Brei'lya Raan

''"First and foremost, my service is to the Ishtari Empire and myself. I do not expect you to support my causes, but my priority is to execute and promote decisions for the good of the Ishtari.  Everything I do is to ensure the progress of my people, at any cost..." '' --Breil'ya Raan

Brei'lya Raan is the Ishtari Ambassador of Innana and close adviser and protege of Matriarch Zyr'iha. Chosen by Zyr'iha herself to represent the Ishtari people and act on her behalf in galactic affairs, Brei'lya is more powerful than a typical ambassador. She reports to Zyr'iha personally and with the matriarch's blessing, she makes and carries out her own decisions on Ishtari policies dealing with other powers. Seemingly benevolent and trying to do what is best for her people, Brei'lya has an ever-growing dark streak and a strong lust for power that very few, if any are aware of.

Zyr'iha's Pride and Joy
"Politicians have no leisure, because they are always aiming at something beyond political life itself, power and glory, or happiness"  --Matriarch Zyr'iha                                                                                                                   

Brei'lya was born to a single mother into a life of great privilege. As Innana was a prosperous planet and her mother was a successful politician, Brei'lya was given the best of everything as her mother had ties with the most prominent figures on their world. As politics revolved around Innana's elite and their decisions involved who were elected to office, it is no surprise that Brei'lya would eventually follow into her mother's footsteps. Growing up, she completed her mandatory studies and lengthy military service required by Ishtari law and then decided to pursue advanced education in the field of law.

Maintaining close ties with her mother and her connections during the meantime, Brei'lya was closely watched and provided everything she wanted and needed. A close friend of her mother and the elected leader of Innana, Matriarch Zyr'iha, was attracted by Brei'lya's intelligence and great promise she showed in her studies in law and politics. Zyr'iha quickly took Brei'lya under her wing and was determined in making her something great for Innana's future. Becoming her protege, Zyr'iha became a second parent as Brei'lya always respected her for her wisdom. Eventually, after years of studying under Zyr'iha, Brei'lya was officially appointed as Ambassador to Innana and a close adviser to the matriarch.

Becoming Ambassador and one of Zyr'iha's close advisors, Brei'lya was considered young in Ishtari society to hold such an office as elected officials all serve life terms. However, most Ishtari were impressed by the great knowledge she possessed dealing with Ishtari policies and her high level of ambition. She was dedicated to serving the Ishtari and was willing to do whatever it took to better her society. It wouldn't take long for her to fit in with the other politicians and even got as far as being Zyr'iha's favorite, placing her as possible next-in-line for the matriarch title when Zyr'iha passes. Brei'lya was Zyr'iha's pride and joy, becoming the daughter that she never had. The two greatly respected each other and would maintain this relationship for many years.

At first, the Ishtari were a seclusive species, but when they were discovered by great galactic powers, Brei'lya's role in Ishtari politics greatly increased. Though Zyr'iha held great power and was able to run Innana as she desired during her term, she preferred to keep to old Ishtari ways, being more of a highly-renown counselor or sage. She appointed her advisers, as well as  Brei'lya with immense political power and allowed them to act as her voice and her law as she saw fit. Since Brei'lya was Innana's ambassador, she held many special powers as she was chosen to excute laws and promote Ishtari interests to all galactic powers as well as to others within Ishtari Space. With the abilities to make laws and treaties and to declare war and peace, Brei'lya has nearly enough power to be ruler of the planet herself. Only the matriarch is able to surpass her powers, though Zyr'iha trusts Brei'lya to make the decisions best for the Ishtari people and often doesn't question her decisions.

After being discovered, the Ishtari expanded rapidly and emerged themselves into the galaxy at a rate not welcomed or anticipated by other galactic powers. Being a highly-advanced and long-lived species with abilities considered unsettling by others, the Ishtari are looked upon as a blight to many or a threat to others. As Brei'lya immersed herself in her neightened role, she would be met with new and unforseen challenges that would forever change her and the way she conducts herself in her title.

The Ambassador's Mentality
" Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes."

Charming, ambitious, strong-willed but deceptive, Brei'lya readily uses her political powers as well as her innate abilities to her advantage. She is stubborn, persistent and hard to read. Though the Ishtari trust her judgement to an extent, most others that deal with her are usually uncertain of her true intentions even though she seems to deliver on her promises. She seems to know more thanwhat she lets on and is a fan of unorthodox ways of utilizing the powers bestowed to her. Most of her tactics are conducted in secrecy and allegations made against her are unable to be proved. She is wary towards other species and maintains a "quid pro quo" mindset when it comes to most dealings. Having a seemingly benevolent nature towards others and wanting what's best for the Ishtari people, she is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure they continue to advance and prosper, even if it comes at the expense of other species. She is also power-hungry and corrupt, striving to obtain power in any way possible to her, regardless of how immoral the methods might be.

The Powers That Be
"An alliance with a powerful person is never safe."

Being Ishtari, Brei'lya possesses innate abilities such as shape-shifting to various forms at-will and powers comparable to that of force users. Serving a mandatory 20-year service in the Ishtari military, Brei'lya knows how to effectively defend herself if needed as well as how to utilize advanced military equipment. Being a long-lived species, Ishtari could live up 1000 years and are slow to age. Capable of reproducing with any species, Ishtari are a bit of an anomaly and are considered a universally attractive species. There are limitations to their shape-shifting abilities though. Female Ishtari could only shift to other female species and likewise with male Ishtari. Currently at 120 years of age, Brei'lya is only a young adult in Ishtari standards. Brei'lya is also capable of melding in which she could attune her nervous system to that of another being. If wounded, they have a quick healing rate. Highly intelligent and being a high-ranking official on her world, she is allotted a great deal of political power to influence Ishtari policies on a galactic scale.

From Respect To Rebellion
 "She trusts me too much. That is her biggest flaw. She thinks I'm restless because I'm young, but she has no idea how wrong she is.  With power to carry out my utmost desires while she shutters herself from everything, my cause is growing. For as old as she is, for all that she had been through, it is sad she is unaware of what is coming to her. She is unable to keep up with the times, with the Empire and with me... It is time for the Ishtari to have a new leader. "   --Brei'lya Raan

 Brei'lya had learned much from the Matriarch as both had a mutual respect for each other. Zyr'iha admired Brei'lya's determination and ambition while Brei'lya admired Zyr'iha's intelligence and her mystical nature. The two once held a close friendship and were considered inseperable. Once extremely loyal to the Matriarch, Brei'lya willingly carried out her will and served as her voice to the galaxy with great pride.

However, with many mother-daughter sort of relationships, the daughter would eventually enter a time where she would become restless and rebel against her elder. Brei'lya was no exception to the rule as she continued her service under the aging Matriarch, slowly and painstakingly finding herself becoming increasingly frustrated with her ways. As the Ishtari became more involved in galactic affairs, the more Zyr'iha seemed to retreat. Believing this was a way of avoiding responsibility and a chance to improve empire, Brei'lya was unhappy with Zyr'iha's reluctance to act. At first, Brei'lya believed it was just the restlessness of her age that Zyr'iha claimed it was. However,  it didn't take long for the Ishtari ambassador believed it was the start of something more.

As relations between Brei'lya and Zyr'iha continued to decline, Brei'lya quickly found their differences to become far much more than what was originally perceived. She found the old Matriarch too slow to act and unable to keep up with the current times. In this time too, relations between her mother, the only family she had, had also diminished. While Zyr'iha secluded herself from most things around her as she aged and health began to decline, Brei'lya felt her proclamations and desires were no longer relevant to the Ishtari, as well as to herself. With the Ishtari rapidly expanding through their booming economy and ingenuity, she  began to believe that new approaches were needed to continue their progress. The Matriarch saw things differently and because of this, Brei'lya knew she had to be secretive if she wanted to obtain her goals.

It didn't take long in her term to become a crooked politician. While Zyr'iha tended to her own personal matters, Brei'lya was left with many heavy burdens she had to face on her own. In attempts to expand Ishtari relations, Brei'lya had to travel far and wide to face the unknown. Due to their sudden emergence and quick expansion, the Ishtari were not highly looked upon by others. Being a unique species with strange abilities compared to others, the Ishtari faced issues never dealt with before. Facing discrimination, xenophobia, hateful thoughts and pirating issues in initial dealings with other powers, Brei'lya grew angry at the Matriarch's unwillingness to deal with the issues.

Believing there was no other way to deal with her problems, Brei'lya went behind her leader's back and began to make secret agreements and policies with other powers. Most greatly assisted the Ishtari Empire, though the methods were considered questionable. Implementing strict methods to prove the Ishtari were a force to reckoned with, Brei'lya took matters seriously. However, despite her controversial methods, she seemed to deliver on her promises and retained the Matriarch's esteem through clever manipulation.

Through her actions and her willingness to act, she became popular with the young elite and her colleagues. However, many have noticed a change in her personality that they couldn't  quite pick out. With nearly as much power as the Matriarch herself and her popularity, Brei'lya began to believe she should be the true head of her people and she would better provide for them than her mentor. The only thing holding her back was the one who taught her everything.

It didn't take long into the Ishtari Empire's expansion for the government to enter a state of  inner turmoil from lack of sufficient leadership. As Brei'lya continued to gain support and win over the trust of her fellow advisers, along with other Ishtari officials, they would soon form a faction within the government that called for "progressive measures". Vying for control over the Matriarchy, Brei'lya became their leader. Beginning an elaborate plot to overthrow her own government, Brei'lya currently seeks out to gather as much support as possible while waiting for the right time to strike. Though the desire for a change in the government grew, many Ishtari are unwilling to take drastic measures. A relatively peaceful species and one that highly values  their elders, Brei'lya knew she would have to find outside help out on her quest for power.

Armada: Act 1
With the Ishtari Empire rapidly becoming a great power and a force to be reckoned with, the Ishtari were invited to a diplomatic meeting hosted by the Imperial Remnant. Because Zyr'iha had other matters to tend to and the current state of the Matriarchy, Brei'lya attended the meeting in her place, acting as her voice to the other powers. Concerned about the hostile treatment given to her species and skirmishes with the Remnant in their new areas of expansion, Brei'lya voiced her concerns only for the meeting to falter after a security threat. Leaving empty-handed but determined to expand Ishtari relations and in rectifying current problems, Brei'lya invited the IGBC Chairman, Zhin Vakia and Emperor Palpatine's Adviser, Pavaliin to meet with her on her homeworld, Innana.

The meeting between Pavaliin and Vakia was overall sucessful. While Brei'lya was put off by Vakia's cold demeanor and offended by his preference in speaking with the Matriarch, she made an agreement with Pavaliin to ease the Ishtari/Remnant skirmishes. Both agreeing to cease hostile activity as long it was mutual, the tense relations between the Remnant and Ishtari Empire began to lessen. While Brei'lya has began the exploration of converting the Ishtari economy with Vakia, Brei'lya proposed to the Matriarch to speak with the chairman as he was reluctant in dealing with the Ambassador. Zyr'iha agreed to Brei'lya's proposal due to the ambassador's insistence.

Satisfied with the results between the agreement between her and Pavaliin, Brei'lya and the imperial adviser agreed to a private meaning for further discussion. At this meeting, Brei'lya proposed a formal alliance with the Remnant as relations between the other powers remained tense. However, Brei'lya also learned that from stolen data from the Remnant that Pavaliin was not the man he claimed to be. Interested in figuring out what kind of man Pavaliin was, Brei'lya began to evaluate him as she wasn't sure that he would be trustworthy or not. Introducing him to some of the Ishtari ways, Brei'lya informed him of their strict dealings when it came to important agreements. The meeting ended on a good note, but Pavaliin was still an unknown to Brei'lya.

Taking matters into her own hands, Brei'lya seeked the man she believed would reveal information on Pavaliin. Traveling to Nar Shaddaa in search of him, she found him at a shoddy nightclub where she, while in disguise, infiltrated and attacked him and his men upon his refusal to share the information. Knocking Mammon out, Brei'lya stole his datapad the information on it.

Finding out the truth behind Pavaliin, Brei'lya confronted him at a later date, taking him by surprise. While he was initially angry and surprised, Brei'lya offered to keep his identity a secret if he would assist her with a coup she was planning against the Matriarch in return for unlimited Ishtari resources. Suspecting that Pavaliin was hiding for a reason and was planning something, she agreed to assist him with his intentions. As the two questioned their trustworthiness to each other, Brei'lya showed her seriousness in sealing the deal as she offered herself to him, referring to a longstanding Ishtari rule that held serious implications if one backed out of an established, highly-important deal. Willingly, Pavaliin and Brei'lya sealed the deal through sex. With the deal sealed, the two were bound by the terms of the deal, but the sex also affected them both in unforeseen ways. The two began to form an attraction towards each other, though they dismissed the act as merely a matter of business.