The Scope's Galactic Hour with Ret Gloriaxx brings your roundup of the latest news from around the cluster, as more military HQs are built up while new "Shipcaster Technology" emerges and new Stellar Transmuter construction begins.
Above: EDENCOM Stellar Monitoring Facility, Yulai system
Report on Research Project into Caldari "Shipcaster Technology" Leaks from CONCORD/EDENCOM Taskforce
Yulai, Genesis – A secret report into a Caldari "Shipcaster Technology" research project has leaked from a joint taskforce, once again throwing the embattled institutions of CONCORD and EDENCOM into controversy and disarray. Authored by a group made up of members of CONCORD's AG12 Office and EDENCOM's Stellar Monitoring Directorate, the report outlines an effort to "ascertain" the technological developments pursued by the Caldari State since the discovery of EDENCOM and Triglavian facilities in Athounon.
The report's most startling findings claim that: "Caldari State technologists have made major progress towards utilizing a key Triglavian technology that has the capability of unlimited range deployment of assets with potentially pinpoint precision. While the Caldari program does not appear to have overcome the enormous spoiling factors inherent to planetary gravity wells, and seems unlikely to be able to do so for some time, we assess their progress as having mastered the theory sufficiently that relatively large assets, such as spaceships, might be projected to set locations over interstellar distances, without regard for cynosural jammers and other counter-jump defenses. The Caldari have designated this element of the program as an 'Interstellar Shipcaster'."
The extensive report also describes the history of the secret EDENCOM facility in orbit of Athounon V, and the efforts of the organization to penetrate Triglavian facilities on the surface of that planet and recover technology. A brief precis of events indicates EDENCOM efforts at monitoring and infiltration were met with an "extreme response" from Triglavian forces, but also describes an energetic orbital event, apparently triggered by EDENCOM counter-attacks, that disrupted both sides and led to a mutual retreat by EDENCOM and Triglavian forces.
The report also alleges that Caldari forces attracted by reports of the conflict and disruptive phenomenon, took advantage of the situation to "seize EDENCOM property and data" in an act that led directly to the Serthoulde Campaign and the Caldari State's successful campaign to recover Triglavian relay data. Notably, the report indicates that AG12 – formally the SCC's Interstellar Technology Sharing Audit and Inspection Office – used agents of the DED's Warranted Regulation of Interstellar Technology Sharing (WRITS) unit to "facilitate acquisition of relevant Caldari State data and ascertain progress on this sanctioned field of technology."
The Caldari State's Chief Executive Panel has reacted with fury to the revelation that WRITS agents were "spying on vital State research programs under the guise of EDENCOM co-operation protocols" and has formally lodged a protest with the full CONCORD Assembly. The CEP has also issued a directive to the Caldari Business Tribunal authorizing seizure of all identifiable WRITS assets within the Caldari State "by any and all State-registered corporations as agents of the Chief Executive Panel".
Above: Alleged Amarr Stellar Transmuter Construction Site, Ohide system
Amarr Empire Construction Site at Ohide Star Reported to be Stellar Transmuter
Ohide, Devoid – A new Amarr Stellar Transmuter is under construction at a site around the blue A0 class star of the Ohide system, according to reports from the system. With Ohide located close by the Amarr-Minmatar militia warzone and the newly-declared HQ of "Combined Fleet Group Damius", it appears as though the Amarr Empire is determined to press ahead with its efforts to exploit and militarize the Stellar Transmuter technology tested by them in Egmar, Vard, and catastrophically in Turnur.
Captain Marshal Sirdan xer Qosh has reportedly received full backing to pursue Stellar Transmuter and ancillary technologies from Empress Catiz I, despite reports of misgivings among the ranks of the Royal Heir Families. Since the Triglavian Invasions and the acquisition of Stellar Transmuter technology by Amarr exploitation of the captured Arshat transmuter, Imperial policy has shifted dramatically towards increasing militancy and a steady ratcheting of expansionist rhetoric.
Once thought to be the epitome of the strategy of "Divine Patience", Empress Catiz has shifted gears from a mercantile diplomacy-oriented leader to preside over an Amarr Empire that has made huge strides to rebuild its fleets, recruit new legions, and re-arm a war machine aimed at accelerating a new "Reclaiming". Made fully responsible for defense of their own vast territories, those Royal Heirs less inclined to militancy have nevertheless seen their power leveraged to revitalize a Ministry of War that is driving the new imperial mandate for a military capable of holding down and expanding the largest empire in New Eden.
The Minmatar Republic greeted the news of the new Amarr project in Ohide in surprisingly muted fashion, Ambassador Keitan Yun declaring the construction "predictable and, to be sure, predicted by us long since." There are persistent rumors at the Great Caravanserai on Matar that the Minmatar have decided to "fight fire with fire" and embark on their own Stellar Transmuter project.
The Gallente Federation's Office of the President issued a release in which Celes Aguard's administration "deplores the reckless move to further experiment with technologies proven to have devastating consequences for all of New Eden." For their part, the Caldari State has remained silent on the matter, though sources high in several "Big 8" megacorporations are said to view the rise of expansionist thinking in the Empire with "great concern."
Above: Minmatar Fortifications around stargate to Resbroko, Amo system
Republic Further Fortifies Amo to Establish Unified Warzone Headquarters
Amo, Metropolis – Minmatar Republic forces have further fortified the Amo system, as Hetman General Kanth Filmir's Unified Territorial Liberation Command expands its headquarters and role in the administration of operations to push back Amarr Empire occupation of the Republic's territory in the militia warzone.
General Filmir issued orders on behalf of the Tribal Council and Sanmatar Maleatu Shakor that underlined the importance of the ongoing fortification of gates and the construction of an additional Republic Fleet station in the system. These orders also gave roles to the Republic Security Services and Republic Justice Departments in carrying out "special tasks" and organizing "liberation flights", respectively. The prospect of competing security agencies operating even further in the sphere of the warzone, and in nearby high-security systems, has increased concerns of the Republic becoming a "police state" contrary to the ideals of the Tribal Republic.
Fears of a creeping militarist authoritarianism in the Republic have also been stoked by the authorization of search and detain police powers for the regional Territorial Guards formations of the Republic, together with the Tribal Council's designation of "Crimes Against the Minmatar People" as under the jurisdiction of a military tribunal system controlled by the Republic Command and Fleet.
The Tribal Council was highly split on these latest authorizations and orders with the Chiefs of the Sebiestor, Thukker, and Vherokior Tribes dissenting from a majority made up of the Brutor, Krusual, Nefantar, and Starkmanir Tribes. Debate is reported to have been heated but many of the details, possibly including authorization of rumored Minmatar exploitation of Stellar Transmuter technology, remain highly classified.
Even so, Chief Acassa Midular of the Sebiestor Tribe has gone as far as to comment harshly on the manner by which a majority for the new policies was achieved: "Shakor knew he couldn't rely on the Thukker Tribe for measures as far-reaching and injurious of clan and tribal sovereignty as these so he bribed the Starkmanir and threatened the Nefantar. We are in a war with the Amarr for our freedom but Shakor risks something even worse with his relentless drive to control the Republic at every level."
Above: Federal military facilities surround gate to Vey, Intaki system
Federal Militarization of Intaki Raises Security Status and Blocks Capsuleer Structures
Intaki, Placid – Gallente Federation authorities have taken further steps to militarize the Intaki system while raising its security status and blocking the anchoring of new capsuleer structures. A federal directive declaring that Intaki and neigboring systems are now part of a "Viriette Special Military District" was issued on behalf of President Celes Aguard and the Federal Military Commission by Vice Admiral Foriana Revelli, commander of the Federation's Combined Special Taskforce 15.
The steps taken by Presidential and FedMilCom orders have been consented to by the Intaki Assembly and ratified by the Federal Senate, legally activating emergency clauses in the Treaties and Articles of Federation under which the Intaki system is a member of the Gallente Federation. The Federal Administration registered an increase in system security rating to 0.3 with CONCORD at the same time it entered a formal exception to the Yulai Convention, placing a block on the construction of new capsuleer structures in the Intaki system.
President Celes Aguard's administration continues to maintain that it is acting to "fully secure the Intaki system from any future threat of Caldari occupation while providing for the broader prosecution of efforts to fully liberate Gallente systems within the militia warzone." Critics of the increasing militarization of Intaki by Federation forces allege the measures to be, as Senator Suvio Bellaron of Intaki put it, "a flagrant and ongoing breach of the essential sovereignty of the Intaki people as provided for by the Federal Constitution and all principles of the Federation."
Supporters of President Aguard point to the consent of the Intaki Assembly, with Senator Faron Shu dismissing Senator Bellaron's position as amounting to "Intaki for the Intaki and Federalism for everyone else, as usual Bellaron is a central federalist cobbler for whom the shoe pinches when he has to wear it." Citing reports that dissenting Intaki Assembly members have been harrassed, arrested or otherwise suppressed by Federation forces, Bellaron hit back, "Senator Shu has made a career out of supporting authoritarianism in all its guises, whether it be his Sang Do paymasters back home, or the Federal military-industrial money-teat he openly suckles on while Aguard looks on fondly."
While Federal Senators and other politicians trade verbal blows over the controversial policy over Intaki, many citizens continue to protest and counter-protest over the issue. A large anti-militarization rally in Lenoika, Intaki Prime was broken up by Federal Marines after a number of Federation offices were allegedly vandalizes by protestors. Intaki autonomist activists have alleged agents provocateurs infiltrated the rally, but have also been forced to disavow the "Free Intaki Army", a militant group outright calling for full independence that has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks on Federation military and intelligence officials.