Black Sun - A Modern History Lesson
Posted by: Tomas O`Cuinn - Faction: Gree Trade Authority
Date: Year 17 Day 167 Onboard the Imperial Star Destroyer GSS Secutor in system Gree (-20, 439).
Recently, ViskCor News Network published propaganda regarding Black Sun's instability and status within the Imperial Union. Though having recently been published, many political analysts believe that the news piece is approximately two years old, as it appears to describe former Underlord Alexander von Ismay's reign. To fully understand the implications and context of ViskCor's article, one must first know Black Sun's recent history. Ismay usurped the throne in Year 14, proclaiming himself the "Underlord" and beginning a two year period of paranoia and fear within the syndicate. In an effort to cover up his coup of the Black Sun throne, Alexander dismissed the remaining Family Council members and numerous loyal officers, declaring many of them as traitors to his Black Sun. Those that did not flee were hunted down and slaughtered, mostly for being loyal to Black Sun and not Ismay himself. Among those declared traitors were Vigos Jormungand Gand and Nyarlathotep Alaks, along with career officers Allendi Solvan, Alucard Tepes, Corwyn Zythor, Tatyana Haines, and Tomas o`Cuinn. An unknown number of enlisted personnel were killed, kicked out, or left of their own accord. In their places, Alexander elevated his own followers to stack the leadership of Black Sun in his favor.
As any current Black Sun member can attest to, Alexander von Ismay's reign was plagued with his disappearances and inaction, which many have attributed to his addiction to illegal drugs such as ryll and the increasingly popular death stick. Increasingly potent pressure from the GenoHaradan paramilitary group, a breakaway of former Black Sun leaders, certainly built up the pressure on the underperforming Underlord. Members of the syndicate lived in constant fear that a misspoken word would lead to their immediate execution, as Alexander's paranoia over spies and traitors persisted throughout his reign. Also questionable was the inexperienced advisors he surrounded himself with, such as Kathlen Stewart and Kyran Caelius, whom he kept closer than even the seasoned Family Council that managed the syndicate for him. Alexander's paranoia and poor choice of advisors was only a small portion of his failures as Underlord; prior to taking the throne, his entire leadership experience was comprised of producing starships in the Black Sun-owned Aurora Technologies corporation and managing the failed Binaros Smuggling Alliance. His inexperience and lack of leadership were transparent during his rule, as the fallout from his poor decisions had to be consistently cleaned up by the Family Council. The Galactic Empire's distrust in Underlord Ismay's leadership is the reason Imperial technology was withheld during his rule, despite what fabrication his disciples may create.
After Alexander finally decided to retire in Year 17, he named Regent Jeor Knight as his successor and hoped to control the new Dark Prince from retirement. He soon realized his mistake when Dark Prince Knight refused to be so easily manipulated; Alexander then demanded that Knight step down so that he could return from retirement. When Knight refused, Ismay and Stewart betrayed the Family by stealing a handful of assets entrusted to them and attempted to blackmail the Family Council. Unwilling to sell Black Sun's integrity, the pair were instead thrown out of Black Sun. A number of Alexander's uninvolved but dedicated followers departed on their own soon after. In disgrace and having lost everything, Alexander and Kathlen bribed one follower, Rennek Cor, to create the ViskCor "News Network" with the sole intent to produce mediocre propaganda against Black Sun and its Imperial Union allies. While Black Sun reports suggest that Kathlen Stewart was the mastermind of the pair's treason, Gree analysts maintain that the two acted together and as full partners in their treachery.
Above: The constant stress is obvious in these portraits of Ismay before and near the end of his reign
