4. The Sect of the Warden
The channel opened, and Jesra waited while the holo-vid recorder signaled her to begin. The floating drone circled her, achieving the best angle for both light and sound quality. The drone became stable, and then it chimed. She began. Her voice was steady, and the tone was serious. Any doubts of this plan had long been assuaged by the ultimate good it would provide. Many forces would go against them, but they must prevail regardless.
It begins. * “We, the Sect of the Warden, *Degraded MinMatar and banned from our families and our lives, proclaim that we are the group responsible for the release of the retrovirus aboard seven ships in the Amarr system.
In synchronization with cohorts from Amarr, MinMatar, Caldari and Gallente, we also proclaim that this effort continues even now. Know this people of New Eden – though the Amarr are the primary targets of this virus, all races will be affected until the Amarr release from enslavement every last MinMatar. It is possible that all races, all men, women and children will become host to our efforts.
Do not construe this as the systematic genocide of every soul in the worlds of New Eden. This virus is designed to provide complete immunity for MinMatar whose bodies were once or are still infected by Vitoc compounds. To all other races or to MinMatar who have never been subjected to Vitoc, death is assured. Do not inject yourselves with Vitoc to safeguard yourself; the retrovirus affects only MinMatar in this way whose bodies have developed Long-Range RNA antibodies to fight Vitoc poisoning; a process possible only after several years of poisoning.
Our initial groundwork for infection in Amarr was sidestepped when the young Amarri pilot, Jafi Aphuka, cleverly sent secret escrow to various Amarrian officials and corporations the misgivings of his work. Although we have abandoned that initial phase of our plan, just as we abandoned the pilot to his fate, the Sect of the Warden now is ready for the next step of our plan. Whereas none of the other races are immune, there is a medical solution, a treatment for the virus the Amarr are calling the “Scourge.” Many will die. Who will be the first? Is that knowledge something you can live with?
The Sect has placed four delivery cases with enough supplies to treat one hundred people in escrow on the Pator Tech School station, Amamake system. These escrows are available to all, and contain your races’ specific treatment. A representative from each of the four involved races is asked to claim these cases for their race; these items are available only for six days as of the date of this release. Of course, you will likely attempt to reverse engineer the treatment and produce more – futile effort. Do not waste time.
On the seventh day, if the Amarr have not begun efforts to transition the Matari slaves to freedom in an acceptable and orderly manner, our fleet of ships will dock at every major station in every empire-based system. When and where these ships will dock, in what order, under what banner, manned by what race will never be learned. Some may contain the virus, others will not. Do not waste time.
Commerce and industry will shut down as stations go into quarantine either to prevent a virus-laden ship from docking, or to contain those already infected. Perhaps the ships are already docked. Will the races of New Eden allow such an event?
Turn your eyes to Amarr instead, and demand the release of our Matari brethren. That is the only way to save yourself, your children and your lives. We tire of listening to the bickering of government bureaucrats and well-wishing neutrals. We know that many Matari are ready to lay down their lives or even the lives of slave caught in the crossfire in order to end the Amarr atrocity of enslavement, just as we are. We ask, brothers and sisters, where and when you were going to take direct, unequivocal action to stamp out this true scourge? Was attacking ships solving the issue of our brethren in enslavement? How long would it take your efforts to solve this issue?
Our efforts will solve it one way or the other in six days.
So that you may understand our inner motives, know that we are the Sect of the Warden, and many of us are Degraded. Our Matari brothers and sisters have banned us from their lives because our Destiny Mark and our souls are impure, the bastard children of Matar. The opening of the Warden Temples in Amamake has renewed our faith in destiny, ironic in that our Destiny Marks would normally keep us from such life-changing events.
The Sect of the Warden is small. Of the millions of Degraded, only our small Sect is your enemy. The others are innocent of this. The Degraded who wander the lonely path seek only to be recognized as a person and as a tribe. They also will die from our efforts if you do not comply. We are their armament, unwilling as they may be to join us, and we will strike out. Claim your delivery cases; use them to cure the rampant cases of outbreak on your stations. We provide you this treatment knowing it cannot be re-produced by your efforts. We provide you this treatment so you know we can end this – ended when all of our Matari brothers and sisters are free.
You abandoned us entirely, brethren because our souls were impure. We have not entirely abandoned you.”
The drone chimed, and Jesra leaned against the bulkhead. She had cut her hair short after they had left Amamake VI, cut it to the length suitable for a warrior. Her face was covered with tattoos, but the one her hair had hidden these so many years was the symbol of the upside down fish along her right temple. She proudly displayed it now, though it was a Destiny Mark of Degradation. For so many years she hid it and now she sported it. Those years had been wasted in hiding. The Degraded were a force unto themselves, becoming a tribe unto themselves.
Jesra waited only a moment, then hurried down the corridor. The others had returned from their efforts to close off a loose end in Amarr, still dressed in Amarr Navy uniforms.
It begins.
**
Preliminary report
To: Hedion University Medical Lab
From: Amarria Darcest, Attache Supervising Medical Officer
Status: Internal
“This report will describe, in brief, my preliminary findings of the case of viral outbreak here at the Emperor's Station, Amarr system, EVE-Standard Time 02:04.
As already known, thirteen cases of viral outbreak have occurred at the Emperor's Station today. Directed by the Medical Officer, I traveled from Hedion University Labs to Amarr to act as a knowledgeable observer of the efforts by the station medical teams to quarantine and evaluate the source of this contagion.
My arrival was unnoted as the entire medical staff of Emperor's Station were actively involved in triage of new patients, scrambling to ensure that the problems noted by the incoming did or did not match the symptoms of the thirteen confirmed cases of this outbreak.
The medical staff here have labeled it "Scourge," but that is not proper or indicative of the scale of this problem. It is my opinion, after observing these cases, that the virus was contained prior to further contamination.
As the staff were busy, I perused their records, which seemed lacking in many areas. Only the first three cases were recorded in the standard Medical-Record Process. Only one thing connected these people that caught my eye.
They were all newly graduated pilots. The medical staff had the wherewithal to quarantine all other stationed and visiting pilots to verify their health status. I will make further reports as needed. I do not foresee any further outbreak, or cause for alarm.”
End of Report
Amarria turned from the NeoCom, setting the message to its destination in Sehmy. As she pulled her uniform down, and played with the wrinkle forming along her waist, an Amarri woman hurried past her to the Admissions Station, carrying a small child whose lips and ears were blue.