Interview: Elsebeth Rhiannon
Thebeka - Freedom’s Gate
December 4th YC 121
ZANIE is digging in and continuing the coverage of the Thebeka crisis currently underway. Not to overshadow the other four massive slave revolts currently underway in Amarrian territory. Thebeka however has become a special case as Independent Capsuleers of both the Empire and Republic have centralized in this system and are trying to sway the ongoing rebellion on Thebeka III in favor of the rebels, or Imperial forces.
ZANIE previously published and article reporting on the current Capsuleer organizations in Thebeka, as well as a quick rundown of some of the events that transpired with their arrival. Now, in an attempt to continue the coverage but keep the content fresh, ZANIE is planning to release several interviews featuring voices from both sides, as well some neutral figures. To start this off, ZANIE has made contact with Elsebeth Rhiannon of Electus Matari once again and asked her if she willing to participate. She agreed.
Out in the field, we have ZANIE’s new improvised external report team. Made up of the personal that accompanied the Inspection crew sent to Thrbeka to conduct a search of two questionable freeports. Leading this team is Kalto Moxin, who was the given honor of coming aboard Freedom’s Gate, an Astrahus citadel serving as a staging base for Electus Matari forces in the system. The two would meet in hangar bay Delta-2 to have the following conversation.
[Kalto]
"Today, I find myself being a guest aboard the Electus Matari staging Astrahus and have the honor with speaking with the commander of this station - Elsebeth Rhiannon. Elsebeth, thank you for setting aside the time to speak with me."[Elsebeth]
"I am happy to have the opportunity."[Kalto]
"As am i…Rather huge upgrade for me to be talking face to face with a Capsuleer…But enough about that, I want to go ahead and start and ask more about who you are. See, we are currently in the middle of a warzone…I may be over-hyping the situation in space saying that, but the tensions here are so critical that personal identity no longer matters and each side only cares about what uniform you’re wearing and what flag you’re waving. We, and the Cluster already knows the answer to both those questions - but what we don’t know is who exactly you are as a individual in all this. So I ask you, who is Elsebteh Rhiannon?[Elsebeth]
"Who is any of us, but our associations? I am, like you said, the commander of this station. I am the CEO of SoE Roughriders. I am one of the first directors of Gradient, and a long-term member of Electus Matari. I’m Rhiannon, from Mikramurka, Matar. I am not, to be honest, sure what that question means."[Kalto]
"It’s a question I ask because you can see both sides profiling the other…The Amarr are looking at the rebels and Matari supporters as barbarians insighing wide-scale violence while the Matari are looking at the Amarrians as brainwashed zealots…By asking a question like that I aim to cut past the allegiances - past the politics - and show anyone who ends up reading this conversation whole you really are, and not the caricature. However if it’s your allegiance you identify with, I cant hold that against you."[Elsebeth]
"I am free-born Sebiestor of a high-class trade and investment clan, born and raised to take over the clan operations. I would see myself through my contacts."[Kalto]
“Sounds like the perfect background for someone who ends up becoming a Capsuleer…Exactly how long have you been a Capsuleer?”[Elsebeth]
"Almost from the beginning of the indie line. I got my license from Pator Tech in 03/106. It was the craze then… we all tested for compatibility and all applied who could. Considered it our patriotic duty… Well. I suppose it was."[Kalto]
“That’s certainly a long time ago…Its safe to say you know your way around New Eden…But when you say you consider this your patriotic duty, I take it that means you’ve always been loyal to the Republic were many others deviated from their nations to forge a new in the NULL security regions."[Elsebeth]
“I. <pauses> I said I did consider it such, when I first applied. Certainly that was always a big thing for me… And it is, obviously, still the purpose of Electus Matari.”[Kalto]
“Which brings us to the next topic - Electus Matari. So far it seems Electus Matari has been a significant factor in supporting the rebels and taking a fight to Amarrian Capsuleers up here in space…I’m just a spectator however, so i wanna ask you - someone who’s actively participating in the conflicts - how things are going for Electus Matari and their efforts to help rebel forces"[Elsebeth]
“I cannot unfortunately answer operational questions beyond what has been published in status updates on the IGS and public killboards.”[Kalto]
"Then allow me to ask a question that’s more related to your perspective of current events…Kahah III sparked something in the hearts of the Matari people, not just the massive revolts on multiple worlds or the Republic Capsuleers coming in. But you got voices in the Ammatar Mandate calling for defection and the Republic itself stepping up border security, teasing at a bigger conflict. From your perspective, do you have an idea of how this all gonna end? Will this fizzle out and become another footnote in New Eden’s history and the next day is just business as usual, or do you think something is gonna be changing after the smoke clears?”[Elsebeth]
“Well, one can never be certain, right? But I can say for sure that I would not become involved in operations in the Amarr and Khanid heartlands if I did not believe this could be a spark to more than a footnote in a history book.”[Kalto]
“But the question is what could potentially follow after this, as mentioned, the Republic has propped up a blockade in response…But something I’m curious about is if this is the only move the Republic could make with CONCORD in play here. Do you think the Republic is just protecting their borders and allowing loyal Capsuleers to handle the Thebeka situation or would you say they’re some temptation on their end to buck CONCORD and move in.”[Elsebeth]
“In general, my personal understanding is that the Republic has always been more about playing time than about a lasting peace with the Enemy. The ‘big one’, the real hot war with the Empire will come, eventually. Ideally, it will come at a time when we are as strong as possible, and the Empire is as weak as possible. These rebellions, if they spread, will weaken the Empire in any case. Their internal strife weakens them. It might be a better move to just watch the show, and strike later. It is certainly a better move than it has been to watch the Militia wars weaken us relative to them. So yes. Definitely there is temptation to do more. There is always that temptation. The waiting game takes a lot of patience and many uncomfortable sacrifices. Most Matari would welcome and end to it, come hell or high water… But whether the Tribal Council thinks that going full-out this time makes strategic sense, I cannot say.”[Kalto]
"I see…Well, I appreciate giving me your opinion in the situation. Now I want your opinion on another subject. @Alar_Chakaid, Sa-Baron of Zirsem V and a rather central figure in this whole debacle, played an infamous role at Kahah III and has made himself involved in discussions by Capsuleers. I imagine you’re not quite fond of Alar, but what do think his angle is in all of this?"[Elsebeth]
"No, I’m indeed not a fan. I’m surely everyone has a favorite theory of the Sa-Baron, but my personal take is a rather mundane one: I think he’s a power hungry Khanid noble who does not hesitate to use anything and everything to use anything and everything to strengthen his position in the court and weaken the Amarr influence the King. Whether he was actually behind the initial Deathglow attacks and in league of the Blooders, who knows, but at least he has no qualms of using the situation to strengthen his own public image."[Kalto]
"Weaken the Amarr influence? What exactly do you mean by that?”[Elsebeth]
"I mean that it does seem to me that Chakaid’s dream is a strong Khanid Kingdom, separate from the Empire. He is not stupid, and his actions and his words are pretty much designed to set the Kingdom and the Empire - and maybe specifically Ardishapur and Khanid - at odds. The harshness of the treatment of the rebellion was most definitely not only aimed at the rebels; it was also a message to other Amarr vassals about what extents the Kingdom can and will go to. It’s basically an invitation - “what are you gonna do about it?’ And the more… genuinely religious… parts of the Empire will lose no matter what they do: interfering with the Kingdom would be trouble, but not interfering will increase the influence of the Sa-Baron and his ilk."[Kalto]
"So Kahah III was less of a "Amarr Vs Matari" conflict, but more of a Amarr vs Matari vs Kahnid one in a sense…Now I have one final question - you’re a busy woman, clearly. And the amount of activity in this hanger, as well as the size of the cannon strapped to that ship over there proves that. But I want to ask about the Caldari and Gallente, yes they’re irrelevant to Thebeka, but that’s exactly my point. While Capsuleers to these nations may have weighed in with their 2 kredits. Neither empire has any Capsuleer representation in Thebeka as far as I know. With the exception of a brief appearance of a Caldari force besieging two freeports owned by a questionable third party…But i wanna ask if you prefer this conflict remained between your people and the Amarr, or would Electus Matari welcome Federal supporters to jump in and pitch in?”[Elsebeth]
"Frankly, at this point there’s very few supporters I’d not welcome. The situation is a very annoying stalemate, and the loser in wars of attrition is always the smaller party, which we obviously very definitely are, fighting Amarr in their own territory. It’s a little bit of a complicated situation though with Fed allies among capsuleers… things have not been the same since Colelie. There’s definitely still some bad blood, and while I have found my way of moving on, I cannot blame people who have not."[Kalto]
“Very well then…Ms.Rhiannon - Elsebeth - I thank you for allowing me to come aboard Freedom’s Gate and allowing me to speak to you. By chance to you have any closing remarks? Anything we didn’t touch that you’d like to mention? Some message to the readers? The floor is yours for this final moment.”[Elsebeth]
“I would just simply say thank you to all allies and friends, sisters and brothers, who have been in this with us. There have been so many people, coming together from so many different walks of life. The usual suspects and visible faces, yes, but also many who have chosen to go silent and without glory. Warriors and leaders, yes, but also those who ferry food and water, comfort children separated from their parents, tend to the sick and wounded, and open their homes for those who have never had one. I am Marked a speaker of words and keeper of traditions, but so many people live those words: ‘rise up’ and ‘never again’ and ‘welcome home’. No matter what future brings, I will always be grateful for having had the honor to be part of this network."[Kalto]
“Inspiring words, it was truly an honor to have this chance to speak with you. Good luck out there.”