Federal Defence Union Command Criticizes Combined Harvest

Dastryns – The outbreak of illness on a Dastryns station last month continues to baffle medical personnel and is now creating tension between Combined Harvest, the company linked to the Long-limbed roe suspected of causing the illness, and the Federal Defence Union, the Gallente militia organization formed after the Caldari invasion.

Placid's proximity to core Gallente Federation holdings and the value of the Intaki homeworld makes it a strategically valuable region, and it is defended vigorously by the FDU. With the illness limited to a Federal Administration Bureau station in the contested region, some in the FDU administration have openly speculated that the illness was a deliberate attack and that Combined Harvest's policies are to blame.

Widely criticized by the FDU, Combined Harvest uses a combination of corporation-owned convoys and independent capsuleers to move goods, a security hole the FDU wants closed.

"It's certainly a possibility," commented Fari Gorsh, a professor and military analyst. "If you wanted to disrupt the [Federal Administration] Bureau's work out here, disrupt relations with Intaki, and give the Caldari a chance, all it would take is one determined saboteur. With something as vital as food, it is surprising that a company would place the welfare of the Gallente Federation at such risk."

Combined Harvest has refused a request from the Federal Defence Union to release specific transfer manifests for the shipments of Long-limb roe to destinations in Placid, claiming the information would harm the company's competitive advantage.