Lord Regent Jacob Williams

## Jacob Williams

"With sword and soul, we fight so that mankind may still draw breath"

> "No man left behind, no Xeno life spared"
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> **- Jacob Williams, Lord Regent -**
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## Overview

The Regency of Jacob Williams was one of war on the frontiers and conflict within, he is credited with the achievement of strengthening the Empire internally despite a protracted and exhausting war against the Dyss; however his Regency not resoundingly popular, while he remained respected and approved he was overshadowed by the achievements of the previous Lord Regent (Thomas Ashbury).

There was also some differences between himself and most others that were outside his control, notably his distinct colour. The Empire was not precisely racist among its Human peers, but the majority of its people were white due to the proximity of the portal to Britain (The Isle of Man) which at the time was ethnically linear. The people of the Empire had of course left many of the old views behind them but it would be naïve and untruthful to not recognise that *some* people saw the man differently then they did most others.

This was by far not what held him back however, the previous Regents had reigned in times of prosperity while he was tasked with running a war; additionally he found himself butting heads with MI5 whom he believed to be withholding information about far reaching nations, this hampered his abilities as he devoted time to trying to unlock the secrets of MI5 which in the end was to no avail.

In 2280 Jacob resigned from the position, loses in the war had rocketed upward after the Bloody Push which made further war efforts tenuous; in his final years Jacob began many cultural restoration projects to commemorate the many different peoples of Earth and laid the groundworks for military reforms, he finished on a high note by founding a healthcare programme designed to provide free medical care for the entire nation regardless of position or wealth. After this he resigned, cementing his legacy as a good Regent... just not the best.

## A man of principle

Jacob was one of the first 1000 children to be born on the soil of a planet besides New-Earth, the colonization programme of Lord Regent Ashbury was the cause; as the colonization programme was spearheaded by military forces (the military literally being the future inhabitants of the colony they established), Jacob was born into a militarist family. The parents, both previously coming from deprived backgrounds, were hardcore supporters of Lord Regent Ashbury - as were most of those in the military - and they impressed on their son an appreciation for the welfare they received and raised him as a true loyalist.

Growing up Jacob was noted by his teachers, tutors and friends as 'consistent' in no regard but principle; he was emotionally flamboyant outside strict environments, formed no close connections besides 'friendship' (which for children is about as steadfast & everlasting like a house built on sand) but had a set of beliefs and ideals he wold not break from. As he matured his emotional behaviour toned down into sub-normal boundaries.

Jacob did not receive the education the previous two Regents had, his education was respectable and certainly a good one but in comparison to the previous Regents who came from established families it was not equal; but the Empire had pursued a programme of mass recruitment, places in the army were always waiting to be filled and Jacob proved well cut for a military lifestyle.

By 20 he had achieved an officers rank and on track for further promotion, his adherence to principles of compassion and loyalty making him highly approved by the 'grunts' who usually found officers to their distaste; within 4 years he had made the rank of Commander in the military, he was a natural expert it seemed for he was the youngest Commander ever to serve.

### Shaking hands

2236, Jacob and his regiment perform the '*Trooping of the Colour'* at Buckingham Palace (A tradition of the Eternal Empire carried on from the British Empire) Her Imperial Majesty did not attend in person and she not done so for over 190 years, rather the acting Lord Regent attends in her stead and the Queen sees though his/her eyes.

After the ceremony the serving Lord Regent (Thomas Ashbury) personally sought out Jacob...

> Thomas: *"Commander"*
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> Jacob: *"Lord Regent..."*
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> Thomas: *"Her Majesty would like to personally congratulate you for you swift ascension through the ranks, if it were not for the ghastly weather I'd say she might have even done so in person"*
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> Jacob: *"The weather is the same as it has been the last 23 parades your execellency"*
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> Thomas: *"Aha, quite so, but I'm afraid not even the Queen commands nature yet"*
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> Jacob: *"I would rather she command the galaxy before that day, that way we might some find a planet where it does not rain..."*
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> Thomas: *"I'm afraid it seems all the good spots out there are taken, we'll have to make do with what we have"*
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> Jacob: *"Your excellency, about this xeno policy if I may... do you not think these xeno should be erased?"*
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> Thomas: *"You refer to my preference that we do not seek to eradicate all life that is not Human? enough blood has been spilled to get this far don't you think, no... we have come too far, achieved so much; why risk it all for the sake of another planet"*
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> Jacob: *"Because if we do not assert ourselves over them then they will do so over us at the first opportunity, the xeno lie in wait for any chances to enslave us or worse"*
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> Thomas: *"That mindset, my boy, is precisely what landed our people in this galaxy; we have hardly met more than 2 other species besides the savage natives and already you advocate for the annihilation of all other lifeforms, there was a time where you yourself would have been a xeno to us people. Would you like me to advocate for the annihilation of you and your family simply for being different... you are an intelligent man Commander Williams, do not waste your intellect blindly swinging at the shadows"*
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> Jacob: *"And what does Her Majesty think of such statements"*
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> Thomas: *"She thinks that I am overly confident in my ideas, nonetheless she grants me the liberty of trust in my judgement; after all no matter what we all think, I'd say we can all agree that should any xeno seek to harm us then the eradication of their species is the only failsafe way ensuring they do not succeed"*
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> Jacob: *"Hear hear to that"*
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A year later in 2237 the presiding Lord Regent was slaughtered by the Dyss, his death sparking outrage across the Empire and the calls for war that Thomas Ashbury had fought to suppress were brought back up; Jacob became an advocate for the mobilization of HM Armed Forces, but unlike many others, argued that the forces should be mobilized at a later date. He reasoned that the military was unprepared for war on the scale people wished for, some were convinced by this while others simply branded him weak and afraid.

The Empire would likely have plunged itself into war within years had Jacob not become the Lord Regent, perhaps this was something the Empress had the foresight to think of; clearly she saw something in him, for of all the candidates for the position - Jacob not even being one of them - it was him who got the position.

## Lord Regent Jacob Williams

When Thomas was murdered, the letter requesting for Jacob was sent out within the hour; the xeno had shown the Empress what she had believed all along, that all other life was hostile and that she had been naïve to even consider the previous Regent's ideals.

Upon his ascension he immediately began a programme of increased militarization and recruitment for all sectors of the military, his industrial policies focused on wartime preparations and fortification of the core worlds; scientific efforts were streamlined into purely military focuses, from weapon blueprints to factory blueprints that solely produced weapons and only weapons.

His regency marked an era of increased aggression and military action against xenos, several grand projects were envisioned such as a mobile space superfortress and the creation of massive orbital guns but none came to be created due to technological and industrial limitations.

During his regency of the Great Northern War the Regent took a hands off approach, warfare was largely decided by the outcome of space battles and Jacob realized he lacked the depth of knowledge other had and resigned himself to managing the Empire... but he underestimated the overconfidence of the Admiralty and Generals, and soon found himself plunged into wartime crisis which the Empire paid for for decades.

The crisis, while not entirely the fault of Jacob, soiled his reputation; his final acts were to found a reformed public health service among other public works, he resigned his position and retired from work; the view of Williams softened and took a brighter view as reviews found many faults that occurred in the war were down to the overconfidence of officers and no fault of the Regent directly, without his work to strengthen the military and navy the Empire may had destroyed itself after making so many blunders against the Dyss.

He died of old age, sleeping in his garden.

Was that all?

No.

But that's all MI5 permits to be disclosed about his Regency.