Intergalactic Summit

Entry One: Bunk Space

Oh, this one is going to upset a lot of people. But, half the ones that matter the most are already upset, so ... here goes.

I meant, originally, to start this series of writings off with a tour of the major empires I don't already have any extensive knowledge of, then maybe move on to the outer powers. I knew my "real identity" was "independent capsuleer," but I sort of planned on postponing any exploration of what that meant indefinitely.

... but ... "none of the above" has come calling. I have an identity, and I need to learn how to deal with it.

What's more, I might have worked out a solution to the quasi-mystical psychological riddle my antecedent virtually killed herself trying to puzzle through. Um. More on that later, though.

So: for the purpose of exploring, in depth, my capsuleer identity, I've applied to:

Pyre Falcon Defense Combine. PYRE.

Please calm down. I did think this through.

PYRE is an organization rich with names with at least minor roles in my past, and a couple of major ones. It's effective, efficient, dedicated, and ruthless-- exactly the traits of a successful capsuleer outfit. It's large and strong enough to be significant, but small enough that I won't just disappear into it.

More importantly, it's a collection of misfits, more or less. Exiles and wanderers. The unhomed.

Just. Like. Me.

(Well, not "just." ... my situation's pretty unusual.)

It's also got a generous handful of ex- (or "ex"; we'll see) Sansha. Yes, I know about that. No, it doesn't dissuade me. (Sorry, Vikarion.)

PYRE is both too large and too small a target for a good infiltration effort. If it gets subverted, the event will be difficult to conceal, but won't bring in enough talent to be worth never being able to pull that trick off again.

It's a bad target-- and a good opportunity to observe Nation capsuleers. Which makes it worth the risk, to me.

And, just in case I'm wrong, I'll be bringing along some high-end nanite countermeasures, a medical diagnostics expert unit with attached surgery, a high-end hacker's kit, and an armed electron bomb.

I'm kidding about that last. ... maybe.

Ah ... dear me. Okay. Joking's over.

A person I admire a lot, and who I owe a lot to, has told me that I won't come back from this. The implications are ... well ...

... That what I was afraid would happen is coming to pass. That I'm becoming my old self, walking into the dark a second time. That I've been given a second chance, an opportunity for redemption, and I'm squandering it.

I was afraid of that, it's true. I thought the Black would freeze my soul again, and any hope I represented, any chance to be a better, happier person, would die.

But I think I've found the key to the old Aria's puzzle box, to the "Children of Naught." If I'm right, I'm not only already one of the Demented ... I have been from the start. I've planted the idea enough places that it ought to be carried on, by someone, if something happens to me, but ...

... I need to verify what I think I know. And I can't do that at the far end of a telescope or a holoreel. I need to be there.

It's time to track down the Black, the void spirit that haunted my predecessor, and hold it up to the light for a good, hard look. Wish me luck.

Good luck with your move. PYRE have an undeserved bad reputation in the halls of gossip, and a stellar reputation in their ability to execute precision campaigns while still allowing individuals to hold on to their personal beliefs. They are truly a rare breed of corporation in that regard, and if it were not for the KK history and 24th IC flag, I'd consider them an up and coming independent capsuleer entity in their own right. Who knows, maybe that is where they're headed some day?

I look forwards to hearing about your success with PYRE, and hope to meet you next time business brings PYRE to me or myself to PYRE.

Best of luck and my God light your way and keep you safe.

For the record, PYRE's "bad reputation in the halls of gossip" is actually well-deserved. But they are exemplary on grid.


I've noticed a pattern in your sojourn so far.

You are attracted to power. From the Amarr Bloc to Societas Imperialis Sceptri Coronaeque and now to PYRE. You are drawn to it. It tugs at you like a gravity well.

Yet you are content only to orbit. You always take the place of one on the outside, looking in. As if looking into the hearts of power will allow you insight into your own. The role is almost subservient, but not quite.

You are stronger, more powerful and more deadly than you give yourself credit for. Did you notice the near-invisible tendril of control the Empire so subtly tried to wrap around you? Did you see the fear hidden in their eyes as they told you how wonderful you are?

You never needed the Empire. You sure as hell don't need PYRE.

You are more than capable of grabbing the galaxy by the throat, all on your own. I hope your path leads to this realization.

And for God's sake, kick Ghost Hunter in the shins for me.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

As for the rest, Mr Mokk, I am sure Ms Jenneth is perfectly aware of her capabilities and value as a capsuleer. I find it somewhat patronising that you suggest otherwise, especially when she's joining an organisation that allows its members a great deal of autonomy.

Thanks you, Ms Starfall for your kind words. I hope you are well.

We've been in PYRE Falcon (in leadership positions even!) and the Angels are still Angels, the Serpentis are still Serpentis, the Caldari Patriots are still Patriots, and the Aria Jenneth's shall remain Aria Jenneth.

I'm starting to wonder if each of the alliances of note are going to get a turn. If that's the case you are going to have the most interesting perspective of capsulleers in history and a heavily booked schedule.

Should I expect a request mail from you soon to see if I can pencile you in?

Either way it would make for an interesting book.

Did you ever consider a career as an anthropologist?

May I ask what we did?

Not "we" the individuals that you may dislike, but "we" the collective members of PYRE. What has PYRE done that so earns us this place in the "halls of gossip"?

Best of luck Ms. Jenneth. I've had the rare opportunity to make friends with at least a few employee's of PYRE. It has truly been a great pleasure knowing many of them. You are in good hands.

-K. Amsel

Do not presume to know what I was speaking of, Ms. North. Perhaps she was never really with us to begin with, but I am sure that spending five minutes in fleet with your morally bankrupt whirlwind of living weapons will ensure she will never have the desire to know what it means to be human again, if only because it would mean facing what she has done.

Aria, the reason why I asked you to not draw blood in the name of the Empire was that I wanted you to justify your actions before you committed to them. I did not want to selfishly use your will and power to our own ends without your full knowledge of what you were standing for and consent to use violence to uphold it. I wanted you to take a cause seriously, and to take the lives you would protect and destroy in its defense seriously. To do otherwise would be to harm you; to usurp your will by taking advantage of your ignorance and turn you into exactly what you seemed to want to avoid becoming: a mere weapon.

Things, however, are different now. It seems that you do not have any relevant will to manipulate:



You have failed to cultivate a sense of compassion greater than your immediate self-interest. Perhaps you cannot help this. But I was not lying when I told you that you would not come back.

Once you begin killing for no reason greater than a bland 'acceptance' of what you believe your 'nature' to be, you will never again be able to try to redeem yourself without great discomfort to yourself. That discomfort will be guilt as you come to realize that have destroyed more than you have preserved or created. I cannot foresee you enduring this discomfort for the sake of returning to humanity. Like all the rest, including your former self, you will simply ignore humanity's suffering in favor of your own comfort and inflated sense of self built upon worthless ideas of purposeless power.

Goodbye Vesper. I hope you find your peace. And when your shambling corpse twitches forth from the darkness to blindly strike at people I care about, I will be there to stop it.

But what would be the difference sir ? You fight for the same result, through the same means, in the same warzone. She will too.

For different reasons ? Who is the less honest between you two ? The one that does not try to justify the unjustifiable ?

Er well... I know we already had that discussion. I am sorry for that, and please forgive my words, but with all due respect, I also know her better than you do.