Intergalactic Summit

The Redemption is the name of Manwe Todako's blockade runner that he used to fill in for me for several days while I was away on business. At the conclusion of the time, I came to check with him at the reception center. Our crews hada little time to relax. The Mayflower and Redemption crews melded easily in spite of the fact that their captains are quite different. I invited Manwe to the Leaning Tower for cup of bad coffee. I wanted to speak to him about KSAF and the influx of new Matriculants. He wanted to speak to me about how we might see Matriculants repatriated and legally freed. It was a good conversation but I saw both in him and felt in myself and pressure and stress over the difficulty of seeing certain things done. After he and his crew left, I had a strong feeling that can best be described as "homeless." This is not in the sense of "on the streets impoverished" and I would not insult those who suffer such with a comparison. Homeless was rather in the sense that you can never go home after certain lines are crossed. The capsuleer crosses several just in being a capsuleer.

Wall of Shame:

115.07.27 16:36 Psykick Lyrikaj 47 people
115.07.28 01:56 Ann Aurilen 10 people

Like most subjective human qualities, "dignity" is defined differently by the same variety of opinions differing on such subjects as loyalty, honor, justice, etc. Understanding this subjectivity, I express my opinions knowing that there is no accepted definition.

We dignify ourselves when we treat others with dignity, even those we consider enemies. We dignify ourselves when we refuse to treat in kind, those who do things and say things we consider wrong. We dignify ourselves when we treat with respect those who work hard to make a living regardless of the social position. We are dignified when we treat the waitress, garbage man, janitor, soldier, etc. as dignified. We dignify our bodies and minds when we refuse to objectify the same of others.

It seems to me that we can all be a bit more dignified in our approach to others. I cannot help how anyone else presents themselves, but I can choose to respond to him or her in a dignified manner. Here, particularly, on these forums is a need for a renewal of dignity. Our idioms, euphemisms, humor have lost dignity. It isn't so difficult to bring some dignity back, is it?

Wall of Shame:

115.07.30 20:09 Tryllian Krasnojarsk 32 people

I believe it would depend entirely on the capsuleer and which of their Clone Bodies is injured in such a way. I know of several who maintain multiple clone bodies with specific implant sets depending on their current needs. They would be unlikely to choose Euthanasia of the injured clone if the clone in question had a lot of high value implants.

In addition, it would depend if the injury was such that the clones ability to fully function in a piloting role was impared or not. If the clone could function within a capsule without issue, then many would choose to maintain that clone exclusively within the capsule while utilising a separate clone for activities which required them to operate outwith the capsule.

In short, the most likely scenario in the situation above where either the clone was unable to operate a capsule or, the clone lacked Implants would be for the capsuleer to transfer his consciousness to an uninjured clone and biomass the injured one.

Thank you Mr. Darkefyre and Ms. Denonshire. Your perspectives really helped me come to understand some differences among friends and how we approach physical struggles. You both hit important points and helped be come a better understanding. I appreciate you taking the time to comment.

One of the two rescued in the second report below asked, "Why take the risk for just us two?" I answered by telling him to ask someone from my crew who would give a better answer than I would. "We've all been there." That was the answer given. It was given by the new medic trainee; the one who doesn't quite trust me. One thing for sure, he trusts the crew he works with.

Wall of Shame:

115.08.01 12:22 benicetonoob Saken 10 people
115.08.01 21:16 James English 2 people

The sixth and seventh days of the business week are both good days to be on patrol and dangerous days to be on patrol. It is important for us to patrol on these days, because business people often wait for these days to do a bulk of trading and transport. We sometimes see large groups of people jettisoned into space on these days. We want to be there if there is a chance to rescue them. On the danger side, sometimes bounty hunters bate would be rescuers hoping for an opportunity to destroy our ships...

If people in death cans are involved, we risk taking the bate. Often we escape with little damage, sometimes not. It most difficult when we are only able to rescue a portion of a large group and must leave some behind. We have found rescue methods that allow us now to return to complete rescues often before a suspect timer has expired. There is some risk and we can be targeted and take damage. But, we calculate the risk as worth taking if we believe the can is about to expire or if the medical needs of the passengers dictate. There were two bounty hunters/sport fighters waiting for our return trip, but we were able to rescue the remaining people and escape. This group is now receiving medical attention and health evaluation.

And so it continues.


Wall of Shame:

115.08.03 12:48 Nellie Blackmoon 50 people
115.08.03 17:24 Ginny Erzengel 26 people, Not A Target 34 people, Azareus Quintus 815 (part) 142 (rest) (957 total people) (took hits on return, some shield 30%)

Activity on patrol has slowed now that day one and two of the week have turned. Between patrols today, I hope to get away to check on planetary operations and to arrange for transport of fresh water to new M-Centers opened after KSAF's recent transfer of over 300,000 former slaves. If all goes well, it should not interrupt the regular patrol cycle.

We now have more crew volunteers than ships for them to crew or pilots to command the crews. Rescue begets a desire to rescue so it seems. The positive part is that we can now train more crew rotations so that any one crew takes fewer risks. DSTON may have to look into recruiting another rescue pilot. I hold out no particular optimism that this will happen any time soon. There are not very many pacifist capsuleers out there.

Wall of Shame:

115.08.05 22:25 Lexandro D'arkebuz 48 people

Abbey's parents were killed in a slaver raid of her settlement. The raid, apparently targeted parents to be killed and children to be taken for trafficking. The transcript that Ms. Cotton showed me paints a grim picture of young children witnessing the murders of parents and grandparents right before their eyes. Abbey was an only child but was one of many children taken from her village. She was abandoned in typical fashion when the capsuleer pilot realized that the contract for transport in Caldari space was not worth the risk of being caught. May says that Abbey suffers from a mild form of PTSD. This is not to say that her trauma was mild, but that she is expected to grieve, adjust, and be healthy again in time. May also said that because she was rescued before she was trafficked into prostitution, she has good prospects for adjustment and health.

I saw her today at lunch. May Cotton was with me and she encouraged me to ask questions about her parents as part of her grief process. Abigail is her full name. Her parents names were Aaron and Hannah. She talked most about her father and his attempt to protect her before he was murdered.

I share just a snippet of these details because they constitute a microcosm of the vast injustices and horrors experienced all across our Cluster. But, in that vastness are individual people, with names and sorrow and loss. Many who suffer are children; children like Abbey.

Wall of Shame:

115.08.07 12:38 Mylania Amberlight, KrapYl (groups: 10 former Elite Slaves, 40 freed slaves, 2 slavers, 9 former slaves)
115.08.07 18:12 (blue), 5 people

Through conversation and time spent with crew members, my eyes have been opened to realities known in the past only remotely. Some of my crew reside with their families on a temperate planet in a system adjacent to our reception center near our patrol route. On that planet and in a city on that planet, they are involved in charity work with a local mission and food pantry. I was invited by them to come and look at the work they do among the homeless and poor of that city. The particular challenge of their work is that often the poor and homeless are simply written off as deserving of their fate. We forget that with the smallest turn of events each of us could find ourselves in situation we never thought possible. Would there be people who would help us in our time of need, not just giving assistance but treating us with humanity and dignity, respecting the core value of our personhood? I would hope so.

Beginning today, there will be a change in the way these entries are made. The longer I do this work and the more I am exposed to the subtle desperations of humanity, the more convinced I am that I am not the one in a position to make personal judgments on others. I still believe that we all need to be accountable for what we do, but it is not my place to assign shame to anyone but rather only to report what I observe. Shame is something an individual feels for a number of reasons, sometimes justly, other times falsely. Shame is sometimes to big a word, sometimes to small. Who is sufficient to say? To try to press it on another who does not share my values is a useless gesture. Let shame fall on those on whom it will fall. I do not possess the omniscience to justly impart such a thing.

Rescue Report:

115.08.09 12:46 Darren Foster 9 people, Dobrinia Nikitichi 10 people

May Cotton is our social programs director for the DSTON Matriculation centers. She has taken a special interest in the recent rescue of a 5 year old girl named Abigail. Abbey, as she is called, was orphaned after her parents were killed in a slaver raid. Her abandonment at a border crossing actually saved her from being trafficked. Ms. Cotton tells me that such trafficking is much more common than most of us know. We do not like to think that there are such dark and depraved corners of humanity, but there are.

Trafficking is a difficult to combat apart from international cooperation to put an end to it. Problem is, the nations are not getting along well enough to see outside of their own petty territorial and economic concerns. What we can do as individuals and organizations is to see to the needs and concerns of those who manage to escape the traffickers and the horror of this particular brand of slavery. We can dare ask questions, first "What is really happening?" second "What can I do to help." And then choose a way, perhaps this or this.

Rescue Report:

115.08.09 22.06 Clarence Sheep, Brummyhair Uta (groups: 15 former slaves, 100 former slaves, 30 freed slaves)
115.08.10 12:41 ahllamaar 3 people

I do not believe I am losing my "idealistic edge." But perhaps I am not the best judge of myself. Self-objectivity is notoriously difficult. Thank you crew and Captain Edaine for the rescue. We appreciate it as I am sure those rescued do as well. Abbey is smiling some...through tears, but smiling. She is making friends with other preschoolers. And she has the affection of the whole center. May has gone back to Yulai but the Ation staff members have remained to take careful albeit inconspicuous observations of Abbey's progress and health.

The work continues

Rescue Report:

115.08.10 17:27 Ineed Aname 104 people
115.08.10 17:49 Eden Hazards 20 people
115.08.12 22:48 Nadthis 12 people, KSKBaer 128 people