Zaki Aurelian

Zaki Aurelian

Though he is best known as the deceased husband of Sera Rozenburg, prior to his untimely demise he had a notable career in his own right.

Growing up on the world planet of Pylea, Zaki enjoyed a privledged life and received the best education his noble family could provide. While still in University he became a provisional member of the CPI and began seeking a diplomatic posting. Owing to his excellent academic record and unbleamished loyalty to the Empire he was not denied this wish and upon graduation was quickly given a posting in the Tranatula nebula.

At this time the Empire was dealing with the beginnings of what would later grow into the free worlds movement. Initially it did not respond with the brutality that would characterize it after Akadon took the lead. At first envoys were simply sent to the various rebellious worlds with instructions to ascertain and attempt to alleviate the complaints of these worlds. Most envoys did not enjoy a great deal of success as can be imagined given the current state of the galaxy but Zaki somehow always seemed to produce results. Over the years several border worlds were kept within the Empire due to his deft negotiating. His successes did not go unrewarded and he quickly rose through the diplomatic ranks becoming one of the highest ranking diplomats in the sector and a full member of the CPI.

Though Zaki was often produced good news for the Empire, most of the news from the Nebula was not good. Shannan Tar Bandon and her rebels were able to rally most of the worlds to their cause and the Empire soon decided it had no choice but to resort to force.

This is when Akadon was given command of the sector and began his reign of terror.

Zaki though continued his work, the diplomatic Corp took to pairing its envoys with high ranking military personnel in the hopes of continuing their work in pacifying the rebellion and keep the bloodshed to a minimum. This embed program was a spectacular failure in most cases as the military simply ignored their civilian counterparts. Zaki was again the exception however, his pairing with then Captain Sera Rozenburgh of the Dreadnaught Lillith proved to be a great success. Whether the two’s ability to work together grew from the attraction which would become apparent later or whether its owed to some other factor can only be speculated on, but either way they made a highly effective team. Utilizing “good cop, bad cop” tactics against the free worlds which capitalized on Zaki’s good reputation and Sera’s for ruthlessness many rebellious worlds were able to be convinced to submit with little bloodshed.

Over the months of working together the couples attraction grew and eventually they were married at the Headquarters of the Imperial fleet (and future capital of the Alliance) Dardanius station. They would soon have two daughters within a year of each other Veronikya and Aleson and by all accounts the family flourished in the few years before the coming civil war.

It was the civil war which doomed the family and Zaki himself. Though Akadon was by all reports confident in the loyalty of his alleged former mistress and second in command, he apparently did not believe he could trust Zaki. Or perhaps her when she was with Zaki? One can only speculate as to Akadon’s motives but despite Sera wholeheartedly supporting Akadon’s rebellion he ordered Zaki and the children killed. The purge was successful where Zaki was concerned but it would later come to light that Sera had managed to save both daughters and would eventually betray Akadon over the death of her husband, leading a hit and run campaign of terror against her former ally that goes on to this day.