Volume 24

All the news that's fit to print, first!
From the Editor's Desk
This was an exciting week for me. I fought with a Shadow...and survived. It was quite a sight in that area of space. Two Medusas, some swarmlings and this mysterious, inky blob. Before I engaged it 2 Ruby Legion pilots had perished in it's grasp, so I called for reinforcements first. Between 3 of the Imperial Guard's finest we finished the job our fallen comrades had started. Any pilots should beware though, they tend not to let pilot's run away, and they pack a mean punch. Before I forget, I'm taking a long deserved vacation next week and I'm not sure if I can find a suitable replacement. (Who could possibly replace me?) We have lots of opinion pieces this week, but not a lot of news. So, on with the it.

General News
The Academia Trade Philosophical college opened again this week. Tuition was increased 4 times higher than it was previously. They also allowed scholarships for business owners and pilots of pure trade ships.

Fighting in Famiso/Ross area is still prevalent with Mutant Enemy fighters, aided by Famous Pirate ambushing other pilots and being ambushed. They have taken to ambushing Blue Sun Corporation and Coldiz Legion pilots in around Remo as well, after Blue Sun Corporation took over Core's old Starbase, Remo Temple. Coldiz Legion's Zynk Stone recently erected a 2nd Starbase in Remo and they appear to be catching ambushes from Mutant Enemy as well.

The Keldon Report - by Frozen
The discussion about the Freeholders Alliance MOs seem to have ended. We don't know exactly if the Freeholders Alliance has given access to the Scorpion Guard as the discussion hasn't been going on anymore, at least not publicly. The leaders however might still discus the matter privately.

Dear pilots of Keldon, I need your help. The Emperor's Hand starbase is in a very bad condition. It has almost no free space and very little money left in it. As I am in a fighting ship it's very hard for me to maintain it. So I'm asking for help. Please come and buy some energy and bring some food and water at least from time to time. The starbase was once one of the biggest in Pardus, it's really a shame what has happened to it. I've always done my best to help around Keldon, and now I hope someone will help me, Thanks...

Frozen will also have an interview with Jesus Nix of The Crimson Knights in two weeks time.

The Ska Report - by Whane the Whip *NEW*
This week Whane has created more of an editorial which I will publish. Please remember that views expressed by editorial writers are not necessarily the views of This Week In The Empire

Many are called but few are chosen.
A commentary.

When a Federation pilot attacks my ship, I am unmoved. When a Union pilot raids my building, I am at ease. And when an undisputed pirate takes out one of my defense modules, I am not surprised. Why? Because I can trust my enemies to do what by nature they are designed to do; attack me. But when an Imperial pilot from an Imperial aligned alliance acts with aggression towards another Imperial pilot also in an Imperial alliance, I am shaken to the bone with concern for the future of the Empire.

An Empire divided cannot stand and as long as Imperial pilots persist in attacking one another, then it is only a matter of time before we are conquered through our own disunity. When we destroy our brothers’ ship, we rob him of his skills, and when we damage our brothers building, we rob him of his finances. The brother we rob today may some day be in harms way fighting for the glory of the Empire and every pilot engaged in a faction war plays a pivotal role in determining the outcome of that war - are we willing to risk losing a war for the sake of collecting a petty bounty and more importantly, *are we placing our moral values above the values of comradeship?* What shall we say to the Emperor that has entrusted us to keep his trade lanes open for loyal traders? Yet here we are performing petty collection duties for Imperial bureaucrats that are overly concerned for minor infractions such as hacking, waste disposal, and high profile buildings.

Perhaps now would be a good time for us to remember that the Emperor himself forgives faction bounties within a month or two and if he can demonstrate comradeship over bureaucracy, why can’t we? We are not merely enlisted personnel called in to perform menial tasks. We are commissioned officers of the royal Empire and as such it is our duty to increase our skills and economic status so that we can stand approved to aid in the next faction war. Many are called to arms but few are chosen. Let us remember then that we are *chosen* for a higher glory. Can we aspire to meet the challenge for which we were chosen? For the sake of the Empire … I hope we can.




The Imperial Soapbox - by Baron Fezdan.

Freedom, responsibility and slavery…..

All civilised beings of the Empire would agree that it is wrong for Imperial citizens to be deprived of their freedom without cause. There is very little sense in applying this same standard to non-Imperials however. Many will leap to their feet at this idea, shouting declamations and rebuttals about the universal sanctity of the right to freedom. In my opinion however, their entire position is fundamentally flawed. It assumes that freedom is owed to all by the universe. I have seen nothing in the universe that suggests this is so. The Great Golden Cubes, creators of all Pardus, have given no statement (to my knowledge) declaring this to be their wish. The natural creatures of Pardus do not rise up and crush tyranny and injustice. My point is that freedom is bestowed and guaranteed by society, and in particular the body politic. In this sense freedom is not a universal right but a CONDITIONAL right bestowed on those who meet their responsibilities to the state. Criminals in Imperial society are deprived of their freedom for transgressing the laws. By failing to meet their responsibilities to their fellow Imperials (as embodied by the state and its laws) their conditional right to freedom is removed. Rightly so too.

From this more sophisticated (and pragmatic) view of freedom we can easily see why it is illegal to enslave your fellow Imperial citizens, but entirely legal to enslave non-Imperials. Only the Imperial government, under the auspices of Imperial Law may deprive a citizen of freedom. Non-Imperials however are neither governed by the Empire nor protected under its laws. As such they do not even enjoy the conditional right to freedom of an Imperial citizen. Therefore, legally and morally, their capture and use as slaves (providing that the use is of benefit to the Empire and outside Empire space) is not only acceptable but commendable. Only when all Pardus is once more under Imperial rule can slavery truly be ended.

For the Empire,
Baron Fezdan.