Life After Emancipation: Refuge and Resettlement

Rens - While known primarily as Heimatar's largest market hub, Rens also serves as home to the Republic's main immigration facility. The system's close proximity to the Minmatar-Amarr border and its location along the main hisec routes make Rens an ideal harboring point for refugees. As a result, some stations throughout the solar system have difficulties in supporting the influx of immigrants. "One of the problems we encountered early on was that Holders who opted to send their former slaves to the Republic were reluctant to pay for passage further than was absolutely necessary," stated Immigration and Resettlement Officer Rais Ephrintak. "Oftentimes, ships would simply leave entire families there without any support. The stations in Rens simply weren't designed to handle such a mass influx of people."

Eventually, the Sisters of EVE offered offices and temporary housing space in their stations orbiting the moons of Rens VII. "It really was the best windfall we could have hoped for, under the circumstances," Ephrintak enthused. "Just having the stations to work from has made integrating the refugees much easier."

For the former slaves, the assistance is gratefully accepted. Onyeka Djekatro found herself welcomed like a "long-lost sister,"  and has received more help than she had expected. "There were many tests," she says. "They wanted to see where my skills are, and there's so much to write! They want to know everything and more." In addition to basic aptitude examinations, all arrivals are given a basic medical scan and inoculations. Interviews are conducted in order to arrange suitable work placement and provide emotional support, if necessary.