Omni Interference During an Escort of an ICC Messenger to Omni Headquarters

[Editor: OTPC]

Omni Interference During an Escort of an ICC Messenger to Omni Headquarters
Jynnine

RUBI-KA -- (OTPC) -- Recently, an Omni citizen was arrested and detained by a division of Omni-Pol, for filling out a Clan application. According to the ICC, it is perfectly legal for any citizen to switch sides in the conflict, if they choose to.

Blackpetal, an Omni that was once a part of an Omni law firm, Schuemann & Associates, had made a personal decision that she wanted to be Clan. When she arranged with the governing body of Jobe to transfer the company to another individual, certain powers in Omni-Tek caught wind of this transfer and, guessing what Blackpetal’s ultimate intentions were, action was immediately taken to arrest and detain her. When ICC found out about this illegal arrest, they arranged for a messenger to arrive on Rubi-Ka at an undisclosed place and time, to deliver orders to Omni Administration for immediate release of Blackpetal.

Due to the sensitivity of the nano-coded documents, the messenger could not travel via whompa or grid. Therefore, the messenger was escorted under heavy clan support from her arrival location in the Newland Desert, south to Omni Headquarters to deliver the orders.

During the escort, two Omni organizations, Omni-Pol and The Honored Maidens intercepted the party in a likely attempt to prevent the messenger from completing her journey. One of the escorting parties was attacked, as they entered a political zone, and several were killed after being ambushed by members of these organizations. When asked for comments regarding this assault, Saxon1 of the Omni-Pol organization responded, “I was the only Omni-Pol officer and was scouting the area, was swiftly attacked by the convoy. Only defended myself.” Although Saxon1 stated he was the only officer there, several members of the organization were seen in the area before and after the escort party passed through. Saxon1 stated, however, that the other officers “were called off before any action happened.”

Vixentrox, an agent that was assigned to lead that particular team, was also killed in action, by Marise, Director of The Honored Maidens organization. Ms Marise, when asked for a statement regarding The Honored Maidens’ involvement in the attack, responded that they were working with others to defend their members’ interests previously stated in their lawsuit against Blackpetal’s law firm earlier. However, she declined to elaborate or comment any further.

Thankfully, in the end, the attempted ambush failed and the escort party was able to assure the messenger’s safe arrival at Omni Administration, to deliver the orders for Blackpetal’s release. Once she was released and safely arrived in Clan territory, Blackpetal met the escort party at The Cup in West Athen to celebrate their victory that day, where Ms Blackpetal showed her appreciation to all those that helped her through this ordeal. I had the pleasure of meeting with Blackpetal afterwards, where she made the following statement regarding her successful change of sides, “I have renounced legal citizenship to Omni-Tek, and I have accepted the offer of sanctuary extended by the Clans. In my heart, however, I am still Omni.”

This is just one example of scandals within some of Omni-Tek’s organizations. With other recent reports of corruption and conspiracy among certain Omni-Tek agencies, actions like these are causing a lot of embarrassment for Omni-Tek Corporation as a whole. We can only hope that justice is brought down on these organizations for their illegal and intolerable actions. Otherwise, these and other groups will be able to get away with further illegal behavior in the future and no one will be safe from a corporation that is supposed to ‘protect’ its citizens.

[Betji]

Betji was just finishing her nap when a friend called.

"The article is published!"

Delighted, Betji read it through, and was again amazed by Jynnine's open-minded and fair-handed reporting of the events, albeit naturally concentrating on those aspects of interest to omni readers.

Then she ruminated on the epic journey itself, the dozen or more stalwart souls above and beyond Vix's group, who travelled with the messenger from Stolz's Outpost in Newland Desert to Omni-1 HQ, in the process sacrificing their lives and going to reclaim, simply to insure the message arrived and one person gained their freedom. It was hard to forget Lizor's leadership, the loyalty of Regidoc and her friends at Valor Eternal, the sense of duty and honor shown by the Mercury Dragons, the spirit and stick-with-it attitude of Whisper's Edge, not to mention Cyani and Qinefer, showing the ICC that neutrals also cared about justice on Rubi-Ka.

It was easy to remember that grand adventure, and the events that led up to it. Blackpetal called it Act 2, and she was right. Her lawfirm's relocation troubles had been just the start, and now that she was clan, Act 3 was beginning.

[Amosco]

This is just one example of scandals within some of Omni-Tek’s organizations. With other recent reports of corruption and conspiracy among certain Omni-Tek agencies, actions like these are causing a lot of embarrassment for Omni-Tek Corporation as a whole. We can only hope that justice is brought down on these organizations for their illegal and intolerable actions. Otherwise, these and other groups will be able to get away with further illegal behavior in the future and no one will be safe from a corporation that is supposed to ‘protect’ its citizens.

Why is the Omni-Tek Press Corp claiming that this "interference" by The Honored Maidens and members of Omni-Pol was scandalous? For all we know, Blackpetal may have been a Clan infiltrator attempting to return to the north with our secrets.

I believe that The Honored Maidens and Omni-Pol should be commended for their work in trying to prevent this traitor from making it safely to Clan territory. If Blackpetal chooses to renounce her Omni Citizenship, we have several fine prison facilities where she would feel quite at home surrounded by other Clan sympathizers.

I don't care if the ICC does believe that it is legal to switch sides in the conflict. It should also be legal for Omni-Tek to protect itself from spies and sympathizers!

[Vixentrox]

Whisper's Edge was very please to take part in helping an Omni join the Clans. It is our highest priority to help Omni that have seen the light come on over.

[Cogs]

I cannot let this go unnoticed!
I sincerely hope that the views stated and expressed by mr. Amosco are in fact NOT endorsed by official OmniTek channels and Omni-Pol. If however, that should be the case, there can no longer be any doubt, be that among Clans or the Neutral population, that Omni-Tek aims to rule as a totalitarian dictatorship, utilizing emprisonment and torture to keep their subjects in line!
I distance myself completely from the statements made by mr.Amosco, and will look forward to an official amendement asap!

[-Zagadka-]

Dr. Cindi "Razishlyat" Bolieu:

It disturbs me to see how far Omni-Tek will go to prevent one of their own from changing sides. Some Clans may view someone as a traitor for switching over to Omni, but they would not take military action to force them to stay Clan.

The fact that Omni-Tek employees (once again) opened fire on the inept ICC and Clan citizens, and can in the same breath call all Clanners terrorists, is sad. How little control over their own employees does Omni-Tek have? Shouldn't InternOps or OmniAF be dealing with this attack on the ICC? Why risk getting into conflict with neutral troops, in an already tense time?

[Amosco]

Originally posted by Cogs
I cannot let this go unnoticed!
I sincerely hope that the views stated and expressed by mr. Amosco are in fact NOT endorsed by official OmniTek channels and Omni-Pol. If however, that should be the case, there can no longer be any doubt, be that among Clans or the Neutral population, that Omni-Tek aims to rule as a totalitarian dictatorship, utilizing emprisonment and torture to keep their subjects in line!
I distance myself completely from the statements made by mr.Amosco, and will look forward to an official amendement asap!

Not that I have any desire to try and justify my views to a Dirty Clammer, but perhaps my original statement was made in a heated state.

What I was really trying to emphasize is that we unfortunately will never know beyond a shadow of a doubt what motivated this person to betray their ties to The Corporation. I would have preferred that Blackpetal NOT be killed (as she seems to have made it safely to the north, anyway), but rather apprehended by the members of Omni-Pol. This way, Omni-Pol would have been able to verify her documentation and assure the rest of us that she was not intending to use her knowledge of Omni-Tek's inner workings against us.

ONLY if Blackpetal was found to be an infiltrator would I support her being imprisoned. After all, companies have a right to protect their corporate secrets.

[-Zagadka-]

Originally posted by Amosco
ONLY if Blackpetal was found to be an infiltrator would I support her being imprisoned. After all, companies have a right to protect their corporate secrets.

Dr. Cindi "Razishlyat" Bolieu:

And citizens have a right to not be arrested on a whim. Citizens also have a right to change sides - this is why the side change forms were introduced and honored by both sides.

If Omni-Tek feels that their corporate secrets were betrayed - not if they have a whim that they might be - then they are free to take LEGAL recourse through courts, present their evidence, get approval from the ICC (though that is hardly a challenge, we have seen), and first ask that she hand herself over.

The trend of Omni-Tek taking it into its own rights to invade Clan and Neutral territory to apprehend citizens with scarce evidence and no fair and due process, and "execute its warrants" is ridiculous. For all of Boss Ross's talk of "dark times ahead", Omni-Tek certainly seems to be trying to make those times as dark as possible, with their war-mongering and illegal seizures.

Maybe Mr. Ross should have kept his money and spent it making sure he still holds the reins of Omni power, instead of letting his dogs run wild.

[Marisha]

For immediate press release

The Honored Maidens maintain that documents related to our previous lawsuit against Schuemann and Associates represent a significant risk to our employees’ health and privacy, especially now that they are in the hands of clansmembers. We believe that the transfer of this information, as well as documents pertaining to other Omni-Tek departments, constitutes espionage against the Corporation.

In addition, we feel that the Interstellar Confederation of Corporations has created a dangerous precedent in their recent decision. At the time, Miss Schuemann was being held by Omni-Pol under charges of treason against Omni-Tek, conspiracy to commit treason, consorting with enemies of the corporation, espionage, and conspiracy to commit espionage. The ICC ruling not only involved a transfer of citizenship but also demanded a release from custody before the investigation had been concluded.

We assert that this is a direct assault against the Omni-Tek colonial legal system. In the past, the Tir Accord guaranteed our rights of imprisonment and trial of all who violated our laws within our territory regardless of affiliation. When the Tir Treaty was annulled, the ICC was critical. With this recent ruling, they have facilitated a direct violation of the conditions of the treaty itself. We believe that the ICC has given its approval to the dissolution of the Tir Treaty despite their previous misgivings through this ruling.

In conclusion, we believe that the recent ICC decision to be inconsistent with previous ICC decisions and policies and that the order itself, in it’s flagrant disregard to previously established Corporate colonial rights, borders on the illegal itself. Appropiate complaints will be filed.

Who we are: The Honored Maidens are an organization of female and atrox Omni loyalists. We were formed on 10 July 29475 by Philip Ross to focus the strengths of an all-female group with atrox acting as guards. We continue to support and enforce the governing will of Philip Ross for the betterment of Rubi-Ka and all of Omni-Tek. Our role in the struggle between Omni-Tek and the clans on Rubi-Ka is primarily a supportive/defensive one in which we work to protect every Omni citizen's rights and way of life. More information is available about us at our Gridsite.

[-Zagadka-]

Dmitri "Stalil" Volya:

The viper can bite both ways, it seems. Hah! Either you follow the ICC's law, or you don't, whether they say you can arrest one person and not another or whether they say you juggle ingots in front of a hungry Heckler.

[Blackpetal]

Well, I suppose it would be pointless for me to argue with The "Honored" Maidens over such trifles at this point... After all, we have a much larger argument ahead of us...

Still, I would like to say that despite my differences with Omni-Tek, and my recent problems with the Maidens, I am a woman of honor, and I am further bound by my code of ethics as a lawyer to protect the secrecy and privacy of my clients. This was true when I was a recognized citizen of Omni-Tek, and it is just as true now. So I would say to Marisha: Don't worry. Your precious documents are quite safe, and your secrets won't be shared with any "dirty clanners."

The only Omni-Tek secret I'm interested in revealing now is the link between the corporations and the demons it serves.

God save Omni-Tek!

-Blackpetal

[Demenzia]

That's an article in the OTPC? Really? Why did I have to read it twice to make sure I hadn't received tha FJRK by mistake? I'm beginning to wonder if this was worth my subscription. perhaps I should send a grid-mail to their Chief Editor someday, sure they mixed some papers when preparing tha gridfeef at tha final stage.

In any case... good riddance. It's just useless to invest resources and personnel any longer in such an... affair. Seemingly it's okay fer most people that someone can just "go away" to tha Clans with a vague "promise" of not unveiling information, so I doubt anything is worth being said, explained, justified, whatever ya wanna call it.

A woman of honor? Sure I'll believe that from someone who purposely broke the contract she had signed... what a nice proof of her sincerity <smirks> But... Fer what I care anyway, Ms Schuemann can go chase her "demons" in Tir. It's all irrelevant at this point.

[Dabblez]

Demons? Such an emotionally charged word just to describe an ancient alien race fallen on hard times. If you could step out of your solitus prejudices for a second, am I sure you'd see that we look just as odd to the unredeemed as they look to us.

Dabblez

[______________Boffin]

The Mercury Dragons received this call to arms and we had to respond to this blatant example of Omni oppression. It was with great pride that I took part in our support for Blackpetals right to freedom. The Organisational application transfer form is enshrined in our legal processes, not acceptable only as and when Omni wants it too be.

The question of the Unredeemed is of course much larger than this. But the mental gymnastics that Omni are displaying to justify their involvement with these highly dubious beings is as astonishing as it is a testament to the lies that can be made acceptable with “reason”. Look into your hearts Omni’s.

[Demenzia]

It ain't a matter of mental gymnastics and words-twisting. It's a matter of who's going away with what information, and of what kind of certainty can be had of NOT seeing said info broadcast where it shouldn't. If yer beloved Mercury Dragons commander was to suddenly decide to go and become an Omni-Tek employee, taking with 'im tha knowledge he has of Clan maneuvers and whatcrap, I'm sure ya'd say "whee" and send flowers and gridcards to wish 'im good luck. Ah - By tha way, what I'm doing here is "wielding tha art of irony". Not "oppressing yer mind". In case ya'd wanna serve me tha old argument back, y'know, pretending ya can't - or dun't want to - understand.

Now go back boasting 'bout yer victory, but y'know, it really wasn't such a biggie... just proved itself to finally not be worth tha time and investment. 'Course by then it was easy fer ya Clanners to go away with it <simply smiles, her mind seemingly on others matters already>

[Xhairs]

Ok. Here we have the basics. It stated in the Tir Accord that if Omni-Tek wanted to arrest anyone from the Clans or in the Clan/Neutral territorys there had to be an arrest warrant made out by Omni-Admin and the Council of Truth. Purely by law the Tir Accord was null and void the second the CoT disolved, even if most Clans stick to it, and i personaly think it is a good set of points to stick to.

Here we have the problem.

Some one in employment of Omni-Tek commits a crime against the corporation and runs to Clan land and uses a Clan application form. Omni-Tek can not go after this criminal for interogation or arrest on their own because the Clans would cry untill the walls of Tir cracked about OT going behind their backs, and ICC would start their normal whine. So OT want to get an Ok from the Clans to pick this person up, keep the Clanners happy by staying to the Tir Accord even though it does not apply any more and all. But wait! How they heck are we supposed to do that? There is no Council any more. Who is going to sign the warrant? Silverstone? Yeah, right.

Ok, so we try to stop this SNAFU before it develops by arresting the person before he/she jumps Clan. Oh, but now both Clans and ICC cry foul. So suspected criminals can, just by stating their wish to go to Clan, get away from OT law enforcement as by the rules in the Tir Accord all Citizens should be able to get an application form at just about any given time. I can see it already.

"Halt! You are under arrest for Perma-Killing these two guards and blowing up this R&D facility!"
"I want to go Clan!"
"Damn. Oh well, on your way then."

You want to know what the scary part is? I have read through the Tir Accord, and i find nothing in there that says that convicted criminals should be kept from applying for Clan membership. So theoreticaly every psycho, murderer, arsonist, con-man and so on could apply for Clan, and we would be forced to let them go.

By the rules the Clans wants to follow.

But sure, OT has been screwing up a bit with law enforcement and jurisdiction lately, no denying that. Just concider the rules, no rules and totaly bent rules they are supposed to follow.

[Blackpetal]

Originally posted by Demenzia
It ain't a matter of mental gymnastics and words-twisting. It's a matter of who's going away with what information, and of what kind of certainty can be had of NOT seeing said info broadcast where it shouldn't. If yer beloved Mercury Dragons commander was to suddenly decide to go and become an Omni-Tek employee, taking with 'im tha knowledge he has of Clan maneuvers and whatcrap, I'm sure ya'd say "whee" and send flowers and gridcards to wish 'im good luck. Ah - By tha way, what I'm doing here is "wielding tha art of irony". Not "oppressing yer mind". In case ya'd wanna serve me tha old argument back, y'know, pretending ya can't - or dun't want to - understand.

Now go back boasting 'bout yer victory, but y'know, it really wasn't such a biggie... just proved itself to finally not be worth tha time and investment. 'Course by then it was easy fer ya Clanners to go away with it <simply smiles, her mind seemingly on others matters already>

The art of sarcasm is actually what you are employing, Demenzia. That aside, your point is well taken. Defections are painful to the side which has lost someone with access to sensitive information, regardless of that person's intent. My words weren't meant to bring you comfort...only to defend my own honor.

As for the question of breaking contracts...a contract is an agreement between TWO parties, not just one, and Omni-Tek has broken the spirit, if not the letter of its agreement...not just with me, but with all employees working in good faith for the betterment of the corporation. We are betrayed because the institution we believe in exists not to serve the betterment of humanity, nor even merely to reap monetary profits, but to further the ends of demonic powers bent on enslaving or killing anyone who opposes them. Omni-Tek, in its current incarnation, is a shadow image of that dark purpose, and fighting it from within is impossible, so I'm fighting it from without.

Don't think for a moment, though, that my decision to accept exile in Clan territory was anything but the hardest decision I have ever had to make, and don't you dare lump me with terrorists and criminals. I'm neither. Nor am I interested in the Clans' struggle...despite my sympathy for some of its nobler ambitions. My only interest is redeeming the soul of Omni-Tek. That you are so willfully blind to the evil you serve disgusts me... I pray for your soul, but I'm afraid you are nothing but a harlot to devils...

[Marisha]

I wanted to keep this in the realm of law, but since so many of these arguments are wrapped in metaphysics, it’s becoming difficult. Now, since were being called harlots to devils, I see no reason why I should limit myself.

When reclaim technology was first unveiled, it was thought to be the work of the devil as well. The Church condemned the technology, until Omni-Tek metaphysicists were able to demonstrate the existence of an immortal soul. However, until this discovery was made, radicals in the clans (who, of course, did not have reclaim technology) as well as reactionaries off world condemned the reclaimed as no longer having souls, and being little more than animated corpses controlled by spirits from the beyond.

The Arch Bishop of Pavonis Mons went so far as to publish a text detailing how the corpses could be exorcised to release the demonic hold the spirits had on the animated corpse. Of course, his methods would also kill regular living people as well, so his followers had positive reinforcement of their actions.

For Omni-Tek, being accused of consorting with devils is nothing new. I’m sure in the next millennium we will be accused of similar crimes, once some new technology is discovered, or in the case of the Xan, an alien species. Each new technology has at least one person who believes it is evil. The first artificial intelligence was demonized by the Neo-Ludites. Nanotechnolgy was viewed as evil sorcery. Audio recording was described as dead voices echoing from hell. The printing press was banned, as was the crossbow. New cultures are routinely described as demonic and fallen from grace, so that we can feel better about ourselves as we absorb them into our culture at the cost of their native traditions.

Your brand of prejudicial fanaticism mixed with an ounce of good old conspiracy theory is nothing new, and it will happen again in the future. Those who seek to advance to the next plateau of scientific discovery and genetic perfection must bear the fear and hatred you spew forth, confident in the knowledge that in the end, the universe will be a better place.

I’ve traveled the Shadowlands, talked to the Redeemed and Unredeemed and things that were ancient when our common ancestors were living in trees, and I am confident that they are not demons. They are merely the remnants of a species that has been at war with itself for longer than we can hope to imagine.

Plus, if the Unredeemed are evil, it would stand to reason that the Redeemed are good, and I have a great deal of difficulty wrapping my mind around an angelic Silverstone executing Neutrals because he believes they must be forced to chose a side. Is he doing the Lord’s work? Or are his actions part of the greater Unredeemed conspiracy?

[Blackpetal]

Compellingly argued, Marisha. So well argued that the fatal flaws in your logic are almost overlooked. Let's look a little closer, though, shall we?

First of all, this is not blind hatred, or hatred born out of a fear of the unknown. As alien as the Unredeemed are, and as sinister as their appearance, THAT is not why one should fear and hate them. On the other hand, their genocidal rampage across the universe, destroying the seeds of life the Redeemed have attempted to spread throughout the cosmos, the billions...TRILLIONS of sentient beings dead at their hands. That is cause to call them evil. I don't hate them because I don't know the Unredeemed; I hate them because I know them. Know them intimately, and have seen their brand of evil perpetrated time and time again through recorded history. This is not a benevolent, misunderstood race. This is a race bent on conquest, acquisition of power, and the annihilation of any who stand in the way.

Be that as it may, however, your most egregious error of logic is here:

Plus, if the Unredeemed are evil, it would stand to reason that the Redeemed are good, and I have a great deal of difficulty wrapping my mind around an angelic Silverstone executing Neutrals because he believes they must be forced to chose a side. Is he doing the Lord’s work? Or are his actions part of the greater Unredeemed conspiracy?

If A equals B then C must equal D? I'm sorry, but you've begun with a flawed assertion, and you it won't bear the weight of your argument. Although, as it turns out the Redeemed ARE good, they are good only out of virtue and not because they are the Unredeemed's opposite number. We might have encountered two equally abysmal races; thank God that was not the case. However, you use this argument very effectively because you then proceed to mirror the logic as follows: If Omni equals evil then Clan equals good. You compound the sin with the assertion Sentinels equal Clans.

The flaws in this are myriad, but we'll stick to the most basic. Silverstone represents a single Clan. He is neither good nor Redeemed. He isn't Unredeemed either. He is simply an evil man, capable of all the worst atrocities we humans can commit against our brothers and sisters. The clans are not the monolith that Omni-Tek represents. There is good and evil amongst the Clans, just as their are those who would do good amidst the evil that is Omni-Tek.

Why then, have the Redeemed forged alliances with this fractured, often malicious group known collectively as the Clans? For the simple reason that they are forced to do so by necessity. Faced with the twin dangers of the Unredeemed and their puppet, Omni-Tek, the Redeemed have had no choice but to reach out for any allies they can find. Some they will find are unreliable, but more, I believe, will have their eyes opened to the true stakes of this struggle. These chosen will form a vanguard that can confront and destroy the Unredeemed, God willing.

[Demenzia]

Oh, but I dun't lump ya with crimnals and terrorists, if this can bo of comfort to ya. If there was a category I could place ya in, it'd be among fanatics rather than anything else. Which is a shame, especially compared to tha Ms Schuemann I knew in tha past. And fanatic preaching simply ain't something I care 'bout. Tha only demons I dabble with are daemons, and chances are that I'm their creator, actually. See what I'm talkin' 'bout? No? Well fine, cuz when ya speak to me of "serving the evil" and of "demonic powers", it dusn't especially strike me either. <shrugs> Free to ya to only see shadows in tha corners; personnally, I also see what has been done fer tha betterment of this world and tha people who live on it, and it doesn't deserve to be called tha "work of evils".

That's too bad. I wish that yer statements weren't so full of fanaticism and preaching and so-called "religious-sounding" words. Perhaps this way I'd be prone to take 'em a lil' seriously. Or at least to stop finding this all so sad.

Oh, and please... stop praying fer my soul. Really. I doubt my "soul" would have much importance t'ya, so it's useless to put even more hypocrisy in all of this.