Emperor's Dawn

Emperor's Dawn
Members	Brendan Paul Darius Damon Clarke (associate)
Location	Imperial space
Type	Ultra-traditionalist movement
Purpose	Restore traditional Imperial values and promote militarization
Dissolved	February 5, 3302

Emperor's Dawn was a covert ultra-traditionalist movement within the Empire that claimed to represent the Empire's true ideals and advocated a return to traditional values. It demanded that it be given the authority to appoint a new Emperor of its choice, that the Imperial Senate be disbanded, and that the Empire adopt a broad policy of militarization to strengthen the Imperial Navy. Following the assassination of Emperor Hengist Duval by Emperor's Dawn member Brendan Paul Darius in August 3301, Senator Denton Patreus led the campaign to eradicate the group, which managed to escape complete destruction on two occasions. Emperor's Dawn was finally defeated in February 3302 after a series of secret outposts harboring its leadership were uncovered and destroyed.

History

On August 5, 3301, Emperor's Dawn member Brendan Paul Darius assassinated Emperor Hengist Duval, known for several progressive policies, on his wedding day, which sparked a minor succession crisis as Hengist had not yet formalized plans to designate Arissa Lavigny-Duval as his heir. When Arissa was elected Emperor anyway, Emperor's Dawn vehemently opposed her policies, and also targeted Princess Aisling Duval for her anti-slavery activism. Senator Denton Patreus was charged with leading the Empire's campaign to eradicate Emperor's Dawn, and by October 28, Emperor's Dawn bases in Namarii, Tabaldak, and LTT 874 had been destroyed.

Weeks later, Emperor's Dawn reemerged in the Kausalya system in Federal space, where they established outposts to support a new insurgency in the Empire. The Federal Navy destroyed these outposts on December 16, 3301, which was thought to mark the group's final defeat. Emperor's Dawn proved more tenacious than that, however, and on January 21, 3302, secret outposts belonging to the group were discovered in Dakshmandi, Ipilyaqa, and Ch'i Lin. These "shadow cells" were designed to protect the leadership of Emperor's Dawn in the event of a military defeat. Senator Patreus promptly issued a call to arms, and the shadow cells were declared exterminated on February 5, 3302. Non-Imperial observers of the battle commented that despite Imperial claims of a clean sweep, their victory was actually hard-won.

On August 20, 3302, former members of Emperor's Dawn allegedly funded by Kahina Tijani Loren unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Senator Patreus during a public appearance at Mackenzie Relay in Cemiess.

Timeline

19 SEP 3302

• Sources close to the Imperial Senate have released a statement indicating that Lady Kahina Tijani Loren, erstwhile senator of the Prism system, has been charged in connection with the attempted assassination of Admiral Denton Patreus. Prior to this development, Lady Kahina had not been heard from since mid 3301. Details of her recent activities are shrouded in mystery, although under the alias Commander Salomé she has been linked to various revolutionary organisations, including the Children of Raxxla, the Phoenix Group, the Dark Wheel and now Emperor's Dawn. After Lady Kahina went missing in the Cemiess system last month, the Children of Raxxla attempted to destabilise the system's economy to force system authorities to reveal her whereabouts. "Her intentions are clear," said a reporter for The Imperial Citizen. "She hates Patreus for his takeover of the Prism system – which I might point out was entirely legal – and harbours ridiculous delusions of becoming Emperor. She's been sowing seeds of discontent everywhere she goes. As we reported last month, she is dangerously unstable and an irresponsible warmonger. Now that she's been caught, she should be dealt with harshly. The same applies to the factions loyal to her." Princess Aisling Duval also addressed the arrest, saying: "I was always suspicious about her. Now her true colours have been revealed. I hope she receives a just punishment for her atrocious crimes. I wouldn't be surprised to discover she was behind the instability of the past year. My thanks go to our loyal Imperial security services for their diligence." Lady Kahina has reportedly been moved to the Achenar system to await trial.

20 AUG 3302

• Recent reports indicate that an attempt was made on the life of Admiral Denton Patreus as he delivered a speech at Mackenzie Relay in the Cemiess system. The Imperial Internal Security Service confirmed that it apprehended three individuals carrying firearms who attempted to approach the admiral's podium. Following the incident, Admiral Patreus appeared slightly shaken but said: "I will never submit to terror. These individuals will be brought to justice." Subsequent reports identified the culprits as belonging to the organisation Emperor's Dawn, but it is rumoured that the dissidents were bankrolled and supported by a second party. "Emperor's Dawn was smashed – it's history," said a researcher for the Imperial Citizen. "Someone else was behind this – someone with a major grudge against Patreus."

16 MAR 3302

• When the dissident organisation known as Emperor's Dawn was first brought to public attention, a number of high-profile Imperials were discovered to have connections to the group. One of them was Damon Clarke, a prominent industrialist and a member of Princess Aisling Duval's inner circle. According to a report published by the Imperial Herald, one of Clarke's companies had previously sold weapons to Emperor's Dawn, and the revelation plunged Clarke into scandal. The prominent patron denied all knowledge of the transaction, but his declarations of innocence were undermined when he fled Imperial space. From that point on, no further information regarding Clarke's whereabouts or actions was released to the public. But now an undisclosed source, which claims to be close to the Imperial Internal Security Service, has shared news of Clarke's fate. A section of the anonymous message is reprinted below: "As you know, Clarke fled Imperial space when his connection to Emperor's Dawn was discovered. But he didn't get far. The IISS caught up with him in Apathaam and brought him back to Achenar. Clarke was looking at a death sentence, but the IISS offered him a deal: give up his contacts in Emperor's Dawn in exchange for a more lenient sentence. Clarke jumped at the offer, and gave up everyone he knew. His information earned him a commuted sentence: house arrest at his home on Capitol. He even got to keep his car. A pretty good deal. So time passes and Emperor's Dawn gets its ass handed to it by the Empire. But a few of Clarke's former contacts survive, and they're none too happy about him selling them down the river. With IISS agents stationed at Clarke's home, it wasn't easy for them to get to him, but in the end they succeeded. Poisoned his food, I gather. Nasty way to go." The Imperial Internal Security Service has declined to comment on the matter.

5 FEB 3302

• Imperial Senator Denton Patreus has confirmed that the Emperor's Dawn 'shadow' cells discovered two weeks ago in the Dakshmandi, Ipilyaqa and Ch'i Lin systems have been destroyed. Thousands of independent pilots responded to the senator's call to arms, resulting in the total destruction of what are thought to be the last remaining Emperor's Dawn outposts. Following the victory, Senator Patreus released a statement to the media: "The galactic community has once again shown that it will not let itself be cowed by extremists. To all those who contributed to this campaign, I wish to offer my sincerest gratitude. I know that in the past I have been guilty of prematurely dismissing Emperor's Dawn, but on this occasion I think we can safely say that this insurgent organisation, which has tried so hard to undermine our way of life, is no more." The battle was viewed rather differently outside the Empire, however, with one commentator stating: "The Imperial propaganda machine would have you believe the Empire won by a landslide, but the truth is they had to work hard for victory."

21 JAN 3302

• When the Federal Navy destroyed the Emperor's Dawn base in the Kausalya system in December, many believed the organisation had finally been defeated. The Federal offensive, which was supported by a large deputation from the Federal Navy Auxiliary, was swift and merciless, and resulted in the total destruction of the insurgent outpost. But a statement from the office of Imperial Senator Denton Patreus indicates that, against all odds, Emperor's Dawn has endured. "The Imperial Internal Security Service has discovered that Emperor's Dawn has 'shadow' cells in the Dakshmandi, Ipilyaqa and Ch'i Lin systems – secret outposts that were apparently designed to protect the organisation's leadership in the event of a military defeat. It is of course vital to the continued security of the Empire and its people that these outposts be neutralised as swiftly as possible. If it is not, Emperor's Dawn could re-emerge to threaten the galaxy once again." Senator Patreus went on to issue a call to arms: "Swiftly neutralising these outposts depends on the support of the galactic community, and to this end I have authorised the payment of privateer bonds to any pilots who help with the offensive against Emperor's Dawn. Let us destroy these vile dissidents once and for all."

16 DEC 3301

• Admiral Kirby of the Federal Navy confirmed that the fight against Emperor's Dawn in Kausalya had been an unmitigated success. President Zachary Hudson described the Emperor's Dawn incursion as "clearly the last gasp of a dying animal", and said the insurgents' outpost in the system had been utterly destroyed.

They were defiant at first, but the battle started to go our way pretty quickly, and the past week has just been a mopping-up exercise, really. I think the Federal Navy Auxiliary made a big difference – when the insurgents saw how many independent pilots we had on our side, their morale took a big hit.

— Admiral Kirby, Federal Navy

03 DEC 3301

• An Emperor's Dawn base was established in the Federation-controlled system Kausalya. Military analysts speculated that the insurrectionists may attempt to use Kausalya as a staging ground for attacks against the Empire. President of the Federation Zachary Hudson authorised the payment of privateer bonds to those who help fight against Emperor's Dawn there.

Perhaps the terrorists think our distaste for the Empire is so great, we will tolerate their presence in our space. Perhaps they thought we simply wouldn't notice their incursion. In any case, they are wrong, and they have made a costly mistake. We will mete out such punishment that the very fires of hell will seem but guttering candles in comparison. Emperor's Dawn is about to learn what it means to cross the Federation.

— President Zachary Hudson

28 OCT 3301

• The Empire won the conflicts in Namarii, Tabaldak and LTT 874, resulting in the total destruction of the Emperor's Dawn bases in those systems. Denton Patreus defiantly declared Emperor's Dawn "no longer a threat." General Anthony Corvus was more cautious, saying "This is a significant victory, certainly, but the war is not over."

26 OCT 3301

• In response to the Empire dealing critical blows to their forces in Namarii, Tabaldak and LTT 874, Emperor's Dawn decided to double the offered rewards for people fighting for their side. "Let us see how much people really believe in 'Imperial values'."

21 OCT 3301

• Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval denounced Emperor's Dawn as enemies of the Empire, and praised Denton Patreus's handling of the fight against them.

15 OCT 3301

• Senator Denton Patreus sent fleets to attack three newly revealed Emperor's Dawn bases, in the Namarii, Tabaldak and LTT 874 systems. News feeds speculated that the attacks were intended to minimise the chances of the insurgents disrupting Arissa Lavigny-Duval's forthcoming coronation.

12 OCT 3301

• Emperor's Dawn were revealed to be connected to a security breach at Universal Cartographics that resulted in the sabotage of some exploration scanner firmware. It was speculated that they were attempting to hamstring the IISS's investigation into the location of their bases.

11 OCT 3301

• As the war between the Empire and Emperor's Dawn continues, an increasing number of political commentators are asking the question: where does the organisation get its money? Since the military campaign began, the Empire has expended substantial resources fighting the insurgents, but for the most part Emperor's Dawn has managed to match the strength of the Imperial offensives, and this ability to resist the Empire suggests that the organisation has access to significant levels of funding. Several weeks ago it was revealed that Emperor's Dawn had at one time received backing from D and C Shipping, Inc., an organisation belonging to the Imperial patron and industrialist Damon Clarke, but the connection between the two organisations is believed to have been severed some time ago. Verifiable details are scarce, but an anonymous source within the Empire has shared suspicions that Emperor's Dawn could have a benefactor in the corporate world. If this is true, it raises the question of what kind of company would support an organisation like Emperor's Dawn, and what it might hope to gain from such an association. The IISS was approached for comment, but it replied only by saying it was "pursuing all available leads".

08 OCT 3301

• IISS analysis of the collected exploration data revealed that there were Emperor's Dawn bases in Namarii, Tabaldak, LTT 874, Shambhala and Svari.

06 OCT 3301

• The senate declared Arissa Lavigny-Duval Emperor. Emperor's Dawn declared the decision "a desecration of the traditions of the Empire", and vowed not to allow the ceremony to happen.

04 OCT 3301

• Agents of the Imperial Guard and IISS arrested several members of Chancellor Anders Blaine's staff. Blaine said that Princess Aisling Duval's accusation that his staff had links to Emperor's Dawn were true, that members of his staff had been involved in slander against her, and that he took all responsibility and apologised.

03 OCT 3301

• Analysis of propaganda materials released by Emperor's Dawn showed that while they claim to stand for 'traditional values', their actual philosophy was vague at best, maybe intentionally. Emperor's Dawn claimed that the Empire had become "irrevocably decadent", and that they would be "Heralds of the New Imperial Age", demanding that they be allowed to chose the new Emperor, that the Senate be disbanded, and that military "equivocation and leniency" be "replaced with a philosophy of total martial conviction."

02 OCT 3301

• Little has been heard from Princess Aisling Duval since it was revealed that one of her key advisors, Patron Damon Clarke, was connected to Emperor's Dawn. She has reportedly cooperated with both the Senate and IISS investigations into the allegations, and has vehemently denied any prior knowledge of the link. That changed this morning with the shattering announcement of her own investigation's findings. In a statement, Princess Aisling revealed that some of Chancellor Anders Blaine's past advisors were connected to the same members of Emperor's Dawn as Patron Damon Clarke. She also highlighted that while Patron Clarke's connection to Emperor's Dawn was historic, those within the Chancellor's team were more recent. She concluded by listing the names of those implicated. Princess Aisling Duval has not yet released evidence of the connections. Chancellor Anders Blaine denied all knowledge of any connection, and refused to comment further.

30 SEP 3301

• Emperor's Dawn's status as enemies of the Empire lead to a mixed response to their appeal for material aid. They received their target quantity of progenitor cells, but failed to meet the target quantity of narcotics.

28 SEP 3301

• The Imperial Herald's report of connections between Princess Aisling Duval's office and Emperor's Dawn had a severe impact on her rating, and may have had an impact on her standing with the Senate.

21 SEP 3301

• At the start of the day's deliberations, Chancellor Anders Blaine declared that a Senate investigation into the claimed connection between Princess Aisling Duval's office and the insurgent group Emperor's Dawn was to be undertaken. The investigation will begin immediately, despite the Senate being in closed session until the succession is decided. In response, Aisling Duval stated that she would comply in any way she could with the investigation. She also said that her own security teams had discovered some alarming information that she would share with the investigation committee. Meanwhile, the hunt for Patron Damon Clarke continues. Several of his associates were arrested by the Internal Security Service in the early hours of the morning and subjected to questioning.

20 SEP 3301

• As Senator Denton Patreus prepared to enter the Senate to continue the deliberations over the succession, he issued an angry demand for a full senate investigation into the reported links between Emperor's Dawn and Princess Aisling Duval's office. "While I sympathise with the princesses' situation, having experienced a similar shock, I cannot allow that sympathy to influence my judgement. When a member of my household committed the most heinous of deeds, I submitted myself to the security services and gave them every access they needed. We cannot wait to act, and I call upon the senate to commence an immediate and full investigation into any links between Princess Aisling and Emperor's Dawn." After the initial flurry of information from the Imperial Herald, no new facts were released today. Patron Damon Clarke remains at large, and the considered opinion is that he has fled the Empire.

19 SEP 3301

• Following yesterday's revelation of alleged links between Princess Aisling Duval's office and the Emperor's Dawn insurgency, Princess Aisling today issued a statement denying any knowledge of the connection. "It has come as a bitter surprise to me that any of my trusted advisors could have conducted business with the animals that murdered the Emperor. I will immediately undertake my own investigation into the matter, and root out any staff who are not truly loyal to the Empire." Popularity polls have shown a dramatic fall for the so-called 'People's Princess' as the Imperial Herald revealed more details of the alleged interactions with the terrorist group. Patron Damon Clarke remains unavailable for comment. A security officer based in Clarke's home system revealed, anonymously, that Clarke's whereabouts are unknown.

18 SEP 3301

• In a devastating exposé released earlier today, the Imperial Herald has published details of alleged links between the secretive group backing Princess Aisling Duval and some of the funding sources for the Emperor's Dawn insurgency. While a direct connection between Princess Aisling and the insurgency is not alleged, there does appear to be a connection to senior members of the Princess's inner council. Most notable of these is the patron and industrialist Damon Clarke. The Herald has found evidence that D and C Shipping, Inc., one of Clarke's companies, apparently funded and organised weapon shipments to people now known to be members of Emperor's Dawn three years ago. It is not known at this time whether there has been any recent contact between Clarke's company and these individuals, or how this relates to the assassination of Emperor Hengist Duval. Patron Damon Clarke was unavailable for comment, but a spokesman for the company said: "We are an interstellar shipping company, making thousands of shipments for clients each day. We are approved to transport weapons where such shipments are legal, and we occasionally do so. We do not comment on individual transactions. If a former client later became a terrorist, that is certainly abhorrent, but it is hardly the fault of D and C Shipping, Inc."

18 SEP 3301

• Agent Cope of the IISS said Emperor's Dawn "represents a significant threat to the Empire", and issued a second appeal for exploration data to aid in the search for Emperor's Dawn bases.

13 SEP 3301

• Senator Denton Patreus launched a military campaign against Emperor’s Dawn.

11 SEP 3301

• Several Emperor's Dawn bases were discovered. Imperial forcers were mobilised and Senator Denton Patreus offered generous rewards to independent pilots who lend their aid.

10 SEP 3301

• Captured Emperor's Dawn materials showed that they believed Emperor Hengist Duval was complict "in the erosion of tradition", and wanted him replaced with someone more fitting. Who that might be was not specified.

28 AUG 3301

• The Imperial Internal Security Service (IISS) issued an open contract for exploration data, in order to search it for any useful intelligence. They refused to confirm that they were searching for Emperor's Dawn bases, but the Imperial Citizen claimed to have intercepted an IISS communiqué that suggested that was the case.

27 AUG 3301

• Senator Zemina Torval declared her support for the war Denton Patreus had declared against Emperor's Dawn, and ordered her followers to join it. Some political analysts had written off Patreus, due to his association with Brendan Paul Darius, but his decisive action against Emperor's Dawn countered that. Florence Lavigny also spoke out in support of Patreus, saying that he was not an enemy of Hengist Duval.

23 AUG 3301

• Chancellor Anders Blaine announced that Brendan Paul Darius, the man who killed the Emperor, was not working alone. An investigation into the retaliatory murders of Darius's family had discovered encrypted data files, which revealed the existence of an "ultra-traditionalist movement" named Emperor's Dawn.

20 AUG 3301

• A mysterious organisation called Emperor’s Dawn opened contracts for vast quantities of Battle Weapons at Saarinen Station in the Kamcha system, Ceremonial Heike Tea at Sikorsky Orbital in the Jang Di system, and Toxic Waste at Blaauw Port in the Dinkas system. Little was known about them, but their unusual name and vast wealth attracted attention. They were believed to be headquartered in the Kamcha system.

05 AUG 3301

• Emperor Hengist Duval died en route to a medical facility after being stabbed by a member of the congregation before his wedding. Chancellor Blaine wouldn't provide details about the attacker.