The Imperial Eye is the internal and foreign intelligence agency of the Known Worlds, reporting directly to the Emperor. Based on Byzantium Secundus the organization is forbidden to operate on that planet and may use it only as a base.
Due to its age and cumbersomeness it is highly infiltrated by numerous other agencies and parts of it are essentially disconnected parts running separate agendas for decades if not longer. Emperor Alexius is pushing for reforms of the Eye making it accountable and focused on Imperial enemies rather than internal politics of the Known Worlds.
Those in favour of these reforms are known as 'the Angels', who are opposed by the 'Old Guard'. The Old Guard includes Imperial patriots who believe the Eye needs to operate above morality, noble loyalists and corrupt agents who have everything to lose.
Its current director is Duchess Oelestre Xanthippes.
It is divided by roles rather than sections.
Roles[]
Reclaimers[]
These agents are charged with the recover of artefacts of ancient or alien origin. They are also known to recover items from current owners.
Surveillance[]
The Empire openly observes barbarians and spies but it quietly spies on nobles, merchants and priests too. Shadows are also responsible for running informer networks.
Also known as Shadows.
Research and Design[]
These agents specialize in the ancient and questionable art of science and technology.
Operatives[]
These are the front line agents of the Imperial Eye directly seeking out enemies of the Empire and civilization.
Field Troops[]
The maintains an elite squad of troops ostensibly for protecting Imperial Eye properties but they are covertly used in operations.
Infiltrators[]
For the purposes of infiltrators the agency trains undercover and double agents.
History[]
The Imperial Eye is actually one of the oldest institutions in the Known Worlds. It can trace its origins back to the pre Diaspora First Republic. Struggling to deal with the rising cult of Sathraism among the Zaibatsu pilots the Republic set up the Internal Investigations organization.
This new Agency prosecuted and pursued these cultists, driving them underground and out of mapped space. While Internal Investigations appeared to fulfil its purpose a rumour appeared that it had been infiltrated and controlled by Sathraists themselves.
After the fall of the Republic the agency devolved into a criminal organization putting its abilities to criminal use. In the period of the Second Republic it was incorporated again into the government and put to use against the rising noble families. However their noble counterparts proved too much for the Republics intelligence organization and it was defeated.
After the Fall the remains of the agency were claimed by House Alecto where it remained until the formation of the Empire in 4550. Unlike House Alecto it managed to survive being renamed as Imperial Eye.
During the Regency it was a tool of every Royal House at some point. House Hawkwood was the last to control and use it to gain the Imperial throne.