Intergalactic Summit

Word reached me just as I was approaching a death can shortly after 23:00 hours; word that another three of those rescued earlier today slipped away into death. Brains destroyed my oxygen deprivation and radiation sickness. Others are in critical condition. It made me wonder how I would find this group. We have been very lucky up to this point. We have performed countless rescued and lost few. I have been surprised not to see more of what happened today. These 50 were fine. The Death Can wasn't that old. They are disembarking now and Center Representatives are bringing them to join a few hundred others for the evening meal.

33 remain from the earlier rescue. Morning will tell the tale of their survival or their passing.

Wall of Shame:

114/06/30 23:06 Keyonia 50 lives

Here is my report for the rest of the day yesterday. The 33 from the other day remain in hospital. We are seeing some improvement. These 27 were all in good health. The slavers will soon be on their way to Korama, while the former slaves will soon be joining others in one of our large centers in Dresi. It still confounds me how a personal can be so bankrupt of soul so as to dump people into space knowing the kind of death that awaits them. The capsuleer is capable of such good achievement for the betterment of mankind and some have chosen that path. Others, like those on the wall of shame, have chosen to squander their gifts on cruelty and greed.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/03 19:19 Slackdium 10 lives
114/07/03 01:34 Johany Taredi 3 slavers, 14 former slaves

85 people would have died because of the choices of two pilots. These pilots are responsible for the worst kind of behavior; dumping people into space and leaving them to die. To choose to do such a thing is selfish and wicked. Thankfully, these lives are now safe and sound and each will have the opportunity to live out a productive life.

Below is the Wall of Shame. Today, I have added the words "personal culpability." It has been my policy to distinguish a degree of bad behavior by assigning shame to all pilots who dump people into space but not giving the names of those who "blue the can" making rescue safer and easier. The decision to dump people in space is always bad, but the decision to blue the can is a good one. Better would be never to dump them in the first place, turn around, find a station and drop them off safely.

Wall of Shame and Personal Culpability

114/07/06, 13:04 Slips Butler 50 people
13:09 Name Withheld 35 people (blue)

Another rescue performed this afternoon: 50 people found aboard a death can. They are not safe back at the Center. I am having them meet the center staff, have meal and get a change of clothes and them we will set off for the lager centers in Dresi along with all those recently rescued. I can transport only 990 at a time so two trips will need to be made for the total 1198 rescued since the last transfer. I will also be bringing Slaver detainees to Korama and Hounds in to our Pator Tech Voc Center in Abrat. After these transportation duties are clear, I will return to rescue patrol duty.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/08, 18:45 VDOSIS 50 people

We honor these live and affirm their value. We also affirm our own humanity with each life we save.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/09, 12:01 Er'Damiano 32 people

I seldom witness the actual jettison of a death can. Today was one of those rare exceptions when I saw it happen. In fact, I was preparing to leave the patrol area to move on to a different place when the pilot listed below jettisoned the can and immediately jumped out of the system. It doesn't always happen that way. Sometimes, the pilot will stay around a while. I don't pretend to fully understand all the motivations for this kind of conscience numbing act but I can speculate. Did she jump fast before she changed her mind? Did she jump quickly so she could put out of her mind the lives that would be gasping for breath at the end? Do those who hang around hope to catch someone rescuing the people in hopes of having a legal right to attack the rescuers? I don't really know. I do know that we are very glad when we can be at the rescue immediately, even before people realise full what has happened, before they start to despair and think about their own impending death. Such was the case today. Only moments passed before these were transported on board.

Also: A big thank you to Captain Eastwood. The Disciples of Ston are grateful.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/10, 18:33 Croyelle 3 slavers, 6 hounds, 40 former slaves

This monring I took my morning tea with a group of rescued people including these 23 from yesterday. We talked about the insanity of slavery and how it leads to an overarching disregard of life. "Can I go with you? I want to help on your rescue ship." One of yesterday's rescued men spoke this to me. I told him that the short answer was yes but that it was one of many possibilities for him now that he isn't a slave. From ship crew to lawyer; these are all possibilities now.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/11, 22:05 Pet'richor 23 people

I apologize to the 45 recently rescued people that I was unable to find the name of the pilot in Concord records. On rare occasions this happens. It is probably due to my own error, or it may be that the pilot's clones were bio-massed. Regardless, these 45 are now on the side of life instead of death.

114/07/13 11:36 (name incorrectly recorded) 45 lives

A little boy, maybe 5 maybe 6 years old tugged on my pant leg. "Mr. Ston sir, why to people want to us to be slaves?" How do I address what I believe to be one of the great evils of all time in terms that a 5 year old can understand and without inflaming a life long hatred in his heart?

I dropped down on one knee so as to speak to him face to face and eye to eye. "Son, I don't know the full answer to your question, but sometimes people who have chains on their hearts put chains on others." He nodded and went back to his mother.

48 people have been rescued thus far on this patrol.

Wall of Shame

114/07/15 17:27 Jason OBADIAH 46 former slaves, 2 slavers

Telling the stories of those we rescue is not something I like to do. To tell is a re-experience of the emotion of originally hearing. I have come to the conclusion, though, that it is good to tell these stories, because it validates the people we rescue. Let at least some of their experiences be known.

From the rescues listed below, one man stands out. He is a middle-aged Sebiestor, maybe 38 years old but looking more like 50. Slave holders have a classification for slaves that are particularly strong and resilient. They call them Elite Slaves and they are used for hard physical labor. This man was one such slave.

I sat with his group in the cafeteria commons last night and asked him about his story. "Do you know why you were on your way into Caldari space?" He answered, "My master sold me in a local market to a broker there. The broker sold 30 of us to a slaver who had dealings with interested parties in Gallente and Caldari space. We were being delivered when he dumped us at the border."

I asked him about his life as an Elite Slave and he told me much that I won't share here. When I brought up the issue of how he was treated by his master, he said some very unforgettable things.

"My master took 'good care' of us Elite Slaves much like a good farmer 'takes care' of his equipment. The overseers were always instructed to 'properly maintain' us. Our master literally spoke of us in the exact same way he spoke of his machinery. When injured we were sent to the infirmary for 'repair.' He kept 'maintenance logs' on us to track our breakdowns and the expense of repairs versus our productivity. Eventually, every Elite Slave reaches the end of his 'service life' and is sold. That's what happened to me."

This man's story reminds me that one need not be cruel or sadistic to dehumanize another.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/16 22:57 Rinus Greenwood 30 Former Elite Slaves
VARVAR Rin 18 former slaves, 3 Slavers
114/07/17 12:28 Strictler1990 30 former slaves, 4 slavers