Vince Trageton

Vince was born to Cophuranee senator. Graduating as a Warrior at the Cha'Lynh academy, he soon makes a name for himself as a skilled combatant and cunning tactician. With his father's death, however, Vince inherits way more than he had bargained for. Little did he expect that he would one day decide the fate of billions. Born during the Chedalonian Civil War as daughter of a General in the Chedalonian royal Forces Shiromy grew up in a time of violence. Eventhough her parents did everything they could to keep her out of harms way and in fact unknowing of the conflict beyond the city walls, she very well registered the events around her. And so she learned about the rebellion against the Chedalonian... 

Early Life

Vince was born in 2492 on Cophuran. As children of Cophuranee congressman Vyctus Trageton he and his younger sister XY grew up at the beautiful costs of the planet's capitol Traquia.

At the age of 20 he decided to join the Cha'Lynh academy for advanced combat, a common decision among Cophuranee adolescents. With 25 he graduates as a Cha'Lynh Warrior and joins the Cophuranee special forces, where his skill and reputation - and maybe a bit of his father's influence - soon earned him command over Cophuran's first multispecies starfighter squadron, going by the name of Hunter Squadron. As both commander and member of the squadron he formed close bonds with each of his comrades, especialy his two wingmen, a Cophuranee named Darron Larcoon and a young Briceran woman named Myrna Qhalic. 

Name: Vince Trageton

Species: Male Cophuranee

Born: 2492 UST, Traquia City, Cophuran

Height: 180 cm
Skin color: Blue
Hair color: Black/blue
Eye color: Ice-Blue

Parents: Vyctus & Amara Trageton, 

Sister: Liah Trageton (deceased)

Wife: Shiromy Gitann

Daughter: Kyaara Trageton

Callsign: Phantom

Losses and trials

It just had to be his 30th birthday when he should see his family for the very last time. Folowing the celebration, Vince and his squadron were assigned to the Cophuranee cruiser Inferno, and sent of in a campaign to secure and fortify the pirate-infested trade routes along the Barjin cluster. The campaign stretched out for over a year with the Riquanee pirates proved their tenacity time and again, until a coordinated strike, planned by Vince and the operation's commander in charge, Ray Firkis obliterated their main base of operations along with several secondary outposts.

Victory celebrations were short-lived, however, as the task group soon received an urgent RTB order from the homeworld, which had come under siege by a hostile race known as Dhilani. With morale bolstered by recent victories the Cophuranee navy threw itself against the invaders, just to be met with overwhelming force and brutality, resulting in the loss of the fleet's flagship, Titan-class Battleship Champion. Momentarily leaderless the fleet had to retreat to the planet's far side and could all but try and fend off the Dhilani's numerous invasion pushes. Worse yet, during one of these invasions Vince is forced to watch in horror as his family is killed trying to escape in their personal shuttle.

After two weeks of occupation, Vince's squadron received the order to infiltrate and destroy the Dhilani mothership, Concidered and turning out as a near-suicide mission, Vince, Mryna and Darron found themselves the only ones left aboard the massive Dhilani cruiser. Ordering his squadmates to stay hidden and try to escape, Vince played bait and allowed himself to be captured by the Dhilani. Being certain that his friends had mad it to safety, Vince eventually dropped the charade and, using his superior Cha'Lynh skills, was able to escape captivity and even leave a scar in the face of the Dhilani warlord Pharas. Ironically it was this scar that would save Cophuran and its weakened forces from falling to the Dhilani. Furious by this act of infamy Pharas dropped his plans for Cophuran and instead swore to hunt Vince across the galaxy, obsessed to kill him.

Dark

After two years of running and hiding Vince finally managed to loose Pharas and settles down on the neutral planet Khall, where he works as a mercenary. During this time he has a short affair with a young human woman named Tyleea who, as he learned, was an Ydaa priestess from the planet Reylan. Fascinated by her psychokinetic skills Vince asked her to teach him some of them. Thanks to his Cha'Lynh training he had little trouble apprehending what she taught him. Yet this relationship was only short-lived and ended abruptly when Tyleea suddenly disappeared without a trace. Momentarily devastated Vince yet managed to get over her and direct his focus back to his occupation. Only months later, he is contacted a man named Vito Corlini, claiming to be a friend of his deceased father. Corlini offers him shelter and a job better suited for 'a man of his talents'.

"Your father knew many things. You may not realise it but a lot of what has happened did so by his design."

"Is that why he died?"

"No, that is why you live!" - Vito Corlini & Vince Trageton

Eventually Corlini revealed that he, just like Vince's father, was part of a clandestine organization known by selected few as The Watchers, tasked with monitoring the stability and balance across the known territory and taking appropriate actions, if and where required. 

Coming to Bricera

(NEED TO REWRITE THIS!)

Turning his back on the past, Vince decided to start over again and applied for the UPMF starfighter corps on Bricera. In the following years his exelent fighting and piloting skills and the tactical experience gained him the rank of commander and the task to build up an elite squad of multi-role fighters. Selecting only the best from the best he even had a chance to recruit some of his old squadmates and associates from Khall to assemble a unique band of elite fighters: Phantom Squadron.

Reunion

In 2530 Vince's past caught up with him, when the Dhilani Empire once more sought conquest and tried to invade Bricera. 

Due to his past and the fact that the whole Dhilani incident on Cophuran had been 'rewritten' for the planet's glorious history, Vince is the only one with experience and knowledge about the Dhilani and the courage to stand up against them. This fact along with his tactical skills earned him great respect and a formidable reputation with the Briceran Overlord and UPA president, Jarris Vaylon, and finally granted him the title of UPMF Supreme Commander, a position that he had paid high for, as it was due to the gruesome death of his mentor, Admiral Tarlon Cervis.

This loss as well as the cowardly kidnapping of Lady Shiromy Vaylon, fueled his anger and his resolve, as he led the Briceran fleet against the Dhilani into the Battle for Bricera. In a final showdown Vince and Pharas faced each other once more on the Dhilani flagship. To Vince's horror his past caught up with him once more when Tyleea, presented herself to him as the true ruler of the Dhilani and the mastermind behind the invasion and revealed her twisted goal to him: 

Had been keeping tabs on Vince and had waited for the United planets to become strong enough to defeat the Dhilani. Vince was to kill Pharas and subjugate the Dhilani, who long ago had conquered her home planet Reylan. Heart-broken and furious about betrayal and the realization that the whole scheme was mere a plot to bring him to this point, he killed them both and destroyed the Dhilani flagship.

With their leaders dead and their flagship destroyed, the Dhilani weren't able to withstand the UPMF counterattack and either fled or surrendered. For a moment Vince was a celebrated hero. However, the real crisis was just about to begin.

Retaliation

En route to Cophuran Vince received advice from Supreme Commander Ray Firkis, warning him to stay focused not let emotions cloud his judgement, especially in the presence of Overlord Vaylon, whose state of mind, possibly given to the recent losses - had become worryingly unstable.

With the Briceran fleet mobilizing and heading for Dhilon, Vaylon's state of mind slowly deteriorated the closer they got to the Dhilani homeworld. It was only at the height of the attack on the planet that Vince finally realized the truth: Tyleea, whom he had thought dead, had managed to preserve her spirit and taken control of Vaylon, clouding his mind and feeding his rage. But it was already too late. Vince was knocked out cold and dragged into an arrest cell.

It was Lady Shiromy, who, aided by Dhilani proconsul Marph Dralun, had managed to free herself and return to the Briceran flagship Warrior, who soon learned about Vince's fate and - well aware that something was terribly wrong - helped him to escape. Together, accompanied by Vince's fellow squadmates of Phntom Squadron, they flew the renegade Briceran fleet and seeked help from their Cophuranee allies. Although the Cophuranee are willing to support them, the rest of the UPA is reluctant and - as it seems - to cowardly to act up against their Presidnt.

With only the Cophuranee as allies Vince knows that the Warrior and her fleet cannot be taken on frontally, so he develops a plan. He contacts Jarris/Tyleea and suggests a meeting, to settle the score once and for all. Meanwhile the crew aboard the Warrior was well aware that something is wrong and - unwillng to continue such an aggressive course any further - prepared a mutiny against the Overlord.

In the end a grim showdown came about on the Warrior's bridge, when Vince and Shiromy had to face Tyleea in the body of Jarris Vaylon. Realizing that Tyleea could only be defeated if she was not able to leave the dying body, it was in fact Shiromy landed a quick and deadly strike against what once used to be her beloved husband. Indeed it succeeded in traping Tyleea, but it also meant the death of Jarris Vaylon. Shiromy was devastated. Soon word spread of Lord Vaylon's violent death by the hands of his wife and trusted supreme commander and Vince and Shiromy were arrested.

Rebellion

Vaylon's political opponent, Khetarian Lobbyist and Cophuranee-hater Phlic Aelhoc, made best use of this delicate situaton and found Vince and Shiromy guilty of murder and high treason. The situation escalated, when Cophuran - in knowledge of the recent events - protested against this charge and claiming the two not guilty. Not only did Aelhoc reject this claim, pointing out Vince's connections to intergalactical organized crime, twisting Shiromy's past as a rebel terrorist and giving the untruths about the Cophuranee history into account, he in return accused the Cophuranee as liars and trying to defend high traitors. As a consequence, Cophuran was excluded from the United Planets and placed under UPMF blockade.

Seeing the alliance in grave danger, Vince was in no way willing to sit and wait for his and Shiromy's execution. Supported by the mutinying crew of the Warrior and his fellow mates of Phantom Squadron he and Shiromy escapeed prison and retook the Briceran flagsip. Their destination: Cophuran, where now the remaining Briceran fleet was facing the Cophuranee home fleet and a battle had erupted that would change Cophuran's fate forever. Arriving too late Vince had to whitness with horror that most of the Cophuranee ships were either destroyed or subjecteded. Pushing the Warrior between the two fronts in a last ditch effort, he at managed to save a single ship: Cophuranee flagship Inferno. Soon though he had to realise that even a ship as powerful as the Warrior could't take on the entire UPMF fleet. They withdrew.

Proscribed and on the run The small band of renegades under Vince's lead follows the path that he once took and found a temporary home on an abandoned pirate base in the Pirecco Cluster. From there Vince started to revoke his old contacts and build up a more organized task force. Accompanied only by his closest squadmate, Vince and Shiromy flew to Khall to update and seek advice from his mentor, Vito Corlini. Regarding Aelhoc as a highly destabilizing factor, Corlini agrees to direct the Watchers' efforts on combating him.

Unfortunately Aelhoc had expected this move and had a heavy strikeforce standing by, which blew the meeting with an orbital bombardment of Khall. During the escape Shiromy was captured and taken into UPMF custody.

Calling in the Warrior Vince followed her back to Bricera where Aelhoc had prepared a trap for them. Still - heavily damaged - the Warrior managed to escape and retreat to the hidden base.

The unexpected UPMF strike against Khall had severed a lot of Vince's connections. While regenerating and regrouping Vince looked out for new sources to supply his small army with - proving pretty creative at times. Soon his small fleet was reinforced by captured Dhilani technology, which - combined with theirs - turned out to be considerably effective. All awhile he and Shiromy elaborated a plan how to outplay the UPMF. Saving the galaxy as primary directive had been placed back pretty soon, as they drew back on a Cophuranee way of thinking: Defeating the enemy, quick and efficient.

Letting word spread of the secret base in the Pirecco Cluster, all awhile keeping strategic command to the Warrior, they would lure the UPMF task force out into uncharted space. Maintaining a small task force near the base they would cripple the approaching strike fleet every so often so UPMF supreme command would have to send more and more supplies and reinforcements, while behind their backs Task Force: Warrior was slipping back onto UPA territory.

Eventually they would defeat the UPMF in a massive battle in the orbits of Cophuran and Khetaris. Still they had distanced themselves too far from what they had intended to protect that they could not just return to the normal lives they had once lived. There was no place for them amongst the United Planets. Taking the Warrior with them, they turned their backs on the United Planets and left for the uncharted regions.

Crossover Storyline

"In the end I have become what Tyleea wanted me to become. Vincent the Conqueror ... how's that sound?" - Vince reflecting on his actions

It had to be destiny that just a few lightyears outside UPA borders, beyond the Bermuda passage, Vince would encounter a completely new civilization - one far larger and more powerful than he had ever encountered - the Corellian Empire. Recognizing the opportunity he allied with the Corellians and supported them in their recent struggle against the Stumbos Alliance. On the long shot this decision should change his life forever as it earned him a long friendship with the Corellian Supreme Commander, Wes Janson, who provided Vince and Shiromy with an entire group of seven star systems and resources to build their own little world - the Empire of the Seven Suns.

Through the following years this 'little world' grew in prosperity and influence. Supported by its Corellian neightbours and parents the little reign evolved into a fully fledged and independant sovereign system, under the rule of its newly elected Empress. While Shiromy did indeed take over the politics work, Vince chose to remain in his comfortable position as military supreme commander. It was also at that time that - after all they had been through, the two officially married and while and although maintaining his military position and duty, Vince became the Emperor of the seven Suns.

It was also during that time that Vince met one of those people who'd change his life significantly. Mako Starcrusher, a pirate Lord controlling large parts of the Outer Rim territor offered help during the Sangheili War, following a chaotic battle in the Adminis system. While Keeping loosely in touch after these events, their meeting would have a grave impact on the ESS' - and the galaxy's future.

Fifteen years after its foundation the ESS - as well as the rest of the galaxy - faced one of its greatest dangers ever: The Keeper War It was then that Vince finally took over the role of Emperor himself. In need of powerful backup against the Keepers Mako decided to have Shiromy trained in the waays of the Zhawn ti' Kur as he, his Wife Roscha and daughter Ferris had been. Due to the intensity of the Training Shiromy withdrew from political duty and Vince stepped in. Yet soon he as well had to divert his attention. The Keepers were on the move adn So were Mako and his forces. Joining up with Mako and a nebulous Mercenary named David Rain Vince and his allies planned a ridiculously suicidal strike to stop the Keepers. Exerting his Cha'Lynh and Ydaa powers to a level he had never gone before and with the combined efforts of his allies they managed to all but wipe out almost the entire Keeper race.

After the Keeper war things went calm for a short time. Recovering their resources from the war the other warlords had decided to settle down and build up their own empires, while Vince set out on expansion course. The United Planets - the alliance that had exiled him would become his first target. Already he had managed to win the military's favour under the lead of his old mentor, Ray Firkis. In one swift move he toppled the corrupted UPA senate and took the weakend Alliance under the ESS' wings. Within only a week, the ESS territory and power had almost doubled.

But Vince was far from satisfied. Recent conflicts and a coup d'etat had turned the Republic of Mandalore into an Empire under the iron lead of the extremist Warlord Niko Malzic. Regarding Malzic's agressively expansionist course - and the little the other galactic factions did against it, Vince decided to take actions and began to plot his own entrance. secretly leaking information about a new weapons development Vince provoked the Mandalorians to take the bait and capture one of the prototype deliveries. This act was eventually followed by the open declaration of war, although Vince found himself surprised as it did come from Malzic rather than from himself.

"I had no idea, how crazy this guy is - I could just have said 'Hey man, let's war!' and he'd have gone for it." - Vince on Nico Malzic

Trivia

• The character's original name was Vince Darkhunter
• He first appeared in LIONS: Shadows over Silumir and was originally portrayed as a darkly, Xenomorph-like alien in a leather coat.