The Power of Nation

I had heard about the Sansha’s Nation incursions while I was in the Academy, but did not seem them until a few days after my return to the pod. My first encounter did not end well; a solo-trip to assess their strength that came to an end with the bright blue explosion of my Harbinger. The next time I had faced them, I was in a small gang of other capsuleers, providing support from my first Guardian-class logistics cruiser. The power of the Nation vessels was strong, and it was all our logistical pilots could do to keep together the less-than-optimal defenses of some of the gang members.

Research into the incursions taught me that those who had been abducted by Sansha’s earlier raids into civilized space had been forcibly turned into capsuleer-like beings. These True Slaves controlled the ship as capsuleers did, but did not have the escape pods or clones of the capsuleer. Their ships were as strong as any capsuleer vessel, and in many cases outclassed them by miles. But these were only the semi-capsuleers engineered by Sansha. There were other, true capsuleers who had dedicated themselves to his cause, defending his fleets as they did their dirty business.

It seems, however, that I gave these capsuleers far too much credit. I was deep in Minmatar-controlled space carrying out specific tasks for the 24IC when the local subspace beacon informed me that Sansha aligned capsuleers had entered the system. Directional scans revealed their craft to be of basic variety, consisting of an Incursus, Crucifier, and Rifter. I was in a Nemesis-class stealth bomber, my wingman in a Stiletto-class interceptor. We knew we could easily destroy them should they aggress us, and when one entered into the mission area, we led them to an asteroid belt away from the hard-hitting Republic Navy.

Instead of the three of them coming at us together, the incursus warped in alone. The Stiletto tackled and I uncloaked, launching volleys of torpedoes at the frigate as its signature radius bloomed under the assault of my target painters. The incursus closed on me, its speed quickly closing the distance. It was at this time that the Crucifier landed, also targeting me. Under the assault of both, the armor on my bomber soon began to peel off. As my ship was about to explode into dust, a volley of torpedoes slammed into the hull of the incursus, both explosions lighting the area for a brief moment. I turned my tracking disruptor onto the crucifier, and it was unable to hit me until it too disappeared in a fiery explosion. The rifter never appeared.

After a quick repair, my wingman and I continued our mission, attempting to complete the objectives given to us by the Crusade command. However, mere moments after we had destroyed their last vessels, they reappeared in more. Numerous more engagements happened in Isbrabata and Turnur, and after each their ships floated about as twisted scrap, yet they’d reappear in another shortly thereafter. Eventually, my wingmate and I called for assistance. We were on a tight schedule and couldn’t afford to spend the night littering space with wrecks.

These capsuleers lost numerous ships in the course of a couple of hours, and had nothing to show for it. Their wrecks lie as lessons they refused to learn, repeatedly attempting to destroy us, only to be shot down in the same exact manner they had before. The only thing that lie damaged from their numerous follies was my security status. How CONCORD, the leading organization in rallying capsuleers to beat back the Nation’s incursions, penalized me every time I fired first at these Sansha-supporting capsuleers is beyond me, and only furthers the evidence of their incompetence.

Lessons in CONCORDs failures aside, the monolithic and powerful entity my previous encounters with the Nation at their points of incursion was destroyed by the sheer inadequacy of these capsuleers. If the power of the Nation is measured by the abilities of its capsuleers, Sansha Kuvakei is as good as finished. The Nation is not strong, and Unity with these specimens can only be a weakness.

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My wingman was fellow Knight Jhaelee de’Auvrie….a loose end that has yet to be tied…