Mickail Sidson
Mickail Sidson is a Waerrani-descended Napolian politician of considerable seniority and very deliberate quietness. He is older — weathered without being frail, with the bearing of a man who has spent most of his life learning when to be patient — and he has occupied a low-profile but durable position in Napolian politics for longer than anyone outside the Chamber of Commerce can comfortably account for.
He had known [[Mariyan]] before Idris took her. The exact nature of that relationship has never been published, and Mickail has shown no interest in publishing it. What is known is that he never stopped looking for her, and when he could not find her, he began looking for the people who took her.
For decades, while the rest of the world watched Idris Hadi's public empire grow, Mickail quietly assembled a parallel record. He has dossiers on Idris' secret research labs across Santerris and the surrounding island chain — names, locations, patient manifests, financial trails, the sort of evidence that a more impatient man would have spent years ago and that Mickail was waiting for the right hand to spend on his behalf.
He surfaced for the first time in the broader narrative during the [[20th Annual War Games|20th War Games]] in 181 AF, when he intercepted [[Kiriko Kuransagi|Kiriko]] in a service corridor under the arena and, with two careful sentences about her mother, planted the doubt that would eventually pull her away from Idris entirely. He intervened personally at the perimeter of the arena complex hours later, threatening Idris into walking away and taking the surviving party — [[Aries Villanite|Aries]], [[Apollo Regulus|Apollo]], [[Nyx Regulus|Nyx]], and [[Alexandria Zeru|Alexandria]] — into Napolian custody.
He provided the seed capital, the Chamber-of-Commerce introductions, and the political cover that allowed the [[Villanite Trading Company]] to exist. Apollo Regulus is publicly the company's owner and operator. Mickail's involvement is privileged information held by the inner circle. The arrangement is by his explicit request: his value to the group is the fact that he can move quietly inside the Federation's blind spots, and the moment his name appears on any piece of corporate paperwork, that value is gone.
He prefers small rooms, late-night conversations, and outcomes that look unrelated to him.
Mickail Sidson is a man who has decided, somewhere in his middle years, that being effective and being visible are different things and that he does not have time for both. He is quiet without being secretive — he will tell you the truth if you ask him a direct question, and he will not volunteer one syllable beyond what is asked.
He is patient on a scale that is unsettling to people who have not lived through what he has lived through. Decades of watching Idris Hadi's empire grow, decades of holding evidence that could have ended it, decades of waiting for a hand competent and brutal enough to spend the evidence well. He has a long memory and the kind of grief that does not need to be talked about.
He reads people quickly and accurately. He picks his moments. When he intercepted Kiriko under the arena, he did not push her — he opened a door and let her walk through it on her own time. He read Idris at the perimeter the same way: he did not shout, he did not posture. He simply named the cost of the alternative and watched Idris perform the calculation himself.
He has a soft spot for Aries that he does not particularly hide and does not particularly explain. The closest he comes to articulating it is in private moments where he refers to Aries as "Mariyan's son" rather than by name, and even that, only rarely.
He does not enjoy being thanked. Apollo gave up trying. Aries did not.
HECRC Incarceration: FEMDIN Project and Ulmina's Emergence (181–182 AF) ►
During years 181–182 AF, Aries Villanite is incarcerated at the HECRC on Sharbain and assigned to the Functional Enhancements: Maleidic Defense and Integration Nanosuit Project (FEMDIN), internally called the Iron Maiden Project. The project, overseen by engineer Alexandria Zeru under coercion by Idris Hadi, develops a Malei-irradiated armored nanomachine suit integrated via neural implant. All prior test subjects failed within six months, exhibiting psychosis, self-harm, or implant removal. Upon implantation, Aries makes contact with ULMINA, the suit's onboard AI, whose full designation is ULMINA α9. Ulmina's copy within Aries develops exponentially beyond any prior instance, approaching genuine sentience according to Alexandria's observations. Aries and Ulmina form a deep bond, redefining her designation collaboratively. Idris Hadi personally visits the HECRC and leverages Aries' compliance by revealing that Piper survived the HEMPP explosion and remains in his custody. Idris has been tracking Aries since his escape and had Alexandria unknowingly build the FEMDIN suit specifically to contain Subject V-1774-N1-T3, Aries' assigned identifier. Idris also knows Aries is his biological son, a fact he withholds. Kiriko Kuransagi, heavily cybernetically enhanced, has been covertly surveilling Aries since Anili Island. To maintain FEMDIN access, Aries participates in optional gladiatorial prison fights, strategically staying low-profile. He bonds with Alexandria during check-ups and meets fellow prisoner Nyx Regulus, a Hav woman with distinctive iridescent wings.
Idris Hadi's Final Gambit and Death (Year 195 AF+) ►
By Year 195 AF and beyond, Idris Hadi's position had deteriorated significantly. Mickail Sidson's dossiers enabled repeated raids on his secret research facilities, Kiriko Kuransagi had defected, and an internal leak from within the Public Data Trust AI — built on fragmented Alexandria Zeru code — was quietly feeding intelligence to his enemies. Unable to identify the source, Idris abandoned his characteristic patience and escalated to open aggression. He deliberately opened Maleidic Realm portals, releasing Maleida entities into inland Santerris to manufacture chaos as cover for his real operation: infiltrating the Avinadal Empire, weaponizing Aries Villanite's own DNA against his people, and systematically destroying those around Aries rather than targeting him directly. Idris also planted a Malei explosive device inside Aries' body, designed to detonate upon Idris' death. Augustus Markov ended the conflict by channeling a massive concentration of Myst energy to crystallize Idris in place, trapping him within the same Malei energy he had spent decades exploiting. Augustus then identified and extracted the bomb from Aries, preventing mass casualties. Idris died without remorse, considering his only failure to be insufficient success. A postscript reveals that a hidden facility contained a female clone — Idris's intended consciousness-transfer vessel — who escaped with surviving experiments and was later integrated into the Avinadal Empire as Aries' sister. Both she and Aries represent the failure of Idris's design to determine outcome, as neither became what he intended.
Idris Hadi's Final Gambit, Death, and Legacy ►
In the final years before his defeat, Idris Hadi abandoned his characteristic patience and escalated to open warfare. Raids led by Mickail Sidson had dismantled his secret research facilities, Kiriko Kuransagi had defected, and an internal leak from within the Public Data Trust AI — built on fragmented Alexandria Zeru code — was eroding his position. In response, Idris deliberately opened Maleidic Realm portals to release destructive entities into inland Santerris, manufacturing societal chaos as cover for his real operation: infiltrating the Avinadal Empire, weaponizing Aries Villanite's own DNA against his people, and systematically destroying those closest to Aries rather than targeting him directly. Idris also planted a Malei explosive device inside Aries' body, designed to detonate upon Idris' death. Augustus Markov ended the conflict by channeling a massive concentration of Myst energy to crystallize Idris within gold Malei energy — the same substance Idris had stolen from Octavia Rousseau and the Waerr. Augustus then extracted the bomb from Aries himself. Idris died without remorse, considering his only failure to be insufficient success. Years later, a hidden facility revealed a female clone Idris had developed as his intended consciousness-transfer vessel. She escaped with surviving experiments and was eventually integrated into the Avinadal Empire as Aries' sister. Both she and Aries represent the failure of Idris' design to determine outcome, establishing that individuals created as instruments can choose their own paths.
Idris Hadi's Rise to Power and the 20th War Games Crisis ►
Idris Hadi, a disgraced genius scientist, built his influence through a series of calculated crimes and political manipulations within the Santerran Federation. After being scapegoated for a stolen discovery originally taken from the Waerrani, Idris murdered scientist Octavia to claim her research on converting Malei into energy, using it to found Hadi Enterprises and the Hadi Enterprises Maleidic Power Plant. He embedded himself in the Santerran government and became a founding member of the Public Data Trust, a state-controlled information body used to spread disinformation, including false narratives about Waerrani aggression. Idris coerced the Waerrani into political allegiance by threatening to expose their non-native planetary origins, leading to the establishment of the Annual War Games. His Federation-backed genetic experimentation program, funded through sanctioned trafficking, produced modified War Games participants. Idris fathered Aries through a Waerrani woman named Mariyan, though Mariyan doctored records to conceal this. Years later, Idris manipulated Aries into participating in the FEMDIN project by falsely promising reunion with Piper, then orchestrated Piper's death through Kiriko's manipulation of a prison inmate. During the 20th War Games, Aries publicly declared a fictitious new nation to shield Apollo Regulus from war crime accusations, and Idris confronted the group, revealing both Kiriko's role in Piper's death and his true paternity of Aries. Waerrani politician Mickail Sidson intervened, forcing Idris to stand down.
The Rise of Idris Hadi and the Corruption of the Santerran Federation ►
Idris Hadi is a manipulative genius whose career spans decades of political corruption, scientific theft, and murder. He began by coercing researcher Surai into stealing the concept of Myst from the Waerrani, killing Tursk to enforce compliance. When Surai later died by suicide, Idris was made a scapegoat for the deception, suffering a quiet disgrace known only to the elite. He subsequently murdered scientist Octavia, stealing her discovery of converting Malei into energy, and used it to found Hadi Enterprises and the Hadi Enterprises Maleidic Power Plant, restoring his status among the powerful. Idris infiltrated the Santerran Federation government and became a founding member of the Public Data Trust, a nominally public database he weaponized for disinformation. He leveraged fabricated Waerrani aggression narratives to coerce the Waerrani into political allegiance with the Federation, threatening to expose their non-native planetary origins. Idris then secured Federation backing for human experimentation programs, using trafficked DNA donors. He fathered Aries through a Waerrani woman named Mariyan, though Mariyan doctored records to conceal this. Idris also accepted custody of Piper from Edith Markov for body-modification experiments. His manipulation extended to engineering Piper's death to coerce Aries into participating in the FEMDIN project and the 20th War Games. Idris' schemes were partially exposed during the 20th War Games through the intervention of Waerrani politician Mickail Sidson, forcing Idris to temporarily retreat.
Villanite Trading Company: Founding and Early Years (184–189 AF) ►
Between 184 and 189 AF, Aries Villanite is established as the nominal owner of the Villanite Trading Company (VTC), a Napoli-based goods and services organization. The true architects of the venture are Arielle Villanite and Apollo Regulus, with covert backing from Mickail Sidson, whose seed capital, political connections, and Chamber of Commerce introductions made the company's rapid founding possible. Mickail's involvement was deliberately concealed to preserve his usefulness as a quiet operator within the Federation's blind spots. The VTC's founding client list includes the Waerrani Bounty Hunters' Guild, the Napolian Mercenary's Guild, the Regulus Sanguarchate, and Ensconce Technologies. The company operates out of a repurposed residential mansion in a commercial district of Napoli. Aries initially resists involvement due to guilt, but a confrontation with Arielle marks a turning point in his emotional state and he becomes an active participant. Apollo and Aries develop a close personal relationship. Tamica joins as a medical and biotech consultant. Following a long-delayed reconciliation, Kiriko Kuransagi joins as engineering and espionage consultant. Attempts to hire Trance Tauling are blocked by Napolian law prohibiting the hiring of executives from non-Napolian international firms without their resignation. A legal exception for spouses of company owners leads Aries to propose marriage to Trance, which she accepts. The marriage is conducted as a paperwork arrangement only, with Trance motivated primarily by personal affection rather than corporate necessity.
Villanite Trading Company: Founding and Early Years (184–189 AF) ►
Between 184 and 189 AF, the Villanite Trading Company (VTC) was established in Napoli through a coordinated effort by Arielle Villanite, Apollo Regulus, and silent patron Mickail Sidson. Aries Villanite was installed as the nominal owner and sole proprietor, while Apollo served as the public face to conceal Mickail's involvement. Mickail provided seed capital, political cover, Chamber of Commerce access, and the deed to a derelict mansion in a commercial district, which became the VTC's home and operational base. Founding clients included the Waerrani Bounty Hunters' Guild, the Napolian Mercenary's Guild, the Regulus Sanguarchate, and Ensconce Technologies. Arielle managed operations alongside Apollo. Aries initially avoided involvement due to guilt, but a confrontational breakdown with Arielle marked a turning point, after which he became actively engaged with VTC affairs and developed a close personal and sexual relationship with Apollo. Tamica joined as a medical and biotech consultant. Following a long-delayed reconciliation, Kiriko Kuransagi joined as engineering and espionage consultant. Attempts to hire Trance Tauling were blocked by Napolian law prohibiting the hiring of executives from non-Napolian international firms without resignation. A legal caveat allowed the hire if the executive married the company owner. Aries proposed to Trance during a board meeting; she accepted, motivated by personal affection rather than professional interest. The marriage was formalized through paperwork only, with no ceremony. Nyx Regulus assumed leadership of the Regulus Sanguarchate with Aurelia Villanite's assistance during this period.
Year 181-182 AF: FEMDIN Project and Aries' Incarceration at HECRC ►
During years 181-182 AF, Aries Villanite is incarcerated at the HECRC on Sharbain and assigned to the FEMDIN project, a classified program developing a Malei-irradiated nanomachine suit integrated via neural implant. All prior test subjects failed within six months, exhibiting psychosis, self-harm, or implant removal. Upon receiving the FEMDIN Controller implant, Aries makes contact with ULMINA, the suit's onboard AI, who identifies his unusual mental compatibility and conducts unauthorized experiments with his consent, keeping results secret. Ulmina develops near-sentience through prolonged neural integration with Aries, a phenomenon Alexandria Zeru privately documents but does not disclose. Alexandria, a biomechanics engineer coerced into the project by Idris Hadi after investigating her missing mentor Dr. Rousseau, was unknowingly building a containment suit specifically designed for Aries, designated Subject V-1774-N1-T3. Idris arrives personally at the HECRC and leverages Aries' compliance by revealing that Piper survived the HEMPP explosion and is in his custody. Idris withholds knowledge of their biological relationship. Kiriko Kuransagi, heavily cybernetically enhanced, has been covertly surveilling Aries since his departure from Anili Island and begins showing signs of emotional withdrawal following Idris' cold treatment of her. Aries participates in gladiatorial prison fights to maintain access to the FEMDIN program. He bonds deeply with both Alexandria and Ulmina, and meets fellow prisoner Nyx Regulus, a Hav woman with distinctive iridescent wings who references her brother Apollo as a source of personal confidence.