Museum Arcana
A piece of ancient debris floats in the foreground to the Museum proper.
Most people often think of museums as musty old buildings filled with fading exhibits and the bones of animals long dead, or perhaps artifacts from cultures of days past. They’re quiet buildings, filled with knowledge for those who are willing to seek it out. Unless, of course, you happen to be a capsuleer, in which case anything that doesn’t involve explosions isn’t worth doing, be it for knowledge or some other cause. Which is why it shouldn’t surprise anyone that, tucked away in the Araz constellation, the Museum Arcana combines the thrill of combat with the soporific effect that museums tend to have on people. More an archeological site than a true museum, the area is still overseen by a Curator who seems curiously oblivious to the ships fighting over the choicest archeological artifacts.
One of the aspiring archeologists can be seen in the background.
The Museum is dedicated to the Takmahl. Although often playing second fiddle to the more well-known Sleeper and Talocan ancient civilizations, the Takmahl have a fascinating history in their own right, and are probably the most recent of the lost civilizations of New Eden. The Takmahl started off as an offshoot of an offshoot of the Amarr faith. Those familiar with Amarr sects might recall that the Sani Sabik believe that purity can only be found through human blood. While the official Faith disclaims these teachings, these theological ideas have long had some popularity amongst the Amarr. Every so often, the Faith would set out and purge these blood believers. One of these purges, early on after the discovery of interstellar flight, led to the expulsion of what would eventually become the Takmahl. The followers left in cryo-ships, and apparently ended up in the Araz constellation. They became experts in cybernetics and bio-engineering before mysteriously dying out. One of their more complete data repositories was eventually rediscovered and labeled the Museum Arcana.
Aura has this to say regarding the Museum:
The Museum Arcana is an exclusive abode for purveyors of ancient, even arcane knowledge. The museum prides itself in serving only those truly learned in the secrets of the ancient world. To make this a certainty all visitors must not only have a rudimentary knowledge in prehistoric matters, but may be called upon to demonstrate their capabilities.
The still-functioning biodomes can clearly be seen here.
Aura has apparently been developing a bit of a sense of humor, since “a bit of rudimentary knowledge” roughly translates to “able to spend a few million isk.” By running an analyzer and obtaining a Key of the Arcane, the doorkeeper is happy to let you pass into the primary area of the museum. There, the Museum becomes a bit of a free for all. Despite being open for business for a few years now, the Museum still has quite a few juicy morsels at play, and collectors of archaic memorabilia can often be seen tussling with those hoping to find some of that cybernetic and bio-engineering technology that I mentioned. And, of course, any newcomers can expect to have both of those groups gang up on them for daring to intrude into their territory. However, it can be useful seeing as how finding a few tokens for the Curator allows you access to another fascinating Takmahl site, the Labyrinth in Aphi. But that’s for another entry.
One of the still active secondary data repositories.
Assuming you can take your mind off of the people trying to blow you up, the Museum itself is quite a sight to see. The Museum is anchored by a massive central structure, surrounded by a field of secondary data repositories. While the main structure has long been mined out of artifacts, many of the secondary repositories are still active, assuming you have the proper equipment with you. However, the main structure of the Museum dominates from an aesthetics viewpoint. Amarrian influences are clear in its construction, almost making the entire thing feel like a temple dedicated to preserving Takmahlan knowledge. In particular, the top of the structure is dominated by the all-too-familiar sweeping hand of Amarrian destiny, demonstrating that the Amarr (and the Takmahl) had delusions of galactic domination for millennia.
The Curator stands watch over the Museum.
Although the Amarr influences are to be expected, perhaps more surprising are the deviations from Amarr architecture. While the Amarr are well-known for their love of all things golden, the Takmahl structure’s blue-ish hues, organic curves, and biodomes gives much of the structure an almost Gallente feel to it. I would have thought the styles would clash, but they go together remarkably well, giving the structure a very graceful feel. The biodomes, of course, fit the Takmahlan historic interest in bio-engineering. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of it was the fact that even now, hundreds if not thousands of years later, the biodomes were still as verdant and green as anything you would find on Gallente Prime. Indeed, everything seemed remarkably well-preserved, which is yet another testament to Takmahl technology, regardless of any ethical concerns I might have about their religious beliefs.
Zimse glints off of the Museum’s domes.
I spent some time at the Museum, mostly just looking around and admiring the views. Professor Science’s cloak meant that just about everyone ignored me, something with which I was perfectly content. Eventually, however, it was time to move on from the Museum. As I warped out, I couldn’t help but wonder if museums would be more popular if they all involved guns, explosions, and blood-drinking religious fanatics, but I guess we will never know.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Museum Arcana
- System: Zimse
- Security Rating: 0.5
- Region: Kador
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Amarr, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen. Additionally, a number of rats, ranging from frigates to a battleship, are present at the site. They will fire on you if you remain uncloaked.
- Additional Notes: You MUST obtain the Key of the Arcane, which I purchased on contracts for about 10 million isk, in order to get past the first acceleration gate. The key is not consumed upon use.
Operation Highlander Battleground
The impact site of the Caldari titan Shiigeru.
The odd thing about history is that all so often it quantifies things while losing the quality. Think back to your history classes. We learn names, and important dates. But we so rarely learn the human qualities of history. What people knew, what people felt. History has that odd quality. Even looking back at the Seyllin Incident, it’s much easier to remember that 500 million people died than it is to remember the sheer horror I felt that day as the news continued to roll in. Human memory has the tendency of sanitizing horrors like that, undoubtedly a safety mechanism of some kind. And us capsuleers are no different. We rarely think about the horrors inflicted onto the crews of the ships we destroy; and when we do, we try to forget as quickly as possible. It’s just the human condition, be us mortal or capsuleer.
Professor Science observes the devastation from orbit.
Still, that doesn’t mean I want to forget the horrors of Caldari Prime. I’m sure you’ve all heard the story by now. The Caldari titan Shiigeru, was, depending on the point of view, either a symbol of hope or terror. Tensions had long been building on the surface. This was one of those situations where, objectively speaking, both sides had a legitimate grievance (much as it pays me to say it as a loyal Gallente). On the one hand, the Caldari had reconquered its undisputed homeworld through much blood, sweat, and tears, and they had every right to want to protect it. On the other, it was simply intolerable to the Federation that an armed, 7 kilometer machine of death was sitting mere seconds away from the very heart of the Gallente. The loss of Gallente Prime to the Federation would be simply incalculable. And so, the two sides sat in an uneasy balance. The Caldari unwilling to give up its homeland, the Federation unwilling to risk a fight so close to Gallente Prime.
The devastation from the impact covers 1.2 million square kilometers.
But once the Caldari made the decision, after days of unrest, to move Shiigeru to low orbit, the Federation was forced to deploy. And thus began Operation Highlander. With CONCORD essentially declaring a state of emergency, havoc let loose both in orbit and on Caldari Prime itself. While Gallente forces seemed to dominate in the pitched space battle, it seems that Caldari forces held the upper hand on their homeworld. Things seemed to be reaching yet another stalemate when something never before seen in high security space occurred: Shiigeru died. While titans dying in null security space is relatively boring news these days, never have the denizens of high security space seen such a spectacle. The massive vessel simply broke in half, and the second half of the ship was destroyed. In many capsuleer battles, this would be the end of the story. But because Shiigeru was so close to the planet, the remaining half came crashing down onto Caldari Prime.
The devastation can even be seen from high orbit.
The result, as you might expect from millions of tons of metal, was complete devastation. The ship came down 700 kilometers west of Caldari Prime’s second largest city, Arcurio, whilst teams from both nations were still fighting on the surface. The impact was so strong that buildings came down in Arcurio, and the entire planet needed to undergo intense environmental decontamination. The impact crater, with titanium diborite fires still raging even weeks later, can be seen from orbit, a chilling reminder of the effects us capsuleers can have. In total, some 1.2 million square kilometers near the southern end of the Kaalakiota Peaks were completely wiped off the map. It remains a minor miracle that the ship didn’t land closer to Arcurio itself.
But even from this kind of cataclysm, hope springs eternal.
However, despite all of the death and destruction, some hope comes from this. After years of tensions over Caldari Prime, the State and Federation have agreed to demilitarize the planet. Oddly enough, the eccentric mercenaries Mordu’s Legion will now provide planetary security on Caldari Prime. Furthermore, this also demonstrates the first mass-revolt against Tibus Heth’s reign in Caldari politics. Despite Heth’s continued railings against the demilitarization agreement, the megacorporations agreed to abide by the terms proposed by Ishukone. Perhaps now, for the first time in years, peace can come to Caldari Prime. Perhaps history will mark this as a turning point in State-Federal relations, even as it works, as it always does, to sanitize it for the history books.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Operation Highlander Battleground, Caldari Prime
- System: Luminaire
- Security Rating: 1.0
- Region: Essence
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -2 in security status, or -5 standing with the Gallente, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
Caldari Monument
A monument to Caldari architecture
It’s been an eventful few weeks in New Eden for both myself and the empires, not to mention capsuleers. Which of course means that the accursed planetside business that we all loath but must take care of on a regular basis decided that now is an appropriate time to rear its ugly head. So sadly, my space-based activities have been severely curtailed in recent days, for better or for worse. But I was not about to let a little thing like “serious business” get in the way of my explorations. And so, I was set to go out on another excursion. Before I left, however, I had decided to stop by my home system of Luminaire, having heard the rumblings of unrest on Caldari Prime. When I got there originally, the situation was tense but stable. After poking my news sources for a few minutes, I was about to get underway when something else caught my eye Something unexpected. I quickly banked the Professor and set course for about an AU out from Caldari Prime.
The asymmetrical lines of the Caldari Station are recognizable to all.
And yet my eyes hadn’t deceived me. There, well outside of Caldari orbital space, in the cultural of the Federation, sat a monument to the Caldari. I was half surprised that the Federation allowed it to be kept up, given the unfortunate history between the two states and the more recent tensions that have arisen, and yet another part of me would have been upset if the government had taken it down. The Federation may be many things, but we respect where we came from. If we didn’t have the Rouvenors to get started with the Enlightenment, we could just have easily turned out to be some no-name tribe still stuck on Gallente Prime, instead of the cluster-wide power we turned out to be. And in order to continue being that kind of power, we have to remember what, exactly, it was that brought us to where we are today. So I, for one, am happy that the Federation has decided to keep the Caldari Monument up. The Caldari secession was a painful time for the Federation, but it strengthened our resolve and brought about many reforms that are still in place to this day.
The home systems of the Caldari are visible near the blueish nebula
But philosophical musings aside, the monument itself is fairly straight forward. An old Caldari station dominates the scene. As with most ruins, it’s been picked clean in the years since the Caldari evacuated from Luminaire, but the harsh and often chaotic lines of Caldari architecture are still very recognizable. I never quite understood the Caldari love of asymmetrical structures with odd protuberances from every surface, but I guess I wasn’t exactly brought up in the Caldari tradition either. In any case, the relic of the pre-secession days still sits out here, in the middle of nowhere, slowly deteriorating in space. A cloud of debris suffuses the entire area, nearly the same color as the Caldari-home nebula that can be seen even from Gallente Prime. Fitting, I suppose.
Professor Science heads in for a closer look
The other notable object at the monument strikes me as a bit odd. It should look familiar to anyone familiar with Amarrian history, but the fact that there is a ruined temple monument here is odd nonetheless. Although obviously the Amarr and Caldari are close allies nowadays, this certainly was not only the case. Indeed, the alliance originally started as little more than a “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” type strategic decision, as the Caldari were being hardpressed by the Gallente when the Amarr and Gallente stumbled into each other. Still, the Caldari do have a bit of a spiritual side, if substantially less developed then, say, the Amarrian tradition, but it’s odd to see such a prominent display of it at a Caldari memorial.
Luminaire shines through the towers of the Caldari station
I didn’t spend a long time at the monument. I had seen Caldari stations before and I will undoubtedly see them again. Caldari station ruins can be found throughout both Caldari and Gallente space, evidencing the oddly mutually-dependent if antagonistic relationship the two nations have had with each other nearly from the moment of first contact. The histories of the Gallente and Caldari are irrevocably intertwined, no matter how much factions on each side wish it weren’t so. And so I, for one, am happy that the Federation government has chosen to maintain this monument as a recognition that even though we’ve come so far, we still have a long way to go before the Federation truly lives up to its ideals.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Caldari Monument
- System: Luminaire
- Security Rating: 1.0
- Region: Essence
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -2 in security status, or -5 standing with the Gallente, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
Counter-Intelligence Center
The Counter-Intelligence Center in Orvolle
New Eden isn’t exactly known for its stable political dynamics. Corporations and alliances rise and fall seemingly at the drop of a hat. Although the empires are always there, their fortunes wax and wane as threats both internal and external assault them. That being said, as of late, New Eden seems even more agitated lately than normal. The State is attacking its own citizens; one of the Heirs is wracked with scandal. And though the Gallente recently conquered the entirety of the CONCORD-mandated warzone (which perhaps explains Mentas Blaque’s recent aggressiveness in foreign policy speeches), the Federation too has been beset by internal struggles; namely, the astoundingly overt raiding of a publicly broadcast concert by the Black Eagles. But it isn’t all bad news either: the Republic’s Tribal Council brought a fully functional government back to the Minmatar for the first time in years. I’m no political commentator – far from it, in fact – but it seems to me that the days of lethargy in New Eden are coming to an end.
A large billboard dominates much of the Center.
And, of course, as events start picking up steam, it becomes all the more important for people to have all the information needed to make the important decisions. Intelligence gathering has a long and storied history in New Eden for both capsuleers and governments alike. Political intrigue, espionage, and the ever-present “metagame” means that information, and the battles over that information, are ever changing and evolving. Indeed, New Eden’s denizens undoubtedly have some of the most sophisticated propaganda machines ever to grace the halls of humanity. Indeed, the propaganda and information machines have gotten so sophisticated that not only do organizations need their own intelligence-gathering sources, they need their own counter-intelligence sources as well to throw others off.
A lone Lachesis sits docked at the Center
Enter the Counter-Intelligence Center in Orvolle. Established by the Federation government, it’s a center of both propaganda meant to throw enemies off of the Federation’s scent, as it were, but also a center of analysis and research. Of course, as a counter-intelligence center, you’d think that they would want to lay low so enemies couldn’t figure out if information was coming from a legitimate news source or just the Center, but what do I know? I’m certainly not an intelligence operative (though of course if I were that would be exactly what I’d say). Either way, putting the center out there for anyone to see strikes me a bit odd, but I guess that is why I’m not paid the big bucks.
Orvolle’s shine glares off of the loading docks
The center itself is a fairly simple affair from the outside. The primary analysis center and work area is dominated by the docking platforms sitting atop of a number of storage vats. Precisely what was being stored in the vats was beyond me, and for some odd reason they didn’t exactly respond to my queries. A lone Lachesis sits amongst the docking structures, apparently piloted by someone willing to give people work. Other than that, however, there was little to see. A billboard was set up, and in true Gallente fashion it alternated between news and Quafe advertisements. And a lone antenna continuously scanned the skies, broadcasting its omnidirectional message out into the night.
I didn’t spend a lot of time here; there simply wasn’t much to see. From an academic perspective, however, I found the blatant attempts at counter-intelligence fascinating. Could the blatant existence of the Center be its own form of propaganda? Showing the enemies of the Federation precisely how confident it was, that it didn’t even bother to hide its intelligence centers? With these questions clouding my head, I veered off, on to my next destination.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Counter-Intelligence Center
- System: Orvolle
- Security Rating: 0.7
- Region: Placid
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -3.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Gallente, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This site serves as one starting point for the Guristas Epic Arc missions.
Nugoeihuvi Information Center
The information/administration center for Nugoeihuvi’s space-based operations.
I know myself pretty well, I think. I know that, much as I might like to pretend at times that I don’t have biases against anyone, I am not the biggest fan of either the Amarr or the Caldari, and I often let those biases through in my writings here. I often portray the Amarr as brainless theocrats who care for nothing save either their God or their own power. Of course, the thing about stereotypes is that while they may be true sometimes, ascribing stereotypical features to any person of a given background is asking for trouble. The Gallente too have a well-earned stereotype for their decadent and drug fueled ways, but heavens know I lead a humble (for a capsuleer) life, and I don’t even take performance-enhancing boosters, much less the more addictive narcotics that are out there. And just as the Minmatar are the stereotypical brutes who know nothing other than what their own fists (or autocannons) can do, I know plenty who are quiet, reserved, and thoughtful. Stereotypes may be appropriate for some… but they cannot or should not be used as a blanket rule.
Some of the many ships in a holding pattern awaiting docking clearance.
I bring this up because I know particularly that I give the Caldari a hard time. I often portray them as soulless corporate zombies, who care for nothing but their corporation’s own bottom line and have little conception of the word “fun.” This is, of course, entirely incorrect. Indeed, the Caldari are some of the Federation’s biggest importers when it comes to the various entertainment products that are the Federation’s flagship exports. But that’s not to say that the Caldari can have no fun on their own. Indeed, one of the Caldari megacorps is geared almost exclusively towards providing the State with various entertainment products, such as holos, songs, games, and a host of other devices meant to cheer up State citizens as they look at the bland gray walls that they love so much (sorry, couldn’t help myself there). Nugoeihuvi (thankfully shortened to NOH much of the time) is the State’s leader in a whole phalanx of products; indeed, it’s the only megacorp that focuses on such products. It’s somewhat ironic, then, that NOH is a member of the so-called “practicals” bloc. Then again, considering that NOH has rather overt connections to the criminal underground, it fits in well with the practicals’ “ethics have no place in society” view of life.
Some of the military support available at the station.
I’ll admit that I don’t have a lot of personal experience with NOH products, though admittedly I don’t have a lot of experience with non-capsuleer entertainment these days. However, what little from them I’ve seen is remarkably similar to what comes out of the studios on Luminaire, Algogille, and Dodixie. Indeed, the most remarkable thing about Caldari entertainment is how unremarkable it is compared to its Gallente brethren. I’m not sure if this is a belated victory for the Cultural Deliverance Society or just the inevitable cultural exchange that comes with (relatively) free trade, but it seems to work for NOH regardless. It works enough so, actually, that NOH has seen fit to create an information center and administration center in NOH’s corporate headquarters system of Josameto. Acting as the interface between NOH’s corporate boardroom and the broader cluster at large, the center helps not only coordinate NOH’s interstellar interests but also acts as a minor tourist attraction to drag sightseers into NOH’s embrace. As Aura explains:
This small complex acts as the first point of contact between many spacebound travelers and representatives of Nugoeihuvi Corporation. Since traffic around major corporate stations is often at or near maximum capacity, Nugoeihuvi and other State organizations frequently set up their own temporary administrative facilities away from the hurried masses.
A look inside the upper pressure dome
“Hurried masses” indeed. I’m used to thinking of Jita and Amarr as the economic hearts of the cluster, but even if Josameto doesn’t give these systems a run for their money, it certainly puts on an impressive display for a non-capsuleer-based presence. The spacelanes here are filled with shuttles, freighters, and other ships as they come and go from the massive structure; their scarcely seems room for even my tiny Professor Science amongst the traffic control queues. I did not envy the traffic controllers for the port. Still, even while waiting in a queue somewhat off of the main spacelanes, it was fascinating to watch the parade of military and freighter vessels come and go as they get shuffled around by the station. Local chatter was filled with the somewhat eclectic dialect that traders inevitably develop, be it space-based or land-based. I’m not sure what “going 2 centi’s on the inbound” or “clear shot for a sling” but everyone seemed to be happy with it so I didn’t question it. I mostly just hung back and watched the action.
Some of the transshipping facilities available in Josameto.
The station itself was surprisingly artistic for general Caldari architectural design, even if it was clothed in the standard gunmetal gray so favored by the corporate boards. The station gently expanded from the bottom up, spreading what almost looked like flower petals from the central stem. These panels angled away from the central structure, giving the entire station a rather vase-like appearance. The top of the station was strikingly Gallente in design, actually: a clear dome that allowed me to see into the central core of the building. Although a Gallente station would have parkland or other open areas under a clear dome like this, the harsher, angled surfaces of the buildings visible within the pressure dome suited the station well.
The bottom of the information center.
Unfortunately, after being told that I was somewhere in the sixties in terms of the docking queue, I decided it wasn’t quite worth the wait and got on my way. Still, I enjoyed a glimpse into a side of Caldari culture that I rarely see, as well as the introspection it provided. Being reminded of your prejudices, even if you don’t quite manage to do anything about them, never hurts, and I left the area as a slightly better person than I was when I first arrived.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Nugoeihuvi Information Center
- System: Josameto
- Security Rating: 0.6
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site.
- SCHEDULING NOTE: As you may have noticed, posting on here has been infrequent at best, recently. This is due to a combination of factors, most notably the fact that I’m moving in RL and things are hectic as it is, and also that I’m in that bane of players everywhere: A classic EVE Slump ™. In an attempt to nip this as much in the bud as I can, as well as give myself all the time I need to settle into the new place and take care of the holidays, EVE Travel will be going on Hiatus until the new year. Of course, I have no intention of leaving twitter and I should be logging in, even if not as regularly as I normally do. That said, I’ll be keeping an eye on comments and evemail, so if anyone comes across anything they’d like to see profile, feel free to drop me a line. Fly safe, New Eden, and I’ll see you on the other side o7
Impetus Site
A major distribution center for entertainment company Impetus.
Sometimes, I think about the logistics necessary to keep an economy like New Eden up and running. Inevitably, when I do, I immediately get a headache. I’ve only dabbled on the industrial side of New Eden, back in my early days as a pod pilot, and that was enough to give me an appreciation that lasts to this day for the countless citizens who work around the clock to give us the goods we often take for granted. Everything, from the smallest piece of ammunition in your autocannon to the largest Titans, is built by teams of capsuleers. These capsuleers need to gather the materials necessary (either through mining or reprocessing other equipment), utilize blueprints to put those materials together. For higher quality equipment, multiple levels of this become necessary, and that doesn’t even begin to look at the complexities of reverse engineering, invention, and other processes necessary for tech 2 and Sleeper-based technologies. I am shocked time and again that the entire economy hasn’t collapsed in on itself when I realize that this is all due solely to capsuleer efforts. But such is the world that we live in.
A portion of Impetus’s shipping fleet.
Of course, there is an entire side of the economy that we have little to know interaction with as capsuleers. Entire planetary economies are often offlimits to us, as us capsuleers have little use for most consumer goods. With our whims completely catered for, what use would we have for a microwave or oven? While some inroads are starting to be made in certain areas, for the most part, capsuleer-produced equipment is often reserved solely for capsuleer use, and vice versa. Whether it is the natural economic result or a CONCORD-mandated division, the fact of the matter is that, economically speaking (and in many other ways for that matter), the billions of people on the planets below us are invisible. We simply don’t have any interaction with them.
A top down view.
That’s not to say that they don’t have their own economies though. And sometimes, we capsuleers have the opportunity to run into this other side of New Eden. Interstellar-shipping and interstellar logistics are not only a concern of capsuleer-based corporations; it is a major concern for the civilian-oriented trans-stellar corporations as well. Indeed, you can sometimes see hints of this other side of the economy when you see those convoys coming and going from stations. There seems to be little rhyme or reason for the stations these convoys visit, but perhaps the civilian population is similarly confused as to why Jita is given so much attention by us capsuleers. It’s just another example of the ever-widening gap between the capsuleer and non-capsuleer portions of humanity.
Cargo crates can be seen next to these small industrials
But for those of you who may want more than a glimpse, I highly suggest Dodixie. Like Jita, Dodixie is a familiar market hub for many capsuleers throughout Gallente space. Unlike Jita, however, Dodixie also appears to have a thriving non-capsuleer economy as well, as evidenced by the major distribution center established here by the well-known film maker Impetus. I’ve profiled Impetus before, so I won’t belabor the point other than saying that its extremely broad range of entertainment materials, it in many ways mirrors broader Gallente society and tastes. Aura puts it much more concisely:
An Impetus agent awaits you in this deadspace complex.
Impetus are the leading creators and distributors of all sorts of entertainment: holoreels, cheap pornography, even seedier (or perhaps, more ethically questionable) means of kinetically visual fare. Regardless of their product, the entertainment lifestyle is decadent and glamorous, so talking to this agent might provide you a glimpse into that exotic world.
The Professor approaching the distribution center.
The first thing that came to my mind as I dropped out of warp at the distribution center was that it was a giant flower floating in space. Four “petals,” in reality, the docking platforms, sprout from the top of the central stem. These platforms gleam in the sunlight of Dodixie, not to mention the variety of ships that can be found here as well. Travelling down the central stem about half way, a set of four “leaves” can be found sprouting off the stem, rotated 45 degrees from the central platform. As best as I could tell, these seemed to function mainly as storage areas. Given the bustling activity at the center, there would have to be substantial storage in order to make all of these ships have a reason to be here. The stem itself probably served as the primary administrative areas for offices.
A Thorax sits docked at the station.
Beyond the center itself, a veritable fleet of cargo ships could be found docked at the station. Industrial ships ranging in size from the massive Obelisk to the tiny yet (relatively) speedy Occator can be found docked, with ships both sitting on the sprawling docking ports as well as off to the side. The top (as much as such a word has meaning in space) of the docking platforms are also covered in stacked crates of cargo, undoubtedly filled with a variety of filming equipment and sets, not to mention hardcopies of the hundreds of films pumped out by the studios every year. With Impetus as a major producer of entertainment products, I have no doubt that the activity continues around the clock here.
I very much enjoyed my brief time at the Impetus site. Given that I was in the area anyway to pick up some supplies, it was nice to have a new site to discover so close to where I needed to go anyway. As I watched the bustle of activity, the coming and going of ships as they dropped off or picked up supplies, it made me once again appreciate the complexities of New Eden.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Impetus Site
- System: Dodixie
- Security Rating: 0.9
- Region: Sinq Laison
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -2.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Gallente, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Gallente COSMOS site.
Mamo’s Backyard
Mamo’s Backyard at first glance looks like a collection of random scrap
Capsuleers represent the absolute epitome of society in New Eden. The money that even the most modest of capsuleers make in a day could completely support a small city for a year. And yet, even within the cream of the crop, there is stratification. While your humble travelogue writer makes more than enough money to support his own lifestyle, my bank account is a mere fraction of the true power players in capsuleer circles. While I can comfortably buy and fit new ships when I need them, truly rich capsuleers can buy much, much more. Ships are no problem for people who can buy and sell moons, planets, systems, even entire regions on a whim. To an extent, I envy those people, with more money than they know what to do with. But, unlike many of those types, making money for the sake of making money has never been a particular interest of mine; as long as I have enough money to comfortably support myself, I’m happy.
A custom modified Megathron glints in the sunlight of Lirsautton
One of the interesting things to watch in the truly rich, however, is how they choose to spend their money. Do they prefer gaudy displays of their own wealth, proclaiming their monetary assets to anyone who is willing (or just able) to listen? Do they use it to start philanthropic endeavors (“philanthropy” and “New Eden” don’t seem to necessarily go hand in hand, but, as usual, capsuleers continue to surprise me) Or do they choose to use it to buy the latest hot new crazy sweeping the cluster? Or is there some particular interest of theirs that their wealth finally lets them truly invest in? This final option is always interesting, because precisely what someone chooses to spend their money on, what collections they want to start, give an interesting insight into people, even the super-rich. It probably wouldn’t surprise you to learn that many people choose to pursue rare ships in that situation, but sometimes there are somewhat more esoteric pursuits, depending on the person.
Of course, the echelons of the truly rich are not necessarily limited solely to capsuleers. Hooking yourself up to a pod and combining your very essence with a starship is not the only way to create fantastic wealth in New Eden; there are plenty of ways to use your wiles on more planet-bound endeavors. One such person is Mamo Guerre, heir to the Fedmart fortune. As Aura explains, he’s created his own little wonderland:
Mamo Guerre is an extremely wealthy Gallente citizen who’s father earned the family’s wealth in the retail industry. He owns a sizeable part of FedMart and has been listed in the Opren’s 100 Wealthies Men list of Everyshore.
One of Mamo’s most prized possessions is the moon of Lirsautton VI. Every inch of it is his, and the area around it he fondly nicknamed – Mamo’s Backyard.
You can find all kinds of gadgets, ships and structures in Mamo’s Backyard. It has become sort of a junkyard, as Mamo has a tendancy of not cleaning up his mess. Most of the ships floating here are not functional, having been left here to rust after they have served their purpose, or taken apart in one of Mamo’s experiments.
The sleek lines of the Opus yacht.
The Backyard isn’t marked by CONCORD surveys, so you’ll have to know what you’re looking for. Indeed, that’s a good bit of advice in general when discussing the Backyard: you have to know what you’re looking for. When the warp bubble first collapses around you, it’s easy to think that you’ve just managed to warp into the nearest scrap yard. But that is apparently just Mamo’s penchant for collecting anything and everything, valuable or not. While most of Mamo’s purchases have, over the years, been reduced to little more than unrecognizable piles of scrap, there are a number of gems hidden within this scrap yard. For example, near the shipyard where Mamo conducts most of his research sits a fully functional Megathron. While rumors are floating around that the ship will be undergoing a Federation-mandated refit in the near future, the ship remains one of the most emblematic ships out there. Perhaps not quite the level of the Rifter in terms of sheer recognizability, but its twin-prong design is well known.
The yacht is located near the shipyard
The true jewel of the Backyard, however, is off to the side, almost hidden. An Opux-class luxury yacht, Hagathia, sits almost forgotten on one side. Only a handful are known to exist, and only two are owned by capsuleers. Although it won’t hold its own in any kind of fight (not to mention that with five high slots, but only two launcher and two turret hardpoints, it won’t be winning any prizes for superb fitting theory), if you’re looking for the end-all be-all of superior luxury, Opux is the place to look. With more gold plated interiors than an Amarr cathedral (not to mention the standard Federation “pleasure nooks,” for lack of a more family-appropriate term), the Opux is the first and last word when it comes to cruising the starlanes in style. Their rarity in their capsuleer community (rumor has it Opux refuses to sell to capsuleers) only heightens the mystery and allure surrounding the vessels. Seeing it tossed to one side of a scrap yard, not even being used while being exposed to the harshness of space, is shocking, to say the least.
There’s a lot of scrap floating around in the area as well
Beyond the aforementioned Megathron and yacht, a few other odds and ends sit amongst the scraps, nothing else of particular note. Intriguingly, Mamo seems to have taken advantage of a local deadspace field and locked up some of his treasures behind an acceleration gate. I was unable to get past the gate; I didn’t have the proper access key with me. But I couldn’t help but wonder what Mamo had hidden if he felt comfortable leaving an Opux yacht in plain sight for anyone to find and visit. But I guess it all comes down to a matter of perspective; while capsuleers might covet an Opux due to their rarity amongst us, to Mamo it might mean little. That’s one of the funny things about money. People often think of money as giving you access to anything your heart desires. But when you have that much money, in a weird way it lets you prioritize your life and show off what’s really important to you. Not just what you buy, but how you use what you buy.
A few other ships can also be discerned amongst the scraps
I know I sound somewhat covetous about Mamo and the other true isk barons of New Eden, but in many ways I’m not. What I covet the most won’t be found in spreadsheets and .01 isk wars. What I want the most can be found Out There, and thankfully, you don’t need too much money to be able to see what New Eden has to offer.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Mamo’s Backyard
- System: Lirsautton VI, Moon 1 (no beacon, warp to the moon)
- Security Rating: 0.8
- Region: Everyshore
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -3 in security status, or -5 standing with the Gallente, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Gallente COSMOS site. Why it’s outside of the COSMOS constellations I’m not entirely sure, but it shows up in the wiki as a COSMOS agent.
Grand Crag Watch
Author’s Note: I would also like to extend my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Sean Smith, aka Vile Rat. His death was a loss for the entire EVE community. I didn’t know Vile Rat, so I will leave it to others who have summed up their feelings much better than I ever could. I will say this though: seeing the EVE community unite as they have has only served to remind me how proud I am to be a part of it. May Sean’s favorite ships be always on hand, and may good fights be never hard to find. Fly safe o7
Airmia V hangs shrouded in nearby dust.
I’ve always found the interplay between corporate governance and actual governance within the Caldari State fascinating. Perhaps that’s the political science nerd in me struggling to get out. To an extent, the fundamentals of corporations and your more normal democratically elected governments are similar. Voters (shareholders) elect those who they trust to keep the corporation on the right path. Safeguards are put in place to require that the corporate officers put their corporation’s interests ahead of their own. They are required to spend their money for the good of the shareholders (aka dividends), and consensus building within the Board of Directors is required for policy to be implemented. Such requirements are not that far amiss from parliamentary democracies. But there are differences, too. Unlike governments, businesses are always expected to bring in profits. Rather than relying on policy considerations, shareholders are often more concerned with the profit forecasts in making their selections for CEO. And, of course, there’s the fact that some things just aren’t profitable: fire fighting services, roads, infrastructure. Things that are necessary for modern life, but just aren’t easy to make a dollar off of.
A lonely Lai Dai ship keeps a watching on the surrounding area.
That’s why it always vaguely surprises me when I see a Caldari corporation provide services that typically a government would provide. Each of the Caldari megacorps have their own police and quasi-military arms, which continues to surprise me. I’ve never quite been able to figure out where they fall (if anywhere) in the military chain of command under the Caldari Navy. Given just how much the corporate identity permeates Caldari culture, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised to see that, beyond the general services provided to employees, they have also delved into the world of intelligence. I suppose once corporations enter into the world of military operations in general, military intelligence won’t be far behind. Still, it’s an odd thing for me to see. But if I didn’t believe that before, Grand Crag Watch has shut me up. As Aura tells me:
Lai Dai constructed a surveillance outpost here after they lost control of their nearby mining facility. The remotely-controlled surveillance equipment keeps the tabs on the struggle taking place for control of the contested mining facility. Recently the Grand Crag Watch has become a favored meeting place of pilots with Lai Dai sympathies.
Airmia shines in the background over the repair and lookout facilities.
The nearby facility that the observation outpost was keeping an eye on has long been the site of battles between the various factions vying for control of Okkelen. And now Lai Dai is trying to get a piece of the action. I’m forced to wonder what exactly is so valuable in Okkelen that everyone is fighting over. There have been hints of something major being discovered over in Friggi, but despite years of research at the Devil’s Dig site, as far as I know nothing of note has ever been discovered outside of things that are of interest only to archeologists and scholars of the Talocan. Despite this, however, both pirates and megacorporations alike seem to be dedicating significant resources, while the rogue drones that have become ensconced on the site have also been fighting tooth and nail to protect what, if anything, is in there. But exactly what Airmia had to do with the Devil’s Dig site wasn’t clear; if establishing control of the dig site were more important, you’d think that they would be fighting over Friggi itself, not the next system over.
Professor Science approaches
Regardless of the reasons for its existence, Grand Crag Watch isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The Watch itself is a fairly drag, expectedly utilitarian affair, consisting entirely of a lookout post and a repair yard for local Lai Dai ships. If, as Aura suggests, this is truly a “favored meeting place of pilots with Lai Dai sympathies”, then Lai Dai could use some more pilot outreach programs. The only ship beside my own that I saw near the Watch was a small Hawk flown by Lai Dai agent Oniya Arkimo, who looked rather bored when I briefly started talking with her. She was all business, however, and once she realized I wasn’t there for work, she sent me on my way.
I didn’t spend long at the Watch. Beyond the fact that there was simply nothing to see, I was eager to get my explorations of Okkelen to an end. Although it was enlightening to view the culture that I had been raised to distrust, I was ready to move on and see what else was out there. There were still a few things that I needed to explore, but they would require more resource gathering before I was ready to tackle them.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Grand Crag Watch
- System: Airmia
- Security Rating: 0.6
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site.
Blog Banter 39: Home
In this vast universe, where is home?
Author’s note: This week’s EVE Travel will be a little different than normal, as I join into the discussion from Freebooted’s current Blog Banter. I don’t normally join the Banters as I keep EVE Travel focused on living up to its name as a travel blog, but this Banter’s prompt allows me to join in the discussions for once. The prompt is:
Some say a man’s home is his castle. For others it is wherever they lay their hat. The concept is just as nebulous in the New Eden sandbox.
In EVE Online, what does the concept of “home” mean to you?
Enjoy!
My homeworld nearly silhouetted against Luminaire.
Home. It’s an effusive concept that seems to vary depending on my mood. Home is where I grew up, in that small house on Luminaire with my parents and siblings. It’s the smell of fresh cookies coming straight out of the oven, ready and waiting for me at the end of a long day. It’s curling up in my bed with a good book as I wait to see what tomorrow brings me. It’s the one place in this hectic universe where I know I can return to, even when everyone and everything else seems out to get me. I may not have seen my parents in months, and may not have set foot on Luminaire since becoming a capsuleer, but that does not and will never stop me from considering that little house in Luminaire my home.
Professor Science warps through a planet on the way to its next adventure.
Home can also be where the heart is, as the old adage goes. Professor Science, my first true travel ship, is my home. I have more memories with her than I do any of my other ships. Be it running gate camps and hoping my cloak activates in time or seeing some of the wonders that space has to offer, I can recall nothing but fond memories from her. I remember the punch in the gut I felt the first time I lost her, and I remember the joy I felt when I managed to slip her through a heavy gate camp with no losses. In terms of sheer emotional attachment, and in terms of the ship that let me start doing the things I love, Professor Science and its successors have no equal in where I can call home.
My trusty Drake is another vessel I’m close to.
But home is also where I feel the safest. Where I feel the most secure. Having been a pod pilot for four and a half years now, home is my ship. Legacy, my Drake, has been my trusty ship for years now. I know her and her crew like I know the back of my hand. I know her strengths, and I know her weaknesses. I know her capabilities, and I know her limits. Legacy is my old, reliable workhorse. To put it colloquially, “she takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.” If I’m looking for the one place in the universe where I feel safe, where I feel like I can tackle anything, it’s my Drake. They say that capsuleers are hooked up to a ship to make it feel like a part of a pilot’s own body. Legacy takes that feeling to the extreme, so much so that I almost feel awkward in just about any other ship. Say what you will about the Drake, but Legacy has always been there for me.
My current base of operation.
In a more ‘traditional’ sense of where I primarily base out of, Pelkia is my home. For the better part of two years, now, the majority of my ships and belongings can be found in that lonely base in a fairly small system. It’s located conveniently near both Amarr for when I need to shop for new ships, as well as low security. It’s fairly equidistant from the other empires, making it easy should a new site pop up that requires investigation. But Pelkia is more than that. When I moved into Genesis for my research in Project Compass, it was Pelkia that I ended up yearning to return to. The familiar sights and sounds there are soothing, and I know I have no enemies nearby. Coming back after an extended excursion is like slipping into my favorite sweater. Something about it just feels right.
New Eden is my home.
But maybe I’ve gotten to the point where I can call no singular place home. Maybe “home” is not so much as a place, but a feeling. In that respect, New Eden is my home. I am not just a native of the Federation. I am not just from Luminaire. I am a citizen of the broader stellar community. Us pod pilots are 300,000 strong and growing by the day. We live together, we fight together, we die together. And then we wake up in our cloning vats and do it all again. From the depths of null security space to the heart of Yulai, each and every one of us are bound to each other, be it through ties of alliances, ties of friendship, or ties of the marketplace. Each pod pilot is my neighbor, and each system is just a part of my home that I have yet to thoroughly explore. For four and a half years now, the stars have been my home. It thrills me that there are still more wonders out there waiting for me, and I can’t wait to see what else my home has to offer.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Home
- System: All
- Security Rating: -1.0 to 1.0
- Region: All
- Potential Hazards: Some of the neighbors can be less than friendly
Other banterers:
- Home and Hearth by Parisma Calles @ Small Ships FTW
- I’m like the Gypsy Band by Drackarn @ Sand, Cider and Spaceships
- Somewhere I belong by Sugar Kyle @ Low Sec Lifestyle
- Home in the Stars by Lukas Rox @ Torchwood Archives
- Home is Where My Hole is… by TurAmarth ElRandir @ A Carbon Based Life
- A Sort of Homecoming by Rhavas @ Interstellar Privateer
- Home Is Where the Heart Is by Anshu Zephyran @ Structure Damage
- A Place to Hang your Hat by Rixx Javix @ EVEOGANDA
- A Question of Location by Druur Monakh @ Hazardous Goods
- A Long Time Ago in a Constellation Far Far Way… by Kirith Darkblade – EVE Pirate
- Home is where my Pod is by Emergent Patroller
- Sweet Home Alabama by Orea @ Notes From New Eden
- BB39: Home by Mabrick @ Mabrick’s Mumblings
- home…was it a random choice? by MinorFreak @ Ordoministorum
- Home is where your Family is… by Kuan Yida @ Random Posts from Auga
- Blogbanter 39 by splatus @ A Journey Through the Mind
- two kinds of places by Sered Woollahra @ Sered’s Lives
- Home by Kirith Kodachi @ Inner Sanctum of the Ninveah
- Homeward Bound by Mike Azariah @ A Missioneer in EVE
- Where The Heart Is by Xander @ Crossing Zebras
- It’s not a house, it’s a home @ Morphisat’s Blog
- A Captain’s Quarters to call your own @ A Scientist’s Life in Eve
- The Funny Thing… by Orakkus @ 2nd Anomaly From the Left
- Where Familiarity Doesn’t Breed Contempt @ Diaries of a Space Noob
- Where is home? by Sunatzero
- Nebulosity by Helena Khan @ Aggressive Logistics
- Here by blastradius @ Blastrad’s Tales
- Home is where the Hulk is by Satyrwood @ Satyrwood Industries
- There and Back Again; An Ex-Capsuleer’s Tale* by Eelis Kiy @ Sand, Cider and Spaceships
- Homeward Bound by Adhar Khorin @ Margin Call
- Home is Where you Stage by Poetic Stanziel @ Poetic Discourse
- Broken Home by Marc Scaurus @ MALEFACTOR
- Home is Where the Alts Are by Kaeda Maxwell @ The Wild Rose of Molden Heath
- No place like it by Ripard Teg @ Jester’s Trek
- Home is where the hangar is by Jace Errata @ Year of the Snake
- An unpleasant truth @ EveHermit’s Blog
- Home is what you make of it by Anabaric @ Inside My Skull So Many Demons
Frontier Stockade
The Frontier Stockade floats above Moon I of Sakkikainen VI.
One of the fundamental principles of the New Eden economy is that a free market economy, in allowing (or, to some, forcing) corporations to compete against each other, will lead to the most efficient means of getting a job done. This principle can be seen time again, in the .01 isk wars in the Jita market, in the ways that CONCORD pays out to repel incursions by the Sansha, and even in the competitions between miners to vacuum up asteroids in the most efficient manner possible. Allowing macroeconomic behaviors to determine efficient resource allocation is one of the hallmarks of our interstellar society. There are inefficiencies, of course, there always are when dealing with mere humans (even the immortal kind), but the thought is that, except in fairly rare circumstances, a free market will divvy up limited resources as it sees best. The so-called “invisible hand.” And given the booming economy that New Eden enjoys nowadays, proponents of that theory certainly have the data to back up their assertions.
One of the C&C facilities for the Caldari efforts in Okkelen
As might be expected, the Caldari in particular, with the megacorporation providing for almost all governmental services, adhere closely to the free market theory. Working under a theory of both horizontal AND vertical integration, megacorporations in Caldari society function in many of the same ways that governments do in the other empires. But in many other ways, the megacorporations function as just as their names suggest: they act as businesses. And often, these businesses are set against each other in order to find out who can provide certain services most efficiently. The winning megacorp gets to keep the prize for having the more efficient operation, while the losing ones are left to figure out what went wrong and to devise a new strategy for future competition. This technique has been used once again as the Caldari State seeks to colonize the Okkelen constellation. Two corporations, Nugoeihuvi and Lai Dai, have been set against each other to see who can most efficiently settle the wild lands that make up Okkelen. Both megacorps have set up their central base of operations fairly close to each other in Sakkikainen, at the Frontier Stockade. As Aura explains:
The two mega-corporations charged by the State with the task of settling Okkelen, NOH and Lai Dai, have each recently constructed a station here in the Sakkikainen system. These stations are intended to act as the base from which the Caldari State intends to push the frontier back and claim the constellation for itself. As with all frontier settlements there’s plenty of work to be found for enterprising pilots.
While NOH and Lai Dai maintain separate control facilities, they also have cooperatively built research and storage facilities.
As might be implied from the description, the Stockade is a bustling frontier community, with ships flying to and fro as both megacorps struggle to make their claim to the resources of the constellation. Both corporations have set up respective command and control centers to oversee their operations in the constellation. These control centers sit behind a protective cocoon of Lai Dai and Nugoeihuvi corporate police vessels; ships from Lai Dai Protection Services and Internal Security, respectively. Both sides keep a fleet of Raven-class battleships close at hand in order to defend their control centers if necessary. Whether these pseudo-military vessels are there to protect the control centers from pirates or other megacorporations seems to be a matter of perspective.
A close up of the central storage facility. Asteroids with mineable minerals can be seen in the background.
Surprisingly, however, there are some hints of cooperation between NOH and Lai Dai. Beyond the fact that both megacorps put their control centers near each other, both seemed to have also cooperated in constructing centralized administrative and storage facilities for operations throughout the constellation. Sakkikainen’s centralized location in the cluster makes logistics fairly easy, while allowing Friggi to act as a buffer from the low security space connected through Ihakana. Seeing that both megacorps clearly had the same thoughts in this regard, it made sense for them to cooperate in at least some respects to save on expenses. Beyond the centralized storage and administrative facility, the megacorporations appear to have also built a small joint research facility. A veneer of newness surrounds the facility, perhaps from the leftover construction materials that still have viable materials in them, or perhaps from the shine on both the stations and the ships.
The Stockade stands ready to settle Okkelen once and for all.
All in all, the megacorporations seem to have the settlement of Okkelen well in hand. The jury is still out as to which one will win in Okkelen. But rest assured that whichever megacorp does end up winning (or if neither one wins), that invisible hand of the marketplace will be the one placing the crown on the victor.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Frontier Stockade
- System: Sakkikainen
- Security Rating: 0.6
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site. Furthermore, some asteroids here are capable of being mined.
Cactus Mill Lookout
The Lookout keeps its lonely guard over Vahunomi X.
Each of the Empires seems to have areas of space that are just representative for them. Areas that help to sum up who that nation is as a people, and what values or ongoing issues they have that help to define them. The Gallente’s Algintal constellation is enmeshed with a debate over whether environmental or business concerns should win out, representing a deeper debate over the liberty and beauty the Gallente prize and the economic prosperity that allows them the freedom to have that debate. The Minmatar’s Ani constellation shows the continuing struggle of the Republic to come to terms with its past while still embracing the future. The Amarr’s Araz constellation demonstrates a bloated bureaucracy and aristocracy struggling to control the largest nation in New Eden.
The old ore refinery is being repurposed as a sensor station to guard Bank assets.
So what about the State? The State has Okkelen… and the only real thing I can say about it is that it is very utilitarian and homogenous. Which, to be fair, fits the State quite well. But it’s notable how little there is of note to say about the State’s various sites in Okkelen. Sure, there are undertones of inter-corporate rivalries that I have discussed previously, as well as attempts to reclaim Okkelen from pirate groups, but I can’t get away from the fact that, moreso than the other constellations that I’ve mentioned, many of the sites that are marked here are just boring. As a semi-professional traveler around New Eden, I hesitate to use such a strong term (a death knell for anyone relying on tourism to boost income), but as I have repeatedly noted throughout my exploration of Okkelen that many of the sites seem to be very homogenous. Which, as I’ve mentioned, fits the cultural tropes of the Caldari well, but just does not make for very exciting exploration.
For example, let’s take a look at this week’s site: the Cactus Mill Lookout. Aura, as usual, comes to the rescue with some basic information:
An old ore refinery, the Cactus Mill is being refurbished with the latest surveillance gadgets courtesy of the State and Region Bank. Great wealth can be found in the nearby station vault and the bank is anxious to protect it. It’s a race against time as bandits will inevitably fall on the vault sooner rather than later. The help of independent pilots is greatly appreciated.
One of the ships that has set up station here as the station itself trails off into the distance.
Having seen this in my research, I was at least hoping to see a security perimeter and some sensor posts. Perhaps some corporate navies out in force to protect their investments in the Bank. Or even some State naval vessels to help protect what is clearly an important national asset. I came in to Cactus Mill with high hopes and instead I got… an old, abandoned station. The same as any number of others that I’ve seen in my time here. Though I do take solace in the fact that there’s no asteroid colony evident. If there’s any retrofitting going on, it’s clearly an entirely internal affair. Meshing well with the State’s utilitarian nature, the station’s exterior is clearly dinged and dirty, but still intact. As such, it’s not being touched as far as I can tell by any repair crews. Any ore processing facilities have clearly been removed by the Bank by now, but any upgrades to the interior of the station are completely invisible to me.
One of the asteroids present near the Lookout.
Beyond the station itself, there is very little of note around the Lookout. Vahunomi X floats quietly in the background. It has a wispy ring system surrounding it that adds a hint of background beauty to the site. A few ships have also made the site their home port, ready to offer missions out to enterprising capsuleers who are looking to help protect the Bank and its aforementioned vault. A few asteroids also sit near the station, presumably leftover from the station’s life as an ore refinery. A brief glance at sensor readouts shows that there’s still some usable minerals to be found in the depths, but of course Professor Science isn’t outfitted to go mining, so I just leave the rocks be.
The old docking bay of the station.
I spend very little time at the Lookout. There’s simply very little to see. Another old and abandoned station in a constellation that is replete in fairly uninteresting sites. Indeed, old and abandoned stations can be found throughout the State, a reminder of times past when the State felt it necessary to defend its perimeters from Gallente onslaught more closely. That is not to say that the sites here serve no purpose to the people of Okkelen, or even that the stories that they tell are not worth telling. But compared to the beauty of Algintal, the majesty found in Araz, or the haunting reminders of the past found in Ani, Okkelen just leaves something to be desired for travelers like me.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Cactus Mill Lookout
- System: Vahunomi
- Security Rating: 0.5
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site. Furthermore, some asteroids here are capable of being mined.
Diamond Ace Den
An overview of the Den, with Otitoh VII looming in the background.
The Caldari have always struck me as very straitlaced. Very prim, very proper, and not likely to do much in the way of entertainment when there is work to be done. To an extent, I’m sure, that is just some leftover government propaganda that was ingrained in me when I was younger. But when we come to the heart of it, I still can’t get over my internal image of the Caldari as the ultimate utilitarians. After a moment, of course, I realize that they’re as human as any of us, but for the first instant that I think of a Caldari, “fun” just doesn’t seem to enter into the equation at all. It’s not useful. It won’t help corporate profits. Of course, then my conscious brain engages and I remember that, you know, stereotypes don’t completely describe any one person or culture.
The storage silo can be seen in the background here.
I bring this up because I have to admit that I was vaguely surprised to find a casino pop up on my scanner as I was passing through Otitoh. I shouldn’t have been. For as long as there’s been currency there have been people willing to gamble it away. But it just doesn’t fit with my cultural expectations of the Caldari. They’re MUCH too restrained and reserved to do something like gamble away precious money. Now, us Gallente on the other hand, we love our gambling. Just like we love our drugs, sex, and basically any other vice that the Amarr proclaim as a sin. We like to live life to the fullest. But I guess I just never expected to see that kind of thought from the Caldari. Even beyond that, a bit of research proves that the Caldari are actually prolific gamblers, at times giving even the (fully legal) Gallente casinos a run for their money. Most of the time, Caldari casinos are forced underground, but Caldari officials seem to have given the one in Otitoh a pass. Perhaps that is because the workers in Okkelen already have enough on their plates. But for whatever reason, the Diamond Ace Den is one of the most happening places in the constellation. As Aura notes:
The Caldari love nothing better than to gamble. Whether the bet is on the upcoming Splinterz tournament or the survival rate of the latest green newbie miner that passed through; there is always someone willing to take you on here at the Diamond Ace Den.
One of the ships that are stationed at the Den.
I shook the thought of just how bored you had to be to bet on miners and focused on looking around. The site was dominated by a familiar site: another storage silo. Possibly to hold the Den’s immense winnings, or just to hold the items they must confiscate to pay off customer debts. I didn’t know, nor was I particularly tempted to ask. The other thing that you first notice upon warping in are the massive hunks of rock floating near the periphery. I noticed after a brief glance that some of those rocks had veldspar glimmering on the surface… maybe the rocks were dragged here for some of the gamblers to have something to watch. Or maybe it was here to make it easier for the casino to call rats in when necessary.
Otitoh shines weakly onto the Den.
Other than that, there is little of note at the Den. If the Den were planetside, it would almost certainly be found in some dimly lit backstreet alley, with a blinking neon sign found above it. Somehow, the space-based casino manages to recreate that feeling. Set off from the rest of the compound, with Otitoh barely peaking over the limb of the third moon of Otitoh VII, the casino looks small, dark, and dirty. A dim yellow sign balefully blinks the casino’s existence to the universe, even though it stands far removed from the rest of the buildings at the site. Still, it presumably provided the main income for the owners of the Den.
The casino is oddly set off from the rest of the site.
Beyond the casino, however, the Den’s owner has clearly expanded its business a bit. Playing up the vice angle, a brothel has been built nearby, providing a second way for patrons to waste their money in an hour or two. The brothel, in many ways, seems more prominent than the casino that the Den is named for. Beyond being placed much closer to the warp-in point for the Den, it is bathed in spotlights from two wings sprouting from the top. Whereas the casino almost seems trying to remain hidden in the gloom, the brothel is happy to shout its existence. Nearby, the owners apparently try to maintain a veneer of respectability by also providing a repair bay for patrons.
Despite my Gallente heritage, I had little desire to try my luck at the gambling tables. I had better things to spend my money on, that left far less to chance (my particular skills at flying spaceships is another matter entirely). Still, for those who are looking for a new way to spend their money, there are plenty of opportunities to be found at the Diamond Ace Den.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Diamond Ace Den
- System: Otitoh
- Security Rating: 0.5
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site. Furthermore, some asteroids here are capable of being mined.
NOH Recruitment Center
Ishisomo IV floats behind the NOH recruitment site.
Caldari society has always seemed a little baffling to me. I honestly have issues comprehending just how integral one’s megacorporation is to one’s life from cradle to grave. Of course, I’m used to corporations wriggling themselves into my daily life, at times even when I’m unaware of it. I’m Gallente after all, and heavens know Gallente society (and government) isn’t exactly free from corporate influence. But to have one megacorporation control almost all aspects of a person’s life, from the education he or she receives to the job he or she spends for the rest of their life, to the kind of money they can get and food they can buy, is just completely outside of my realm of experience. Then again, I’m sure someone growing up on New Caldari would say the same of our relatively laissez-faire attitudes towards capitalism and business in general. So to each his own, I suppose.
Ishisomo peeks out behind the massive storage silo.
One thing that has always puzzled me somewhat, however, was how to switch corporations, or if you could at all. I would imagine switching between corporations within a megacorp would be a fairly easy affair, but is it possible to switch megacorporations? Could you move from practical-bloc Sukuuvestaa to a more liberal Ishukone? How would benefits transfer when even the underlying currencies of the two are separate? The fact that a corporate citizen might bring with it some dark corporate secrets would lead me to believe that a person would normally not be allowed to switch megacorporations, but sometimes I’m forced to wonder. For example, this week’s site is a Nugoeihuvi (often shortened to NOH) recruitment center. This far into Caldari territory, you’d imagine that if Caldari citizens couldn’t switch megacorporations, this kind of site would be useless, yet here it was. Although it seemed primarily aimed towards pilots, the fact that they only had docking facilities for non-capsuleers suggested outreach to non-pilots as well. But as Aura explains:
The Nugoeihuvi mega-corporation, better known simply as NOH, is actively seeking pilots to participate in the planed settlement of the Okkelen constellation. It’s using this old storage silo as a center for its recruitment efforts. Representatives of NOH are waiting here to entice pilots into lending a helping hand in this ongoing struggle against evil-doers and the elements alike.
Another picture of the small fleet gathered near the silo.
For their site, NOH chose a particularly dusty area sitting near Ishisomo IV. A particularly pleasant looking temperate world, the planet sat unfortunately obscured by the thick, gray dust permeating the area. The bleak and gray dust, found everywhere and coating everything nearby, is just begging for a Caldari joke, but I’ll hold myself to the better part of valor and keep it to myself. The source of the dust seems to be a few large asteroids that can be found in the area. Apparently, NOH chose the site to add a little scenery. Other than that, the thing that really dominates the area is a large storage silo. I forget how massive those things can be; they would dwarf even my Drake, and I feel positively tiny next to it in my Buzzard. Still, the large asteroid nearby puts even the silo to shame.
Another view of the site.
Beyond the silo, the only real thing of note is the small fleet that has set up shop nearby. A Harpy, a Moa, and even a Badger can all be seen floating near the silo, ready to offer missions to any capsuleer willing to fight for NOH. Like the other megacorps, as well as a number of pirate factions, NOH is hoping to turn Okkelen into their own constellation. Whilst the battle amongst the various factions carries on, work for the enterprising pilot is in no way in short supply. I stayed away, however. Being a recruitment site, I wasn’t entirely unconvinced that me signing up to help NOH in some way made me enslaved by beholden to NOH, and I felt it best for me to just continue on my way. As I warped off, I wondered if Okkelen would ever be settled. But as is natural for me, from there I tried to look on the bright side: at least there wasn’t an asteroid colony to look at this time.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: NOH Recruitment Center
- System: Ishisomo
- Security Rating: 0.7
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -3.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site.
Sentinel Rise
Sentinel Rise sensor platforms
I’ll be the first to admit that I am a ‘carebear’. I try to avoid combat whenever possible, fitting my ships to ensure escape rather than obtaining combat advantage. I mainly stay in systems under CONCORD jurisdiction, only venturing beyond that when necessary. I mainly earn my income through solo activities, shying away from more social activities. In the ever more connected world of New Eden, I’m somewhat of a self-imposed outcast, but I find myself quite comfortable in that role regardless. That being said, I’m also wary of extending CONCORD jurisdiction beyond its current boundaries. Who really cares what us capsuleers do to each other as long as we aren’t collaterally damaging civilians and those near the core worlds along the way?
Some of the living/work areas on the Rise
I only bring this up because while many a high sec capsuleer residents rely on CONCORD’s ensured vengeance, it seems that CONCORD has left other populations nearly unprotected. In its narrow-sighted attempts to curb capsuleer violence, it has lost sight of the bigger picture. Every day, Sansha forces continue to invade ‘high security’ systems, but CONCORD doesn’t raise a finger to stop it. Oh, it’ll pay out money to us capsuleers, but given CONCORD’s proven threat-response systems, it’s always struck me as odd that they refuse to commit any manpower to the fray. And that doesn’t even begin to tackle the other problems within high security space. People are dying Okkelen and throughout the Cluster under CONCORD eyes, but they’re more concerned in making sure two consenting pilots don’t fight if they don’t ‘steal’ a piece of ammo from each other.
But some in Okkelen, at least, realize that CONCORD isn’t going to be around to save them. As such, they’ve started building things like the Sentinel Rise. As Aura explains:
One minute warning of impending doom is often all it takes to survive out here. And only those paranoid enough survive in a hostile territory like the Friggi system is. With scores of bandits roaming around searching for easy prey it pays to be careful. The good folk of the nearby Lai Dai station had the good sense to install sensor equipment here to warn against any incoming threat.
The Rise provides extensive sensor hardware to alert system residents of incoming threats.
A quick glance at my system overview told me that there were actually two Lai Dai stations here in Friggi, so which one the Rise was supposed to be protecting was a mystery to me. The positioning of the sensor platforms also struck me as odd: the sensor farm was almost 3 AU from the closest gate, over 15 AU from the closest low sec gate (presumably where any pirate raiders would base from), and over 22 AU from the rather inappropriately named Bandit Hideout. In short, not exactly the place from which to get the best sensor resolution. Still, maybe the suits over in corporate were just looking for after the fact sensor records or valued remoteness over effectiveness. Who knows.
One of the ships stationed near the Rise.
The sensor platform itself was pretty standard fare. As you’ve probably become used to me telling you, dear reader, (and trust me, I’ve gotten used to writing it), the sensor platforms have been built onto a number of smaller asteroids held together by metallic girders. The entire complex is connected to each other by these metal gangways, allowing employees to reach any part of the sensor grid easily. Beyond the central grid, there were only a few ships anchored nearby, offering missions for those who want them. There was also a rather large container nearby as well; it looked like it was used to deposit items of some kind, but for what, I couldn’t tell.
In all, a somewhat hum-ho site. The Caldari’s repeated use of the asteroid bases made economic, if not aesthetic, sense, but I could tell that the similar sites were starting to wear on me. Maybe the next site would have something new and interesting to offer, or at least better CONCORD protection.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Sentinel Rise
- System: Friggi
- Security Rating: 0.5
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site.
Settler’s Waystation
Editor’s Note: The following letters were found on a computer floating near the Settler’s Waystation. They have been edited for clarity and length.
The ruins of an abandoned Caldari station float near the Waystation
[Message begins]
Hey Mal,
I might kill Cade. I can’t believe he talked me into this. Settling Sakkikainen? Really? What was I thinking going along with this. “Lai Dai will love it if we can claim the planet” he told me. “Lai Dai will shower us with riches if we volunteer for this” he said. As of now, those “riches” he spoke of is a tiny room in a rundown station that might as well have been Minmatar built. The room is barely large enough to fit a squeaky bed, much less all our stuff. On both sides of us, couples much less happy than us seem to fight constantly, and judging from the noises I hear upstairs, the couple above us is making the best of a bad situation and putting their squeaky bed to good (and constant) use. Sakkikainen better have some fantastic land available, because right now, my sanity isn’t worth this. But I’m exhausted. I’m gonna try shoving some pillows in my ears and getting some sleep if I can. Write me when you can, I don’t trust the video screens in here.
Much love,
Miri
[Message ends]
The Waystation itself sits hidden in a nearby asteroid
[Message begins]
Mal,
Well, we’ve gotten the ‘grand tour’ of our dear Settler’s Waystation, as its apparently called. It was a really corny presentation that served to alternately bore me to tears and terrify me. Get a load of their official “welcoming” message introducing us to the station:
Chaos reigns in Okkelen, with Caldari settlers at odds with entrenched bandits and each other alike. Chaotic environment creates opportunities and some will strike gold while others are ruined through bad luck. Midoki Urigamu hopes to be one of the former as he aspires to construct a rest stop in space for weary pilots.
Sakkikainen peaks through the asteroid
Yeah, let’s make our guests feel right at home by reminding us that pirates are the leading cause of death in Sakikkainen. I swear, I love your brother dearly, but I just don’t think he always thinks things through. And I can’t even think because the couple next door are arguing again. I need out of here. Mal’s claiming at least that we’ll be out of here in the next few days. Lai Dai has a colony set up on Sakkikainen III, so hopefully we’ll be away from these “entrenched bandits” soon enough.
Missing you,
Miri
[Message ends]
A transport makes a run towards the Waystation
[Message begins]
Mal,
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually starting to feel a little hopeful about all of this. Maybe it’s the time I’ve gotten to think about it, I don’t know. I took a bit of a tour of the area near the station, and it helped me clear my head a bit (or maybe just getting out of that closet they call a room). It was nice to just lean back and see what there is to see. Very relaxing. The Waystation is built in a small hollowed out asteroid. The station looks even more dinky than I thought it did originally, shoved away inside the asteroid like that. There’s a larger station ruin near by. Not entirely sure what the deal is with it, but I guess Urigamu snapped it up when he bought the area? I don’t know. A few ships of some kind were also hanging around, and one of them even had a laser or something going into one of the other rocks nearby. I don’t know about any of this fancy schmancy space stuff, but at least it was fun to watch. And when I got back, I just felt, I don’t know, refreshed or something. What’s done is done, and we’re here now so we might as well make the best of it, you know? And Cade managed to book us on a shuttle flight tomorrow down to the surface. I’m hoping Lai Dai has everything at least reasonably set up, but a bit of work never killed anyone. We’ll just have to see what the future holds, right? At the very least, we’ll have video screens on the surface so we can at least have proper conversations again. But in any case, I need to get to bed. Big day tomorrow!
The nearby solar harvester gathers energy needed for the Waystation
Talk to you soon,
Miri
[Message ends]
[Message begins]
We’re finally on our way! I can’t tell if I’m eager to actually get down to the surface or just happy to be away from that godforsaken room, but we’re on our way now and I’m actually excited! Before you know it I’ll be talking like one of those capsuleers with all those space terms… ha! The shuttle ride should be short and then it’s off to the homestead. We’ve gotten some pictures of it, and the area looks gorgeous. Maybe I won’t have to hurt your brother for talking me into this. Maybe this will work out after al
Caldari megacorps have set up some infrastructure to help protect new colonists. It wasn’t enough to save Miri and Cade.
[Error: Code 506. No input detected]
[Draft saved at 0602]
Epilogue: I found the computer with these messages about an hour after the fight. There were no survivors. At the time of writing, Miri and Cade’s plot of land has already been reallocated by Lai Dai. I asked the Waystation for any comments, but they simply closed the comm connection. Another day in Okkelen, I suppose.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Settler’s Waystation
- System: Sakkikainen
- Security Rating: 0.6
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site. Furthermore, some asteroids here are capable of being mined.
Station Foundation
NOH Corporation attempts to show the flag in Airmia.
There’s a term from the old wet-navy days that I’ve always liked: showing the flag. It refers to the idea that it’s not always necessary or possible to have full warships at every port or colony. Instead, a nation could send in a smaller warship to remind not just the colonists, but those who might wish to exploit the colonists, who has authority over the area. These kinds of missions would often have ships at full display, ‘showing the flag’ of the nation to remind people just who has jurisdiction. Sometimes, it was used just for reassurance to the local populace that their nation cares for them and wants to protect them. At other times, it could be used to exert influence over political processes. Rarely would these kinds of missions be a significant show of strength in and of themselves, but rather it would remind people that significant strength and death-bringingness could occur if the situation doesn’t go in the way that the Powers That Be would like.
The acts as a forward base to consolidate NOH efforts in the system.
With colonized planets spread out over dozens of light-years these days, the need to show the flag has once again re-emerged as a tactical doctrine. You can see this development at basically any gate in high security space. A token security force, be it from CONCORD, the local navy, or local customs officials, can be seen at many gates, showing that they are willing to respond to attacks with force, if necessary. The need to show the flag takes on a strange twist in the Caldari State, however, since most often the State itself is not the one showing the flag. Instead, the various megacorporations are the ones that claim territory for their employees, as well as maintain order. When the State expands into new areas, each megacorp needs to claim their own piece of the pie, and maintain their dominance by, among other things, showing the flag when needed.
A small repair station helps to repair local vessels.
An example of this can be found in the fairly recent annexation of Airmia, in the Okkelen constellation. Airmia has been claimed by Nugoeihuvi (NOH for short), but they have yet to be able to move full corporate infrastructure into the system. Until that time, they have planted the flag through by establishing a station foundation in orbit of Airmia V. As Aura explains:
The officials supervising NOH’s colonizing efforts have ear-marked this location as an ideal place for a space station. With no station yet in the Airmia system, the construction of a station here will ensure NOH’s dominance of the system.
One of the denizens that have set up station at this site.
For now, the Foundation appears to act as a forward operating base for NOH, forming a central repository for NOH to funnel supplies and personnel through before moving on to colonies throughout the system. This also forms the central depot for NOH defense personnel, since, like Ani for the Minmatar, Okkelen has a distinct pirate problem. Given the odd governance structure of the State, it actually falls under the duties of the various megacorporations to bring order to the area, with the State Navy reserved for the response to larger threats, such as the other empires. But to deal with the smaller pirate entity, the State’s policy is clear: if you want it, you’re going to have to earn it. And NOH is in the process of earning it, while trying to keep the other megacorps at bay.
Parts of the station-to-be can be seen through the repair facilities here.
The site itself is fairly simplistic, at least for now. A Caldari control tower has been erected, which will presumably act as the central core of an upcoming NOH station. Basic construction of the station has already started with a ring surrounding the tower, but other than that construction seems to have halted for now. The roiling conditions in the Okkelen constellation is matched by the storms roiling on the surface of Airmia V below. Flashes of lightning punctuate the darkness, even thousands of kilometers above the planet, easily visible from the Foundation site. A few kilometers distant, NOH has also established a small repair depot for ships injured in the course of establishing a claim over the system. However, beyond the tower, the depot, and the planet, the rest of the site is rather isolated. A few smaller ships have taken up residence, offering missions either on behalf of NOH or for their own purposes. One of them appears to be a rather unfortunate capsuleer who has recently lost his ship, if the pod sitting nearby is any indication. But beyond that, NOH does not appear to have devoted many resources to the site as of yet.
I only spent a few minutes here. As you might imagine from the description, there really wasn’t much to see. But that may not always be the case. If other corporations start making a move for Airmia, NOH might have to devote considerably more resources than a mere flag to establish control here.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Station Foundation
- System: Airmia
- Security Rating: 0.6
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site.
- Scheduling Note: As I will be out of town next weekend, EVE Travel will resume the weekend of June 16.
Abandoned Astro Farm
The abandoned solar farm orbits above Vahunomi VII.
Space is big. Really, really big. And it’s really easy to lose things in it, unless you remember to mark a location (anyone who’s ever lost a set of drones can testify to this). But because it’s so big and so empty, it’s often much easier to simply abandon things when they fail rather than cleaning them up in any way. Unlike on habitable planets, there are no environmental authorities to demand you clean up hazardous waste or litter or, well, anything (though the Friends of Nature probably would not mind that job if they had their way). Evidence of this inherent littering tendency can be seen just about anywhere these days in the form of abandoned colonies, stations, or research outposts. The major empires may even be the primary instigators here, as abandoned outposts of the major empires can be found far and wide in various systems.
The solar harvester is not going to be having much luck this far out from the local star.
Today, though, I’m only focusing on a small abandoned outpost: the abandoned Astro Farm in Vahunomi. Frankly, the name leaves something to be desired. It reminds of those old scifi novels where the authors had to prove how futuristic something was by putting “space” or “neo” in front of it (my favorite that I’ve found was a “neosquirrel”). Once humanity actually took to space, we found out that we didn’t have to actually preface things with corny prefixes at all… except, apparently, in the case of solar harvesting farms. In any case, the term “astro farm” is fairly misleading because whoever the farmers were here certainly never grew stars. Perhaps this is just me being overly technical, but if you’re going to name something as an astro farm, I want to see some stars growing. But I suppose I digress.
A Ferox-class battlecruiser has set up shop near one of the asteroids still bearing mineable materials.
As might be expected from an abandoned site, it was fairly run down. The most notable remaining piece of equipment is a radial solar harvester, which was used to capture and transmit energy from Vahunomi, the local class M star. Of course, the reason for why the farm was abandoned in the first place is fairly evident: given a class M star’s normal brightness and temperature, putting the harvester almost 2 AU’s away from the star was probably a poor business decision. Considering the fact that a class M5 star like Vahunomi only emits about 0.22% as much energy as a standard class G star (such as New Caldari), even putting a solar harvester at 1 AU probably would not have provided much in the way of usable energy levels. But at least Vahunomi VII has remarkably efficient greenhouse gases that keep the planet from freezing over.
The entire site is surrounded by a golden glow
Beyond the solar harvester, there honestly was not very much to look at. Whomever had created the astro farm had apparently dragged a few asteroids to the site in order to provide the materials for construction. A number of those rocks remain near the site to this day, some with usable amounts material still there. Three people, all from the Angel Cartel, have set up shop here, looking for eager capsuleers to fulfill missions for them. As much as I have a distaste for the Cartel, their ships at least provided a little bit of scenery to break the monotony. Why they chose a Heron, a Ferox, and a Crow over standard-issue Angel ships is a bit of a mystery, but perhaps they were just trying to blend in. They appear to have rehabbed the local outpost near the solar harvester, taking over the minimal compartments and restoring many components, so the thing looked almost as good as new.
The harvester isn’t even pointing the right way, which might have had something to do with it.
As you might have guessed, there really isn’t much to see here. Why CONCORD found this site notable or worthy of a beacon is honestly beyond me. Still, the golden hues of the local dust clouds do give an almost pleasant air to the entire site, and actually manages to hide the signs of decay and destitution that are oh so common at many of the abandoned sites. The few people who have decided to call this area home have at least managed to spruce the place up a bit, but frankly I’m a little surprised they even bothered, considering that they had all of space to settle in. After all, there’s plenty of other space in which to hide if you’re the Cartel. Space is really, really big, after all.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Abandoned Astro Farm
- System: Vahunomi
- Security Rating: 0.5
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site. Furthermore, some asteroids here are capable of being mined.
Rusty Ridge Mine
The dense dust clouds surrounding Rusty Ridge are easily visible here.
The miners are ascendant in New Eden. With mineral prices through the roof thanks to ongoing economic turmoil, it is suddenly once again profitable to mine. Mining may not be the most interesting profession for us demigods, but in a cluster where destruction of ships seems to be the only thing experiencing economic growth, mining the raw materials needed to replace those ships has only grown in importance. Many people often look down upon miners as people who waste their time doing a boring activity, but miners are the lifeblood of New Eden. Without miners, there would be no way for us to get the materials needed to build the new ships that us capsuleers like destroying oh so much. Mining may not be the most glorious profession out there, but it’s a noble one that is essential for the basic functioning of the New Eden economy.
Professor Science banks as it heads for the heart of the dust cloud. The ghostly remains of the mining station can barely be made out.
That’s not to say that it’s necessarily a safe profession though, as proven by the ongoing Hulkageddon. With over three weeks still left in this year’s event, the total damages have already reached 634 billion isk. Organized by Helicity Boson and financed by the ever befuddling Goons, Hulkageddon has already overseen the destruction of over three thousand capsuleer-piloted mining or industrial vessels. The ironic (and perhaps intended) thing is that Hulkageddon serves to drive up mineral prices even higher, making mining yet more profitable, as long as you’re willing to take the risk of mining during these dangerous times. In many ways, Hulkageddon encapsulates that overriding New Eden principle: if you want the reward, you’d better be prepared to take the risk. It’s not a principle that miners are necessarily familiar with, but the sooner that they learn it, the sooner they’ll be able to take advantage of the profits that await them.
Ishisomo cannot even be seen here, blocked out by the dense clouds.
Of course, not all mining resources last forever. Not every mine has unlimited wealth to it (something that ORE has very much taken to heart). And if you look around New Eden, there are plenty of abandoned mining colonies that show what happens when those mines run out, or even worse, if they were never able to begin in the first place. As might be expected, these kinds of abandoned mines are particularly common in high security space, since those areas of space have been developed the longest. As such, the empires have had plenty of time to pick the bones of mined asteroids dry in search of mineral wealth. The Caldari in particular are known for this, with their relentless pursuit of corporate efficiencies. Indeed, today’s site is the remains of one of those Caldari mining colonies: The Rusty Ridge Mine.
A Cormorant has set up shop near the large cache of veldspar.
Somewhat surprisingly, Aura had very little information for me regarding the background of Rusty Ridge. I suppose there’s little to really distinguish Rusty Ridge from the countless other abandoned mining projects out there though. Indeed, the most notable thing about Rusty Ridge was the incredibly thick dust fields surrounding the old mining project. While most sites have some form of nebulosity that end up surrounding them, I have never seen dust fields quite this thick. In fact, in the center of the clouds, they entirely blocked out Ishisomo, the local star. Instead, the particles of dust reflected and refracted Ishisomo’s light, given the cloud a rather disturbing glow, as if it was about to collapse into itself and form its own star. My sensors informed me that that was not the case, but it was still unnerving to have to put down my view filters in order to properly view the rest of the site.
The serpentine remains of asteroids already sucked of all useful materials.
Not that there was much of it to see. Near the center of the site sits the remains of a large Caldari industrial complex, clearly the original focal point of the mining complex. Unlike some of the other sites I’ve seen, scavengers here seem to have picked clean any of the mining equipment that the megacorporations may or may not have left lying around. As such, the station superstructure, long abandoned, was the only man-made structure left at Rusty Ridge, leaving it as a ghostly shell, barely visible in the depths of the nebula. I wasn’t entirely alone at the site, however. Two agents have set up shop near Rusty Ridge, each asking me to help in their plots to maneuver one megacorporation into dominance over the others. Being a proud Gallente citizen, I politely declined to help in their corporate machinations.
The station remains are almost entirely invisible. In the distance, Ishisomo VIII is visible
One thing that surprised me about my surroundings was the fact that there were still some mineable materials left. There was a significant chunk of veldspar left to be harvested by some fortunate soul who, unlike me, actually had mining lasers attached to take advantage of it. But most of the remaining rocks were sucked dry of any usable resources, leaving only a serpentine shell, or left to gently disperse in the solar winds, adding to the eerily bright gas clouds surrounding the heart of the station.
I admittedly didn’t spend much time at the site. Mining had never quite been my calling, and I know that my insights into miners could only be those of an outsider. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate what they do both for me personally and for all of New Eden. And I know that, especially these days, despite the lack of excitement in their tasks, they were being very well rewarded for their efforts. After all, the miners are ascendant.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Rusty Ridge Mine
- System: Ishisomo
- Security Rating: 0.7
- Region: The Forge
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -3.5 in security status, or -5 standing with theCaldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Caldari COSMOS site. Furthermore, some asteroids here are capable of being mined.
Ammatar Battle Site
Wreckage from the massive battle disappear into the distance against the backdrop of the Metropolis nebula. The light from the Asghatil gate cuts across the scene like lightning.
I’m actually somewhat embarrassed about this week’s entry. I pride myself on my ability to ferret out new sites to discuss as CONCORD catalogs them, especially when they’re part of one of the major turning points in modern New Eden history. To not only have not discussed this site before now, but to be completely unaware of its existence until just a few days ago has admittedly given me a bit of a pause. Not that it is an overwhelmingly huge deal or anything of the sort, but more as a matter of professional pride in knowing that I’ve thoroughly canvassed the various sources I have at my disposal in my ongoing efforts here on EVE Travel.
The bow and stern of an Armageddon-class battleship float a few hundred meters apart from each other.
It’s just as well that I haven’t discovered this site before now, however, since it mirrors the economic and violent turmoil currently wracking the Cluster. Death and destruction appear to be one of the few true constants in New Eden, and the past week has done more to demonstrate that truth than all of the words I or my fellow writers could ever hope to pass on through mere words. It’s one thing to pass on the terror of battle through either pictures or words; it’s quite another matter to find yourself in the heat of battle, where one wrong move could result in the death of your crewmates and the loss of millions, if not billions of isk. For better or for worse, the terror currently gripping both traders and miners (neither of whom are generally a particularly violent bunch) has acted as a wake-up call that no where can be considered safe, and that you must always be on your guard. It’s a lesson that people need pounded into their heads from time to time. This time around it’s the (normally) hapless industrialists of New Eden that are learning this lesson the hard way, but four years ago, it was the Ammatar Mandate who learned that you can never let your guard down in New Eden.
My ship flies through the graveyard as I pay my respects.
Long time readers will know that I’ve thoroughly discussed both the resurgence of war between the empires and the fascinating history of the Ammatar Mandate. And longtime readers will also know that those two subjects collided rather spectacularly on June 6, YC 110 when the Elder Fleet tore its way through Ammatar space to save the remaining Starkmanir tribesmen. And using “tore” as the verb here is perhaps putting it mildly. No one expected the Elders to return, much less that they would be able to singlehandedly bring down CONCORD’s entire threat response capability while leading a massive fleet of secretly built warships. I cannot even the imagine the horror that the Mandate defense forces must have felt as they saw these behemoths rampaging their way towards the heart of the Mandate. It’s to their credit that anyone managed to react quickly enough to offer any resistance, but that still didn’t keep the Battle of Jarizza from being a very lopsided massacre. As Aura explains:
The few Minmatar wrecks in this graveyard represent all of the casualties that could be inflicted by the hapless Ammatar Fleet against the Elder armada that swept through the Mandate worlds. Offering sanctuary to those who embraced their Nefantar heritage, the invaders were swift to execute those interfered with their mission to liberate the last remaining survivors of the Starkmanir Tribe. Rumor has it that many Ammatar Fleet captains simply turned their ships away—not from fear of the marauders, but out of respect, admiration, and above all else, a guilty conscience.
Beams and girders from this Apocalypse-class ship are easily visible, showing the massive stress this hull was subject to.
The battlefield sits about 200 kilometers off the stargate into Asghatil, in a gentle arc facing the sun. The vast majority of the arc glints in the sunlight: the golden hulls of the broken Ammatar ships still glint like new if you only glance at them. Indeed, my very first impression upon looking at a number of the ships was that the battle had only recently ended. Even after four years, some ships still had active reactors or capacitors, spitting off intermittent energy into the vastness of space. The majority of the wrecks were Armageddon and Apocalypse-class battleships, but that was only because any smaller ships had been pounded beyond any hope of recognition. The ships that did survive more or less intact still showed signs of immense damage. A number of the Armageddon class ships were cracked in half along the spine, like some child would do playing with a twig. The fact that these “twigs” were multi-million ton battleships shows something of the awesome firepower the Elders had brought to bear on this mission.
The lower sail of a Tempest-class ship is visible to the right, as Jarizza XII hangs in the distance.
That is not to say, of course, that the Elders didn’t take their own casualties. Closer to the gate, a small collection of Minmatar wrecks sat, still gently tumbling through space. Of the recognizable wrecks, most of them seemed to be from Tempest-class ships. It’s astonishing to think that these battleships must have acted as the outer perimeter of the fleet, since all accounts show that the bulk of the Elder forces were capital ships (seemingly setting the stage for current null sec capsuleer doctrine). None of the behemoths were brought down (those losses wouldn’t happen until the Elders pushed through to Sarum Prime), only the outer perimeter forces suffered any damage. Perhaps most surprisingly, a few Tempest sails actually managed to survive, despite their apparent fragility. They added a somewhat ghostly backdrop to an already ghostly visage on the main battlefield.
The mangled remains of this Armageddon-class vessel suggest that at least the crew probably died quickly.
I spent quite a while in Jarizza, paying my respects to the dead. This, after all, was the vanguard site of the Elder Invasion. The Elders managed to obtain almost complete surprise on the Jarizza forces, and they had almost no hope whatsoever. And, in a way, it also gave me a certain peace with the current situation. Reflecting on this past massacre also gave me a bit of closure for the current spasms that are wracking through New Eden. After all, if events like the current Jita incursion and the so-called Hulkageddon prove that death and destruction are one of the few things that we can count on in New Eden, it also reinforces the most optimistic message that I ca think of: Life goes on.
…And hopefully next time it won’t take me 2 years to discover it.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Ammatar Battle Site
- System: Jarizza
- Security Rating: 0.8
- Region: Derelik
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -3 in security status, or -5 standing with the Ammatar, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
Terminus Stream
A close up view of this end of the Terminus Stream
Editor’s Note: If it isn’t clear from the text, this site has disappeared with the release of Crucible. Still, I wanted to put it up on this site as I think it’s worthy of preservation.
It’s hard to remember that the universe isn’t static. When normal lifetimes can be measured in decades (and capsuleers being only a decade old as well), it’s hard to imagine that things like stars and planets don’t live forever. Granted, it might as well seem like forever when the lifetimes of those things can be measured in billions of years, but nothing in the universe lasts forever. Stars grow old and die, planets get pulverized to dust, galaxies turn and merge, and even black holes can evaporate away into nothingness. As much as we rely on the permanence of such objects, it’s important to remember that everything we thought permanent about the universe can change in the blink of an eye, as we learned all too well back in YC 111 with the Seyllin Incident.
Legacy slowly approaches the debris clouds surrounding the Stream.
I bring this up because this week’s entry is a bit of an odd one. I’m actually covering something that has since disappeared. A natural phenomenon that had stayed stable for a number of years (at least since before I started researching for EVE Travel), but appears to have dissipated somewhere in December of last year, if my reports are correct. The phenomenon I’m referring to is – was – known as the Terminus Stream. It was perhaps most notable for being the most stable wormhole yet known. Unlike normal wormholes which most capsuleers are familiar with, the Terminus Stream didn’t just disappear in a matter of days. The Stream lasted at least for a number of years, which is simply unheard of from what little we understand of wormhole dynamics. And further unlike the wormholes we have come to know and love, this one appears to have been unrelated to Anoikis. Or rather, if there is a connection to Anoikis, we never saw it, partially because the area surrounding the Stream became very hazardous to many ships. Indeed, some reports suggest that getting within just a few kilometers of the Stream’s source was enough to destroy most ships.
Aura's automatic damage notifications are overlaid as Legacy attempts diving into the Stream
That was not the only odd thing about the Terminus stream. Obviously, once I came within range of it, I set sensors to maximum sensitivity. What Aura presented back to me was… unexpected, to say the least. As Aura explained, “the material being ejected from this wormhole consists of hydrogen, oxygen, silicon, iron, and other materials usually only found in those states and frequencies on terrestrial planets.” That at least suggested that, unlike the unstable wormholes to Anoikis, the other end of the wormhole was located on or even in the surface of a planet. Such an event would, to my knowledge at least, be unprecedented. Indeed, the streams from material from the planet would probably explain the damage sustained by ships, especially if they were getting thrown from the wormhole at high velocities. That would NOT, however, explain the wormhole’s odd appearance compared to the more common wormholes we know about. Unlike the more normal unstable wormholes, the Terminus Stream appeared as an almost blinding point source of light. Indeed, Aura needed to engage filters on the sensors to keep me from being blinded. The source of that light, especially if the other end of the wormhole was in a planet, is entirely unknown.
Vuorrassi serves as a blue counterpoint to the reddish glow of the Stream
I spent some time near the Stream when I visited, both taking in the site and even daring to fly my Drake near the debris field surrounding it, though I took care to never get too close to the terminus. I even tried getting through the wormhole’s mouth, but was forced to retreat due to heavy damage. Now I wish that I had spent even more. It was a shame that I wasn’t there to see the collapse of the wormhole. Indeed, when I went back to the site to confirm its disappearance earlier this month, nothing remained. Even the surrounding dust clouds had broken up by the time I made my way over to the site, leaving nothing left outside of a few pictures and memories.
It’s a shame that the mysteries surrounding the Stream were never solved. Where did it lead? Was it a fundamentally different kind of wormhole than the kinds we’re familiar with? Was the other end actually located within a planet as the debris surrounding it suggested? But nature rarely proves itself willing to wait until we get around to answering its innumerable questions. For better or for worse, the Terminus Stream seems to be gone forever, as just another reminder that the only constant in this universe is change.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Terminus Stream
- System: Vuorrassi
- Security Rating: 0.5
- Region: Lonetrek
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Caldari, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: As noted above, this site no longer appears within this system to my knowledge. Anyone who sees it is urged to contact me immediately!
Krusual Mobile Library
An overview of the mobile library the Krusual have established in Tanoo.
Libraries are a truly glorious thing. I remember my parents once taking me to the central library once in Caille, when I was perhaps 10. We had been rushing back and forth all day, trying to take in the wonders of the cultural heart of the Federation. The Crystal Boulevard itself seemed to pulse with the very lifeblood of the nation. Near the end of the day, we ended up near the royal palaces. It’s a little known fact outside of Caille itself that, technically speaking, Caille (and, indeed, the entirety of the Garoun continent) is a monarchy. The legacy of the great Gallentean hero Doule dos Rouvenor, the empire he helped found today exists more for ceremonial and administrative purposes more than anything else, but there is still technically royalty in the heart of democracy in New Eden, which I’ve always found more than a little ironic. It’s a powerless royalty, kept around for ceremonial purposes, but a royalty nonetheless.
The library serves researchers conducting archeological studies in Tanoo.
Much as I have an inherent distaste for anything involving royalty, one of the things that has always astounded me is the traditional royal architecture. As you might have guessed with my professed love for Amarrian architecture, I have a certain soft spot in my heart for grandiose architecture, which fits in perfectly with most royal styles. Much of the palace grounds are astounding, as you might expect, but what I remember in particular is the library. The only possible way I could describe it is as a temple to knowledge itself. The walls were covered in mosaics of the great Gallentean thinkers of the day, fastidiously maintained over the centuries. Each book is treated as a sacred text, despite the fact that the knowledge they maintain can be found across the four corners of New Eden, in that ethereal connection to everyone in New Eden known as the GalNet. Each room in the library is dedicated to a different branch of knowledge, from physics to agriculture to literature. The central room, in the classic sacrosanct position, was dedicated to history, with the mosaics telling the founding of the nation. This is the one room in the library that had been kept up to date. Not only do the mosaics tell the stories up until the building of the palace library, but to the modern day. Rouvenor’s conquest of Garoun sits directly opposite a stylized painting of the original signing of the Federation Constitution. It is truly a masterpiece and tribute to the entirety of the Federation and its continuing pursuit of knowledge, and it’s inspired a love of knowledge (and, generally, in geeking out) that continues to this day.
One of the ships that has stationed itself near the library facilities
I bring this story up because I was reminded of my visit the other day. I had been traveling through the Republic, intent on some task or another. I was halfway through my warp in the system of Tanoo when I noticed something on my list of in-system structures that I hadn’t expected to see: a mobile library. Instead of immediately jumping out of the system, I of course turned Legacy to go see what the library had to offer. En route, I briefly scoured GalNet for information on the library. Information was sparse. The most I could find was that the Krusual tribe, one of the Republic’s Seven Tribes, ran the library. It apparently moved from time to time to new systems, offering up its knowledge to a new solar system while it carried out whatever research needed to be done. As my depleted vacuum field dissipated around me, I eagerly looked to see at what this new knowledge repository had to offer.
The various bunkers seen here were dedicated to various aspects of the library's research.
I will say this: the Royal Library in Caille this is not. And I will admit that I was briefly disappointed to see that. That said, the mobile library WAS in classic Minmatar styling: bare girders, harsh lines, and, even through the vacuum of space, the smell of duct tape. Still, even here, there were echoes of the Royal Library. Like the rooms back in Caille, the mobile Krusual library was split into multiple bunkers, each dedicated to a different area of research. Overall, the library appeared to be primarily dedicated to archeological research. There was a bunker dedicated to preserving excavated relics, numerous storage facilities, a linguistics analysis laboratory, and plenty of space for both researchers and that quintessential scientific pastime: the symposium. All connected and held together by various metal contraptions that seemed to me to be ready to fall apart at the drop of an errant hat in zero gravity (though I’m sure was actually quite a bit more stable).
Looking down the center of the library's facilities.
Unfortunately, the library wouldn’t let me dock to explore the library. Given the nature of the library as a research-based institution, I hadn’t exactly been holding my breath that they would let a random capsuleer come storming through (who knows what kind of mischief we’d bring with us). And I doubt the interior of the library even attempts to match the grandeur of the Royal Library in Caille. Still, I think a tour of the facilities would have given that same inner sense of awe, knowing that I’m almost walking through the knowledge that has been built over the course of millennia. Regardless of the form that libraries take, they serve a vital function in acting as a central repository of humanity. Be it in the temple to knowledge that is the Royal Library in Caille, to this simple research library, libraries will always have a place with humanity. After all, knowledge is power.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Krusual Mobile Library
- System: Tanoo
- Security Rating: 0.9
- Region: Derelik
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -2.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Ammatar, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This site apparently serves as a portion of the Minmatar epic arc.
The Crystal Dust Compound
Tvink shines in the background of the asteroid field.
Drugs are well known throughout New Eden. Medicinal drugs, spiritual drugs, and yes, particularly recreational drugs have a rich history throughout the Cluster. But there’s more to drugs than just making you feel better (either during a sickness or just, you know, in general, depending on your proclivities). For quite a while now, drugs have also been used to help improve certain aspects of your life. Steroids are probably the best example of this, by vastly increasing your capacity for building muscle, and thus improving your overall physical condition (at the risk of some fairly significant side effects, even today). However, while steroids have been around since before the dawn of the true space age, we have only recently seen significant development of a kind of ‘neural steroid’ that could significantly increase cognitive abilities. Oh, we’ve had drugs to increase mental focus, for a while, but that really only lets you marshal your current cognitive abilities on a task better.
A forgotten sign floats nearby.
No, true neural boosters – drugs that could not only increase your concentration, but also increase your actual cognitive processes (your ‘intelligence’, if you will, though it’s not quite that simple) as well – have only been in development for the past century ago. So-called neural boosters were able to drastically increase memory and other cognitive abilities. These achievements were accomplished through the use of genetically-altered viruses that directed infected cells to alter the structure of synapses and other neurological structures, increasing synapse formation. More importantly, these viruses seemed to originally have no adverse side effects. Boosters quickly grew in popularity once government approved them for human consumption, and it soon became all the rage to increase your intelligence with boosters.
The Thukker manufacturing base.
But, of course, nothing is ever free. It turns out that there WERE side effects to these boosters, even if they didn’t manifest themselves for a few decades. The incidence of epilepsy reached record proportions, and other long term cognitive disorders soon manifested themselves. The cause of these diseases were soon traced back to boosters; it turns out that changing protein synthesis in neural cells eventually lead to significant protein deformities, causing a whole range of neurological illnesses. The resulting backlash was all-encompassing and harsh. Well-regarded biochemical companies soon collapsed under a deluge of lawsuits, and governments couldn’t act fast enough to ban these boosters. Given the severe long term side effects, it was thought that the booster industry was gone for good.
One of the Thukker ships camped near the base.
Of course, that was before the advent of a consumer group that had little care for long term side effects. With the rise of the capsuleer, boosters are once again coming into vogue. The new generation of boosters are much more targeted, both to reduce side effects and to create much more precise benefits for their users. The long-term protein deformities no longer mattered, because chances are that a capsuleer would be podded into a new body before the disease manifested itself anyway. And now that the market is back up and running along nicely (regardless of continued bans on boosters), various nefarious organizations have taken it upon themselves to ensure a continued supply of boosters and other illegal drugs. The Thukker Tribe, one of the Seven Tribes (though not quite as well integrated into the Republic as some of the others), is one of those who have taken to producing these drugs. In a surprisingly bold move on their part, they set up one of their minor production facilities in Ani. As Aura explains:
This is a secluded factory site operated by some Thukker tribe nomads. It is used to manufacture various illicit substances, most notable the brand new Crystal Dust neural boosters. The Thukker tribe have used the Ani constellation for several decades as a base for illegal operations and to hide themselves or valuable stash in. They’re not too happy with the increasing Republic authority in the constellation, but are hoping that by laying low will keep them under the Republic’s radar.
Of more immediate concern for the Thukker nomads here is the Angel cartel, which has earmarked the Ani constellation as an area ideal for organized crime. Even if the cartel and the Thukker tribe are nominally allies when it comes to dealing with the empires, the cartel is renown to tolerate no competition in those areas they consider their own.
One of the Angel Cartel ships that hide amidst the outskirts of the base.
The Thukkers did their job well of hiding the base (even if it is, you know, well marked in CONCORD databases apparently). The base sits amidst an asteroid field, with the production facilities hidden in the shadow of a large, hollow asteroid. It’s a small base, consisting only of a few labs, as well as a tower of some kind. A few Thukker tribe ships sit nearby. Surrounding the base sit a number of large asteroids that easily dwarf the small production lab. A quick scan of the surrounding field shows a number of useful minerals sitting in the depths of these rocks, surprisingly untouched by miners as of yet. That strikes me as a bit odd, given the obvious hopes of the Tribe to keep a low profile here, but I’m in no position to question them. A few Angel Cartel ships prowl along the outskirts of the asteroid field, apparently probing the defenses of the base (but not being afraid to go after the stray capsuleer who may wander along).
I spend a few minutes poking around at the base, but frankly, there’s little to see. Perhaps the most exciting thing is seeing Tvink VII, a large gas giant with a significant ring system, providing a pleasant backdrop to many of my pictures. But it is soon time to move on. After all, plenty of more interesting sites out there to see.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: The Crystal Dust Compound
- System: Tvink
- Security Rating: 0.5
- Region: Metropolis
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Minmatar, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Minmatar COSMOS site. Furthermore, the larger asteroids here are capable of being mined.
Thin Red Line
The current military base seems to hide in the shadow of the massive former Nefantar station.
There’s a quirky little concept in old Gallentean law I ran across a little while back. It’s called “adverse possession,” somewhat more commonly known as “squatter’s rights.” Under this doctrine, a person can obtain legal ownership over a piece of land without ever actually purchasing it. Without delving too deeply into the legal necessities, you essentially have to live on and care for the land openly for a number of years. If you do it for long enough, the law will recognize a transfer of ownership. It’s an odd doctrine for the Gallente because, generally, personal freedoms (including freedom to own property) are sacrosanct. Generally, if you own a piece of land and someone comes onto that land unwanted, you can get a court order to evict that person for trespassing. It’s one of many powers that a property owner has to defend their rights to that property, because, as a general principle, the Gallente have decided that property ownership is a good thing and work to defend that right.
A closer look at the ruins of the Nefantar base.
But the concept of adverse possession suggests another principle is at play as well. In order to enjoy those (many) rights to property, you have to earn that right. Land is meant to be used, and if you aren’t using the land, but won’t sell it, it’s possible the law will act to help ensure the land is used in a productive manner. If you own a piece of land, but care about it so little that you don’t realize someone is living on that land for ten years, then the law declares that you aren’t worthy of continued ownership of that land and will transfer the land to someone who will actually put the land to use. Once you think about it, it’s a rather startling principle… at least depending on your background. For example, a Caldari would probably be rather unsurprised if one of the megacorporations decided to unceremoniously boot them from their home for the purpose of building a new distribution center, and an Amarr might be removed from his land to build a Church. But for the freedom-loving Gallente, it’s a surprising doctrine.
The current military base.
In some respects, though, the concept of adverse possession merely reflects the well-known cliché “use it or lose it.” This is something that the Republic is learning very well in Traun these days. Sure, the Republic ‘owns’ the system, but that ownership means nothing in practical terms if they’re unwilling or unable to actually maintain control over the system. Here, at least, the Minmatar are not simply ignoring the system (indeed, they’re trying to colonize the system). However, that ownership won’t mean anything if they’re unable to evict the pirate forces (mostly consisting of the Angel Cartel) that have come to enjoy ‘owning’ their own little corner of Metropolis. And thus began the fight over Traun. As Aura explains:
The Republic considers the conflict in the Traun system a test of whether its resettlement effort is to have any chance of succeeding or not. If the Republic forces are unable to dislodge the pirate factions from Traun, the Parliament is liable to pull the plug for the whole project, with all the political backlash that would entail. The enemies of the Republic know this and are pouring everything they have into Traun.
Looking from the repair bay onto the rest of the base.
In an attempt to regain control over Traun, the Minmatar have apparently converted an old Nefantar base into their current HQ. However, they apparently have forgone retrofitting the base itself. Instead, the hulking base stands as merely an empty shell to the nearby base, seemingly overlooking the various structures the Minmatar have since erected. Like most of the Nefantar bases in the region, this one is also picked clean, with nothing but the superstructure of the base remaining. Still, it gave me another opportunity to admire the boxy, yet still intriguing Nefantar architecture, with it’s massive docking portals as well as the detail built straight into the hull plating. I had to admit I rather enjoyed the Nefantar architecture that I’ve seen throughout this trip. It wasn’t graceful like the Amarr, or organic like the Gallente, but there was a certain almost vulnerable quality to it. Like they were unsure of themselves and so tried to make their stations look as solid-looking as possible (or so the theory goes in my head, at least, I’ve been wrong about such things before).
A closer look at the odd yellow glow emanating from the repair bay.
Nearby sits the actual Republic military forces, centered around a logistical and repair base. The sprawling base included numerous quarters for local forces, as well as supplies. To one end of the base sits the main repair bay. Oddly, Aura told me that the name of the repair bay was the “Redoubt Gate.” Even more oddly, the repair slip, rather than holding a ship under repairs or under construction, had a rather odd shining yellow object in the center. I could make neither heads nor tails out of it, but considering the fact that the nearby naval vessels didn’t seem overly concerned, I decided to just let it be. The rest of the base consisted of administrative services for the local naval forces, as well as command-and-control systems for the local military. All in all, it struck me as just what it appeared to be: a forward base for local military forces.
One of the ships that has set up station near the military base. Debris from the Nefantar station floats nearby.
As might be expected for a naval base, numerous ships stood guard over the facility, while others milled about as they took care of their business near the base. A number of smaller ships also took up station near the base. Some were just locals looking for a bit of protection from the Republic Fleet, while others were naval officers. Indeed, one of the local officers seemed more than happy to ask for help from any passing capsuleers, if only to make the best out of a locally bad situation. I had to turn him down, however, as I was somewhat pressed for time.
Speaking of that, it was past time for me to take my leave of Traun. After a brief word of encouragement to the local forces, I moved on, leaving the local military forces to their job of proving that they owned Traun in more than just name, and intended to prove it.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Thin Red Line
- System: Traun
- Security Rating: 0.6
- Region: Metropolis
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4 in security status, or -5 standing with the Minmatar, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Minmatar COSMOS site.
Machine Head
The abandoned research station originally focused on antimatter research.
One of the things that has always impressed (and depressed) me about New Eden is the sheer amount of ways we’ve invented to kill someone or make their ship blow up. We have self-propelled missiles to fling damage across space. Autocannons and artillery shoot old-fashioned projectiles that can smash a ship’s armor to shreds. Lasers zap destructive power across the entirety of the electromagnetic spectrum. Railguns use magnets to accelerate projectiles to nearly the speed of light that can pierce armor and bodies alike. And, of course, each empire has taken its weapons system of choice to the logical extreme in creating the 4 types of doomsday weapons. Given the sheer variety of weapons systems, ammos, and strategies in the Cluster, just about everyone can have their own personal way to make something explode.
One of the ships that has set up station in the nearby field of asteroids.
There is one form of death that I’m surprised isn’t used more. Its destructive power is unequaled, seeing as how it can convert matter into pure energy through the wonders of physics. I’m talking, of course, about antimatter, which is a curious concept if you think about it. A universe made of antimatter would be indistinguishable from our own, and yet the moment that it encounters regular matter, they completely annihilate each other, transforming into pure energy thanks to our dear friend, E = mc2. Of course, that’s not to say antimatter isn’t used at all. Railguns can use some ammo with antimatter in it, as does the Gallente doomsday device. And strangely, although most ships use aneutronic fusion for their power plants, certain Amarr capital ships apparently utilize the much rarer (and presumably more dangerous) antimatter reactors to help power their vessels. Given the apparent predilection for the Gallente and the Amarr to use antimatter technology, it seems a bit odd then that the foremost antimatter researcher in the Cluster was found in Minmatar space. Today, his research labs are a mere shadow of their former glory, having fallen into disrepair during the Minmatar Rebellion. Still, they’ve survived the past 100 some odd years since the Rebellion, and are worthy of mentioning. As Aura explains:
When scientists first started serious research on anti-matter there was a public outcry over the supposed dangers this entailed. Thus, the first anti-matter laboratories were forced out into space. One such laboratory was constructed here in the Hjoramold system during the Amarr occupation, headed by the renown scientist Dr. Hydar Perdikan.
The laboratory was at the forefront of anti-matter research for decades, but was closed shortly before the Minmatar Rebellion. Dr. Perdikan refused to leave his lab though and lived there for the rest of his days. He started to dabble in cybernetics and implants and used many of his inventions on himself. He survived the rebellion and was left alone by the Minmatars, as he was considered harmless. Some called him Dr. Hermit, but he was better known as Machine Head. He has not been heard from in almost 50 years, his remains probably still lie in the ruins of his old lab.
The scavenger colony can be seen poking out of the station's docking port.
Apparently the labs suffered a classic case of NIMBY: Not In My Back Yard. These are items that have a universal use, but no one wants to live particularly close by them. The most traditional example is a garbage dump. Everyone makes garbage, everyone uses trash services, but they’d prefer not to see that junk out of their backyards. Of course, antimatter research is slightly more dangerous than merely bad odors, even if it could be just as useful. Even fusion can’t match the sheer efficiency of a true antimatter reactor, and a safe and stable reactor could provide significant power increases, which is always useful to a pilot looking for that last megawatt of powergrid. In any case, until the technology WAS stable, it was understandable to keep research into it offworld, where any mistakes would only lead to destruction of nearby structures as opposed to significant ecological damage.
A closer up view of the scavenger colony.
Surprisingly, the lab itself was Amarr in design. Well, perhaps that wasn’t surprising. Though historical records are a bit sparse, it seems likely that Dr. Perdikan was in fact Amarr and his research funded by the Amarr. It makes sense that the Amarr would want to isolate such research from the Empire as much as possible, so putting it into Minmatar space makes perfect sense from their point of view (while still assuring the local Nefantar administration that the station was an honor, I’m sure). It would certainly fit Amarrian behavior. Of course, it’s entirely possible that the good Doctor was actually Minmatar, meaning his research was just subsidized by the Empire. The fact that he chose to stay in Republic space after the Rebellion at least suggests he probably had Minmatar sympathies (or that he was one of those scientists so completely absorbed by his research that he didn’t recognize what was going on in the broader world, I suppose).
The other main ship that can often be found near the colony.
With the lab apparently abandoned for over 50 years, however, the station has certainly seen better days. As is usual in New Eden, the structure itself has been picked bare, leaving only the main superstructure of the station. Given the fact that the entire area wasn’t a gamma-irradiated wasteland, it seems safe to assume that all antimatter in the lab was either safely disposed of or stolen by pirates who managed to not blow themselves up. If there are any remaining antimatter caches, my sensors didn’t pick it up.
While the lab itself may be dead, however, the surrounding areas showed signs of life. Indeed, the station’s salvage was apparently so lucrative that local scavengers saw it profitable to establish a full-fledged colony here. Sitting partially within the station near it’s massive dock/undock port, the colony itself is a hodge-podge of asteroids hollowed out and tied together by a series of tubes. A number of other asteroids had also been towed near the vicinity of the station, probably for raw materials in use on the station. I’m not sure how much lucrative salvage was still left on the station (my sensors didn’t detect anything), but they certainly have yet to move on. Indeed, there were even a few ships nearby that seemed to make this station their home port.
Remains of radiation? Random nebula? We may never know.
I took a few minutes wandering around the station. Though Dr. Perdikan’s name has been well-recorded in the history books, his research results seemed less so. Antimatter-based technology as a whole still seems to be in its infancy. “Infancy” here meaning still devoted purely to killing things as opposed to more constructive uses… a surprisingly large number of technologies got their start in a similar matter. Necessity, they say, is the mother of all invention, and in a war-torn cluster like New Eden, there is often little more necessary than killing the enemy. Indeed, I would not be surprised if within the foreseeable, antimatter on its own became a fifth major weapons system in New Eden. After all, we can always use more ways to kill one another.
Basic Information:
- Attraction: Machine Head
- System: Hjoramold
- Security Rating: 0.5
- Region: Metropolis
- Potential Hazards: If you’re below a -4.5 in security status, or -5 standing with the Minmatar, you’ll have to deal with some rather unpleasant policemen.
- Additional Notes: This also serves as a Minmatar COSMOS site.
