From the Journals of
Dr Stanley Kowalski  (Historian)
 

It is a well documented historical fact that once stagnation has set in upon a society, then that society's demise is inevitable. Thus it was with the Solar Republic. The isolationist doctrine of the republic lasted for nearly 400 hundred years, in which time Earth had no contact with any world outside her own solar system. The regime propagated a self-sustaining closed society, believing that contamination of thought from other worlds and civilisations would eventually dermine their power and authority. It was, perhaps, inevitable that the very polices that the Solar republic enforced with such terror ultimately led to the Republics fall.

The last few decades of the Republic were the most dynamic since the end on the Wars of Consolidation, at the end of the Republics first century. The Wars of Consolidation led to the domination of Earth over all of the worlds, moons, satellites and outposts of humanity in the system of Sol.  From then on the military forces of the Republic were used to blockade the system, not only putting a halt to all incoming vessels from other star systems, but also stopping all outward migration. Any and all dissension against the doctrine of the Republic was dealt with swiftly and harshly.  There were many inhospitable mining colonies (Mercury, Venus, various asteroids) that needed a high turnover of manpower, and political dissidents were expendable.

So it was for more than three hundred and fifty years.

During this period we must also note the rise of the Church of Stellar Divinity. It was in the year 127 SR (Solar Republic) that the Divine Stellar Manifestation occurred to Jonathan de Palmier, a worker on a vineyard in the European Prefecture. The details of the life of Jonathan de Palmier, and the beliefs of the Church are best left to another forum, save that the Divine Stellar manifestation left de Palmier with changed in two majors ways.

Firstly he underwent an epiphany whereby he came to the understanding that all matter in the Universe is born in stars and eventually, goes back into forming new stars. This also goes for the consciousness, or soul as well. "From the Stars we are born, and to the Stars we will return" goes one of the catechisms of the CSD.

Secondly Jonathan de Palmier also underwent a physical transformation. As a result of the Divine Stellar Manifestation de Palmier's body began to radiate light from his skin. Thus not only was de Palmier given the wisdom of the Holy Stars, but he was also blessed by the Holy Stars to radiate light as they do. With de Palmier preaching his new found wisdom, coupled with the Light of the Divine Stars shining from his body, the Church of Stellar Divinity quickly gained followers throughout the Republic.

De Palmier was the Hierarch of the Church, and upon his death in 195 SR his son Matthias became Hierarch with the full backing to the Church's Council of Preceptors. Upon his accession as Hierarch a miracle was witnessed by all 17 billion people of the Solar Republic as at the conclusion of the ceremony that was being broadcast live throughout the Republic, Matthias began to shine with the Light of the Divine Stars as his father had done.  So it was that all the Hierarchs of the CSD are from the direct line of Jonathan de Palmier.

By the year 368 SR the first signs of change began to emerge in the Republic.  When once any person who questioned the dictates of the Republic was quite likely to vanish in the middle of the night, now the Church of Stellar Divinity began to take a position contrary to that of the official line.  For the past century or more the Hierarch of the CSD was a full member of the Republic’s High Council, the Republic having granted this concession in recognition of the amount of followers that the Church had.   The Hierarch at this time was Philip de Palmier, direct descendent of Jonathan, and like all the Hierarchs before he shone with the Light of the Divine Stars.  Philip became the head of the CSD young, 28  years old.  Devout to the teachings of the CSD, he had also spent most of his youth travelling throughout the Republic and had seen first hand the suffering of the people under the yoke of tyranny.  Once he took his seat on the High Council, Philip began to assert some control over the others of the Council, most of whom were over 60 years old.  The first concession Philip gained did not appear great, but in hindsight it was the first step in the beginnings of the Empire.  Philip persuaded the High Council of the Solar Republic to appoint Admiral Gaston Brouchard as Supreme Commander of the Republic’s military.  Gaston Brouchard was also Philip de Palmier’s uncle, and loyalty in the de Palmier family is legendary.

Historians have debated on how it was that Philip was able to sway the Council, some say by bribery, others by threat of the entire Church of Stellar Divinity rising in protest against the Republic.  If Philip had used these methods he would have enjoyed some success at first, but he would not have been the first member of the High Council to disappear either.  A review of historical records of some of Philip de Palmier’s speeches to members of the CSD show that he was a great orator.  That combined with the direct proof of the miracle of the Light of the Divine Stars would eventually lead to his assuming leadership of the Republic.

Also Gaston Brouchard was quietly reordering the military.  Slowly over the years he replaced key figures in the military with those loyal to himself and to Philip.  Not all belonged to the CSD, but the majority did.  Brouchard also enamoured himself the citizens by dealing harshly with any soldier or officer who was found to overstep the mark by abusing their power.  Curfews were gradually lifted and slowly freedoms were restored.

So it was that on his 40th birthday with the backing of the military and Supreme Commander Brouchard at his shoulder, Philip de Palmier, the Light of the Divine Stars burning brightly from his skin, dissolved the High Council of the Solar Republic and proclaimed the Terran Empire.  Then Gaston Brouchard placed a simple band of silver on Philip’s brow and proclaimed him Emperor of all the Peoples of Terra, Protector of Humanity,  Hierarch of the Church of Stellar Divinity, Defender of the Stars, Supreme Commander of the Military, and Lord High Adjudicator of Justice.

This was the first day of the new calender of the glorious new Terran Empire.