CONCORD enacts landmark bounty hunting legislation

CONCORD's Department of Press Relations yesterday announced that following several days of intense discussion, the Inner Circle has fast-tracked a legislative proposal that's lain dormant within the CONCORD legislature for just under a year.

Proposal 4457.051, otherwise known as The Retribution Act, is a bill with wide-ranging implications for capsule pilots, and apparently stands to change quite a few things about how they engage in combative pursuits. In the words of the statute, "with the ever-growing power and influence of the capsuleer class, it is about time they were given the legislative leeway to police themselves  – if not by our laws, then by theirs."

The wording of the act has come under a great deal of criticism, particularly by anti-capsuleer lobbyists. Perhaps the most vocal of these, Federation Marquee columnist Maxim Peltast, wrote in his column Mad World this morning:

"'Look,' is what they're saying. 'Look, we're weak, okay? This whole thing is slipping out of our grasp. Let's just ease off them a bit and let them kill each other, and maybe that will buy us some time to come up with something.' Sorry, kids. Hate to break it to you, but at this point there is very little that can stem the tide. CONCORD just took another dump on its own eulogy. Welcome to the new world order. Learn to embrace your slime-bathing post-human overlords. Though not literally, of course. That would be disgusting."

The timing of the legislation has likewise provoked a great deal of discussion, with analysts and pundits all over the world variously praising and condemning the change. In particular, the presence around Inner Circle halls of Tibus Heth, who by all accounts is incensed at the events of last Friday, has led many to wonder what part he and his attempted assassination may have played in the proceedings.

"Well, I mean obviously he was a part of this," said Druik Atani, Professor of Culture at the Republic University and frequent pundit on various Scope broadcasts. "He's going to be seeing conspiracies in every corner. If I know him correctly, he's probably throwing every last bit of his weight around trying to find ways to track down the perpetrators."

It is unknown still whether the shooter is dead or alive, and no further clues have been revealed as to his or her identity or affiliation. The Caldari Providence Directorate has remained unavailable for comment.