one would hear."

"Not gently enough. I tracked all of your movements. I saw everything. And when their master discovers what

-987-
happened to them, the Paladins will come looking for you."

"Let them come. They won't take me alive."

"Do you enjoy killing, Vlad?"

"How the fuck do you know what my name is?"

"I said, do you enjoy killing, Vlad?"

"I'm indifferent to it. Who are you?"

"Were you being `indifferent' when you murdered those men?"

"I'm indifferent to killing traitors that betray us to the Amarrians."

"I'd believe that if you didn't rob them as well."

"Pull the trigger or stop wasting my time."

"You're not intimidated by this gun I'm pressing into your forehead?"

"The only thing that intimidates me is being alive long enough to become a slave. Now pull the fucking trigger or
get out of my face."

"You're going to do well as a soldier, Vlad."

"What are you doing--"

"We're going to make you a better killer, Vlad. For Minmatar's sake. Sweet dreams."

The excited voice of the Rifter pilot blared through the speakers, breaking apart a distant memory that was as
painful as it was treasured to the elite soldier.

"Valklears, we are a `go', repeat, we are a `go'. ETA to CZ nine minutes, seven seconds...six...five...mark. Flight
engineer, secure all gear and fix for battle stations, this ingress is going to be hot."

The cabin lights switched to red, and Captain Vlad Kintreb snapped fully out of his daydream. The flight engineer
entered and began working his way along the two benches of soldiers facing each other, helping to snap their
four-point harnesses into place. He worked silently, mindful of the relative peace that these men were enjoying.
He knew that it would not last for much longer.

Twenty years, Vlad thought, running through a checklist of the equipment strapped all over him. Twenty years
since I was taken out of those filthy alleyways by that crazy Valklear recruiter. I wonder what he would have to
say about this suicide mission.

The engineer approached and pulled the straps firmly over the combat pack fastened to his shoulders. Captain
Kintreb, along with every other Valklear commando, was bristling with weaponry. Each one was armed with an
assault rifle, pistol, extra ammunition, grenades, and a combat knife known as a "Kri'tak". Some carried
additional equipment and weapons for more specialized roles, but for this mission--which favored stealth over
brute force-- traveling light was mandatory. The flight engineer checked to make sure that the rifle was fastened
securely across Vlad's chest, and then padded down the rest of the gear strapped to his legs and sides. Satisfied
that everything would remain in place, the engineer moved on to the next commando.

The soldiers were quiet, each one handling the pressure a little bit differently. Some sat serenely with their eyes
closed in meditation; others were concentrating on the holographic mission briefing hovering before them.How
many of us will be here for the trip home, Vlad wondered. If there even is a trip home. A three-dimensional map
of the Diemnon mining complex was projected on the floor grating at the center of the cabin.The vent cavern
entrance that Omicron wing would descend into was labeled "Hell's Gate".

"Study the map," Vlad instructed. "Know every detail of it. There are copies in your mission packs, but you
should commit those schematics to memory."

One of the soldiers spoke up: "Any last minute changes to the plan?"

"Negative, Thumgar," Vlad answered. "As of now, Tempest has no changes."

"What about the Elders that are missing," another soldier asked. "Any word on their status?"

"Negative, Krughan," Vlad answered. "But the assumption right now is that they're still alive."

-988-
Some of the soldiers exchanged looks, and Vlad made a mental note of the ones that did. He decided to address
their unspoken concerns before they could cause more doubt.

"I know what you're thinking, but if there's eve a chance that they still breathe, it's worth giving up our lives to
find out," Vlad said. "Without those Elders...I don't think I have to explain what the consequences are."

All of the soldiers agreed, except for Thumgar. This one is going to be trouble, Vlad sensed. I must take care with
him in front of the others.

"We are Minmatar's blade," Vlad started. "And the spirits of Eanna are with us. This mission will be difficult, but
Tempest is not a desperation effort. We will succeed."

Thumgar was still defiant. "Success even without the Elders?"

The uncertainty in this one will kill him faster than Amarrian bullets. "Tempest's primary mission is to determine
if the Elders taken from Eanna are still alive, Thumgar. If they are, then our secondary mission is to bring them
home." Vlad paused for a moment and then added: "Are you up to the task?"

"I'm a Valklear," Thumgar growled, reacting as if insulted. "Of course I'm up to the task."

The soldiers felt a slight lurch to their side as the Rifter accelerated to warp speed.

"So am I," Vlad answered, this time with more resolve in his voice. "And so are all the warriors on this ship."

Derelik Region ­ Aguh Constellation

The Hahyil System: Diemnon Planetesimal

The planets of the Hahyil System shot past the bubble canopy as the Atron accelerated into the final leg of the
journey to Diemnon. Adrenaline overwhelmed the drugs coursing through Viola's veins as she contemplated the
extraordinary risks of the situation. It's all worth it, she thought, slowly crushing another pill in her mouth.
Especially if the fall of Eanna explains why the Order is making direct contact with us. She double checked that
the recorders were functioning properly, running tests on frequencies across the
electromagnetic and subspace spectrums. Viola did not know what to expect, and for reasons that included
everything except proving the Order's existence to the F.I.O. or anyone else, she wanted to be certain that the
full details of the encounter were preserved.

Viola skipped a breath as the warp engines started to power down. A tiny, reddish dot appeared at the center of
the warp core, growing steadily until the hideous face of Diemnon completely filled the bubble
canopy. The Demon's Stone, she thought, staring at the lava flows slicing fiery pathways across the elongated,
shattered world. Immediately, the frigate's sensors warned of the incoming meteor storm, and Viola noticed that
the space beyond Diemnon was sparkling with sporadic pinpoints of brilliant light. Gruul Shatan, she thought.
Sunlight reflecting off the tumbling faces of countless boulders traveling at hundreds of meters per second. One
of the commlink lights was blinking wildly, indicating Baer's desperate efforts to reach her. She contemplated
answering, then decided against it. Why bother with him at all, she asked herself. The recorders alone will
answer all of his questions...

Viola suddenly felt herself float off the seat into the shoulder straps, and every electrical system on the Atron
shut down without warning. The panels, screens, and indicator lights inside the cockpit went dark, and the
temperature inside the frigate started to drop. Fearful for her life, Viola scrambled to strap the oxygen mask
over her mouth, then looked downwards to check that all of the seals on her survival suit were properly
fastened. A flash of light illuminated the ship, and her eyes instinctively darted towards the view outside.

A Bestower-class transport was adrift just a few dozen meters in front of the Atron, so close that Viola could read
the Amarrian religious inscriptions etched into the ship's hull. The vessel appeared abandoned; no navigation
lights were active, no portholes were illuminated from the inside, and the entire ship was rotating slowly along
its axis. Two dead ships out here, Viola thought, desperately trying to coax her own frigate back to life. What the
hell am I supposed to do now?

She suddenly felt a strange sensation erupt from deep within her skull, which spread quickly to the base of her
ears. Releasing the controls, her hands reflexively snapped back to grab at her helmet.

"Two deaths with sublime purpose, Viola Antionnes."

Viola's body twitched in terrified reaction to the wicked voice that assaulted her eardrums. Without electrical
power, it was impossible for anything inside the ship to generate that kind of audio. And yet the voice sounded
like it was spoken from inside of her.

Her eyes locked onto the weightless vial of pills floating against the canopy shielding.

-989-
"Addictions," the voice hissed. "You and the hopeless addictions of your species."

Viola tried to calm herself, accepting that the Order was fully in control. She could sense biting anger in the
voice, and decided that it would be unwise to interrupt.

"Addictions to power, to greed, to lust, to gods...all drugs that falsely satisfy a need. Do you understand what
that need is?"

The temperature inside of the Atron continued to plummet, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Viola
abandoned her attempts to restart the ship's systems and stared at the Bestower drifting outside.

"The need to be free of fear and uncertainty, child. The Minmatar Elders controlled their fear of the unknown by
nurturing patience in their quest for understanding. That quest united an entire people! Their tribes were acting
as one, even without the awareness of a single nation to define them. No other race was on a surer path
towards achieving what we have than they. But the Amarrians..."

An inscription on the Bestower's hull caught Viola's eye: "The Will of God: Amarr Invincible."

"The Amarrians and their fear, the Amarrians and their addiction, the Amarrians and their ignorance! Eanna was
all that remained of the example that humankind desperately needed to evolve, to rid itself of fear once and for
all, and to embrace the enlightenment that has preserved us for millennia!"

It sounded like grains of sand striking metal at first, and then the occasional pebble smashed into the bubble
canopy. That storm is close, Viola thought, craving a painkiller more than ever. She could see that the glitter
beyond Diemnon was starting to take on the distinct shape of asteroids.

"Too many times. Too many times have the addictions of man destroyed the progress of ages. History is about to
fail us again, and deny us the right to walk among you once more."

The vial of painkillers crashed against the console and spilled its contents everywhere as the Atron suddenly
powered back on. Tiny ripples of light pulsed throughout the bubble canopy as the frigate's shields absorbed the
impact of debris from Gruul Shatan.

"Not since before the New Eden gate collapsed have we seen darker days than these! Will you find the strength
to restore what was lost with Eanna?"

With a shrill alarm, the sensors onboard the Atron registered the arrival of seven Imperial Navy warships. Viola
watched in horror as each of them began to actively target her ship.

"Or will this be the legacy of humankind forever..."

Viola shrieked as the Bestower exploded in a blinding flash that showered the Atron with shreds of scorched
wreckage. Alarms warning of danger screamed with relentless urgency while she fumbled to locate the controls
that would activate the frigate's warp drive.

The ghastly visage of eight corpses floating among the Bestower's remains caused her to hesitate for a few
seconds too long.

Derelik Region ­ Aguh Constellation

The Hahyil System: Diemnon Planetesimal
Armageddon-Class Battleship "Impervious"

Faus Akredon could not believe his eyes. The corpses of eight Amarrian high priests were all that remained of
the Bestower that he took upon himself to protect. One of them belonged to the beloved Apostle Taj Rukon, the
man who had pleaded for help in the distress call. And the Gallente Federation is responsible for this treachery,
he thought. My God, I have another enemy to slay in your name!

The weapons officer spoke in a voice tinged with anger: "Range to target, fifty-eight kilometers, radio crystals
loaded, designate November-One. Your orders, my lord?"

Before Faus could answer, the tactical officer interrupted. "New contacts at three-five-zero, z-plus 17,000
meters, range 71 kilometers! Minmatar rebels, my lord!

Faus looked at the tactical display and counted thirty enemy warships. Regardless of the odds, he made a
decision to avenge the murdered holy men before pulling his fleet out. There was time for just one shot.

"Weapons command, assign turrets one and two, track November-One and open fire."

-990-
Derelik Region ­ Aguh Constellation
The Hahyil System: Diemnon Planetesimal
Typhoon-class battleship "Hellwraith"

The crewmembers on the bridge all saw it at the same time: Two red beams slicing across space, impacting the
aft section of the Atron and sending it into a violent spin. Without any sign of provocation that they could see,
the Amarrians had just shot down an unarmed Gallente Federation ship.

But Karth was not interested in the tiny frigate spiraling out of control towards the surface of Diemnon. He was
fixated on the long, golden contours of the Armageddon-class battleship on the tactical display. The mighty
Impervious, he thought to himself. Perhaps fate is not as unjust as I once thought.

Essence Region ­ Crux Constellation

The Renyn System: Planet IX ­ Moon 4
Federal Intelligence Office Headquarters

Baer watched in horror as the telemetry readings foretold of Viola Antionnes's imminent death. The Amarrians,
he thought incredulously, reaching his trembling hand towards the intercom switch. The goddamn Amarrians
attacked her!

"What's the problem," the sharp voice asked. Baer spoke quickly as he monitored the telemetry.

"An Amarrian battle fleet just attacked Viola's ship over Diemnon, Colonel."

"What was she doing there?"

"Most likely investigating the same rescue mission theory that we discussed earlier." Her ship is on fire, Baer
noticed. And spinning so fast that she has to be unconscious by now.

"`Most likely', Lieutenant Colonel?"

"She switched off comms before I could ask her," he answered, staring in horror at the data. "A Minmatar strike
force witnessed the attack on Viola's ship. They're engaging the Imperial battle fleet as we speak."

"Right now? At Diemnon?"

"Correct. But we're about to lose telemetry, Viola's ship is just moments away from--"

Baer never finished his sentence as the proximity sensors on the Atron registered two Jovian Wraith-class
frigates uncloak within meters of the doomed frigate.

-991-
III

"War is not the dreadful end to all things as mankind fears. Conflict brings balance to nature as it adapts,
mutates, and transforms itself into something stronger than before. Mankind is the master of nature because we
can choose those mutations on our own accord. We can accelerate the inevitable dominance of a species.
Through war, we can make ourselves stronger at the time and place of our choosing. War is not hell, far from it.
War is beautiful. War is divine."

Grand Admiral Mekioth Sarum, excerpt from a commencement speech to Paladin graduates of the
Imperial Academy, 23215 AD

"It took the indifferent cruelty of a Glaive-collar to make us forget which tribe we came from, and the horrors of
war to unite us as Minmatars."

Isinnur Urlbrald, Vherokior Council Historical Archives, 23217 AD

-992-
Derelik Region ­ Aguh Constellation
The Hahyil System: Diemnon Planetesimal

A single point of light broke through the shroud of darkness that fell over Viola's bloodshot eyes, dilating slowly
into an elongated tunnel. Every muscle in her body was contracted tightly, battling against the dangerously high
G-forces induced by the Atron's spin. A dizzying blur of orange and black filled the growing lens at the end of the
tunnel as the frigate careened towards the surface of Diemnon; the blare of alarms and the smell of smoke
forewarned of the fiery death that awaited her.

Viola fought through the immense pressure driving her into the seat and managed to squeeze the flight stick in
her right hand, moving it side to side. There was no response from the frigate's systems, no way to eject from
the doomed spacecraft, and no means to call for help. Letting go of the controls, she wondered if her death
would even be noticed by anyone, and found in these final moments that her intrigue for the Order had been
replaced fully by a seething hatred of them.

But then the orange-black blur changed to bluish-white, and the tunnel vision effects started to fade quickly as
the Atron's rate of spin slowed. The alternating view of Diemnon and space leveled off into a distinct horizon,
and Viola's tightly contracted muscles started to relax. The spacecraft's alarms continued to blare ominous
warnings of damaged or inoperable systems, and yet the frigate was somehow flying straight and level in a
controlled descent towards the planetesimal's surface.

In a final conscious effort that drained the last remnants of her physical strength, Viola turned her head slightly
and saw a Jovian Wraith flying just meters away from the bubble canopy.

"How did they do that," the pilot of Omicron-One muttered, toggling a switch on the throttle control. Her heart
was beating faster than it would be if she were running. "Talon command, this is Omicron lead, be advised, the
Jovians have stabilized the Atron and are towing it in."

A static-laced voice answered in the headpiece. "...again, Omicron, did you say...were towing it?"

An asteroid the size of a cargo container tumbled past the canopy. "Shit! I mean, affirmative, I just overshot
them, the whole rear quadrant of that frigate is gone, and it's still keeping up with the Wraiths. Omicron-Two, can
you confirm?"

"Talon Command, this is Two, confirmed...Atron...crippled...the Jovians are using...kind of tractor beam
tech...towards the surface...Goddamn asteroids, this is...ing edge...storm..."

The pilot of Omicron-One grimaced, understanding exactly what the pilot of Omicron-Two was trying to report
despite the interference. The leading edge of Gruul Shatan was upon them, and her peripheral vision spotted
the expanding shockwaves of meteor impacts on Diemnon's surface dozens of kilometers below.

Another asteroid tumbled by, triggering a proximity alarm on the Rifter. The canopy was shimmering in a red
aura as thousands of smaller stone projectiles started peppering the frigate's shields. Hell's Gate was still over
100 kilometers away, and their approach put the incoming storm at an angle that was almost directly in front of
them. The idea, the mission planners thought, was to align Omicron headfirst with the obstacles to reduce the
possibility of being blindsided. That was a flattering assumption, the pilot thought as she nudged the throttle up
to gain more speed. Thinking that actually seeing these fucking things makes them any less avoidable.

The radio broke the pilot's concentration again. "...one, check your six, those Jovians..."

The Omicron pilot dared to glance off-center from the canopy towards the rear-view camera display. In her
determined effort to avoid colliding with the incoming asteroids, she had lost track of the space behind her ship.
And in combat, that was almost always a deadly mistake.

"Admiral, the Jovians are directly behind Omicron-One," the tactical officer said, incredulously. "And the Atron is
flying in tight formation with them!"

Karth paced the bridge impatiently. Why the hell are they here? The Wraiths and the crippled Atron were all
within range of his fleet's guns, but that was changing by the second. There can be no witnesses to his rescue
effort!

"Send orders to the cruisers Al Haquis and Sarkos: Target the entire group, but hold fire until I give the word."

"Yes sir, designate Wraith targets Sigma-One and Two, Atron target designate Gulf-One."

Goddamn Jovians, Karth fumed. If they aren't shooting, then what are they doing?

"Navigation!"

-993-
"Yes sir!"

"Close range on the Impervious, best possible speed! Tacklers!"

Another static-laced response echoed through the bridge speakers: "Tackler squadron, standing by."

"Your primary target is the battleship Impervious," Karth hissed. The tactical display indicated that the storm
was almost on top of the Amarrian battle group, and that their escape window was narrowing quickly. He was
never more bloodthirsty in his entire life than he was right this moment.

"Get into scramble range as quickly as possible. Our gunners will neutralize their cruisers in just a few moments.
I want that ship's momentum stopped, do you understand?"

"Affirmative. On our way."

The six Slasher-class frigates that made up the Tackler squadron broke away from the main group, heading
directly towards the Impervious. Their progress was marked with six black triangles on the tactical display.

"Admiral," the tactical officer interrupted. "The Sarkos and Al Haquis report null targeting solutions for Sigma or
Gulf--the Jovians are too close to Omicron-One!"

"Rifter captain, this is the Jovian frigate at your six," the voice started. "You cannot navigate this approach.
Requesting permission to commandeer your flight controls."

The pilot of Omicron-One was just as furious as she was terrified. "Back off or I'm opening fire!" she shrieked.
The crippled Atron was flying alongside of her, and a Jovian Wraith was easing towards the front of the
formation, perfectly matching the Rifter's speed when its tail section was positioned over the canopy. The
second Wraith remained directly behind the group. Every ship in the pack was ten or less meters away from
each other. It was, unequivocally, the most skillful flying the pilot had ever seen, but this was not the time for
compliments.

The voice spoke again, in an eerily calm tone. "Rifter captain, we have the skills and technology to safely
navigate your ship through this storm and into the Amarrian compound. Allow us to help you."

"I said get the fuck out of here!" she ordered. "You're going to get us all kill--" The pilot gasped and yanked
backwards on the flight stick as a giant asteroid rolled into view. The Rifter barely cleared it, and as she pointed
the nose back towards the vector indicator on the canopy, the Atron and Wraiths immediately took the exact
same positions around her ship as before.

The same voice spoke again without urgency or emotion. "Captain, you cannot do this, and you have no choice
but to trust us. We are taking your flight controls right...now."

She flipped open the safety that would activate the frigate's gun turrets, and then screamed as more asteroids
tumbled towards the canopy on a direct collision course. The Rifter ignored her frantic yank backwards on the
flight stick and instead rolled downwards, smoothly averting a catastrophe.

Domain Region - Throne Worlds Constellation

The Amarr System: Planet Oris
Emperor Family Academy Station: Imperial Navy Virtual Command Center

Grand Admiral Mekioth Sarum rested his hands on the circular table, observing a holographic tactical display of
the situation above Diemnon and listening to the report from Commodore Akredon.

"...the Jovians interfered with my...justice...saved the Gallente...the Minmatar battle group warped in...the same
time, my lord.

An interesting opportunity presents itself, Mekioth thought, focusing his eyes on a small cluster of dots moving
away from the main Minmatar force. "Where are those frigates going, Commodore?"

"Directly towards...complex main port. We cannot raise anyone on the inside...warn them because of the meteor
impacts on the surface...My lord, my fleet is...great danger because of Gruul Shatan...permission to
disengage...return when the storm passes."

This opportunity shall not be wasted. "Permission denied, Commodore. The Gallente ship must be destroyed, as
with the Minmatar frigates heading for Diemnon's surface." Mekioth thought for a moment. "And the bodies of
the priests must also be recovered, no matter what the cost."

A loud burst of static resonated throughout the darkened chamber, and the tactical display on the table
flickered. Mekioth looked around the room and allowed himself a smile. Divine protest, perhaps? I think not.

-994-
"Did you hear me, Commodore?"

"Yes, my lord, but what about the lives...my crew?...must understand that what you're asking--"

Mekioth became enraged. "Are you questioning me, Commodore?"

There was a pause. "No, my lord."

"Good," Mekioth answered. "I shall inform Emperor Heideran of the Federation's treachery, and of your heroic
promise to return the corpses of our holy men for proper burial."

The display flickered again. "It will be done, my lord."

The cluster of red circles on the display marking the densest concentration of asteroids in the belt was closing in
on Akredon's battlegroup.

"It had better be, Commodore."

Faus Akredon could not believe his ears. The officers on the bridge were ghastly pale, understanding just as well
as he that Grand Admiral Sarum had just ordered their deaths. Faus stared at the tactical display and silently
acknowledged the hopelessness of what he was just asked--or rather ordered--to do. There was no longerenough
time to warp the ship out of harm's way.

My God, Faus thought, have I just been sacrificed? Or betrayed?

"Navigation."

"Yes, my lord?" The officer--a younger man in his late twenties whose last name was Derovan--snapped to
attention. Faus could sense that he was afraid to die, but would remain committed to his duty until the end.

Have faith, lad. Paradise is waiting.

"Turn forty-five degrees to port and put us broadside to the asteroids. Sound the evacuation alarms. All non-
essential personnel are to abandon ship immediately." Faus paused for a moment, observing the shocked
expressions of his officers. None of them ever imagined a day when their blessed Admiral would give such an
order. "Instruct the crew that only starboard-facing life rafts and escape pods will be jettisoned. They'll stand a
much better chance of survival by ejecting towards Diemnon than they will into that meteor storm." Lieutenant
Derovan's eyes glassed over. Then he started barking orders to his own subordinates.

Alarm klaxons rang throughout the Impervious as the `abandon ship' orders were announced across all decks.
Thousands of crewmembers left their battle station posts and started the evacuation procedures that none of
them ever imagined they would need for real. Lights were starting to appear along the right-hand side of a
schematic detailing the Impervious, projected on the forward bridge screen. The first life rafts--each one holding
up to fifty crewmembers--were already away.

Faus grimaced at the line of cruiser-sized asteroids bearing down on his fleet. "Engineering!"

A gruff voice responded: "Standing by, my lord."

Ah, Donuvus...you will be missed. "I'm giving you two-thirds of the capacitor reserves to generate as much
shield strength as you can. The more punishment they can absorb, the more time we have to get people off this
ship."

"Anything for you, my lord."

Faus fought back tears. As more lights began dotting the schematic, only a skeleton crew remained to man their
stations for the Impervious's final battle. These men are prepared to die for me, and this is where I lead them to!
He turned his attention to the Minmatar attack frigates speeding towards his battlegroup. "Maller One, do you
copy?"

"...by, my lord."

"Send your fastest ship to recover the bodies of our priests in the wreckage. Then they are to disengage and
return immediately to the Throne Worlds. Send the remaining cruisers to intercept the Minmatar attack frigates--
you are weapons-free, engage at will!"

"Roger...engaging."

Faus watched the display as a solitary cruiser broke away from the main fleet while the remaining ships moved
towards the Minmatar battlegroup, filling the space in between with missiles. "Weapons, range to November-
One!"
-995-
"Sixty-eight kilometers, my lord!"

Too far away for a direct hit, Faus thought, running mental calculations as he concentrated on the tactical
display. Unless the salvo is perfectly placed... "Assign November-One to turrets one through seven, radio
crystals, dead-reckoning solution plus a three-second look-ahead. One broadside only, do you understand?"

"Affirmative, dead-reckoning plus three ticks, one broadside only..."

"Weapons, as soon as you fire, swing your guns to port, switch to multispectrals and target the largest asteroids
bearing down on us. You are weapons-free after this shot, understood?

"Yes sir, weapons free after broadside to November-One..."

The officer directed the men and women below him as the enormous tachyon cannons mounted on the
Impervious began tracking slowly in the same direction. "Tracking, my lord!"

"Fire!"

The terrified pilot of Omicron-One watched as seven bright red beams lanced across the space directly in front
of the lead Wraith. Five of them struck an asteroid the size of a cruiser and broke it into three main chunks plus
a hail of smaller debris. The Rifter rolled and dived, just barely avoiding a collision with the two largest
fragments as they careened past the canopy. Then a brilliant flash
illuminated the asteroids in front of her as the same fragments slammed into Omicron-Two, destroying the
frigate instantly.

"Admiral, Omicron-Two is down..." the Hellwraith's tactical officer said.

"Ignore it," Karth growled. It was over for them before this even started. "Range to those Mallers?"

"Forty-seven kilometers, designate Mike-One through five," the weapons officer answered.

"Put the turrets on Mike-One and the launchers on Mike-Two. Give each two salvos and work your way through
the others as necessary. All guns open fire, all cruisers engage at will!"

"Yes, sir, engaging..."

The floor underneath the bridge shuddered as the Hellwraith's artillery cannons hurled 1400-millimeter shells at
the first Maller, easily overwhelming the cruiser's shields and pulverizing the Amarrian vessel on the first salvo.
As his weapons officer changed targets, Karth turned back to the Impervious.

"Tacklers, range to target?"

"Activating stasis webs...warp scramblers now, sir."

From his vantage point on the bridge, Karth could see the Impervious glowing in a bluish-white aura. All of the
battleship's forward momentum was quickly negated as it passed through the stasis webs, slowing down
steadily until it was completely stopped. The turrets along the warship's portside hull were arcing white
multispectral beams across the massive asteroids hurling towards her, and the contours of her shields were
clearly visible as smaller meteors and fragments broke through the tachyons in an epic fireworks display. The
Impervious was in her final moments, and it was just a matter of time before she became the victim of a fate
worthy of the Amarr Scriptures: Literally being stoned to death.

All Karth could see were those same exact tachyon beams incinerating his son on the planet Eanna. His
enormous hands curled into tight fists, and he became so angered that he began to tremble. The destruction of
the Impervious could not happen soon enough. Die, Akredon, he thought. Die the horrible death that you
deserve, you fucking Amarrian coward!

The voice of a Tackler pilot broke his vengeful fixation on the Impervious:

"Sir, we can't hold this orbit for much longer...incoming asteroids will kill us..."

Karth was indifferent to the pilot's plea. "You are prepared to die a good death like the rest of us, Valklear.
Hold that stasis web on your target until I say otherwise."

He had barely finished speaking when four signals disappeared from the tactical display. Two of them were
Amarrian cruisers, the latest victims of the Hellwraith's awesome firepower. The other two were Tackler frigates,
blotted out of space by asteroids more than twice their size. But Karth was oblivious to their loss. His sharp eyes-
-wide with sadistic delight--were locked onto the Impervious's deathblow, now just moments away from impact.

Faus saw the behemoth asteroid--more than 3,000 meters across, in his estimation--and started to prepare his

-996-
soul for the afterlife. The seven tachyon beams converging on its gray surface did little more than burrow deep
craters and ravines as the weapon's officer tried desperately to ward off the inevitable. Faus realized that it was
time to clear his conscience.

"Save yourselves! Get to the escape pods, now!"

The officers--all drenched in sweat and sharing a desperate disposition--exchanged glances that raised an alarm
in Faus. None of them moved towards the bridge's exit. Lieutenant Derovan took a step towards him.

Faus withdrew his pistol. "Did you hear what I said? Please! Save yourselves! You have at most thirty
seconds...my place is with this ship--"

The officers all rushed towards Faus, who was so unprepared for their actions that he merely dropped the gun.
Grabbing him firmly by the arms, they started to rush him off the bridge.

Clamping his hands firmly around Faus's wrists, Lieutenant Derovan spoke first. "Forgive us, my lord, but this
must be done..."

Faus struggled against them, but they were just too strong. "Stop! You are my responsibility, you have a chance
to go on--"

Donuvus was waiting for them at the bridge's exit, pointing towards the officer's ejection pods located just aft of
the bulkhead doorway. Another officer returned the pistol that Faus dropped, forcibly thrusting it back into his
holster.

"'Tis you that must go on, my lord," Donuvus said. "These orders come from the Emperor himself. If anything
were to happen to you on our watch, he would certainly have us killed. You are like a son to him, and to us you
have been a father."

The men shoved Faus headfirst into the escape pod and sealed the doorway. Getting back to his feet, he lunged
back into the seal, banging his fist on the portal. "No! Save yourselves, I beg you!"

Donuvus clicked the intercom button. "We're nearly on top of Diemnon's main port. Your escape pod will
autopilot there--may the hand of God steer away any asteroids in your path. The guards inside the complex will
look after you until help arrives, after the Gruul Shatan passes. It has been an honor to serve with you,
Commodore Akredon. For the sake of Amarr, live on!"

Darkness engulfed Faus as the outer seal closed.

The lead Wraith abruptly veered upwards, slipping in between a cluster of asteroids and then tipping back over
into a vertical dive towards the surface. The entire canopy view was filled with the site of an enormous crater
some twenty kilometers wide, with steep ridges along the perimeter that jutted upwards from the surface for at
least three kilometers. The pilot could not tell how deep it was, but far below the surface were tiny orange pools
of magma, and the frigate group was descending directly towards them. Finally, Hell's Gate, the pilot thought.
And only half of us survived.

"Talon command," she said. "This is Omicron-One, we're inside, repeat, we're inside Hell's Gate..."

The pilot suddenly regained control of the Rifter, but then saw the two Wraiths abruptly reverse directions and
accelerate back out of the cavern. Struggling to keep her eyes on the pair through the rear view display, the
twisting, turning Jovian frigates vanished into the meteor storm.

Faus watched in horror as the goliath asteroid slammed into the forward section of the Impervious, crushing the
bow superstructure and breaking the battleship's keel cleanly in half. For a moment, the two segments of
dashed vessel drifted away from each other, spraying a stream of fiery debris into space like gushing arteries
before exploding in a blinding flash of light. Faus, his eyes stinging from the brightness of the blast, turned away
from the disaster and collapsed to his knees. He whispered a prayer for the helpless souls who were left
onboard, and lamented to God that he should have met his fate on that ship as well.

A loud, metallic clank turned the blood in Faus's veins to ice. Scrambling to his feet, he squinted through the
portal, expecting to see asteroids but instead finding the greenish-black hull of a Jovian Wraith.

`Impervious', Karth mused, spitting towards the forward bridge portals as the explosion faded. My work here is
finished.
Two more Tackler frigates disappeared from the tactical display as the meteor storm intensified. He toggled a
switch on the captain's chair. "Attention all ships, this is Talon Command. Warp to fifth moon of Hahyil Four.
Regroup there and wait for my command. Tactical! Any word on the status of Omicron-One?"

"Yes, sir, they just entered Hell's Gate."

-997-
One last detail to take care of before we leave this forsaken place. "Quickly, patch me through to them..."

Vlad could not believe that he was still alive. Glancing around the cabin, he could tell from the other soldier's
expressions that they shared his amazement. But their eyes also betrayed sorrow for the Valklears who met
their sudden fate aboard Omicron-Two. It was instantaneous for them, he thought. What a tragic waste, losing
them like that. Warriors such as these deserve to die with weapons in their hands, not strapped across their
chests.

The radio earpiece buzzed. It was Admiral Karth Mutana. The transmission was barely audible with all the static,
but the instructions were clear.

"..cron-One, make sure that you secure...landing pad first...Captain Kintreb, I want the Jovians killed...be no
witnesses to this operation...your discretion with the Gallente pilot...gets in the way...authorized to terminate...as
well...Elders...top priority...make myself clear?"

The transmission was lost before Vlad was able to answer. The frigate lurched forward with a light burst of
speed, and the cabin lights turned red as the harness straps securing all of the soldiers unlocked.
Objective One:
Kill the Jovians, Vlad thought, motioning quickly with hand signals for the soldiers to fix silencers to their
weapons. I don't think that's ever been done before.

Domain Region - Throne Worlds Constellation

The Amarr System: Planet Oris
Emperor Family Academy Station: Imperial Navy Virtual Command Center

The tactical display fizzled and then abruptly vanished. As the words "Signal Lost" hung over the console, Grand
Admiral Mekioth Sarum contemplated the consequences of his actions. A martyr's death for the beloved
Commodore, he thought. Killed while attempting to rescue a Council Apostle. Amarr will mourn, but in time his
memory shall pass. Faus Akredon's bloodline connection to the Kador family made him a legitimate candidate to
succeed Emperor Heideran. Alive for more than four centuries, the Emperor's death could happen at any time,
even if the machines sustaining his life were capable of doing so for hundreds of years more. Time would catch
up with him eventually, and whenever it did, Mekioth wanted the Sarum family prepared to seize power.

Akredon would have been Kador's most worthy champion, Mekioth thought, toggling a starmap of the Aguh
Constellation. Even in martyrdom he is dangerous. Several Imperial battle groups were converging on Hahyil,
guarding the stargates leading in and establishing blockades in the neighboring systems. The hunt for the
Minmatar strike force responsible for the death of Amarr's greatest hero was on, and once Gruul Shatan passed,
a battalion of Paladins would raid the mining camp to deal with any rebels inside.

Martyr or not, the Sarum Family will claim the throne someday, Mekioth thought. The map panned out, then
moved across to the vast expanse of stars beyond the Jovian border. He ran his hands through the image
imagining the riches waiting to be tapped there. Faus Akredon helped me to conquer the Minmatar. In death, he
will help me to conquer the Jovians as well.

-998-
IV

"Which test reveals more of the soul--the test that a man will take to prove his faith, or the test that finds the
man who believed his faith already proven? If you know this answer, then you also know which
of these challenges bear the greatest penalty for failure. The gates of paradise will open for you one time only;
woe to the soul who dares to knock twice."

Book of Missions, 5:14, The Scriptures

"Throughout history, the militaries of civilizations have created soldiers from the ranks of the able-bodied in their
societies. The Minmatar, having lost most of their able-bodied to death or slavery, tried
this approach and found the results unsatisfactory for their own special needs. Instead, they took their most
notorious villains--their thieves, schemers, and murderers--and turned them into soldiers. They
called these men `Valklears'."

Federal Intelligence Office Archives (classified), Document NJ-F22, "History of Minmatar Infantry Development"

-999-
Derelik Region ­ Aguh Constellation
The Hahyil System: Diemnon Planetesimal
Diemnon Mining Complex: Main Hangar Bay

Jumping down from the ramp, Vlad sprinted away from the Rifter's landing skids and moved towards the rock
outcrops along the tarmac's edge. Behind him, the other Valklears spread outwards in groups of two, seeking
cover that would give them a clear line of sight with the immense tunnel leading back outside to the docking
vent. Some began darting up the steep rock face of the hangar's walls, quickly nestling into ledges and
disappearing in the shadows cast by the floodlights high above them.

Vlad found a spot behind some rocks well above the tarmac, across from the hangar seals leading into the
complex. The Rifter was resting on the pad with its boarding ramp intentionally left open. The hope was that the
Jovians would assume they had already entered the complex, thus drawing them out from the safety of their
own ships and into the crosshairs of Valklear rifles. Several clicks in his earpiece indicated that each of the
soldiers was in place, waiting for his orders.

They were more than thirty kilometers below the surface, yet Vlad could still hear muted rumbles from the crash
of meteors high above. To conserve resources, the Amarrians were not replenishing any of the air that escaped
whenever the outer airlock opened for a ship to enter the hangar. For now, a man could still breathe inside
without the aid of a mask, but any exertion would wind him immediately. The next time the seal opened--which
it would at any second to allow the Jovian frigates inside--what little air remained would escape.

Peering through the scope of his rifle, Vlad scanned the area. The hangar was an enormous cave carved into
Diemnon's mantle by Amarrian explosives and the backs of Minmatar slaves. Three sets of stabilizer rigs spaced
about 700 meters apart were built into both walls, one for each of the Bestower-class industrials that could dock
here to unload cargo and haul unprocessed ore back outside. The hangar's dimensions were designed
specifically to accommodate this ship; it was impossible for anything larger to get inside.

Moving the crosshairs towards the Rifter, Vlad noticed bloodstains scattered all over the tarmac. That prison riot
must have ended here, he thought, taking note of the different kinds of patterns. There were darkened pools
marking the graves where maimed victims bled to death; the fine mist spray patterns caused by gunshot
wounds; the heavier droplet patterns indicating blunt impacts delivered by fists or heavy objects. Without
question, this place was the scene of gruesome violence that claimed the lives of dozens of people. A good
death for these slaves, Vlad thought, attaching the scope back onto his rifle. To meet death while killing
Amarrians was the most those people could ask for.

A gust of air blew some dust up from the ground as two sets of lights pierced the blackness at the end of the
tunnel. Vlad spotted Thumgar a short distance from him in the ledges, swinging his CLAW (Combat Light Assault
Weapon) over the side and propping it against a stone. He better handle himself well early on, Vlad thought. Or
else we're just going to become another stain on the tarmac.

"Time to awaken, Viola."

The voice came from one of the faceless souls surrounding her in the barren field. The crypt was just ahead, with
the corpse of its unidentified hero waiting inside. A hand from the crowd reached out and touched hers. Terrified,
Viola took a step backwards.

"Open your eyes, slowly..."

She turned in the direction that the hand reached out from, and as she opened her eyes, a face began to take
shape on one of the spirits standing beside her: Jet black eyes surrounded by pale white flesh, marred with dark
veins that originated from the scalp and branched all the way down to the jawbone. Viola startled, taking a short
breath. The creature's hand moved gently over her mouth.

"Your first encounter with a Jovian, I see." His voice had a synthetic tone to it, with a pitch that was as eerie as it
was soothing. "A difficult sight for your breed to absorb. It is understandable."

Viola realized she was lying on her back, and that the Jovian was standing over her. As he removed his hand, she
noticed that his skin did not feel like organic tissue. Glass, she thought. It looks and feels like wet glass!

"My name is Grious, and I am here to protect you and to assist the Minmatars with their mission to rescue the
Elders."

What the hell, she thought. Protect me? Taking a quick inventory of her body, Viola felt some mild soreness in
her chest and legs. But it was her eyes that hurt more than anything else.

"You were subjected to enormous G-forces when your ship lost control," Grious said, helping her off the table.
"Some of the capillaries in your eyes burst, which explains your appearance. I lack the equipment needed to
repair them here, but I was able to repair numerous ruptures to the muscle lining along your diaphragm,
abdominal wall, and the blood vessels in your legs."

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