[IKAME] Semiki investigative work

At issue, though, are the Drifters actual intentions. Whether they’re defensive (or even comprehensible) in nature. You may be entirely right though, and I’m inclined to agree with you that the lack of communication that doesn’t involve accelerator cannons means that their intentions aren’t particularly wholesome or misunderstood. Mind, I wish that was not the case, but we are left with few reasonable alternative explanations beyond the bellicose.

3 Likes

A girl can dream, can’t she?

1 Like

This entire affair is a brilliant example of how errors in communication, poor incident management and lack of transparency combine into a giant storm of poo.

'tis a storm of poo where none of us can walk away without getting sprayed. Especially now that we are bringing gods and saints into the equation and placing Drifters as a target of some messed up holy crusade.

1 Like

The Drifters were a target for a Holy Crusade from almost the moment they appeared. They attacked the Holy Amarr Empire in Sarum Prime. That was the first attack by them. Before that, mostly everyone left them alone. After? Fire and blood and death.

After they murdered Sancta Jamyl, their complete eradication is the only possible outcome.

1 Like

We are caught in the middle of a conflict without the data required to fully grasp it. The Amarr Empire made themselves a target and ate what was… effectively a retaliatory strike.

Yes, I understand that the Big Four have the need to declare their holy wars or shake khumaaks. We are not part of that, we should stand above that sort of nonsense.

1 Like

Speak for yourself. I will not rest until ever edifice of the Drifters is floating wreckage, until every one of their ships is mangled and twisted metal, until every trace of their data and infomorphs are scrambled into nothing.

1 Like

You may be entirely right, but such is all really speculative. It’s entirely possible that the Drifters wholly intend to deal with us on their own time, after finishing with other unspecified business, and the Amarr forced someone to jump the gun. Or, we could be making one faction of many the face of something far more complex.

Alizabeth has a powerful point, though. Had it been a retaliatory strike, the Drifters would surely have said so afterward (to cease any further misunderstandings). All we do know is this: the Drifters desperately want to know more about us than we know about them. The information war waged has far predated these events, and may be the most important.

1 Like

Ten Apollo, ten Artemis, and twenty Lancers are outside the Aliastra Warehouse Semiki V at this moment in time.

EDIT: They have warped elsewhere.
EDIT2: Some have been located at Semeki IX Belt 4 by pilot Oliver Aurelius. Please use caution when flying in the system of Semiki in general, as they seem to be roaming about.

5 Likes

Another update, pilots:

At this moment in time, there are approximately (we are still getting a detailed count) 120 ships in total of a combination of Drifters and Lancers. Extreme caution is advised when traveling this system.

Thank you to pilot Oliver Aurelius and Annisir Kaugan for helping to scout and get us updates.

EDIT 1: Counts are as follows, so far: 19 Apollo, 21 Artemis, 40 Cassandra, 40 Lancers.

5 Likes

Oh, I was actually worried for a moment.

1 Like

No, really: Where the hell is the Caldari Navy?

3 Likes

Another update: The number is now up to 130.

Apollo: 19
Artemis: 21
Cassandra: 40
Lancers: 40
And now, Orion: 10

6 Likes

At this time, the HECON citadel has repaired without Drifter intervention. Fleet remains in a holding pattern for later timers.

Edit; the IKAME Astrahus has also repaired. The Drifter fleet ominously in system remains ominously in system.

11 Likes

I take it no evacuation assistance or such is needed at this time then?

1 Like

The Drifter fleet has retreated for the time being. I don’t know if they will return later or not, but the situation is certainly ongoing. Various pilots, and myself, continue to perform regular sweeps of the system for them. I have heard rumors that some groups of capsuleers have been amassing Trinary Datastreams with the intent of experimenting on them. This is very unwise, ARC has a lot of experience with Trinary technologies and employs rigorous containment protocols. The inexperienced could well be opening themselves up to some unexpected surprises. Not least of which might be a Drifter fleet of 130 vessels landing on their doorstep. We are reasonably certain we have the ability and resources to conduct a viable defense, against those numbers, and more. There are few people with ARC’s experience in such matters.

3 Likes

Not to, you know, hold ARC to the same standards as CONCORD when it comes to ‘you shouldn’t play with these, they’re dangerous’ statements, but… like what?

What containment protocols does ARC employ? Should those maybe be disseminated so other people can use them, too? Minimize risk vs ‘No no, give all your stuff to us’ all over again?

You don’t. When they actually fought, the citadels were reinforced. That means you didn’t conduct a viable defense. I wish that weren’t so, but it is.

2 Likes

I had a nightmare where I was the CONCORD officer in charge of deciding whether it is more safe to let capsuleers in general know the trick by which they can lure a massive fleet of Drifters to any system of their choosing, or to not let them know what sort of actions run that risk.

I am happy to be awake.

6 Likes

What he says is he is “reasonably certain” they have a viable defense tactic now. He is obviously not talking about the initial assault, but what they would have brought to the armor timer fight, but what remains untested, because that fight never happened.

3 Likes

The initial assault was unexpected, in the amount of Drifter ships that appeared. We still managed to keep the citadels stocked with missiles. As Elsebeth pointed out, once we were aware of those numbers we reacted accordingly. I’m not at liberty to divulge containment procedures, although some details have been released elsewhere.

5 Likes

Last time, if I am not mistaken, it was something like: steal a drifter’s corpse and start mutilating it. poking with scalpel and yelling “FOR SCIENCE!” :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes: