Some sources indicate that, for several weeks now, Medicorp has been monitoring the purchase of escape pods across multiple Fleet Carriers. The purchase prices, which can reach up to twenty times the average price, greatly concern the NGO, which suspects trafficking of pods for illegal slavery.
A burning issue that nobody talks about
In the absence of galactic regulation regarding the obligation to retrieve escape pods, the Pilots’ Federation has, for several years, commissioned station rescue contacts, providing them with incentive budgets to encourage pilots to recover pods. This practice, initially commendable and incentivizing, appears to have drifted, especially since the liberalization of markets on Fleet Carriers. This is the alert that Medicorp is raising upon observing certain purchase prices.
Paying for escape pods, a double-edged solution?
On Monday, May 13th, 3310, Medicorp released part of its report on commercial practices related to escape pods. As known, pod retrieval is the “heart” of the NGO’s rescuers’ activity, and they are committed to upholding a certain ethical standard. Indeed, a list of approved systems for pod retrieval has been in place since the launch of Medicorp in 3303. This list is public and can be accessed at this address: Approved Systems List. In addition to these systems, Medicorp rescuers’ Fleet Carriers or those made available to them are also included.
However, the report indicates that around a hundred Fleet Carriers offer prices per pod that can reach twenty times the usual rate. The commercial reference platform INARA (link) presented several requests exceeding 100,000 Cr per escape pod on the morning of May 13th, 3310 (the names of the ships have been intentionally masked by the Kalatic. The journal is at your disposal if you need details).
Escape pods traffic?
In its report, Medicorp raises the issue of these prices as follows:
At present, we cannot exclude, nor yet prove, that these purchase prices have a purpose other than simply retrieving the pods. As long as the Pilots’ Federation does not establish a registry, and thus traceability of identified pods, all forms of abuse are possible.
At this stage, we suspect trafficking of pods to supply an underground network of slaves. It is no coincidence that LTT 2974, where pods can be compensated for over 600,000 Cr each, is a system where the majority of factions are federal, hence opposed to slave trading. It is known that parallel networks exist in these systems for this sad commerce. We are excluding, for the moment, the sale of pods for scientific experiments. Indeed, the authorities are much more vigilant on this point regarding the subjects used in research.
We will, as soon as possible, submit this report to the authorities to raise awareness of this serious problem, and we hope to receive a response, or even trigger a large-scale investigation to shed light on these practices.
On their part, several sub-factions have denounced this report, labeling it as “empty and unfounded.” Similarly, some Fleet Carrier owners have asserted that this matter is nothing but a fabric of lies motivated solely by controversy.
Protests near Fleet Carriers
Kalaktic learned today that several activists within the ‘Collective of the Forgotten,’ who had mentioned him back in late 3305, were planning to gather near Fleet Carriers practicing what they describe as ‘outrageous’ pricing for direct action.
We will saturate the communication networks of these systems with alert messages to deter pilots from delivering pods. We also plan to block the landing pads to render these fleets inoperative. And we have more projects in store, believe us!
In response to these actions, Medicorp is calling for restraint and discernment, emphasizing that it is crucial to defer to the competent authorities first and not exacerbate an already problematic situation.