Intergalactic Summit

Namas tayam.

I have never been a devout man. I have never been a staunch traditionalist. In the past, I have been described as an innovator, an extremist, a "mad scientist", phrases that certainly do not evoke the way of calm consideration that is such a part of Intaki cultural heritage. Until recently, I was never a follower of the Intaki way.

Two years ago, I set foot on the Intaki homeworld for the first time. Perhaps some ancestral memory called me there, perhaps not. Perhaps it was my fate, and again perhaps not. Truth be told, I was only looking to hire crew for a dangerous journey into the drone regions. Many who approached me were filthy and pitiful, desperate for a means to escape the troubles they had made for themselves on the homeworld. Among them, however, was an old man, an Idama, my Guru Ragunda Jat.

As I soon learned, Ragunda Jat Idama had seen more of this universe than I had ever dreamed, despite being confined to the surface of Intaki V for his many lives. The freedom I had gained as a capsuleer gave me no greater vision of the universe in any true sense. For that I needed the teachings of my guru. I needed Ida.

Ida is sometimes called the Intaki way, but I do not believe that its value is limited to the Intaki people. I believe, as did Ragunda Jat Idama, that all people can benefit from this path of consideration. I further believe that capsuleers in particular –given the extremes with which we contend on a daily basis, our familiarity with death and rebirth, and the incredible power that we are able to wield – stand especially to benefit from the practice of Ida. It is in this belief that I invite all of my fellow capsuleers to consider the Intaki way.

We live in a time of war, an age of extremes. As we explore the cluster, its entropy becomes ever more apparent. There are bright stars in this universe, but the vast majority of space is naught but empty darkness. In this time of darkness, Ida can be a bright star for all capsuleers. In the spirit of my guru, I invite you to consider this path with me.

I'm not sure what the Ida is.

I've heard Intaki believe in reincarnation though. Does the soul of a human always end up in another human or could you end up in a cow or whale when you die?

Mr. Tuulinen, I respect the difference between our views. I want to be clear that it is not my goal to convert anyone, only to discuss and educate.

Ms. Hanaya, Ida means simply "to consider." It is the Intaki way of thoughtful moderation, and yet it is more than that. There is no fundamental dogma, and as such many viewpoints flourish under the label of Ida. As for reincarnation, there are many forms of this and many relevant philosophies. The Intaki people have long possessed the technological means to allow for human rebirth in a new body. Others among us, known as Idama, have been reborn in new human bodies without the use of such technologies. Followers of Ida recognize the cyclical nature of life and death, and as such there are many beliefs about reincarnation. I myself believe that all life, even that which we deem to be artificial, contains some eternal spark of Self.

While Mr. Calamari is right that only some Intaki achieve the status of Reborn, and fewer still achieve the status of Idama, who is to say what strange journeys the rest of us may take in our journey toward liberation?

Capsuleer Wenchel.
While it would be inappropriate for a community leader to fully abandon the ways of his ancestors there seem to be many similarities between our Path and the Intaki Ida. Since entering space I have found solace in the advice of my Surnama Kamjaitil Naerth. In your journey should you discover any lessons of particular relevance to the capsuleer condition please share them with the rest of us. Achur and Intaki have much to learn from each other.
Fly safe pilot.
S.L.

I must admit to knowing little of the Achur view on the universe, though the bits of Achur folklore I have encountered are fascinating. As I mentioned above, my interest in religion is relatively recent, and I hope to find time to expand my knowledge on the subject.

Like a growing number of Intaki, I don't really believe in the metaphysical aspects of the Ida, but I draw solace and strength from its teachings and meditation methods. The vast majority of Ida's followers are secular, which fits well with my view on the separation of religion and state - and the Federation's, for that matter.

One common misconception I should address regarding the Ida, however, is the belief that it is inherently pacifistic. In actuality, the Ida preaches the path of least resistance - the decisions that will bring the greatest good for the least hardship suffered in implementing them. Historically, Intaki have often been seen as the peacemakers and treaty-authors among the Federation, but it is not universally so - if combat appears to be the most sensible course of action (which, although rare, is not unheard of), a follower of Ida will throw themselves behind it with all the fervor and force of will they would apply to brokering a peace treaty.