Fellow Citizens of the Federation and Friends elsewhere,
Our future liberty is in grave danger, and now is the time for action. For weeks, a storm has been brewing in the recently unveiled system of Zarzakh. As my friend and colleague Gen. Julianus Soter warned already, a vast machination has come to fruition. Much remains unknown about the Deathless, and what his organization intends, but it should be obvious to all that the relative quiet of the past few weeks belies a sinister threat looming in orbit of that system’s black hole.
Since the four Jovian stargates were uncloaked numerous capsuleers have traveled to the system, some have even chosen to aid the Deathless in his unknown endeavors, and been richly rewarded for doing so. Our corporation, the Blades of Liberty, have conducted a number of reconnaissance operations to explore the Zarzakh system and gather information about the potential threats posed to the people of New Eden. What we have found is strikingly little, but far too much to ignore.
What is evident from the nature of the Zarzakh system itself, and the sheer wonder of the technology necessary for the Fulcrum to have simply remained dormant in such an environment, is that the legacy of Jovian advancement beyond the ken of our younger Empires remains as potent as the days of Vak’Atioth. Clearly power exists there that must not be trifled with. That said, we must not pretend that such power can be idly left in the hands of megalomaniac criminals unchallenged.
I have no doubt that in each of the Great Powers of the cluster and in the halls of CONCORD there are politicians and military leaders working furiously to decide how to respond to these events. It should not surprise anyone that these plans would be kept secret, but it should concern all of us that in the hush of silence over these last weeks there has ben no action taken whatsoever by any party to secure Zarzakh from Deathless control. Delay serves only to give this Deathless, whoever he is, more time to consolidate power among the criminal element of New Eden. Whatever time was needed to gather intelligence and muster forces has passed. Now it is time to act decisively.
Therefore, I call on my fellow citizens of the Federation to join me in urging President Aguard to order the immediate deployment of a Federation Navy Task Force to capture this “Deathless,” dismantle his criminal organization, and secure Zarzakh system against hostile exploitation.
I know many of you may think this course of action rash, but we must not let fear of the unknown paralyze us. Those of us who have been to Zarzakh know it holds many mysteries and dangers, but there are no great fleets of Jovian warships on patrol, no massive fortifications in place, only a few meagre sentries. By no means does this mean that the risks of such an operation should be underestimated. Almost certainly there are military capabilities defending the Fulcrum that have yet to be revealed, but the danger posed by those capabilities can only grow more fearful the longer we wait to strike. Every day that passes the Deathless gains more resources and benefits from more time to explore and unlock the hidden secrets of the Fulcrum.
Unlike the Amarr, whose hubris led them to disaster at Val’Atioth, we must face this threat with full clarity that defeat by unknown means is possible. Still, where others fear to tread, we must lead with valor. If the Deathless possesses some hidden power beyond our understanding, better that it be revealed now, so that our Federation’s greatest minds can begin the work of devising a countermeasure.
President Agaurd has shown fortitude and resolve in deploying the full might of the Federation Navy to defend the people of our Union before. It is a grave responsibility for her to do so once again, but it must be done. With luck and bravery, the Federation can cut out the cancer growing in Zarzakh before it metastasizes throughout New Eden. If we are successful, we will have prevented a great evil becoming greater. If not, we will know better the true nature of the threat that all of us face. Pure force may not win the day in the first battle, but it could set the board for more successful gambits to follow.
I hope all those loyal or friendly to the Federation will take up this call to arms.
Liberty Forever,
Rinai Vero
Luminaire General, FDU
Director of Operations, BLDZ