An Interview With Jade Constantine

Since the demand was made two days ago by freespace radicalist organization The Star Fraction that Amarrian nationalist paramilitaries the Curatores Veritatis Alliance hand over to them 500 Sebiestor slaves due to be auctioned off in the near future, the GalNet forums have been awash with debate. The Interstellar Correspondents recently managed to get a hold of owner-captain Jade Constantine of the SF for answers to a few questions surrounding the situation.

Soleil Sarrasin: Miss Constantine, there seems to have been an escalation in the tone of the Star Fraction's hostilities with the Curatores Veritatis Alliance. What happens next?

Jade Constantine: Well, this evening there is a formal meeting of the owner-captains for the Star Fraction -- a command council, if you like – where we will discuss what happens if the CVA refuse our request to hand the Sebiestor 500 over to our care by 23:59 tomorrow. No options are ruled out at this time.

Soleil Sarrasin: What are the Star Fraction's policies towards the slave trade? Is there an official line?

Jade Constantine: To the Star Fraction, "slavery" exists in many pervasive forms. We consider any wage-earning citizen of an old imperial structure to be a "slave" of economics, for example. Even an enlightened Gallente Citizen is very much a "slave" of popularist rhetoric, ingrained political ideas and hierachical government. So while the "slave trade" is abhorrent and disturbing on an emotional level, certainly, it is merely a metaphor and representation of the greater ailment that we may call regressive nationalism. The Sebiestor 500 represent an award from an imperialist regime for the expansionist enclosurism of a martial nationalist sect, and hence that is the root of the issue.

Soleil Sarrasin: So in effect, your decision to take action in this matter goes beyond simple condemnation of slavery and into a broader ideological domain?

Jade Constantine: Yes, Mademoiselle Sarrasin, exactly so.

Soleil Sarrasin: Parties within the CVA have likened your alliance to terrorists, and cited your relatively recent formation as proof that you will not be able to back up your claims. What's your response to that?

Jade Constantine: (chuckles) The truth of the matter is that in our thinking and actions, we are a threat to their way of life. We certainly stand opposed to the expansion of old imperial structures into the frontier and we believe that the current generation of capsule pilots have it in our power to do away with the old governments and compromised economic and social structures of history. As for not backing up our claims, well … I personally find unassuming competence quite the most attractive trait in a lover and I believe the same goes for war. So let’s just hush and see what happens, shall we?

Soleil Sarrasin: Vis-à-vis your comment on old governments and compromised economic and social structures -- Is the Star Fraction concerned about any possible effects this situation may have on the national empires' views of freespace radicalist philosophy and, on a greater scale, capsuleer pilots as a group? In other words, might you be moving closer to them seeing you as a threat?

Jade Constantine: A good question, and very pertinent. Again, I must be very honest with you; we are a threat. We are a threat to everything that depends on the status quo of ingrained social and economic structure and organised hierarchies. I believe that the capsule pilot diaspora is the leading edge of posthumanist evolution. We reshape all of human society over the next hundred years by our actions now, all of us. This is an awesome power and great responsibility, and we must all begin to understand that our lives are determining the course of future history. So yes ... a threat, but also the most profound opportunity one can possibly imagine.

Soleil Sarrasin: Strong words, indeed. One final question, if you'd be so kind.

Jade Constantine: But of course.

Soleil Sarrasin: Can you give us any word on what might transpire at midnight on the 17th should the Star Fraction's ultimatum, as at this point seems likely, go unheeded by the CVA?

Jade Constantine: Without being able to pre-judge the result of tonight's council meeting amongst the free captains of the Star Fraction, I can only say we are not in the habit of making idle statements and one should rule out nothing. This is an issue of critical importance and will be dealt with as such. (smiles)

Soleil Sarrasin: Miss Constantine, thank you very much for your time.

Jade Constantine: It has been a pleasure. Thank you likewise, Mademoiselle.