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Former Slaves Enter Matriculation Program

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Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#501 - 2012-07-17 23:59:25 UTC
"All my customers outside the Empire are, I mean 'were,' capsuleers. All the slaves I have smuggled out of Amarr space have been sold to capsuleers. And I mean capsuleers of all races. I have sold slaves to Gallente, Caldari, Minmatar you name it. what capsuleers demand, capsuleers get. They were willing to pay, I was willing to bring them across the border."

These words were spoken today by one of the slavers who found himself together with 10 Elite Slaves and another slaver sitting in a death can waiting for the final moments of suffocation. Then we came along and rescued him. This is a story we have heard spoken before by slavers jettisoned along with their illegal slave cargoes bound for non-slave space. Something else he said also struck me. "You know, capsuleers don't need slaves, they just want them. Heh heh, if there's anything that can be wanted it will be wanted by a capsuleer." This is quite an indictment on my kind even if it does come from a slaver. Those among us capsuleers who aspire to something more than greed and selfishness, have long row to hoe.

This particular slaver will find a new home at our center in Korama, at least for the foreseeable future. The former slaves are welcomed by those rescued before them.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/17 17:23 Manyuna 33 people
114/07/17 20:39 (Name witheld) 59 people (blue can)
Sedina Griff 10 Former Elite Slaves 3 slaver
Murmel Hunter 52 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#502 - 2012-07-18 23:15:26 UTC  |  Edited by: Ston Momaki
The sooner this rescue was performed , the better. The sooner this jet can was emptied and disintegrated, the better. These 19 were rescued from a death can labelled with a racial slur. This pilot did not possess the common sense of respect and restraint to avoid the use of such terms. I will not repeat what was written on this death can, because such things do not need to be seen or repeated.

This was one of the more ((actually distressing)) rescues I have had to perform, because of the prejudice and racism of what was ((actually)) written on this can. Tonight, this wall of shame is ((truly)) that.


Wall of ((real)) Shame:

114/07/18 23:01 (name witheld) 19 people.

((Dear pilots, lets keep real-world racism out of our game play, please!))

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#503 - 2012-07-19 17:47:51 UTC
Casualties of inconvenience; that is what these seven were and what thousands have been whom we have rescued. Since it is inconvenient to backtrack one system to find a safe place to leave their cargo of slaves, pilots just dump them into space. These seven human beings are just as valuable as the rest of us. So, how can they just be discarded as nothing? These are people; the son's and daughters of other human persons.

That someone should die simply because another wishes to avoid inconvenience...ponder that.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/19 15:00 Riven Blackmist 7 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#504 - 2012-07-19 23:39:13 UTC
Most of the people we rescue never see the face nor hear the voice of the pilot who abandons them to death. Crews, that's who they see. They see baseliners working for the capsuleer who decides they weren't worth saving. When we perform a rescue, I speak to the people as soon as we are safely underway after the rescue. They see a holo-projection of me and hear my voice translated when needed. When we arrive at the center, I take the time to exit pod, visit with and eat meals with those we rescue. "I am here to serve you. Is there anything I can get you? Do you need a doctor? Are you warm enough, cool enough? Are you hungry.? Would you like some more?" Sometimes I'll serve in the kitchen. It may take quite some time for these former slaves to understand the words I am am saying to them. It may take a long while for them to realize that they are valued as human persons, not property. Perhaps the best part is when a parent allows me to hold a young son or daughter on my lap. Sometimes little children will put their finger in their mouths , slobber a bit, then reach out and touch you. That is not gross or repulsive. No, its gold. Some of the older children have even learned to "rub Ston's bald head for good luck." Sometimes capsuleers forget they are human because they have so separated themselves that they believe their own lie. I see more of the divine in the child on my lap than I ever see looking in the mirror.


Wall of Shame:

114/07/19 23:12 miner forty-niner 10 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#505 - 2012-07-20 12:49:16 UTC
By both my circadian and theirs, this rescue happened close to the time when rest is normally taken. Breakfast this morning was the first time I had to visit with these 9 former slaves. They were mine workers from Adahum IX. "That explains" I said "why the cold of the death can didn't seem to affect you like to does most." These were ice miners and used to brutally cold conditions. They had endured some of the most difficult slaves conditions in the Empire. As such, they were a valuable slave commodity and also desired outside the empire. Though they didn't know where exactly, they were bound for another ice mine outside of Empire territory. At the end of breakfast I asked, "Were your quarters a bit warm last night?" "A bit," they said, "but we're not complaining."

Wall of Shame:

114/07/20 1:45 William Grainger 9 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#506 - 2012-07-21 12:32:28 UTC
25 people walked off the egress ramp of the ship and on to the loading dock of the hangar bay shortly after 01:40 hours earlier today. As they did so, they walked into new possibilities. They have choices to make. Education? Work? Family? How will they carry the mantle of liberty? The first thing they will discover is that life outside of slavery is not life without obligations. However, they now will be a part of forming those obligations and tasting the responsibility that comes with them. Service is a beautiful thing when it comes from heart that chooses to do so.

Now I have mystery. The first rescue listed below is a first. We often rescue slavers along with slaves. This is the first time that I remember rescuing a group of slavers without slaves. Here we have 5 slavers and 4 hounds on their way into Caldari space and they are dumped at the border. Neither slavers nor slaver hounds are forbidden passengers in any of the sovereign areas. I'm guessing they were dumped to make cargo space for more valuable loot.


114/07/20 20:54 Wraith Wyvern 5 slavers, 4 slaver hounds
114/07/21 01:29 Khaza Elliott 25 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#507 - 2012-07-22 12:51:55 UTC
From the Early days of DSTON, we have made it the practice of confiscating weapons we may happen upon in our work. Early yesterday, I came upon a massive battle between Concord and a group of outlaws in one of the patrol areas. Many ships were destroyed. Soon other pilots swooped in to harvest the booty. I managed to salvage a weapon from one wreck, a prototype 1400mm siege cannon. Later on in the day, the rescue recorded below took place. As our crew settled these five into their quarters for the trip back, the ship manifest computer automatically registered them as slave cargo.

Most of you are familiar with recent computer upgrades that automatically give a market estimation to your visual interface when examining your ship's cargo. I was immediately struck and dismayed by the sad symbolism in what the computer displayed. For the cannon that is described as 'the ultimate artillery cannon. It hurls death and destruction over incredible distances,' it gave an estimated value of 1,880,000 ISK. But, to the five human lives rescued and given a chance to fulfill their full potential, it gave a mere pittance of value, 3790 ISK or 758 ISK per life. According to our culture's values, what hurls death and destruction is 2374 times more valuable than one of these five human lives. We ardently disagree and plan to continue to save human lives and confiscate what weapons we can.


Wall of Shame:

114/07/21 01:27 Miaryu 5 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#508 - 2012-07-23 01:45:59 UTC
Note to self: Never let yourself be happy about a blue can. Less distressed, yes, happy, no! When a pilot jettisons 89 people abandons the can, thinking someone will rescue them...something is deficient in that thinking. I am very glad that these 89 are alive and that we were able to rescue them, but I am sad that the pilot stopped the tugging on his heart that made him blue the can. Had he followed the path to the end, he would have tended to the lives himself.

The medical staff, the cooks, the janitors, the reception staff, everyone who works at the temp center needs to be commended. There has been practically no gap between the transfer of those at the tempt center to our permanent center and the arrival of new rescued people. Again, in just a short time we have gone from 0 to 192. Tireless, you good people, you are tireless. I salute you with my whole heart, all of you who pour out such hearts of love to these needy people.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/22 13:34 (name withheld) (blue can) 89 people
114/07/22 18:41 Kain Ganja 98 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#509 - 2012-07-24 01:02:22 UTC
To regain our awareness of the living fabric woven throughout our universe is a hope I refuse to relinquish. These whom we rescue are part of that woven fabric and when their threads are so mindlessly cut, we are all weakened. We capsuleers must come to understand that our threads must not attempt to weave a separate tapestry but must be part of the larger fabric.

Some understand this and are trying, but far too many are still under the delusion of godhood. This delusion brings such wasteful death. Do those who think they are gods understand the poverty of such a deity? A god of rags, filth and incurable ugliness we would invent.

But, when we each reach out to strengthen another thread in the fabric, helping beautify and preserve another part of the whole, we bring ourselves closer to understanding the whole of what it is to be a part of this living universe.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/23 12:03 YellowEye 12 people
114/07/24 00:31 Alzert Fehrnah 36 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#510 - 2012-07-24 13:16:59 UTC
She is Achura. Whenever the offending pilot on the wall of shame is one of my own people, I ponder again what our larger purpose might be as capsuleer pilots.

What if we as capsuleers set our purpose to serve humanity in such a way that we came to represent the very highest , most noble, unselfish, giving aspect of the cultures we represent. What if, instead of placing ourselves on top, we stood under humanity for the purpose of bearing it up upon our shoulders not crushing it under our feet?

Among those who in character rise to the top of their respective cultures, I have never heard approval for the kind of wholesale death that is represented by those who jettison people into space. Even among those whom I ardently oppose with regard to slavery, there is firm disapproval of such barbarity. This gives me some glimmer of hope that a movement of capsuleers from all cultures can grow to focus not on what we can achieve for ourselves, but what we can be to serve all humanity.

Let us begin by putting ourselves forward as servants not as kings and queens; not as the most arrogant and self-serving of our respective cultures, but the most humble and giving of our respective cultures. If we do this, I believe that we may find that small germ of agreement among us that will become the seed of brotherhood, that one day may grow into peace.

Wall of Shame

114/07/24 12:35 Ayame Haruguchi 31 people.

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#511 - 2012-07-25 00:03:29 UTC
People of principle are rare in this cluster. We see the lack of principle daily in the rescue work and evidenced in the wall of shame. We consider Mr. Khross to be a man of character and principle. May your principles and values guide you through this time for many are watching.

Rescues continue.

Wall of Shame

114/07/24 18:34 Er'Daniano 15 people
Old Catwisle 10 people
114/07/24 21:22 David Yanakov 38 people
114/07/24 23:45 Kerrigan Black 9 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#512 - 2012-07-25 19:19:13 UTC
Not all Gallenteans value freedom and individual liberty above all else, certainly not this one. The freedom and individual liberty of those we rescued was completely disregarded by this particular Gallentean. In fact, the lives of his passengers meant nothing to him. I point this out to remind us all that the cultural values that we defend and sometimes argue about can be consumed in a mere moment by greed or by fear or by any number of base motivations. The power afforded to us by the advent of the capsule tends to give greater lease to the baser motivations. Greed and fear seem to be dominant ones with hatred following close behind. So, how do we as capsuleers overcome the temptation? Discipline. Discipline our minds and our emotions and subjugate the base motivations that dwell within us. Give license to honor, mercy, and kindness. Subjugate, fear, anger, greed, etc. We all can do this, the only question is are we willing?

Wall of Shame:

114/07/25 19:02 Skimble Altaari 3 slavers 4 hounds 19 former slaves

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#513 - 2012-07-26 12:36:01 UTC
Human trafficking. The words create a choking sensation in my throat when I say them. Humans are not meant for this. They are not meant to be ripped away from their families and sent to work in a Joint Harvesting plantation until they die only to be replaced by more human chattel. They are not meant to be shipped off to some dead space gentlemen's club where smirking fat men will grope them, violate them, and treat them as soulless objects. They are not meant to be dumped into space as some border crossing at the whim of a pilot who is the real one who has lost his soul.

A special kudos goes to our temp center staff who is serving a population that doubled as of yesterday's rescues. I commend you for keeping your focus and attitude bright and welcoming for those coming into the center.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/25 19:25 PromDate 13 slavers, 323 former slaves
114/07/25 22:01 Malcom Deluna 10 dancers, 47 ex slaves
Kalzzar 22 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Azdan Amith
Doomheim
#514 - 2012-07-26 12:48:38 UTC
While I imagine you and I (subsequently DSTON as an organization) may differ on the subject of slavery, I would commend you for your efforts in saving lives. No one, from the lowest of social structures and cultures to the highest, deserves to be cast aside without care or regard for their life.

It is an affront on humanity and proof of depravity when one human sees fit to discard another wholly. While I cannot condone your practice of matriculation (for I believe you would not return kidnapped and discarded slaves to their Holder), I can commend the value you place on human life and your willingness to save as many as you are able.

~Archon Azdan Amith,  Order of Light's Retribution
Scherezad
Revenent Defence Corperation
Ishuk-Raata Enforcement Directive
#515 - 2012-07-26 17:41:21 UTC
Captain Monmaki;

Earlier last week we put the dedication plate onto our planetary habitation module in Funtanainen. I operate an aquatic holding there and have spent a bit of money to provide housing for my workers and their families - I didn't think it fair, or efficient, that they should live apart while at work. I was in attendance at the opening, but have been busy with hiring some of the key personnel to run the facility.

The man whom I have chosen as the dock quartermaster is a Brutor man in his 60's. He's a quiet man, hard working and cheerful regardless of the work. His resume classified him as a refugee, and he arrived in the State around six months ago. I'll admit, even in the short time he's been with us I've already grown attached to him and his lovely wife. They are not Caldari, but they seem very much at home here.

Yesterday while I was walking with him at the loading dock, preparing a shipment for the orbital station, he opened up a little of his past to me. I think he just wanted me to hear his story. This is what he said.

Quote:

I had a Holder, once. He weren't terrible to us - we were only beaten when we were slack in our duties, and were given the afternoons off on Saturdays. I was well fed, was checked monthly by a doctor. Even allowed me to marry my Isilurd. Learned to dig, learned to run a work crew. Weren't so bad.

The mines fell on hard times a few years ago, and he started "liquidating assets". That's the word, right? Think that's what he called it. Some of the other work teams got sold off to other Holders. That's when I knew it was trouble. He always said we were his hands down here, and a man doesn't sell off his hand when he's tryin to feed himself. To his credit, he still treated us good, doctor still came by every month, but we all knew it was trouble.

One day we got called into the warehouse floor, and the foreman told us that the mine's shut down. We were bein' sold to some big firm lookin for "immigrant labour" in the Federation, and that there was a Capsuleer in orbit, waitin' to take us there. Everything was nice and orderly. Doctor checked us out one last time, our things were packed up for us, and we were on our way.

Now, I don't know what happened. All I know is that the lights inside our livestock can went red and the gravity went away. Someone said that we'd been cut loose - the sound of the engine was gone, after all, and it was so quiet and cold through the can walls. Everyone started panicking. I tried to keep my crew together, but I could tell that it was only a matter of time. The air started to go thin and stale. All I could do was hold onto my Isil and tell her it was going to be alright. I was lying, and she knew it, but we didn't know what else to do.

But then the can shook, and something clanged against it, and gravity came back, and I haven't ever smelled air so sweet as when the air pumps started running again. We cried and cheered so loud that we couldn't hear the first time they said it. Someone was outside the can, speaking at us, telling us that they were coming in and that they were a rescue crew.

They were very nice to us - fresh clothes, good food, rest. I think it was the privacy I liked the most. Never had any before. A quiet moment or two, just for us. It's nice to have, from time to time. I'd work all week long just to get that half hour. Anyways, eventually we met others that were rescued, from other cans, at a place called the Matriculation Centre. The Disciples of Ston organize the place, the whole operation. They taught us about the Cluster and who lives in it, the places we could go, the things we might see. How to make a resume, how to get a job, how to apply for citizenship in places, or get work visas. Practical stuff. I've never learned as much as I did there.

We were there two months, I think. Then we saw your request for applicants, and we've always wanted to live on the ocean, like our ancestors did. Thought we'd give it a try. Don't suppose there are any plans for building a marina here, is there?


I thought you might like to read this, Captain Monmaki. And, for your edification - I have allocated funds for building a small marina and shelter. A relaxed mind is an efficient one, after all.

113/12/17 ??:?? Golden Plagioclase 41 lives
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#516 - 2012-07-26 23:09:55 UTC
Dear Scherezad,
Thank you!

That rescue was carried out by Mr. Numenor when he was still helping with patrols. I am sending him a note to make sure he reads your post.

There are times when I am in the pod when tears come but I do not feel them. When I read your post, Ms. Scherezad, I was not in the pod and the tears were felt, warm and salty on my face. Tears of great happiness to hear of one who has found a good place to work and to live with those he loves. Thank you again. There are also tears of sorrow. Many that we rescue are separated from wife, husband, son, daughter; others left behind on others estates, in other places. They are rescued, but their grief remains because those they love are far away, spread across the cluster. Many know not if their loved ones are still living.

A supper of herb potatoes and meat was enjoyed this evening with these twenty rescued earlier today. This group was all single young men. No one was married, none of them have children. They are healthy and today, very happy to be starting life fresh. There was an arm wrestling match to decide the last of the seconds. There was laughter, enough to bring out those kind of tears too.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/26 12:46 Kearney Zzyzwicz 20 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#517 - 2012-07-27 20:21:33 UTC
What do our crew think of us? I already know some of you will say, "who cares?" Well, I do care and I know some others care too. Being in the pod is one of the most isolating environments if we choose to make it so. You can issue orders to your crew such as, "Jettison the passengers." You can choose not to look at the face of the crew member that must carry out that cowardly order. Perhaps you skip the crew and merely will the jettison. You don't have to see the faces of the people you doom to death or hear their breathing stop or see children crying, no if you don't want to. What does your crew think of you? Perhaps at the beginning they cringed a bit at your blood sport violence. Perhaps they wanted to see your face and ask why. But maybe not, after-all you pay them well and money covers the conscience with thick, numbing layer that become quite impenetrable after time.

Others do care what their crews think. Your face is seen by them, you know some of their names, they recognize your voice. You might even involve them in decisions. At whatever level, you are aware that your honor, integrity, truthfulness, and restraint matter to you enough to project those qualities onto your crew. You value their lives and they have respect for you. I think that is a much better way.


Wall of Shame:

114/07/27 20:00 Marstin Carter, one person

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#518 - 2012-07-28 22:13:30 UTC
Am I Achura? Recently, I have seemed to struggle with my own identity. The weight of cruelty that I see day in and day out is beginning to spawn a desire to scream colorful metaphors into the faces of those who leave these people to die in space. No good, self-respecting Achura would allow such an impulse to take hold, yet there are times when the weight of suffering presses all reserve out of my spirit. I want to scream at the blackness imagining that it will be swept away and the light mercy will take its place. In my calmer moments I am just concerned that the capsuleer culture may collapse under its own weight; that our 'usefulness' will expire and those that created us will say, 'enough.' We are meant for more than selfishness.

Perhaps it might be that the capacity of our temp center has already been reached since the last time I transferred people to our larger residential matriculation centers. Already another thousand have been rescued. It is more than my ship can carry. Somewhere I parked a bigger ship but I don't remember if it is in my name or DSTON's name. I need it now.

114/07/28 16:13 zenaXe 166 people
114/07/28 21:47 Lionell Lessi 23 people
Moyeni 70 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#519 - 2012-07-29 13:23:44 UTC
There is a bit of followup to do on the subject of how we are perceived as capsuleers. I have taken some time to visit with the rescued people about how they perceive the pilots responsible for jettisoning them into space. Most of those we rescue have enough exposure to the Amarr religious system and to their own family and slave subcultures to formulate a fairly systematic evaluation.

Creatures. That is the word that often comes up. Those who do such things are creatures in that they lack an essential element to complete their humanity and make them suitable to live in a fully realized human community. I asked them about myself, "I am a capsuleer; am I a creature too?" "We are not referring to capsuleers. We are talking about those who do what was done to us." "Creatures are found everywhere, capsuleer or not," was their response.

This conversation was helpful, hopeful and enlightening. Hopeful, you might ask? Why hopeful? I have been overly pessimistic about capsuleers in general until reminded that being a capsuleer can merely amplify the negative or positive that is already there. Becoming a capsuleer doesn't make you a "creature." It may bring out the "creature" in you but it doesn't have to. It can also enable a person to do more good than was possible previous. It can magnify humility just as well as arrogance though probably not as easily.

I am re-ignited in the hope that some capsuleers will take the hard path of allowing good to be magnified in their existence, of rising above the "creature" existence of the Wall of Shame.

Wall of Shame

114/07/29 11:56 Servantic Amarov 23 people

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace
Ston Momaki
Disciples of Ston
#520 - 2012-07-29 23:05:35 UTC
Our policy is to get the people rescued to safety as soon as possible, then and only then go back if there are weapons to confiscate. On this patrol there were three jet cans. One of them was labelled "take this crap" or something of the like. I've seen this before and it usually means people are on board or it is bate to trap and destroy whoever may attempt to take the contents. In this case I was quite surprised to find a staff of weapons over 9 Mil ISK in value. The other two cans contained people who needed immediate rescue. After rushing them back to the center staff for their care, I returned and confiscated the weapons. These weapons will remain in the possession of the Disciples of Ston in perpetuity. 25 people made it out of two death cans and a cache of weapons was seized.

Time to return to my patrols.

Wall of Shame:

114/07/29 22:33 Lady Ambrosia Thrace 14 people
Mr Barglefarf 11 people
also: (9,340,000 ISK of weapons confiscated)

The Disciples of Ston bid you peace