The 'Jewel of Branch' falls.
BRANCH - System BKG-Q2, long time home of The Phoenix Alliance (PA) has changed hands last week, falling to The Five Alliance (.5.) after a series of destructive dreadnaught strikes against all stations in the system. This development marks a major shift of power in the Northern theater as the conflict between .5. and PA continues.
"After our conflicts with Red Alliance, there was a lot of animosity between The Forsaken Empire, PA and NBSI, what with them declaring us dead and defeated." said .5. pilot Amthrianius. "Since then we have had no other focus or goal than to destroy those who thought us dead."
And so they have; a process kicked off by The Forsaken Empire's controversial decision to side with .5. in their campaign. "The F-E leadership began making demands which the PA could not accept," said PA Representative Reaso Ning, "namely, the 'join us or die' attitude that began to be their mantra. This, of course, didn't prompt anyone in PA to want to swear allegiance to a leadership who chose to lead in that way. What has been extremely disappointing is the decision of other alliances to decide that their survival should be guaranteed by siding with what were once common enemies. There has been a significant loss of trust due to these actions."
With F-E fleets running heavy patrols in Branch and Venal against PA alongside Syndicate corporation Goonfleet, The 5 were free to begin a full siege on the 'Jewel of Branch' over the past week. A holovid account (from The Five's perspective) can be found here.
What does this mean for the balance of power in the North, and for the future of The Phoenix Alliance? "With regard to the legacy of The PA, our namesake, the mythical Phoenix, has always been representative of our ability to adapt and recover from all manner of adversities." said Ning, "My personal hope is that those who remain or come under the banner of The Phoenix Alliance will continue to learn from these adversities, becoming stronger and more resilient." Indeed, the historic ability of PA to come back from the brink is well known, a matter weighing in heavily on The 5's plans for the area. "We have brought in various alliances and corporations not only to assist us but to populate PA's former regions, so they have nowhere to be reborn in." said Amthrianius. "PA has been reborn too many times and this time is their last. They need to die, it needs to happen."
"The Phoenix Alliance has always been able to recover, and what people need to understand most is that the Phoenix that returns will be different from the prior incarnation." said Ning, "For those who look upon us from the outside, I hope that they will be able to let go of the past and work with us in forming a new future."