Colonia Region Conflict
20 Sep 2019Rex-Cramer
It seems my desire to leave the turmoil of The Bubble and lead the simple life of a trader, miner, and explorer was but a pipe-dream. My first weeks here were good. The mining was good, the trade was good. Ships encountered were friendly and generally welcoming. The crew in Carcosa's were a little tense but generally open to those working trade. I came away with good relations with many of that group. I met a number of people from a number of squads and was really enjoying the laid-back atmosphere. Soon I was invited on some wings to fight pirate factions in outlying systems and got my first taste of combat as a team. A good time and good guys. Soon I was invited to join the squad and after turning it over a bit I decided to go ahead. But a storm was on the horizon.Within just a day of joining, one of the squad was in Pennsylvania system doing some combat related missions when they were attacked and driven off by other commanders. Soon 2nd and 3rd hand info was flying that this system was being taken to anarchy and held there by anarchy squadrons and with the intention of spreading this to other systems in Colonia. Shortly after this the faction from Carcosa came down in support of this blockade and issued the warning that operating against the anarchy groups in these systems would open everyone in our squad to attack.
There are some benefits to the shipyard in Carcosa and I have generally been supportive of it. However the spread of anarchy to further systems has really one obvious intention in such a small inhabited region: To make consequence-free killing locations more abundant in areas where ships will be abundant. The groups involved that are looking to setup shop here are not the same as some of the crew I've met from Carcosa, interactions with these are far more likely to end in an escape pod as you are destroyed for sport. Yet those in Carcosa are entrenched in support for this. I decided that I could not support this further spread of anarchy so I remained in my sqaud to work in background to support the lawful entities in these systems.
Soon a very vocal personality from Carcosa was on the scene and the shooting started. Oddly the shooting I witnessed started in Ratraii. Some skirmishes broke out in our home system and this ended in a declaration that everyone in the squadron would die. True to thier word, soon enough I was attacked in a cargo ship at The Pit in Pennsylvania. No shots from me but my ship was destroyed. A few days later a massive invasion of Ratraii is underway and Carcosa's faction is singling out, interdicting, and destroying ships. Here again, as soon as I arrive in system "It's Rex's turn to die" is broadcast from our self-styled freedom fighters. And it ended in 2 on 1 and an escape pod for me before I could reach any team members to help.
Things have now escalated to a rather high pitch and events are underway I would have preferred to not see happen. Propaganda is flying. People are taking sides and the conflict rages. I don't know if my skills are much use, nor is my equipment on par for this but I know that I'll continue to push back against the further expansion of anarchy in Colonia. This will likely put me at odds with good people I've met but I simply can not support it nor do I believe for a minute that the fight is about freedom or expanding ship choices. The obvious and clear intention is too open the doors to more criminal activity and less consequence to it. Conflict is unfortunate, but sometimes a side has to be taken. The odds appear to be against us and the outcome uncertain, but taking a stand is good thing.
This too will pass.