Imperium Ascendant

The Imperium Ascendant is a major galactic power in the galaxy of Proteus Vex.

First Conflict
The Imperium has an incredible ancient history, spanning at least eighty millennia. Historically this era would be the heart of a galactic war known as First Conflict and be the earliest of a series of bloodshed in the centuries to come. This would be also the same time when an emissary of the Imperium approached the leader of the Scorcher s to deliver news of the discovery of a star-dwelling race that were similar to the Scorchers. The news though was dismissed by the Scorcher leader, who refused to consider such a revelation as it conflicted with her race's belief in being unique in the galaxy. Out of respect, the emissary agreed to suppress knowledge of the race and any other races of similar makeup as such information would upheave Scorcher civilization.

Obdurate War
1400 years before the start of Proteus Vex, the Imperium Ascendant encountered a new race known as the Obdurates. Initially the Imperium reached out in peace to the Obdurates, but were met by violent aggression. The encounter with the Obdurates soon encompassed into a galactic war with the Obdurates leading a warpath of carnage, aiming to wipe all other races. To combat the Obdurates and for the very survival of galactic civilization, the Imperium Ascendant formed the Alliance, made up of various kingdoms such as the Seaborne Coagency and the Unaligned Worlds. However despite the other galactic powers uniting, they were no match for the sheer brutality of the Obdurates. The conflict prolonged for centuries with the Alliance drawing it out as a war of attrition.

General Netores Edge having fought twenty-four engagements with the Obdurates and the greatest of warriors in all the Allied worlds approached the Scorchers to join the war. Her diplomatic mission was her only recorded failure as the ancient race did not care for the fates of what they perceived as lesser races. Desperate for aid, General Edge concocted a scheme with the Imperium's most skilled agent, Proteus Vex to bring the Scorchers into the war.

Proteus Vex piloting his ship the Farrago rammed into the vessels of the Eight Obdurate Fleet, and drew them to the world of Rixxot Minor where a Scorcher colony was located. The Alliance having inserted comm relays in the system, activated, causing communication chatter to erupt, fooling the Obdurates into thinking that they stumbled unto an Alliance military base. Seeing it as a greater threat, the Obdurates bombed the colony, unaware that it was actually nursery for the Scorchers young. Nine Scorchers were killed in the massacre, and finally forced the Scorchers into the war to avenge their dead.

The the first battle that saw Scorchers entering the war was on Seppator, where they gave the Alliance it first victory in over a century. Soon after that the Scorchers helped the Alliance liberate Yund-Hie and then the Baalene Cluster. The Scorchers allying with the Alliance gave the galaxy a fighting chance against the Obdurates, though even with the aid of the ancient race, the Obdurate threat was still ever present. The Obdurates launched counter-offensives and reclaimed worlds such as Thurius from the Scorchers leaving sixteen of their number dead. The Scorchers would eventually learn of the deceit though could not pull out of the war as they were already committed.

To land a decisive blow against the Obdurates, a plan was enacted by the Alliance to teleport a dying white dwarf star into the heart of the Obdurate homeworlds. The plan was a success and while the ploy saw the death of billions of Obdurates, historians at the time believed the the ending of the war saved countless lives.

Four days after the Alliance's biogenocide, Vex found himself assigned to the world of Seesalar where he captured a Obdurate Commander named Tyhosates. At the time of his capture, Tyhosates refused to admit defeat, claiming that his race was invincible. Vex informed him of the Alliance's plan and showed him proof of the destruction of the Obdurate homeworld. The revelation brought Tyhosates to tears, crying out why they would do such a thing, the memory would haunt Vex for years.

Though many Obdurates forces still persisted, the Alliance was able to neutralize them, leaving only a handful of survivors left effectively collapsing the Obdurate Empire. After the end of the Obdurate War, the kingdoms split the territories of their enemy among themselves. Still the cost of the war was taxing to the Imperium Ascendant and the other kingdoms as the number of sapients estimated to be left in known space was reduced to only 2.3 quadrillion, a third of what it was before the war.

Another Dawn
Forty-years into the post-war era, the Imperium Ascendant received news that its senior member, Chancellor Rho 7 Baryon went missing. While it was announced that the Chancellor was missing, in reality Baryon had vanished after murdering Imperium Agent Gren Aldon. The murder though was covered-up by the authorities due to the potential scandal. Recovery of Baryon was made a priority as the sapient possessed vital knowledge on not just the Imperium's secrets but other members of the Alliance. The leadership of the Imperium sent its top agent, Proteus Vex to locate him. Proteus Vex being a former protégé of Baryon accepted the assignment, diverting his attention from transporting an Citheronian fugitive named Midnight Indicating Shame back to Hive Regalis to locating Baryon. From his information Vex tracked his superior to the former Obdurate war-world of Korregag which became a lawless region in the aftermath of the war.

Upon arriving to the war-torn world, which was being stripped by the dregs of the Alliance, Vex came under attack by several mercenaries whilst the peacekeeper force stood idly by. Vex though managed to kill a few of his attackers before the peacekeeper force were forced to intervene, though the alien marauders warned Vex to give up his mission as Baryon was not missing but left the Imperium voluntarily. The Imperium agent did not accept this as he wanted to hear it directly from Baryon himself.

Vex then approached the chief peacekeeper for assistance in locating Baryon as his signal took him to Korregag before it suddenly vanished which the chief explained was the vicinity of the Obdurate reactor and was shielding Baryon's tracking signal. The reactor as it turned out was being salvaged by a team of Scorchers which Vex then requested to have a meeting. Vex using his skills managed to acquired credentials to enter the facility. There he met with Glass Raven, a Scorcher he was all too familiar with. Glass Raven though was no friend to Vex as after the Obdurate War, it was leaked that the Imperium Ascendant had arranged for the attack on Rixxot Minor and that Vex was the main perpetrator. In rage Glass Raven was prepared to kill the agent for his crime.

Vex admitted that he would not deny what he did, but believed that his actions were justified as it forced the Scorchers to see the threat of the Obdurates. The excuse was not enough for Glass Raven, and was prepared to enact his justice, until a fellow Scorcher asked his peer to allow Vex to speak. Vex then told them of a more dire crisis looming in the recovery of Chancellor Baryon who was still at large and in possession of all the Scorchers dirty secrets.

Glass Raven understanding the seriousness of the danger Baryon posed now being unaffiliated, allowed himself to stay his hand in killing the Imperium Agent. The Scorcher confirmed that Baryon needed to be retrieved by the Imperium Ascendant, and informed him that Baryon's tracking signal may have been deactivated. While it was considered to be impossible as deactivating the tracking signal would mean death for the user, there was a way to do so and allow Baryon to live. Glass Raven told Vex that in recent days, several newcomers arrived on Korregag, one being a Dahodem which could easily remove Baryon's tracking device. The same vessel later left the planet days ago Andy was theorized that Baryon may have left with them.

Armed with this lead Vex returned to his ship, to find a mess as Midnight had devoured several mercenaries that were looking to break in the Farrago. Among those mercenaries that were killed was a Dahodem, which caused Vex to believe that he lost his lead, however Midnight using her keen sense of smell was able to determine that this Dahodem was not the surgeon that operated on Baryon and that they may have been a second one. She offered to assist him, if Vex freed her which he reluctantly allowed. The two then tracked the Dahodem's other cohorts, the mercenaries that previously attacked Vex. Under duress the surviving mercenary revealed that Baryon went with a ship aligned with the Seaborne Coagency.

The two tracked the ship to a distant region of space, and were allowed to board. There they found former Chancellor Baryon with the Seaborne, who tried to plead to his junior to cease his pursuit, but when Vex refused, he shot him, near fatally injuring the Imperium Agent. Midnight angered by the act, then attacked the Seaborne and the Imperium turncoat, forcing the crew of the ship to seal her in the room with Vex hoping that the Citheronian would devour the injured Imperium Agents out of hunger, solving their problem for them. However Midnight abstained from eating Vex, as she learned that he was in fact or in part a Cavutust, a species who she felt indebt due as one save her aunt once. After weeks of confinement, the Flesh-Pilot managed to repair his other body, though Vex was still too weak for a full recovery, thus Midnight went to procure him water and medical supplies once the Seaborne opened the door to check if they were still alive. The Citheronian ‘s release from the chamber led to a bloodbath that threatened to kill the entire crew. It was then Baryon finally relented to explain his actions to Vex and Midnight in order to stop the bloodshed and help them understand his defection.

He then told Vex and Midnight the reasons for his defection of the Imperium was out of patriotic duty. Shortly before his abandonment of the Imperium, Baryon was informed by Imperium Agent Gren Aldon that a lost Obdurate colony was rediscovered. The mere existence of the colony threatened the peace of the galaxy, which forced Baryon to keep its existence secret by murdering Aldon and then going rogue as a cover. His defection from his kingdom was a way for Baryon to see his last mission through without soiling the reputation of the Imperium. Hence why he chose to link up with a group from the Seaborn Coagency to eliminate the colony to prevent another possible Obdurate War should the colonists ever regain spaceflight. Midnight called it nothing short of genocide, and Vex while knowing full well what the Obdurates were capable of, also refused to go along with Baryon's plan. The two then attacked Baryon's allies to save the colony. In the struggle, Vex having unlinked from his host entered Baryon’s body in order to slow his movement enough for Midnight to kill the rogue chancellor. After everyone in the Seaborne vessel was killed, Midnight and Vex destroyed it, erasing all knowledge of the Obdurate colony.

The Shadow Chancellor
Vex being indebt to Midnight for saving him, decided to release Midnight unto the Barriero Anchorage in the Unaligned Region, which would hopefully keep her safe from being recaptured by the Imperium and her people While Midnight complained about being stranded on a station of Stragglers, Vex encouraged her to use the station as means to seek passage to another destination. When Midnight made a comment of joining a crew to seek a Genesis Thread, Vex replied that such things were a myth to his knowledge. The agent found otherwise when he received a flash from Chancellor Baryon's memories from the time he connected minds with him. Midnight seeing his reaction was disturbed on the prospect that Genesis Threads were real. Vex escorted her through the station to hopefully book her a ship, but the two were soon surrounded by a gang of thugs who attempted to mug them of their money. The two comrades made short work on the gang, however Vex spared the life of a female member as he recognized from her tattoo that she was part of the Imperium Ascendant's Desolation Armada, which had vanished a year before the end of the Obdurate War.

The female's name was Rone Latko and a former medic corporal under General Otim Hazyr. Otim Hazyr being a former friend of Vex, desired to know what happened to the Desolation Fleet, and so he and Midnight brought the Latko back to the Farrago. From her testimony, Vex learned that the former medic was discharged from the fleet seven months before it vanished. In order to access the military data waves discreetly without drawing attention to himself, Vex needed Latko to enter her passcodes into the Imperium's mainframe. After soliciting the aid of a scavenger ship to act as a receiver to the data with the supposed promise of opening the military waves for eavesdropping. From the data Vex and Midnight found that the Desolation Fleet was not destroyed but reassigned to aid the Scorchers during the Obdurate War at the order of Chancellor Baryon. Vex soon received another flash of memory Baryon in discussion with a council over the matter of covering up an incident involving the fleet which involved the teleportation of the war dwarf star into the Obdurate homeworlds. Vex realized that the end of the Obduarte War was directly involved with the disappearance of one million Imperium Ascendant soldiers.

Armed with this new lead, Vex released Latko from his service and allowed Midnight to accompany him on his private investigation. Vex caught wind via the military waves that a new hostile alien race known as The Silent were attacking the Mutaveron Network. More memories from Baryon surfaced, from Vex's mind this time with the Chancellor meeting with a member of the Silent, hinting that the race were previously encountered during the Obdurate War. Oddly the attacks on the Mutaveron Network were being suppressed and hidden from the public by the upper echelons of the Imperium. Midnight after studying the attacks on the Network, deduced that the Silent were actually trying to map it and were searching for something. Using her knowledge, Midnight was able to predict their next target.

The outpost of Eremoloi Secundus was the latest station to be attacked by the Silent. Navarch Ko Andrum was the commanding officer assigned to guard the station along with thirty hand-picked shock troops. The entire troop save for Andrum were slaughtered by the Silent within half and hour. Andrum managed to put up a valiant fight against the invaders, but in the struggle lost an arm. Her end would have been assured, had it not been for Vex and Midnight's timely arrival.

By the time the distress beacon that Andrum sent out for aid was received, all of the Silent have been purged from the station. Commander Tross arrived with a battleship to secure the battle site. Although she was impressed that Vex had resolve the matter of the Silent's attack on Eremoloi Secundus, she was disappointed with her subordinate in his failure to bring Midnight Indicating Shame back to Hive Regalis. The commander was interested in how Vex managed to learn of the Silent's attacks as they had been suppressed by the public. Vex though asked Tross why the news of these attacks were being hidden. Tross then revealed that he Silent have been attacking thirty-eight Mutaveron stations, as for why the Imperium Ascendant has yet to find a reason as translation picborgs cannot seem to allow them to communicate with the species. Even captured Silent that have undergone torture have been useless as they refused to speak. Tross though returned to the matter of Vex falsifying his report that Midnight had escaped his custody and warned him that he would be under investigation. Midnight though offered a counter proposal, asylum within the Imperium in exchange for a Silent she consumed and later regurgitated.

Instead of making a deal with Midnight, Commander Tross simply took the Silent into custody and then placed on probation pending the outcome of the investigation. Even though Vex was relinquished of his weapons, he still received flashes of memories from Baryon that showed that the Chancellor had met the Silent in the past. Determine to find the truth, Vex asked Andrum for her help in accessing the station's records. Andrum confirmed Vex and Midnight's suspicions that the Silent were not trying to destroy the Mutaveron Network as it was far too large to take down, but were indeed seeking something on the stations.

Meanwhile the Silent captive underwent torture by his captors under the watch of Tross. However while feigning unconsciousness, the Silent managed to kill its torturers and incapacitate Tross. The Silent then escaped into the station. Vex and his comrades hearing the escape alert then deduce that the sentient was planning on completing his mission and found the Silent in the core. Vex attempted to apprehend the Silent was stabbed in the chest.

Andrum managed to subdue the prisoner, although Vex was injured in the attack. Tross then ordered the prisoner to be secured and Vex to be healed. To complicate matters, Midnight’s people were en-route with a fleet to retrieve her. The level of military power sent by Hive Regalis surprised Tross so much so she refused to entertain the idea of allowing Midnight asylum. Having no other recourse Midnight played her last card, revealing that Vex was a flesh-pilot. Tross shocked by the information, as agents possessing flesh-pilots within their bodies was illegal. Not only that such restrictions were in-placed due to Vex when he was a junior agent. The duplicitous action caused Tross to be furious who then then confronted a weakened Vex on a med bed, demanding she speak alone to him. Once all the medics were cleared out, while she noted that Baryon's death was unavoidable, she she figured out that he absorbed the turncoat's memories and demanded that he spill everything he knew about Baryon’s secrets else he would be executed.

To understand what the Silent were after, Tross ordered Vex to leave his body to enter the mind of their prisoner. Vex complying learned that the prisoner's name was Expano. From his merging, Vex saw that the Silent were not conqueror but victims. From the recollections Vex learned that the Silent were survivors that dwelt in the subterranean world of ice. From Expano's memories, Vex learned it was not always so, as the Silent's homeworld once sustain a viable ecosystem. But a generation, the Silent's planet were visited by their first offworlders who stole the Silent's most precious resource, condemning their world into an icy wasteland. Expano who was breed to fight and take the stars with several of his kin went out into space and attacked the Mutaveron stations with a specific purpose.

During the session, Commander Tross was contacted by her superior High Commissioner Shrokulun. Shrokulun having been informed that a Citheronian was en-route as well as a member of the Silent was being interrogated, ordered the commander to cease the interrogation, reasoning it was futile. When informed that Tross was employing a flesh-pilot to sift through the prisoner's mind, Shrokulun reminded the commander that the Imperium had strict rules regarding flesh-pilots. Shrokulun informed Tross that he would be arriving to greet the Citheronians and ordered the flesh-pilot Vex to be terminated, adding that failure to comply would result in her death. Having no choice, Tross then prepared to execute Expano, whilst Vex was still inhabiting the Silent.

The flesh-pilot managed to narrowly escape death as Tross aimed a blaster at Expano's neck and then fled into the inner walls of the station. Having no choice, Tross ordered her forces to take the Silent and Vex's body back to her ship. Tross then had Mindnight be placed on watch until her people arrived to retrieve her, Midnight tried to appeal to Andrum who while sympathetic had no power over the matter. It's revealed that Midnight's only crime was for not returning back to Hive Regalis after her three year pilgrimage out into the galaxy was over. Usually Citheronians are compelled to return home via biological homesickness, however Midnight for some reason did not get the urge and hence decided to continue wandering the stars. The rest of her people who frown on conformity then took desperate measure to have Midnight back as they only occurrence like this happened three hundred years ago. Vex as a flesh-pilot recovered his body and quickly dispatched the guards holding him and freed Expano.

When the Citheronian delegation arrived on station, Midnight having no choice in the matter then proceeded to go abroad their ship. Before she was about to depart Midnight asked Andrum to tell Vex thanks. In the last moment, Vex programed the Farrago to snatch Midnight out Imperial custody from the landing bay and shuttle her out into space.

Tross was about to call for a pursuit of Midnight until High Commissioner Shrokulun arrived. Vex now knowing that Expano's people were not inherently hostile sought to aid him in his mission. Together they evaded the pursuing Imperial soldiers. Vex realized that the Mutaveron Network for some reason was instantly translating the picoborgs, rendering them unable to communicate with other sentient races, hence why Expano and his people came and attacked the stations. It appears that Shrokulun and Baryon had a direct hand in this to prevent the Silent from speaking out of what the Imperium committed against their people. The unlikely due found refugee in Andrum's quarters, where Vex discovered a data filter geared to inhibit the translation picoborgs. Andrum learning that the Silent were victims agreed to aid Vex and Expano in revealing the conspiracy.

Meanwhile Shrokulun and Tross were left to appease Constant Hierarchy Repressed of the Citheronians for their failure to deliver Midnight to the delegation. Andrum appeared before the two senior commanders with a captured Vex, claiming she killed the Silent. Vex before Shrokulun demanded to the fate of the Desolation Armada, though the Imperial agent deduced that the one millions souls were part of the plan to establish a teleport node for the Scorchers. When they used it to bring a white dwarf star to be teleported to the Obdurate homeworlds, the armada was destroyed in the operation. While Shrokulun believed it was a justifiable sacrifice, Vex called it an unforgivable act.

Having no wish for more secrets to be reveal, Shrokulun ordered Tross to execute Vex. Vex tried to appeal to Tross to learn the full story of why the Silent have been attacking the outpost stations, alas Tross's loyalty to Shrokulun superseded by curiosity. Vex proceeded to grapple with his former commander and the High Commissioner before escaping once again into the corridors of the station. Andrum who had been watching the conversation from the shadows then proceeded to remotely activate Vex's jetpack from lockup and summon it to her associate's location, giving him the agility to navigate through the station and avoid her pursuers. Tross and Shrokulun having recovered from their brief bout with Vex then realized that Andrum had betrayed them.

Constant Hierarchy Repressed who had been observing the debacle from the sidelines found Vex's actions to be interesting as the sentient risked everything to disseminate the truth, something which she assumed was not associated with agents of the Imperium. Shrokulun tried to impress to the emissary that the Imperium's secrets were a vital part of its fabric and if uncovered would cause his kingdom to unravel. Constant Hierarchy Repressed stated that the Citheronians had no interest in the activities of the greater galaxy. But for Vex, a being who risked his life to prevent Midnight Indicating Shame from being turned over to Hive Regalis, Constant Hierarchy Repressed decided to hear the agent out, ordering the Imperium forces to stand down. Vex then related his story that during the Obdurate War the Alliance destroyed the Obdurate homeworlds as known to the galaxy at large. It was through the process of teleporting a star into the heart of the Obdurate's system. Though both Shrokulun and Tross pleaded to Vex to be silent as they had no choice, vex continued his story. The technology was developed by the Scorchers and was said to only work on a white dwarf star with certain conditions. Only one such star was in range to be used, and contained a fourth planet that was home to the Silent. The Imperium's forces were aware of the Silent living on the planet and their world relied on its sun for life. However the Imperium was desperate to end the war and used the teleportation technology, not only killed all the members of Desolation Armada, but also all the Silent on the planet. A few hundred thousand of the Silent were off planet when the star was taken and found their world and loved ones dead. To cover up their crime, Shrokulun and his co-conspirators arranged for the Silent to be blanked by the language framework and cut off from the rest of the galaxy. In this the race would be unable to relate what had happened to them and rendered them silent.

Shrokulun insisted that there was no other choice, but Vex countered that High Commissioner and Baryon could have evacuated the Silent. Instead they stole their sun, leaving six billion to freeze to death. The High Commissioner was adamant that the right choice was made as there was not enough time as the war with the Obdurates were tittering close to the Alliance's defeat and it was predicted that within a century every kingdom in the galaxy would have fallen to the Obdurate Empire. While he agrees it was a monstrous act and necessary Shrokulun swore that it will be kept secret as it would destroy the Alliance. To ensure that the conspiracy remained a secret Shrokulun announced that he was willing to activate the self-destruction protocols for the outpost, purge its records and sacrifice everyone on the station to ensure that the truth remained buried. This did not sit well with Constant Hierarchy Repressed, as the High Commissioner made it sound he would even kill her delegation. Shrokulun backtracking and not willing to provoke the Citheronians offered to allow them to leave unharmed, only asking that the Citheronians maintain silence on the events that transpired on Eremoloi Secundus. This only served to disgust the emissary that the Imperium would go to such lefts of genocide, deceit and butchery to maintain such secrets for peace. When Shrokulun tried to bribe Constant Hierarchy Repressed for her kind's silence, the Citheronian found the prospect amusing to maintain a secret built around silence, sadly she declined as the High Commissioner had nothing she wanted. Proteus Vex on the other hand did and so she offered him a deal. If the High Commissioner would not disclose the truth to the galaxy on the Imperium's crime, then Hive Regalis would. In exchange, all Vex had to do was give them Midnight Indicating Shame.

With a heavy heart Proteus Vex remote called back Farrago and gave the fugitive to Constant Hierarchy Repressed. Though he betrayed his comrade, Vex ironically fulfilled his mission initially given to him by the Imperium. Under the watch of the Citheronians, Vex, Andrum and Expano were permitted to leave the station unharmed by the Imperium's fleet. Due to Vex actions, he was deemed a traitor and stripped of all rank and privileges. Andrum as well defected from the Imperium, joining Vex in leaving the Imperium as she was seen complicit in the exposure of the truth.

Shortly after the exchange, the Citheronians kept their side of the bargain, and disclosed to the galaxy on the truth of the Silent which forced the Imperium to make reparations by offering the Silent a former Obdurate world to colonize. The Imperium, mainly at the insistence of Shrokulun, sought retribution against Vex formerly its top agent became its most wanted criminal. High Commissioner Shrokulun using tracking beacons he planted on Farrago, tracked Vex's presumed location. However as a final gesture of defiance, the chase for Vex had led Shrokulun to the abandoned frozen planet of the Silent.

Desire Paths
A little over a year after Vex betrayed his kingdom, the Imperium Ascendant unknown to the public had expended many resources to bring their former top agent back to answer for his crime. Imperium agent Melody Pen Naday was assigned to hunt Vex and bring him in. To aid in her search for Vex, Naday sought the aid of the Citheronian, Midnight Indicating Shame, hoping she could given her insight on Vex's mind. Despite being a isolationist kingdom, Hive Regalis granted her entry, being the first visit outsider to be allowed entry in over a century, in exchange for twelve thousand tons of purified osmium.

Naday hoped that the visit would eventually lead to closer relationship between Hive Regalis and the Imperium, though the Citheronian greeter, Glorious Determinate Blossom believed it was unlikely as the Citheronian had no interest in external allies or anything outside the hive. Naday understood that, and ask a small request to meet an old friend Initiate Wakeful Regret, a former comrade during the Obdurate War. Though the request was denied as the young Citheronian was being cloister to purge herself of the 'outside ways" and warned Naday that she should that her ways were not their ways.

The Imperium agent was allowed to see Midnight Indicating Shame, who having been tortured by her Citheronian was left in a barely livable state but coherent to answer Naday's questions. Midnight sensing that the agent had water pleaded to be given some. Naday was allowed to give the Citheronian her water bottle under the watch of Glorious Determinate Blossom. Midnight hoped that Naday's presence on Hive Regalis meant she was due for a rescue, but was sadly disappointed that Naday only came to talk about Proteus Vex and his whereabouts. The prisoner laughed as she had been holed up in a cell since she last saw Vex and instead tried to appeal to Naday to give her mercy as she was going to be executed. Midnight revealed that her people found that she had the potential to be a queen which explained her wanderlust to continue exploring the galaxy and refusal to return to the hive. However they were unable to determine how this was possible, as they could not uncover this with Midnight even through torture. Seeing that Glorious Determinate Blossom was not stopping her from speaking about her treatment, Midnight guessed that Naday already knew of this or didn't care.

Naday pressed on the topic of Vex, using his betrayal against Midnight as incentive for the prisoner to get revenge and divulge any secrets she might know of the former Imperium agent. From Naday, it's revealed that Vex and Andrum were leading a 'campaign of terror' against the Imperium. After the revelation that Vex harbored a flesh-pilot of Cavutust was made know, the Imperium ordered a kingdom wide quarantine of the species labeling them a potential threat. Vex and his accomplice though have made it their mission to abduct the flesh-pilots.

Midnight though was not fooled by the schematic of the agent's orders, as she deduced that Vex and Andrum were actually rescuing the flesh-pilots from being interned by the Imperium in what undoubtedly be a painful interrogation of the species. She muses that the Imperium until now never seen the flesh-pilots as a sentient species, and now that they know, the fact scares them. Their so-called quarantine was nothing more than a cull, that led to bounty-hunters attacking hosts suspected to harbor flesh-pilots. Midnight surmised that the Imperium wanted to not just capture all the flesh-pilots to know more about them, but also exploit them, before eradicating them hence why Vex came out of hiding to protect them.

Naday does not deny the facts, but insists that the flesh-pilots were too dangerous to be allowed to roam free as they can easy absorb the minds and memories of others and reveal secrets meat to stay secret. She even used the example of how Vex merged with the mind of Chancellor Baryon that led to the debacle. However Midnight pointed out that Baryon and his co-conspirators murdered billions, and that the truth needed to come out. The fact that the matter that the Imperium was more upset of their secret being let out than the actual crime, disgusted Midnight. Naday still believed that the Imperium’s course of actions were justified against the flesh-pilots as her superiors feared that they were an insidious race with Ain’s to control the galaxy through accumulated secrets.

In order to stop this, Naday impressed to Midnight that she needed to find Vex. Midnight eventually relented and gave her some insight on Vex. Rather than focusing on Vex’s past, seek out the possible previous hosts of the flesh-pilot. This enlightened Naday who then left Hive Regalis in hopes this new strategy would help her to apprehend Vex. In truth Midnight provided this strategy to Naday not in an aim to take revenge on Vex for his betrayal but to give Vex a higher chance of survival.

Vex and Andrum would later intercept a report that the Gexemedan Clan had captured three cavutusts and were based in a city on the low-tech world of Ysan Tertiary. Vex realizing that it was a trap decided to beat the Gexemedan Clan at their own game. He willingly allowed himself to be vulnerable out in the open of the city they laid their trap. Six of the clan members surrounded them pointing weapons at his head, though the belligerents annoyed the natives for causing a civil disturbance. The city guard was dispatched and quickly slew the clan members but spared Vex as he was unarmed. Andrum dispatched the remaining Gexemedan Clan member and rescued the cavutusts. One of the flesh-pilots shared with Vex a communal memory from one of its hosts. Though it did not mean anything to Vex or the flesh-pilot, Baryon's memories within the former imperium agent resonated with the images. Vex though was unsure what the memory meant only that the answers laid with Count Lythas Tiorn as the memory showed that the scavenger was in possession of the item in Baryon's memories. Vex realized that the path to his answers would take him to the count who was based out in the heart of the former Obdurate system.

Unknown to Vex and Andrum, one of the Gexemedan Clan survived and immediately contacted Agent Naday and offered the whereabouts of the fugitives in exchange for 15 million silver. Before Vex and Andrum headed to the Obdurate system, Vex brought Farrago to waystation Point Imbroglio, managed by an old war buddy of his from the Obdurate Wars, Marshal Bihet. While en-route, Farrago came under attack by vessels belonging to the Vawn Sect. Bihet a former member of the Imperium's military had retired after faking his death, was reluctant to get involve, but assisted in driving the marauders away. Bihet and vex shared some words whilst the Farrago was repaired. Though Bihet knew what the Imperium did during the Obdurate War was horrendous, he that such things were better left in the past, as he himself still was traumatized by his actions of what he did to survive. Truthfully Bihet felt Vex's personal crusade for the truth would only end badly and advised his old friend to quit, though his advice fell to deaf ears. Bihet's later would regret not stopping Vex from proceeding in his quest, and it was quoted by a acquaintance that if Bihet knew what Vex was planning he would have planted a bomb on Farrago.

Upon arriving at the remains of the Obdurate system, Andrum expressed her wariness of entering the godforsaken area. She was not alone as Vex harbored immense guilt of what he did in the war and the system was one of the places he always avoided until now. Vex was well aware of the controversy of his role in bringing the Scorchers into the Obdurate War, though felt it was necessary to give the Alliance hope that victory could be won. However the utter destruction of the Obdurate system was something he could not stomach as he never wanted the war to end like that.

Vex and Andrum then prepared to attract Count Lythas Tiorn's attention from his fleet of storage vessels, with Vex donning a diving suit and jetpack for the void and Andrum piloting Farrago. Count Lythas Tiorn and his Mechanical majordomo Cobalt were alerted of Vex's presence in the system. The Count ordered his robot drones to apprehend Vex, either dead or alive. The task proved difficult as Vex proved elusive using his jetpack and maneuvering skills to dispatch the mechanical drones. Tiorn who had studied Vex's previous actions in the past, deduced that Vex was drawing attention to himself to allow the Farrago to approach his fleet unhindered. This confused the Count as he knew Vex had to know he was greatly outmatched with his resources. Still he ordered Cobalt to contact the Imperium and alert them that Vex was in the vicinity, even though he did not trust them anymore than Vex. Even though Tiorn wanted Vex dead, mostly due to the former Imperium agent denying him the salvage rights after the Battle of Epenun Gold, costing him a fortune in new scavengers, his curiosity got the better of him and drawn in by why Vex was here. As Tiorn could not resist a good mystery, he ordered his forces to allow Vex and his vessel to approach his ship unharmed.

In the hangar of his ship, Cobalt apprehended Vex, securing his leg to the deck and disarming him, while Andrum was allowed to land the Farrago. When the Count had both Vex and Andrum before him at his mercy, he demanded to know why he should not obliterate them given he was within his rights to avenge himself of all the losses he suffered from Vex. Vex had the offer of information, which the Count scoffed as he could merely use Vex as a bargaining chip to negotiate terms with the Imperium for new future trading ventures. But Vex had something of interest that Tiorn wanted, information on a Genesis Thread, causing the Count to reassess his treatment of Vex and offer him full hospitality.

Count Tiorn was one of the few who knew that Genesis Threads existed and listened to Vex's theory on the phenomena, reciting what he knew from Chancellor Baryon's memory. His curiosity sated for the moment Tiorn desired to know more, though Vex had a price, his aid in locating an item within the count's possessions from a memory that he was given from a fellow flesh-pilot. Using the memory fragments, Vex was guided by Tiorn to the item, remains of an unknown alien organism. Tiorn feeling generous due to his profitable salvage in recent days, allowed Andrum to take a sample of the corpse, who remarked that the biological composition was similar to a Scorcher. The Count still demanded more payment such as the location of the Genesis Thread that Baryon saw. Vex though was only able to provide Tiorn the location of the Genesis Thread that appeared eight decades ago in a nebula on the border of the Old Menomon Kingdom, but even still it was outdated. Tiorn feeling that the information was insufficient decided that turning Vex in for the Imperium's reward was the best course. Before he and his servitors could apprehend them, Andrum summoned a pair of blasters brought via magnetic tape she covertly placed through the ship. The pair then engaged the Count's forces, aiming to escape back to their vessel.

In the fight Vex was pinned down by a Mechanical survivor, prompting Andrum to come to his aim by shotting at the opponent. Though the two anticipated that Count Tiorn's forces would be spread thin throughout the system, counting on his greed of stripping the solar system of anything valuable, and hoped for a speedy escape, the two former members of the Imperium Ascendant were still outnumbered. They managed to make it to the hangar where Farrago was docked only to be met by Agent Naday, flanked by an army of Mechanicals and gun drones. Naday ordered them to stand down and surrender, highlighting that she had no intention of underestimating Vex and brought an entire fleet to bring the criminals to justice.

Vex was unintimidated by the odds as he claimed to Naday that he always had a back-up plan. Naday was unimpressed and told Vex that she had orders to only bring him alive, and with than proceeded to shoot Andrum. That proved to be an error as both Andrum and Vex had anticipated this. Beforehand they jury-rigged a makeshift drone composed of several blasters on which was keyed to their life-signatures. If either of their life-signs went critical it would activate. Like a bomb the drone speed into the hangar, unleashing random spews of blaster fire at all. The ensuing chaos lasted for twenty seconds but in that time it provided Vex with enough of a distraction to disarm Naday and take her out of commission and take her communicator. However Andrum who was gravely injured insisted Vex to escape alone and continue the mission. Vex escaped alone on the Farrago, leaving behind Andrum, and used Naday's communicator to impersonate her and order the fleet outside Tiorn's ship to allow the Farrago free passage and attack the pursuing ships on his tail. Naday having recovered from her tussle with Vex order Tiorn to provide medical aid to Andrum so that she could be properly interrogate her. Tiorn suggested using Andrum as bait for a trap to lure Vex into rescuing his comrade, though Naday correctly deduced that Vex was not coming back for her.

Proteus Vex then took the Farrago to the Superstructure, the adopted homeworld of the Scorchers. Though the Scorchers manning the space command of the planet identified Vex as an enemy, the order to terminate his vessel was withheld by none other than Glass Raven, who knew Vex would not come to the Superstructure without a purpose and gave his permission to have the Farrago land. Glass Raven met with Vex personally and while they had no love for each other, they two had an understanding. Vex requested Glass Raven to arrange a meeting with the leader of the Scorchers, Tsellest, a million year old sentient and possibly one of the oldest beings in the galaxy. Brought before Tsellest in the lava baths of the Superstructure, the ancient Scorcher thought little of Vex seeing the Catuvust as a speck. When the former agent did not show fear Tsellest was surprised. Vex only demanded Tsellest to answer his question on the sample he acquired from Tiorn, the species it belonged to and why Chancellor Baryon's memories pointed to the Scorcher. Upon learning that the sample was from the Obdurate system, Tsellest informed Vex that it belonged to the Heliospawn, a species that evolved in a star. Hearing that, Vex inquired if the Heliospawn were related to the Scorchers, causing Tsellest to react in anger stating such words were blasphemy. That the Scorchers were an unchanged race for billions of years, who tamed the galaxy and battled unimaginable horrors and titans, extinguished stars and wrestled rogue worlds. To be compared to the Heliospawn which Tsellest regarded as aberrations was insulting.

It was from this testimony that Vex finally put the pieces of the memory fragments from Baryon and the clues he found through his quest. The Scorchers who prided themselves of being the only known lifeform to have evolved in the core of the world learned of the existence of the Heliospawn, another species of similar evolutionary path, approached High Commissioner Shrokulun and Chancellor Baryon to eliminate them. The two high ranking members of the Imperium Ascendant accepted the request as a secondary benefit would result in the end of the Obdurate war, by stealing the white dwarf star, which the Heliospawn dwelled in and where the planet of the Silent orbited. Vex realized that the claim that the Scorchers technology in transporting only a specific star into the Obdurate system was a lie, it was a cover to commit biogenocide for three species and the needless deaths of so many members of the Imperium. Tsellest was unrepentant as the lives of other sentient species were inconsequential to his kind. Vex called Tsellest for what he was, a despicable being who was afraid of being no longer unique, of losing the façade of being better than everyone else, and who committed genocide to placate an fragile ego. The very definition of cowards to be simply put.

Vex was eventually tracked to the Superstructure by an Imperium fleet led by High Commissioner Shrokulun and Agent Naday. The two led an Imperium delegation to the planet and were given an audience to Tsellest where he was speaking to Vex. High Commissioner Shrokulun respectfully asked Tsellest to give Vex custody of Vex to be tried for crimes against the Imperium. Tsellest had no issue of them taking Vex, only asking that the secret that Vex found, be covered-up lest the other races of the galaxy were learn of it. Vex disgusted by Shrokulun accused him of being complicit in the Scorchers crime as he not only played a part in it but encouraged the genocide. High Commissioner Shrokulun did not care, though Agent Naday took an interest in what Vex was talking about. Naday then approached Vex to arrest him. Vex concerned for Andrum learned that she was still alive, but would face a court-martial just as he will. Tsellest made a request to Shrokulun that all knowledge on the Heliospawn to be forbidden, any trace of their existence be given to his people until they were erased from history. Shrokulun replied that the Imperium will comply, however the High Commissioner unable to resist to please Tsellest sycophantly revealed of a ancient agreement made between Tsellest's predecessor. Despite Vex warning him to be quiet, Shrokulun revealed that the Imperium Ascendency had suppressed all knowledge of other star-born races for eighty thousand years from the Scorchers. The revelation made Tsellest furious, who then seized Shrokulun in his hand and threatened to crush him unless the High Commissioner revealed how many other similar races to the Scorcher did the Imperium hide from him. In fear of his life Shrokulun revealed it was hundreds, an answer Tsellest found unacceptable, leaving him to kill the High Commissioner.

Scorcher War
The death of Shrokulun, culminated in hostilities between the remaining Imperium delegation and the the Scorchers present. Vex ordered the delegation to run as Tsellest made plans to Glass Raven to frame Vex for the murders of not just the High Commissioner but also the entire delegation to the waiting Imperium fleet above the planet. Naday acted first with she and her soldiers firing on the Scorchers in retaliation. Whilst the Imperium agents were being picked off one by one by the Scorchers, Vex used the fray to escape back to the Farrago and flee. On his escape vector, Vex ploughed through a Scorcher, killing it.

Agent Naday attempted to call for an extraction from the fleet, but her communications were jammed by the Scorchers. Captain Anibysid Poire who was left in command of the fleet sensing something amiss, ordered attack craft to descend on the planet. Tsellest seeing that it was too late to cover his crime, and wanting to punish the Imperium of its "betrayal" then ordered Glass Raven to command the Scorcher defense grid to destroy the fleet. The destruction of the fleet was the greatest loss of Imperium life since the Obdurate War and a prelude to the coming war.

Though the fleet was destroyed by the Scorchers ultra dense barrage of projectile cubes, enough attack craft were launched to provide cover to allow the delegation’s vessel to get into orbit. Amidst the volley of weapons fire, the escorts were destroyed trying to aid the delegation’s ship in fleeing through the debris field of the decimated Imperium fleet. The vessel itself was nearly destroyed when the Scorchers weapons fire crippled the engines and life support, when the Farrago docked with the delegation’s ship and allowed the surviving crew and passengers to escape aboard his. Naday amongst the survivors was grateful for the rescue, though a few of her peers were still distrustful of Vex, especially the Farrago as it was rumored to be of Scorcher make and thus unreliable for their escape. To the shock of everyone Vex stated such rumors were false and of his invention for misdirection. Vex then suggested that they revisit his court martial and arrest for the moment and focus on staying alive.

Vex maneuvered his vessel through the debris field and avoided the Scorchers’ fire. The Farrago having the speed evaded the pursuit and during such, Glass Raven contacted Vex swearing vengeance on Vex for inciting another conflict and pulling his kind into another war, wishing he had terminated him on Korregag. Vex made a promise to Glass Raven that if the Scorcher was involved in the Heliospawn Genocide, he would not live to regret it. Glass Raven was unperturbed as he was arrogant in his belief that his people triumphing over the lesser races was inevitable. During the escape Farrago picked up a broadcasted conversation between Tsellest and Sister One, the supreme ruler of the Imperium. The broadcast was public over all channels throughout the galaxy, where Tsellest gave an ultimatum, that the Imperium will supply the list and locations of all star-borne races to them. Sister One refused as she knew that the Scorchers would destroy them and tried to plead for a compromise. Tsellest refused and until his demand was met, the Scorchers would declare war on the Imperium.

In the Farrago, the delegation which was originally part of a fleet of seven thousand were a survivor group of ten. Hearing that war was declared over the channel, one of the Imperium officers bemoaned that the galaxy would not survive another war. Vex though mused that the Scorchers would probably survive as they were born in fire. Officer Umatan accused Vex for causing the war, though Naday ordered him to be silent as they owed Vex their lives. Still unconvinced Umatan stated that they could not afford to ally with the fugitive as everyone in the galaxy would be seeking Vex now, to which Naday believed that was good news as then they would be rescued.

The Farrago eventually made it to a caravan transport fleet of refugees, guarded by several Imperium escorts. When the escort ships detected the Farrago, the aimed their weapons at the Edenite vessel, until it could identify itself. Vex requested to be given sanctuary within the fleet, though he was denied. Officer Umatan recognizing that the lead escort pilot was a Sekkillarian offered to assist, as he was familiar with the species social cues of respect, and proceeded to threaten the pilot, enough to convince them that the Farrago was worthy.

Months since the destruction of the Imperium fleet at the Scorcher's homeworld, the Imperium found itself in a state of war with the one-time allies, suffering substantial losses. The devastation of the Scorchers brought ruin to many worlds, some which were destroyed to rubble. So strong was the fear of the Scorchers might, that some Imperium commanders refused to quickly act on orders to engage the Scorchers. Fir instance at the Scorcher attack on Romium Major, the admiral in command of the fleet rather than opting to arrive at the battlefield when a cry for help was signaled opted to arrive there late until after the battle ended. The admiral reasoned that they were fighting a war of attrition and that arriving at the battle would be pointless, and was more comfortable in engaging the Scorchers medical ships that were left after their victory on the planets they attacked.

Midnight Indicating Shame, who had escape from Hive Regalis took her Citheronian fighter and began to wage a one-being war against the Scorchers. In an estimated fourteen engagements, Midnight's fighter proved ineffective at dealing any actual damage to the Scorcher ships, although the Imperium noted that the unknown fighter distracted the Scorchers long enough for their forces to safely evacuate. The Citheronian fleet though always cut her crusade against the Scorchers short, as they were sent by the queen to recapture the fugitive. Since the Citheronian were given strict orders not to engage the Scorchers, Midnight found sanctuary in the stricken battle grounds in space between the Scorchers and Imperium.

Despite the breakdown in diplomacy, Sister One was adamant that a diplomatic solution could be met with Tsellest. Her advisor, Preet, though believed such words with the Scorchers were useless and pleaded to the supreme leader to give the Scorchers what they wanted, the list of all stars home to races like the Scorchers in order to save millions of their citizens. Sister One outright refused as she was unwilling to sacrifice innocents. Long since war was declared Sister One reached out to the other major kingdoms for aid. Among those she called were the Seaborne Coagency, the Uhanog, the Unaligned Worlds and even the elusive Regent Silicate.

Though the other galactic powers made promises to send aid when their forces were ready, such promises were made by prevaricators as none of the kingdoms wanted to be involved in the war as they knew standing against the Scorchers was impossible. Only one ruler of other kingdoms dared to respond, Viridian Silk, the queen of Hive Regalis. However the queen did not offer any alliance, only words of chastisement to Sister One for her underling, Proteus Vex, for his role in "corrupting" Midnight Indicating Shame, adding that the Imperium would find no aid from Citheronians as a result.

Proteus Vex was taken into custody by the Imperium officials in the refugee fleet. Credit to his capture was given to Melody Naday, though insisted that it was Vex who turned himself over voluntarily. The agent had regrets over the Scorcher War, as she was a few who did not blame Vex for being the cause, rather she saw herself being the culprit due to bring the High Commissioner to the Superstructure and angering Tsellest. While in custody Bihet met with Vex at his cell under guard. He informed his old friend that his station was attacked shortly after the start of the war, and though it posed no threat to the Scorchers, it was destroyed because they could. Bihet though knew it was not Vex's fault. What he could not understand as to why Vex would give up so easily and knew his friend was a ferocious warrior during the Obdurate Wars and always had a plan. The former Marshal was right as Vex did indeed have a plan to save the Imperium and end the war.

Agent Naday was permitted to communicate with Shrokulun's successor High Commissioner Latamon Ot who praised the agent for her capture of Vex. Naday though pointed out that she did not capture Vex and that he saved her and several others, though the High Commissioner still pinned the massacre of the Imperium's fleet on Vex, despite it being his predecessor's fault for inciting the wrath of the Scorchers. Seeing that her former superior's privilege's psot would protect his name, Naday hacked into the ships communication to speak directly to the head of the Imperium Ascendant, Sister One. There she appealed to the supreme leader for an audience and to grant leniency to Vex as he had a plan that could save them.

Eighth Conflict
Two centuries after the Eighth Conflict, the custodians of the Jo-Fodek System concluded that the region was stable enough to permit re-exploration. The system was awarded to hyper-wealthy Onoton Arnow who had bribed to receive the privilege. She led the reclamation project of the ruined city of Timaryx, where her teams of workers stumbled upon a building that belonged to a soldier of the Imperium Ascendant. Inside was a temporally insulated box, that contained one of the most historical finds regarding the Imperium and the Scorcher War. However the items, in the box which would be later known as the Crawlspace Relics, would not be made public until a century later. They were finally released after Arnow's deranged step-twin Ulisa Pon murdered her. Among the items was proof of a being's existence who's name faded into legend: Proteus Vex.

The Crawlspace Relics proved to be a significant find as they provided information about the Scorcher War that had either been obfuscated or deliberately buried by the officials of that era.

Culture
The Imperium Ascendant is a major power in its galaxy, composed of forty-thousand star systems. Due it its size it was at the forefront in all events of galactic importance from the Obdurate War to the Scorcher War. While structured as an autocratic empire, the Imperium Ascendant is made of multiple races that are given equal rights and protection.

The majority in control of the Imperium Ascendant appear to be a thin lanky humanoid race, though other races have been shown to hold high rankings in the government structure, which indicates that the Imperium allows equal opportunity of advancement, at least within the military.

Agents of the Imperium's elite force are ranked based on levels, which allow them certain discretion of information and privileges to carry out their missions. Using technology developed by the Scorchers high ranking agents are implanted with indestructible trackers with a coded signal to allow the Imperium to keep track of their whereabouts.

The main currency of the Imperium is silver.

Among the races that compose of the Imperium Ascendant are:


 * Troxillan
 * Sekkillarian
 * The Silent
 * Mechanical

Politics
The Imperium Ascendancy is an autocracy, ruled by a sole singular ruler, who is attended by various advisors and councilors.

Terminology

 * Angering Colossi (Fourth Edition): A work written by Sheriff Salome Fawn who was a supporter of the heroic legend of Proteus Vex. In an argument against critics of Vex and his prioritization of his own life, Fawn wrote: "Death has been known to stifle a hero's effectiveness, and should be avoid."
 * Chancellor: A level 18 military rank in the Imperium Ascendant.
 * Corporal: A level two military rank in the Imperium Ascendant.
 * Corpro: A term for excrement.
 * Corprolite: A pejorative term for a contemptible person.
 * Drifting: Slang for being addle-headed.
 * Genesis Thread: A little understood stellar phenomena, rumored to be constructs of a hyper-advanced race that permitted direct manipulation of the universe's physical laws. During the era of Proteus Vex they were regarded as fictious by the common galactic citizen, though a few influential and high-ranking members of the Imperium knew they existed.
 * Necro-Louse: A furtive and contemptible person. For plural it would be necrolice.
 * Prim: A slang for primitive.
 * Proteus: A level fourteen military rank in the Imperium Ascendant.
 * Rule Eleven: The unofficial Imperium Military term relating to the rules of hostile situations: study the battleground: your environment can be a shield or a weapon.
 * Rule Sixteen: The unofficial Imperium Military wise saying: "Never assume primitive is synonymous with weak."
 * Shattered--The Post-Obdurate Galaxy: A book by Terbium Chime that details High Justice Eniquarl Rop view on the ramifications of ending the Obdurate War via teleporting a white dwarf star into a stable solar system.
 * Sigmoid: A derogatory term meaning scum.
 * Straggler: A term that refers to sentients that have been displaced by war and are seen as vagrants. Rumors are abound of them undesirables, cannibals that procreate just to consume their own children.
 * The Words: An oath of service for those who take up the rank of Proteus. All Proteus are expected to never leave mission unfinished: "To the End".

Characters

 * Anibysid Poire: A captain in the Imperium Ascendant fleet, he was a decorated veteran of the Obdurate War. He was in command of the flagship of the fleet sent to capture Proteus Vex. He and the fleet were later killed in orbit above the Superstructure at the orders of Tsellest in an effort to destroy all witnesses of his crime of murdering the Imperium delegation.
 * Natim 30 Lotus: An Imperium scholar who studied the legends of Proteus Vex, who viewed those who painted Vex as a hero to be drifting as it was Natim's belief that Vex prioritized his own life above all which was the antithesis of a hero.
 * Sheriff Salome Fawn: An Imperium author who wrote Angering Colossi (Fourth Edition)