Fourth civil war dubbed the Notum Wars

In an editorial in the radical publication the Voice of Freedom, the editor looks at ICC·s decision to end Omni-Tek·s monopoly on notum mining, and brands the decision the opening of the fourth Rubi-Kan Civil War. He calls it The Notum Wars.

Voice of Freedom
17:02 December 05, 29476 RST

by The Editor


Booom! Pow!

The colours are lighting up the sky like the fireworks over the Council of Truth building in Tir on April 18th when I was a kid clutching at my mama's leg. Unlike those happy memories, this time around the sounds are hostile, violent and brutal, and the atmosphere tense and insecure. I cover my ears and look at the burning sky pretending it is fireworks I·m looking at... but I know it isn't, I know all too well it isn·t.

What happened to the general feeling of hope and optimism that was starting to lure its way into my otherwise jaded heart?

I know, I know... everything wasn't all dandy and rosy, with sugary sprinkles on, but it was definitely better than what I'm feeling now.

The Council blew it, sure, and the clans were at unrest, no arguments there, but I could sense the tired willingness to cooperate; to at least attempt to sort things out. I mean, the Tir Accord was declared obsolete; something I thought would give the Corporation incentive to start their habitual unsatisfactory behaviour. But when that failed to happen, I was really thinking we were on to something here.

I should have known better of course... When old man Ross pleasantly surprised me, I should have known I could count on the ICC to tear it all down. For god's sake, look at what they did! And the worst thing is: I think they·re under the conviction they did the right thing.

So they open up for anyone who wants to mine notum to do it. Can they even do that? I guess they can, but look at the reasoning behind the whole thing. I'm disgusted.

They have effectively started what is turning out to be the fourth Rubi-Kan Civil War. The last one ended with the signing of the Tir Accord, this one started with the ICC declaring a carte blanche on notum mining.

Do we even know what kind of consequences this might have? I mean, everything that seems too good to be true has an uncanny tendency to come back with a vengeance and bite us viciously in the behind. That's a universal law.

Still, I don't know why I bother some times. What's changed? Really? We're fighting the same war over and over again, there's peace, then there's war again and the only difference is the time and the name.

So, whatever, let's call this one The Notum Wars.