Vitoc method
The Vitoc method is a slave control technique in use in the Amarr Empire. Slaves are injected with a toxic chemical substance that is fatal unless the recipient receives a constant supply of an antidote. The method first appeared a few centuries ago when the Amarr started manning some of their spaceships with slaves. As space crew the slaves had to be cajoled into doing complex, often independent work, making older methods of slave control undesirable. Although the more conventional ways of subduing slaves with force (actual or threat of) are still widely used in other forced labor areas, the Vitoc method has proven itself admirably for the fleet.
There are two major downsides to the Vitoc method: the method works only as long as the toxic substances remain in the body, and as long as there is no alternative way for a slave to receive the antidote. If either applies, a slave can obviously not be forced to do anything.
The latest Vitoc drug resembles a virus in many ways, and no cure has yet been found for it. This is mainly due to the erratic nature of the drug, which constantly changes its appearance and behavior on a regular basis. These changes seem to be either controlled, or at least predicted by the Amarr, as they always seem to have the right antidote for their own use out in time before the toxin changes again. The novel features of this drug have led many to speculate that the Amarr received outside help, possibly from the Caldari or even the Jove.
One of the additional features in the new Vitoc method virus is that the resulting death is much more horrifying now; those that fail to get the antidote will suffer excruciating pain that can last for days before death finally comes. With the older versions, death by lack of antidote was never so horrible – sometimes it was even peaceful. This led to mass-suicides at times when slave crews refused to take the antidote, preferring death over humiliating slavery. Now, although still an option, few people are brave enough to dare it.
Another new feature of the Vitoc method is the very pleasurable side-effect created by the antidote: for the first few hours after injection the receiver gets a very powerful euphoric sensation - as long as he is affected by the toxic virus. Both the features of painful death and pleasure-giving antidotes have helped bind the slaves to the Vitoc drug, and thus to their slave-masters.