Archangels' unexpected expedition - officials baffled
This Sunday saw one of the largest gatherings of Minmatar anti-slavery campaigners and their sympathisers for a generation. Almost 150 pilots from all over the Galaxy turned up to the planet Matar in the Pator system to protest against the SCC sanctioned trade in slaves that is rife across the galaxy, a practice even allowed within even within the Matari borders, much to the discontent of Minmatar everywhere.
The pilots orbited the Matar sculpture located near the planet, planning to make their message clear to the Matari government. Although the intentions were peaceful, corporation warfare spilled over and one Pilot, Dragon Ramirez, was killed during the early hours of the protest. Whilst it was intended to be a peaceful rally, a little fighting was to be expected. However, no-one expected the Archangels Pirates gate crashing the proceedings.
An Archangels corporation squad warped to the location of the rally and immediately assumed what appeared to be an attack formation. This threw the protest into chaos as the local conversation net was plunged into disarray as protest leaders struggled to stop enraged and frightened pilots from firing upon the Angels.
As much of a shock as the Archangels turning up in the Heart of Secure Minmatar space was, local pilots were astonished when their intentions were seemingly non-hostile. The Pirates merely proceeded with a scan of the solar system, reporting to the party leader, Yasken Jensu that their scans had “confirmed what they had thought”. They left the system just five minutes after they had arrived, but not before they planted a “device” on an as-yet un-known planet in Pator. Not a single shot was fired by either side.
No clues were left as to what the device the Archangels left was. Matar authorities have been unable to track any signature or trace of where they had been and what they left, but they have pledged to comb the reaches of Pator space to determine the answers. The secrecy and suddenness of this probe into Matar is puzzling. The high security solar systems have been extensively scanned and catalogued for hundreds of years. Speculation ran rampant on Pator after the incident as people asked themselves what the Angels could have been looking for. The possibility that they possess a new kind of technology which can detect previously undetectable objects is a strong possibility.
This expedition into high security space by a Concord acknowledged pirate faction has thrown into question the security and effectiveness of the republic navy. If Pator is not safe from a rogue battle group, no matter what its intentions, then how can any of the governments claim that their space is totally safe? What normally be a critically important talking point with the Republic Parliament has been swept aside in the reasoning behind their presence. Until more facts emerge only conjecture and speculation can run that debate.
Frighteningly, this incursion was by no means an isolated incident. Reports have been filtering through that the same battle group, always led by Yasken Jensu infiltrated NSA space, repeating their scanning and deploying of devices in at least three systems. Despite NSA forces engaging the Archangels where they could, they failed to stop them from achieving their objectives. All of the signs were that they left the North Star Alliance space having been satisfied with their findings. Beyond Derelik they moved down to Fountain where sporadic clashes between the FA and the Archangels did little to hinder the deployment of yet more of these unknown devices around the system of YZ-LQL.
These incidents are the only reported times when pilots have encountered this group and been able to get the word out. It is entirely possible that they have been scanning and deploying many more of these unknown devices around systems with no pilot presence. Until one of these mysterious deployable objects can be recovered and analysed, their motives will probably remain unclear. Concord has promised a full investigation, as has the Republic Government. Surface combing for the device has begun in Pator but it Republic officials expect the process to be long and arduous with results not guaranteed. The extent to which they have scoured the galaxy and the secrecy surrounding their actions tonight leaves none believing that this is the last that will be heard of this Archangel force, nor will it be the last time they are discussed. Although without evidence we can only guess as to goals of this Angel force, nothing good can come of this.
