Imperial Court Remains Silent about Bleak Land Troubles

The Bleak Lands - Despite the numerous calls for military action against the increasing pirate forces in the Bleak Lands, there has yet to be any response by officials inside the Amarr Empire. In prior cases, such calls have come from capsuleers and other paramilitary forces, but these latest demands come from those Holders who count the Bleak Lands under their domains. In spite of this, all official organizations have kept silent.

"The silence is becoming tiring," remarked Holder Kamelleth Falduur. "First, we had to deal with the Blood Raiders. Then we had to deal with the Defiants. It's becoming a war zone, only our side has no troops."

The frustration with the lack of Navy action in the area has long simmered under the surface. "We thought when they drove the Blood Raiders from the area, that meant a change in policy," said Holder Lyrvan Kourmos. "But once they finished that, they only left token forces behind. It was so ineffectual, it couldn't even deal with Minmatar terrorists properly. After that debacle, they pulled out entirely. We have made numerous petitions to the Navy and the Court Chamberlain, but nothing."

Both the Amarr Navy and the Court Chamberlain have seemed to even refuse to acknowledge that there are complaints. Repeated requests for comment have been completely unanswered. Reporters have been turned away and there are rumors that even the Holders themselves are finding their normal channels of contact closed.

"My cousin is a Captain in the Navy," said one Holder on the condition of anonymity. "Normally, I can speak to him and have him transmit messages further up the command chain. But recently, he hasn't even been accepting communications. Not from me, not from anyone."

The situation is deteriorating to such a degree that some Holders are even discussing the possibility of holding a rally to gather popular support. These discussions are being dismissed by most of the Holders in the area, with Kourmos going as far as to proclaim it "sounds like some claptrap probably invented by some Gallente rabble rouser trying to embarrass the Empire." Despite that, he did say, "If I thought it would have any effect, I might consider it. But the Empire does not work that way and, hopefully, it never will."

Since the disappearance of 30000 slaves earlier in the month, several other Amarr installations have been attacked. While only a few have been slave holding facilities, reports of unusually high numbers of missing slaves continue to come in from across the Bleak Lands.