Vega-Ekatera War
| Vega-Ekatera War | |||||||
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 Ekatera | |||||||
The Vega-Ekatera War is an ongoing military conflict between Vega and Ekatera, alongside which the nations of Lonestar and Radiance have enacted independent military operations against Ekatera. The nation of Vega is the sole combatant to have formally declared war on Ekatera, while Lonestar have classified their operations against Ekatera as "mass seizure of Ekateran assets", while Radiance classify theirs as "anti-piracy" activity.
Combat in the war has strongly favored the combined military might of Vega, Lonestar, and Radiance; Ekatera's war strategy has primarily centered on sheltering from attacks inside of Altar Sanctorium, the nation's Trade City, which is a safezone. Outside of Altar Sanctorium, several players and two settlements (Symred and Kovfara) have left Ekatera since the start of the conflict.
Origins
On 3 January 2025, for indeterminate reasons, the player AdelieXY killed Kiro231, Primarch of Ekatera, in a PvP attack. On the basis of AdelieXY's previous working relationship with Vega (in RentDueYesterday, the Andurian Federation, and Vask Authority), Kiro231 made the assumption that AdelieXY (whom she later described as "a player who [Vega] often sponsor") was a Vegan operative, and impounded a freighter parked at Altar Sanctorium owned by AssassinXX in response.
The following day, on 4 January, LeMaire, who (rather than AssassinXX) was the actual user of the freighter, informed Vega that her ship had been impounded. Over the course of the following day, Vegan diplomats MaidPierce and Sherbet_S would seek to rectify the situation (and to clarify that AdelieXY was not acting in cooperation with Vega); Kiro231 demanded Vega pay a 48000 credit "fine" to recover the ship, which Vega refused. On 5 January 2025 MaidPierce announced in the Horizon's End Discord that:
Following the unlawful seizure of LeMaire's vessel in the Trade City "Altar Sanctorium" and Kiro's refusal to speak to any Vegan representatives on the matter, We have decided to declare war until the vessel is returned to Vegan territory.
While some (such as Oliveburger22) would deem this course an "overreaction" from Vega, MaidPierce justified Vega's actions by stating that "Vega has made it very clear through SL and HE that you dont mess with LeMaire"; GigaJeff of Vega elaborated, "this was an under reaction, we should've reacted harder".
Expansion of the Conflict
Following Vega's declaration of war on Ekatera, and the associated publicization of the circumstances of LeMaire's ship's impounding and the subsequent diplomatic exchange pertaining thereto, several other nations and players on the server would express some level of opposition to Ekatera.
Lonestar
On 7 January 2025, Chairman XiJinping of Lonestar, with the unanimous support of the Lonestar executive panel, announced on Discord that:
On 1/5/2025, Lonestar entered into a labor exchange partnership with Ekatera, believing that what seemed to be recent improvements in the nation's leadership and management were indicative of things to come and that this partnership could bear fruit for both parties. Hours later, Ekatera, apparently emboldened by this newfound partnership, seized a trading vessel used by LeMaire and failed to resolve the situation diplomatically with Vega. Our urging of Ekatera to resolve the situation and to eliminate the risk to Lonestar partners fell upon deaf ears. In fact, Ekatera went so far as to attempt to sway Lonestar's opinion toward opposition to Vega. It is now the opinion of the Executive Panel that Ekatera is a reckless and undiplomatic nation that is willing to engage in abusive practices against traders on a whim--a gross mismanagement of its resources, a problem for interstellar corporations such as ourselves, and a threat to good business. As such, we hereby declare a mass seizure of Ekateran assets by Lonestar corporate enforcers as compensation for these transgressions. This operation is separate and apart from the ongoing Vega war against Ekatera. We demand the submission of Ekatera to an occupation of Altar Sanctorium, formerly Haven, by Lonestar forces and the appointment of a Lonestar representative to governorship of the city. It is clear that the city's current management is inept and that outside intervention is required to return it to an acceptable condition that benefits interstellar trade. We recognize that it may take a long time for Ekatera to come to terms with this, and are prepared to continue seizing their assets until they do. Lonestar will welcome Ekateran citizens displeased by their leader into its ranks.
While not a formal declaration of war, Lonestar members would begin attacking members of Ekatera following this announcement. Lonestar's offer of asylum to departing Ekaterans was taken up by the industrialist Equiila, who had been a member of the nation previously.
Lonestar's peace demand of being granted governorship of Altar Sanctorium is broadly understood to be one that no nation on Horizon's End would fulfil, and as such is functionally tantamount to a statement that Lonestar does not intend to pursue peace with Ekatera.
Radiance
On 9 January 2025, Cherubim _omni of Radiance, on behalf of the 1st Quartet of Radiance, announced on Discord that:
Given the recent developments regarding Ekatera's pirating of LeMaire's vessel, Radiance will be engaging in Anti-piracy against Ekatera in support of Vegan forces until LeMaire's ship is returned to her, or until Vega comes to a peace agreement with Ekatera.
While no members of Radiance and Ekatera have yet engaged in combat since this declaration, Radiance's statement represented the third major nation to take part in hostile activity against Ekatera. Radiance's declaration did not invoke the Ilios Alliance of which they are a member, as the Ilios Alliance's military requirement applies only to defensive actions, leaving Cortesia Del Mar and Orovika neutral in the conflict.
Vegan Deadlines
Following four days of attacking Ekatera with limited success (due to the latter taking advantage of Altar Sanctorium's safezone status), Vega elected to put pressure on Ekatera by enacting a series of deadlines regarding their terms for ending the war.
At the outset of war, Vega's peace terms were merely the free return of LeMaire's ship to Vegan custody. On 9 January 2025, however, MaidPierce of Vega announced that:
IF The ship is not returned before 12:00 AM EST 1/11/2025 the terms to end our war will be: THE RETURN OF LEMAIRE'S SHIP TO VEGAN TERRITORY 240,000 CREDITS TO EMPEROR MAIDPIERCE TO BE DEPOSITIED INTO THE VEGAN NATIONAL BANK FOR EVERY WEEK FOLLOWING 1/11/2025 THE CREDIT AMOUNT WILL BE QUINTUPLED 1,200,000 CREDITS ON 1/18/2025 6,000,000 CREDITS ON 1/25/2025 ETC
The extreme exponential increase in the Vegan peace fine was intended to coerce Ekatera into suing for peace quickly; however, on 10 January, Kiro231 said in response that:
i wont give [LeMaire's ship] back till the fine is payed! if it isnt payed i'll auction it! if it isnt sold at auction i will decomp it >:3
Addressing Kiro's auction threat, XiJinping of Lonestar asked "when's the auction again", as "i just wanted to know when the forever war part of this got to start".
Additionally, Vega announced the intent to establish a full blockade of Altar Sanctorium:
IF THE SHIP IS NOT RETURNED BEFORE 12:00 AM EST 1/11/2025 VEGA WILL ENACT A BLOCKADE AROUND THE PLANET KOVFEFE TO PREVENT INCOMING TRADE TO ALTAR SANCTORIUM AND WILL URGE OTHER NATIONS OF THE GALAXY TO EMBARGO TRADE AND BAZAAR PURCHASES FROM THE CITY
Impact
Abrogation of the Arimfea-Ekatera Alliance
On 10 January 2025, Middosk of Arimfea announced,
Our alliance with Ekatera is defunct. Even as pirates we must adhere to a code of honour; trade cities should not impound ships outside of war -- especially not from innocent bystanders. LeMaire deserves justice and all who crusade to achieve it have our support. Repsecting the previously warm relationship between our two nations I have elected not to declare war on Ekatera as others have.
The abrogation of the Arimfea-Ekatera alliance represented the loss of Ekatera's final alliance (save for tapachky's one-man nation of Hibernia).