Paresa

Paresa is an Imperial system in the Core Systems within the Inner Orion Spur. It is the headquarters of Nova Imperium, an Imperial splinter faction that advocates traditionalism and isolationism. Between January 3305 and November 3306, Nova Imperium had been outlawed by the Empire for sedition, but the Treaty of Paresa decriminalized the group.

History

Sometime in 3304, Paresa became the headquarters of Nova Imperium, an extremist faction of Imperial soldiers, traditionalists, and sympathizers who sought to depose Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval and replace her with her nephew Hadrian Augustus Duval, as well as withdraw the Empire from cooperation with the rest of human civilisation in order to focus on defending the Imperial people from the Thargoids. After weeks of rising tensions in late 3304 in which Nova Imperium appeared to be gaining political momentum, Imperial loyalists finally confronted Nova Imperium in the Battle of Paresa after the group began illgally assembling an armada in January 3305. The battle ended with the capture of Imperator Kaeso Mordanticus, and was followed by his public execution and an Empire-wide purge of Nova Imperium cells and supporters. The broken remnants of Nova Imperium reorganised in Paresa under the Imperator's successor, Hadrian Augustus Duval, but still faced opposition from independent pilots who supported the Imperial establishment.

In October 3306, Imperator Hadrian was critically wounded by a Neo-Marlinist Liberation Army hit squad that breached the command deck of Dyson City, Nova Imperium's headquarters. The NMLA had recently assassinated Prince Harold Duval, and sought to eliminate all members of the Imperial Family to bring about a democratic revolution within the Empire. On October 28, 3306, Princess Aisling Duval arrived in Paresa aboard the Majestic-Class Interdictor INV Achenar's Courage to offer the Imperator protection and medical assistance. After Hadrian recovered, he announced on November 10 that he would seek reintegration into the Imperial Family, signalling a new direction for Nova Imperium. While Emperor Arissa denied Hadrian the royal title of prince and any formal position within the Imperial Family in a decree on November 16, he was recognized as a Duval by blood and he and his followers were granted royal pardons. In addition, the Imperial Senate ratified the Treaty of Paresa, which decriminalized Nova Imperium in exchange for acknowledgement of Arissa Lavigny-Duval as the Empire's rightful ruler and contributions in future operations against the NMLA.

The megaship Harmony's Shield, commanded by the Federation-aligned minor faction League of Mandu, arrived in Paresa on April 29, 3307. The development occurred amid allegations that Imperator Hadrian and his wife, Lady Astrid Minerva-Duval, were leading members of the NMLA and had masterminded the terrorist group's campaign of bombings and assassinations that had started in September 3306. Although the Affiliated Counter-Terrorism unit cautioned that the allegations had not yet been investigated, the Federation, Empire, and Alliance demanded action. The League of Mandu believed the allegations and sought to eradicate Nova Imperium in revenge for Nine Martyrs. The Empire-aligned Peraesii Empire Consulate demanded the League's withdrawal, but also pledged to purge the NMLA from Paresa. Imperator Hadrian protested his innocence, but declared that Nova Imperium would defend itself if necessary. The League of Mandu launched military operations on May 6, and Nova Imperium called on the Empire to honour the Treaty of Paresa and come to its defence. Media outlets across the Core Systems warned on May 11 that the conflict in Paresa could pull the Federation and Empire into a full-scale war, as the potential death of Hadrian Duval at the hands of Federal forces would demand retribution from the Emperor even if Hadrian is proven to be a terrorist.

System Layout

• Paresa (Class K star)
  • Paresa A Belt
  • Paresa 1
  • Paresa 2
  • Paresa 3
    • Dyson City (Coriolis Starport)
    • INV Achenar's Courage (Majestic-Class Interdictor)
  • Paresa 4
    • Kahn Orbital (Orbis Starport)
  • Paresa 5
    • Koishikawa Port (Orbis Starport)
  • Paresa 6
    • Paresa 6 a
      • Lee Arena (Settlement)
      • Knight Base (Surface Port)
      • Porco Horizons (Surface Port)
      • Van Houten Lab (Settlement)
  • Paresa 7
    • Harmony's Shield (Megaship)
  • Paresa 8
  • Paresa 9
  • Paresa 10
    • Alexandrov Vista (Surface Port)
    • Baker Depot (Surface Port)
    • Moon Vision (Settlement)
    • Mouchez Settlement (Settlement)
    • Paresa 10 a
    • Paresa 10 b
  • Paresa 11

Minor Factions

• League of Mandu (Confederacy, Federation)
• Nova Imperium (Patronage, Empire)
• Order of Paresa (Dictatorship, Independent)
• Paresa Blue Family (Anarchy, Independent)
• Paresa Inc (Corporate, Empire)
• Paresa Patron's Principles (Patronage, Empire)
• Paresa Public Industries (Corporate, Independent)
• Peraesii Empire Consulate (Patronage, Empire)