Written by The Cosmopolite June 07, 2008, 12:24:00 AM757 ViewsRating: (2 Rates)Print
Transcript: Inaugural Freespace Summit – New Eden System, Genesis Region
Channel Log: “Freespace Summit”
Speakers:
The Cosmopolite, The Star Fraction
Tatsue Nuko, Stimulus
Ugleb, Ushra'Khan
James Lyrus, Lyrus Associates
Ashar KorAzor, Order of the Blessed Sisters of Amarr
Jade Constantine, The Star Fraction
Heartstone: I would like to thank you all for attending whether in person or on the Holofeed. To open the proceedings I hand over to my Mentor and dear friend The Cosmopolite
The Cosmopolite: Thank you, my friend.
Pilots, Freecaptains, Transhumans and Infomorphs, in short, my fellow Capsuleers, I bid you welcome to the inaugural Freespace Summit on behalf of Jericho Fraction, today celebrating 5 years as an independent corporation.
Although the Star Fraction alliance is hosting this event, ably organised by my comrade Heartstone, we have several speakers from diverse organisations with at least a passing interest in the subject of freespace and wider freespace movement.
We welcome all these speakers, their fellows and indeed all who have chosen to attend, whether in person or by the medium of holographic simulation. It is our hope that tonight will prove stimulating and promote greater understanding of the cause of freespace.
We further hope that this event, and future such events, will lead to an increase in co-operation between those who see freespace as a key issue of our time.
As stated in the announcements, this summit will consist of a number of speakers, each of whom will answer questions after they have made their remarks. At the conclusion of this opening address, I will start the Freespace Race that will run simultaneously during the summit.
So then, to my speech proper, which I will endeavour to keep brief, no doubt to the relief of many of you: Freespace, the Capsuleer and Humanity. What is freespace? What should be the interest of the capsuleer in such? Moreover, granting that the capsuleer should be interested, why should the rest of humanity be similarly concerned?
Freespace is a simple enough concept yet it would seem the implications are complex, so often is it misunderstood.I do not speak, I hasten to add, of 'Fractionism', the fully-formed ideology of the organisation and political movement of which I count myself a member.Rather, a more general concept which many, throughout the ages, have held is fundamental to an open and forward-looking society.For 'freespace' is the principle of absolute freedom of movement and action with respect to that which cannot properly be said to be any one entity's property.
Space is not the property of any one individual, any one corporation, any one alliance. Nor is it 'property in common', for that retains the notion that it is property at all.Space cannot be owned. Any given volume can only be transiently occupied by a given body. Any volume of space, no matter how small or large, not currently occupied is available to all.
This is a critical principle for those of us who live and work in space. The interests of the independent capsuleer are profoundly bound up in the notion of free movement and utilisation of space.Any notion of control of vast unoccupied swathes of empty space, of celestial borders, of police forces keeping the 'peace', of 'zones' of any kind whatever, should blare out like klaxons in the mind of the free capsuleer.
The independent capsuleer is sovereign in their own right and in the space that they immediately require to go about their business. They pass through it, sovereign and guest in the same nanometers and nanoseconds of space-time.Then they are gone and should expect neither to hold onto that space nor should they, in a rational world, expect to be denied open space. Sadly, we do not live in such a rational world.
But what is all this to the rest of humanity? Well, portions of humanity, fractions if you will, often considerable ones, have considered various forms of 'freespace' thinking to be in their interest in the past.Dig deep enough into the ancient and modern histories of the empires and you find movements with a deep concern for freedom of passage. Often you will find these movements crushed utterly by the tyrant governments of the core.As such movements typically have a deep concern for other freedoms: speech, association, conscience, etc, we should not be surprised that the likes of the Empire and the State behave appallingly.
However, we have seen essentially similar behaviour from the Federation and Republic in their time. All governments have a deep concern with circumscribing the freedoms of their 'citizens' and free movement is always a danger to those who rule.
Witness recent events. In the last year, months and now in the space of weeks and days, we have seen the unfolding of the most extraordinary happenings in the very centre of the empires.We have seen, and are seeing, such limited freedoms as there were in the empires, wither and crumble to ash in fires of demagoguery that even threaten to engulf all empires.We have seen the rise of arbitrary law, restrictions, protectionism, imprisonment and even death without proper trial. All humanity is threatened by the enclosurism of the old orders.
Therefore, Freespace should be a concern for all of humanity because it represents a basic freedom which, if it can reliably be exercised, signifies that in a major particular a given society is free.Freedom of movement, and its attendant freedoms of trade and association, are central to the ideology of Jericho Fraction and the wider Star Fraction alliance. We hold they should be central concerns for all.
We hope that this summit will go some way towards bringing more to see this, capsuleer and non-capsuleer alike. Human and Transhuman. We all should work for the promise of the future.This in essence, is all I wish to say but I will of course answer any questions that arise from the floor.
Without further ado, therefore, I declare this Freespace Summit OPEN for debate and the exchange of ideas.I also declare that the Freespace Race should start: NOW!
[Ugleb applauds]
[Ashar KorAzor nods to The Cosmopolite] A good beginning, Doctor.
Heartstone: I hereby open the floor to questions from anyone
Jade Constantine: Thank you Cosmo, excellent stuff
James Lyrus: Indeed, an excellent start
Jade Constantine: Good luck to all the racers!Fly fast and free and don't let the regressive dogs pin you down!
Ugleb: I do have a question. Do you consider the movement to be gaining ground over these past five years?
The Cosmopolite: Ugleb, a very pertinent question and my answer is, yes.Our opponents like to point to what they see as lack of 'concrete progress' or 'achievements in regions of space'.By which, they generally seem to mean that our movement has not yet subjugated entire star systems or planted our flags across two or three regions.
Ugleb: An interesting yard stick given the movement's aims, true.
The Cosmopolite: Also, the collapse of such ventures as the CFS are pointed to as evidence of the inevitable failure of freespace ideals.My feeling is that well-meaning as such policed or zoned 'freespace' ventures may be, they are always doomed to failure.I believe the movement has gained ground in the landscape of the mind.It is now much more widely realised that freespace must mean all space and any space where a free pilot chooses to fly.This is a significant gain in my view. I hope this deals with your question, Ugleb.
Ugleb: I believe it does, thank you.
Ashar KorAzor: You know, I don't think I've ever asked. But, ah, how did you come to be involved with the movement, Doctor?Mind, I'm not requesting minute details or sensitive, private information.
The Cosmopolite: Well now, that is too long a story to go into here. But, in essence, as a transhumanist, I believe that no one path to the future can reliably be trod without taking great risks.The glory of the freespace movement is that it naturally promotes diversity.
[The Cosmopolite waves a hand around the gathering.]
It was this diversity, this tolerance and welcoming of varied ideas, that first attracted me.Though I have been a political anarchist for much longer, I must admit.
[The Cosmopolite smiles]
Ashar KorAzor: Heh, fair enough.Seems I'm being an ill-mannered southerner. Let me ask you something else, then - which variations on the older freespacer and Fractionist creeds would you consider somewhat noteworthy? Might you briefly tell us of them?
The Cosmopolite: I fear a brief answer would be impossible. However...let me draw examples from our spaceborne milieu.The station-owners of the Intaki Syndicate are in many ways living out, quite practically, and in response to enormous pressure, a variant of the freespace ideal.The Great Caravans of the Thukker Tribe are also a testament to what is possible with freedom as the guiding impulse.Then there are capsuleer organisations of the past, too many to enumerate.I feel we may go beyond the scope of my speech though if we delve, ahem, too deeply into such histories.
Baninez Yarm: I have a question. Do you think there is room for less aggressive pursuit of Freespace ideals than your own or are those looking for a “quiet life” so to speak doomed to failure?
The Cosmopolite: This is a very interesting question. Very penetrating, in fact.I think there must be room for those who some may characterise as less aggressive than us because it may be that our approach, in itself, is not quite right.Indeed, the role we have chosen to take upon ourselves cannot, on due reflection, work in isolation. There must be come complementary relationship with those who seek to build for the future that we all must hope will come.My view, ultimately, is that both the sword and the ploughshare are needed, to paraphrase an old Amarrian verse.
Heartstone: Thank you one and all for your questions and thank you Cosmo for finding the time to answer them. Next up we have a lady who needs little introduction. One of the founding Members of Stimulus who split off from the Star Fraction last year. I give you Tatsue Nuko
[Tatsue Nuko smiles] Thank you, dear.
Tatsue Nuko: Many of you may already know me, but for those that do not I shall introduce myself: I am a political officer in the Stimulus Corporation.STIM, for short, considers itself part of the more revolutionary side of the freespace movement. We are revolutionaries, paramilitaries, saboteurs and take pride in being considered criminals by some.But in the end, this is not about me, nor my corporation. This is about all of us, even those serving the empires and frontier alliances, indeed even those still fettered to a planetary existence.
I am proud to be a freespacer, because I consider that we are a movement that for all its diversity - indeed arguably through its diversity - has begun the difficult task of seeing what humanity can do.As capsuleers we have the ability to spread like a vapour, be as ever present as the hydrogen gases of the stellar medium we inhabit. For we have come to conquer death.We are taking the first maiden steps into a reality where death is not much more than material damage.
We are moving into a technological singularity where not only do our machines allow us to do all that was previously impossible - we are transforming our very selves, our minds and our bodies.Thriving on the uncountably vast riches of space, we are no longer bound by the old territorial securities of old planet bound civilization - if compared to our lives it can even be considered a civilization?
But realizing that we do not need to protect and fence off our resources, since they are effectively infinite, limited only by our ambition to spread, causes a most dramatic realization, I am sure. It is: why in the name of the Maker's underpants are even our fellow capsuleers still struggling to control and fence off paltry bits of what is infinitely available to us all?Why limit the use of what cannot be drained? Why count millions of lives lost in those not yet invited to our beautiful existence to continue this senseless and vain practice in futility?
Well, there is a lot that can be said about the memes, the thought structures and cultural inheritance whose viral control compels so many to stay in the ways of their ancient ancestors.But it shall suffice to point out that it is all done by default. It is not done overnight, the rewriting of several millennia's worth of culture.It is the same process that prompts the child of the Gallente to so often grow into a supporter of whichever political power bloc their family held true to when they were children.And they truly are legion. Vastly outnumbering those that begin to see our new possibilities. default, however, makes our task so much easier.
It means that to win the minds of our peers, we need only teach one thing: that one should question everything. Especially all those things one takes for granted, for it is there that the virus of inherited thought will root itself.If we all focus on this one simple thing in all interactions with those bound by their defaults, and meet success, we shall be sure that everything else will follow.And even if they do not embrace our exact understanding and our exact way of life, we should celebrate, for we have seen a mind set free, a life take control of itself.
Remember as well, that when they may choose a different path, it might be that we ourselves might well still be entertaining some falsehoods. Practice what you preach, comrades, always.But what of those whose minds are hardened, those that will not be persuaded but indeed rather champion the path of the jailer, the imperialist, the loyalist?
Here, friends, is the inconvenient truth. The necessity which we must never shy away from. If we allow them to continue, if we suffer them and theirs to live and act as they please, if we stay our hand in the name of pity, then shame befall us, for we are gambling with the future of humanity. All of humanity.
We must realize that to willingly allow them to do as they please, to set up their petty fiefdoms or castrate their still baseline populations in their slaveries, is complete betrayal.
Our duty as free captains, freespacers, our duty to our future inheritance, demands that we fully commit to any sacrifice that is necessary. For unless we, still a minority, fully commit so, we will lose.And if we lose, this practical speciation event that is occurring, will be pointless, futile, and horrible to behold.
Brothers, sisters, comrades, let us all make certain that everything we do is a deed towards the better, grand or small, sublime or dramatic. No cost is too great when everything is at stake.
Heartstone: Thank you for those words my dear Ms. Nuko. I now open the floor to any questions they may have for the self-proclaimed criminal [Grins]
[Tatsue Nuko chuckles]
Kai Zion: Yes, I had a question, if I may.
Tatsue Nuko: Of course you may, Miss Zion.
Kai Zion: You claim to have "conquered death".[Grins] Quite a statement, Ms Nuko. Quite a statement indeed.Are you simply dressing up an appreciation of cloning technology and related possibilities in grand statements, or do you acknowledge that there is much work yet to be done, until we truly achieve what you claim to have?
Tatsue Nuko: Well, an interesting query.
Kai Zion: Of particular interest to me, dear.
Tatsue Nuko: I think that the important part to realize is that a complete and one hundred percent "vaccine" against death is impossible. There are plenty of things that can happen even after several further centuries of development.But to revel in that would mean that one also makes the whole concept pointless - it will say nothing and therefore cannot be used.So I would say that yes, there are many, many things that are left to done in related technologies, but even if we "only" elevate all of humanity to our present state, it really is a quantum leap forward.
Kai Zion: Of that much, we both are in agreement.
[Kai Zion smiles.] I'll leave it there, perhaps another time I can question how you've come to know the limits of what is and isn't possible.
[Tatsue Nuko smirks] Well, I do not of course, but if there are other questions I could return to it with you someplace private, later, perhaps.
Heartstone: Is there any more questions for Ms. Nuko
Ugleb: It was an interesting presentation, in some aspects it seemed more of a liberal stance, in others not.Do you have a view on that Tatsue?
Tatsue Nuko: Hmm... Well...I must confess this is the first time I can remember that someone accused me of having a liberal stance...
[Ugleb smiles]
Tatsue Nuko: Mayhap you could specify it a slight bit?
Ugleb: It was your comment on tolerating those who choose a different way of life that caught my eye.
Tatsue Nuko: Ah, yes, I see what you mean.Basically, I regard it as a direct consequence of the idea that everything should be questioned.So if someone makes a choice in defence of freedom that I do not agree with, I cannot condemn it solely on the basis that I disagree.Similarly though, I suspect that the... em... less liberal stances...They are a consequence of my view of what is at stake, which I would say is nothing smaller than the future of the entire humanity.When odds are so great it becomes difficult to defend abstinence from some actions that to others might seem... excessive.
Ugleb: So true.
Heartstone: Any further questions for Ms. Nuko before we go to our next speaker?
Heartstone: In which case may I introduce a good friend of Star Fractions Ugleb of the Ushra'Khan Council.
Ugleb: Brothers and Sisters, Firstly I would like to thank Heartstone for inviting the Ushra'khan to speak amongst this group of experimental theorists. It is a rare occasion that brings us away from the battlefield to debate such topics."Ushra'khan"; it stands for freedom of all. Every man and woman in this galaxy should be free to choose his or her own destiny.Once the institutions of slavery are broken then, and only then, the Ushra'khan can rest. This is the only goal that we pursue.
Let us reflect on our history in moving to the Providence region and how this relates to the freespace movement.Our move to the region was instigated by two main events. Firstly the expansion of territory controlled by the CVA via the Misaba-R3 pipe.We wished to place a war zone between them and the three other entry points into Providence and thus cut off their growth.The expansion of a strong Amarr loyalist organisation to propagate the Amarrian ethic of slavery was and remains unacceptable to us.
Secondly, we wanted a place of refuge from the corruption of the Republic spread by Midular and her cronies.Over time it had become increasingly apparent that the Republic was in the hands of weaker leadership bent on a policy of Amarrian appeasement.
The Insorum prototype, which now held hope for all Matari suffering under the Vitoc Method, was repeatedly ignored by the Republic government despite all of our efforts.It was in Providence that we began our greatest work to fulfill the hope of Insorum and developed our infrastructure to support our independent research.
Out there we re-trained former slaves and took in those fleeing the Republic such as by offering safe harbor to the Defiants.We laid the foundations of Unity Station and lit a beacon of freedom and independence against oppression and opened its gates wide.Our intention was never to become a sovereign power but of course for practical purposes it was necessary to put our name on the map.
The history of Ushra'khan has always been one of only attacking our enemies and this continued when we moved from Ammamake to Providence. We welcomed those who moved to the region and allowed anyone to stake a claim to the territory.We built up a successful anti-pirate network and made a clear division between our fight against slavery and our fight against the CVA, who are but a single facet of the problem. We respected the right of others to remain neutral.
The anti pirate coalition moved into full swing when Unity station was attacked by the pirate forces led by the Establishment. ISS, who at one time also operated a "freespace policy", came to our aid.Throughout these times there were always difficulties. People would "claim" systems as their own for bounty hunting. Indeed Ushra'khan would ask others to move on if others came to seek bounties in a system already being hunted.
Given that we provided the majority of the defence network and the systems were protected under our banner, this seemed fair.On some occasions complete unknowns would try to put up structures in Ushra'Khan held space. If no communications were forthcoming then these were usually attacked by a fully Ushra'Khan force until removed or destroyed.This was done for security purposes, once proper discussions were held then the towers could be erected. Clearly we did not want allies of the CVA to set up in the war zone, which happened on a number of occasions.
This period of open space lasted for over a year and only ended once Ushra'Khan installations had been removed from Providence and we commenced the controversial "Burn Providence" campaign.We still consider all pilots operating within Providence to be collaborators and unless we have registered a pilot as an ally they will be shot on sight if found within the war zone.
One interesting observation is that our policies in Providence did us no good whatsoever when it came to fighting the CVA threat. When their forces came a mere handful of local allies from the region assisted; in fact many joined the CVA side.Whereas the Ushra'Khan respected the neutrality of its neighbors in regards to our own goals, others expected us to modify our own goals to suit their interests.
The ultimatum presented to us was to abandon an ally sharing our common foe, or have a supposedly neutral entity turn against us.The lesson of Providence is that for freespace to work, all residing within that space must accept the neutrality of those around them. When one imposes his own interests upon a neighbor, order unravels.
In closing I would state that, for us, the experiment ended in failure. It brought few benefits to the Ushra'Khan, however we all felt and still feel it was the right thing to do. It fits our moral code.We continue to operate the same policies elsewhere but in Providence a more stringent line was perhaps required.
Today we go on as we always have and maintain our one true aim; to work for the benefit of our lost people and the freedom they deserve. Such has been our experience, may others learn from it as we have.
Heartstone: Thank you Ugleb. Does anyone have any questions for our speaker from U'K?
Baninez Yarm: A somewhat out of place question here maybe but what is the Ushra'Khan's position on the Thukker Tribe and the associated Caravans of the Thukker people?
Jade Constantine: Thank you Ugleb, well spoken my friend
Ugleb: We are ardent supporters of Thukker tribe independence. The Republic's interference in their affairs is unwarranted.It is Matari nature to wander freely.That is at the core of my own freespace sympathies as there is a natural parallel between us.
Baninez Yarm: Thank you for that Eldar Ugleb
Heartstone: Next question then for Ugleb
Ugleb: Please, I use no title. I do not find much need of one in truth.
Tatsue Nuko: Ugleb, what would you consider the greatest threat to your cause today, if you would also speculate on what might happen through the mounting tensions of these days?
Ugleb: The greatest threat? I would say that the prime obstacle remains the Amarr Empire and it's state religion.Generation after generation is raised according to ethics endorsing subjugation. The impact of that is immense.It permeates even capsuleer society with a strength that is difficult to overcome excepting a few who have been able to reject it.As for current events, well it is hard to judge.I am encouraged by some thing I see, dismayed at others.We certainly live in turbulent times and it is up to us to find our way through it.
The Cosmopolite: Ugleb, I thank you for and understand your words regarding the 'Burn Providence' policy but I wonder if you would compare it with the rather sad success of the CVA's faux-freespace policies and the difficulty you had in countering those deceptions.Prior to the fall of the station Karishal's Defiance there was not so much 'tactical' distinction between us.Some neighboring entities were able to freely move and trade across Providence with similar assurances of security.The problem stems from the need of our organisation to take battle into Amarr loyalist space.As we were the offensive force it was possible for the enemy to portray us in negative terms and erode support.
The 'Burn Providence' policy was instituted following the fall of Unity station and not before. At this point we had already been abandoned by the neighboring groups or they had been forced out along side us.Those left had decided to side with the CVA and so forfeited neutrality. The response was quite simple in the scenario.
The difficulty then becomes keeping your own justifications in public view, a difficult task when those you must reach are primarily interested in reaping profits, not in ideal of freedom.
Heartstone: Okay thanks for the questions and thanks for the answers.Moving on we have the CEO of the newest part of the Star Fraction. His Corp has been involved with the construction of “freeports” under the ISS Banner in the past. I give you James Lyrus.
James Lyrus: Thank you Heartstone.May I just say, it's a pleasure to be here, and flying under the banner of the illustrious Star Fraction no less.
The ISS was formed in the early days, as a way of Starbase Operators to fly a common flag. It was a way to negotiate under a common banner mutually beneficial deals with existing space controlling entities.We sought free space in practice, and were prepared to use economics to open the door. We'd offer revenue, infrastructure and trade, in return for recognition that the 'old way' wasn't always the 'good way'.
The outpost construction projects were a means to an end. They were aimed to provide a way to develop free trade in previously underused constellations and regions. I'm going to focus on Marginis, as the first outpost built as part of this project, it’s also one I hold a certain amount of affection for. It wasn't quite the first such installation commissioned, but it was fairly close.
By the end of the project, in Catch there were two outposts - Marginis and Tycho (KDF-GY and ZXIC-7 respectively). Providence has Consido and Fabrica, in IS-R7P. In the North was built Borealis, in P-2TTL. Later EC-P8R was purchased and named Cassini.There were also two 'private' outpost construction projects for the then Lotka Volterra. These were Calico in C3-0YD, and Serenity in KW-OAM. Marginis was our first outpost built. In the system of KDF-GY, a crossroads between regions.
The idea was to provide an outpost that was free to all to come and trade, and all that one needed to do was put aside differences long enough to do so.Sitting was very important in picking where Marginis was to be built. It was quite deliberately to be placed in an area which only held value for being a travel route.ISS was not militaristic in its nature. The best defense was thought to be in providing something no one else could, and literally in not making it worth the effort to take and hold.
And so in KDF-GY, Marginis was built. The system was sited to be a stopping point on a journey into deep space, and allow for people to come and trade without having to make the often dangerous last few jumps to CONCORD coverage.KDF-GY is a 3 moon system, which at the time was strategically very useful. This was a time before the dreadnought class ships had entered service, and so taking sovereignty either required starbase superiority, or a main force battleship assault.
As I'm sure anyone who's been involved in a POS assault knows, that's no small undertaking.The active defenses of Marginis were primarily in the form of the ISSN. A group of pilots who were a funded fighting force, with a mandate to protect free trade.The secondary defense was to solicit investment far and wide - a shareholder can attack, but at cost of their investment. It also granted a profit based motive to rally to help - the outpost paid dividends, and therefore there was at least a measure of value in assisting with intelligence and defense.
The investment was structured such that the sum total of the outpost revenue for the month, was paid out in full to the shareholders. There were a few very fuzzy estimates of what the return on investment might be, but as a brand new concept ...well, at best it was a guess.
Over the course of its lifespan, Marginis did actually end up at break even. The other projects didn't do quite as well, but most received final payments as part of a handover deal.Back when we started though, we really had no idea what we were letting ourselves in for.Prior to doing this, ISS were ... shall we say holding a reputation as somewhat small time, and non-militaristic.Some might also say that it never quite shifted that reputation.
KDF-GY became a very popular pirate venue, and patrolling the routes to empire remained a continuous challenge for the ISSN. Trade was light, but steady. It received a massive boost early on, from an arranged outpost seeding by NAGA.Longer term though, it never really managed to flourish. The problem is that whilst a Gallente outpost made money from the offices, and the limited station services, it just wasn't anywhere near as profitable as a refinery would have been.Nor was it feasible to manufacture in situ in scale with only 4 factories, and no refinery available.
But it remained a difficult challenge - something valuable, would also be something that had strategic value, and the concept of a free outpost is one that automatically fails if you start getting into the territorial 'ugh my stuff' chest beating. Which, as I'm sure you'll be aware, is what happened.
Marginis was attacked by IAC eventually. We believe out of a fit of pique by Tyrrax Thorrk having broken his toy in the form of the Imperial Apocalypse in an alliance tournament.There were some pre-existing tensions between IAC and ISS prior to that, and a gradually escalating 'spite fighting' that hadn't quite broken out into hostilities.But regardless, it was on this day that Marginis failed - no matter the outcome of the war, it had failed in its underlying mission - to prove that free and neutral could be done.
Our contingency plan was invoked - which was to call upon some long standing friends. The response was overwhelming - MC and LV and ISS turned out in force, with what at the time was the largest capital ship that had been seen. Even today, some 80 capitals, several motherships and a titan is a force to be reckoned with.
The IAC home systems were assaulted by main force, and ... well, sadly though, nothing could really be done to restore the status quo - once one neighbor has betrayed another, there can never be a true resumption of normality.In the process though, we learned a lot. Some of it good, some of it bad.
I think something similar couldn't really exist again, with the galaxy the way it is today.The enclosurist mentality of 'anyone in your space is a threat' will always end up turning away those who wish to trade in peace.That doesn't mean it's impossible though. Just ... hard.
If I had to do it all over again though, I think there were a few things to definitely be learned.The first was the ISSN. They were a great bunch of pilots. Enthusiastic, and willing. But I also think they were the worst mistake the alliance made - they became a crutch, they became the ones that held the line, against the encroachment of night.
It's very hard to maintain a viable fighting force, when you're asking them to do that, and can essentially never fund them to the full extent that would be desired.The second was the security model. Realistically, a 'no fire zone' was never practicably enforceable. Trade had to flow, but that trade also provides a long chain of goodies for pirates to be going after.But at the same time, the 'police force' were effectively neutered by a passive not red, don't shoot policy.Either was difficult, both at once were almost impossible.
I don't know how it could be done in the current day and age of EVE. About the only way I think it could really be done is having an aggressive entity asserting a 'null' claim on space. Asserting that a particular constellation, and travel pipe are free to all, and actively engaging anyone who tries to disagree.It would be expensive and intensive, and would tie a force down, but I think it could be made workable. It'd take a lot of effort though, and there's no guarantee it would be accepted as anything more than a territorial alliance asserting their territorial claim.
Heartstone: Thanks for that enlightening look into the Freeports of ISS James. I open the floor to questions.
Ashar KorAzor: This is something of a tangent, but I suppose I'll go ahead with it.
James Lyrus: Please do
Ashar KorAzor: Captain Lyrus, did you have any experience with the ISS project focusing on viability-testing the Caravan Fleets concept?
James Lyrus: I was involved with some of the initial discussion and planning. I never got to see them deployed.
Ashar KorAzor: Care to share a few of your thoughts on how possible caravan fleets are in the current nullsec climate?
James Lyrus: Hmm.It's hard to say. I think I have to say probably not. With the advent of freely available jumpdrive technology, the roving caravan is a lot less viable than it was.
Ashar KorAzor: I sort of got 'novel but unnecessary' out of them, even though we have jump freighters now, unless one has prearranged deals. Though their appeal is enormous.
James Lyrus: There is certainly an appeal there, but I think they're more something that would sell on 'novelty value' rather than practical need.
James Lyrus: Does that approximately answer your question?
Baninez Yarm: If I may interject?
James Lyrus: Certainly.
Ashar KorAzor: I suppose, insofar as it may be as applied to the scale the Count tried to establish the concept at. Well, never having gotten my arm shoulder deep into a POS network, or station management, I'll de3fer to your judgment
.
Baninez Yarm: The Dawn's Light Caravan uses the jump drive technology of our ships to circumvent the traditional dangers of a trading caravan. With the technology we now posses we can move our entire fleet in the blink of an eye
James Lyrus: Do you find it worth your effort to mobilise and live somewhere though? Or do you find it's more of a deliver your trade, and leave again situation?
Baninez Yarm: The caravan manages to not only survive in this age of jumpdrives but prospers further than we ever have before.
Ashar KorAzor: I am afraid that we are likely referring to different things.
Baninez Yarm: It is a traditional way of life first and foremost for us but the ability to not be located anywhere makes us less vulnerable to attacks and bolsters our defenses.
Ashar KorAzor: The Caravan Fleets project was a late large-scale carrier fleet aiming to live continuously in hostile space proposed by an ISS executive.I doubt even the bravest Thukker fleet intends to live in inhospitable climes from the get-go.
Baninez Yarm: In which case Ms. KorAzor I apoologise for interrupting your thread.
James Lyrus: I'm not so sure hostile space was quite the purpose.Actively jumping a 'caravan' into NOL-M9 wouldn't have worked very well I feel [Smiles]
Ashar KorAzor: It's fine, captain. The natural extension of the argument would touch on your take on the concept, but that's really a discussion for another time. Perhaps you should speak at the next freespace meet about it, I think the topic of nomadic life deserves its ten minute speech.
James Lyrus: I would be inclined to agree Ashar
Ugleb: James, how respectful did you find other organisations to be of the ISS freespace zones?
Ashar KorAzor: I apologize, please continue.
James Lyrus: It's something I like, but ... well, yes.Ugleb, I found several organisations to be remarkably polite and respectful.However the vast majority were more ...well, treated it as a piñata.A natural consequence of not having to declare affiliations widely, - the hostile could afford to raid with impunity, because someone who wasn't flying their flag could service every need they likely needed.It wasn't uncommon to have industrial support corps operating there, who were known associates of '-10s'. Do you think that answers you question Ugleb?
Ugleb: Certainly a conflict of interest there. Yes it does thank you.
James Lyrus: My pleasure
The Cosmopolite: If I may?
James Lyrus: Please do
The Cosmopolite: As one who has followed ISS since its inception, I, like yourself, know that at one time early on it was the stated policy of the ISS that it would not involve itself in outpost building, considering it the business of territorial alliances.That policy was quickly overturned, as we all know, and ISS became, in however small a way, in its own terms, a territorial alliance. Some of us wondered how it would end at the time?
James Lyrus: Ooh, that's an interesting point.I think back in the early day, our aspirations were small scale.
The Cosmopolite: Do you think this decision almost inevitably led to events that transpired some 12 months later?
[The Cosmopolite nods]
James Lyrus: Bottom line, yes I do.But it's more complicated than that I think.We started out small, with modest hopes and aspirations.The problem we quickly found is the prevailing opinion of 'why bother' to allow neutrals into space, when they could be firing first.So I feel that if ISS hadn't changed model, it would never have amounted to much at all.Maybe that was arrogance.Maybe it was better to burn brightly and fade.
History I think answers clearly. A bright message across the skies is remembered longer than a quiet song that no one hears.
The Cosmopolite: Thank you for your candour.
[Kai Zion nods] Mmm, well put. I like that.
Heartstone: Okay well thanks for your candour indeed James.If there are no more questions?
I now have the pleasure to introduce the Abbess Ashar KorAzor
Ashar KorAzor: Thank you, freecaptain Heartstone, and thank you as well for your efforts in organizing this and getting the Interstellar Correspondents to attend.Some of you may know me, and to you I say, greetings, I hope you are doing well, and I'll pay back that loan when next my projects come to fruition.
[Heartstone bows]
Ashar KorAzor: To the rest of you - no need to worry about the specter of that certain Empire; I am an Amarrian in the sense of the people, and a transhumanist through and through. Look me up if you must, as though my record can be a bit dull...well, it does speak for itself.
I feel we've had a rather interesting conference today. We have heard from a medical practitioner who actually advances transhumanity more or less actively if the rumors are true, and from a radical more staunch in her pursuit of active opposition to...the establishment than most Fractionists might claim to be, at times, and from a member of a prominent caste of station-building industrialists, and from a militant in service to his people.
But it seems that in examining history, we are, thankfully, not of one mind when it comes to things like transhumanity and freespace as elements of baseline societies.We seem quite sure that we'd like our planetbound relations to advance, and our brethren among the capsuleer class, insofar as it exists, to come into their own and join us in considering the finer points of memetics, and the rather infinite nature...of our resources, and the scope afforded our actions by our infinite lifestyles.
Yet we are strangely hesitant when it comes to how they are to integrate with us, and find ourselves facing large numbers of them at the other end of a barrel.I can offer few good, lasting solutions to as complex a problem as this, but I do have some food for thought. There are a few observations I'd like to make about culture and cultural elements, especially ones a few of our illustrious hosts might go so far as to find regressive.
[Ashar KorAzor smiles at Jade] Which in some cases is not an untruthful assessment.
[Jade Constantine grins]
Ashar KorAzor: First, it should be noted that I am rather concerned with preserving those portions of culture, memetics, and knowledge in general that would be of some use if the experiment we're pursuing manages to succeed.It is hard to deny that such things are useful. To a certain extent, memetics is all we are. To a certain extent, knowledge is still a priceless thing, insufficient to explaining our existence.The astronomical anomaly in this very system should be proof of that - unless someone here would like to take me aside later and explain what the hell's going on in there.
And I doubt even the U'K speaker, who might oppose some of the leading factions my people follow to the last, would suggest that it'd be fine if the culture of his people and mine were completely wiped out.But what assurance do we have that these things are of any use?
Let us consider this - the most repressive government of the cluster, arguably, is that which controls my homelands. And yet it was barely months after Amarrians began to be issued capsuleers licenses...that they began to consider radical transhumanism
[Ashar KorAzor nods at The Cosmopolite] Excepting the obvious example, we might think of certain members of Oberon Incorporated. Which is a corporation so old and obscure now that they are remembered less than Oracle.Less than a year after the great diaspora in 105 EST, a friend of mine by the name of Vera Liskrii - a Ni-Kunni, born and bred in the Empire - began developing a theory of Amarrian transhumanism.
We have had example after example of such developments over the last five years alone, and far more if we include similar tendencies from earlier. And I must admit guilt in formulating similar theories, though they're quite another discussion.Perhaps I'll be able to touch on them next year.
The point, however, fellow pilots, is this - we must be careful, as my fellow speakers said, to question and to practice foresight - we were not given greater resources to squander them, least of all though inaction.But we must be just as careful to use what we have as best we can, or we may inflict such collateral damage on the humans and transhumans we wish to salvage that we become merely a failed singularity.Or, worse yet, an unsympathetic one.
I would leave you with that.Think on it in your travels. May it be of some use.
James Lyrus: Thank you.
Jade Constantine: Thank you Ashar
Heartstone: Thanks you very much for you words Abbess
Ashar KorAzor: Anytime.
Heartstone: Now I open the floor to questions
The Cosmopolite: Most interesting, as always.
Ashar KorAzor: I try.You owe me a drink for letting your drones hang out, by the by, Doctor.Are there any questions?
Ugleb: Abbess, you appear to have concerns that we face cultural eradication - why is that?
Ashar KorAzor: Not quite. I merely dislike the rising meme supporting it to an extent.It's something to bear in mind as one goes out to engage the forces of “regressivism”, as it were. We have a horrid track record, all of us, human, transhuman, whatever, when it comes to restraint.
Kai Zion: That is a good point.
Ashar KorAzor: I don't know if that's a satisfactory answer, but the specifics are rather complex. Would you care to ask something else, or have I responded suitably?
Ugleb: No that is a good clarification.
[Ashar KorAzor nods]
Ashar KorAzor: Might I ease the curiosities of any other parties?
Kai Zion: Yes, if I can quickly.
[Ashar KorAzor puts on an ironic smile] We've some time, I think. Go ahead.
Kai Zion: Sometimes we cannot predict the outcomes of our actions, yet we know, or perhaps simply believe to know, that they are the right ones to take. How would you say we act with restraint then?
Ashar KorAzor: You're talking about, what, gut feelings? Guesses? Hunches, and acting on them?I'd say you keep your wits about you when on such flights of fancy, and try to cause as small a mess as possible, and try and remember when to stop. I'm afraid I can't comment on an abstract question concerning abstracts further than that.
Kai Zion: Mmmm...very well. Perhaps we can discuss specifics some other time.
The Cosmopolite: Abbess, let me ask you this...
Ashar KorAzor: Yes, Doctor?
The Cosmopolite: There is a certain subset of the capsuleer population that feels we, that is all capsuleers, should make every effort to detach ourselves from human baseline society and somehow hide ourselves in a far off part of the universe.
Ashar KorAzor: Yeah, those guys are a 'hoot.' What about them?
[Kai Zion chuckles]
The Cosmopolite: Given the importance you appear to attach to cultural continuity of some kind, I wondered what your view on the merits and indeed practicality of such a project might be.
Ashar KorAzor: The end of that particular story, for me, goes like this - a capsuleer has immense potential. Not merely in some high-concept exercise of memetics and revolution and the stuff of holoreel entertainment.We are perhaps the most potent force for creation and destruction. We build capital fleets; we sink them. Baselines are involved, but we concentrate these tasks and do far more per capita.
We are the proverbial butterfly that, with a flutter of its wings, will cause the windstorm to mount and gather.And because of that, out of fear, we should run off and seclude ourselves away?What a horrid waste of potential. What a letdown, what a thing to regret.
It's not even enough that we'd cop out like fearful children, that we wouldn't give collaboration one large-scale shot. We'd then get to regret something we didn't do, as opposed to something we actually fouled up.Seems a good way to waste millennia to me, Doctor. Honestly, what would the Jove think?I'd better ask if that was a substantial answer before I get preachy.
The Cosmopolite: To the point, my dear, and quite adequate.
Heartstone: Are there any more questions for the Abbess before we go to our last speaker?
Ashar KorAzor: Don't push it or it may become two drinks.
Heartstone: In that case without further ado I present you the “Light of the Freespace”, the shining star for the last 5 years in this universe the one and only Jade Constantine.
Jade Constantine: Thank you Heartstone, you really are too kind.
Anyway I'm going to be bringing this event to a close before announcing the results of the great freespace race so first off some words.
[Jade Constantine grins]
Well it’s been five years today since the first free-spacers of Jericho Fraction went to space in the last great frontier and this bold adventure in the evolution of mankind, five years since we asserted our independence over the baseline nations. Five years since we seized control of our own destiny and brought our minds and idealism to the task of freeing ourselves from the binding chains of nationalist dirtside delusion and all that rot.
In that time we've seen hopes burn brightly only to fade to ashes in the field of war. We've seen idealism corrupted; we've seen the finest intentions twisted to the petty evils of xenophobia and territorial control. We have become killers ourselves; we have slaughtered millions of crewmen bound to the service of nationalist and proto-nationalist space tyrannies. We have devoted our energies and the struggle never ends.
Some of our brothers and sisters have despaired and fallen from the stars to dwell with lickspittle tyrants as bully-boys and slaves and others have simply fallen to cynicism and dulled sensation to silence their dreams.Even I have had my dark moments, in the betrayal of ideals in Venal, in the fall of the NVA, in the outcomes of war to break faith and trust. In the deserts of Curse and wastelands of the south, sometimes the song of freedom is very faint.
But hope remains. Ideas are immortal. And idealism cannot be crushed by the jackboot of territorial suppression. Our posthuman existence is the promise of resistance and rebellion incarnate. We cannot be killed, neither can our dreams.
We have seen soldiers turned to liberators, we have seen slaves free themselves, we have seen traders flourish and warriors fight not for the commands of stronger men, but for dream of freedom itself and the glory of independence.The freespace movement is not a single battle or an all-or-nothing last stand in the twilight of aspiration. It is a campaign, it’s a cause, and it’s the siren-song of yearning and desire for a better future.
We walk a road to glory on the dust of a thousand defeats and each moment of failure is more beautiful than a lifetime of territorialist conceit. We are immortal, our ideas cannot be slain.
So what has been achieved? Some will ask, others will demand "where are the freespace alliances, where are the freeport stations, where is the hope from this striving? Where are the heroes of this revolution?
I can only smile and feel a brand of pride burning in my heart to see so many through the years remaining true to the hope for better times to come and better dreams to lift our hearts.Our war is not a campaign of road-blockers and petty robber barons, it’s not a war of control towers and sovereignty, it’s not scored on cyno-jammers and bridges, it has nothing to do with control and domination.
Our war is the war of ideas and bright allure of hope and brightling dreams. Our victories are counted every day we do not slip to the morass of mediocrity and submissive adherence to blind NBSI and clockwork territorialism.
Our truest victory is in perseverance and keeping the beacon of hope alive. We have fought across the length and breadth of the New Eden Star Cluster and strived with every breath to grasp freedom and independence across the tapestry of stars.
So you ask "where are the heroes of this revolution" and I say to you. Look no further than your own names and dreams ahead. Every free-captain, every independent, every pilot who refuses to bow and scrape and kiss the boots of hierarchy.These are our heroes. These are our victories and this war will be won in a million flashpoints in personal choice and idealism across the face of stars without number.
The Freespace movement is yours. It always has been. It always will be.And it’s my great pleasure to bring this summit to a close with a toast to you all:
Freedom my friends, freedom above all, freedom before death, and freedom in all things, lets this be our oath and our faith and all the reason we need to strive and embrace the true legacy of our race transcendent!
[Ugleb raises Khumaak]
Heartstone: Cheers everyone and here's to another 5 years.
James Lyrus: Thank you.
[Tatsue Nuko smiles] Very well spoken, comrade.
Ashar KorAzor: Very nice, Madam Constantine. Who, uh...won the race?
[Kovid grins]
[Baninez Yarm raises his cup of Shar]
Jade Constantine: Now then, to the great freespace race. I have to announce it took about 2 hours…to visit 126 systems. Through some of the most notorious NBSI strongholds on the frontier
[The Cosmopolite lifts a glass in appreciation of the speech and listens for the winners]
Jade Constantine: …and that the end 13 seconds separated 1st and 2nd place!Victory goes to Khanid Voltar of the Star Fraction flying a Malediction-class interceptor and second place goes to Tareen Kashaar of the Star Fraction flying a Cheetah-class covert ops frigate, with a worthy third place (after getting blown up and reshipping) going to Sakura Nihil of Stimulus in an Ares (and then finishing the race in a crusader).
Ugleb: Well done pilots.
Ashar KorAzor: Congratulations.
Kai Zion: Congratulations indeed, not a journey I could undertake myself.
Natalcya Katla: Impressive.
Baninez Yarm: Well done indeed
Jade Constantine: So congratulations true free captains for laughing in the face of territorial conceit, making mockery of those borders and claims and showing we truly do not restrict our travels against the tapestry of stars. Well done!
[Tareen Kashaar bows] It was quite exciting until the end.
[Khanid Voltar bows] Thank you fellow Free-Captains
[Sakura Nihil speaks for the first time in the summit] I need a shower. [Smirks]
Jade Constantine: And with that ladies and gents, honored guests and free captains - I'll formally close proceedings and thank you all for coming to the first Freespace Summit and hope you'll all come back to the next ones!
[Ashar KorAzor grins] Freecaptain Nihil is so good at sharing.
Jade Constantine: Come and take a bow Heartstone.
[Sakura Nihil rolls her eyes playfully at Ashar]
[Tareen Kashaar hastens to add] It might interest the reporters to know that Sakura had a very solid lead until she got blown up in a malicious gatecamp.
Ashar KorAzor: Heh. Round of applause for Heartstone, though?
Sakura Nihil: Eh, you and Voltar did good, was only about 20 jumps from AZN before they got me. But yes, Heart!
[The Cosmopolite raises a glass to Heartstone]Please join us in thanking the tireless organiser of both this Summit and the Race; Heartstone!
Jade Constantine: Yep applause and best thanks for the organizer! (Which in anarchist communities takes some doing.) [Grins]
Heartstone: Thank you all for attending this, the first Freespace Summit. It is my fond hope that these summits will promote understanding of our respective causes and help us to work together closer.
[Tareen Kashaar applauds as well, still tired from the journey]
[Heartstone bows]
[Baninez Yarm raises his glass again]
[Kai Zion bows her head deeply] Yes, thank you Heartstone, a unique opportunity you've afforded us, on a most unique day.
Ashar KorAzor: Who's for home ports and La Maison?
[Sakura Nihil fades out, hopefully unnoticed]
Tatsue Nuko: Would it be a breach of form and decor if I save the applause and substitute it with some wholly other actions later, dear Heartstone?
Heartstone: I am sure my good wife Eva may object Ms. Nuko…I hope everyone found this event fun and if anyone wishes to talk further the Star Fraction intends to set up a diplomatic exchange channel for those Freespace organisations. Please contact me for details
Tatsue Nuko: Yeah... There is always wives...
Kai Zion: Right, well, thank you once again, all of you. I'm off to compose a few more questions on various things. You can expect much prying on Galnet and elsewhere.
[Kai Zion flickers out with a smile]
Heartstone: Goodbye one and all.
Jade Constantine: good night everyone and thanks for coming
