Local emergency aid networks are mobilising to offer assistance, but the Matar Society for Natural Preservation – the organisation overseeing the Genesis Vault project – are said to be guarded about allowing aid workers onto the site. The purpose of the attack is unclear and evidence gleaned from sophisticated capsuleer comms equipment suggests that the assailing forces may not even have known their objective.

On the GALNET Intergalactic Summit communications service favoured by capsuleers, Akrasjel Lanate shared this intercepted conversation between the Angel Cartel operative responsible for the previously leaked information.

[16:55:48] Erdrin Sostold > What Domination wants to do with this is beyond me
[16:56:13] Haltz Krisbrid > You and me both, brother
[16:56:26] Erdrin Sostold > None of this looks like it doesn’t belong here
[16:56:30] Erdrin Sostold > If they were hiding anything
[16:56:35] Erdrin Sostold > we’ve either got it already
[16:56:39] Erdrin Sostold > or we’re damn unlikely to find it

This clearly suggests that the operatives were operating under orders from the Dominations, the command level upper heirarchy of the Angel Cartel. It also suggests that the attack either failed to secure their objective, or there is more occurring of which even these individuals were unaware.

Speculation is abound and fears are mounting that further attacks could occur at other sites. Gunger Anra, foreman of the Matar Society for Natural Preservation has declined to comment on any potential threat to their largest remaining Vault site on Bogelek II.

Tech4 has also received further communications from a number of anonymous and capsuleer sources.

The following questions were transmitted direct to the Tech4 GALNET site:

Why would an agricultural company whose mission is to re-establish Minmatar food and cuisine buy only Frozen Food and Superconductors?

Why would an agricultural company be mostly anonymously owned (55% of shareholders are unknown or anonymous)?

And the following sequence of communications were obtained by a capsuleer passing through the Placid region:

Almost Showtime
From:
Sent: XXXXX
To:

You ready for another serving of salad man?

Re: Almost Showtime
From:
Sent: XXXXX
To:

Hell yes. Those slugs won’t know what hit em. Lock and load.

Re: Re: Almost Showtime
From:
Sent: XXXXX
To:

Just remember, the capsuleers are onto us. We need to work faster then we did fighting the savages. The slugs are more organized, and the capsuleers are gonna be looking for us.

Re: Re: Re: Almost Showtime
From:
Sent: XXXXX
To:

Yeah, damn podders, sticking there nose into other folks business. Alright, I’ll go over the team protocols, make sure we don’t have any more delays. Wanna meet up at Cascades afterward the raid?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Showtime
From:
Sent: XXXXX
To:

Definitely man. I’ve been craving Batere’s cooking for ages.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Almost Showtime
From:
Sent: XXXXX
To:

Sweet, I’ll meet you there after the op. Those research slugs have got no idea what’s about to drop on them. Bang! bang! bang! Surprise! You’re dead. Ha!

To further add to the mounting tensions, renowned capsuleer freedom fighting organisation, Ushra’Khan, are thought to be mobilising in response to the Oddelulf attacks which is causing increasingly aggressive sabre-rattling from opposing factions.

Clearly events are picking up pace and Tech4 only hopes that innocent civilians will not be caught in the crossfire.

Sendaya System, DERELIK

A Tech4 operative was recently supplied with a curious communication.

An anonymous source claims that a series of intercepted messages, whilst apparently innocuous, may be a code. The fluid-router communication was intercepted by CONCORD decryption specialists based at the CONCORD Bureau at Sendaya V in the Anares constellation of the Ammatar-claimed Derelik region. They were reportedly monitoring traffic originating from the neighbouring system of Doril, a system on the edge of Angel Cartel territory in the Curse region.

The anonymous source was unforthcoming with details of how he came by high-security CONCORD information, but was able to say that whilst the messages are believed to hold important information, CONCORD decryption algorithms have yet to deliver any results.

The full message sequence is as follows:

Post-op fun?
From: Erdrin Sostold
Sent: XXXXXXXXXXX
To: Haltz Krisbrid
What say you? Shall we hit the pleasure hubs after dropping on the savages?

RE: Post-op fun?
From: Haltz Krisbrid
Sent: XXXXXXXXXXX
To: Erdrin Sostold
Sounds like a plan. Nothing gets me thirstier than a raid. Got rid of your crotchrot yet or you still out of commission?

RE: RE: Post-op fun?
From: Erdrin Sostold
Sent: XXXXXXXXXXX
To: Haltz Krisbrid
Shove it up your ass! That was just a rumor… Those dancers will be all over me. I’ll throw you some castoffs, though, so you’re not in the corner all night crying into your drink like last time.

RE: RE: RE: Post-op fun?
From: Haltz Krisbrid
Sent: XXXXXXXXXXX
To: Erdrin Sostold
Keep dreaming. You know Kera’s all mine. Anyway, just make sure you don’t wind up in the medcenter again with a bullet in your buttcheek. Meet you at the usual place after the op.

RE: RE: RE: RE: Post-op fun?
From: Erdrin Sostold
Sent: XXXXXXXXXXX
To: Haltz Krisbrid
Sweet. Numbskull gardeners won’t know what hit ‘em.

First appearances suggest that this is nothing more than two individuals – suspected of Angel Cartel affiliations – making plans to blow off some steam after a planned raid. However, CONCORD intelligence suggests there is possibly a deeper meaning to the language used and that something greater may be afoot.

“Savages” may be an unkind reference to Minmatar interests, however if other key phrases such as “crotchrot”, “dancers” and “Numbskull gardeners” have ulterior meanings, they are currently unknown. CONCORD operatives are continuing their investigations, but at time of writing,  the two pilots, Erdrin Sostold and Haltz Krisbrid are unregistered on GALNET and may be aliases. Who or what “Kera” is, is also a mystery.

[Tech4 Media Group would consider ISK rewards for any new information pursuant to this story. T4 Capsuleer Liaison - Prof. Uriah Tedanih.]

As has always been the way throughout human history, war pushes the boundaries of technology and eventually, the benefit of those advancements distil down to the general populace. This recent press release received from the Lai Dai Research corporation details the benevolent applications of technology originally designed to enhance capsuleer training.

FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
Lai Dai Research :: Biomedical and Cybernetics Division
114.07.17

Lai Dai Research is pleased to announce the tentative release of the next generation of Transcranial Microcontroller products, the Tietosh Constellation. This family of six implant sets are designed to interact with an installed TCMC to increase the users’ functionality. Full details are being prepared for release, but the basic set will include the following implants:

- Cerebellar-Limbic Bridge: to aid in fine motor control
- Hippocampal-Forebrain Bridge: to aid in memory retention and clarity
- Cingulate Ion Buffer: to aid in the application of willpower and rational thought
- Wernike Ion Buffer: to aid in sophisticated speech
- Pons Coordination Matrix: to aid in regularizing autonomic metabolism
- Auxilliary Midbrain Processor: to aid in emotional and sensorial control

The Tietosh implant set is intended for the medical rehabilitation market, with alternate secondary markets for any individual wishing to improve their performance in key targeted areas. It will be made available for sale to specific sectors of the public once it has cleared human testing, which is predicted to finish in less than two months.

Research Director Atkio Vanamoinen :: Lai Dai Research, Biomedical and Cybernetics Division

With the number of space structures and ships being destroyed by capsuleer aggressions resulting in countless decompression injuries, survivors of such disasters often suffer long-term cerebral impairment due to vacuum-induced hypoxia.

It is the hope of this correspondent that we will indeed see some uplifting stories in the future, where technology of capsuleer origin might improve lives rather than ruin them.

 If you have a story regarding capsuleer technology benefiting  lives, please contact us.

The Great Wildlands region of space is known to be dangerous and falls outside the purview of CONCORD, as such there are far fewer emergency organisations available to respond to such events. Station personnel are trained and equipped to deal emergencies and Sisters of EVE response teams were also reported to have attended the aftermath, but no clear explanation has been forthcoming from Thukker Mix, nor can exact casualties be ascertained.

As part of the secretive Minmatar Thukker tribe, the corporation’s reticence is unsurprising. The Thukkers have a long history of being guarded and untrusting of outsiders. This attack will have done little to bridge that gap.

Millions witnessed the associated protest staged in the Caldari system of Jita last week, where 200 over-entitled capsuleers saw fit to flex their military might once again by terrorising those in the vicinity of the Caldari Navy Assembly Plant in orbit around the 4th moon of Jita IV.

Evil capsuleers on another reign of destruction and terror.

Whilst not close to the scale of last year’s terrifying events, the sight of 200 Minmatar warships firing upon the still-shattered Ruevo Aram memorial is enough to give even the most foolhardy of travellers pause. After destroying one of their own vessels above the memorial (and reportedly at least one passing ship), the fleet left in the direction of New Caldari and was reported to have fled beyond the borders of the region sometime thereafter.

It remains to be seen if any response will be forthcoming from Thukker Mix or if the design concerns that so offended the capsuleers are to be addressed.

Whilst there has been no reported decrease in the performance of the Vagabond, Thukker Mix have been unforthcoming with an explanation for the revision. As the research and development arm of the secretive Thukker tribe, they have a history of being guarded about their latest technological developments. Thukker Mix declined to confirm that the vanes were removed to allow the Vagabond hull to better withstand re-entry for planned atmospheric flight and battlefield strafing maneuvers.

In any case, segments of the capsuleer population have openly opposed the change, demanding the return of the “frill”. In a chilling echo of last year’s terrifying protests over capsuleer treatment aboard stations, many pod-pilots plan to gather at the Jita memorial at 1900 on July 15, where they intend to start a protest “march” to the headquarters of Thukker Mix in the Great Wildlands region.

Thukker Mix refused to comment and whilst CONCORD are expected to contain any outbreaks of violence in Jita, they cannot provide the same protection to bystanders elsewhere along the march route and advise all travellers to exercise extreme caution.

The Kisogo Jumpgate to Urlen

Kisogo (State News Agency) – A transport shuttle collided with a capsuleer owned starship yesterday near the Urlen gate in Kisogo. Despite a rapid response from the Navy Rapid Response Emergency Fleet (NRREF), 37 passengers of the shuttle died and another 45 suffered injuries. No reports of deaths or injuries from the capsuleer ship were forthcoming as it continued to the gate and jumped through to Urlen without stopping to answer requests from authorities.

The shuttle, a Kismit class passenger ship operated by Kisogo-Urlen Transit Authority, was at full capacity of 300 passengers and 20 crew when the accident happened. Commander Lee of the NRREF gave a press conference as rescue operations completed:

“The KUT shuttle had just dropped out of warp and was starting the approach to the gate when one of its collision avoidance repulsors suffered a catastrophic failure in its power core. As per Space Lane Safety Policy, the captain of the shuttle immediately aborted the gate approach and attempted to move at a safe vector away from the gate so that the ship could wait for tugs to take it back to station. During the maneuver a Caracal-class cruiser warped to the gate at an unauthorized approach vector and distance. Normally the repulsors on the shuttle would move it out of the way of the other vessel despite its unsafe approach.”

He also added that the cruiser appeared to take no damage and there is no indication that the capsuleer in command of the ship “even knew a collision against its shields even happened”.

The ‘Raskaan Veyden‘ was an Eifyr & Co. Science & Exploration frigate which was lost last November whilst exploring wormhole space. Of the eleven personnel aboard, only civilian reporter Mielikki Valpuri has been recovered, and then under mysterious and controversial circumstances which has since plunged Tech Four Media Group into legal and financial difficulties.

The forthcoming holoreel, being produced by the little known Freebooted Studios, has come under early criticism from humanitarian quarters for insensitive handling of the subject matter. An early preview showing of the title footage suggests a sensationalist approach to the subject matter, with actors and dramatic scores delivering a fictionalised account rather than a documentary approach as preferred by some parties.

The families of the crewmen were unavailable for comment, however an Eifyr & Co spokesman released the following statement, apparently on their behalf;

“Eifyr & Co have every faith in Freebooted Studios to produce a holovid which will treat the story of the brave crew of the Raskaan Veyden with respect and dignity. The families of the lost crewmen have given their blessing to this project.”

The preview footage suggests a dramatic feature, with the Raskaan Veyden story possibly being the first episode in a series of short holovids focusing on the Tech Four team.

Download the T4 Trailer

FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

Lai Dai Corporation :: Biomedical Research Division
YC114.03.25

Lai Dai Corporation reports an assassination attempt and data raid. Both attempts were foiled by local security forces.

The Lai Dai Neurotechnology Research Institute in orbit of Kakakela VI was infiltrated late on the 24th by a black-hooded individual who is believed to have entered via the environmental ducts. This individual, who has been identified by security footage as Luminaire General Seriphyn Inhonores of the FDU, proceeded to attempt to kill a patient within the facility, at that time unconscious from an earlier medical procedure. Medical technicians alerted security to his presence, preventing his continuation to the secured data storage wing. General Inhonores escaped via the main docking bay after wounding a Junior Vice-Director. His escape vessel, a Tristan class frigate without pod fittings, was damaged and crashed into the local moon. Lai Dai security search and rescue teams are conducting an operation to recover the pilot and crew, to be repatriated after clearance.

Vice-Director Atkio Vanamoinen has been admitted to the local medical ward for gunshot wounds. The assassination target is a researcher attempting to assemble a permanent solution to the “Rogue Drone” problem in deadspace locations around the Cluster. Her name has been withheld for security purposes.

Lai Dai Protecion Services are launching a full audit of the station’s security systems to ascertain how Inhonores was able to slip aboard undetected. The Station’s security director has been temporarily relieved of his position pending the results of the LDPS inquest. A reward is offered for any information which helps close these dangerous security loopholes.

Security Director Halvas Nimmoda :: Lai Dai Protection Services

This information is uncorroborated.

As per tradition, the YC 114 Impetus Annual Holoreel Convention distributes t-shirts to its attendees, which are highly sought after by collectors and fashionistas alike. Due to their limited availability being far lower than market demand, and the subsequent high prices making them only affordable to even the richer kind of capsuleers, producers of counterfeit goods see their trade booming as nearly perfect copies are released onto the market at prices even non-capsuleers can afford.

Now five weeks since the convention, the firsts of these imitations have begun to appear on the black market, and thus shipments turned up on Angel Cartel operated stations within the Curse region. However, an unforeseen order by the Dominations meant they never ‘hit the streets’. Last night, in a massive coordinated raid on five main warehouses, billions worth of dupes were seized and sprayed with cloth-dissolving nanites, making what is left of the products unable to be sold. Warehouse owners were then advised to clean up the mess at once and that further action would be taken should new shipments be found in their possession, or that of anyone on board any Angel Cartel property.

People are puzzled by this decision, as the Cartel tends to operate under “all business is good business”. What is even more surprising is that the Serpentis have promptly declared their support of these actions, and say they will respond similarly if these goods are found on their stations. As last year’s fakes were not met with a similar fate, speculation is rife about just what is at the source of this decision, the most popular theory being that the Cartel and Serpentis must have an interest in keeping the prices of the originals as high as possible. Dominations officials however state that the YC 114 Impetus Annual Holoreel Convention is one of the few good things coming from the Empires and thus should be met with greater respect. What the precise impact of this blockade will be on the rest of the black market sales, or even on the originals, is unclear at present. However, as the Cartel and Serpentis are two major players in illegal logistics, it is suspected that the distribution of the counterfeit shirts will be hindered by it.

The Caldari Navy Assembly Plant orbiting the fourth moon of Jita IV in The Forge region.

JITA, THE FORGE REGION – On Friday, the Caldari State Navy Police released a press statement that a Minmatar female had been murdered on 4-4 Navy Assembly Plant int Jita. This is not an uncommon story, murders occur every day on the larger stations, especially one as busy as Jita 4-4. However, no details have been released other than the suspect is believed to be the pretend capsuleer con-artist that the Police had already issued warnings about.

Tech 4 News has learnt that this may not be a simple murder and details of the horrific injuries sustained by the victim have been suppressed. T4N spoke to the janitors that discovered the body. Tanamachi is a Technician 3rd Class in the Waste Disposal and Recycling section of the stations engineering crew. Tech 4 News spoke to him yesterday:

“Yeah, I saw the body. Me and Kakuta had gone to check on a blockage in one of the garbage chutes on deck 54. It was jammed up tight so we had to go down to deck 55 to try and get under what was causing the blockage. Anyway Kakuta opens an access panel and an arm falls out! A severed human arm! We poke a stick in there and the rest of her comes tumbling out. Her arms and legs had been cut off to get her in the shute but that wasn’t all. She’d been cut. And I ain’t saying just a little. She’d been sliced and diced like from one of them horror holo-vids. I’ll be having nightmares for months. And you know all me and Kakuta got? Half a day off. That’s it, half a day after seeing that! I’m telling you, a man don’t forget that for half a day off! She’d died a horrible death, that was no robbery, that was personal. Someone wanted that poor Minny woman to suffer. You should have seen it!”

A standard garbage chute on Jita 4-4 where the mutilated body was discovered.

T4N, under a false media outlet name, contacted the station security office of the Caldari Navy who own the station. They had this to say:

“We do not comment on the specifics of any murder. Unfortunately in cases like this we have a lot of people confessing and we need to ensure that details are kept out of the media so we can separate the real suspects from the fakes.”

When asked regarding the involvement of the con-artist fake capsuleer the police did confirm he was a suspect without giving details why.

“We can confirm that the individual who has been posing as a capsuleer on Jita 4-4, drugging and robbing women is a person of interest in this investigation. However at this stage we are unable to give further information.”

The wanted man, reported by Tech 4 News last month, appears to be the prime suspect and women are warned to be extra vigilant on Jita 4-4.

Tech 4 News was also able to obtain copies of the preliminary autopsy report. This is complied before the Chief Medical Examiner undertakes the full examination. The report refers to a number of major wounds but perhaps the most disturbing is the following section.

“The arms, legs and torso all show shallow incisions caused by some form of blade. The depth of the wounds and their very specific targeting appear to indicate that they have been inflicted purely to cause pain and distress. Preliminary inspections shows the victim was alive when the incisions were made, given the clotting of the blood in each wound. An initial count puts the number of separate wounds at over 100.”

Clearly this is not a simple murder for the purposes of robbery. Anyone with any information on this murder is advised to contact the Caldari Navy Police on comm channel 55.

The Senate Bureau orbital facility above the sixth moon of Villore VII

Villore, ESSENCE: Senator Trebon Guillo (Essence – Attyn) held a press conference today to herald the introduction of a symbolic bill to cut all funding to CONCORD. Head of Senate Aulmont Meis immediately referred the bill to the Committee on Appropriations for consideration. The Chairperson of the Committee, Senator Aleyn Huer (Essence – Charmerout), is not expected to bring the bill up for a vote.

Mr. Guillo introduces this legislation yearly, and it has become something of a tradition around the Senate halls. Originally introduced in YC 101 during his first term in office the Senator’s legislation has never made it out of committee. According to the Senator, he continues to reintroduce the bill every session as a continuing protest against CONCORD.

“We have ceded too much of our sovereignty to a secretive and guarded institution that no longer has our best interests at heart,” said the Senator on Tuesday. “Rather than acting as a forum to maintain relations amongst the interstellar community, it has grown to adopt its own agenda. Rather than letting the citizens of the cluster determine its own best interest, CONCORD seeks to decide for the rest of us what our best interests are.”

In particular, Mr. Guillo cites Directive Alpha Gamma 12 as the most well-known example of the Federation ceding sovereignty to the CONCORD Assembly. Directive Alpha Gamma 12 is a notorious piece of CONCORD legislation, allowing them to seize any piece of technology that they feel may disrupt the current balance of power in one nation’s favor, and release it to the other nations in an auction system that allows firms in each nation to bid on the technology. Of course, Jove technology is exempt from these provisions. Nationalists and CONCORD critics throughout the cluster have long pointed to Alpha Gamma 12 as an example of CONCORD’s intrusion into sovereign affairs.

“It is simply unconscionable that the Federation abides by Directive AG-12,” said Mr. Guillo. “The Gallente Federation is the proud home of the smartest scientists and researchers in the cluster. Why should we have to give up our hard-earned technology to our interstellar neighbors? It is shocking that President Roden and past administrations have allowed this to continue, especially given the state of human rights and civil liberties in some of our neighbors. If we can gain the upper hand by using our advanced technology, why should we give these advantages to anyone else?”

When a member of the press noted that cutting CONCORD funding at this point is only symbolic, given that CONCORD is entirely self-sufficient based on customs duties and other taxes on Empyreans, Senator Guillo merely chuckled, saying “[s]ince this bill is probably going to be just as productive as the past 13, I don’t really think I have anything else to work with other than symbolism.”

The dark underbelly of the Senate Bureau is masked by distorted light from the distant nebula.

Asked to respond, Head of Senate Meis’s office only commented, “[w]e trust the Appropriations Committee to give due consideration to Senator Guillo’s proposal.” Neither the Appropriations Committee nor the Senate has ever seen fit to closely examine Senator Guillo’s proposal, and the Senate itself has shown no appetite to re-negotiating the foundational CONCORD treaties. Defenders of the Assembly point to the advantages of CONCORD oversight, including a number of times that Alpha-Gamma 12 has benefited the Federation.

“Just look at the new battlecruisers the navies came out with at the end of last year,” says Senator Mera Hoyn (Aunia), a noted CONCORD defender and chairwoman of Naval Appropriations subcommittee. “Without AG-12, we would have been defenseless if the Caldari had decided to press their advantage with their advanced Nagas. AG-12 gave us enough heads up to create our own doctrines and own responses, notably the Talos. I’d rather have to give up some of our own military secrets and know exactly what our neighbors are up to then hoarding everything to ourselves but knowing nothing else. And CONCORD has allowed the cluster to prosper in innumerable ways while avoiding the uglier consequences of continued war.”

Asked to comment on the legislation, an Inner Circle spokesman said only “CONCORD is committed to remaining above internal sovereign politics. We believe our record speaks for itself in maintaining the status quo, and we are proud to continue the work that the nations of New Eden commanded us to perform over a century ago.”

Nevertheless, Senator Guillo remains committed to his quest. As he noted near the end of his press conference, “stranger things have happened than a formerly hopeless bill being passed.”

Romantic luxury resort or biofuel harvesting facility?

Shocking reports are coming out of a remote tourist destination located on an island on the third planet of the RYK-VK system. The resort, touted as an idyllic natural beauty spot with volcanically heated outdoor pools, attracts visitors from afar, lured by the promise of rejuvenation from long soaks in its blue lagoons.

However, following the disappearance of several tourists, undercover investigations have revealed the possibility that the resort is responsible for the disappearances.

The entire island is powered by a fuel processing plant located close to the resort. The fuel source produced there is designated 8P-RYL and has long been thought to be extracted from the volcanically active substrate which also heats the resort. However, samples taken from the pools frequented by tourists have proven to contain a biological dissolving agent and an anaesthetic. Whether these are naturally occurring or have been deliberately added is the subject of much discussion.

Fuel Cell Containment Facility Interior

Experts are speculating that even short-term exposure to the water in the pools, as often is the case with tourists, may cause the completely painless process of triggered epidermal apoptosis, effectively causing parts of the victim to melt into the water. Evidence of degenerated human matter was discovered at the bottom of the pools which supports this theory.

Professor Harpa, a consultant biochemist, read the reports and stated, “In most cases, exposure would simply act as an exfoliant, resulting in a harmless amount of biological matter to be harvested from swimmers. Continued immersion might cause flesh to begin to form a slurry and slough off. However, if an individual were to remain exposed for a long enough period of time, it would be possible for them to be almost completely dissolved. If sedated or otherwise unconscious they may never be aware of the process until it was too late.”

A local man, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “There have been rumours for a long time, but nothing has ever been proved. Some say that nanites in the water collect the dissolved tissue and take it to the [fuel processing] plant to be converted into energy.” He added, “It makes you frightened to turn the lights on, in case it’s powered by people!”

Both the tourist resort and the power facility have close affiliations with the sinisterly named Crowd Control Productions organisation, one of the most influential local corporations. The corporation has thus far refused to comment. Investigations are ongoing.

Addendum: An individual known as CCP Sisyphus, a spokesman for Crowd Control Productions, has since publicly stated, “Nothing to see here. Move along, move along. These are not the biofuels you are looking for.”

All investigations have now been halted whilst clarification on which biofuels we are looking for is ascertained.

8P-RYL Fuel!

The Federal Navy Assembly Plant in the Dodixie System

This week’s undercover report highlights the dreadful trade in human trafficking, and we’re not talking about slaves in the Amarrian Empire. We’re talking in the heart of the Gallente Federation – Dodixie.

Whilst the system of Dodixie is well known for its trade-hub status, there is more going on there than the sale of legitimate goods and a thriving economy driven by the capsuleers. Our investigation has highlighted a worrying trade in trafficked people throughout the system.

A tip led us to a small bar on Deck 23 of the Federal Navy Assembly Plant station in Dodixie, one of the top four busiest stations in the galaxy. Our reporter posed as a bar owner from a mining outpost in a distant null security system and made some enquiries where he could purchase some girls from to attract more customers. We were offered a selection of girls depending what our needs were. The contact, Vian, was quite forthcoming in what he could provide.

“Well it all depends on what you want and what you want to spend. For a handful of credits we can supply you with some Minmatar refugee girls. You get what you pay for, so these we recommend keeping in a darkened back room and send the guys to them once they handed over their cash first. If they have good eyes they might not pay afterwards. For 20,000 credits upwards we’ve got decent dancing girls that your customers can watch and then take to your back-room. Again mostly Minmatar, but a few Gallente and some wayward Caldari. If you looking to spend 50,000 upwards then we’ve got some fine Gallente women. However, you need to keep them secure and out of the public eye, oh, and make sure the customers aren’t bleeding hearts either who may turn against you following a good sob-story. These are more likely to run and go to the authorities than the cheaper ones. If you’re looking to spend ISK rather than local credits, then we can do you something special.”

This was all offered within 20 minutes of making contact. The dealer went onto explain how the cheaper girls can be kept in line with fear and intimidation. Many of them were fleeing their former lives for a variety of reasons and simple threats to send them back can keep them from causing trouble. However, the implication was that all the girls are being forced against their will. Some having no choice, others being blackmailed or threatened. When we said we were not looking to spend local credits and had Interstellar Credits (ISK) the story became even more menacing.

“If you have the ISK then you just need to find the women you want anywhere on station. Take a discreet holopic of them in a crowded area and we’ll track them down. We can usually deliver within a week. Obviously they will not be keen on the new life you have planned for them. Leverage will cost you more, but we can supply two methods. A distance-detonated explosive, surgically implanted into them is cheapest. Just have a transmitter in your bar and let them know the range. They rarely wander far, but be careful. Loose lips can turn one of your customers against you. It can also leave a little scar. For best results we recommend Vitoc which we can supply. Just let them know your store is flushable and if the security services raid your bar it’ll all be destroyed. When they know they’ll not be able to get anymore in time, they’ll be as loyal as a slaverhound puppy to you. These are the best two ways for the price. I’ve heard that some of my competition are advertising that they have adapted Sansha style nanites to control a girl’s will, but that’s a crock. Don’t waste your money.”

At this point our reporter arranged a further meeting where he would provide the holo’s and deliver the ISK down-payment as well as collecting a case of Vitoc. The secret recording of the meeting and a pre-copy of this report was handed to the Federal Navy Security Services before that meeting was due to take place.

The Federal Navy Security Services made the following statement the day following the scheduled meeting.

“Thanks to some excellent investigative journalism by Tech 4 News, the Federal Navy Security Service has arrested three Gallente and two Caldari citizens on charges of human trafficking, false imprisonment, blackmail and false accounting charges. In addition we have recovered 20 litres of Vitoc and related dispensary equipment. Finally a total of 18 women from all four Empires were rescued and are receiving medical attention and support from the corporation. The Federal Navy Security Services would like to point out this is an isolated incident and that law and order on this station is of the highest levels.”

Whilst Federal Navy Security Services are to be commended in the swift action against this trafficking ring, their claim that this is an isolated incident is viewed as highly unlikely in academic circles. We spoke to Professor Chan of the University of Caille School who is the senior professor of criminal studies at the Egghelende V Moon 13 station.

“The truth is that there is money to be made with trafficking humans, a lot of money. And when you have a lot of money then blind eyes are turned, doors are left unlocked and obvious things are not seen. From seedy cantinas in null sec mining outposts to the high-class bars on the capsuleer decks in stations in high-security home-systems, people can make a lot of money from this. For them [Federal Navy Security Services] to say that your investigation revealed an isolated incident is like saying an Amarrian Holder with slaves is an isolated incident! My research has shown there is a shocking amount of trade in humans being undertaken throughout Empire space. This is especially true in the large trade hubs such as Dodixie, Rens and Jita where the amount of shipping helps cover their tracks.”

Whatever the truth, Tech 4 News will continue in exposing this vile trade wherever we find it.

The Tech4 mobile broadcasting platform stationed in Eram.

Mired in accusations of terrorism and collusion with criminal elements, Tech4′s legal team in Yulai have managed to secure the release of much of the originally planned transmission. Listen in now to hear Paydas Adavaar share his wit and wisdom with a crate of Quafe Ultra, the Technology Focus team attempting to harness wormhole technology and an unexpected arrival who turns everything on its head.

With CONCORD approval of the material herein, Tech Four Media Group can assure all listeners that there is no hidden terrorist brainwashing technology in this transmission, despite the claims of certain inebriated Gallente broadcasters.

Click below to hear the truth.

In the twelfth month of of YC113, the DED successfully jammed the outgoing Tech4 signal and silenced the broadcast team. Furthermore, the DED managed to apprehend some of Tech4′s number and held them due to (unproven) suggestions of collusion with terrorist elements. In that time, CONCORD has successfully prevented any further clusterwide broadcasts pending legal proceedings which have been taking place in secret at CONCORD headquarters in Yulai.

It is only through the tireless work of the network of journalists and reporters who have rallied to the Tech4 cause in the last few months that has allowed any coverage to continue.

However, this reporter is pleased to announce that a significant portion of the legal proceedings in Yulai are now over and whilst much of the information seized by the DED remains in their custody, they have allowed the release of a portion of the original broadcast, which is being prepared for immediate transmission.

The general population of New Eden has finally been given back its voice.

Stand by for Tech4 News NEOCOM signal injection.

The perpetrator is suspected to still be on the Caldari Navy Assembly Plant above the fourth moon of Jita IV.

A security alert has been posted on Jita 4-4 station advising women to watch out for a confidence trickster who has so far stolen more than 80,000 local credits in two separate attacks.

Superintendent Chan of the Internal Security Police stated the suspect was impersonating a capsuleer.

“The suspect is around 6 feet tall, medium build with mousey hair. He waits in bars for women to spot what they think are capsuleer implant sockets on the back of his neck. These are in fact realistic replicas held on by an organic glue. He allows the women to seduce him and take him back to their quarters. After indulging in their “hospitality” he drugs and robs them. He clears out any valuables and by using the unconscious victims datapad and thumbprint, he transfers any money they have from their accounts.”

When asked to confirm the number of victims Superintendent Chan admitted they were not sure of the scale of the attacks.

Women should be wary of the corridors and bars on Jita 4-4.

“These women are picking the perp up in a bar and taking him straight back to their quarters. Many women may be hesitant to admit that after falling foul of this individual. Whilst only two women have come forward to report the attacks at this time, there is probably many more. We would urge any women who have been duped by this man to contact us. The more information we have on this criminal, the better the chance that we can catch him.”

When asked regarding specific charges Superintendent Chan admitted that the drugging and thefts were the only acts they could charge the suspect with.

“This man was willingly invited back to the woman’s quarters and did not force them to do anything before drugging them. Impersonating a capsuleer is not a criminal act in this sense.”

Khanid Prime I, basking in the glow of The Cauldron nebula.

In late January, there was a scandal on Khanid Prime.

Silas Vitalia, an acknowledged Holder, patriot and commander of the (now closed) corporation Khanid Provincial Vanguard (KPV), held a celebration in recognition of the corporation’s five years of faithful service.  Many capsuleers from all walks of life and across New Eden attended, and were witness to a ceremony that officially declared her as a member of the Sani Sabik cult.  The news soon leaked to the authorities, but Ms Vitalia easily escaped before any action could be taken.

But what does that really mean?  To many of us, Sani Sabik is the name of the bogeyman, inextricably linked with the horror of the Blood Raiders and their empire in the depths of unregulated space – “nullsec” in Capsuleer parlance.  To those in the Amarrian bloc, Sani Sabik are a creeping cancer, a heretical plague on the true faith, but even there few really know what it means.  Perhaps it is time to lift the lid on the cult.

New Eden Heresies

I spoke with Arminelle Binck, professor of Interstellar Law at the University of Caille.  “Although it is rarely practiced openly due to all the negative connotations,” he explains, “Sani Sabik is only illegal in its own right in the Amarrian Empire and associated regions; the Ammatar Mandate and Khanid Kingdom.  Of course, there are plenty of other legal issues. While Sani Sabik cults cannot be arrested for their beliefs, I can name a dozen instances in the Federation alone of criminal cases of kidnapping, murder, torture and other such matters.  Even the accusation of being a Sani Sabik can result in social exclusion and mistrust; not least in the Republic, where it has numerous associations with the Amarrians.  Sani Sabik practitioners face accusation of being Ammatar or worse, along with all the usual problems.”

“It’s a taboo, and thus engages a macabre fascination,” says Dr Patrice Asseya, of the University of Caille’s psychology department.  “Numerous sensationalist works in all formats have spread from sources across New Eden.  At least two highly popular holo-series, numerous novels and several musicians have all ridden on the forbidden allure of the blood cults.  On a more scientific note, it appeals on a primal level; human beings are, at heart, predators.  Studies of serial killers have often revealed an inner need to express hunting instincts; Sani Sabik cults provide a semi-acceptable venue to exorcise these unacceptable cravings.”

Bloody Rituals

A Sani Sabik priest conducting a ritual

Midna Lyre, a musician, is an open Sani Sabik convert and the source of great controversy – including an attempt on her life during a concert.  Nevertheless, her widespread support has gone some way to bringing at least the concept of Sani Sabik into the mainstream.

In an interview four years ago, the young Gallente singer explained Sani Sabik in a seemingly harmless fashion.  “The Sani Sabik faith is all about personal strength. It’s about improving yourself, about being a strong individual.  It’s about seizing your destiny and making it what you want… yes, I use blood in rituals, but it is not stolen blood from unwilling people.  We willingly exchange blood.  It’s about strengthening the bonds between us… it’s very spiritual, like touching the hand of God.”

But to what extent is this take on the matter a common one among the faith?  Since the Amarrian rejection of Sani Sabik, forcing the cult into an underground status or expelling it entirely from the Empire, there has been no easy way to exchange information and beliefs between isolated cults; even with the comparative acceptance in society outside of the Empire, Sabik followers have little in the way of easy communication.

The primary exception to that, of course, is also the heart of most of the ill-feeling towards members of the cult; the Delve region, and its rulers, the Blood Raider Covenant.  Almost universally hated and distrusted, even among the other grand criminal empires operating beyond the reach of the law, the Covenant has been responsible for countless atrocities, slave raids and many other crimes.  Unlike the tame beliefs of Midna Lyre and her associates, attacks upon Covenant installations have revealed horrific machines designed specifically to drain unwilling victims of blood.

Delving into Darkness

“The Blood Raiders are a totalitarian, nightmare society that makes some of the darker periods of the Amarrian Empire look utopian,” explains Guddik Stierata, an intelligence analyst for the Directive Enforcement Department of CONCORD.  “Blood Raiders specifically value the blood of clones for their rituals, so they have been known to actively and specifically target capsuleers, whereas a comparable Guristas or Angel battlegroup will simply deal with any threat that approaches them.  But just because they value clone blood over all others does not mean they will ignore others; a ship captured by the Covenant will sometimes be modified on the spot into a processing plant to mechanically extract the blood of the crew.  Those that are taken alive will either be drained later at a more secure facility, or be made a slave.  Those who have been rescued from Covenant slave camps have usually been treated horrifically.”

Yet despite their reputation, reports of defections by ships, crews and even some capsuleers, individuals one would assume would steer clear of the Covenant, mount up every year.  Why?  “Power fantasies,” Dr Asseya opines.  “The Blood Raider Covenant represents the what happens if one takes the predator instincts and lust for power inherent in both the human psyche, and in the Sani Sabik tradition, to their logical conclusion.  Both the stories and many of the factual reports centred around the Raiders paint a very clear dividing line between the ruling class, the Raiders themselves; and the slaves, who exist only to serve in any way the Raiders desire.  Common sense would suggest that capsuleers would stay away from the Covenant due to the value of clone blood among the Raiders, but studies have shown that over ninety-seven percent of capsuleers suffer from what some refer to as the deity complex; they have absolute confidence in their effective immortality, distinct signs of narcissism and egocentricity to the exclusion of all else, and display an inability to empathize with normal human beings.  The fact that they even use an implicitly derogatory term for us – ‘baseliners’ – merely reinforces that diagnosis.  With this in mind, is it any great surprise that many are attracted to a society that reinforces and caters to their delusions of godhood?”

Angels and Demons?

It sounds a dangerously convincing argument.  To what extent are all Sani Sabik on a spiral towards that of the blood-stained demons of Delve, then?  Are moderates like Midna deceiving themselves, or is there really another way?

In the second half of this in-depth study, I will be seeking out real Sani Sabik; seeing how they live, what their beliefs mean to them, and concluding once and for all if there is a place for this ancient blood-cult in New Eden.

The Caldari Navy Assembly Plant orbiting the fourth moon of Jita IV in The Forge region.

The Association of Independent Starship Captains (AISC) agreed today to raise minimum wages for standard ship crews by 3% in response to the chronic crew shortage affecting the industry. The Association’s bi-annual crew pay review meeting was held at their head office on Jita 4-4 station.

Hanza Gregor, Chairman of the Association said, “There are issues with normal hard-working captains finding and retaining good crew. This is a galaxy-wide issue and is not a problem limited to one or more Empires. The capsuleers do not use AISC agreed union rates and generally pay wages far in excess of these. These rates are so high that non-capsuleer ship owners are often unable to pay equivalent rates. Unfortunately, many crews are lured by these excessive pay rates without thinking of the consequences. Capsuleers don’t usually advertise that last year over a billion crew were killed whilst serving on capsuleer vessels.”

He later added that “trying to get a true number is almost impossible and a billion lives lost may be a low estimate.”

Capsuleer crew positions, whilst lucrative, often come at a price.

Tech4News visited the capsuleer docking hangers to ask some of those looking for crew work why they were risking themselves.

Mart Eglart is a 22 year-old engineering technician fresh out of university. He told our correspondent that capsuleer crewing was all he was interested in because “money is much better than standard crew and you get all the adventure.”

A woman calling herself Sheeza declined to give her full name and said “these pod jockeys pay too well. I’m a qualified nurse so there is always a need for people with my skills, especially on their ships.”

Our correspondent also visited the lower-deck docking areas where the non-capsuleer ships can be found. It was notable that the hangers were lacking the crowds and buzz that was found in the capsuleer hangers. We spoke to Shizim Haart, captain of the Badger Class Industrial Solar Wind:

“It is just impossible to find good crew. Most of the best crew are up on the capsuleer deck. I offer AISC pay, a full medic bay, fresh food too, none of those ration packs! We have a proper galley and cook. However, what are these when the eggers are offering ten times the local credits that I am. If I paid capsuleer rates I’d not break even on my most lucrative runs. Main benefit I offer is it’s very unlikely you’ll end up as a frozen corpse, drained of blood by the Raiders or end up one of them Sansha zombies. But even that doesn’t hold water against the cash the capsuleers are throwing around”

A rookie crew in training.

There have been calls from AISC representatives to regulate capsuleer crew pay but the unanswered question is who would set the rates. CONCORD has stated that it not looking into the matter at this time and current political climate makes it unlikely that any agreement will be reached between the major governments on this matter.

With the current crewing crisis already starting to increase the cost of basic house-hold imports there may be soon renewed calls to being capsuleer pay in line with AISC rates.

DED Security forces sweep for clues in the Erme System

ERME, SINQ LAISON – In the early hours of Sunday Morning, reports were received that the outspoken chair of the Federal Nationalist Party, Professor Alain Octirant, had been fatally attacked on his way from Villore.

The chairman, who has recently come under fire for his comments regarding the Federal Consensus Outreach [FCO] and their possible participation in the Empyrean conflict, was known for his outspoken opinions on cluster relations and as an amateur vintner on his private estates near Vylade.

The Equilibrium of Mankind-aligned capsuleer group, Seekers of a Silent Paradise [SASPR], left an enigmatic message on GalNet regarding Octirant’s death, which many have taken as a claim of responsibility. SASPR have been at war with the FCO, a war that several FCO insiders attribute to inflammatory comments made by the late Professor.

James Syagrius, CEO of Reclamation Technologies, a member of the FCO, had this to say about the Professor’s death: “While Alain and I passionately disagreed on many things related to FCO, one cannot doubt his devotion to the Federation. It is true that he could be inflexible, intolerant and yes occasionally perceptive. I found myself intermittently agreeing with his political opinions. I know there is speculation as to the nature and circumstance of his death. I cannot help wondering if intentionally or not it was his last act of selfless devotion to our association.”

Bastian Valoron attended the memorial service.

Likewise, Bastian Valoron of the Gallente Independent Progressive Alternative made the following comments: “”Professor Octirant was a respected and well-known figure in the political community. He never feared to approach difficult topics or share his point of view. His opinions were widely known across ideological boundaries and his unique personality left a lasting impression on his colleagues and friends. A memorial service in honor of Mssr. Octirant was held on Sunday 5th February.YC114 in Villore. The organizers hoped this ceremony helped to alleviate the sorrow among all the mourners. I personally do not believe in the assassination rumours. Octirant was a casualty of the war.”

It is not yet known how the fledgling alliance will deal with the Equilibrium of Mankind threat, having lost one of their most prominent members. Time will tell.

Some say they are superstars to be applauded, others claim they are heroes to be adored, a few might claim they are indeed gods to be worshipped. Yet their detractors claim they are morally-devoid warmongering criminals hungry for power. This Capsuleer Focus series aims to lift the lid on the secrets of the “podders” lives and discover the truth.

Read on to learn about the private life, habits and hates of one of New Eden’s elite.

Name: Repentence Saera Tyrathlion
Age: 23
Race/Bloodline: Khanid
Home Planet: Khanid Prime
Describe yourself in three words: Not quite harmless.
Capsuleer Role: CEO of Tyrathlion Interstellar.
Signature Ship: Vigilant/Bhaalgorn
Claim to Fame: One of the most controversial Holders in Khanid space for a variety of reasons.
Typical Quote: Where’s the fun bit?
Trivia: Only surviving official member of a very old family of Khanid holders.
Strangest/most noteworthy thing in your hangar: A device
Describe your bank balance: Comfortable.
If you weren’t a capsuleer?: I dread to think, but I doubt it would be pleasant.

About Repentence Tyrathlion: Repentence has been a high ranking officer in the Angel Cartel-linked industrial group, Preta Light Industries. Since then, she has returned to Khanid space to found Tyrathlion Interstellar.

This time on Capsuleer Focus, we’ll be looking at an unusual case among the ranks of the so-called demigods of the stars; one that can be found planetside just as much as in a capsule. Freelance journalist, Harika Korr, managed to procure an invite to her estates for an interview…

Harika Korr: Ms Tyrathlion, although you’re a pretty well known figure around here, perhaps you could recount your history for our readers elsewhere?

Repentence Tyrathlion: Please, call me Reppy! ‘Ms Tyrathlion’ sounds so formal and… ugh. My story… honestly it’s a simple one. I was a complete tearaway as a child. The only times I wasn’t in trouble was when I was locked in my room – and I could often find a way to get in trouble even there. As the youngest child of the family, I was ‘expendable’ – and when I crossed the line on my eighteenth birthday, of all times, I was disowned and kicked out. Managed to pass the checks and begged enough money to be able to enter the Hedion Academy. Some time adventuring later, I heard that my entire family had died, and the estate was liable to be reclaimed. I returned, fought an extensive legal battle, and managed to regain control. This is where I’ve been ever since.

HK: ‘Some time adventuring’ is one way of putting it. You’re regularly accused of being in league with the Angel Cartel.

RT: Hah. No, I’m not an Angel. I was – that I admit. It gave me an interesting perspective on the cluster, put me through a few scrapes, but I’m shot of them. They screwed me over, I cut ties, we’re even. I was lucky. Capsuleers tend to come and go as they please. I doubt anyone normal who landed with the Cartel would be able to get out as easily.

HK: You were also the star of a Gallente fashion magazine, I believe…

RT: [Groan] How the hell… I suppose it was a fairly high-grade publication. Yes, I did do some modelling for a designer along with a friend; he’d made a few very nice pieces for me, so I thought I’d do him a good turn. I try to keep that quiet around here. While it was all entirely tasteful, it was a Gallente magazine; just risque enough to be interesting over there, which means I’d be burned at the stake by some of the more traditional folk in the Kingdom and Empire.

HK: That’s not all they might want to burn you for, or so the rumour has it. Could you tell us a bit about your attitudes to slavery?

RT: [Smile] For all those foreign readers with their preconceptions, you mean? Let me make it clear to begin with: I’m not an emancipationist. I’m no friend to the rabid packs howling for the blood of the Empire for its crimes. Slavery is a part of the system now, both in the Empire and Kingdom. Our society is built upon it. Short of tearing civilisation to the ground, it’s not going to leave. That said, there’s a lot of stupidity on our side as well. The idea that we have a destiny to go out and bring the rest of the cluster ‘into the light’ is archaic, dangerous and frankly pathetic. That time is long past. We need to adapt and evolve, while remembering that slaves are people, people we must be responsible for and take care of.

HK: So you are, to coin a phrase, a moderate liberal?

RT: Anyone who maltreats their slaves should be punished. This is the main problem across New Eden: slavery is associated with cruelty and horror, and thus the Empire is condemned, regardless of how true those tales are. Only a fool would claim that the Matari people did not suffer from our invasion and conquest, and I agree that it was wrong, but that’s in the past. This is the present, and radical change is not going to occur overnight.

HK: Then do you think that one day the Empire and Kingdom should be slave-free?

RT: I hope the day will come where the question doesn’t matter one way or the other. I like to think that some day everyone will be at least content, regardless of circumstance, position or society. Talk with any of the slaves here on the estate; I’ve done my utmost to ensure that all are happy with life. That’s my responsibility as their owner.

HK: You said you were no friend to the ‘rabid packs’ – you dislike the Republic then?

RT: No, I dislike the individuals across the cluster who prefer to cling to hatred and ignorance rather than bothering to learn a thing. Sure there are reprehensible individuals in the Empire, but you get them everywhere; don’t tar us all with the same brush. I’ve travelled in the Republic, I’ve worked for Core Complexion, I’ve even had a couple of capsuleers of the Tribal Liberation Force visit me here and count them good friends. Hatred breeds hatred, and this bloody Empyrean war does nothing but cost lives and enrich the arms dealers. The lines shift, the death toll rises, and the Concord Assembly pats itself on the back for keeping capsuleers busy in a futile errand.

HK: One final question: you said that a Vigilant was one of your signature ships, but your hangar manifest says you don’t own one. What’s that about?

RT: [Grin] In-joke. My old colleagues in the Preta Light Industries mining division will understand. Let’s just say that although I make most of my ISK destroying the Sansha threat these days, my mining days were the source of some good stories.

Teonusude, Molden Heath – Rescuers from the Republic Fleet continued to pull bodies from the wreckage of an illegal “pleasure hub” that was brutally attacked and destroyed yesterday by an unidentified capsuleer vessel.

Unlicensed pleasure hubs like this are a common sight in remote and poorly policed locations.

Authorities within the Molden Heath Regional Assembly in Gelfiven commented that the issue was being raised with CONCORD. “This is not the first time that capsuleers have acted recklessly and endangered many lives as a result,” assemblyman Uoro Juntin said in a prepared statement to the press. He continued, “We will not stand for this type of vigilantism in our space.”

The pleasure hub, believed to have been constructed by operatives of the notorious Angel Cartel, was hosting numerous illegal and restricted activities such as gambling, drug trafficking, and prostitution when the attack began. Master Chief Kold Haardt of the Emergency Services division of the Trust Partners Trading Post station in the Teonusude system said that “normally the escape pods get almost everyone off a structure like this during an attack” but as the hub was just recently opened and construction was still ongoing, “several decks did not have the proper safety mechanisms in place.” He also noted that “a legal establishment cannot open without those measures for this very reason.”

Trust Partners Trading Post, Teonusude III, Moon 6.

Trust Partners Emergency Services were the first to respond to the distress calls and arrived approximately two hours after the attack and began retrieving people from the escape craft. “I realized there was only half as many boats as expected for a structure that size,” Chief Haardt said. “At that point I called for the military as they have the proper equipment for structure search and rescue.”

This morning a release from the Republic Fleet stated that they have pulled 344 bodies from the wreckage of the pleasure hub.

Since the publication of a confession made by a woman who claimed herself to be a “love slave of Empress Jamyl I”, demand for the hallucinogenic aphrodisiac Cryllisium has spiked. Serpentis Corporation, the premier biochemistry company, have dubbed this the new ‘liquid morphite’ due to the high prices clients are willing to pay for the still relatively rare substance.

Serpentis Corporation are the currently only confirmed source to possess the blueprints for production, yet there is no evidence if or if not they are the only producers right now. Their press representative was very vague about the details, but did confirm the drug has been around a good while in the underground circuit, mainly in the sex industry.

He also let slip that while before clientele was mainly centered in the Cartel and Serpentis home regions, as well as the Federation, the biggest demand spike has come from the Amarr Empire. He did not wish to go into further detail, but the most likely explanation is that if the Empress does it, so can the more liberal Amarrian. The Caldari State and Minmatar Republic have also seen a rise in demand, yet far less spectacular. It was theorized they could simply be slower in catching on.

Further research has shown that there are no traces of capsuleer production or blueprint (copy) possession, likely because the drug does not classify as a ‘combat booster’ and would surely have reverse effects on one’s performance. The usage for recreational purposes however is something we have received several anonymous confirmations of, yet all sources were unwilling to reveal their supplier.

Sunrise over the Ravani Province on Huola VII

Ravani Province, Huola VII – In an unusual step in Galactic politics, the Gallente Federation has called on Matari forces to ease the level of violence on the planet of Huola VII.

In recent weeks, the Minmatar paramilitary force known as The Hand of Freedom has conducted countless raids on the fertile planet that exports the expensive and highly sought Ravani Sherry. Since the THF raids, Ravani Sherry, whose main buyers come from the Gallente elite, has seen an almost complete shutdown in production. It has been confirmed by Tech4 News that one of the most known producers of Ravani Sherry, Max Gralany, has been taken hostage by the THF since last week.

Different governments, different views

“The violence on Huola VII has affected a partnership with one of the only non-slave industries in the Amarr Empire,” says Gallente Deputy Minister of Trade Martin Rasu. “We are simply asking that our friends in the Minmatar Republic  focus their energies on defeating the oppressive forces of the Amarr Empire while leaving those desirable elements of the Empire, who I’ll mention again are working with non-slave labor, alone.”

That was the official word from the Gallente Federation Government as it responds to protests coming from a number of its wealthier and influential citizenry in regards to Ravani Sherry production. One such citizen is Bruno Masters, holo-reel action superstar. His philanthropic organization, Borders without Borders, concentrates on bringing peaceful solutions in times of war.

“Like, Huola is not…Ravani Sherry production needs to be protected because…like…uh, it’s a peaceful operation and, like, it hires all kinds of people. You know?” said Bruno Masters in regards to the violence that has effected Ravani Sherry production on Huola VII. “We think that people should just, you know, cool it. Peace, you know?”

In contrast, the Minmatar Republic has sent the following statement to Tech4 News:

    The Hand of Freedom is a group of independent freedom fighters who have no political ties with the Minmatar Republic. They are citizens from the Bleak Lands who have banded together to fight off the oppressive activities of the Amarr Empire. While we encourage their brave actions and urge them to continue to harass the enemy in  order to shake off Imperial rule in their lands, we cannot and will not dictate to them the proper method to fight in their own homeland.

“Utter and complete rubbish.” Says Huola Defense Minister Marcus Vander. “The Matari terrorist forces that are engaging the citizenry of Huola VII are armed with the most sophisticated Minmatar weaponry and have shown to have been highly trained in insurgency warfare. To claim that this is a citizen’s militia group is laughable.”

An official of the 24th Imperial Crusade, talking to Tech4 News under the condition of anonymity, elaborated more. “The THF has shown itself to be an elite special operations terror unit. So far it has bested both the local Houla authorities and our own elite paladins sent into Huola VII to hunt down its members. The skill displayed by these terrorists can only mean years of special training, possibly learned in Gallente Special Operations training camps or the like.”

Ravani Sherry and the Gallente

Meanwhile, the coveted Ravani Sherry is seeing a rise in prices due to the lack of availability. “To put it mildly, this has made Ravani Sherry even more of a drink of status among the Gallente privileged.” Says Kena Moraeux, chief editor of Fine Wine Magazine. “Before the troubles on Huola VII, one bottle of Ravani Gold would go for nearly forty thousand ISK. Today we are seeing that price tripled. This may go well with the wealthiest citizens of the Federation for a time, but there are fears that Ravani Sherry production will completely run dry if hostilities on Huola VII continue.”

One of the few remaining Ravani Sherry cellars on Huola VII

There have been calls by some distributors for a government sponsored replication program, which would copy Ravani Sherry in limited quantities, assuring a high but fixed price on the product. This wouldn’t, however, go well with consumers. “The allure of Ravani Sherry is the unique soil composition of the province the grapes grows in and the amount of light it receives from that systems white dwarf star. The taste coming from the Huola grape after such natural and organic conditions is exotic, like nothing else in the galaxy. Ravani Sherry can’t simply be ‘replicated’. There’s also the fact that this product, grown in Amarr space, is not produced from slave labor. This came about after growers in Huola VII came to an agreement with their largest consumer base, the Gallente, to not only abandon slavery, but use freed slaves as paid labor. It’s a success story to the Gallente. So when one has Ravani Sherry, it’s not only a fine drink, but a symbol of Gallente pride as well,” adds Kena Moraeux.

But not everyone in the Federation is buying what some would call elitist politicking and a potential thorn in Gallante-Minmatar relations.

“What we’re talking about here,” says Gallente Senator Ben Welson, “is fuss coming from the elite of Gallente about a product that only the richest of the rich can afford to drink. We have no business telling our Minmatar allies the best way to fight an enemy whose preoccupation is the subjugation of an innocent people.”

Senator Welson, along with fifty other law makers, has sent an urgent letter to the Gallente president asking him to pull back the protests of the Department of Trade. “There is much more at stake here than Ravani booze. What the Minmatar have endured for years under the Amarr and their continued struggle to defend themselves from Amarr aggression is worth far more than the drinking habits of a few elites.”

Sherry producers wary that no aid will come from Amarr

On Huola VII itself, Ravani Sherry producers are weary of recent paramilitary activity in their province and the Amarr military’s willingness to engage enemy forces. This anxiety has become even more evident after the abduction of Max Gralany, owner of the top selling Ravani Gold.

“We just want to make a living.” Says Veniesa Gralany, wife of Max Gralany. When her husband was abducted, she said that the THF troops also killed some of her free Matari workers. “They claimed they were traitors. Ammatar. They lined some of the men up along the large stone wall in the vineyard, and shot them all. It was horrible.”

“We will defend our land if we have to. Most of us out here don’t give a flip who owns the planet.” Says Ravani Eagle Sherry producer Cavin Dredge. “We just want to be left alone, and continue to make our Sherry without the violence of war affecting our lives.”

When asked if he was confident Amarr forces would protect the area, Mr. Dredge said he wasn’t. “There has been a lot of friction between the Amarr military and the Ravani Sherry industry. We have been subject to random searches, and suspected many times of being of engaging in abolitionist activities. It comes from our decision not to rely on slave labor and the prosperity we’ve seen because of that decision. We’re distasteful liberals according to them, and I’m sure they would love nothing more than this Minmatar terrorist group wiping us all out.”

Both the Huola defense force and the 24th Imperial Crusade deny those claims. “We are bound by both honor and duty to defend all Amarr citizens.” Said Marcus Vander. “We may not like their politics, but we will ensure their safety at any cost.”

The status of Max Gralany is unknown, though Tech4 News is currently trying to meet with a representative of The Hand of Freedom for an interview and their take of the situation.

An insider linked to a provincial Jin-Mei news syndicate has provided these stories detailing signs of economic downturns in various sectors of the Gallente Federation market. Some market analysts are suggesting that this is the economic knock-on effect of the the spate of terrorist attacks against the asteroid mining industry that took place in the last quarter. Gallente economists are bracing for more grim news and there are few signs of recovery so far.

Minor Jin-Mei Cloning Company Off to Rocky Start

Tepeng-Li has postponed lodging the 980,000 ISK share sale prospectus it needs to go ahead with buying the Jing-Ko real estate on which it has staked its future.

It had promised to lodge a new prospectus last week, after its previous document was stopped by corporate regulators just before the end of year financial lockout. The latest refusal is the third setback for the small biotech company, which has met repeated trouble trying to build its new HQ in Lirsautton.

In a statement released to the Fukuma District exchange yesterday afternoon, the company said it intended to lodge the prospectus with the Fukuma Securities and Investments Counsel ”early next week”.

It blamed the delay on ”the relatively difficult transition process from the previous management and board, as well as unexpected delays in material transactions, which are still completing”.

Tepeng-Li shareholders and investors seemed unfazed by the so-far rocky transition from the old offices in Luminaire. T-L stock scrip held steady throughout the opening week’s trading, hovering at the 68 ISK mark.

Lirsautton Rare Metals Mines Struggling with Recent Downturns

Mannar-owned Jin-Ki Mining is planning to ask Saan-Do regulators to waive some of the promises it made at the time of its YC 109 purchase of local rare metals mines, according to a report.

Jin-Ki Mining will lobby the Foreign Investment Review Board to delay or avoid altogether having to lower the level of its interest in rare metals mines in the Irumi and Retsu prefectures, blaming weakening economic conditions, the Saan-Do authored Jin-Mei Financial Review reports.

The company originally promised to float at least 30 per cent of the company on the Fukuma Securities Exchange by YC 114 as a condition of its 3.5 million ISK purchase of Nerubai Resources.

Last month, Jin-Ki entered into a merger proposal with listed Koketsu Metals, capitalizing on the two mining companies neighboring assets. Koketsu, which has mines in Retsu’s Orteni Basin and Irumi’s Goldsalts Basin region, is 64 per cent owned by Gallente-based Astaris Group, while Jin-Ki is owned by Mannar-based Jin Mining Co Ltd.

Jin-Ko Mining had made the undertakings with FIRB in 109, after a slew of attempts by Gallente companies to take large stakes of Mannar-based miners.

Shares in Koketsu fell 13 ISK, to 408.62 yesterday.

The scene where a mag-boarder surfed to his death at the Ishukone Facility above Altrinur VIII Moon 3, Metropolis.

A 20-year-old Brutor man was vapourised in front of hundreds of witnesses yesterday in the Altrinur system, Metropolis. The deceased, known as “Zee Sway” to his fellow gang members, was participating in an extreme form of the increasingly popular sport of “mag-boarding”. Sway was attempting to surf across the lethal electromagnetic field that enveloped the Ishukone facility orbiting the third moon of Altrinur XIII, when he became separated from his board and was incinerated in the protective station-grade invulnerability field.

A witness from the canteen on Deck 76-A42 said, “We were all watching out of the viewport, it was crazy. We could see the boarder burning toward us across the station surface. It looked amazing, with this incredible halo of static around him. He was being tracked by security drones but they weren’t firing. Then there was a flash and he was gone.” she then gruesomely added, “Well, most of him.”

Anton 'Spiderhawk' Robert, former professional mag-boarder.

Anton ‘Spiderhawk’ Robert, entrepreneur and former professional mag-boarder, spoke out against this dangerous new trend;

“Man, I learned to mag-board where I grew up on a backward deadspace can [colony]. First thing you did was learn to find the good lines [routes] away from the fuzz [security forces] and the buzz [defensive equipment and shielding]. Only an idiot would try riding one of the big cans [orbital stations]. It’s about ridin’ the shine not some killer buzz field man.”

Station Security Officer Altos Sinen gave credence to Mr. Robert’s statement, confirming that this new craze is an order of magnitude more lethal than other, more established forms of mag-boarding.

“Mag-boarding is a ludicrously dangerous activity even on low-tech colony structures, but at least there the worst those individuals would have to contend with is some anti-intrusion measures and an angry security detail. But attempting any unauthorised surface activity on an Orbital Facility is suicide. Aside from the automated defences, any contact with the high-energy invulnerability field would instantly vapourise them. Which Mr. Sway has learned to his cost.”

Local security forces are conducting a full inquiry into the incident and fourteen of Mr. Sway’s mag-boarding associates, all of whom were reportedly present at the accident site, have been detained for questioning.

The Rise of Mag-Boarding

Mag-boarding (also referred to as “jet-boarding”, “grav-boarding” and “vacuum-boarding”)  is a sporting activity involving the use of a flat board equipped with magnetic repulsors upon which an individual will stand and attempt to navigate his way across a course. Whilst the traditional magnetic repulsor technology requires a metallic surface, other propulsion systems are also available for the negotiation of other surfaces. Recent advances have enabled the highly dangerous practice of “buzz-riding”, wherein the mag-boarder attempts to skim across the surface of powerful energy fields.

There is some dispute as to the origins of the activity, with both Minmatar and Gallente subcultures claiming historical influence. In any case it has long been popular as a planetary pursuit in highly urbanised core worlds.

Interior facilities like this can be safer, but mag-board extremists prefer the excitement and freedom only found outside.

In the previous century, due to the technologies involved, planetside mag-boarding was largely the purview of the rich and the privileged. However, with the capsuleer-fuelled technology boom of the last decade, manufacturing costs have fallen making mag-boarding an increasingly affordable cultural phenomenon being enthusiastically adopted by many of today’s youth. Some alarmist commentators fear a rise in petty crime and vandalism.

Whilst planetside mag-boarding is a well-established sport, of greater concern to safety lobbyists is this recent rise of mag-boarding on space-borne structures (“canning”). Availability of affordable protective spacewear has given wide reach to a highly dangerous and often illegal activity. Whilst tolerated at a few designated deadspace locations, mag-boarding on commercial orbital facilities is expressly forbidden cluster-wide.

Story Supplied by Altrinur Daily Chronicle

Although the protests were peaceful, some arrests were made.

Nisuwa V, Black Rise (State News Agency) – There were angry scenes outside the planetary governor’s office this week as a delegation from People Against Capsuleers Manufacturing All Narcotics submitted a petition calling for action against the capsuleer corporation Uppers and Downers.

The petition, which has over 250,000 signatures, was handed over to the Governor’s Office two days ago. It calls for immediate action be taken to remove the facility in orbit around Moon 1 which is rumored to be producing contraband boosters.

Sheena Kasgill, the spokesperson for People Against Capsuleers Manufacturing All Narcotics, said “It’s a travesty that this was allowed in the first place. Less than a hundred thousand kilometers from our atmosphere, there are laboratories churning out mind-altering boosters. [...] The Planetary Governor’s office must act against this disaster waiting to happen!”

The facility around Moon 1 has been in operation for many months however it was only recently risen in notoriety since it was leaked that booster production was being undertaken there. We approached the Planetary Governor’s office for a response. Vice-Commander Dalgeen commented, “This is a classic reaction from people who have no idea how things work in space. We have no control over the capsuleers here in low-security space. We cannot ask them to stop and we cannot just go around attacking capsuleer corporations. And the notion that one of those laboratories could ever reach our atmosphere following an attack is preposterous.”

Governor Charles Yost’s stance on this issue has inflamed the feeling planet-side and a protest camp has sprung up outside the governor’s office. These protest camps have become popular following official Caldari dictates regarding the process for responding to strikes and protests. This dictate was given by Executor Heth following the Piak III incident where the brutal attempt to break the strike was shown across the galaxy and was a major embarrassment for the Caldari State.

Nisuwa V and Moon, Black Rise

Rumors have spread that the Planetary Governor is reluctant to act as Uppers and Downers are known booster suppliers to pilots of the Caldari Militia and he is unwilling to disrupt the supply of combat boosters to friendly pilots who are currently losing the war in the Black Rise region.

A source within the Yost’s office who wished to remain anonymous played down this rumor by saying “[i]f you access the public network channel of that corporation you will see more Gallente Militia pilots present in there than Caldari Militia. In fact the rumor is the wrong way around, and the State would probably be better off with the supply of boosters from Moon 1 being stopped.”

When Uppers and Downers was contacted regarding their facility, A Wivers, a spokesman for the corporation, had this to say: “Our manufacturing facility follows all CONCORD protocols and is certainly not the business of non-capsuleers. Our secure facility operates with the highest level of safety and security and there is no threat to the residents of Planet Six.  Should the facilities be damaged or destroyed anything within those facilities will be destroyed in the vacuum of space.”

And in regard to the statement that they were helping the Caldari war effort they responded that “UPPE is affiliated with the Ishukone Corporation and is not aligned to any faction or state, we operate under a free market economy and will continue to sell to our existing customers. Not all of our customers remain in the public channel referred to by your source and will join to place orders and leave once their orders are placed. Some customers choose to stay out of the channel and place orders through private capsuleer communication.  So accessing our public network channel is not the sole indication of our entire client base.”

However the controversy continues to rage with the protest camp being given 48 hours to disperse before the security forces move in. Whether the government will carry out this threat is yet to be seen.

by Sabine Clochemerle, Culture Correspondent

Noble Appliances flagship luxury clothing store Noble Exchange (NeX) has been beset, some even say cursed, by near non-stop controversy and protests since its launch in June YC-113.

The company CEO and share holders remain shrouded in mystery and many believe that the company is backed and run by the powerful and secretive Tash-Murkon family. For decades Noble Appliances has specialised in highly exclusive limited runs of niche goods for the ultra wealthy and revered. In mid YC-113 they diversified into another elitist range of goods – this time specifically aimed at the difficult and unpredictable “podder” market. Though many capsuleers are extremely prosperous it appears that even these privileged sons and daughters of New Eden like a good bargain, and in an unprecedented show of solidarity called for NeX to close its doors and fire its entire management.

Rather ominously, there has been no major new release of designs since August YC-113. Though House of Rana and Sennda of Emrayur have refused to comment, Sihan Bemoumouf a spokesperson for Vallou admitted that they had made “ significant investments in hiring top notch designers in anticipation of an influx of orders from NeX”. She went on to say “Quite frankly this has not happened and we’re very worried. The NeX buyers have not been responding to any of our design submissions for many weeks now”.

An insider source who asked to remain anonymous has been quoted as saying that NeX is in an “unstoppable nose-dive to financial ruin. The 1000 Aurum give away was an accounting nightmare. We begged management to reconsider, but they were adamant. The company will take a long time to recover from that massive financial outlay which still fails to show any significant return.”

Crystal Boulevard, Caille

In further developments, Mr Bamadak Orabasash (Chief Coordinator of Public Relations Noble Appliances) was seen last week partying with his Personal Assistant and “It Girl” Zizi Babalou on Crystal Boulevard, Caille. Zizi was wearing customized lavishly embroidered “Mystrioso” boots. The Noble Appliances public relations department has always staunchly declared that the integrity of the designs would never be “sullied”, all the more perplexing that a fairly low level employee appears to be the exception. The day after the sighting Mr Orabasash was seen looking harried and distressed as he rushed from the monthly share holder’s meeting to his shuttle. He declined to comment on either Noble Exchange’s apparent slump or employee favouritism.

Outside the NeX head quarters in Suner, the gigantic and by now somewhat faded “Grand Opening” posters still grace the towering building. A demonstrator who asked to be identified as “Mr Bridgington” stages a daily protest there, calling for the company’s archaic notions of what constitutes women and men’s wear to be discarded. He is understood to be representative of a large body of podders who support the call for gender equality in garment selection. Menswear and womenswear remains strictly delineated, and Mrs Fararouze Elnah (floor manager NeX) says that the store has “no plans to change its targeted approach”. On hearing this, Mr Bridgington retorted that it pained him that the issue had still not been resolved. “I demand fair treatment” he declared.

Capsuleer Jade Constantine denounces the NeX Store

Professional agitator and populist Jade Constantine, one of the more stridently outspoken amongst the podder elite, is quoted as saying “NeX is evil!” and she has repeatedly denounced Noble Exchange as a brazen front for the ruling parties to separate capsuleers from their hard earned ISK. Many Noble Exchange employees are now reportedly very concerned about their personal safety and livelihoods in anticipation of Ms Constantine and her cadre of activists long threatened retaliatory measures.

Further news of drastically stepped up security measures at all NeX stores only serve to give weight to the rumours about this troubled company, but to date management decline the opportunity to shed light on their current situation.

Yehaba, Aridia – Imperial Navy elements lead by Ministry of Internal Order (MIO) officers raided a large ‘blood farm’ operated by a branch of the Blood Raider Covenant, local navy command announced Saturday.

The operation was carried out after at least three weeks of steady observation by covert elements of the Ministry of Internal Order, which in turn was preceded by several months’ investigation to pin down the location of the large outpost.

“This has been by far one of our most successful operations of late in the region, praise God,” commented Commodore Ilsareth Madum, the naval officer in charge of the strike, during the announcement of the strike. “We have struck down tens of thousands of heretics today, sending them to the eternal fires of God’s justice.”

According to the released statement, the operation began with months of cumulative intelligence, with the first hints arriving amidst the wreckage of Blood Raider vessels destroyed during attempted raids on traffic in the region. “The raids started increasing in frequency and size. That was our first hint that something was occurring in the region,” Commodore Madum said. “Typically when we are able to respond to a Blood Raider Covenant attacks on vessels, destroying the heretics’ ships takes top priority to prevent them from escaping or causing further destruction,” Commodore Madum said. “We are rarely able to board ships intact in order to examine their databanks for clues. Occasionally, however, God does smile on our efforts and allow us to secure a functionally intact Blood Raider vessel for examination.” Clues within the captured vessels were turned over to the MIO. Eventually analysts determined a series of suspected systems for the raiders’ forward operating base. “The Blood Raider Covenant often establishes such outposts in areas they intend to expand into,” explained Dr. Fillemore Dukard, an expert on the Blood Raider Covenant and Sani Sabik at the University of Caille. “This both serves as a religious hub at which rituals can be performed and leaders speak to their ‘flock’, but also serves the practical purpose of providing easy storage of their ‘collections’.”

Days of combing the systems with covert-operations frigates and scan probes eventually pinned down the location of the facility allowing the raid to go forward. Static defenses at the Blood Raider base were rapidly destroyed by a significant Imperial Navy task force, although not without casualties. “Even as our soldiers sent the heretics to their burning demise, thirteen thousand of our men and women were ripped from life. We pray for their souls,” was Commodore Madum’s statement on the topic. Blood Raider Covenant casualties are estimated to be in the high tens of thousands, primarily from vessels destroyed during the attempted defense against the Imperial Navy force.

Yet, the greatest surprise was yet to come for the Amarr. When the facility was breached and boarded, the prisoner population was found to be overwhelmingly Gallente despite the Raiders’ traditional hunting grounds being based in Imperial space.

“We suspect the Blood Raider Covenant was using the Gallente heathens’ obsession with all forms of blasphemous worship as a lure, enticing their youth with tales of passion and kinship before revealing the true face of their hideous trap,” explained Commodore Madum. Gallente Senator Si-Len Asi, a representative from nearby Federation territory in the Solitude region, disputed this claim. “It is patently ridiculous to claim that our children would willingly participate in such hideous rituals. With all due respect to the Commodore, the Blood Raider Covenant are not known for asking their victims to partake.” He then added that “perhaps we might instead focus on how such a sprawling facility was constructed without the knowledge of the authorities? I do not believe so many of our people could have been taken had the Blood Raiders not constructed a depot so close to our border.”

The released Gallente are expected to be repatriated to the Federation over the coming week. The Blood Raider Covenant has not released any comments on the raid.

Some say they are superstars to be applauded, others claim they are heroes to be adored, a few might claim they are indeed gods to be worshipped. Yet their detractors claim they are morally-devoid warmongering criminals hungry for power. This Capsuleer Focus series aims to lift the lid on the secrets of the “podders” lives and discover the truth.

Read on to learn about the private life, habits and hates of one of New Eden’s elite.

Name: Darth Skorpius/Jaron Hearn
 Age: 23
Race/Bloodline: Caldari/Achura
Home Planet: Kisogo IX
Describe yourself in three words: Completely %@&#ing insane.
Capsuleer Role: Diplomatic Liaison for 352 Industries.
Signature Ship: Drake
Claim to Fame: Author of the GALNET site The Skorpius Chronicles.
Typical Quote: Wait, when did I become famous?
Trivia: Refers to the native day/night cycle on his home planet as “Moon Time”.
Strangest/most noteworthy thing in your hangar: A device
Describe your bank balance: Too low
If you weren’t a capsuleer?: Probably dead, or crewing a Capsuleer’s ship.

About Darth Skorpius: Darth Skorpius is former CEO and Co-Founder of 352 Industries. He is currently serving as Diplomatic Liaison to Order of the Void.

The following interview was conducted by Mila, a freelance journalist hired by Darth Skorpius.

Keeping Crew Morale High

- A study on how a Capsuleer looks after his crew by Mila

Depending on who you ask, you will get a range of opinions on Capsuleers. The general consensus however, is that they are a bunch of selfish bastards who only care about themselves and ISK. Most Capsuleers I have talked to are arrogant, and could not care less about their fellow Capsuleers, let alone anyone else.

But not all of them are like that. I recently met a very nice Capsuleer by the name of Darth Skorpius. He has some very interesting views on a number of topics, but the ones I am focusing on here are his views on ships’ crews. His opinion is that ship crews should be well looked after and highly paid. He has gone to great expense to make sure that in the event a crew member dies, all funeral costs are paid for and their families well looked after. Following is a short interview he gave me.

Mila: Why do you pay your crews so much?

Darth Skorpius: Why not? I mean, there’s no shortage of people volunteering to crew a Capsuleer’s ship, as even the shittiest among us still pay their crews even if they don’t know it and the ISK doesn’t come out of their wallets, the crews are still being paid. I honestly have no idea where the ISK is coming from, and nor do most Capsuleers, but one theory is that CONCORD pays them. I decided to take a more active role, as a result, turn-over rates have dropped dramatically, even when the ship is docked and not doing anything, the crews are still being paid, so there is no desire for them to find other income sources.

M: What do you mean by other income sources?

DS: [Laughs] Well, there’s no point in them sitting around in station not earning anything is there? So some of them might turn to illegal activities, drug smuggling and dealing, that sort of thing. But most of them just go and find another ship to crew, so then you have to replace those crew members who have jumped ship. By paying them they way I do, they are more than happy to it around in station twiddling their thumbs.

M: What sort of things do your crews do to keep themselves from going stir crazy while in station?

DS: Most of them are actually studying so they can be better at their jobs, or so they can move up the ladder to another position. Others just play Holo-vid games. One is actually writing a book. I have no idea what the book is about, but I have been promised a copy once its been published. Oh and there’s a rumor that some of my Raven’s crew’s members are putting together a movie that will be based entirely within the confines of my Raven, with a cameo by yours-truly!

M: Sounds like you let them have a lot of freedom.

DS: Yeah, when we undock, everyone has a job to do, until I give the stand down order. After that, they have a bit of freedom, as long as they drop what they are doing when the alarms sound. In station, after they have carried out their assigned duties, they are free to do what they want, as long as they return to the ship when required.

M: Why go to such lengths? Is it really worth the cost?

DS: Yes it is worth the costs. I have an almost zero percent turn-over rate, it’s less than 1%. And I only have a turn-over rate because losing ships is inevitable. If I could fit all my crew members with cloning tech I would, but that’s not possible. Yet.

M: Yet? care to elaborate on that?

DS: [Laughs] There’s not a whole lot I can say really, just that there is some new tech in development for ground based combat, “Drop-suits” with some pretty basic cloning tech in them, there aren’t a whole lot of details available at the moment as those involved with the development of the tech are keeping tight-lipped. Hopefully more details will become available in the next six months.

M: So the Empires are about to get some new toys to kill each other with?

DS: As far as I’m aware, some of them already have these new toys, but not at a level where they are willing to talk about it yet. Capsuleers will be getting these new toys to help them fight their wars at some point I would imagine, it would be hard to keep Capsuleers from taking advantage of the new tech, although I’m sure CONCORD and the Empires will do everything they can to keep us from getting our hands on it.

M: Talking to some of your family and friends from when you were a child, you were a bit of a dick when you were younger, what changed?

DS: Honestly, I got bored. Somewhere during my second year as a Capsuleer I realised that my attitude and acting like a dick wasn’t achieving anything and that even though I fit right in as a Capsuleer, it just didn’t feel right to me, so I made the decision to change. I started taking a more active role in the welfare of my crews and noticed a big improvement in ship performance. Before, my crew were a bit sluggish to respond, nothing major, but sometimes the warp drives would take a second longer to kick in than they should and the guns a second longer to reload. Little things like that. After the change in my attitude towards the crew, those little things went away. I also noticed that the crew were a lot happier, I used to avoid them as much as possible when in station, often just staying my pod, but after the change in my attitude I started to interact with them more, which made the crew even happier.

M: Wow, it really made a difference?

DS: It really does. I got to know the guys guys running the crew, the crew chiefs I call them. They are the ones that actually keep everyone in-line, as I can’t just step out of my pod and pimp slap someone who isn’t doing their job now, can I? If it wasn’t for the crew chiefs, I don’t know what I would do. And one in particular I owe my life to, as when my pod malfunctioned back in YC 110, he made sure the Sisters of EVE got to me in time.

M: I’m guessing he’s retired now.

DS: Sort of. He still works for me, but he doesn’t work on any ship’s anymore. He is the head of Human Resources for 352 Industries, overseeing all of their personnel. He’s a real people person, so when he came to me in November YC 112 and said he was, and this is a direct quote, “getting too old for this shit”, [laughter], I asked if he was still interested in working for me and offered him a desk job with 352 Industries, which thankfully he accepted.

M: Your sister used to work for the Sisters of EVE, did that create any tension between the two of you?

DS: Not really. If it wasn’t for the accident back in YC 110, I don’t think we would have ever got back in touch with each other. I was only vaguely aware that I even had a sister until the accident and she had no clue what my Capsuleer name was. While I was waiting for CONCORD to give me my Capsuleers Licence we kept in touch, but once I got my licence I was so busy being an immortal that I kinda forgot about her. After the accident, I was so messed up that I didn’t know who I was, let alone who anyone else was and it took a while before I truly remembered I had a sister. Now that we have reconnected, I’m hoping that we can get to know each other.

M: Thank your for taking the time to sit down with me and answer my questions. Is there anything else you would like to add?

DS: Not a problem. For anyone interested in following my adventures, please visit my personal Galnet site, The Skorpius Chronicles.

Tech4 would like to thank Darth Skorpius and his staff for providing this article. If you have information about a capsuleer or can provide material for a future Capsuleer Focus feature, please contact CapsuleerFocus@tech4news.org.

Quineau Jaq-Loureau Reports:

On any given day, one could travel to the numerous Minmatar agricultural planets and see the effects that Sansha’s incursions have had on the hardworking Minmatar. Millions abducted, loved ones lost, another hard blow for the eternally defeated peoples of the Tribes taken. But the Minmatar pushed back, Republic capsuleers coming to their brethren’s aid. Today, I speak with Neddik Vuril, a typical and simple-minded Minmatar farmer on Tongofur X, a man who has spent most of his life overseeing the automation of the family farm. Neddik was born and raised on this farm, and has lived through many impoverished times. Yet he toils on, no time to devote to the arts or culture, like much of the Minmatar; for those of the Tribes, life is hard, brutal and often unsavoury – but even the average Minmatar doesn’t see the horrors that Neddik has, and today we hear his story.

QL: So tell us, Neddik – how has your life been affected by the Sansha incursions?

NV: Well, you could say I’m a little out of the ordinary for one of the Matari. I’ve lived my whole life on this farm, working and breaking the land by hand at first. I’ve barely travelled. But I turned this farm into a full operation. I’m now – or was, rather – one of the most successful agricultural tycoons in the system. But since these damned incursions began, my farms have been hit with more trouble than I could care to keep track of.

QL: Tell us, what’s had the biggest impact for you?

NV: From a business standpoint, it was the abduction of the field workers. Regardless of the -

QL: Field workers? Not that I’m surprised you would still do the work by hand, I suppose, but I was under the impression this farm was automated?

NV: It is. The field workers are the ones who oversee the general maintenance of the machines. Anyway, as I was saying -

QL: A side question for a moment, if you don’t mind Neddik.

NV: Of course.

QL: Who supplies your machines?

NV: Well, a local manufacturer does. The Matari try to do what they can to help one another out – at least, us baseliners do.

QL: Interesting. I would think that you would have taken to the farming drones produced by Duvolle Laboratories, but maybe I’m just not familiar with your… practices.

NV: Well, at first we tried those machines, but they were too slow. I advanced up the ladder the way I did because I was willing to take risks. When I switched to these locally made machines, I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. I knew they worked faster, but lasted only about half the lifetime of the Duvolle drones. But their output was massive compared to those lug nuts, and it got me to where I am today – or was. Of course I had to hire more field workers, and when the incursions began, most of them were abducted, and there weren’t enough left to keep up repairs and deployments, and one by one I lost most of my fields. But the hardest part was losing my family. We all lose family eventually, but to lose them all at once…

Neddik Vuril, Tongofurian Farmer

(At this point, Neddik grows quiet and seems to be contemplative – I suspect because he is unable to find the words necessary to relay his feelings)

NV: In any case, losing the workers was the hardest part. We struggle to supply enough food to our own planet now, let alone the system or beyond. Buyers have moved to purchasing from other producers. I can’t blame them. But with the money I had left, I was able to work with others who had been affected as well and start a more readily armed and well-prepared local planetary defence. We now have a network of militiamen, headed by some of the finest Brutor leaders in the system. We’ve trained a good portion of our citizens in armed warfare. We’ve moved to training more pilots in extra-atmospheric combat, and I’ll tell you what, if there was a better aerial fleet out there, I haven’t seen it. These kids could show those Sansha ships a mighty explosive way out if they ever came back.

QL: You know, I find it simply amazing that you were able to pull yourselves together and put together a patchwork army. What is it exactly you do now?

NV: After helping to pay for the initial costs of setting up the militia and training, I put what I had left into a remembrance memorial, a statue I commissioned called the ‘Enduring Matari’ and a visiting center. We just held our first annual planet-wide celebration. It was a grand event, and a huge success. I’ve never seen the people of this little farming planet so rallied. Of course, I still have a few fields left, and I do what I can to supply food to my workers and those in need. You know, for centuries, us Matari fought amongst ourselves, but if there’s one thing the incursion have taught us, it’s -

QL: Inspiring. Well, I believe that’s all we have time for today Mr. Vuril. Thank you very much for these insights into life after the incursions. It was a.. pleasure, learning how you’ve so readily adapted.

NV: Oh, well… Thank you. I’m just doing my part to make our story heard.

This concludes the interview I held with Neddik Vuril, a man who has devoted what little he has left to defending his people. With the help of the Federation, perhaps the Republic will see a day when they are able to push back Sansha just as they pushed back the Amarr. For the time being, they can only hope for a brighter morning after this darkest night.

Reported by Quineau Jaq-Loureau,

Tongofur X, Heimatar, Minmatar Republic

UTOPIA VI - MOON 22 - DOMINATIONS ASSEMBLY PLANT, CURSE

Last night, an organized group of station staff held a peaceful protest against the influx of capsuleers living in the region during the last few months.

The group gathered in the main hall on the common level where several demonstrators held speeches to bring to attention the issues which an ‘invasion’ of neutral and non-loyalist capsuleers have created. A docking overseer complained about how certain stations are loaded well beyond safety standards, and that it is hard catching up with construction as the arrival of several large alliances all at once was not accounted for. The madam of a brothel lamented about how two of her girls were severely injured by a capsuleer who then tried to buy his way out of the situation, stating that “this should be enough ISK to afford a whole farm of new ‘cattle’”.

Others spoke of the absurdity that those who slaughter Angel forces en-masse are allowed on the station.  Amongst the speakers were also a few staff members who serve on the VIP section of the station, reserved for capsuleers, agents, and Cartel officials. When those who wanted had their say, the group marched on to the gates of the VIP section. Being refused entrance by security staff, most kept calm, but chants were raised and upon leaving banners and posters were left for anyone that would cross over to the common level.

Despite these protests, the majority of station staff welcomes these new inhabitants and realizes that everything should be done to profit from their presence while it lasts.

One agent responded: “Every bit helps. There are some amongst them who will work for our agents, and with the sudden spike of requests we risk nearly running out of missions. Many however are in terrible standings and do not care to redeem them and are thus are forced to comply with heavy fees. While we would prefer they would simply stop destroying our forces and rally to our cause, their stay here more than repays the losses suffered. And that’s good for business.”

While a spokesperson for the Dominations mainly echoed these same observations, it was also pointed out that many of the ‘invaders’ have already left again, as the battles in nearby regions are drawing a close or have been settled. She wondered if the protests were not simply a knee-jerk reaction to workload dwindling. When querying the protestors on this, they state it is a mix of fear of capsuleers and the many months of hard work not allowing for this to take place sooner.

T4MG DISCLAIMER: The following article does not reflect the opinion of Tech Four Media Group and its subsidiary organisations. Whilst this media outlet is careful to maintain an unbiased position, it recognises that there are voices that should be heard and controversial opinions that should be shared. This article is one such voice and the opinions therein are solely those of its author.

I am a traitor.

It is a soul rending experience to turn your back on your loved ones and the nation which you belong. My parents are steadfast patriots of the Caldari State and employees of the Kaalakiota Corporation; my father is a program manager constructing Widow class black operations battleships – my mother is a logistics chief responsible for the cargo manifests and cargo handling in the Kaalakiota station in Tash-Murkon Prime system. My brother is a weapons technician in the Caldari Navy and the last time I heard from him he was assigned to the CSS Motsu, a Raven class battleship. I too, was employed in a respectable and well-paying job within the Kaalakiota Corporation. I supervised the clone vats and associated hardware that preserves the clones of Caldari capsuleers, our empyrean warriors of the heavens.

As a Caldari citizen living within the Amarr Empire I had an opportunity to understand our ally, the Amarr Empire, on a level most Caldari citizens will never achieve. It was not uncommon to see slave traders making layover stops at our home station with their human chattel in tow – either shackled and herded by slaver hounds or walking with their slave masters willingly, afraid to be too far from their Vitoc suppliers. The Amarr Empire wages war against these people for one purpose only – to increase their wealth by stealing the fruits of the labor of their fettered Minmatar slaves.

Some may argue that the Caldari are slaves to the mega-corporation but at least a Caldari citizen can realize economic and social elevation through the competence of their chosen career. The Minmatar slaves within the borders of the Amarr Empire are the real slaves. The politics of the Amarr-Minmatar War and the Gallente-Caldari War have made strange alliances. Why is it necessary for the Caldari to call the Amarr our friends? How did we Caldari become so burdened with politics that we ignored the plight of billions of shackled humans just to prevent the friends of our enemies from realizing their natural rights? In this case every free living human in New Eden should be an ally of the Minmatar.

Even if you claim to support the Minmatar slaves within Amarr but you still work within Caldari corporations or pay your taxes are you no less guilty if you injected Vitoxin into the slave’s neck yourself? I call myself traitor – but the real traitor is Tibus Heth and his alliance with the slave traders of the Golden Empire. A true patriot of the Caldari State will not support the state’s fettering of billions of human souls. Slavery is an anathema to the Caldari mind – capitalism requires free choice and unfettered relations between employer and employee. Yet, we have allied ourselves with our own anathema. This is tragic and I fear this decision spells the doom for our civilization.

I could have easily made statements and protests about this travesty of justice but instead I took the harder road. In spite of a very lucrative job and the privilege of being entrusted with State secrets I defected to the Republic. It was a difficult decision to make. Running from Tash-Murkon Prime under a false name and often as a stowaway I risked being caught by security personnel and locked into prison for the rest of my natural life. Even after I made it “safely” to the borders of Minmatar Republic my life was no easier. I was accused of being a Caldari spy and it took a very long time to convince my new countrymen that I harbored nothing but goodwill and a desire to see everyone one of their kinsmen freed.

Eventually, I did become trusted within the Republic and I was again installed into the clone vat bays supervising the reincarnation of capsuleers – this time they were Minmatar capsuleers. Undoubtedly I have assisted capsuleers who have killed hundreds if not thousands of my Caldari countrymen. I am not bothered with the guilt you might expect – the Minmatar were killing in the name of justice. The Caldari are killing Minmatar in the name of political gains.

So here I am – openly declaring my status as a traitor of the Caldari State and my name is Kyavor Alexander. I am not dead, I am not missing despite the falsehoods the State has issued into the matter of my whereabouts. I am here – assisting the enemies of our enemy: Tibus Heth.

by Kyavor Alexander, Minmatar Republic

Uchomida, Black Rise – At a mining colony in the Akidagi system of the Ishaga constellation three teens were critically injured in what local authorities are referring to as an assault by “rogue” drones.

“At this time all we know for certain is that level three of the outpost lost power at approximately 0130 local time and there was an explosion that may or may not be related to the power outage,” commented Captain Roger Aspatyio of the Ishaga Defence Fleet. He also added that “Akidagi space observatories reported no unidentified vessels in its space during the day of the supposed attack.”

Isla Profiest of the Hyasyoda Mining Division and current administrator of HMD Mining Colony 13  in Akidagi where the events occurred was the first to contact news agencies publically after the incident. “At first we thought a group of kids were simply fooling around and things got out of hand, but then we found the gouges in the bulkheads and the smashed bulkhead doors leading from unused docking port 44A. And then we saw how extensive the damage to the transformer on level three was, it was as if something grabbed it and ripped it off the walls.” She later added, “We did not find all the parts of the broken machinery.”

The official report is seven of the outpost’s minors aged from 15 to 17 were having an unauthorized social gathering on the third level of the outpost with illegal narcotics when an explosion occurred in the main power conduit transformer. Three teens were seriously injured with extensive burns, lacerations and fractures and were medically transported to Hyasyoda’s corporate medical facilities in Uchomida while the other four were treated for minor injuries and are currently held in custody by Hyasyoda’s Corporate Police Forces while the investigation is ongoing.

Lieutenant Bors Welnaer of the Corporate Police Forces released a statement that “based on testimony from the children and physical evidence at the scene we believe that Mining Colony 13 was forcibly entered and the outpost internal power infrastructure was attacked, possibly for parts or some other unknown purpose.” He ended his statement with “we believe the attack was perpetrated by advanced autonomous rogue drones for an unknown purpose.”

When pressed if he thought someone else was responsible for the attack Captain Aspatyio replied, “I think things have gotten blown out of proportion by a bored bunch of rock eaters. It was probably just a haywire mining drone.”

None of the minors involved in the incident were made available for questions.

For today’s New Eden, Tech4 is that voice.

Whilst the mainstream media continues to broadcast the propaganda of governments and fails to look further than the capsuleers and power-brokers for its stories, Tech4 pledges to dig deeper.

In a bold new initiative, the media team will be casting its net wider to bring the stories of the people of New Eden to the people of New Eden. With new contacts from across the cluster, the coming months will see this Tech4 GALNET site covering a host of topics, with new and exciting in-depth features, celebrity interviews, consumer reviews and much more.

Tech4, a true voice for the people of New Eden.

Following fierce fighting in the system of Huola, rumours are emerging of the permanent death of renowned Brutor defector Eran Mintor. Mintor was a decorated capsuleer serving under the flag of the Amarr militia despite his Minmatar heritage.

Responsibility for capsuleer Mintor’s alleged death has been claimed by fellow capsuleer and Minmatar Anya Sulii who has publicly stated;

“I, Voshud Major Anya Sulii do hereby claim responsibility for the irreversible death of the traitor Eran Mintor. I was informed of his location where he was recovering from the mental shock of losing Huola and several thousand of his loyal minions aboard his carrier. I immediately dispatched several teams of highly trained commandos to kill him for good… Eran Mintor is dead. Fear the Tribes.”

Comments from the capsuleer community are flooding in.

“Symbolic more than anything beneficial to resolving the Amarr/Matari conflict; still to permanently assassinate another Capsuleer is not a feat to go without merit.” – Caellach Marellus

“Wow, it’s not often I hear of such a prominent capsuleer just… no longer existing.” -Aphoxema.G

“Well, it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving traitor.” -Andreus Ixiris

“Also a good reminder to all those with a superiority complex that no, we are not immortal. And actions have consequences.” -Arkady Sadik

“A final end for a conflicted, driven, warrior.” -Kade Jeekin

“I do hope it was a slow and painful death….” -Aodha Khan

“You made a martyr for the Amarr Empire, a hero whose name was Eran Mintor.” -Diana Kim

Further details of the assassination operation can be read here.

Tech Four Media Group have released the following public statement.

The Tech Four Media Group board has been made aware that the sponsorship of a Minmatar-focused Awards event by subsidiary organisation Tech4 News is inappropriate. Tech Four Media Group, it’s subsidiaries and partners apologise for any offence or misunderstanding that this may have caused. The Board is keen to maintain a balanced and unbiased political position.

T4MG and its partners are keen to support community initiatives and publicise positive capsuleer action and it was on this understanding that the offer of sponsorship was made to the organisers of the Minmatar Awards event.

However, it has only since that agreement was put in place that the organisers chose to call the event The Freedom Fighter of the Year Award and elected to to promote violence and glorify war. This is not a view that is shared by Tech Four Media Group and sponsorship of such an event is unacceptable to the Board.

In order to avoid accusations of political bias, a statement has been issued to the event organisers detailing that Tech4 News will have no choice but to withdraw sponsorship unless a less divisive and inflammatory tone can be taken. It is the hope of the board that the focus be diverted from the violent acts of war and be centred on awards for humanitarian efforts, emancipation and repatriation of the enslaved and their integration back into Minmatar culture.

It is hoped that a resolution can be found that suits all.

The T4MG Board of Directors

Public discussions are ongoing in the Intergalactic Summit forum and further developments will undoubtedly be forthcoming.

Anya Sulii of Huang Yinglong [HUANG] has posted a comprehensive After Action Report on GalNet [citation] detailing the events of the battle.  The report states the battle plan was a series of events spanning four days.  The scales of war tipped as Silence iKillYouu of the Innocent Criminals [SLAV3] began systematically destroying ships belonging to members of Imperial Outlaws [I.Law]; the crowning act was the pod killing of prominent figure Shalee Lianne. This culminated into a race on the battlefield.  Each side dueled to be the first to claim victory over strategic targets.

The joint effort of a unit known as the “Daylight” Militia, a fleet led by Damar Rocarion of  Nasranite Watch [NAERY] and the heroic efforts of Bischopt of Ice Fire Warriors [IFW] and Anya Sulii brought the Minmatar Republic victory.  The ‘Daylight’ Milita fought to bring the system’s bunker under The Republic’s control and Rocarion’s Fleet fended off the Amarrian counter attack.  In a one shot effort, Bischopt and Sulii faced off in a small strategic battle point against the infamous Lord Morgo of Blue Republic [B-REP] and Peep00 of Amarrian Retribution [ARETR].  Raa, Detroid would fall to The Republic the next day.

The systems were won and the Minmatar Republic celebrated its victory.  Reports from all over the cluster sighted thousands of victory parties.  Some celebrations on the planet Matar (Pator, Heimatar) lasted three days according to accounts.  History had been made that night and New Eden took notice.

These celebrations would be short lived.  On 113.12.11 the Amarr Empire regained control of Huola.  Little is known about the efforts to regain the system.  Only a simple message of “The system is now back to its rightful owners.” was left by Conventia Underking of Teraa Matar [-TRA-] on the GalNet portal.  The Amarrian Empire would continue their success by taking back Raa and adding the system of Auga, Heimatar to their holdings.

The Minmatar Republic continues to keep their spirits high even in light of their apparent defeat.  While this historic moment did not achieve military success for The Republic, it did serve to boost the morale of those fighting on the front lines as well as the hopes of their friends and families back home.

* Public records only date back to 110.08.28.  More research is being done to validate.

I was so inspired by [VGM's] enthusiasm for producing commercials and [their] creativity that I decided to create the Wallpaper Ad above in support. -Rixx Javix

EVEOGANDA has created a holo-image inspired by the United Technologies of CreoDron campaign.  The holo-image is available for free download via the magazine’s private GalNet Portal along with Rixx Javix’s full statement.  Access to the portal can be found here. [Click to Access Portal]

The capsuleer backing of the campaign is not welcomed news to all.  This added support has caused the anti-capsuleer movement to increase their efforts.  The Sanctuary held a small protest rally on Eram II in the Metropolis region soon after the announcement went public.  The event, comprising approximately one-hundred planetsiders, remained a peaceful protest and the civil authorities present did not intervene.

CreoDron has entered into this campaign looking to reinvent its image.  The manufacturing leader scouted several perspective firms prior to finalizing a contract with VMG.  While VGM is a relative new comer to the New Eden advertising scene, their core creative team has produced several successful campaigns for Quafe [citation], S8 Radio [citation],  and other non-capsuleer and capsuleer corporations.

The new campaign for CreoDron is slated as ‘United Technologies of CreoDron.’  The campaign will focus on the everyday uses of drones and the everyday individual that uses them.  The idealism of the campaign has spurned protest from some human rights groups.  Their issue with the campaign is focused on the suggested sentiment that ‘capsuleers are regular people too.’  Relations between non-capsuleers and capsuleers have always held a degree of tension and it appears that New Eden may not be ready for an advertizing campaign this progressive.

Extremist Sisters of Eve faction; The Sanctuary is at the forefront of the protest against the advertising campaign.  The group has demanded capsuleers be excluded from the commercial.  They have also started their own campaign aimed at non-capsuleers in an effort add the public’s voices to their own.  The Sanctuary is urging the non-capsuleer community to write, call and contact VGM and CreoDron with their demands to have Capsuleers excluded from the advertizing campaign.

In light of the public outcry, Voices Media Group issued this message:

“We are all of the same New Eden.  Our race, faction, corporation, occupation or training are only superficial.  On a base level, we are all cut from the same cloth; Non-Capsuleer and Capsuleer.  To be part of New Eden is to live a cold, harsh and treacherous existence.  For some of us, this nightmare is short lived.  For others, it will continue far into the eons.  No matter what our path, we all desire the same thing.  We all want to survive.  That said, we should celebrate our survival and we at Voices Media Group invite all of New Eden to celebrate with us.”

Those interested in participating are encouraged to submit their voice samples via private fluid information router data code vandvpodcast(at)gmail(dot)com.  Dialogue for the voice sample as been included as a subsection of this article.

Drones.

 

You never really think about them, but where would we be without our automaton friends?

 

[The farms would fall silent and overgrown. The groceries would never arrive. The streets would fill with trash.]

 

[More of our sons and daughters lives would be risked in relentless factories, on hostile worlds, in treacherous mines and in defense of our space.

 

Drones have many uses. But you and I both know their primary function is making our lives easier.]

 

*short laugh*

 

But between you and me… you don’t have to think about them.  Why?  Because that’s our job.

 

CreoDron.  Yes.  Drones.

The 9RW5-Z constellation is considered to be the main point of operation for the strange and enigmatic organization C C P [-CCP-].  C C P has been rumored to have extremely close ties to the Jovians, though the details of their alliance with the Jovians are mostly shrouded in mystery.  It is public knowledge that C C P and the Jovians do closely share space and technology.

While some scientists are dismissing the emissions as attention phishing; others are calling for a New Eden wide State of Emergency.  Only two weeks ago, C C P descended onto Tama, The Citadel with the intent of destruction [citation].  Analysts familiar with the culture of C C P and Capsuleers called this a “Fun Roam” or “Drunk Fleet.”  It is difficult for many to understand how 71 members of C C P against 1580 Capsuleers could be ‘fun’.

The destruction witnessed in Tama, The Citadel was untold.  All members of the C C P fleet were victims of ship and pod destruction.  A total of 2009 ship destructions were recorded with only 429 belonging to members of C C P.  It was also reported that the capsuleer organization Pandemic Legion performed a hot drop with eight titans including five Avatars, two Erebui and a Ragnarok [citation].  A contingent of supercarriers and carriers were also present in the large scale battle.

While C C P’s intentions of visiting New Eden were unclear, it seemed the fleet was a convoy of sorts.  Several reports of high quantities of various goods highly sought after by capsuleers filled the C C P ship’s hulls[citation].  The goods scavenged from the destroyed hulls included, but were not limited to; 30 Day Pilots License Extensions, NeX Store fashion items and rare, high value faction items.

In an interesting turn of events, it seems that C C P has spies with in their ranks.  Two members of the organization have come forward on GalNet with promises to post intel to capsuleers as it becomes available[citation].  CCP Legion and CCP Paradox have also stated they will be actively searching out this intel.  Tech4 News’ analysts cite this as conclusive evidence that another wave of destruction and carnage will be upon New Eden soon.

Non-Cap Citizens are being urged to cancel all interstellar travel.  Many stations are closing Non-Cap decks and are only allowing Freeport to capsuleers as a precaution.  More details will be released as they become available.

The letter is a message of gratitude and optimism of survival.  It goes on to state that Ms. Valpuri as well as the crew  are in a period of recovery and recuperation that will be spent under the watch of True Slave Foundations.  This revelation has caused growing concern among situational analysts.  In previous cases of Sansha abductions; the chance of recovery drops dramatically with ever hour.  Recovery efforts are usually cancelled indefinitely within a matter of days if not hours.

The uproar via GALnet comes with no surprise considering the reputation of Sansha’s Nation and it’s Loyalists.  Capsuleers have been vocal against the Sansha’s Nation and have even gone as far as extending sympathy [citation] in the crew’s captivity.  Aiwha of 101st Space Marine Force; Nulli Secunda has suggested a roaming combat fleet travel to the Sansha Nation’s territories[citation].  Other have speculated they have already undergone the horrific cynetic implantation the Sansha’s Nation are best known for [citation].

The Tech4 News team has not given up hope.  Professor Uriah Tedanih has declined to comment [citation], but has authorized the release of this article as well as other information.  The Tech4 News team is currently consulting with Capsuleers to identify solutions to recover Ms. Valpuri and the Raskaan Veyden crew.  The Capsuleers identities are being kept confidential due to the sensitivity of the situation and to prevent any negative impacts on negotiations.  All methods for being considered by Tech4 News are non-violent and are of a diplomatic nature.  Tech4 News requests others capsuleers acting do so with diplomatic and non-violent intent as well to ensure the safety of Ms. Valpuri and the crew.

Even in light of this; the fearless and resilient Mielikki Valpuri pleas with the public of New Eden to ease their arms war in the forwarded message.  She states:

 I urge you to put your fears and mind at ease as we are in safe hands. Now is a time of recovery for us.

The Sansha’s Nation Loyalist Organization is currently holding Ms. Valpuri and Eyfir & Co team captive at facility named Shabayev.  The facilities location remains undisclosed.  More details to be released as available.

This recently received recording suggests that someone finally succeeded…

It is hoped that capsuleers will respond by taking the initiative to organise a search and rescue operation.

Click below to hear the transmission.

Tech Four Media Group is convening an emergency meeting and will release a public statement thereafter.

Click below to hear the raw distress call transmission in full.

Whilst much conjecture still remains about the scale and purpose of Site One, more images have been decoded. Information packaged with the image below suggests that the site will be exclusively “Minmatar and Gallente”. It is unclear whether this is in reference to political affiliation or simply the aesthetic stylings of the outpost. Representatives of the possibly excluded factions have not yet made any public statements to clarify their position.

It is interesting to note that this image appears to feature the parallel tower structure as seen previously, but this time from beneath. The shot details storage, research and administrative facilities along with the previously identified communication arrays and freight pads. Critically, the structure previously speculated to feature some form of high energy matrix is clearly labelled as “Administrative Offices”.

It is also of note that the image is described as a “preview neurovisualization based off extant construction data” suggesting that this image may be fabricated, but bears striking resemblance to the previous image acquired first-hand. A West Ray Intelligence spokesman was unavailable for comment.

Julianus Soter, capsuleer and Lead Researcher of the Arek’Jaalan Multidisciplinary Division stated, “The completion of Site One is the dawn of a new era of capsuleer/non-capsuleer relations.”

A few hours ago Ezekkiel Meskanin, Communications Engineer for EramComms working on a relay facility on Eram II, stumbled across a “high locus of chatter” from an area of local space not known to be occupied. This caused some excitement amongst Mr. Meskanin and his co-workers, who soon alerted various authorities to their discovery.

Mr. Meskanin, a 46-year-old second-generation Eram II colonist, spoke modestly about the day’s events, “I was just trying to re-align one of the dishes after some bad weather, when all of a sudden there was the discovery of my career. It was an incredibly lucky find.”

A co-worker of Mr. Meskanin, who wished to remain anonymous, commented, “He’s going to be unbearable for years now. You’d think it was that picture of Sansha’s Nation on parade.”

On acquiring this information, Tech Four Media Group operatives were able to analyse the transmission and quickly mobilise their ‘West Ray’ intelligence network to establish a clearer signal. A spokesman for the intelligence team stated, “The signal was scrambled and we were unable to decipher it, we needed to tap into the source to have a chance. That meant locating the site.”

“We began by monitoring local broadcast traffic to triangulate the precise location of the new signals. We soon isolated the location and used our covert operatives to approach the site. From there it was a matter of deploying hacking tools to establish the decryption protocols used by local transmitters.”

Whilst much of the data gleaned from the operation is still undergoing analysis, the operatives were able to partially decrypt some of the material whilst still at the location, as shown in the following image.

Initial analysis of the image suggests that the Arek’Jaalan “Site One” facility is indeed going to function as a data storage and dissemination centre. Professor Tedanih of the Tech4 News team had this to say;

“I am very excited by this image. From the presence of the two large dishes, it is clear that the site is equipped to deal with the receipt and transmission of vast amounts of data and the multiple freight pads suggest the capacity for significant physical material too, although the absence of suitable storage may imply that the freight pads are simply an aid to construction.”

“The impressive central structure is presumably the main information repository, although I am intrigued by its design. Those parallel towers look like they may have a high energy acceleration matrix on the inner surface, which could suggest anything from a wormhole generator to a giant… well, perhaps it would be best not to stir up controversy.”

Outspoken Tech4 anchor Paydas Adavaar volunteered the following opinion, “I think the design of this longish thing here speaks for itself. Clearly, it’s a death ray. Besides, look at the surrounding environment. Everything is lit on fire and you can still see the blinding flash of plasma there in the distance. I mean, wow: did I call that one or what?”

Professor Tedanih was kind enough to submit a clarification before continuing, “That’s the local sun, Paydas. Anyway, what is fascinating is the decrypted information overlaid on the image. Project Theta is indeed one of the many projects being undertaken by Arek’Jaalan capsuleers, with this particular project concerning rogue drone communications. This certainly seems like pre-prepared data for public dissemination. I can confirm that the three individuals mentioned; Norman Vales, Authochthonian and Chevalleis are all capsuleers registered with the Arek’Jaalan project.”

Whatever the ultimate purpose of Arek’Jaalan’s “Site One”, this image proves beyond a doubt that the Caldari-led movement has gained a permanent foothold in the Eram system. There has been no resistance from local government and the population will have to come to terms with whatever changes of fortune accompany it.

The Tech4 team delve into the relationship capsuleers have with the ordinary population of New Eden, from the construction of multi-billion ISK orbital facilities to the use of fearsome weapons platforms to terrorise entire star systems. The Technology Focus crew investigate cloning technology and dramatic new developments from the Raskaan Veyden wormhole expedition are revealed.

Tech4 News, bringing news of the capsuleers to the people on the ground.

Click below to listen to this broadcast.

A second transmission has been received from Mielikki Valpuri. The Raskaan Veyden mission into Wormhole space seems to be progressing as planned and the search is on for evidence of the mysterious Sleepers.

In this short broadcast, Mielikki gives an insightful overview of how the crew is coping and the procedures involved in successfully navigating and exploring uncharted space.

Click below to hear the transmission now.

Further transmissions are expected and will be broadcast as they are received. Listen to Part I: Arrival here.

The Eifyr & Co. sponsored exploration mission departed several weeks ago with the task of gathering Sleeper data from wormholes. For more information on the Raskaan Veyden and its intrepid crew, see this feature article.

The timestamp on Mielikki’s transmission is shortly after their entry into the wormhole. Tech4 experts are hypothesising that the delay was caused by time-space distortion as a result of interaction between the wormhole and a black hole reported to be on the far side.

Click below to hear the transmission now.

Further transmissions are expected and will be broadcast as they are received.

The Eifyr & Co. sponsored exploration mission departed several weeks ago with the task of gathering Sleeper data from wormholes. For more information on the Raskaan Veyden and its intrepid crew, see this feature article.

In YC 105 the capsuleer technology came to the empires and they began using them in military applications but found the process time consuming and resource intensive as training and testing the candidates required the utmost care and deliberation. In order to offload some of the difficulties and cost the Minmatar Republic licensed the process to corporate interests so that they could create private citizen pod pilots. The other factions soon followed suit in order to maintain the balance of power since a single ship flown by a capsuleer is magnitudes more powerful than standard vessels of the same class.

However, the four main empires and all other political entities in the cluster would soon begin to realize their mistake and all attempts to put the genie back in the bottle have failed horribly with unintended and far reaching consequences.

The Start of the Spiral

While capsuleer vessels in the military are useful, they are still bound by the restrictions all military must have in order to prevent militarization of the government. In addition they must be held accountable and their actions must not reflect poorly on the leadership. Right from the start independent pod pilots were not bound by such restrictions. While ostensibly being employed by mega corporations the demand for the services of the powerful mercenaries meant that the mega corps could not exert any coercive control over their newly created pilots; instead they could only offer rewards for service and had to compete with any other corporations.

The result was that the mega corps hired agents to hire the capsuleers for work that the navy and local police forces were too busy or too weak to deal with. Or for work that was in the grey areas of legality. As competition for the services of the capsuleers grew the rewards increased; as the capsuleers became more affluent, they were able to use more expensive ships and weapons and accomplish much more difficult tasks; and as the tasks became more involved, the rewards increased further.

Along with the monetary rewards, there were other perks as well. Entire decks of stations dedicated to the sole use of the pod pilots. Complete industries arose to provide services and special items like exotic drugs or advanced implants. Legions of exotic dancers and indentured servants. Specialized custom designed star ships. The list goes on.

This spiral of inflation had two major effects: the first was that it created an environment of entitlement to the capsuleers which began to isolate them socially from most everyone else; and secondly it gave them much more opportunity to become mobile to search out better business dealings.

The Loyalty Detachment

As the capsuleer community developed into its own social circle, the barriers to cross faction cooperation slowly dissolved¹. For example, a Gallente capsuleer on an Amarr station has more in common with a Caldari capsuleer on the same station. Plus both individuals share a common language, monetary system (i.e. ISK), job hazards, associates, etc.

When CONCORD recognized the formation of Capsuleer alliances of corporations in late 106, it was already a fait accompli. Corporations owned and operated solely by capsuleers had been in existence since late 105 and cooperation between them started almost immediately afterward. Where a single capsuleer was deadly to standard ships, groups of capsuleers were forces of nature. Independents operating under pirate flags were virtually wiped out of high security space in a matter of months and all efforts to infiltrate those systems have proven futile.

These social developments meant that many capsuleers began to experience a sense of detachment from their “home” civilization. Their loyalties became more focused to the pod pilots in their fleet and less to the government they were considered citizens of.

CONCORD’s Unintended Interference

During the rise of the capsuleer the officials at CONCORD sought to use these new mercenaries in an effort to bring law and order to low security space and null security space. To to this CONCORD signed a treaty with the empires (but more intended for the capsuleers) specifying that bounties would be paid to private individuals or corporations for the destruction of ships of the “pirate” factions (the amount paid determined by a schedule based on identified ship class). Since most corporations had defence forces capable of disuading minor attacks but not capable of launching massive assaults on pirate strongholds, only the capsuleer benefited from this new treaty and they immediately began to wage an unrelenting war on the bounties.

The unintended upshot of this development was the increased pressure of pod pilots to work together in pseudo-military fashion to attack further and further into the pirate territories. This cooperation forged tighter bonds and in a matter of months turned the capsuleer community from a collection of individuals to a number of organized military forces both in low sec and null sec.

The Development of the Alliance and Coaltion

The sense of loyalty replacement is further exacerbated for pod pilots who seek their fortunes in the space beyond the control of the four major empires. In the lawless space the capsuleer alliances become the local governments handing down rules and rulings on a daily basis, competing with the existing “Pirate” factions and other alliances for control of the vast resources found there. Sometimes several alliances form mutual defence pacts and form what is roughly referred to as coalitions which can comprise of thousands of pilots and untold tonnes of war ships.

The Balance of Power

The total number of capsuleers currently in the combined empires’ navies is roughly a quarter of the number of currently active private capsuleers². Fortunately, several factors prevent this new faction from overwhelming cluster politics.

1) Most capsuleers have no interest beyond self interest – they just want to make themselves rich and don’t bother with inter-cluster politics.

2) Many capsuleers have not completely disengaged from their home societies – the Minmatar especially are drawn back to Pator and Rens to reconnect with their fellow Matari. Some even join the faction sponsored war for establishing administrative control of low sec areas between the empires.

3) The largest and most organized capsuleer alliances exist in lawless space and compete with each other for resources there.

Should some event drive the capsuleers together, they would form a single industrial-military faction as powerful as any of the four empires.

The Future

With the recent CONCORD announcement³ of the revoked prohibition on capsuleer ownership of planetary resources, the accumulation of power in this new class of society continues to accelerate. Thousands of small local corporations have already closed doors or been purchased in this new land rush. Since even the poorest capsuleers are millionaires many times over (current market value trading has 1 ISK = 1032 State Credits) the limit on what they can accomplish is continually being pushed back.

Is it not inconceivable that faction politics and CONCORD are already being unduly influenced by these military moguls. And we have to ask the question: are conspiracy theorists right⁴ that the Jovians’ most damaging attack on the empires was to unleash cloning and pod technology upon them? Could the rise of the capsuleer be an effort to disrupt the empires beyond all repair?

* * * * *

References:
1 – The Scope’s Cluster Census for YC 106
2 – DED Enforcements Military Analysis Guide ’08
3 – CONCORD Press Release 09/06/12
4 – Jovian Politics and Motivations by G. Turner

(This article was originally published by the capsuleer Kirith Kodachi on Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah GALNET site.)

As Tech4 correspondent Mielikki Valpuri joins the brave crew of the Raskaan Veyden in searching out mysterious “wormhole” space, Tech4 takes a look at the technology and the training that will be keeping them safe.

The Raskaan Veyden

The Eifyr & Co. Wormhole Exploration Frigate registration EFC-P-108, dubbed the ‘Raskaan Veyden’ by its crew, is a bold example of Minmatar engineering. Of all the Minmatar frigates in common use today, the Probe is one of the smallest yet one of the bulkiest. The oversized hull provides ample room for both cargo and an assortment of scanning equipment. As such, the Probe hull is a favourite amongst capsuleers and space-faring organisations as both a cargo vessel and an exploration ship.

When Eifyr & Co. proposed an expedition into wormhole space to explore and collect samples, the Probe was an obvious choice.

Internal Systems

Experts at Eifyr & Co took the basic Probe hull design and augmented it with specialised equipment to prepare it for the forthcoming odyssey. Its durability has been greatly enhanced by sophisticated damage control systems and fortified shielding matrices. With threats unknown ahead, an afterburner system provides additional escape velocity whilst covering fire is provided by a 280mm howitzer artillery system. A launcher system dedicated to the deployment of multi-mode scanning probes provides the crew with “eyes”.

Deployables

For locating hidden mysteries in the darkness of space, the science crew will rely on a squadron of scanner probes that can warp independently of their mother frigate, sending back information on unknown signatures. In order to obtain samples for testing, a specialist deployable mining drone called ‘Cuddles’ capable of extracting samples from celestial bodies takes pride of place in the drone bay. Overshadowing the humble mining drone is the ferocious ‘Warrior I’ light scout drone. With a maximum velocity of 4,200 metres per second and capable of delivering vicious explosive volleys, ‘Buster’ provides additional protection in emergencies.

The Command Crew

• Captain Tomas Brek leads the brave command crew of the Raskaan Veyden, With fifteen years experience of Spaceship Command in the Eifyr & Co. commercial fleet, he specialises in Minmatar Frigates and builds model spacecraft in his spare time.
• Science Officer Lieutenant Koyo Sejamon is of Achuran decent. A graduate of the Caldari State War Academy, Lt. Sejamon’s keen desire for exploration led him to specialise in signature analysis before enlisting with Eifyr & Co.’s exploration division.
• Helmsman 2nd Lieutenant Celeste Joringer graduated with honours in Navigation disciplines from Republic Military School in her home system of Krilmokenur. In her spare time she is a vacuum boarder.
• Gunnery Officer Arken Westlea has a strong record in projectile artillery operation, having served for several years as a general infantryman specialising in mortars before being recruited into Eifyr & Co.’s naval division. He is also a champion pugilist.

The Bold and the Brave

The Raskaan Veyden command crew are ably supported by a dedicated support and engineering team who operate the sophisticated electronics, shielding and power systems throughout the frigate’s hull. For smooth operation on long missions, the ten individuals aboard work shift rotations, making it possible for operations to continue for some months.

All the staff at Tech4 would like to express their respect and admiration for the brave men and women aboard the Raskaan Veyden and indeed their colleagues throughout the Eifyr & Co Exploration Fleet. Good luck and safe journey.

Join field reporter Mielikki Valpuri for a pre-recorded interview with capsuleer explorer Mark726 as they discuss the  Arek’Jaalan Project and Mark726′s own Project Compass.

Back in the studio lead anchor Paydas Adavaar and staff science expert Professor Uriah Tedanih discuss the mystery of the Sleepers.

In this episode’s Technology Focus, Professor Tedanih is joined by staff engineering expert Sarkastinen Insinoori for a brief demonstration of camera drone operation.

In our last segment, we return to Mielikki Valpuri on board the Raskaan Veyden as they begin their voyage into unknown space.

Click below to marvel at their unrivalled professionalism.

Ensuring stable fluid-router communications for an independent news cast isn’t always so easy.

As they say, sometimes you have to break a few necks for it to be a Matari party.

Click below to intercept the broadcast.

This promotional footage, presumably funded by Eifyr & Co., was distributed to key capsuleer media outlets several weeks ago in order to encourage widespread participation in Hilen Tukoss’ Arek’Jaalan initiative.