The Emperor

Emperor Gilead VII has ruled the Empire for several hundred years. His father, Emperor Ramus IV, had ruled for about four thousand years, before he was found mysteriously dead in bed. The cause of his untimely death was never determined, and conspiracy theories abound from an assassination by his son, by a bloodless coup, by an estranged lover, to a hidden genetic defect, inherited disease, or upcoming pandemic.

The Empire is a republic spanning hundreds of thousands of systems. Each system has a representative in the senate. Critics of the Empire contend that it is actually an oligarchy posing as a republic, and that the real power lies in the corporate interests running the economy.

Everyone on the substation is automatically a citizen of the Empire. Although the future of the Empire is unknown at this point, the substation's computers diligently and automatically tax 14% of income from all transactions on the Empire's behalf, on top of any other taxes or tarriffs.