NNTP Unicode messages getting mangled

• Post UTF-8 message with several emoji on via NNTP (3.18)
• Message transmitted to VERT via QWK/FTP
• Message received on second system via QWK/FTP (3.17)
• Viewing message on second system, emoji are mangled/lost

This message is in question is under DoveNet Network Sysops.. the original message didn't seem to make it through, but my reply did... which may be a different bug/issue.