The Pilgrimage of Utari Onzo-Gallius

Author: Utari Onzo

Original post: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gxISVtvMm7TBh8_VhvkLUMlfbR0VB8pjZ9qIYfiu8TA/edit

Entry for YC122 New Eden Capsuleer’s Writing Contest in the Academic/News category.

The Coronation Fleet of Empress Catiz I - Amarr Prime

Athra, the seat of Imperial Power, the jewel of jewels in the Empire. It is fitting to begin my pilgrimage here, at the site of our Empress’ coronation and under the eyes of her Honor Guard. My Redeemer class battleship pales into insignificance compared to the mighty Avatar titans. Just one would be more than capable of eliminating my ship and crew in seconds, and it is a great display of Amarrian power and prestige to be able to easily afford to maintain four on permanent public duties. But, just as they dwarf my ship, so too does Athra cast a larger shadow over us all. It reminds me that no matter how powerful we may think of ourselves, we are all but small cogs in an ever larger machine, servient beings to a higher power, and this is the normal way of things.

Our society is a pyramid, built through our collective efforts and kept strong by its ordered structure. While no two stones are exactly the same, and over time wear and tear can make these differences in form and structure more apparent, they can none-the-less be cut, shaped and formed into unified blocks. So it is with people, with us. We too have our individual differences, and over time our individuality can become more and more defined, but within our society these differences mean nothing compared to the strength of our unity. It is imperative to all imperial subjects to uphold this unity so that the order of our society is maintained, and chaos cannot reign. Together, we are greater than the sum of our parts, stronger than any Titan or Battleship, and with this lesson I depart on my Pilgrimage.

"Here we are. This is the world of God.We are his chosen ones. This place, this planet of peace and abundance, he made for us. It's ours for the taking. There will be obstacles and difficulties. That's his test. We must make his gift deserving. This beginning. This birth of life. This dawn of greatness. We can not fail, for we have the Emperor to lead us and destiny to follow." - The Scriptures, Second Letter of St. Junip of Aerui

Eldar War battle site - Sarum Prime

It is the graveyard of Mekhios that the lesson of unity is proven. A culmination of increased disunity and corruption within the Empire, and deceitful actions by the rebel Elders, resulted in an invasion right into the heart of Imperial territory. Under the influence of the Red Chancellor, and with no Emperor to guide us, our people saw a period of weakness and fracturing with blocks from the top and the bottom of the societal pyramid each trying to pull away for their own individual ends, faith cast aside for personal profit. Thus, riddled with such imperfections, the walls of our defences were able to be breached by our enemies, a punishment that God Himself may even have allowed to occur to teach Amarr the error of her ways. But God shows a different means to provide His lesson to us, presenting Her Majesty Jamyl at the important moment to strike back at our enemies. Later to take on the Mantle of Empress and begin the process of expunging the corruption and disunity within our Empire, it is here that Jamyl showed the power of faith, that when we are unified in purpose and faith we can defeat all challenges, even in our darkest hours.

"For whosoever shall lay his life down for his Lord, He shall be taken into the arms of God and forever consecrated will he be. But whosoever shall turn from the light, and run in fear, the Lord shall abandon him and forever forsaken will he be" - The Scriptures, Amarr Askura 2:3

Memorials to the Martyrs

What is it to be a Martyr? This question comes to my mind as I pass by these memorials to the fallen. Is it to possess a stubborn dogged attitude of never giving up on a goal even when it costs one their life? All guts and glory to the bitter end. Or is it something else? A kind of selflessness, to sacrifice one’s own life for a greater cause? Perhaps it is a bit of both.

On the way to and from the Ami memorial, I found myself under the attention of the local capsuleer pirates. A Black Ops Battleship is an expensive vessel and does not possess the covert cloaking capabilities of recon ships. This makes it an attractive proposition for a kill, and across several systems my pursuers continued to try and capture my vessel. In my own stubbornness, rather than give in and switch to the Punisher frigate loaded into my battleship, I pressed on. Black Ops Battleships possess advanced engine systems that allow them to move faster while conventionally cloaked than others outside of their class, and this combined with my own intimate knowledge of gate camping tactics lead me to the belief I would succeed in my quest, which I did. But had I failed this trial in my path, and been caught and destroyed by these hounds of low security space, would that have made me or my crew martyrs? Certainly some might say that dying in the pursuit of a holy pilgrimage would be an act of martyrdom. Regardless of the motivations, or the overpriced and quite likely ill suited vessel choice, dying in the attempt alone is enough. It is the action, not the motivation, that displays one’s faith. On the other, many would rightly point out that I might have risked far too much, given in to self aggrandisement in choosing a larger vessel, and it is my own stupidity and petulant stubbornness to complete my task at any cost that would have caused my ship and crew’s hypothetical demise.

I wonder if the fallen of the Elder War were the same? Did they stubbornly remain on field, despite wiser heads perhaps counselling retreat in order to fight on more favourable terms later? Or did they see further than many? That they knew if they gave their lives at that point, delayed the rebel fleet for long enough with their deaths, that an ultimate victory would be more likely? Bones and wrecks, sadly, tell no tales. This is a lesson I shall dwell on further. And for my part, my choice of ship came down to both reason and pride. Reason being its objective difficulty in tackling due to the cloaked velocity making align times barely a few seconds, and its greater resistance to opportunistic ‘gankers’ and ‘smartbombers’ on the way compared to a frigate. Pride because no one else in P.I.E has managed to achieve the pilgrimage in anything quite like it. This, too, is something I must dwell upon and consider.

"Zakara saw the danger to his brother, and did not hesitate; without weapon or armor, he hurled himself at the beast, attacking with his bare hands. Enraged, the beast turned and struck Zakara, opening a terrible wound in his side. Seizing the moment, Garum ran his sword through the beast's heart, thus ending the battle victorious. But Zakara, mortally wounded, cried out in pain. You sacrificed yourself for me,' Garum said, taking his hand. "We are brothers,” Zakara answered, just before breathing his last. “And in God we shall remain brothers for all of time." - The Scriptures, Saint Junip 10:25

Arx Excubitoris - Dresi

With the most dangerous parts of my pilgrimage route successfully navigated, and the lessons still ringing in my ears, I dock my Redeemer class battleship and continue on in a Punisher class frigate. My next stop is the Arx Excubitoris, a Praetorian staging base in the Dresi system, an oasis of rest one might say within the Kador region for the Paladins. Here, I stay a while, finding solace in a cup of tea and a visit to the chapel. During this brief period of rest, my mind turns to St Junip’s words on faith.

"Faith is an oasis from which we must draw in order to live. Like an oasis, faith is a gift from the Lord that must be shared with all. Like an oasis, faith must be used with measure and not wasted. Like an oasis, faith should be at the center of a garden, for it is only in the garden of a just and truthful society, watered by well measured faith, that we may cultivate the spirit of the people." – The Scriptures, Seventh Letter of St. Junip of Aerui

Already I feel I have drawn deeply of the oasis of faith in my relatively short life, and yet also not deeply enough. Many times I have felt myself stray from what some would call the absolute path, felt temptation call to me and even exercised my individualism in a way that could potentially shake the societal pyramid. And yet, I still find myself desiring to be righteous, to suppress my worst excesses and become one and uniform with every other of our people. If we are to be mindful on how much we draw on faith, is St Junip’s lesson a caution against zealotry, against totally suppressing individualism that our faith may not grow from the advances exceptional individuals might provide? Or is it mistakenly misinterpreted as such, to justify weakness by the self serving, when its deeper meaning undiscovered by those content merely to scratch the surface? I hope to find the answer to this question as I press on in my task.

Arx Adolis - Thebeka

Thebeka, where Sanist terrorists launched their death glow attacks upon our citizenry. A heretical offshoot of the Amarr Rite, none exemplify the dangers of rampant individualism more than the Sani Sabik. Truly, theirs is an example to learn from.

But more than the Blood Raider attacks, Thebeka is almost personal to me. It is from this event that a long term friend and wing mate of mine, Samira Kernher, turned her back on our society. A pilot long remarked for her diligent work in the warzone on behalf of the Amarr Empire, and her sharp knowledge of Scripture within an Orthodox Conservative interpretation, it was something of a shock to many of my fellow Amarrians that she chose to betray those principles in the name of reform. That one so learned, such a stellar example of the ‘right’ way to raise enslaved individuals into our faith and destined to success could instead spark riots and assist Minmatar terrorists in opportunistically using the Thebeka riots to cause harm to our Empire was nothing short of staggering, let alone that I once called her a close friend. While surely the Empire is human, and thus still flawed, it is none the less a society trying to achieve God’s mission, and to attempt to tear all of its systems down and ‘start again’ in some vague notion of the ‘real’ interpretation of Scripture reeks of inviting the death knell of the Empire in an orgy of retributive violence by uncontrolled masses. Once more the lesson of the Oasis comes to mind. Is this over-zealotry behind a radical interpretation? Have Kernherists drawn too deeply of Faith and been blinded by it so they no longer see Truth? I pray to avoid doing the same.

"So instructed the Queen to her champion, 'Beware the righteous who seek truth in spirit alone; The weak of mind are quick to judge with slightest tempt; Thus fools go forth to spread false word, Great misery follows those who heed what only the weak have heard. Heed me champion, for only you shall know; Within the blue ring of fire lies the final key of revelation. Find this ring, my champion, and both mind and spirit shall be strong once more.'" - The Scriptures, Book of Trials 2:13 - 2:21

The Wreckage of EF Seraph - Safizon

I remember the day Empress Jamyl died like it was only yesterday. It started as a glorious day, a moment of strength where the latest developments of the Imperial Navy were to be revealed. As my pod boarded my Guardian logistics vessel, and I flew out to lead my fellow support pilots on parade in a grand fleet of loyalist capsuleers, I felt a great sense of pride, and a surge of faith, to be present as Amarrian capsuleers were recognised by Her Majesty. Little did I know that it was to be a day of shame. Through my ship’s camera drone, I witnessed the Drifter fleet fire their doomsday weapons. I heard Mother Alizabeth’s cry to repair the Empress’ ship, and tried to lock her Avatar even as I saw its structure buckle and implode under the weight of firepower brought upon it. The silence on fleet communications was deafening, as we all bore witness to our failure to protect our sovereign monarch from an attack that took mere moments. It haunts me even to this day.

I vow never to let such a day pass again, to allow myself to be impotent as events take place. I will meet the next test of faith, and find myself stronger for it.

"Though dissuaded, I came. Though perilous, I served. Though beset, I persevered. Though denied, I believed." - The Scriptures, Prophet Kuria 12:18

Fort Kumar

From the lesson of failure comes the example of victory. Fort Kumar, a bastion of defence during the Minmatar Rebellion. Its garrison of naval vessels and Kameira troopers managed to stem the tide of rebels from penetrating deeper into Imperial Territory, through their stubborn determination and loyalty to the cause of the Amarr. My pain from witnessing the Empress’ graveyard is soothed by observing such a monument of resistance and determination. It is my hope to live up to the example of the Matar and Amarr subjects that held the line in the face of overwhelming odds, their deeds proof that God cares not for one’s roots but what one does with their life and their devotion to His holy mission for us all.

"Rejoice, o chosen of God, for our blood fills this Valley of Death, proclaiming our sacrifice to God, and He shall raise it up for all time" - The Scriptures, Saint Junip 15:11

Zoar and Sons Station, Staging Point for Operation Deliverance - Misaba

Providence. A region of Null-Security space I am intimately familiar with, having served a number of tours of duty with various Amarr and C.V.A aligned corporations. Though it has recently fallen on tough times, with outside forces picking off parts of the region long held by the Paladin Warders of the Imperial Marches, those souls who continue with the mission of Operation Deliverance display a similarity of purpose as those Kameiras that stood firm at Fort Kumar. Caldari, Amarr, Gallente, Minmatar, pilots from all regions of the Cluster have come together and united in the dream of achieving success where no other Capsuleer has. To bring a part of utterly lawless space into the fold of the Empire and upgraded in security status.

The question of Operation Deliverance’s goal and ultimate resolution is one I personally took part in, with the Conclave of Providence setting out a means in order to bring about Amarrian Law to all the systems. It humbles me to know this collective work by resident pilots and Praetorian advisors continues to hold some sway, reminding those who thought of the Coalition as simply another Nullsecurity power bloc that they answer a higher power. It is, simply put, inspirational. It is my solemn hope that the Paladin Wardens succeed in recapturing the Border systems in their entirety once more, and continue long into the future as the noble custodians they have proven to be.

"Surround yourself with the faithful, Stand together, for there is no strength like it under the heavens." - The Scriptures, Book of Missions 71:21

The Starkmanir Uprising - Arzad

Here I end my pilgrimage, in a system where much coin and blood has been spent in the holding. Its history of hubris, rebellion and conflict over many years bears heavy on the soul. The location of the Starkmanir uprising, I once again consider the lessons of earlier in my journey, of the dangers of individualism and blind zealotry.

It is known the Starkmanir who rebelled did so out of a false sense of loyalty to one man, their Holder Arzad Hamri, placing devotion of him higher than their loyalty and subservience to the Imperial creed and cause. It is a sign of spiritual and moral weakness to have indulged one’s subjects to such a degree as happened here, to have allowed them to almost deify the one meant to educate them, to Reclaim their souls in the name of God. Perhaps such indulgences were given out of a sense of pity, to want to give a better material life to those under him and bring about their assimilation through softer methods. Such good intentions can be laudible when correctly applied, a counter-balance to the excess of other Holders who use and abuse their positions of authority over slaves to enrich their pockets and ignore their holy duties. But the road to damnation is paved with good intentions, it is said. And so it was with Arzad, going too far in granting reprieves and embracing the culture of the Starkman tribe such that a rebellion would occur against a righteous judgement.

As a newly ennobled Holder myself, I worry for the balance between those two excesses, to not abuse my position for personal gain but also to not allow kindness to blind my duty. It is a difficult challenge, one that as a member of the Praetorian Order and as a Holder I must meet. Fitting, then, that the final lesson to learn on this journey applies to the greatest, and most recent, change in my own life. Fitting, too, that it ends here, within the warzone itself, where my daily duties most often lie and my stockpile of warships sits in the hangar, ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice.

I endeavour to match these twin challenges, and become a better servant of God and Empire for it. Amarr Victor.

"Which test reveals more of the soul, the test that a man will take to prove his faith, or the test that finds the man who believed his faith already proven? If you know this answer, then you also know which of these challenges bear the greatest penalty for failure. The gates of paradise will open for you one time only; woe to the soul who dares to knock twice." - The Scriptures, Book of Missions 5:14