YC110.01.09
In a short press conference held via FTL remote today, Reserve spokeswoman CAPT Svetlana Scarlet spoke to reporters for the first time today about the Fourth District capsuleer alliance that was formed by the paramilitary organization a bit more than a week ago. Her statement follows.
"The Reserve has been planning this move for some time now, ever since our return to Pure Blind this fall from Operation Just Redress, and I am proud to finally announce that the Fourth District has finally become a reality. We have formed this alliance in an effort to raise the level of expertise within the Caldari loyalist community with regard to combat operations; for some time now, there have been allied corporations who have wished to benefit from our experience and expertise, but because of the diplomatic and political realities, that has often been difficult.
"It has taken us nearly three years to get to this point, and the road has not been easy. Twice before, there have been false starts, attempts to unite the Caldari capsuleer community under one banner, and both have failed. We believe that this strategy was one doomed to failure in the first place. The Caldari State is not beholden to a single megacorporation, after all, but to a group of widely disparate ones. The Fourth District will serve as a place for those who wish to learn our distinct style of service, and we hope to maintain relations with other Caldari corporations and alliances, but our alliance will not be for everyone and we understand that perfectly.
"There are many people and organizations that we would like to thank for getting us to this point. First, I must thank Yukito Ume and Ume Logistics for their assistance in dealing with the bureaucratic paperwork necessary for the formation of this alliance. We must also thank our allies in the Pure Blind region, for the respect and support they have given us, and earned from us. In addition, our allies in the Amarr Empire must be thanked for the expertise they have helped cultivate within our ranks over numerous combined operations these last few years.
"Most of all, however, we must thank the State, its corporations, and its people for the support we have received over our time in space. It is for them that we fight, and for them that this alliance has been formed. It will be our honor to continue to serve the State and to encourage others to follow our example.
"I have been asked, 'what does the Fourth District mean?'
"People think, and perhaps not unjustifiably so, that it is an expression of Caldari territorial ambition. After all, not that long ago, the State did hope to have a fourth district in the place we often call home, the Pure Blind region. Is this a declaration that the Fourth District will be to the State what the Curatores Veritatis Alliance's Providence region is to the Empire?
"The answer is a plain and simple no; the State and the Empire are entirely different beasts, so to speak. What it is, first and foremost, is a call to the frontier spirit of our ancestors; those men and women who first survived the harsh climate of our homeworld, built the great Raata Empire and then looked to the stars, finding our own destiny out from under the thumb of Federation bureaucracy. Those who have pioneered new science and technology, been at the forefront of nearly every field of research, and forged new trails in business. We Caldari are a people who look to the future.
"The Fourth District is also a reminder of the past; a call to remember the sacrifice that many Caldari have been asked to make in order to secure that future for our people. Whether it is a great individual like Admiral Tovil-Toba, or the collective sacrifice of millions, as with those who died on Caldari Prime, a great future never comes without a price. The Fourth District is a symbol that they are still with the Caldari and the State even though they have passed into memory. We honor their memory with the name.
"Finally, the Fourth District is also a recognition of the present. Some pod pilots claim that we are no longer beholden to nations or governments, that we are above all those 'petty' concerns. They say that they are useless to those of us of the capsuleer class, that we are something entirely different. It may be true that our status makes us a rare and unusual commodity in the cluster today, and that we as individuals hold more power than the vast majority of other people in the cluster. That is not only a position of privilege, however, it is a position of responsibility and a debt that we owe to all that have worked to make this possible. Pod technology did not come to the State to create a new exalted class, it came to the State to preserve our nation in the face of great opposition. The Fourth District is a recognition that even though we may be set apart from the rest of the State, we are still serve its best interests and work to preserve its security, sanctity, and sovereignty.
"That is what the Fourth District is. Not a declaration of future conquests, but a intimate intertwining of our fates with those of our homeland and its people. A recognition of the fact that where we are and where we are going did not form out of whole cloth, but that it is built on thousands of years of history, struggle, and sacrifice, a debt that we must honor if we are to live honestly. It is the essence of the Caldari spirit. It is a place in the heart of every man and woman that serves.
"That is all for now. In the coming days and weeks, I expect to have more information for you regarding various details of the alliance and the other corporations we will be bringing under the Fourth District umbrella, but until negotiations on that front are complete, any further statements would be premature. Questions, as always, may be directed to the Reserve Diplomatic Office."
Reserve Task Force Assists CVA in X-3RNM
YC109.12.17
Honoring the mutual defense pact between the State and the Empire, a Reserve task force under the leadership of senior Fleet Operations officers ADM Derrys Otireya and CDRE Ladel Teravada spent much of 16 December 109 in the Providence region bolstering the defense of the Curatores Veratatis Alliance against a strong push by the Triumvirate alliance to take control of the system's four moons and the inaugural CVA outpost, Inflatable House. Thanks to the efforts of the allied defense fleet, the Triumvirate assault was repelled and the CVA retained control of the system at the end of the day.
Preparation for the Reserve's part in the defensive action began on Friday morning, when CDRE Teravada relayed information about Triumvirate's initial push into the system which placed all four towers in reinforced mode. At that point, preparations began to move a a task force in place during the next 48 hours in order to assist with with CVA's defense of the system. During that time, battleships, interceptors, electronic warfare cruisers, and other combat ships were moved into position in the Empire near the border with the Providence region.
Actual combat operations began shortly after midnight on the morning of the 16th, with CDRE Teravada and CDR Ayari scoring their first kill against a Triumvirate Apocalypse-class battleship in their defense of a CVA space platform. Fighting for the next several hours was sporadic, as Triumvirate ships moved to close off the system and allied forces attempted to break through the enemy lines into X-3RNM to reinforce CVA positions.
Beginning around 0900, the pace of combat increased and Reserve forces participated in an action against sniper forces near the R3-K7K gate. In what was described by ADM Otireya as a pitched battle fraught with heavy electromagnetic interference from the numbers of ships involved, the admiral's Rokh and many other allied vessels were destroyed in what was a temporary Pyrrhic victory for the defending forces. These kinds of attacks and counterattacks continued throughout the next hour and a half.
At 1045, an allied force attacking an isolated Triumvirate battleship was ambushed by a Triumvirate counterattack, pinning them down for the arrival of Triumvirate's Avatar-class titan. CDRE Teravada became one of the first casualties of this fearsome weapon, his Armageddon-class battleship caught only a kilometer from the ship as its Judgement device was activated. The allied forces took significant but not crippling losses, and many pilots of Triumvirate were unable to withdraw in time and were caught in their own titan's doomsday weapon.
When the traffic control network was reactivated at 1200 after the daily maintenance period, Triumvirate and allied forces continued to skirmish for a number of hours as the CVA repaired its towers and disrupted enemy attempts to muster a significant capital fleet against the remaining vulnerable space platforms around the system's moons. During this phase, Reserve forces mostly served as adjuncts to the allied interceptor force, with one Reserve battleship destroyed en route to the X-3RNM system by a Triumvirate picket fleet.
By approximately 1600 hours, significant enemy presence had been reduced to isolated hit and run attacks, and the CVA fleet had managed to bring nearly all the platform shields back to full strength. With Amarr authorities firmly in control of the system again, at least for the moment, the Reserve task force was given a RTB order and withdrew from Providence.
Honoring the mutual defense pact between the State and the Empire, a Reserve task force under the leadership of senior Fleet Operations officers ADM Derrys Otireya and CDRE Ladel Teravada spent much of 16 December 109 in the Providence region bolstering the defense of the Curatores Veratatis Alliance against a strong push by the Triumvirate alliance to take control of the system's four moons and the inaugural CVA outpost, Inflatable House. Thanks to the efforts of the allied defense fleet, the Triumvirate assault was repelled and the CVA retained control of the system at the end of the day.
Preparation for the Reserve's part in the defensive action began on Friday morning, when CDRE Teravada relayed information about Triumvirate's initial push into the system which placed all four towers in reinforced mode. At that point, preparations began to move a a task force in place during the next 48 hours in order to assist with with CVA's defense of the system. During that time, battleships, interceptors, electronic warfare cruisers, and other combat ships were moved into position in the Empire near the border with the Providence region.
Actual combat operations began shortly after midnight on the morning of the 16th, with CDRE Teravada and CDR Ayari scoring their first kill against a Triumvirate Apocalypse-class battleship in their defense of a CVA space platform. Fighting for the next several hours was sporadic, as Triumvirate ships moved to close off the system and allied forces attempted to break through the enemy lines into X-3RNM to reinforce CVA positions.
Beginning around 0900, the pace of combat increased and Reserve forces participated in an action against sniper forces near the R3-K7K gate. In what was described by ADM Otireya as a pitched battle fraught with heavy electromagnetic interference from the numbers of ships involved, the admiral's Rokh and many other allied vessels were destroyed in what was a temporary Pyrrhic victory for the defending forces. These kinds of attacks and counterattacks continued throughout the next hour and a half.
At 1045, an allied force attacking an isolated Triumvirate battleship was ambushed by a Triumvirate counterattack, pinning them down for the arrival of Triumvirate's Avatar-class titan. CDRE Teravada became one of the first casualties of this fearsome weapon, his Armageddon-class battleship caught only a kilometer from the ship as its Judgement device was activated. The allied forces took significant but not crippling losses, and many pilots of Triumvirate were unable to withdraw in time and were caught in their own titan's doomsday weapon.
When the traffic control network was reactivated at 1200 after the daily maintenance period, Triumvirate and allied forces continued to skirmish for a number of hours as the CVA repaired its towers and disrupted enemy attempts to muster a significant capital fleet against the remaining vulnerable space platforms around the system's moons. During this phase, Reserve forces mostly served as adjuncts to the allied interceptor force, with one Reserve battleship destroyed en route to the X-3RNM system by a Triumvirate picket fleet.
By approximately 1600 hours, significant enemy presence had been reduced to isolated hit and run attacks, and the CVA fleet had managed to bring nearly all the platform shields back to full strength. With Amarr authorities firmly in control of the system again, at least for the moment, the Reserve task force was given a RTB order and withdrew from Providence.
FADM Van Cleef Releases Statement on APEX Conglomerate
YC109.11.17
At noon on 17 November 109, Reserve commander-in-chief FADM Van Cleef released the following statement through the Reserve diplomatic staff in regard to the actions of the APEX Conglomerate over the last month.
"Recently, the actions and associations of one-time Reserve ally the APEX Conglomerate have raised great concerns within our organization. While the Reserve has not always seen eye-to-eye with APEX, we have always respected the fact that they shared the Reserve's commitment to the good of the State. Over the last several months, the Reserve and the Conglomerate have made attempts to resume the mutually beneficial relationship that our two organizations once had, with varying success. It is with great concern that we have watched our fellow State loyalists slowly slide closer to enemies of the State.
As it stands, APEX is currently hiding under the shelter of anti-State terrorists, criminals, and anarchists. With their own words and actions, they have disavowed the State, and with that action they have left us with but one choice. As of this time, the Reserve is officially severing all ties with the Conglomerate. Should Reserve forces encounter APEX pilots participating in illegal or anti-State activities, they will be treated no differently from any other outlaws."
Any further questions on the matter can be directed to the Reserve diplomatic office.
At noon on 17 November 109, Reserve commander-in-chief FADM Van Cleef released the following statement through the Reserve diplomatic staff in regard to the actions of the APEX Conglomerate over the last month.
"Recently, the actions and associations of one-time Reserve ally the APEX Conglomerate have raised great concerns within our organization. While the Reserve has not always seen eye-to-eye with APEX, we have always respected the fact that they shared the Reserve's commitment to the good of the State. Over the last several months, the Reserve and the Conglomerate have made attempts to resume the mutually beneficial relationship that our two organizations once had, with varying success. It is with great concern that we have watched our fellow State loyalists slowly slide closer to enemies of the State.
As it stands, APEX is currently hiding under the shelter of anti-State terrorists, criminals, and anarchists. With their own words and actions, they have disavowed the State, and with that action they have left us with but one choice. As of this time, the Reserve is officially severing all ties with the Conglomerate. Should Reserve forces encounter APEX pilots participating in illegal or anti-State activities, they will be treated no differently from any other outlaws."
Any further questions on the matter can be directed to the Reserve diplomatic office.