Prime Legate

The Prime Legate of the Golden Empire was the Supreme Commander of the Empire's military forces and head of the Glorious Armada. The Prime Legate sat on the Grand Council, and thus answered directly to the Sovereign.

History
Initially, the Golden Empire was small enough that Queen Rin Sakaros could keep all her forces in a single fleet, which was usually under the joint command of her brother Tariun and her apprentice, Keltrayu. Though Tariun was vastly more experienced with military command, the joint system carried the Empire through the first thirteen years of its existence.

During the Great Liberation, Rin was forced to divide her fleet to open multiple fronts against the Tetrarchy of Mezlagob. Both Tariun and Keltrayu were given the wartime rank of Legate, with authority to command theaters and create and dissolve lesser Legates as needed. Keltrayu was killed at the Battle of Tizgo V in 101 ABY, leaving Tariun as the seniormost Legate in service.

When the war was concluded, Rin created the post of Prime Legate, the only permanent Legate position in the Empire, and elevated her brother to it. It was at this time that the Prime Legate position acquired not only military command, but also responsibility for military budgeting, promotions, and procurement, necessitating the bureaucracy that emerged under him. The Prime Legate post was incorporated into the Grand Council of the Golden Empire later that year.

In 107 ABY, the newly created Royal Intelligence was placed into the Glorious Armada, and thus under the Prime Legate's command. The Exploration Corps followed suit on its creation in 111 ABY.

Powers and duties
As Supreme Commander of the military, the Prime Legate had final regular authority over training, promotion, retention, troop movement and assignment, military discipline, procurement, weapons development and testing, and research and design. The Director of Royal Intelligence reported directly to the Prime Legate, as did the commanding officer of every Exploration Corps task squad upon completion of its mission.

Like the Sovereign and Royal Executors, the Prime Legate was authorized to create Legates and assemble task forces and legions.

In practice, much of the day-to-day business of running the military was left to individual service High Commands, or even local commands for small-scale issues. However, the Prime Legate retained the power to confirm all promotions to the grades of O-6 and above, as well as anyone given command of a capital ship (and the title "captain"), regardless of grade. The power to create Legates could not be delegated, except to other Legates.

Terms of service
Like most positions on the Grand Council, service as a Prime Legate was until death, retirement, or removal by the Sovereign. Like all Legates, the Prime Legate was paid at the O-10 pay grade. The Prime Legate was considered a member of the military himself, not a civilian, a unique status on the Grand Council (although the Prefect of the Order of Keltrayu, like the Order itself, functioned in a state somewhere between military and civilian).

Like all Legates, the Prime Legate was addressed verbally as "Your Honor", or simply "Sir/Ma'am". Formally, the Prime Legate was authorized a golden stole with silver embroidery as a symbol of office, though in practice neither Tariun Sakaros nor Sorrik wore this on anything but the most formal occasions.