Admiral Harold Grey

Nationality
 Rank

**Admiral Harold Grey** is a major character in *Sunrider*.

One of the top brass of the Solar Alliance fleet, Admiral Harold Grey’s name is uniformly respected throughout Alliance space as a cunning military strategist and a man of honor. The Grey family has retained a powerful position in Alliance politics even centuries after the legendary exploits of Madeline Grey, the famed admiral who unified a hundred worlds against the New Empire’s war machine. Today, centuries after its birth, the Solar Alliance is a massive space democracy which accounts for most of humanity’s sciences and commerce, and it owes most of that to the Grey family. However, the glory days of The Alliance seem to be waning as the war machine of PACT looms over the horizon. Whether the Admiral be a critical supporter of the Sunrider's lone mission against PACT, or whether the Admiral intends to make the Ceran vessel a pawn in his own deadly political game against the Alliance government, is unknown.

He leads the powerful Emerald Fleet, formally known as the Alliance's 1st Fleet. Due to this he was, together with Captain Shields, the main victor in the Battle of Far Port, when he arrived just in time to launch a flanking attack against the disorganized and leaderless PACT fleet, successfully destroying most of it.

After that battle, Grey received the command of the Alliance's Combined Fleet - a grouping of various space fleets that make up a large portion of the Alliance's total military strength - with the objective of defeating PACT and reconquering or liberating the Neutral Rim. Despite a misstep at Ongess, Admiral Grey continues that campaign with success, hoping to quickly destroy PACT's forces and maybe even go beyond the Neutral Rim to capture most of PACT's space. However, the next target of his campaign into PACT territory - the formally neutral world of Cera and the homeworld of Kayto Shields - will be the defining point of the advance, for both the war and the crew of the Sunrider.

## Appearance

Tall and very fit for his age, Admiral Gray is described by Kayto in the Novel as being "classically handsome" and having the aged gracefully. His short-cut hair and neatly-clipped beard are white from his age and his face is fairly well-lined, but his stance is still as crisp as when he was in his prime and his dusk-brown eyes still carry a sharp, penetrating gaze that reflects his years of experience. Even a relative newcomer to the military world like Kayto Shields was able to tell at first glance that the Admiral was not someone to take lightly. He is usually dressed in the white and green colors favored by the Alliance Navy - a majority-white uniform with green shoulders, cuffs, stripes down the arms & legs and accents with black trim at the cuffs and edges of the coat. The left breast of his uniform is emblazoned with a plethora of medals and awards alongside his ranking as an Alliance Admiral, representing his long career in service to the Alliance.

## Bio

*NOTE: WARNING - Spoilers for Sunrider: First Arrival, Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius, Sunrider: Liberation Day, Sunrider Academy & Sunrider: The Novelization ahead. Read at your own risk!*

Career and Disillusionment

Like most in his family, Harold Grey enlisted in the Solar Alliance military when of age, and went on to distinguish himself as a class above the rest when it came to his military exploits. Having served with the fleet for presumably most of his life, he earned both the respect and loyalty of his troops, officers, peers and superiors alike, and his heritage as one of the effective founding families, if not the central founding family, of the Alliance likely helped secure his position in the military, eventually reaching the rank of Admiral. At some point, he met the Alliance conscript Kryska Stares - a recruit from outside Alliance space - and she became a First Lieutenant under him, during which the Lieutenant was taught the values of Alliance discipline and duty.

However, as time went on, the rebel faction that had overthrown the last of the New Empire - reforming themselves as the People's Alliance for Common Treatment, dubbed PACT - began aggressive military expansion into the Neutral Rim, becoming all too much like the very empire they had stove to overthrow, and while PACT grew stronger, the Alliance's political influence began to wane. Well connected political interest groups now controlled most of the Solar Congress rather than elected officials, and the Alliance had a string of weak Presidents who had all unceremoniously failed to establish any sort of uniform national policy, with the most recent - President Alythe of the Progress Party - attempting to make appeasement offerings to PACT with no success. The Solar Alliance generally turned a blind eye to PACT’s invasion of the Neutral Rim, and did not recognize the Veniczar as a legitimate threat – even though the might of PACT’s fleet grew by the day. Political gridlock became a characterizing trait in the Solar Congress, and President Alythe's intent on a negotiated settlement with PACT ultimately allowed PACT’s power to explosively expand almost overnight.

Admiral Grey was one of the few in the Alliance leadership who truly recognized the threat that PACT poses to the galaxy, as they continued to take planet after planet. But the old Admiral, while respected by his men and his considerable support within the Alliance, is regarded with weary eyes by thee civilian leadership, who fear his growing power over the military and aggressive push to take action against PACT - and he ultimately decides to do so, without the support of the Congress. During his many pushes to help maintain stability in the Alliance and push to covertly hassle PACT, Grey eventually met the mercenary Icari Isidolde - a talented Ryder pilot and contract killer with a sizable grudge against PACT - who became a frequent go-to for the Admiral when it came to working "behind the scenes" in tipping the scales in the Alliance's favor, from sabotage and infiltration to assassination and reconnaissance.

### First Arrival

Sparking the Flame of War

After the Invasion of Cera and PACT's decision to begin bombing colonized worlds wholesale, Grey decided he could not afford to wait any longer, as every moment the politicians debated was another moment where more and more people would be sacrificed to PACT's war of conquest. Later, Grey drew up his own plans as the Progress Party attempted to launch an appeasement effort to try and appeal for PACT to release their conquered worlds - or at the very least cease their unrestrained invasion forces. When a team of Alliance diplomats sent to the world of Versta were unable to convince the world to join the Alliance, Grey realized that the planet would be steamrolled by the PACT fleets without Alliance protection - and if the diplomats were unable to escape the system and were slaughtered by the PACT forces, it would be indisputable evidence of PACT aggression, which not even President Alythe would be able to ignore.

To this end, after it became predictably obvious that PACT would invade Versta, Grey hired his favored mercenary, Icari, for a single mission - once he sent out a token rescue force to give the impression of having made an effort to save the diplomats, Icari was to ensure they failed and that the diplomats were either captured or killed by PACT. With the wheels in motion, he then searched for someone he could use to send on the token effort to save the diplomats and found what he seemed to consider an ideal candidate - the Sunrider, last remaining ship under the flag of the Cera Space Force, and well-known for having survived and berated the PACT fleet for weeks on end. Making contact with it's Captian, Grey gave them the mission they were never meant to complete, and they were sent to Versta on their decoy task, instigating what could very well be considered the foundations of a coup as Grey worked to personally kick off a war with PACT in order to halt their invasion of the Rim.

However, things did not as planned - first, the Sunrider proved to be far more capable then expected by not just defeating the PACT ships but Icari as well. Second, it turned out that the Admiral made a tactical mistake in apperently not informing Icari of the "rescue ship" being a vessel from the now-defunct Cera Space Force, as the mercenary attacked the ship under the assumption that it was a conscripted PACT ship, losing her Ryder's warp-capable booster ring in the ensuing fight. And finally, the Alliance diplomats, in a desperate attempt to try and evacuate members of the Versta colony and save them from PACT bombardment, had taken on over six-hundred children aboard a provided civilian liner, the Agamemnon. The result was that the operation effectively fell apart, with Icari hastily working to salvage the mission in the wake of the many unexpected developments - and in the end, the aftermath ended up not even mattering; the political deadlock in the Solar Congress would keep the Alliance from any formal declarations of war until PACT's betrayal and invasion of Ryuvia Prime ultimately proved once and for all that Veniczar Arcadius would never honor any compact made with him.

However, this was not to say that the outcome of Versta had no impact on the Alliance's efforts.

Sparking the Flame of War I - Fanning the Fire

NOTE: (These events detail the results of Kayto abandoning the diplomats at Versta)

In the wake of Versta's conquest and the slaughter of peaceful diplomats - as well as the shocking revelation that there had been six-hundred children aboard and yet PACT had ignored the Agamemnon's pleas for amnesty or a ceasefire - causes many in the Solar Alliance to forsake the possibility of peace with PACT, authorizing the buildup and redeployment of Alliance forces at their borders as a message to PACT that they will no longer offer any such gestures from this point on. This ensures that, in spite of the continuing gridlock in the Alliance's senate, the military itself is no longer restrained from preparing itself from outright war - and prepare they do, as all forces across the Alliance undergo mobilization far earlier then they would have before, increasing the Alliance's effective war-readiness from the 0% it would have sat at otherwise. Even though the fleets are not entirely prepared by the time full war is declared, they are far more organized and ready then they would have been.

Sparking the Flame of War II - Cooling Embers

NOTE: (These events detail the results of Kayto saving the diplomats at Versta)

In the wake of the diplomatic party being saved, the Solar Congress retains hope that PACT can still be reasoned with as an outright act of aggression was avoided, which in turn stymies any actions by the Alliance military until PACT's conquest of Ryuvia Prime. The Alliance military thus only mobilizes after the political deadlock is broken by PACT's attack on Ryuvia, leaving the Alliance military severely underprepared for war against PACT with their forces spread out across their space and few of their commanding officers ready for a full-fledged conflict with the expansionistic forces of the Veniczars.

(NOTE: In the novelization of Sunrider, it is revealed that Admiral Grey had a personal conference with Kayto in the aftermath of the Versta incident, debriefing the Captain himself)

Leading the Emerald Fleet

When the Alliance finally declares war against PACT, Admiral Grey is given command of the First Alliance Fleet - renamed the Emerald Fleet - and once again reached out to the Sunrider for assistance. In spite of the debacle at Versta, the Sunrider was ultimately the best choice for Grey to call upon, as the ship had survived weeks in PACT space and hampered them more then any other lone vessel ever had - especially in the wake of their rescue of the Ryuvian Princess. As such, the Sunrider had more experience facing PACT then any ship in whole of the Alliance, making it the best - and quite possibly the only - choice to lead the defense of the Alliance's gateway world of Far Port in Admiral Grey's place as he worked to gather up the Alliance's forces.

In order to facilitate this - and ensure that all operations the Sunrider undertook would be in his ability to predict from now on, as a precaution against a repeat of Versta - Grey assigned one of his personal advisors to the ship to serve as a liaison; First Lieutenant Kryska Stares, who was not only one of his top Ryder pilots and confidantes but very likely an Alliance Black Ops specialist. Ultimately, Grey's choice in selecting the Sunrider pays off at the Battle of Far Port, as as Captian Shield's unorthodox strategies allow him to defeat the fleet's commander - Veniczar B. Cullen - and leave the PACT fleet leaderless and disorganized. Grey's fleet the arrives with over two-hundred fresh vessels just as Kayto's own are scattering to draw out and stymie the invasion forces, leading to a swift flanking operation by Grey's forces that destroy the majority of the six-hundred vessels PACT had brought, forcing their retreat and striking a decisive victory for the Alliance in the War's starting battle.

### Mask of Arcadius

Admiral Grey returns in *Sunrider: Mask of Arcadius*, as one of the key figures in the war against PACT and as a critical component of the 'Alliance President' sub-plot.

Power Play

After the Battle of Far Port, Admiral Grey was promptly handed full control over the Alliance Military, in order to direct a swift and organized counteroffensive against PACT's forces. He thus begins leading a powerful charge into PACT space and succeeding in driving them back world by world in an uncompromisingly potent response to PACT's own conquests. Consolidating several of the Alliance's key fleets into a single mass - the Alliance Combined Fleet - Grey began assaulting PACT's holdings in the Neutral Rim, drawing their forces out of their space and forcing them to commit to conflict in the foreign territories in order to keep from being pressed back into their own core-worlds. As PACT consolidated forces around Ryuvia Prime and Cera, the Alliance began wresting planet after planet away from the opposing faction, culminating in the five-day long Battle of Ongess where hundreds of ships and presumably many more Ryders were lost in the bitterly-contested fight for the Neutral Rim's most valuable mining world. Ultimately, PACT pulled out of Ongess and the planet was taken control of by the Alliance, with orbital platforms being established soon after.

But this was not the only battle that Grey would decide to wage - on the political front, Admiral Grey was also on the move in a potent forward surge, placing his own name in the ballet for the next Alliance President after Alythe's term reached it's conclusion, as the current president was unlikely to be re-elected after his disastrous failures in trying to appease PACT, with the odds of anyone from the Progress Party that Alythe came from providing the next president being rather low. Grey advocated himself as a man of action who could get more done then the bickering politicians ever could, and used his victories against PACT to help cement that point as the Alliance Military effectively became the driving face of the Solar Alliance as the war with PACT progressed. While the Admiral himself stayed on the front lines, his presence in the political circle was unmistakably profound, and the civilian government began to fear that the military might simply take full control and abandon the democratic process entirely as Grey seemed to favor decisive action over debate or even making any effort at finding another way, and the election became a heated debacle.

Meeting the Sunrider

Some time later, Admiral Grey began experiencing issues at Ongess as the local forces - spearheaded by the pirate Cosette Cosmos - began hindering the Alliance support and relief efforts to the planet as well as their mining and use of the planet's ongessite. As such, Grey invited the Sunrider to meet with him at Ongess, as the vessel had markedly more experience in dealing with Cosette. After the ship arrived, Grey came aboard himself, finally coming face-to-face with Captian Kayto Shields and toured the vessel personally - the end of which was marked by an attack by Cosette on one of the Alliance's orbital stations, severely damaging it and serving to underline the need behind Grey's desire towards removing Cosette.

Shortly after this, Grey's liaison Kryska takes Kayto to Ongess's surface to try and assuage Kayto's potential concerns about the Alliance setting up a permanent presence in the Rim, believing the Captain fears his world Cera might lose it's independence to the Alliance if freed from PACT by them. However, Cosette captures the pair, and Grey promptly puts together a rescue team to free them - however, as the pirates are entrenched in one of the civilian sectors, it becomes a bloodbath as multiple civilians end up killed in the crossfire between Alliance marine and pirate guerrilla, with one - a Young girl - being gunned down right in front of Kayto's eyes after an Alliance soldier sees her pick up a knife and mistakenly assumes her to be a hostile insurgent.

The Necessities of War

After Kayto and Kryska are rescued from Ongess, the Admiral personally debriefs Kayto over a communication, apologizing for the Alliance's failure in protecting Kayto from capture. However, Kayto is only focused on one thing - the number of civilian casualties that were caused during his rescue, which Grey replies is unclear since there is not always a clear distinction between aggressor and bystander on the crime-ridden world, with even children becoming murderers under Cosette's influence. When Kayto inquires about the girl that was gunned down, Grey expresses that crossfire between opposing forces will always lead to loss, preventable or otherwise, which in turn leads to Kayto warning Grey that he will never stop having opposing forces on Ongess, denoting the population simply doesn't care what the Alliance offers them with their relief efforts if it costs them their freedom. So long as their ongessite is being mined, they will see the Alliance as an invading power and resist, both on and off the battlefield, in a neverending spiral that will cause much more crossfire and needless death if the Admiral persists in believing such tragic things are simply a matter of course.

Conceding the point, Grey assures Kayto he will have an internalized inquiry opened into what happened and will not allow child-killers to remain in his army. Kayto however is unsatisfied, protesting that stronger action is needed, but Grey then takes the time to explain to Kayto that having an open investigation would not allow them to win any sympathy among the Ongess populace. He also remarks that the politicians in the Solar Congress would force the military to cease their relief efforts on Ongess - an act that would not only cost the Alliance their high-grade fuel supply and refueling point to push against PACT with, but would also doom the population to the rule of ruthless pirates like Cosette. In addition, Grey's own image and the support he has would be damaged and thus, faith in his ability to defeat PACT - and Alliance moral in general - would fall, with the worst-case event being that he could end up losing his authority and command and thus losing the power to defend the Alliance's people.

Grey reasons that people of Ongess, the populations of the Neutral Rim and the forces of the Alliance would all suffer if a public investigation was opened, to say nothing of the blow it would strike against the Alliance's image that PACT could use to rally people under their banner by claiming the Alliance is negligent about who dies in their wars and who serves in their army. In order to prevent this, Grey insists that the investigation must be done quietly, and that the ones responsible should and will be punished without harming the relief effort for Ongess or the war against PACT. Kayto rather quickly catches on though that the Admiral is trying to stage a cover-up to keep the public from knowing, though is less certain about Grey's reasons.

NOTE: (based on what choice Kayto makes, there are two different major outcomes to this)

The Cost of War I - Necessary Evils

NOTE: (These events detail the result of Kayto agreeing with the Admiral)

Kayto, albeit reluctantly, concedes to the Admiral's arguments and lets him cover up the truth from the public, in favor of carrying out an internal investigation into the civilian deaths. Taking into account that it will fracture moral and cause political unrest in the Alliance when unity is most needed against PACT, as well as potentially doom Ongess to lawlessness if support for the restoration project is pulled, Kayto admits that public exposure of the events would escalate uncontrollably and cause more harm then good in the long run.

Grateful and somewhat relieved that the headstrong Captain is willing to work with him on the matter, Grey tells Kayto that he will make certain that whoever was responsible for the deaths of the innocents will be punished in full, all but assuring the guilty party will have no future in the Alliance by the time he's done with them. Kayto acknowledges this, if not somewhat dispassionately, and the Admiral promptly ends the communication to organize his inquiries and begin rooting out the soldiers responsible for the unwarranted deaths.

The Cost of War II - Unacceptable Losses

NOTE: (These events detail the result of Kayto disagreeing with the Admiral)

Kayto, furious at the notion of a cover-up, refuses to comply and threatens to go to the media himself. Grey shoots back that causing a scandal will not provide relief and supplies to Ongess' suffering populace nor win the war with PACT, but Kayto restates that the girl he saw die was young enough to be Grey's granddaughter, and when Grey protests that tragedy is unavoidable in war, Kayto retorts that this is only true if nobody does anything to try and prevent it. Grey, increasingly frustrated, cites that his family has done everything in their power to protect the Alliance and that whole generations of them have died doing so, proclaiming that he will not let all the good he and his family have done be lost due to the politicians using the scandal to undo him.

Kayto, disgusted, accuses Grey of being a politician himself and that his concerns were never about Ongess' people, claiming he cares more about getting elected and that he'd rather cover up the deaths of innocent children then lose votes. Silent for a long moment, Grey finally concedes to Kayto's points, admitting neither he nor anyone in his family ever joined the Alliance to hide their actions, and he promises to not only open a public investigation but make reparations to Ongess' people. He also somewhat tiredly warns Kayto that, while the young man's heart is in the right place, it could lead him to ruin if he is not careful.

The Art of War

A week or so after the rescue of Kayto, a PACT force under the command of Veniczar B. Fontana launches a combined attack alongside Cosette's fleet against the Alliance forces, drawing the Sunrider into a massive ruse of an assault while Cosette's forces gather in the orbital habitats, attacking only after the entire Alliance defense force becomes entangled in battle against Fontana's ships. Cosette's bombers destroy dozens of Alliance vessels until Admiral Grey himself intervenes when Kayto is outmaneuvered by Fontana. Fontana chidingly asks if Grey is calling to surrender, but the aged Admiral labels Fontana as both a "punk" and a mere "boy," telling Fontana to take a seat as the Admiral shows him how to properly conduct a war. Using Fontana's own plan of blowing up the Alliance's ongessite stores against him, Grey orders his vessels to target the planet itself with nuclear warheads, threatening to blow up the entire world's deposits of ongessite and render the planet a lost cause to both sides in a mutual defeat. Stunned, Fontana is skeptical of Grey's resolve but Grey pressures Fontana to be certain of his choice, giving the Veniczar until the count of three to pull his and Cosette's forces back.

With the events of Kayto's rescue still fresh in his mind, Fontana isn't sure of whether or not Grey would pull the trigger - certainly not enough to risk Ongess' forty-billion inhabitants for - and gives the order to pull back, forcing a livid Cosette to break off before she can continue her attack. As a result, Cosette is forced to abandon Ongess as the Alliance regroups, and in spite of losing well over a hundred ships - at least a third of the Combined fleet - the Alliance's hold on Ongess has effectively been solidified. Grey denotes that the losses could have been far worse, and that they can indeed not just recover but continue their push into PACT space. Grey also takes a moment to remark that Cera - the planet that now sits on the gateway to PACT space - is not far from Ongess, and that they can continue pushing through to the PACT's core territories right on schedule, implying that simply driving PACT out of the Neutral Rim is only the start of his war against the crimson fleet.

NOTE: (based on what choice Kayto makes, there are two different major outcomes to the following scene)

The Future of the Alliance I - Force of Change

NOTE: (These events detail the result of Kayto letting Grey keep the civilian deaths at Ongess a secret)

In the aftermath of the Second Battle of Ongess, the Alliance media outlets associated with the military declare it a resounding victory as Ongess is secured and the fleets of both Veniczar Fontana and Cosette Cosmos are effectively broken. Additionally, Ongess itself becomes a major component in the push into PACT space with the relief efforts, as the clearing-out of criminals and social restructuring for the planet all proceed as planned. Admiral Grey's popularity and reputation increase as he is seen as someone who is able to do what is necessary in trying times and get things done when needed, much like his ancestor Madeline, and will defend the Alliance and lead it to victory against an enemy power just the same as she did. He gains a clear lead in the election, with his victory and inauguration as Alliance President looking more and more a certainty.

The Future of the Alliance II - Moral Concerns

NOTE: (These events detail the result of Kayto forcing Grey to publicly investigate the civilian deaths at Ongess)

In the aftermath of the Second Battle of Ongess, the Alliance media outlets associated with the Progress Party declare it a bloody massacre with an upwards of three-hundred civilian casualties, between the incursion on Ongess to save Kayto and the damage to the Alliance Combined Fleet when their docking scaffolds were attacked. As such, Admiral Grey's reputation takes an expected hit and his standings drop by four points on the election polls, meaning that, against all odds, the Progress Party candidate Frandall is now in the lead for the presidential race. The Progress Party also starts a bill to have all Alliance vessels vacate Ongess and treat it as an independent world instead of an Alliance fueling depot - though the bill will likely not be addressed so long as there is a war on, or so long as current president Alythe remains gridlocked in his office.

Moving the Vanguard Forward

After Alliance intelligence learns the PACT flagship Legion may be stationed at the remote world of Helion, Admiral Grey sends the Sunrider out to confirm it's presence and discover it's intent in being so far removed from the battlefield. When the Sunrider returns battered and badly damaged by it's encounter with the Legion, it reveals a horrifying truth - PACT has constructed a replication of the Paradox Core used at Diode, having weaponized the black hole generator into a doomsday-device capable of wiping out entire systems. In order to prevent what could very well be the utter annihilation of the Alliance by such a weapon, Grey authorizes a full-scale attack against the Legion's position at Helion, with Captain Shields insistent on taking his own ship back into the fray for the sake of settling his very personal score with the behemoth warship for it's destruction of his homeworld Cera.

During the fighting, the Legion and a large massing of both PACT and pirate fleets engage the Alliance in battle, with the Sunrider squaring off against the Legion itself to try and destroy it and clear the way for the Alliance fleet to break through to the Paradox Core. However, Arcadius himself takes to the battlefield - and in doing so, reveals himself to actually be a cadre of identical beings that seem to share a linked mind. But in spite of the Veniczar's confidence in victory, he is defeated by the Sunrider's forces, chief among them being the princess of the PACT-occupied Ryuvia - Asaga di Ryuvia.

When Arcadius is defeated and subsequently attempts to detonate the Paradox Core and obliterate everything in the system - his own fleets included - everyone is then left shocked as Fontana betrays Arcadius, disavowing him as PACT leader for such a callous act and revealing to all that the supposed Veniczar is actually a fake using Arcadius' name, stating he is actually a "Prototype" - a race of genetically-engineered humans that were the brainchildren of Diode. Revealing that the Prototypes have embedded themselves throughout the galaxy and wish to enslave humanity, Fontana executes "Arcadius" and withdraws, with the PACT and pirate fleets scattering as their once-unshakable unity is shattered to pieces, and the Alliance claims the system and now stands poised to continue their war against a weakened and now-thoroughly demoralized PACT.

### Liberation Day

Admiral Grey appears again in *Sunrider: Liberation Day*, seen taking command of the Alliance forces at Helion. As currently revealed, he orders the Paradox Core destroyed after its capture from PACT, deeming it too dangerous to be allowed to exist.He also opened up abilities for peace talk with a select faction of PACT not aligned with the prototypes pretending to be arcadius. However the peace talks quickly ends when admiral Grey announces that Alliance wishes to support the Neutral Rim worlds that were hit the hardest by war. To which Fontana reacts by stating that the Neutral Rim shouldn't by aligned with either faction. This is later dismissed by the admiral as a way of Fontana showing of in front of his peers. The battle of Cera becomes the biggest battle of the war. with around 2000 pact ships from those who are still loyal to the prototypes versus the combined fleet numbering in the one thousands. The battle plan for pact would be that the first fleet(consisting mostly of battleships and other such "outdated ships") would engage the Alliance fleet and when they would need to rearm, the second fleet which includes Assault Carries and Fast cruisers, would relieve them. Unbeknownst to the prototypes, the second fleet had aligned themselves with Fontana and were planning on betraying the prototypes and fight alongside the Alliance fleet. However the prototypes used their neural network to control the systems of the fleet forcing the fleet to fight the alliance. After Chigara succeeds in freeing the fleet from their control Alice, who had been commanding the pact forces loyal to the prototypes, pull out her last trump card: The Nightmare Ascending an ancient Ryuvian ryder once used by a powerful Sharr over 400 years ago. however after being defeated and destroyed by the firepower of the entire combined fleet and the Pact fleet, the battle ends. Grey later attends the liberation day ceremony and awards the most prestigious thing to Chigara. But during a twist it appears that she was overtake by Alice who forces her to grab a gun and start shooting Alliance officer including the admiral.Followed by hunter drones dropping through the ceiling and starting to shoot the crowd.When Kayto reaches the admiral and starts puting pressure on his wound although in vain. The Admiral then says:'t-the accursed monsters have tricked us...'. 'I should have known better than to negotiate with the reds...' As he mutter his last words:'Use...The Paradox Core... wipe.. every... last... of them... from this world...

### Sunrider Academy

Grey is namedropped as one of Kayto Shields's teachers at Sunrider Academy. An alarm clock given to Kayto as a birthday present from his sister Maray quotes a number of Grey's lines at the Second Battle of Ongess, explained in-universe as being from a holo-game Kayto plays.

## Personality & Traits

Having likely spent the majority of his life in the military, Harold Grey has been shaped by war and strife into a stern, disciplined and efficient leader, earning the respect and admiration of his troops, the fear and begrudging respect of his enemies, and the gratitude and weariness of civilians and government officials across the Alliance. He is a shrewd thinker, able to think quickly on his feet and take control of a situation even when things seem desperate, as he did at Ongess. His long years of life and service through numerous battles has given him an in-depth knowledge of the workings of war that most in the Alliance do not have, and he is thus not above being proactive in his strategies whereas most of the Alliance military seemed to act in a responsive capacity, using any and all resources at his disposal - including mercenaries like Icari Isidolde.

Having seen conflict longer then most commanders or soldiers in the Alliance, Grey has fully adopted the belief that the ends often justify the means when it comes to war, and is more then willing to make concessions or even sacrifices if it wins the battle or the war. This extends even to civilians, as he was not above writing them off as a necessary sacrifice for the sake of saving the rest of the Alliance and the galaxy at large from PACT's war machine - as proven when he ordered the rescue of Kayto Shields and Kryska Stares from Ongess, despite the fact that the Sunrider Captain and Alliance Liaison were being held in a refugee zone where there were just as many civilians as there were criminals in the crossfire between pirate and soldier. As the Incident at Versta also proves, Grey is also perfectly willing to fire the first shot in war and start the bloodshed himself if he feels that conflict is unavoidable, believing it best to strike before they do - especially if peace is obviously out of the question from the get-go, as it was with PACT.

His long and proud heritage as one of the founding families of the Solar Alliance has given Grey an immense name to live up to, having likely garnered him a fair bit of respect and fame well before he'd ever made a name for himself, which may contribute to why he always seems to feel driven to ensure he always brings victory to the Alliance. It is possible that the weight of having such a linage behind him makes Grey feel that he has no choice but to always make sure that victory is attained, possibly possessing an inferiority complex toward his ancestors as he seems steadfastly determined to uphold their legacy. The fact that he cited that he would not let the Grey legacy be unmade with him suggests that he may be the last living member - or at least the last publicly known or active member - of his family and that if he dies or is disgraced, their legacy dies with him. He also seems to have become rather embroiled in the world of politics after so many years, becoming just as skilled in the battle of words as he is with weapons of war - and developing something of a very powerful pride as a result. His embitterment at being constantly reigned in by politicians - even at the times when they do in fact have legitimate reasons for it - has left him generally intolerant of any political agendas outside of his own desires to defend the Alliance.

However, that is not to say that his ruthlessness in battle makes Grey inhuman by any means. One of his aides, Kryska Stares, was non-native to the Alliance world and joined the fleets from a rim-world. Grey judges people based not on their ethnicity but on their choices and demeanors, believing that actions speak far louder then words. He is also shown, when outside the immediate theater of war, to have some noted concern and care for general civilian populations and in trying to set better standards of living, as seen by how, in spite of his earlier threat to sacrifice them if need be, Grey was invested in reforming the lawless Ongress and removing it's inherent corruption. He seems to believe firmly in the merits of a strong and proactive community and in leaders that act concisely, favoring decisiveness and practical thinking both on and off the battlefield. His "ends justify the means" mentality does not mean he is without a degree of integrity either, as he personally vowed to Kayto Shields that he would ensure the soldiers who had slain children in the crossfire of Kayto's rescue from Ongess would be deposed from their positions - though one could argue that this is just as likely a case of Grey covering his own tracks in relation to the deaths, but his lamentation on the events seems genuine. He was also able to admit that he disliked having to hide such things from the public and wished he could be upfront and honest about everything more often, but believed that the war against PACT was far too fragile a situation to do this in.

As a person, Grey seems rather taciturn and curt, tending to not beat around the bush unless the situation requires absolute delicacy. His stern and unflinching demeanor makes it hard at times to read him, making it very hard for even famously-cunning strategists like Veniczar B. Fontana to tell if he is bluffing, and his keen perception, honed from years on the battlefields and planning strategies, makes him equally as hard to bluff or lie to. He moves with a confident gait that his age does not hinder in the slightest, and he is generally always calm and collected. However, he is also obviously a proud man, which makes it possible, though dangerous, to crack his demeanor and get him legitimately angry - hindering his plans, questioning his motivations or criticizing his choices are some such ways. It steams from Grey's honest belief that all of what he does is indeed in the best interests of the Alliance and the greater good, and thus, accusations that he is not putting the people first and foremost will be taken poorly as, to him, he is making these sacrifices specifically for their sakes, willing to keep the more ugly truths from the public so that they can better enjoy the peace of mind that the war will soon be over and that they will be safe. He is able to lament the deaths of those that are killed and darker aspects of what he must do, and he admittedly does not enjoy covering up the dirtier parts of war, but he moves forward nonetheless, believing that dwelling on the sacrifices made in war is a disservice to those that have died, and that the best way to honor them is to make sure their deaths were not in vain.

## Relationships

Kryska Stares - One of Admiral Grey's chief lieutenants and a Black-Ops operative working directly under his command, the Admiral seems to have a high opinion of Kryska's abilities and dedication, as he had selected her to be both a liaison and pilot aboard the Sunrider - a ship that had played several pivotal roles against PACT even before the Battle of Far Port. Her status as a child born on a mid-rim world outside the Alliance has had no bearing on Grey's apparent confidence in her, and it seems that Kryska in turn holds the Admiral in very high regard.

Icari Isidolde - At some point in his under-the-table efforts to subvert PACT's progress in the rim, Grey came into contact with Icari and, due to her skill and her hatred of PACT, she became one of his most frequent retainers in sabotaging them. It is likely that Grey has known Icari for much of her mercenary career, since Icari mentioned having known the Admiral for years. He seems to think very highly of the latter's abilities, as he had sent her alone to handle the mission of ensuring the deaths of the Alliance diplomats at PACT's hands at at Versta, and she was apparently his first choice for the matter. He also likely appreciates her pragmatic demeanor and ruthless hate of PACT, making her a very potent weapon to use against them.

Kayto Shields - The relationship between the Captian of the Sunrider with the Admiral varies depending on what mindset has been chosen for Kayto's character.

A "Pragmatic" mindset - a Kayto that wants to win the war at any cost, even that of his own conscience - will have a far more amicable standing with Admiral Grey, as both are in agreement about what costs must be payed in war. A "Pragmatic" Kayto abandoning the Agamemnon at Versta in order to provide ample fuel for the Alliance to declare war on PACT with will likely maintain good standings with Grey, and deciding to cover up the accidental deaths at Ongess even more so. It is likely that Grey has a high amount of respect for a "Pragmatic" Kayto as they are both determined to win the war and are willing to make sacrifices - even harsh ones - in order to defeat the enemy, regardless of the immediate moral concerns in light of the big picture. This version of Kayto likely seals Admiral Grey's chances of becoming Alliance President.

A "Moralist" mindset - a Kayto who wants to move forward without sacrificing his principles - will, by contrast, clash with Admiral Grey far more often, throwing a major wrench into many of Grey's efforts as they often disagree on what is considered an acceptable loss or sacrifice in times of war. A "Moralist" Kayto will likely have Grey's eternal ire after sabotaging his efforts to start a war by saving the Agamemnon at Versta and persuading Icari to abandon her mission, losing him one of his best mercenary hitmen. More damaging is pressing to open a public inquiry into the accidental deaths caused at Ongess, lest Kayto go to the media himself. While Grey admits to respecting a "Moralist" Kayto, he makes it clear that he fears that a "Moralist" Kayto will get himself killed by being too kind and thus unable to make the hard choices.

Veniczar B. Fontana - Upon encountering him, Grey labeled Fontana as a "boy" who knew nothing of real war, proceeding to trounce Fontana's carefully-planned assault by turning the latter's sympathy for the people of Ongess against him and threatening to destroy the planet if he did not pull back. Grey seemed to consider Fontana a distraction at worst and an upstart punk at best, scoffing at Fontana's initial arrogance in expecting the Admiral to surrender and quickly turning the game back around on Fontana.

Veniczar S. Arcadius - It is unlikely that Grey has any positive feelings about Arcadius, given that the latter is directly responsible for threatening the peace and stability of the Alliance. All-too-eager to meet blood for blood and claim an eye for an eye, Grey is more then willing to do whatever it takes to drive Arcadius and PACT back to their worlds and then take those as well - possibly beyond necessity if pushed too far.

Cosette Cosmos - Grey does not seem to have any sympathy for Cosette and her supposed cause of fighting for Ongess's people, seeing her as simply a thug and vicious killer who is using the people of Ongess as an excuse to justify her own selfish, senseless bloodlust. He sees her as nothing more then a terrorist and murderer who will strike against those she hates to the very end, regardless of if they have actually done her any real wrong, and declares her a psychopath who must be put down. She caused him repeated problems in his occupation and attempted revitalizing of Ongess, and he blames her guerrilla bombings as being the source of the chaos that stymies the relief efforts.