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The purpose of the following interview is to help all those in the academic fields understand the history and culture of the Maltese Exiles. Written in part to encourage wider research on the topic and also to understand the various ways groups interact, both with outsiders and with each other. The following, as you will see, is not a thesis or a report on how or why the Exiles do what they do, but rather an introduction on who they are, as they believe themselves to be. The following also covers, to some extent, the various political standpoints of the Outcasts and the current dominant religion. This interview is for academic purposes as well as the wider public.

This interview was conducted with the Exile leader Rosa Veraz, she allowed me to delve into the past of the Exiles, and to some limited extent, the Outcasts themselves. While this interview does cover the academic requirements, there are personal opinions and comments embedded within. It should be understood by the reader that given the time spent away from Malta by the Exiles, an accurate picture of what happened cannot be firmly established until more research is conducted.

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Steiner: ''Interview with Miss Rosa Veraz on the Maltese exiles, on the 6th of the 3th 824 A.S Interview begins at 10 AM on Freeport 1''
(Break)
Starting from the beginning, When and how did the Maltese Exiles come to be? Who did they follow and why were you exiled?’’

Veraz: "The founder of the Maltese Exiles was John McMurphy, a Libertorian and former Liberty Rogue. He gained the status of a Maltese around 818 A.S. , I served like most of us on the Warship he commanded. It was in the late 822 A.S. when we became what we became again a few months ago again.It must have been around September 822 when the Crimson Cross took advantage of an anomaly leading to Omicron Delta and started to lay siege on Freeport 11 in cooperation with the Slomon K'Hara. John as well as most of his crew couldn't stand working for these things, especially after they betrayed us multiple times. Things went crazy the moment they left us alone in a battle against the Core, we barely got out of it.Once the repairs were finished and we returned to the front, we went against the Maltese Fleet and managed to damage them nicely before having to retreat, we found temporary help here and there. Basically we chose to stay in Exile ourselves as the Crimson Cross kept our betrayal hidden and therefore no official statement ever came to light."

Steiner: ''You'll have to forgive me, my knowledge of Nomads is limited at best, the Solomon K'Hara, are they what the Nomads are called by Outcasts? Furthermore Why would the Outcasts just up and attack a Zoner Freeport? You (also) mentioned fighting against the Maltese fleet, was that during your escape?''

Veraz: "Slomon K'Hara is the term researchers would take, 'Spirits' is how many Maltese refer to them while the rest just calls them like the ordinary person, Nomads."


Veraz:"The Crimson Cross was directly tied to the Nomads, they saw them as greater beings and almost saw them as gods, they followed their will and assisted them in Omicron Delta, we fought them directly even before we had to flee."

Steiner: ''Spirits? is that a broad term or does it mean something else, as in, do the Maltese believe that these spirits are their ancestor's souls? or are they aware that they are Xenos? (Furthermore) University records show that the Crimson Cross were once the leaders of the outcasts, but we've heard nothing for a very long time. Where are they now? What happened?

Veraz: "They aren't aware of the danger the Nomads pose to anyone. The countless generations of Cardamine usage makes us less human, enough to make them see us as something they don't need to hunt down but some think for odd reasons we could work with them.

Well, the Crimson Cross still exists. Malta's Church never fully disappeared, they are still part of the current goverment but they were stripped of almost all their power. What remains are blinded people though and this is still a serious problem."

Steiner: ''I assume the exiles don't abstain from cardimine use, you still take it? or do you use stabaline instead?
(Break)*
‘’If the crimson cross were stripped of most of their power, why leave? was there any real change in the Government or did one group turn out to be just as bad as the other?''

Veraz:"There was a time were we considered the use of Stabiline as we had a lack of Cardamine but nowadays we have a stable supply line of it. Stabiline is worse than Cardamine, trust me. We tested it."
(Break)
"The Crimson Cross was the lesser evil if you ask me, a goverment worshipping Nomads is better than one heavily controlled and influenced by them, right? I even helped them to rise to what they are now, I was blind and regret it."

Steiner: ''I'm curious as to how you helped the current government rise to power, would you care to share?''

Veraz: "Sure. Well, the National Council is.. or likely was a Council founded by several influential Maltese familys to give Malta stability after the fall of the Crimson Cross. To achieve almost full control over Malta you need ways to get rid off your political enemies without killing them. That's where the CID, the Corsica Intelligence Division came in. Founded by the first Maltese Exiles to directly cooperate and assist the uprising National Council. I was the Commander of this subdivision back then and things went well, good enough that the Crimson Cross agreed to merge with the National Council too. Finally we had a united Malta, the true goal I had and still have but well..."

Steiner: ''If you could do anything differently, would you? I mean, in hindsight, if you knew then what you know now, what would you have done?''

Veraz: "Yes. I would have killed the head behind all this. I had the chance, plenty of, I was one of the people able to get close to her. I regret that I didn't find the strength at my last oppurtunity to kill her, things could look different now.."
Steiner: ''If that is true, then why didn't you? Forgive me for being rude but....what stopped you? And who is the 'head behind all this', do you remember her name?''

Veraz: "I didn't realize it, I realized it when it was too late already and at my last chance.. I was too weak, she was a close friend, I couldn't just do it but now.. I wouldn't hesitate a single second anymore to kill her, to kill Enma Loyola and weaken their influence a lot by it."

Steiner: ''Sounds personal.......If you don't mind my saying so, Did she do something to you? Or is it purely political?''

Veraz: "Hm, I would say that political as well as private reasons stand behind it. She betrayed me as a friend just as much as she betrayed Malta and humanity. I am not going to forgive her and just wait for the right moment to strike, with the President gone and her people handling stuff it's just a matter of time before she becomes careless."

Steiner: ''If i may, how did she betray you ''Malta and Humanity''? I understand that that is a personal question, but it is an important one. Although again, please don't answer if you don't want too, or....can't''.

Veraz: "She is an infectee."

Steiner: ''Come again? an Infectee? Your sure? How do you know this?''

Veraz: "Observing her was a good way to find it out, how she behaved and acted made me already suspicious but when I dared to monitor her movements a bit closer and in the end found her flying alongside vessels with unknown hybrid technology sitting in a Rapier with just the very same Nomad technology fighting people in the Omicrons it became all just clear. She didn't even deny being infected afterwards.. I..
(Break)
"It was my first chance to kill her.. and I just let it pass and just did my job afterwards. Right. Any more questions you got?"

Steiner: ‘’Plenty, namely, how did you end up down here in Bretonia? quite the trek from Maltese space, and given what you told me about the battle with the core and the issues with the National council......well, its a mystery really’’

Veraz: "During our first time of exile we resided in Bretonia, mind you this was far over an year ago already. At the second time we chose multiple places to hide at, we escaped Maltese space before they even noticed us gone. I had my assets and men scattered around Sirius then and we continued our work in the underground. That I came here to Bretonia isn't even an unusual thing, despite the rather active trading between Malta and Bretonia we never had any trouble with the National Council trying to hunt us here. I guess they just try to avoid people getting knowledge about a silent civil war.
Currently all my assets gathered elsewhere and this here was likely my last visit in Bretonia for a longer time."

Steiner: ''And what is 'your work' if I can ask?''
Veraz: "Our work, hm. Let's say detection of Nomads within our allies ranks, as well as uncovering every single one of them in the current Maltese government. Not to mention our plans about establishing a new clean government once the corrupted parts were removed’’

Steiner: ''So how'd you get banned from Bretonia?''
Veraz: "That must have been our old leaders doing. I can remember him taking our flagship to Bretonia without permission.. it was to fight off Nomads but I guess things didn't do as planned anyways. Not like I really care, as I already mentioned the Armed Forces didn't mind my presence in Bretonia at all and the heavier assets are far away from Bretonia."

Steiner: ''Your former leader......John McMurphy yes? What was he like?''

Veraz: "A wise man, he usually knew what he was doing and having reached the status of a Maltese and Warship Captain as foreigner from Liberty should say a lot about him already. It's just that he took too many risks after some time which eventually leaded to a suicide mission. He returned, poisoned in the same way Loyola is. Atleast I was able to help the small bit which is left of himself before cutting off any contact..."

Steiner: ''By 'poisoned' I assume you mean...infected?''
(Break)
''And I'd like to know more about you. Obviously your have your own reasons behind being an exile but I am curious, what did you leave behind in Malta? friends? family? you've clearly sacrificed much to be here...was it worth it?''

Veraz: "My sister went crazy, she called me a slave of the infectees.. she tried to murder me. Now her corpse lies in a cryo-(Stasis) capsule waiting for revival. I don't have any other family there, and friends? The president disappeared so none left any more too. Business partners? Agents? Sure. That and a few hectare, huge wasteland is what I left behind."
(Subject laughs)
"I still wonder what face the new leader of the CID made when she saw that my manor blew up in a nice huge explosion."
Steiner: ''You murdered your sister? Why? what made you think she was 'crazy'?''
(Break)
''Seems like a lonely life being an exile, do you ever get tired of it?'’

Veraz: "She poisoned me.. she attacked me, who would attack their own sibling when they are not insane...and no. I am not tired of this life, it's better than the life I would have now.. if I was even still alive. Lonely? That's true, it's very lonely."

Steiner: ''Perhaps she was scared? people act differently when they are afraid and from what you have told me, i dare say she had every right to be afraid.''
(Break)
''How is it lonely? obviously there isn't much permanent contact with anyone but is there anything else?''

Veraz: "She was afraid, so am I. I still fear for her life, I fear that someone will attack the vessel she is onboard and the cryo systems fail due to it."
(Break)
"It is just lonely because you just can't simply enjoy life, how to enjoy anything when you have only a war left to exist for? If I don't get my sister back I stand there with nothing but hatred and loyal men. I am thankful for all of them, they believed me when others looked away and decided to fight for an entire.. race. Yet it's a heavy burden to be the one who leads this all. You see, I am hunted for such a huge sum of money it's ridiculous. Trust is just a word for me, this makes things even harder. I trust the people who follow my command, everyone else likely betrays me. I trust you as well, right now at least and to some extent only.. but yes."

Steiner: ''Firstly I am glad i hold at least some of your trust. I do know how hard it is to gain it, and how easy it is to loose it. Secondly, Are you alone in leading the exiles? I mean truly, do you not have your seconds and thirds? Thirdly, you seem to have a choice, fight and possibly die or...stay away. You'll forgive me if I ask, do you think there is any hope for Malta''

Veraz: "I don't lead them alone unlike many believe, there are others as well yet I won't name any of them. As long as I am the hunted one they can act rather freely, making things a little easier for us.
Hope for Malta.. there still is hope left, I know the weak-points of the one person who will end up as their leader sooner or later, she will be easy to remove, I just have to wait. And I am sure that the numbers who are displeased by the current system will just keep growing as well, we aren't the only Maltese who look closely at what the National Council does. Together we could clean Malta even faster, yet some of them are leaded by stubborn people believing they could face the entire Maltese Navy on their own with their little planet-side assets remaining from a glorious time decades ago."

Steiner: ''So there is discontent. Interesting'' he noted her words down. ''I'm also curious on a few other topics, namely children. Are there any? if so where do they go? are they taught? If so what?

Veraz: "The few who had a family either had to leave them behind or were brought to a safe place where they can live in peace, yet have access to all goods they might need. So no children reside with the Exiles right now, they would just be an easy target for our enemies and we cannot afford any agent of ours giving in to an enemies demands."

Steiner: ''That is a sad situation to be put into'' he said ''What happens if you loose people? who replaces them? and what would be considered a 'safe place'? Freeports?''

Veraz: "Safe places can be anywhere planet-side, Freeports are just temporal alternatives. You know, forging identity's isn't just a thing organizations like the Lane Hackers are capable of doing. About people we lost.. they cannot be replaced, you just cannot replace someone's personality with another. But we still have people coming to us, joining us. Few but enough, I am happy that I can say that we very rarely lose anybody at all."

Steiner: ''I assume then, that your wounded are given the same treatment? that is to say, if they are so badly maimed, you leave them in these safe places as well? or do you give them a 'pension' so to speak?''

Veraz: "If their status allows us to transport them to the few people we can consider allies they will receive medical treatment there. If not.. we usually manage to arrange something around the safe places I've mentioned. It's all a question about where they are and how badly they are wounded. Mind you, in some areas where some of my agents operate we lack any friendly retreat point."

Steiner: ''I see. Another question then, how does the fleet govern itself? as in, you are the leader. Are you elected? or does each captain speak for his own vessel with you as a figure head?''

Veraz: "It might be odd but I kept the ways of the National Council in this case, all Captains are deciding on important matters together with me, while my vote has the biggest weight."

Steiner: ‘’So its a little bit like a monarchy?''

Veraz: "That almost sounds like you compare us with Bretonia.. but uh.. si, basically it's quite a bit like a monarchy."

Steiner:''We compare that which is different to that which we find familiar. Your system of governance sounds similar to a Monarchy, each captain representing his or her ship and crew while you hold the ultimate authority. I suppose you still speak the same language as those still on Malta, or have you slowly begun to develop your own dialect? I ask because being away for sometime might result in different slang or words, usually that happens over the course of centuries, but since you travel from place to place, I wonder if you have begun to incorporate different languages into your vocabulary''



Veraz: "It (Language) didn't, only my own changed. I got to speak most Sirian languages, it can be useful. Though it will be a likely scenario that most of my people end up speaking another language too, time will tell."

Steiner: ''So what do the Outcasts speak? what is the name of their language?''
Veraz: "I thought this was common knowledge, well, old Earth's Spanish is it, Victor."

Steiner: ''Really? it has survived unchanged for eight hundred years? That is impressive. Even the Rheinlanders cannot make such a boast about their tongue.''

Veraz: "Slight changes are normal but all in all the main structure of the language remained the same."

Steiner: ''Old Earth Spanish it is''
(Break)
''So now we have at last, come to the point where I ask you for your personal thoughts a feelings regarding everything you have told me. That's a big question I know. Even still, How are you feeling right now?''

Veraz: "I.. well.. I am sort of relieved? Not many people would spend their time listening to the fate of a few.. and it's a honour to know that all this will be accessible to the Bretonian public via this library, the people have a right to know more about the.. foreigners who roam around in their space after all. I guess it is time to thank you, Victor, without you I likely wouldn't have thought about who we Exiles.. and who I am myself that closely anytime soon. I decided something during our conversation here, something that hopefully
changes a lot of things once the right time has come, for us Exiles but also for many more people out there."



Steiner: ''Tell me, how do you feel regarding your countrymen, your fellow outcasts? Not the National council mind you, just the average citizens''

Veraz: "Oh that's a hard question.. I would say in general I am fully okay with most citizen, they are just like your own citizen, all of them are different. Some of them understood what is going on with Malta, some don't, some don't care. All in all they are the people who keep Malta's economy alive, even when the current economy boosts my enemies strength I am thankful for all the hard working citizen we have."

Steiner: ''What is your one wish for the future? Personally or professionally speaking. Or both''

Veraz: "I would only want someone I almost lost to be alright again, I couldn't afford to lose this one person."

Steiner: ''I assume this is your sister you speak of?''

Veraz: "Si, having her back is the most important personal goal I have. Regarding Malta.. it would just be that all Maltese citizen can have their freedom without having Nomads having the huge control over everything there."

Steiner: ''A noble goal indeed.''
(Break)
''Miss Veraz, it has been a pleasure to talk with you. If i have need, I may contact you again but for now, we are done. Thank you very much.Interview with Rosa Veraz concludes at 2:15 AM on the 7th of the 3rd.''

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*Break-Refers to a noticable pause in the conversation