Not all that long ago, a young man had an idea. That Idea was VO-Bank... a "service" where by you pay the him one million to transfer funds to other pilots with a transfer fee of fifty thousand each time the service is used. Naturally, people had mixed reactions. Some thought it was a wonderful idea, others simply did not trust him and yet others...(according to one source)..."Nearly had a heart attack, but did hit their heads when they fell over laughing". Regardless of popular opinion, VO-Bank launched and it seemed like smooth sailing... until, VO-Bank sailed off past the horizon, out of sight and was lost in the vast sea of space. It was at that precise point in history, that the fecal matter impacted with the rotary cooling device. Makh Khasti, the owner and creator of VO-Bank cites computer failure failure for the current situation, which some are calling "Bank Gate". According to some he is working hard to recover the bank data so that he may refund lost monies to the people who were devastated by the loss. However, there is a darker side to "Bank Gate" and that is Makh Khasti's past. Before he joined TGFT and created VO-Bank Makh was a member of ACE. During his brief time with ACE, he would regularly withdraw the maximum amount allowed by the guild with great frequency, and left the guild when bank with drawl privileges were temporarily suspended. Then, there were rumors...(which were later confirmed)...of his gambling problems and the millions he had lost to the "Slot Bot" casino. He was even once heard to say..."I just can't stop!" in regards to his gambling. There are now rumors that VO-Bank is in negotiations with the UIT and TPG to broker some kind of government/corperate bailout to help it stay afloat. UIT officials are hesitant to get involved in the situation but assure me that if they do in fact involve them selves in what is clearly a personal or guild problem, they will not do so with out a vast amount of government oversight and intends to establish a regulatory commission. |
!!!!! UIT ACTION NEWS ALERT !!!!!
There is a shadow spreading across the universe and it threatens to swallow all that is light and good in all of our lives. There are many threats out there most of which we live with and accept, because we are aware of them. Traders and miners know they face the threats of CLM and other less note worthy pirate groups, pirates know they may encounter VPR and all know that they may encounter the maniacs of The Homicidal Cult on a daily basis.
Yes, there are many threats out there.
However, there is a deeper threat. The threat that none see until it is too late. What could be a greater threat than the proverbial "wolf in sheep's clothing"? Is the greater threat the one we know, or is the greater threat the threat that on the surface acts civil, acts as though it were our friends with only our best interests in mind? All the while, it spreads like an oil slick over pristine waters. Like the tendrils of some nightmare beast, it invades all of our lives. All the while, laughing. Laughing as we think they are helping us. Laughing as we go about our lives and they pull the puppet strings as they watch us dance.
I refer of course to "the Guild of Free Traders". Now I imagine some of you are shocked at this revelation. But its true, time and time again this helpful guild of candy coated really swell guys have displayed a blatant disregard for the well being and profits of others, pitted pilots and guilds against each other, paid known pirates and murderers to have dissenters killed, infiltrated and spied upon other guilds, attempted to buy secrets and paid pirates to prey on other guilds while leaving theirs alone.
One pirate I spoke to said..."Yeah, the TGFT paid me an easy ten million to hit guys like Orbital Rock Extraction, Sigma Shipping, Phoenix Alliance, Union Peacekeeping Corps and keep the nationalists busy while they go into each others space. It was great for a while but then they started thinking they could boss me around about other things, so I told them to shove it! They told me, if I didn't keep doing what they say they'd out me...tell people what I'd been doing. And thats it, I'm trapped for always! I mean they still pay me, well half the agreed amount when they remember to...I've actually had to start trading and do a bit of mining! And I'm not the only guy they pulled this on."
The space lanes are full of stories like this one. People paid to do the dirty work of this "noble" guild, paid to look the other way or give up a secret. One needs only ask around and find a new victim of "The Guild of Free Traders". Like the pilot who TGFT allegedly extorted to attack members of ONE as a retaliatory strike for some imagined offense. Or the members of several small now defunct trade guilds that were forced to pay high fees to TGFT for "access to 'TGFT' roid fields and trade routes"...those that didn't pay, were destroyed.
So be careful out there. There are many threats on many levels but, the treachery of TGFT knows no bounds.
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