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While every Senator has power and privilege, a few also have reputations or records of public service that make them stand out.
Senator Edoas's first name isn't "Scandal-plagued," but readers of most interstellar news services might think otherwise. The Senate's most openly corrupt member, Edoas was expelled in 2638, got re-elected on New Alexandria (under very suspicious circumstances) in 2641, was expelled again in 2647, got the vote overturned on a technicality in 2649, and finally failed to win re-election in a closely-monitored contest in 2650. Within the Senate he usually votes with the Imperial faction unless someone has paid him otherwise. Empress Marissa finds Edoas amusing, and her security agencies have strict orders not to investigate any of his misdeeds — she likes to watch him embarrass the Senate.
Known to many as the "conscience of the Senate", Safira Harmon is one of the best-known leaders of the liberal faction. She strongly supports equality for non-Humans in the Empire, espouses democratic government, and favours cooperation with alien civilizations whenever possible. But she differs from other liberals in supporting a strong defense for the Empire and favouring Terran intervention against tyrants and oppressors. Senator Harmon comes from a wealthy old Terran family and has excellent social connections at court.
As the only openly psionic member of the Senate (a Gamma-rated telepath), Senator Kosami acts as the chief advocate for pro-psionic issues for the entire Empire. She initially opposed the growth of the Mind Police, fearing it might lead to a backlash against psionics, but once the agency was in place she became its staunchest advocate. This usually puts her in opposition to the liberals, though she otherwise supports much of their agenda — equal rights for all, limits on Imperial power, greater autonomy for member worlds. Anti-psionic agitators sometimes depict Senator Kosami as the mastermind of a vast conspiracy of psis, aliens, and who-knows-what plotting to topple the Empire and enslave Humanity.
Senator Kyle heads the Senate's conservative faction. He wants the Imperial government to be more like the old days, when the Senate and the Emperor were equal partners. He favours business and trade, supports expansion and colonization, and believes in running the Empire by and for Humans instead of aliens. Empress Marissa's new Mind Police give him the creeps, and consequently the liberal and conservative factions have become more closely allied during Marissa's reign than any time before.
Generally recognized as the Empress's voice in the Senate, Senator Mohac reflexively supports all her policies, opposes everything she dislikes, and keeps his mouth shut on other issues until he hears from the palace. What mystifies his opponents is that he's not in it for personal gain — he rabidly supports the Empress as a matter of principle. Like many Humans and colonials, Senator Mohac sincerely believes Imperial rule is the only way to keep order and defend Humanity against dangerous aliens.
The younger brother of King Otto of Europa Nova, Prince Karl became Senator-for-life in 2619 at age 27. He leads the aristocratic party in the Senate, which mostly just opposes things: democratic government, Imperial expansion, rights for non-Humans, and the growth of multiplanetary corporations. Although small, the aristocratic faction has a great deal of influence because of its members' position in court social life. Prince Karl (he hates the title "Senator") is the center of a lively set of rich young courtiers and nobles, including several distant relatives of the Empress. He hears all the court gossip and probably stays as well-informed about Imperial politics as the Empress herself.
Possibly the most radical member of the Senate, Maxim Jabi is outspoken in his criticism of Imperial rule. A fiery speaker, he doesn't hesitate to attack the Empress herself, the Imperial security agencies, and even the whole concept of the Empire. Only his Senate immunity has kept him from being arrested for sedition or treason. Senator Jabi is too radical to be really popular — off his homeworld most of his support comes from students and fringe journalists.
Senator Sarro supports the conservative faction, and after Senator Kyle's retirement she becomes the conservative leader. Senator Sarro also heads a major multiplanetary corporation (Red Star Industries), and gets tremendous support from all Imperial business organizations. Unlike Senator Kyle, she's tolerant of non-Humans; she believes in equal rights for everyone who has money to spend.
Accused of accepting bribes in 2638, Sarro declined to run for re-election in 2640. She returned to the Senate in 2650, silencing her critics by pointing out she was by then too rich to be bribed.
One of a handful of non-Humans to serve in the Senate during its long history, Torenas is an Osath from the cosmopolitan Emerald system. His "seat" in the Senate is a water-filled tank. Belonging to no single faction, he shifts between liberals, conservatives, and expansionists depending on the circumstances. Torenas naturally supports equal rights for non-Humans, and favors Imperial growth by colonization and voluntary annexation of inhabited worlds. He also believes the Empire should restrain aggressive powers like the Thorgons, which sometimes puts him at odds with the more pacific liberals.
Sometimes referred to as "the Grand Admiral" because of his strong and unwavering support for the Imperial military, Senator Velton thinks the Empire should defend itself by expanding - conquer those bothersome Thorgons and Ack�lians, overrun the Se'ecra, and maybe even tackle the Perseids. Velton's home system lies along the path to Earth taken by both Xenovores and Thorgons in past wars, and he speaks for many who vow that such things must never happen again. In any crisis, one can count on Senator Velton to urge immediate massive military action; his chief complaint about the Empress is that she isn't aggressive enough. The small expansionist faction looks to Velton for leadership, and he usually aligns with the Imperial party or the conservatives.
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