Editing History of Signal Cartel (section)

== Formation of Signal Cartel ==

As one would expect, a lot of the original out-of-corp Thera scouts were also explorers.<ref name="Hydrostatic Podcast HP23">[https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BybQUQ0NeVp_b1VSSXNnY0pIalk/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-5861x95BD2h0AbtYN9yzSw Hydrostatic Podcast HP23 Something New to Do]</ref> As exploration is a mostly solitary affair, these scouts wanted to create more of a community with an identity centered on scanning and exploration.  Thus, the idea for a new player corporation was formed.<ref name="New Capsuleers Welcome">[https://evenews24.com/2019/01/17/new-capsuleers-welcome-explore-new-eden-with-signal-cartel/ New Capsuleers Welcome: Explore New Eden with Signal Cartel]</ref><ref name="Talking in Stations - 8 April 2018" /> While Johnny and G8keeper were supportive, they were busy expanding EvE-Scout's Thera Scanning service and knew they would need someone else to run the new corporation.  However, from the start, they had a strong opinion about what the corp should look like.  They wanted the corp to be neutral to all, counter-culture in ideology, and of course exploration-centric.<ref name="EVE Vegas">[https://youtu.be/y1x5DXdQ0wg EVE Vegas 2016]</ref> Johnny stated, "When G8keeper and I founded EvE-Scout we did not set forth to create a player corporation such as Signal Cartel. Certainly we talked about how a corporation might fit in, but at the end of the day we both knew there was no way the two of us could successfully run a corporation and the service at the same time. The only way something would work is if it met three basic requirements: that it synergized with our future goals, that it would not diminish our neutral standing in New Eden, that someone else ran the day-to-day."<ref name="Johnny">[https://www.reddit.com/r/signalcartel/comments/348y3g/anoikis_division/ Johnny on Signal Cartel Subreddit]</ref>
      
Fortunately, [https://evewho.com/character/1252841503 Mynxee] was there to answer the call as one of the first Thera scouts having recently returned to the game as an explorer after gaining infamy as the founder and leader of the [https://www.pcgamer.com/the-life-and-death-of-eve-onlines-first-all-woman-pirate-gang/ Hellcats] and fame as a [https://www.eveonline.com/news/view/csm5-election-the-results-are-in CSM5] (2010) member<ref name="Talking in Stations - 8 April 2018" /><ref name="Another Exciting Sandcastle">[http://cloakywanderer.blogspot.com/2015/01/another-exciting-sandcastle.html Another Exciting Sandcastle]</ref>.  She stood out early as most leaders do, but initially Johnny and G8keeper had no idea about her (in)famous past.<ref name="Talking in Stations - 8 April 2018" /><ref name="Hydrostatic Podcast HP23" /> Upon learning about it, Johnny had no issues with making a former pirate Signal Cartel's first CEO, however G8keeper had reservations. In a twist of fate, Katia Sae (yes, that Katia Sae!) happened to have [https://wiki.signalcartel.space/Public:Katia34_Explorer_Mynxee interviewed Mynxee on their blog] in December of 2014.  Johnny ran across this article and shared it with G8keeper, which wholeheartedly convinced them that Mynxee was the right candidate for CEO.<ref name="EVE Vegas" /> In retrospect, Mynxee's ex-pirate presence lent the fledging group credibility within the harshness of EVE.<ref name="Talking in Stations - 8 April 2018" /> 

According to Mynxee, "Soon after my arrival in Thera, I started scouting for them. We began talking about exploration as a career and what a fine thing it would be to create a home, a haven, for explorers who just want to wander between the stars on their own agenda. Much talking later, Signal Cartel was born: a corp devoted to the highest ideals of exploration, nurturing to new players, and many other things besides that are practically foreign in New Eden culture."<ref name="Another Exciting Sandcastle" />

Signal Cartel was co-founded on January 20th, 2015 by Johnny Splunk, G8keeper, and Mynxee with Mynxee serving as the first CEO.  The corporation officially opened to the public on January 31st 2015.<ref name="Happy Third Birthday" /> Of the original Signal Cartel members to join the corp on the opening day, the oldest active member is [https://evewho.com/character/885864009 Katia Sae], our current Alliance Executor.  Thus, only Johnny and Mynxee have more seniority.<ref name="Sagan Four Years">[https://wiki.signalcartel.space/Public:Katia76_SC_Four_Years Signal Cartel Celebrating Four years]</ref><ref name="Katia" />