Ruler of Omega
From FABT
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Tanculus' Revolutionary Army (800 CE - 812 CE) |
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Position Defunct |
- "I am Omega!"
- — Aria T'Loak.
The Ruler of Omega (known as the Queen of Omega during the reign of Aria T'Loak), also known as the Ruler of the Terminus during times of war, and simply as just the Ruler or Omega's Ruler, was a title given to the self-proclaimed overseer and ruler of the lawless station of Omega that was used between 800 CE and 2189 CE. Those who held the title were little more than figurehead leaders in peacetime, maintaining their authority through the threat of force, and their influence almost entirely limited to Omega, exacting tribute from the station's inhabitants and utilizing power to maintain peace between the many factions that inhabited it: only in times of war, when the Ruler of Omega could command the forces of the Terminus Systems, did the ruler wield any legitimate power or authority, which was surrendered immediately once a conflict had concluded, a side effect of the Terminus' refusal to accept any central authority after its independence was won in the Terminus Revolutions. By its very nature, the title holds only symbolic significance, not utilized to any diplomatic or political extent, and not recognized by any sovereign nation, but one which commands a great deal of respect on Omega itself. The title itself was hazardous to those who held it, as it was a constant struggle to retain it, as any weakness could be exploited by the Ruler's enemies and they would be overthrown and replaced with a new Ruler at anytime. As such, the Ruler would command a "syndicate" consisting of staunchly loyal supporters who would project the Ruler's power, protect their interests and deal with any potential threats. How rulers exercised their power was entirely dependent on them, although most did not use it to govern Omega, instead using it to cultivate influence, profits, respect and fear while allowing the people of Omega to govern themselves, keeping the station entirely lawless and only intervening where it served the Ruler, although they were always careful to never overextend.
In the history of the title's existence, only four ever held it, and only one was able to lose and later reclaim it. The title was first established following the capture of Omega by Tanculus' Revolutionary Army in 800 CE when high-ranking members of Drecuns Tanculus' army proclaimed him the "Ruler of Omega", a title which stuck with him for the rest of the Terminus Revolutions and beyond, and so he became the 1st Ruler of Omega, ruling from his seat of Shatha's Lair. Tanculus would rule for a period of 83 years from 800 CE to 883 CE until his death from wounds received during a campaign to put down a second vorcha rebellion, where he was succeeded by one of his loyal lieutenants, a krogan named Khurdok Chaggu, who quickly eliminated numerous other lieutenants loyal to Tanculus and reorganized Tanculus' syndicate with people he trusted or had bribed. Chaggu's reign would last the longest, maintaining power from 883 CE to 1765 CE, reigning for a total of 882 years. He continued to use Shatha's Lair as his headquarters until 1652 CE, when he had it demolished and replaced with a nightclub called Afterlife, which became his new headquarters. In 1765 CE, Chaggu's reign finally came to an end in a shadow war waged by Aria T'Loak which had spent years eroding his empire from within using subterfuge, with Chaggu finally confronting Aria in Afterlife and fighting her in a duel that he ultimately lost. Aria T'Loak became the 3rd Ruler of Omega in his stead, her own syndicate absorbing what remained of Chaggu's while keeping Chaggu himself alive, dubbing him with the nickname "the Patriarch" to devalue his remaining prestige and keeping him as a trophy and an example of her power. Aria kept Afterlife as her headquarters, which she had owned for years at that point after killing its previous owner, and Aria would reign from 1765 CE to 2185 CE over a total of 420 years. In 2185 CE, Omega was captured and occupied by Cerberus through a campaign of deception that led to Aria being ousted from the station and sent into exile, with commander of the Cerberus occupation forces, General Oleg Petrovsky, making use of the title "Ruler of Omega" to cement his authority with the local populace, thus becoming the 4th Ruler of Omega. Petrovsky's reign was the shortest, lasting only eight months until August 2186 CE when Aria returned with a massive liberation force, supported by the UGC, which defeated the Cerberus occupation and led to Petrovsky's surrender and capture. Aria reclaimed the title of Ruler, becoming the 5th and final Ruler of Omega, which she would hold for three years until she herself abolished the title when she founded the Omega Republic, becoming its 1st and only head-of-state in 2189 CE.