Nikina Heads "Top 40 Under 40 in Royal Government"

DATELINE SITH STAR

The Government Leadership Foundation, a think tank and policy institute dedicated to analyzing executive and legislative action in the Empire, has released its annual "Top 40 Under 40 in Royal Government" list, the forty beings under forty standard years who, in its opinion, are the most influential actors in the Royal government. Coming in at Number One on this year's list is Aria Nikina, Queen of Daispin and Prefect of the Order of Keltrayu.

Nikina, who turns thirty-nine this year, came late to the Order of Keltrayu, joining in 52 YGE when she was already twenty and queen of her homeworld for two years. The daughter of the infamous dictator Genera Seithe, she led a revolution against her father's rule when she was only eighteen and was proclaimed queen by both the Humans and the Tantaari of Daispin. When the Empire arrived at Daispin two years later, however, Nikina joined the Order as a Centurion, leaving her homeworld under the regency of her cousin, Sy'rei.

During the Tribulation, Nikina's actions behind Vagaari lines inspired numerous slave world uprisings and threw the Vagaari Empire into internal chaos. Many military leaders from the Vagaari War credit Nikina with keeping the Empire's war effort alive until the conclusion of the Ssi-ruuvi Incursion.

"People will talk about Lord Sakaros, Admirals Medrego and Hrek, Jira Zaffrod—and don't get me wrong, they were absolutely critical, every one," said Hoffol Mess, a retired captain of the Royal Navy. "But all the tactics in the galaxy wouldn't have saved the fleet if Lady Nikina hadn't set the Vagaari Empire on fire from under them."

For her role in undermining the Vagaari and liberating slave camps, Nikina acquired the titles "Scourge of the Witch Queen" and "Breaker of Tyrants". At the war's end, Prime Legate Sorrik approved the famous "Nikina device" for the Vagaari War Medal, making Nikina one of only two individuals personally honored through a military decoration. The other is Keltrayu himself, for whom the Cross of Keltrayu is named.

During the Nightmare War, Nikina led the defense of her homeworld and dueled the Anzat Sacco Vyrak. Despite sustaining grievous injuries, including the loss of her right eye, Nikina slew Vyrak, who had already killed multiple Centurions. In the years after the war, Nikina was generally accepted as the "First Centurion"—the single Centurion to whom other Centurions look as the greatest of their number, a living role model for them all. This lofty designation has been borne by the likes of Aquila Corcer, Breek Zagrev, and Eskol Kaartinen.

Three years ago, Nikina replaced Kaartinen as Prefect of the Order, becoming the youngest Prefect in the Order's sixty-year history. In her three years as Prefect, she is said to have made changes to the Order's training, reinforcing both Centurions' professional skill and their legendary camaraderie, although details remain unclear. What is clear is that Nikina has the ear of Queen Rin and the respect of the entire Grand Council, and it is this which led the Government Leadership Foundation to honor her with the top spot on their list.

"Much of the work Lady Nikina and the Order do is—necessarily—classified," explained Roe-Ky-Fehn, a senior policy analyst for the GLF involved in the creation of the list. "But there's no dispute that the other ministers of the Grand Council, and certainly Prime Legate Sorrik, respect her opinion and give her counsel extraordinary weight. While it's early in her Prefecture, every indication is that Lady Nikina commands just as much respect as Lords Sakaros and Kaartinen before her."

One source close to the government leadership reports that Queen Rin has, on at least one occasion, spoken to Lady Nikina as "Queen Aria". Royal watchers agree that when Queen Rin addresses an individual world's monarch by title, it is a sign of deep respect.

Young she may be, but Aria Nikina is already a queen, a liberator, a war hero, and the Centurion other Centurions hold up as their standard. As Prefect, she is a mover and a shaker in both the highest echelons of government and, through her Centurions, the daily lives of the Empire's citizens. From her heroism in war to her leadership of the Order, she has earned the respect of beings from all walks of life, and the GLF is confident no being under forty even comes close to the influence she wields in the Royal government.