The irony might make me collapse laughing, if it weren't for the fact it is happening to me, and it really isn't quite funny at all.
The issue is as follows: I want to do something about the significant fraction of my slave population that is infected with the Vitoxin. Something else than Vitoc injections - all that does is make them feel relyant on me more, which, despite what I have heard some people say, is not what I want my slaves to do. I want them to look up to me, as a leader, even (one might say) a father figure.
The Vitoxin is another barrier in that way. So I need to get rid of it.
Unfortunately, there's only one way to do that: Insorum, that mysterious, magical substance that approaches near-mythical status for the freedom fighters. Partially, because it's one of the few things they have that the Amarrians don't.
Which means I have to go through them to find a sample. The only ones willing to deal with me - and, really, the only ones I'm willing to deal with - are Electus Matari. And one of the few people I know among their ranks is one Ciarente Roth.
Yes. That Ciarente Roth. The one I so upset some days ago. I hope she's forgiven me enough to be willing to talk to me...
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Cause and Effect
Well... been a hell of a few days.
I started it off by going to the Gate and getting myself drunk. I mean, raging, not-knowing-at-all-what-I'm-doing, drunk. Started off with a bottle of some Amarrian wine, but there were a couple of other people there - one a Ghost Festival pilot by the name of Shinara, and the other... eh, I don't remember who he was. So, he got me started on the harder stuff, and Shinara pulled out some kind of home-brewed stuff.
You would think that I would know better than to drink a home-brewed drink offered to me by an outlaw, wouldn't you? But I had some of that stuff, and probably some of the other drinks.
Urgh. Next day was one big hangover, especially because I apparently still had to much alcohol in my blood to safely clone jump.
Couple of days later - last Saturday, I believe - I wandered into the Gate and found Reimei there. He said he had lapsed into a coma after his lady-friend put him through whatever hoops, and someone had to shove some adapted Sansha tech into his head to pull him out of it. I told him if he was Amarrian, they would be making him a saint for surviving so many deadly circumstances.
He disagreed. I didn't argue.
And then... well, I don't apply the phrase "epic shitstorm" to a lot. The old Suk breakup, a couple of things I've said on the IGS... unfortunately, what I told Ciarente Roth now firmly falls under that category. Ciarente finally made her decision as to a new corp - Re-Awakened Technologies, a member of the Electus Matari alliance. What this meant is that when I stepped back into the gate, she showed up a KOS - a fact that she took none to well when I told her, even though I warned her that what I was going to tell her was "not a pretty truth" and explained to her that the political labeling of one group has no bearing on me. I just don't think she was used to hearing her name attached to the phrase "Kill On Sight" - and with good reason to; I doubt she has ever done anything that would make anyone want to kill her directly.
*A tired sigh can be heard in the background.* So, I sent her a message by mail later on, explaining my position yet again. I hope she understands - it was indeed pleasant to be able to speak to her and discuss our roles, or purposes, our objectives.
To lose her to politics would make me sick.
I started it off by going to the Gate and getting myself drunk. I mean, raging, not-knowing-at-all-what-I'm-doing, drunk. Started off with a bottle of some Amarrian wine, but there were a couple of other people there - one a Ghost Festival pilot by the name of Shinara, and the other... eh, I don't remember who he was. So, he got me started on the harder stuff, and Shinara pulled out some kind of home-brewed stuff.
You would think that I would know better than to drink a home-brewed drink offered to me by an outlaw, wouldn't you? But I had some of that stuff, and probably some of the other drinks.
Urgh. Next day was one big hangover, especially because I apparently still had to much alcohol in my blood to safely clone jump.
Couple of days later - last Saturday, I believe - I wandered into the Gate and found Reimei there. He said he had lapsed into a coma after his lady-friend put him through whatever hoops, and someone had to shove some adapted Sansha tech into his head to pull him out of it. I told him if he was Amarrian, they would be making him a saint for surviving so many deadly circumstances.
He disagreed. I didn't argue.
And then... well, I don't apply the phrase "epic shitstorm" to a lot. The old Suk breakup, a couple of things I've said on the IGS... unfortunately, what I told Ciarente Roth now firmly falls under that category. Ciarente finally made her decision as to a new corp - Re-Awakened Technologies, a member of the Electus Matari alliance. What this meant is that when I stepped back into the gate, she showed up a KOS - a fact that she took none to well when I told her, even though I warned her that what I was going to tell her was "not a pretty truth" and explained to her that the political labeling of one group has no bearing on me. I just don't think she was used to hearing her name attached to the phrase "Kill On Sight" - and with good reason to; I doubt she has ever done anything that would make anyone want to kill her directly.
*A tired sigh can be heard in the background.* So, I sent her a message by mail later on, explaining my position yet again. I hope she understands - it was indeed pleasant to be able to speak to her and discuss our roles, or purposes, our objectives.
To lose her to politics would make me sick.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Launch
We launched her.
We were coming back from a patrol along the Deliverance corridor, and were heading up towards her location. I asked the fleet to pause a moment so I could 'collect something' from the station. They didn't know I could fly her yet, much less had the modules onboard already.
So I docked up, and had my pod moved over... the crew were warned in advance, so I didn't have to wait for them. Everything was ready the moment the connections to the pod were secured.
Undocking was a bit longer than usual - this being my first attempt, I didn't want to accelerate to quickly and risk plowing into one of the docking forcefields...
also, I was listening to to the docking crew communications channels this time. Usually I just let the computer figure out what they are saying and send it up along the channels to my pod... but this time I was there.
"In Justice Bound, this is Station Docking. Approach docking path 1-3 and standbye."
"Roger." 1-3 was the largest docking port on the station, enough to hold four battleships side-by-side... or one of me.
"In Justice Bound, Station Docking. You may depart at will. Your window is three-zero seconds and counting..."
"On my way." RADAR was telling me I was scooting down the docking port approach tunnel now, but camera drones were still inside.
"Station Docking, this is In Justice Bound. I am clear. Out."
And there she was... nearly two miles of dream come true. Months of work, come down to this.
I gave my fighters some target work - one of my fleet members, in a drake. They barely scratched his shields - have to work on getting more fighters out at a time - and he lobbed a few missiles back, giving one of the fightes a bit of armor damage. Much work needs to be done yet...
Then it was back into the station, pod back into the HIMS Eliminator, and back to patrol. Got a hostile Pilgrim and an industrial before the night was out.
We were coming back from a patrol along the Deliverance corridor, and were heading up towards her location. I asked the fleet to pause a moment so I could 'collect something' from the station. They didn't know I could fly her yet, much less had the modules onboard already.
So I docked up, and had my pod moved over... the crew were warned in advance, so I didn't have to wait for them. Everything was ready the moment the connections to the pod were secured.
Undocking was a bit longer than usual - this being my first attempt, I didn't want to accelerate to quickly and risk plowing into one of the docking forcefields...
also, I was listening to to the docking crew communications channels this time. Usually I just let the computer figure out what they are saying and send it up along the channels to my pod... but this time I was there.
"In Justice Bound, this is Station Docking. Approach docking path 1-3 and standbye."
"Roger." 1-3 was the largest docking port on the station, enough to hold four battleships side-by-side... or one of me.
"In Justice Bound, Station Docking. You may depart at will. Your window is three-zero seconds and counting..."
"On my way." RADAR was telling me I was scooting down the docking port approach tunnel now, but camera drones were still inside.
"Station Docking, this is In Justice Bound. I am clear. Out."
And there she was... nearly two miles of dream come true. Months of work, come down to this.
I gave my fighters some target work - one of my fleet members, in a drake. They barely scratched his shields - have to work on getting more fighters out at a time - and he lobbed a few missiles back, giving one of the fightes a bit of armor damage. Much work needs to be done yet...
Then it was back into the station, pod back into the HIMS Eliminator, and back to patrol. Got a hostile Pilgrim and an industrial before the night was out.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Egger Fads
I remember seeing this article in the Scope about Fads within the capsuleer community - a certain kind of Gallente fashion, a certain collectible vehicle produced by some obscure Caldari corporation, and all manner of Amarr and Minmatar religious objects...
Somehow, I don't think being brutally attacked outside ones' pod is part of one of those fads, but it certainly is a trend.
First their was Reimei's friends - somebody with a Master's Degree in torture was taking them down one-by-one. (Come to think of it, I haven't seen him, or Amaterasu lately. I wonder if they moved their base of operations out of Goinard at last?)
Then it was Math're getting himself in by what was all reports an epic brawl, which nearly turned into a gunfight.
And tonight, I met Ciarente Roth in the Gate - and she had been attacked as well, by someone who managed to take out her entire security detail no less.
I had a sneaking suspicion about her TacChief, Fisk, the last time I saw him - he had a stammer that he couldn't have had in bootcamp, so I made a wild guess while talking to Ciarente and was right - he'd done something to his backed-up softscan clone. It didn't work well, and when he got up after being killed...
Yet somehow, that seems distant. Because in less than 12 hours, In Justice Bound will be launched. Five months of preparation, of crew-finding, of mineral hauling, of pouring through skillbooks, is about to come down to one tremendous launch.
I hope her home system won't be to hot tomorrow. Would be kind of awkward if I got 'station-camped' in something of her size.
Somehow, I don't think being brutally attacked outside ones' pod is part of one of those fads, but it certainly is a trend.
First their was Reimei's friends - somebody with a Master's Degree in torture was taking them down one-by-one. (Come to think of it, I haven't seen him, or Amaterasu lately. I wonder if they moved their base of operations out of Goinard at last?)
Then it was Math're getting himself in by what was all reports an epic brawl, which nearly turned into a gunfight.
And tonight, I met Ciarente Roth in the Gate - and she had been attacked as well, by someone who managed to take out her entire security detail no less.
I had a sneaking suspicion about her TacChief, Fisk, the last time I saw him - he had a stammer that he couldn't have had in bootcamp, so I made a wild guess while talking to Ciarente and was right - he'd done something to his backed-up softscan clone. It didn't work well, and when he got up after being killed...
Yet somehow, that seems distant. Because in less than 12 hours, In Justice Bound will be launched. Five months of preparation, of crew-finding, of mineral hauling, of pouring through skillbooks, is about to come down to one tremendous launch.
I hope her home system won't be to hot tomorrow. Would be kind of awkward if I got 'station-camped' in something of her size.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Crawling toward completion
Well... it's been nearly a month since I have last been here, and, amazingly enough, I have not seen a probing interface to often.
Instead, I've been spending hours and hours preparing the In Justice Bound. Been working on that little project for months, and... three more days, she'll be ready.
*A sigh can be heard in the background.*
The secrecy needed in the production of In Justice Bound and her compatriots is becoming tiresome - months of work with nothing to show for it, literally billions of ISK seemingly being dropped into a black hole, and having to run roundabout through middlemen to procure equipment for her. I've even been loathe to talk about it here, lest someone manage to break into the database.
I've also been away from some of the more lively sections of New Eden longer than I'd like to be - odd it may sound, but I'm becoming oddly attached to places like The Last Gate and Tash-Murkon Prime, and the strange collections of people who collect around such places.
Three more days...
Instead, I've been spending hours and hours preparing the In Justice Bound. Been working on that little project for months, and... three more days, she'll be ready.
*A sigh can be heard in the background.*
The secrecy needed in the production of In Justice Bound and her compatriots is becoming tiresome - months of work with nothing to show for it, literally billions of ISK seemingly being dropped into a black hole, and having to run roundabout through middlemen to procure equipment for her. I've even been loathe to talk about it here, lest someone manage to break into the database.
I've also been away from some of the more lively sections of New Eden longer than I'd like to be - odd it may sound, but I'm becoming oddly attached to places like The Last Gate and Tash-Murkon Prime, and the strange collections of people who collect around such places.
Three more days...
Monday, June 22, 2009
Probes, POSes, and fashion contests.
Got stuck in our main base in the unknown regions again - only for a few days through.
Well, I suppose stuck isn't the right word. I could get out, but I wasn't.
Long story short: Someone else in here needs to get some skill with probing. Otherwise, I keep being pulled in to take over as a backup prober. Three days of probing, probing, probing. If I don't see a probe inteface for the next month, I will be very happy. Odds say I will see one, though.
Anyhow, got dumped out into somewhere in Essence, and saw a familiar face - the Gallente just love their fashion contests, and one Carlani Hudson, whom I had met in the Gate, had apparently won this year's capsuleer category of 'Miss Federation.' Well, being out of unknown space made me want to speak to someone in person again, so I drifted over to the Gate, and guess who was in there - yup, Miss Federation. Good thing I had seen her name on that billboard in Essence, or I wouldn't have known what her name was.
Anyhow, she had a friend with her - one Morwen Lagann. That is important because I accidentally let slip that I had been in 'dub-space' (as she calls it) and Morwen immediatly became quite talkative. She's more into the research side of dub-space, Sleeper systems and all that. Probably is annoyed we can't find less destructive ways to blow the things up. Of course, when I went and checked which corperation she was registered under, she turned out to be one of Soter's bunch.
Speaking of which, I should have asked her where he is. Haven't seen him in ages, and she said her corp has just been doing short hops into dub-space, so it's not like he could be stuck without connection or anything.
Oh, and I'm officially a 'POS adviser' for one of the other corps in the alliance. Hmm.
Well, I suppose stuck isn't the right word. I could get out, but I wasn't.
Long story short: Someone else in here needs to get some skill with probing. Otherwise, I keep being pulled in to take over as a backup prober. Three days of probing, probing, probing. If I don't see a probe inteface for the next month, I will be very happy. Odds say I will see one, though.
Anyhow, got dumped out into somewhere in Essence, and saw a familiar face - the Gallente just love their fashion contests, and one Carlani Hudson, whom I had met in the Gate, had apparently won this year's capsuleer category of 'Miss Federation.' Well, being out of unknown space made me want to speak to someone in person again, so I drifted over to the Gate, and guess who was in there - yup, Miss Federation. Good thing I had seen her name on that billboard in Essence, or I wouldn't have known what her name was.
Anyhow, she had a friend with her - one Morwen Lagann. That is important because I accidentally let slip that I had been in 'dub-space' (as she calls it) and Morwen immediatly became quite talkative. She's more into the research side of dub-space, Sleeper systems and all that. Probably is annoyed we can't find less destructive ways to blow the things up. Of course, when I went and checked which corperation she was registered under, she turned out to be one of Soter's bunch.
Speaking of which, I should have asked her where he is. Haven't seen him in ages, and she said her corp has just been doing short hops into dub-space, so it's not like he could be stuck without connection or anything.
Oh, and I'm officially a 'POS adviser' for one of the other corps in the alliance. Hmm.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
6/17
Finally got back from some God-forsaken unknown system. It feels good to be back in the middle of things - even if only because someone has decided that we look like soft targets and need to be attacked.
So, it's straight from Sleepers to rather more familiar targets - capsuleers, that is.
Anyhow, being back has also given me the opportunity to get back in the flow with some of the more friendly podders.
In short, I grabbed an Interbus ride out to The Last Gate. Why I find myself drawn to that place I do not know - certainly, if some of those Imperial Academy officials could see me in there, they would loose it.
But, it does draw interesting people. That girl Amaterasu was there - she's really a woman, but practically acts like a pre-teen. Poor girl has been shaken up a lot - according to some of the other patrons, she was a slave on some mining facility that was beholden to the Blooders. Like normal, the Blooders didn't give a flying fuck about the people they gripped in their filthy fingers, so she came out of that pretty traumatized - hell, that big brother type she follows around must have pulled a lot of strings to get her past the psychological evaluations for the capsule.
Anyway... when I finally get to the Gate, turns out she is there, but that big brother isn't. Opportunity loves action, they say, and they must be right - she's always to timid to talk to when he's around.
Or he's gotten himself shot, slashed, or otherwise brutalized. He seems to have a tendency to do that.
So anyhow, I start talking to her... and, oh, Lord. It didn't go well.
I offered her my assistance - something I've been meaning to do for some time. Figure I would help where I could. But she doesn't know what she wants - I guess she's become used to where she is, used to following that Reimei fellow around. Doesn't want to rock the boat, so to speak. Pity - I've heard of what she pulls when she puts her mind to it, and THAT... well, if she could do it all the time there would be people begging to have her by their sides.
Unfortunately, she didn't know. Those were her exact words - "I don't know." The fact I'm Amarrian probably didn't help either - she's had to many bad experiences. Taking help from an Amarrian probably just doesn't make sense to her. I've seen it before - some of the slaves I've released, when it occurs to them they are actually free, just break down. They've been lead around in chains for so long, the chains have worked their way into their brains.
Maybe... maybe Amaterasu will listen. I damn well hope she does - every Minmatar I... we can help break free from their fears and hatreds is probably another thousand, maybe hundred thousand lives, Amarr or Minmatar, that will stay living. That's damn worth it.
So, it's straight from Sleepers to rather more familiar targets - capsuleers, that is.
Anyhow, being back has also given me the opportunity to get back in the flow with some of the more friendly podders.
In short, I grabbed an Interbus ride out to The Last Gate. Why I find myself drawn to that place I do not know - certainly, if some of those Imperial Academy officials could see me in there, they would loose it.
But, it does draw interesting people. That girl Amaterasu was there - she's really a woman, but practically acts like a pre-teen. Poor girl has been shaken up a lot - according to some of the other patrons, she was a slave on some mining facility that was beholden to the Blooders. Like normal, the Blooders didn't give a flying fuck about the people they gripped in their filthy fingers, so she came out of that pretty traumatized - hell, that big brother type she follows around must have pulled a lot of strings to get her past the psychological evaluations for the capsule.
Anyway... when I finally get to the Gate, turns out she is there, but that big brother isn't. Opportunity loves action, they say, and they must be right - she's always to timid to talk to when he's around.
Or he's gotten himself shot, slashed, or otherwise brutalized. He seems to have a tendency to do that.
So anyhow, I start talking to her... and, oh, Lord. It didn't go well.
I offered her my assistance - something I've been meaning to do for some time. Figure I would help where I could. But she doesn't know what she wants - I guess she's become used to where she is, used to following that Reimei fellow around. Doesn't want to rock the boat, so to speak. Pity - I've heard of what she pulls when she puts her mind to it, and THAT... well, if she could do it all the time there would be people begging to have her by their sides.
Unfortunately, she didn't know. Those were her exact words - "I don't know." The fact I'm Amarrian probably didn't help either - she's had to many bad experiences. Taking help from an Amarrian probably just doesn't make sense to her. I've seen it before - some of the slaves I've released, when it occurs to them they are actually free, just break down. They've been lead around in chains for so long, the chains have worked their way into their brains.
Maybe... maybe Amaterasu will listen. I damn well hope she does - every Minmatar I... we can help break free from their fears and hatreds is probably another thousand, maybe hundred thousand lives, Amarr or Minmatar, that will stay living. That's damn worth it.
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