Intergalactic Summit

I took Ms. Constantine's silence as a sure sign that she'd taken her ball and gone home.

So far as I can see, that particular branch of the conversation has been pruned.

I have a concept of opportunity cost, this is true; however, I also have a detached view of what happened.

You speak of the "goals of the Republic" which should have been advanced. They were. If you check the maps, you will notice that the TLF gained significantly entrenched positions as a result of the efforts taken by GoonWaffe Corporation pilots. That the efforts were taken in the pursuit of personal greed rather than out of patriotic duty to the Republic is no more a valid accusation against the GoonWaffe Corporation pilots responsible than it is against any civilian weapons manufacturer, any freelance mercenary enlisted to the cause, or any turn-coat lured by promises of a better life. If your offense is drawn from the motivations of the people involved, then that is an entirely separate argument. You cannot win an argument against the results of actions, since those actions greatly favoured the Republic cause insomuch as the TLF enjoyed massive gains without precedent.

I suppose we're both lucky that I'm not here to entertain you.

Yes, it truly is a shame that people are able to profit by the stupidity of others.

The funny thing is, that others were doing this too. Not the the degree of the Gomnswarm Federation but still were doing it. Even the glorious and honourable Jade admitted to it in which she boasted she stole 8.7billion from the TLF.

I have no doubt that these events will put a degree of economic strain on the Republic.

And yet will the Shakorite leadership or the Elders bear any of that strain? I doubt it very much. They consider themselves far too important to pay any of the cost of their insane war of aggression.

No, it will be the commoners who will suffer. They are already impoverished and things will only get worse for them if they remain in the Republic. The squalor will only get worse for them.

But there is another way.

Should any of them wish to take advantage of the SPCS' largesse, I will happily arrange an escort for them. At the SPCS they will be provided with food, shelter and the chance of a meaningful existence as well as a number of suitable leisure activities.

Remember: it's fun to stay at the SPCS.

It's true that the Republic is fraught with corruption on the higher levels and the common man and woman will suffer.

I only wish that more would see it for what it were.

That level of rhetoric is certainly up there to your usual standard Blake. In this case however I can only claim responsibility for taking my share of payment (alongside several hundred other Militia auxillaries) for services apparently rendered to the Matari state. While I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to eliminate thousands of Amarrian Imperialist vessels and play a role in the liberation of dozens of systems from the yoke of slavery (and in the past have paid top isk to concord for the wardecs to enable) - it has been a definite eye-opener to be compensated so effectively for my time on this occasion .

The 8.7b isk that Goons mention was the value in Fleet Stabbers, Fleet Tempests and misc. equipment I selected from the Tribal Liberation store in return for services rendered. I hardly see this as "theft." And the bulk of this material will continue to be used against Amarrian interests in the warzone so I'm not sure the Republic has much to complain about on this occassion.

That a great many anti-amarrian fighters have received a similar "victory boon" since the warzone turned around and the 24th Crusade have been pressed to the limits of their remaining territory is a good thing for the liberation of the Matari people.

Perhaps the greatest irony yet to come is the rumoured investigations ongoing into goonswarm manipulations of the capsuleer markets that may yet conclude in removal of gains and punitive sanctions against that organization specifically - while doubtless allowing the heroic matari freedom-fighters of the TLF to continue enjoying their (well earned) current material advantage against the slavers.

If it turns out that Goonswarm (however inadvertently) managed to deliver cheap Fleet Stabbers into the hands of the heroes of the Matari people then perhaps they might have achieved one act worthy of the name in their history.

So you really were working directly for the Matari State and not trying to bring them down from within? What a long way you've come.

I agree with this statement.