Intergalactic Summit

It really never ceases to amaze me that people think this is worth talking about.
We have lived through many wars, so have many of you. This is no different. PIE has been targeted by many groups before. We will be again.

To the Stormcrows, I recommend you drop this ridiculous war and go find yourself an honest living, a real cause, or at least an easier target.

As for claims of what PIE has done, will do, won't do or should do regarding the person responsible for hiring these thugs, we've made our position on these matters abundantly clear in the past. As usual, all parties that need to know more than what has already been stated, will. This is a rather disappointing move, but it only really strengthens our resolve.

PIE will stay the course. That course is, and has been for quite some time, to save the inhabitants of the low security regions embroiled in this horrific war. To defend the good and righteous from the atrocious attacks lead by the terrorist Shakor. To sway from that course because some would-be bandits want to make a name or a quick buck would be putting the lives of those we wish to save at risk.

I'm a little embarrassed for you

Have you ever seen the rivers of the Hedion V limestone forest? They're amazing. Vast stretches of dense, wild jungle with out a single overland river. Early settlers thought it was impossible that it grew that way. All they saw were vast lakes deep set into holes in the ground. There was no other fresh water. Where did the forest come from?

It turns out that the lakes were simply the openings for a series of vast, underground caves through which the water flowed. The trees of the region simply pushed their roots through a couple meters of solid earth to find the water, then shot skyward into spectacular trees. A vast, rich, underground river source that is the lifeblood of the jungle, and the only signs of it above were a few scattered watering holes.

In a way, that's how Amarrian affairs tend to be. There is quite a bit always going beneath the surface. Every now and then, you see something to remind you that it exists, then it swiftly travels underground again.

I suppose we'd have to define "stamp out". When you can't kill your enemies with any permanency, conflicts could feasibly go on for eternity if the participants are stubborn enough.

More likely PIE does not wish to ruffle feathers with Odelya d'Hanguest's parent organization, lest they be slapped.


I wonder, does PIE cooperate with organizations whose membership hire mercenaries to kill them?

As far as I know, the only group of note in Odelya's case is Khanid nobility. The Khanid have a tendency to group together when threatened as a group, as most do, and so it's important that if PIE decides to move against Odelya that it isn't something that can become a political issue. PIE, unlike a lot of other organizations, has a very clear and direct responsibility to the Amarr Empire, rather than simply being a contracted entity. It makes their work a bit more difficult, since they have to keep those political elements in mind when others don't necessarily need to, but I suppose that's why I give them quite a bit more respect than your average mercenary or quasi-political organization. They could easily make their jobs easier by ignoring those considerations.

So if PIE decides to do something about her, I assume it will either be extremely well justified or very quiet. We may not hear about it. That's the way issues like this are generally handled. It probably would still be that way in this situation, save that it was all dragged out in public.

It's one of those things that make us a bit uncomfortable as Amarrians. The image of a sputtering braggadocio is generally regarded as pathetic in the Empire. If you're known, you're best to be known for polite conversation, intelligent discourse, or concise rhetoric. My father had a favorite saying, "Just because someone throws mud out of the pit at you doesn't mean you should jump in."

There are always exceptions, but you'll notice the higher up the totem pole of Amarrian society you get, the more controls are imposed on your behavior. At the highest levels, merely being rude to the wrong people at the wrong time can get your life destroyed, figuratively and literally. In the end, if Odelya has indeed crossed the line, PIE might not even get to her in time. The Khanid are often even more strict than the rest of the Empire.

Lady d'Hanguest herself is a member of an Amarr militia corporation. PIE does not condone infighting between militia forces. Any actions taken will be with that in mind.

Both organizations that have directly declared war, Stormcrows and Ishtirak d'Hanguest, will have their hostilities met where appropriate, obviously.

Why would other Amarrian organizations imply themselves in what is mostly a war of egos ?

As far as capsuleer corporations go, PIE is sort of the big blinking light of the Amarrian Empire. There are probably other organizations that are larger, more influential with the government, that make more money, or that are more important to the war effort. I don't know them and haven't looked up the statistics to see where in the grand scheme of things PIE sits. It mostly isn't important. To most people, PIE is who you think of when you think of Imperial loyalty.

In short, a few more organizations declaring war on them, especially random mercenary corporations and their employers, isn't even at the top of PIE's priority list. They're a magnet for people who just don't like Amarrians, some of whom are quite a bit more sickening and violent than your average mercenary group. So while we gossipers titter about things like this, for them, this is just another Wednesday.

The only thing that really matters is how they're going to handle the politics of it. I'll assume that her handlers, if they don't decide that she's become more trouble than she's worth, will stay clear and let her sink or swim in the hole she's dug herself. The government doesn't need a mercenary group to deal with her if they think she's significantly weakening our defenses. They'll break her spurs and seize her holdings if this becomes more than another random capsuleer disagreement.

Now that I see where they're moving...this almost looks like a war of reputations. Odelya's crew are covering spots PIE cannot due to deployment schedules. I got reports of Minmatar fleets nomal in charge of the zone getting wiped out. And quick. Maybe Odelya's trying to rub salt in the wound of their pride by accomplishing something new in the zone.

Like I said, this doesn't look like a 'who can blow up the most on the other side' kind of war. Their deployment times dont even match it's about reputation. With high sec assets and recruits under fire by Stormcrows, Odelya is seemingly free to show her group as more capable in the warzone and more effective in combat.

I have no idea how this will turn out.