The Success of the Federal Grand Prix

Fiction Portal Intergalactic Summit
1

As the Federal Grand Prix has come to an end on the 23rd of this month, I feel that this was an event which the Federation and its constituents should feel quite proud of for providing an environment for it to be hosted – as well as opening it up to the wider independent Empyrean community.

The Grand Prix enabled us to engage in healthy, respectable competition open to all, irrespective of their identity or nationality, with thousands from all corners of New Eden taking part in tour of New Eden’s historical landmarks. A further 669 engaged in the time trials competition, which saw them engage in tactical decision making and strategic planning to attain the swiftest completion time on the clock.

For those that sought it, the Grand Prix indulged our quest for knowledge. In our travels on the routes, the history of the landmarks was given to us in an impartial format, true to the spirit of education in the Federation. Monuments to New Eden’s successes, our co-operative endeavours, the perseverance of our countrymen and women, our hubris and yes, even our failures.

For others that had not ventured beyond the borders of their member state or national boundaries, it brought them to areas that they had never been to. I can only hope that it has acted as the kindling that will stoke the fire that ignites their passion to push their personal boundaries ever further.

Whilst I would be incorrect to say that the Prix has not been marred by violence from the Empyrean outlaws that plague the low-security and null-sectors, it was not at all an intentional part of the event by the organisers. This was an event that was purposely designed to be peaceful, to stimulate and encourage our ability to go faster and further beyond what we have known, not to destroy, but to create.

It gives me hope that our capabilities as Empyreans can be directed to more peaceful purposes in the Cluster, than merely instruments in the orchestra of warfare.

I would like to commend one of our more famous members here for achieving a spot within the Top Ten Racers – Congratulations to Captain Elsebeth Rhiannon for their sixth-place finish! Their name will be immortalised in emerald in the skies of Luminaire for many years to come, a fitting and worthy reward for her inexorable voyage across the stars.

For Liberty and Justice. Aionia Eleutheria.

Sincerities,

Edward H. Adams
Commander
Nadire Security Consultants

9 Likes
2

Thank you!

It was quite a fun event and towards the end especially the timed trials managed to echo some of the spirit of the Racing Leagues of old - something no big event has never done for me.

Sports and contests have always been a means to connect and come together for all peoples and to learn of each other. I am proud to have been able to represent my people in the Grand Prix and I hope this event as well as upcoming international ones such as the Angergames simulator combat tournament and the capsuleer writing contest will serve not only to entertain but also to build bridges.

10 Likes
3

A whopping 669 pilots entered the time trials…was it really that low?

4

I expect more entered but did not finish any timed laps and gave up. You had a maximum time between waypoints you had to make or the timer would reset you to starting line.

1 Like
5

If the goal of such events is to build bridges, I would suggest that future sporting events that make use of Amarr space should not make the mistake that the Federal Grand Prix did by including sites such as the City of the Usurper in their event. That decision put on full display the cultural insensitivity that I have come to expect from the Federation.

3 Likes
6

I understand how it might feel offensive, but the landmarks of the Grand Prix in general did not all seem to be picked as exemplary or something to celebrate, but some were simply pieces of history or local geographical interest. I found the ruins of the City interesting myself -though I had little time to stop and observe, being chased by the law enforcement on my first pass through and on a timer on the next ones.

1 Like
7

Indeed, it was clear that the organisers were not picking their sites as expemplary monuments. If they had been, then it would be outright insulting rather than just insensitive.

However, some pieces of local history and geography should either be approached with respect for their tragic nature, or they should not be approached at all.

2 Likes
8

I am confident that it was not the intention of the Federal Grand Prix to insult or be insensitive towards our neighbours. The Federation places a great deal of emphasis on education and learning from it’s history, which I understand must conflict with the Empire’s approach. The self-styled ‘City of God’ was picked purely because of it’s historical interest and that alone, just as it would be if the Crielere Laboratories or Tierijev had been selected as a waypoint.

In any case, I find it quite fanciful that the Empire, an entity that has expanded throughout New Eden through military conquest and obliterating innumerable identities and cultures in the process, sees an appropriate opportunity to criticise the Federation for ‘cultural insensitivity’.

5 Likes
9

I share your confidence in their lack of intent, though I would dispute that a lack of premeditation significantly mitigates an insult born of ignorance and antipathy. It is likely the usurper’s city was chosen because those selecting it did not know the offence it would cause, as organisers of an interstellar event spanning vast portion of the cluster, it was their job to know.

The Empire did not accuse the Federation of insensitivity, Chapter Master Gaven Lok’ri did, emphasising the organisers of the Federal Grand Prix; while they did show themselves to be remarkably tone-deaf, you Captain Adams responded to the legitimate criticism of one man by trivialising Amarr understanding of our own history, obscuring the initial point by embarking on a tangent about all the potentially charged sites the Grand Prix did not visit, and of course concluded with the familiar refrain that Federal offences pale in respect to those we have given.

If this were an opportunistic attempt to shine a light on Gallente cultural insensitivity, I would presently be thanking you.

3 Likes
10

Chapter Master Lokri’s accusation is but one of the thousands that have been levied against the Federation, or entities of which are headquartered in the territorial jurisdiction of the Federation, by the Empire or the State. I grow weary of the same tired lines that it is always the ‘Gallente’ that are inconsiderate, or unkind, or insensitive, when in my experience those that have been the most considerate, kind and sensitive to others have been those that identify as such, or fall under the administrative meaning of the word.

When those who visited the site were informed of it’s history, it wasn’t delivered to them in any politically charged or denigrating fashion. The information given was simply what it was - the historical facts of the area. It could not have been any more impartial than it was.

To me, it was a point built on ground prone to heave, with accusations of insensitivity to cloud the fact that the Empire does not like it’s history that it doesn’t feel particularly proud of to the point of erasing significant portions to better suit their agenda, that compelled me to strongly refute it.

2 Likes
11

The thousands of anecdotal accusations, and your weariness of them, have nothing whatsoever to do with what is being discussed; ultimately neither does the consideration, kindness, and sensitivity you have experienced from your administrative Gallente.

Impartiality does little to ease the disquiet any imperial subject is likely to feel at a spotlight being shone so frivolously on so grave a chapter of our history, something even a passing familiarity with our mores and customs would caution against.

At the risk of fouling your self-satisfied explanation of the Chapter Master’s potential motives, I find it far more likely that he indeed took issue with the particular insensitivity of the Federal Grand Prix ignoring our customs– the same insensitivity you commit to by rejecting those same customs’ validity.

12

Impartial insensitivity does not build bridges or understanding. It does make the organisers look closed to any values system other than those of the Federation. This is understandable, our cultures are quite alien to eachother and I am often unsure that bridges with the Federation should be built.

But if the goal of these multi-national games is to build such bridges and encourage a peaceful future, then purposely shining a light on taboo subjects is a poor tactic. If the goal is not actually to build bridges, but rather that is just a pretext for a statement about the strength of Federal pluralism at the expense of the other three CONCORD powers, rhetoric such as yours is perfect.

1 Like
13

Captain Rhiannon’s comments about the potential for this event, and others like it, to build bridges between nations are heartwarming and I commend the organisers for their efforts. I would just request that next year, if one of the circuits is routed through the Intaki Syndicate, even one local site of interest is highlighted.

As it was, thousands of racers were directed to pass through Syndicate’s spacelanes but our very existence did not feature at all. Perhaps a waypoint at the ruins of the Poitot-Intaki gate would be an idea?

1 Like
14

I would be in favour of this - providing that the information dispensed from such a waypoint strives to be as impartial as possible. Perhaps one of the Upwell Consortium exemplar sites could be used as well, which I believe also falls within the territorial realm of the Syndicate.

However, I am concerned about the safety of the racers that went through Syndicate territory, despite their acceptance of the terms of the Grand Prix nullifying any liability for any damage or death whilst participating. As no doubt you candidly witnessed when I saw you present there, thousands of vessels were interdicted and destroyed by Syndicate residents, a veritable bloodbath rivalling only the Traumark Installation in volume.

Not entirely the Syndicate’s fault, mind. I am sure that with the agreement of the Syndicate authorities at least one waypoint could be placed there.

1 Like
15

A good suggestion, people in Syndicate are rightly proud of Intaki Bank’s role in supporting the Consortium. The demonstration site in PF-346 is well worth a visit, even if it does not give much away about the inner workings of the technology involved. I would also nominate the shattered planet of 35-RK9 I as a third candidate, one of only six examples outside Anoikis. The Mabenere Bureau at 35-BK9 IX 4 is an excellent place to stop over and enjoy local hospitality.

And, yes, I was there for the bloodbath. If the local authorities had not been blindsided by the race organisers they might have been less concerned about security risks. As it was, thousands of craft passing unexpectedly through what is normally a very quiet route to Solitude raised all sorts of fears. It is rather difficult to say ‘no’ when the people who own the stations we all depend on out here are encouraging you to help overwhelmed gate operators out.

16

Noted on your suggestions.

I would sincerely hope that one wouldn’t consider a motley collection of unarmed shuttles, speed-rigged interceptors and other fast-movers a security risk necessitating total and utter destruction. I think the ‘we feared for our -insert here-’ is a bit of a poor justification, as are the claims of ‘overwhelmed stargate operators’.

If the ISP and the Syndicate Stargate operators cannot handle increased volumes of traffic for a week-long event, it calls into question their competency for handling other affairs. I don’t think anyone would want to see Wiyrkomi Peace Corps-esque operators managing spacetime security if they need to as you say, encourage Empyreans to pick up their slack. Or if said encouragement was an order given, I would expect that order to be refused.

17

There were so many missed sites and places this year, as the routes can only do so much, that I hope of another event of similar nature another time. (Similar, but not the same exactly, one hopes - true test of capsuleer skill is in adaptability, not in executing what we already know how to do.)

18

Fear of the Federation’s motives is fairly institutionalised here, for some reason.

Also, it must be nice to have the luxury of expectations.

1 Like
19

I’d point out that in some parts of space, a dozen or so speed-rigged interceptors coming through a gate in rapid succession has historically meant that a few hundred HACs or Ravens will be coming just behind.

And that those parts of space include Syndicate.

Getting the local system-holders1 to sign onto a race route so as to avoid causing them (not the eggers) needless panic and stress just seems… reasonable. You don’t use someone’s territory as a right-of-way without talking to them first. When you do, well…

You very much justify this kind of wariness of the expansionist powers, @MantelGlobalIndustries. And you perpetuate the ‘The Gallente are smug, self-righteous jerks who walk all over people while loudly proclaiming their egalitarianism’ line.

If this were a terrestrial race, and the organizers sent people into private property owned by someone who hadn’t consented to that use of their land, the racers, well, might get shot. And the organizers sued. Or shot. Or both. And sending people to places that are humiliating to the landowners would definitely be considered poor form, and fairly obnoxious to boot, and might well get those landowners refusing to allow the race to use their land the next time 'round.

I mean, I really don’t like defending the Amarr, but dude… nothing in the Empire or Syndicate space is really ‘public use’ so much as ‘we let you maniacs through here to maximize potential profit from you’. And if you’re going to do things like give offense to your host, you’re far better served by knowing you’re doing it, and taking the consequences unflinchingly, instead of trying to lecture the host on why you giving offense in their home should be welcomed.

1. Small ‘h’, you’ll note. Just mean the people who have control of the place.

5 Likes
20

As a racer in space, I got the distinct impression the race does not need to be terrestrial for this to happen :wink:

3 Likes