The legend of The Merchant Marine's The young, eager pilots gathered around the Elder beseeching him to recount the tales of the former times when The Merchant Marine's first had first begun. It was a tale that they never tired of hearing, their eager hearts yearning and desiring those same travels and adventures on the roads to glory and space conquest in the EVE universe. "Tell us the stories old one," these pilots would jokingly goad the Elder into relating these fireside side chats of times long past. So he would begin these tales gazing at them with his piercing blue eyes surrounded by the many wrinkles of age and time, his head capped with hair gone white giving him the appearance of a wizened old sage or maybe even a prophet or one who just might have stepped to far over the edge to many times during his many travels through the deepness of interstellar space. "Gather round young pilots," he would begin with a low voice drawing them in even closer lest they miss one single word that they so eagerly awaited and anticipated. "Gather round and hear these tales young pilots," he would suddenly say after a few moments of pause with a voice strong and sure yet also a voice with a tone of quiet desperation, a voice knowing that each time that he told this story was each time closer to the last time that he would ever speak of the times of The Merchant Marine's yet also thoroughly enjoying their look of concern and query . "Gather round," he would suddenly cry out after another long pause as they drew near to him, surprising and startling the young pilots who were now wondering and considering his sanity." "Gather round" he would speak with a laughing glint in his eyes as he watched their faces relishing every moment of their expectant anticipation of the tales to come "gather round and hear these tales before my voice becomes forever silent in this life and sleeps forever among the stars that we all so yearn to travel and explore!" "Gather round," he would lower his voice again to an almost whisper, " gather round because this time may well be the last time this story proceeds from spoken words." Slowly his voice would begin again steady and sure and picking up speed as he spoke, a voice of command, a voice of a seasoned pilot in its command of the spoken language of EVE.

"Hmmm, now, let's see," he would ponder for a few moments his eyes staring far off into that place of distant memories while he slowly stroked his long white beard, "Where to begin," he would muse, "Ooh yes," he would sigh, " it all comes back to me now, ahhhhh but it seems like only yesterday that The Merchant Marine's rose from its ashes like the proverbial Phoenix of legends lore. This bird, this Phoenix is reflected in the golden eagle icon of our corporation, we are this "Phoenix" and like that proverbial Phoenix which rose from its own ashes, so have we, not once or twice but three times!" That statement would always intensely intrigue the curiosity of these new pilots who had began wondering why, how or even if such resurrections should even occur. "This third incarnation," the Elder continued, "began with a voice, an almost silent, ethereal cosmic voice in its manner of calling to the spirit, a voice like a silent whisper that travelled throughout the EVE galaxy searching for they of The Merchant Marine's who might once again dare to defy the odds and resurrect this Phoenix in this third incarnation with the vision to once again be the corporation that it had been so long ago. A vision that had become almost forgotten and living only in the memories of its former members, a vision of what it had once been, a vision of a strong and honourable corporation and a vision of a corporation worthy of note desiring to dwell once again in celestial homes among the stars." "Thus this quiet, whispering voice had travelled near and far searching, forever searching to awaken they who would light the spark of this third incarnation of The Merchant Marine's." The Elder took a long, deep breath and continued the tale, his thick white eyebrows furrowing as he spoke, " Achieving this vision would present many challenges, trials and tribulations young pilots, challenges that would require much effort because so much had changed in the EVE Universe since those former times of The Merchant Marine's."

"But before I continue in the present, you must know of the origins of The Merchant Marine's. The first incarnation of The Merchant Marine's began with this symbol which is the emblem of The Merchant Marine's."

"The First Incarnation"

"These first Merchant Marines existed on ancient Earth and were a fleet of ships which carried imports and exports during times of peace. During times of war these Merchant Marines would then become a naval support fleet to deliver troops and war supplies." "Then the times of space exploration began and with the advent of galactic colonization these first Merchant Marines made the leap into space carrying with them many of these traditions from old Earth and bearing this first symbol." The Elder took another slow, long deep breath and continued speaking, " So this first incarnation of The Merchant Marine's began long ago in a place and time forgotten by many in that distant galaxy of the Milky Way far, far away and many generations ago now in that galaxy which would cease in an untimely end. These first Merchant Marines began in the universe of the galaxy of Earth and Beyond." "Earth and Beyond"

"That galaxy had ended after only a few years of existence and as that galaxy faced extinction, a plan was made to escape the coming apocalypse. We would travel to a new galaxy and seek out a new home among the stars. Pilots were then dispatched to seek out and attempt to discover wormholes that might lead to a new home." "The exploration for this wormhole became one of frantic desperation as the coming apocalypse neared ever closer and ominously bearing with it the frightening specter of eternal oblivion with each passing day, days which seemed shorter and shorter as this restless search continued." " Pilots were desperate in those days to save themselves and their families. Many would cease to exist as the fear of the apocalypse drew near and these were incarnated into other lives unknown to us. We lost many." "Then, in those final closing weeks, the last words of a dying galaxy, one lone pilot discovered not a wormhole but a gate, A STARGATE!, boldly and daringly he had set off through the gate alone to see where it led, hoping he might have found a doorway to another universe." "The EVE gate"

" It was this one decision that would save The Merchant Marine's from complete and perpetual oblivion."

"The name of this young and daring adventurer you may be wondering? " " Hmmmm," he would begin watching the expectant expressions on the faces of the young pilots eagerly awaiting more, " hmmmmm, he would tease with that laughing glint in his eyes drawing the moment out for as long as he dared, "hmmm, well now, let's see," he would slowly speak pretending to have forgotten, stroking his long white beard, " if my memory serves me right it was, uh, it was, hmmm, just what was his name, OH YES!, his name was Jeeper, YES Jeeper was his name," he slowly and fondly spoke the name, "Yes IT WAS Jeeper he said with a smile, Jeeper, the original founder of The Merchant Marine's of EVE."

He let out a long, slow sigh, a sigh that spoke volumes of the memories of those days, his eyes staring off into the distance of those almost forgotten times. Then the eyes of the Elder lit up with excitement as he spoke, sighing while remembering with that same far off look in his eyes, "We truly were the progenitors of EVE travelling through the EVE gate into this new and mysterious galaxy called EVE with nothing more than our dreams to begin again in this strange and unfamiliar new home in a universe of mystery and the great unknown." Again the Elder drew a long breath continuing the tale, "Finally the Apocalypse that we had all been dreading came and thus began the exodus of The Merchant Marine's to the this new universe with a fleet of several hundred pilots. It truly was a magnificent and grand entrance into the EVE Universe with all of these pilots filled with those same hopes and dreams of any interstellar voyager, space travelers we were, space travelers in search of a new home, space travelers carrying with them only their memories and the vision of their former glories from a now dead galaxy which had ended in a single moment of time."

"So we passed through the gate and entered this strange and beckoning universe of EVE

"In those early years of EVE space exploration, the cosmos seemed massive. The EVE universe was relatively unexplored, only a few ship types existed and the average amount of pilots in space averaged between six and eight thousand pilots. Anything was possible in those times! "Corporations and alliances were still in their infancy, monetary and military superiority were only dreams still far off and on the distant horizons for many of these new corporations and alliances." "The EVE Universe"

"In those early times, legends were just being born, corporations were easy to create and relatively easy to populate with new Pilots." " The Merchant Marine's of those times already had a superior advantage with all of its pilots that had made the long voyage to EVE." Then, carefully and reverently the Elder would pass around the sacred Icons from those former times, these icons being the photo images of some of these early Marines."

"It was an incredible time of wonder and awe and the beginning of an adventure that would span the many years to these times and also an adventure that would begin the journey of its future and current CEO."

"Ethan Kel, current CEO of The Merchant Marine's"

"During the former times of origins, the founder and the members of The Merchant Marine's bestowed the title of CEO on its leader who had also made the voyage from that now dead galaxy. Her name was Dahlia and in this new universe she chose the name, Taladorn, so Taladorn became the first official CEO of The Merchant Marine's in the EVE Universe." "So many tales to regale you with young pilots, so many tales of those former times and they are yet to come but first, let me continue continue this tale." Again he took a long breath, the excitement in his voice growing as the memories of those times lived once again in his mind. "It seemed like we had only just begun in this new universe when circumstances suddenly took our beloved Taladorn away from us," the Elder spoke those words carefully with sadness in his voice now straining to speak and eyes which had become moist, "These circumstances had happened to quickly and prevented the transference of the role of CEO, so this vital role wasn't transferred and left the corporation without a CEO. The corporation could not manage its members without the CEO functions that allows corporate administration."

"In spite of those challenges, much noble and valiant effort was made by the Directors and members to continue The Merchant Marine's without a CEO but in time, the absence of the CEO would end The Merchant Marine's." "That would be the first tragic death of The Merchant Marine's and it's vision," he plainly stated with another long, slow sigh. A moment's pause and he continued relating the saga with a determined voice focused and centered upon the subjects of his thoughts, " Yet The dream of the Merchant Marine's and it's vision would survive and live on in one small single spark planted into the soul of a former member, a spark of that cosmic consciousness that knew to wait for the right opportunity to speak to that former member to seek out and find a way to raise The Merchant Marine's from the ashes of oblivion into which it had fallen and seemingly faded away into the myriad and endless dark void of dead corporations." "The opportunity would present itself a year or two later," the Elder continued, "Yes, the opportunity would present itself through that former member having returned and awakened within the beckoning voice of the EVE universe and at that time returning and awakening as a lonely and aimlessly wandering pilot refugee in search of a yet to be defined dream." "This former member, now a solo pilot travelled throughout the EVE universe in his only ship, a small frigate called a Kestrel.

Day after day and week after week he traveled, searching endlessly searching for a new direction with only the haunting memories of The Merchant Marine's quietly whispering its former glories and friendships to his soul."

"This pilot, this former member, this refugee continued these travels with a deep and forlorn longing for those former times of wonder, his name is Ethan Kel." " All of these haunting thoughts and memories, all of these former dreams and visions which relentlessly tantalized him, all of these had become his only travelling companions among the eternally beckoning stars of EVE." "During these times of aimless wandering through the cosmos, a simple communication was initiated through an almost forgotten sub space channel, a communication to another former member of The Merchant Marine's and the last remaining link that held The Merchant Marine's in trust, keeping it from that final blow of death." "The question was asked to re-awaken the corporation and permission was granted, the role of CEO would be given to this refugee and the journey back from oblivion would begin the second incarnation of The Merchant Marine's." "From the ashes, this proverbial phoenix of The Merchant Marine's would rise again, it's vision resurrected under the leadership of that former member, that pilot refugee, Ethan Kel who had shared the vision of The Merchant Marine's and who held tightly to the determination to never let the corporation fade away again into the obscurity into which it had fallen, seemingly forgotten among the multitude of countless corporations that had come and gone within the EVE universe."

"The Second Incarnation"

"This second incarnation would begin with the discovery of a speech from the annals of the history from the planet of our origins before we came through the EVE gate, a planet known as Earth, a simple speech that this new CEO would find the selfless inspiration, the selfless dedication and the selfless commitment to resurrect The Merchant Marine's."

"This second incarnation would also begin with the discovery of a speech from the annals of the history from the planet of our origins before we came through the EVE gate, a planet known as Earth, a simple speech that this new CEO would find that selfless inspiration, that selfless dedication and that selfless commitment to resurrect The Merchant Marine's." " These words would become the first "Official" definition of this vision with these words written and spoken long ago by a man named Theodore Roosevelt." “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” "Those deeply insightful words of enthusiasm and motivation would guide The Merchant Marine's in its continuing journey through the EVE Universe." "So began this second incarnation of The Merchant Marine's and the adventure continued with new trials and tribulations that would be encountered along the way in the ever expanding challenges that had been and would be introduced into the EVE universe as time continued to march forward and always onward into ever new horizons of this expanding universe of EVE." "There would be great achievements," the Elder spoke proudly, remembering, " and great failures," he would sigh, " as the Marines, these Merchant Marines strove with the greatest of valiant effort to make their place in the EVE Universe once again yet with each one of these trials and tribulations, the vision of The Merchant Marine's was being forged and re-defined unknowingly in these fiery furnaces of trial and error deep within the hearts, minds and spirits of its members."

Then a forlorn look would cross the face of the Elder with that staring off into the distance look, his voice trailing with sadness and choking up, "Again, life and circumstances led to the times of sleeping for The Merchant Marine's with its members believing that the corporation had died a second death." The voice of the Elder would begin again with a tone of pride as he remembered and related the tale of that time speaking of the unquenchable will and spirit of these members who fought so valiantly resisting this impending doom with all of their might not knowing that this time of sleeping was part of a plan, an unspoken long range plan that could not be understood at that time. This same plan kept these secrets knowing that the seeds of the vision of The Merchant Marine's had been planted deep within the hearts and souls of its members, seeds that could not and would not be forgotten. Once a Merchant Marines, always a Merchant Marine. This same plan knew that these members would travel into many other careers of the EVE universe and that these Merchant Marines would seek out many other alliances and corporations unaware that these seeds were continuing to grow, unseen. The Elder became silent and withdrawn for a time as he remembered those times, then with determination in his voice he continued the tale. "So with great regret this CEO had let them go knowing that it had to be until the times of the third incarnation that he would wait patiently for even if it took a lifetime." "He knew that these Merchant Marines would become the VGERS of Star Trek, sent out to learn all that is learnable and one day, return to the creator, which is and always will be the vision of The Merchant Marine's." The Elder quieted his speaking for a few moments and spoke again remembering those times. "With great dismay, we all breathed those last and final breaths of our dying corporation as we scattered amongst the stars and life." "We all knew that the sleeping times, the forgotten times needed to come, forgotten times when The Merchant Marine's would lay sleeping and live on only in our memories but living in our memories with those carefully planted seeds quietly and silently growing deep within our souls and never ceasing their quiet whisperings of that grand vision of The Merchant Marine's desiring to live again." "So these VGERS had been regrettably released and sent out among the stars each upon their own voyage of exploration, seeking the knowledge and wisdom from all of that which they would encounter along the way. They would learn all that is learnable and return to the creator." "One day the spark would come again to ignite the cosmic consciousness. The Merchant Marine's would hear this call and arise again in its third incarnation knowing that these VGERS sent out into the EVE universe so long ago would hear the call deep within their spirits across the vast expanse of the cosmos

and return to this creator which continues to be the vision of The Merchant Marine's." "These VGERS would hear this call and return with all that they had learned and become." "Once again they would be one with their creator, this creator existing as that haunting vision of The Merchant Marine's which never ceases its calling once planted as a seed in a soul and once again they would be one with their creator, this creator existing as that haunting vision of The Merchant Marine's which never ceases its calling once planted as a seed in a soul. "

" Yes it is true, Once a Merchant Marine, always a Merchant Marine and this is the legend of The Merchant Marine's."

"This Third incarnation of The Merchant Marine's would present challenges that even the most seasoned pilots and leaders would hesitate to attempt because the EVE Universe of then and now were two entirely different Universes.

"The Third Incarnation"

Much had changed in the EVE universe, many, many new ships had been incorporated into this universe, corporations and alliances had acquired vast amounts of wealth, the populations had increased to the unbelievable amount of over six hundred percent since the former times and finally new tactics had been sublimely devised by other pilots who specialized in corporation killing. Yet we began again willing to face these challenges with that same peculiar determination that can only be found in the unquenchable spirit of who we are, a Merchant Marine. " "Within two months, the third incarnation of The Merchant Marine's had been infiltrated by AWOXERS who had assumed that its current CEO was bluffing when it was spoken of the many years of experience possessed, the many years of connections and resources and how these resources would benefit the corporation in time as was explained to new pilots when they found us." "One of these people had noticed the lapse in the current CEO's time, just over two years, and it was thought that this CEO was an imposter and therefore assumed that these resources were merely a bluff to gain and maintain new recruits and members. Unknown to these people was the knowledge from former experiences that helped us identify these infiltrators and that we were already on to them. "

"We were able to ferret them out and get them out of the corporation before they could inflict the damage they had planned which would have seriously affected the morale of the membership since part of their plan was to create a civil war in the corporation and take as many members as they could. Our losses were minimal from this first assault." "We met this attempt head on utilizing every possible resource that we could manage. At that time we were very limited as to what we could do so we reached out to our brothers across the EVE Universe who came to our aid with a simple invitation to join an alliance, a null sec alliance." "At that time we were not prepared to go to null sec let alone join a major alliance. It was something that we had only just begun to talk about and had set a long range goal of a minimum of three to six months before we even began seriously looking." "In the meanwhile, these awoxers, furious that we had found them out and gotten them out of the corporation also reached out to their friends and the times of the High Sec wars began. We had two choices, accept the invite from that alliance or face obliteration and probably the final death of The Merchant Marine's..

"We accepted the invite which resulted in our enemies now becoming war targets of TEST. Within a week or so the war decs ceased and the great migration to null sec began with a rag tag fleet of what ships we could pilot, some vets, many new players, limited financial resources but all of us with that same unquenchable and determination of a Merchant Marine burning deep within our souls refusing to surrender even one small iota of all that we had achieved." "By this time all eyes of the membership were upon this current CEO. They had placed all of their trust in his leading, knowledge and experience in these matters and after much discussion, the membership decided that they would trust the CEO and follow him through the star gate into the great unknown."

"Star gate to the Great Unknown"

"In hindsight and in looking back, we realize that we actually owe these awoxers and corp killers a thanks because If it had not been for them we would never have been in TEST alliance. We had looked at TEST alliance but thought it to lofty a goal to achieve and that we would not be able to get into this alliance. Much to our surprise, TEST alliance had decided to accept us immediately because of our friends in TEST and cut a lot of red tape to get us in." Once again we had boldly dared this dream of our vision and once again we had overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles which have defeated many corporations and once again we had triumphed as we set off into the deeper reaches of space leaving high sec far behind with only the vision of The Merchant Marine's to guide us as we began this great migration into the vast expanse of the territories of these unknown areas of space called null sec." "We had looked to the heavens, reached out to the stars and dared once again to dream lofty dreams!"

"We are proudly, The Merchant Marine's"

SES