February 3rd, 2335 2330 Hours CMT (Imperial Calendar)
"They've never been on this side of the portal, how the hell did they manage to pass through without notice and disable an entire fleet Grand Admiral? A Titan is currently smoking in drydock with more than half its crew dead Admiral! Seventy thousand dead on the titan alone! Another two million dead on the accompanying ships, what do you say Admiral!"
Here he sat before the most powerful men and women in the Imperial navy. Ten of the most decorated veterans the fleet could offer, and they were screaming at him. It was not a common occurrence for an entire fleet, billions if not trillions of credits worth of men and material to suddenly cease to exist. As it should not have been, but here they were, one day after the loss of ninety percent of the seventh fleet going over just what had happened. A hundred star destroyers, two hundred and three cruisers, four hundred and one frigates and destroyers, all of it dead in the void due to an unseen enemy.
"My lord Admirals."
He was not welcome here, right now he was the target of their rage, of their spite towards the enemy, and he would bear it no longer.
"The imperial security bureau, along with fleet intelligence has painted us a picture for what exactly transpired two days ago."
Behind him a projector suddenly lit up, highlighting the galactic map of both galaxies before zooming in on the Casan cluster located two jumps from Rannoch. It was near the edge of the galactic disk, far away from any known threats. The seventh had been on a minor patrol looking for possible pirates in the area. What they had found, had sent ripples along every chain of command possible, most likely even to the emperor himself. The enemy, the keepers of the shroud, had opened a dimension to their space and ambushed the fleet with uncountable numbers. This had all been detected and recorded aboard the black box located within the bridge of the Titan, the picture it painted was terrifying.
"At zero nine hundred hours CMT, the seventh fleet under the command of Admiral Serkov had just finished jumping into the Casan cluster when the outermost pickets began reporting energy spikes unseen in this galaxy. These spikes in what we have classified as shroud energy spiked across the entire system. Within a thirty second window, over one thousand "portals" to this other space opened at every imaginable angle before spitting out two thousand ships of varying class. Aboard the vessels of the fleet, what we have termed as shroud demos appeared on every deck, on every bridge, and every barracks as the entire fleet was attacked by these creatures simultaneously."
A video began to play that was recorded form the bridge of the INV Bular, a Venator class star destroyer located near the edge of the fleet. Everything seemed normal as the ship transitioned to real space, the officers and deck crewman shouting orders or giving reports. The clones or fleet marines stood their post silently, ramrod straight as guarded the command and control center of the entire ship. Suddenly this scene of calmness was broken, as four large portals made of blue, purple, and pink light erupted among the command platforms on the bridge before spitting out monstrosities. There were great beasts of claws and talons, tentacled creatures with a dozen arms of spinning claws and mucus, and finally an ooze that leaked out of this portal to mad space. When it touched the man-made structure of the ship it hissed as if burning like acid, as the blue liquid continued to pour out, humanoid forms began to rise from its seemingly out of nowhere.
These humanoid forms took shape as equipment, weapons, eyes and armor began to appear from the blue sludge. These were the madmen, the traitors, aliens, and man alike who had given themselves over to the shroud willingly and fully embraced the hell dimension for what it was. It took less than three seconds for the clones to open fire, a red blast of energy impacting every creature and soldier alike as they tried to cut down the enemy boarding force to the man. The clones tried their best, using every weapon imaginable to them as they fired weapons, three grenades, and resorted to blades of metal at the end, but it was not enough. Numbers were not on their side with only six of them on the bridge at the time they quickly fell to the otherworldly powers.
He stopped the video there, unwilling to watch the defenseless naval crewman be hacked apart by those things. The room was silent, he and the Admirals unwilling to speak before one finally broke the silence.
"It was the theory that these things, these keepers of the shroud were unable to access our space unless an act of genocide or some other type of sacrificial event called for their coming."
This was common knowledge to Imperial leadership, having seen the effects of this upon a dozen worlds already.
"My lords, the local planetary body in the system is to blame for this. Somehow, someway, the keepers of the shroud were able to convert the medium-sized population over to their cause before committing a ritualistic mass suicide across the entire planet. Records show a pre convert population of two point three million, more than enough to bring about an event such as this."
One of the Admirals, High lord Admiral Tenson, supreme commander of the Coruscant sector fleet began going through papers on his desk. Each of them snapping against the desk before his eyes fell on something before rising and looking on the presenter.
"So, the keepers of the shroud are now in this galaxy, and not our home one. This is a fact, they have destroyed an Imperial fleet, another fact, so how long is it until we begin seeing a resurgence of their numbers upon the newly conquered worlds."
He didn't want to say this part, for it was terrifying to even say to the most powerful people bar the Emperor himself. He cleared his throat before speaking, the lump in his throat only growing larger as he carefully prepared himself to speak.
"They are already here my lords, and we are not ready."
INV Tacitus, Acclamator class assault ship February 3rd, 2335.
To say Garrus was speechless would be an understatement, his mandibles held wide in supposed he could barely utter a sound as he looked upon his once comrade in arms. Ash did the same, her eyes looking over his dirty and busted blue armor, they stopped on the two white pauldrons on his shoulders and the rank on his chest denoting him as an officer in the auxilia. So this is what had become of him, he was a soldier just like her, sent off to foreign battlefields to fight an enemy neither of them had ever seen until they laid their own eyes on them. Garrus broke out of his surprise, his mandibles closing in a grimace before he looked around and spoke.
"Not here, meet me at the port side barracks, room two two-three in an hour."
And then he was gone, going down the elevator beside other clones and officers of his legion. Ash was still standing there stunned at having seen a friend from so long ago, a friend she had served with under….. Her mind put their thoughts away, unwilling to bear the pain once more. One hour, two two three, she would be there.
One hour later.
No one gave her a word as she passed into the three thirty-fourth part of the ship. To them, she was just another officer, a being who deserved a greeting of the day and nothing more. So when she passed into the barracks area and stood before room two two three she took one last glance around her before knocking. Garrus answered in an instant, his clawed hand digging into her flesh and uniform as he pulled her bodily into the room and slammed her into the wall. He waited until the door slid shut once more before his blue eyes locked onto hers like a predator to prey before speaking.
"Three fucking years, three long fucking years and now you show up as soon as one good thing happens in my life. What happened to you Ashley Wiliams, when did you become an Imperial?"
She couldn't be a true Imperial, she might have been a racist yes, but she was a diehard Alliance supporter, so seeing her here his first guess was that she was an AOF spy. A spy, here to harm the men and women he served with, here to harm his clone brothers, here to harm him. He would not allow it, with her arms locked to the wall he prepared his fangs in case she tried anything stupid and waited.
"Get your fucking hands off me, Garrus!"
"Tell me your AOF! Tell me you're a fucking terrorist here on a stupid crusade to supposably free us! Let me kill you right now!"
Her hand went to something on her belt, his eyes saw the movement as he bared his fangs and went in for the kill. A weapon was discharged, an Imperial weapon at that, was shot directly into his torso armor plate knocking him backward and onto the floor. Garrus fell as his first fang slashed her face, ripping away flesh and leaving a blood streak to fly through the air. Both of them went to their wounds before looking back at each other with eyes full of hate and zeal. Neither would submit, they would fight and die here until there was a winner, or…
"I'm a servant of the Empire you idiot! I am an Imperial army officer, now stand down lieutenant!"
She was bleeding from where he had slashed her, the blood flowing from the wound as she held a standard-issue imperial pistol in her hand.
"Explain then, now."
His chest plate had taken the hit easily, so he stood, glaring at the human glaring right back.
"Fine, it started right after our capture.."
Two hours later.
By the time she was finished Garrus was seated, holding his head as he coped with everything she had told him. Of the torture, of the pain she had gone through, she had told him everything she had done or suffered from before she finished with one last memory of Shepard.
"I, I shot him Garrus, I shot him right in the fucking head. His brains splattered, his blood was all over and I, I fucking broke!"
Tears were streaming down her face as she recalled her initiation into the empire.
"The Emperor was there, right behind me telling me how good of a job I did. The man himself, you know, he looks a lot older in person."
She said the last line with a chuckle before breaking down into sobs again. He couldn't believe, he just couldn't. The words just were not real, it had to have been a lie, well thought out lie that she had come up with or, no, spirits no.
"He's dead, really dead then."
Through choked sobs, she looked up before giving a nod. Garrus wrapped both of his arms around her and she sobbed into his shoulder, the pain of it all melting off of her and into his very soul. His friend, a brother, was dead….
"Shepard, you poor bastard. I'm sorry dear friend, and if you can hear me, ill see you up there when the time comes."
The mood of happiness at getting some R and R was gone, replaced by the somberness of knowing the best person he had ever known was dead.
"All Hands, all hands, preparing for docking with Omega station, all hands…"
Ashley had stopped crying, her eyes still stained with the wetness she pulled her head out of his shoulder before standing up and straightening her uniform out.
"We should get going, our troops are going to need us."
He could tell she was still raw with emotion by the way her voice dropped, but at least she had gotten it out.
"See you on Omega Garrus."
"See you on Omega Ash."
And they parted ways.
Omega, February 4th,2183
Garrus was amazed, not just to what had happened to Omega and its complete turnaround, but to have the feeling of freedom once again. Looking around to his fellow auxilia he could see it in their movements and the way they acted with one another. They were relaxed, happy even, to finally be away from the battlefields for the first time in three years. Three years! He rubbed his hand along his face as he took it all in, three spirits damned years he fought and bled on a foreign battlefield. So much time, just gone, never to be recovered as he grew older. A clone passed him, the face all too recognizable he was not in his armor for once and Garrus could tell he was not used to it, and he did not like it.
The clone was wearing casual civilian clothes, slacks, button-up shirt, leather shoes, a sore thumb in the city life that was Omega now. Then there was the face, everyone knew what a clone looked like with their tannish skin, dark hair, and brown eyes. No doubt about it, Garrus wondered what the clone would be like in a week. He was eyeing the crowds of soldiers leaving for the inner parts of the city where they would find clubs and bars. Watching as the men who called him sir hopped aboard taxis or waved down vehicles, the clone grimaced. It was then Garrus noted the designation stamped onto the side of the clones head, CT-2121T, Bravo Company first battalion, his battalions, Captain.
The clone moved to a railing beside the taxi lane, looking over the city before him with a sigh as he took in the city for all it was. Garrus moved in beside him, careful to announce his presence to the war-wracked soldier.
"First time being free?"
The clone turned toward his voice and gave a nod, this was not the place for him, his place was a battlefield, a war where thousands would die, his real home.
"First time I've been out of my armor for longer than a shower in, maybe five years give or take."
A deep scar ran along the left side of his face, a reminder to where he had come from in the long time he had served his Empire.
"Yeah, it's nice once you get used to it and see it for what it truly is."
The clone gave a huff.
"My place is war, this, this is not for me."
Leaving the railing the clone officer returned to the ship behind them, Garrus watching him as he boarded the walkway and disappeared. How could he just throw away this moment of freedom, and escape from the hell they had all been through? His life he guessed, Garrus on the other hand would not be wasting this opportunity, he was in the middle of signaling a taxi when a familiar voice broke his concentration.
"Garrus!"
"Ashley."
She was wearing civilian clothes now, her hair in a bun, she walked right up to the Turian and took a spot beside him as a taxi vectored in on the couple.
"So you're going out with the troops then, sure you can make it with us Xenos?"
She chuckled before smiling.
"I served with your alien ass on the Normandy, Ill be fine."
The yellow-colored aircar had just come to a stop, the Salarian driver eyeing the two obvious soldiers as they got into the back seat.
"Where two Sir, Ma'am?"
"What are you thinking, Garrus? Nightclub?"
He mulled it over, it had been a long time.
"Night club, is the afterlife still a thing?"
"Sure is, well under new management, of course, human management but yeah, afterlife it is!"
Shepard.
Omega had changed, for the better of all things. Stepping foot on the once pirate home of the entire galaxy, it was a wonder to think what kinds of filth used to inhabit this station. Shepard, his N team, and Miranda were here to garner support form the local resistance group who had been a thorn in the side of the Empire since the moment they stepped foot here. Leftover remnants from the old days, not the best people but the AOF called them allies so Shepard called them allies.
"Shepard, just got a hit from the dockyards, an Imperial troop transport has just offloaded two military units for R and R in the city. The three thirty fourth and nine seventy-fifth, odd i've never heard of them doing that before."
"Two legions…"
"Well, one legion and an army regiment, different units structure."
"Well, this just got more interesting."
Their contact for the locals was meeting them in the old afterlife nightclub. Once the castle of famous pirate lord Aria T'loak, it now acted in the same capacity but under new Imperial management.
"Mask on, we don't want to be recognized out here, that means you Shepard."
Being the Hero of the CItadel had its drawbacks, especially in a post-Imperial war galaxy that knew nothing but the ruling government. It'd only taken three years to erode away thousands of year old institutions, freedoms people had known for a hundred generations gone in an instant. Shepard activated the holo mask, giving him a new face of someone no one would bother to notice before entering the double doors leading into the club. Electronic music and the screams of patrons hit his ears as he took in the night club in full swing.
Surprisingly there were several aliens, making up over fifty percent of the people he saw as he made his way through the crowds too busy focusing on drinks or each other. Three years ago he bet this place would have looked the same, save for maybe a few more Asari, he had just brushed across somebody's back when he heard a very distinct voice yell at him.
"Oi! Watch your fucking hands baseline!"
Shepard's head turned to the speaker, his heart dropping as he realized the very distinct face looking back at him. A clone, islander skin, brown eyes, and wearing an Imperial issue black undersuit. He had a drink with a small umbrella in his hand and around him were another dozen clones in varying degrees of drunkenness. What the hell was going on here?
"Uh, my bad sorry."
"Fuckin right!"
There were clones here, dozens of them he began to notice as he took a real look at the human faces in the crowd. Then he began to see the distinctness of the aliens, how they carried themselves, how stiff they appeared compared to the civilians. He was surrounded by soldiers, Auxilia, clones, and the Imperial army, fuck. Keying his throat mic, he hissed at Miranda as he continued on.
"Miranda…"
"I know, move right toward the booths, that's where our contact is meeting us."
Pushing his way through a pack of Turians smacking each other on the back, Shepard broke through the crowd and met the edge of the dance floor. A ring of booths surrounded the floor and there sitting on the third one in, a half-dressed human female sat tinkering away at an Omni tool.
"That's her, Ns provide security but don't look too special. Shepard with me."
Miranda brushed passed him and sat across from the bald woman, Shepard followed, still watching the crowds as he sat down. The women noted their arrival and gave a wink before shutting off her tool. Tattoos covered her entire body with varying degrees of artwork. Wo straps acted as a shirt to the bottom of a folded jumpsuit. To Shepard, she looked like a criminal, maybe an escaped convict.
"So, this is what the army sends. A pretty boy wearing a mask and some bitch with a stick up her ass. You don't look like much."
Miranda was not, did not take that well.
"Amazing, you insult your betters as they try to give you support. Just amazing."
The woman snorted of all things, laughing as she spoke.
"Oh calm your tits Miri, now is this the real thing sitting across from me?"
Miranda looked over toward Shepard, giving him a nod Shepard deactivated the holo mask just for a second.
"Goddam! You look better in person, pretty boy. Maybe you and I could…"
"Back to business Jack, the army needs a network for Omega and you've helped us out in the past. We have the ability to land supplies to better equip your troops, the only question is are they willing to fight."
Her interruption earned a glare as Jack pulled out her omni tool.
"WIll to right, we've been fighting every day since those goddamn jackboots landed here. You're right, we need supplies but i'm not willing to submit my guys to some shit show leadership for a couple of guns, I want real support, men, material, ships if you think we're going to follow any of your orders."
"Easy, we can start today if you want. We have a ship at the docks ready and able to provide support. But before we hand over anything we want proof you can provide."
"Provide?"
"The army wants an Imperial target destroyed before the day is out or the supplies will stay where they are."
Jack went red, mulling over Miradnas words Shepard had taken to scanning the crowd once more. Clones, nonchalantly walking around nonhumans. He didn't think he'd ever see the day but ten again, he didn't think he would ever live again. Looking over toward the bar near the edge he caught a blink of blue clothing, a familiar blue he had seen three years ago. A turian, tall as usual had his back toward him ordering something from the bar. Beside him was a brunette doing the same, the two were conversing obviously and for some reason, Shepard was zeroing in on the two. What was about them that made them so unique? A clone approached the pair, calling out to the Turian and giving a view to just who he had been watching.
"Garrus."
His heart stopped, his throat constricted, every emotion he had locked away since he rebirth flooded out as he saw his best friend in the flesh and…. Talking to a clone, an Imperial test tube made flesh like he was a friend. No, that can't be Garrus he thought, he would never have joined the Empire, become one of their pawns, a soldier in their armies. But there he was, those blue eyes, that plate color, the movements and body type, it was all there and it was all Garrus, what had happened to you.
"Shepard!"
Snapping out his stare, Miranda shook the Commander shoulder as she called his name again.
"What the hell has gotten into you, did you not just hear what she said!"
"Uh no?"
Jack had a smile, an evil smile at that on her face.
"Well since he didn't hear I'll say it again. There's a bomb under the bar, my guys put it there this morning. Now if you two did not know, every patron of this bar right now is an Imperial soldier, clones, Auxilia, regular army. All targets in my book, so, you asked for a show and I'm here to provide one first hand. Wanna watch?"
Bar, fuck. Jack pulled a detonator from one of her pockets, a small cylinder with a redo button on the end her thumb was hovering over the red spot as she looked to the two AOF officers.
"Do it."
Shepard heard Miranda say the words, just as his eyes flashed to the bar to see Garrus, a clone and, oh shit. Hatred, anger, violence all rose within him at witnessing the one person he hated more than anything in the universe, maybe even the reapers themselves, smiling as she walked away from the bar. Ashley motherfucking Williams.
Jack finge hit the switch and the club went to hell. The bartender, a batarian missing two eyes, was the first to go in the flash or orange and red. Next were the closest patrons and then whoever else was hit by shrapnel from the blast. Shepard's eyes were predatory as they watched the blast go off but continued to spew daggers at the woman who had shot him in the face. The music stopped and was replaced with the sounds of the wounded as they screamed their pain to the stars. Shepard was up in an instant, his holo mask gone he pulled his handgun from his coat and began moving toward the crouching pair of former friends getting their wits back. He heard Miranda say something behind him but didn't mind, keying his mic again and throwing an order to the N team he was lost.
"Open fire, kill all the Imperials you can, kill them all."
So much rage, so much anger, it was boiling over as he saw that face, her stupid fucking face begin to notice the dark clothed man making his way toward her. With no mask he knew she recognized him and while he continued his march through the survivors he heard the N team comply with his orders and open fire. Avenger assault rifles were pulled out of long coats, their barrels pointing at the hapless crowd who slowly began to take notice of the seven guns aimed at them and react.
"Gun!"
He heard someone shout, but it didn't matter, yellow tracers began scything through the crowd as he saw Ashley grab Garrus's arm and point toward the commander. Yes you saw me bitch, and your time has come. He was within five meters, Garrus finally noting his approach as he rose from his crouch and sized up his once dead commander. Beside him the clone of all things took a defensive stance behind, his fist coming up as if he was preparing for a fistfight. Shepard stopped two meters away, his pistol in hand he could hear the screams and gunfire around him but he blotted them out as he took in his two former crewmates.
"Garrus Vakarian."
He noticeably jumped at Shepard's voice. It was then that Shepard noted the Imperial cogwheel so proudly worn on his shirt.
"And Ashley fucking Williams, nice to see you again."
His voice was full of hate.
"Shepard, holy shit Shepard, it's really you!"
There was joy in his voice, but also, something else. Like he was scared, afraid, well he fucking should be wearing that symbol.
"Garrus, so you're an Imperial now and Ash, well we both already know your story."
"Yeah, three years now I've served in the Auxilia."
"Three years serving the empire we fought to keep the galaxy free from, did our sacrifices not mean a goddamn thing to you!"
People died around them as now Miradnad and Jack joined in on the massacre, dozens dying as they made for the exit. Already Shepard could hear sirens, Imperial police approaching, he didn't have much time.
"Shepard, you were dead, and I had been captured. I didn't decide to join the Empire, I was forced too."
"Forced! Forced like Ashley was, forced to act like that fucking test tube behind you is a friend, forced to wear their symbol! You're nothing more than a traitor now!"
Shepard brought the pistol, laying the sights on his once friend he thought out every decision that had been made up to this point. Fighting for the AOF, coming to Omega, seeing what had become of his friends, he would not allow it to continue.
"Im sorry Garrus, but the Empire will be defeated and if that means killing you and Ash, then so be it."
He was squeezing the trigger, careful not to miss when a bottle was slammed against his head. His shot went wide, impacting somewhere in the ceiling he recovered from the blow quickly and found a batarian holding a shattered bottle.
"No one harms my officer, for the empire!"
He was bleeding from half a dozen wounds, yet he still rushed Shepard. Shepards first thought was what the hell, followed by how was he still alive? At such close range he didn't miss, pulling the trigger twice he pumped two rounds into the batarian who went down with two holes in his face. Shepard turning back to the trio was then slammed to the ground, the clone having charged him and bodily impacting him into the floor. Three elbows to the face, a knee to the ribs, Shepherd could barely keep up as the clone did everything possible to hinder the operator's moments. His weapon was thrown away as he threw a punch upward and impacted the clones nose, shattering it in a spray of blood.
The clone doubled down, resorting to using his head to crater the commander's face and earned a snap as Shepards own nose shattered. Meanwhile, the Ns had noted the two soldiers still alive in the sea of bodies and opened fire on Garrus and Ashley, both of them going to cover as they dodged the incoming rounds. Shepard punched, hit, kicked,dug his teeth in, and slashed as much as he could. The clone however took it all in stride, blood flowing from the wounds he had sustained so far he had just picked up the shattered bottle from the batarian and was about to come down in a finishing move when he suddenly stopped. Shepard had been shielding his face, aware of what the clone had been trying to do and when no blow came he slowly looked up to his attacker. A crimson hole slowly leaked from his forehead, the brain's signals having been interrupted the mouth moved just a tad as if it was speaking. Slowly the arms came down, the bottle falling out of his hand as the now corpse fell over and onto his side. A shadow slowly came over him, black hair, too perfect body, yup he was gonna hear about this.
"Get up Commander, it is time to leave."
Pushing the body to the side, Shepard dusted himself off as he picked up his discarded pistol and looked for his two former comrades.
"Fuck, they escaped."
"And we should too, Jack has a way out of here now, hurry."
So they got away, no doubt he would see them again, and when he did, he would not hesitate. Leaving the scene of carnage, Shepards thoughts were ones of hate and revenge.
February 4th, 2335 Rannoch.
"As of today, the Imperial magistrate is hereby requiring the enlistment of one hundred thousand Quarian's, and three-point five million Geth for service within the Imperial Navy Auxilia. These few, who will be selected randomly by this government will be sent to the stars as engineers for a variety of starships in need of experienced personnel. This is a great honor, that the people of this world shall endure and embrace as we march forward to the stars. Thank you, and praise be the Empire."
The scene cut back to the local Tv new station as the talking heads gave their own two cents on the situation. Meanwhile, Tali could barely breathe as she listened to the words, again and again, thinking about what this could mean for not just her, but everyone's future. Quarians would once again be going to the stars, her people would work on all manner of Imperial warships and be valued, truly be valued for just how great they were at their jobs. Geth were going as well but just as long as they kept to themselves, away from the Quarians there would be no problems. Her work on the shipyards had been boring recently anyways, she had to call father, get his opinion and all that.
So with the flick of a button, she rang her last surviving arent and waited. He answered with a gruff voice, apparently in the middle of something or another she guessed he hadn't looked at the caller when he answered.
"Who is it."
"Father."
He quickly changed his tune, going from the asshole politician to the parent she knew he was.
"Tali, it is so good to hear from you, what is it my dearest daughter?"
"I want to join the navy."
It definitely was not the worst thing he could have heard, having listened to her stories from her pilgrimage a simple service in the navy would be nothing. But then he remembered the Titan which had docked recently, the one where people spoke of demons, monsters, killing tens of thousands of navy personnel. Hmn.
"Are you sure you want to do that Tali? I know the governor just put out the order and all but you wouldn't even be on the list, why do you want to enlist, willingly?"
"I want to see the stars again father, I want to see the tools we make in action. I want to be the difference and be the reason our people are accepted. I believe this will make a difference, showing that even the former admiral's daughter is willing to serve."
She was laying the political bullshit on thick, and he probably knew it, but she really wanted to enlist.
"I, well, fine."
"Yes!"
"But! You will contact me whenever you can, I want to know what you're doing. No repeat of the Shepard, no more death, no boarding actions, just you and the engineers ok?"
"Yes, father."
"Ok, I love you Tali."
"I love you too, bye."
To go to the stars again, to see just what was out there in the new galaxy, yes this was it.
NOTE: Gotten a couple of reviews saying this is not Stellaris, so ill say it again. This faction, the Empire, is a modded faction I made which you can do with mods in the game. Play the game, know the game, before you call me a liar or something like that.