With the announcement done, Axel was now busy with the long process of reorganizing the new Imperial Ascendency into a proper working Government to replace the old United Human Empire.
But first he had to meet with one of the species that were part of the former Covenant Empire that didn't have much participation in the war. The species was called Yanme'e. The Yanme'e are a race of sentient, carnivorous, flight-capable insectoids.
Upon landing on Palamok, the Yanme'e homeworld, Axel met with a group of Yanme'e Hive Queens. After some time had passed and Axel had spoken with the Hive Queens, they had come to an agreement.
The Yanme'e would join them and have the same benefits as every other race, in exchange the Yanme'e would serve as mechanics and soldiers within the Imperial Military. One of the Hive Queens would be chosen to represent the entire Yanme'e species within the Imperial Ascendency.
Once that was done, Axel returned to organizing the rest of the new Government. The process was a long and laborious one, full of delicate negotiations and diplomatic meetings. As Emperor, Axel had to navigate through the intricacies of interspecies politics, balance power structures and ensure that each species felt valued and represented. This undertaking required every bit of his prodigious intellect.
The official Imperial Ascendency Council chamber was constructed on the Ark where delegates from each species could convene. The chamber was a marvel of architectural brilliance, designed to accommodate the various needs of every species.
Axel also championed the development of new diplomatic procedures and protocols which were to be used in this new joint government. The procedures were carefully crafted to provide a fair platform to everyone while preventing any form of verbal or physical violence from occurring at these inter-species meetings.
Slowly but surely, representatives were chosen and sent from each species.
For the Sangheili, Imperial Admiral Xytan 'Jar Wattinree was chosen with Thel 'Vadam coming as a close second. Decimus, a former warchief, was chosen to represent the Jiralhanae. Within the San'Shyuum Arb Zawo was chosen to represent them within the council.
For the Unggoy, their culture and society had been indoctrinated by the Covenant, making them their species heavily reliant on the Covenant. So, for now their species spot on the council was left vacant until things among their species develop.
The Lekgolo/Mgalekgolo were a much smaller species so they weren't given a position on the council but would still be represented equally within the Imperial Ascendency. The Kig-Yar were given the same treatment.
The Huragok which was the final species only wanted food and work and desired nothing more. Axel granted them that plus representation within the Government to ensure that their needs alongside all other species' needs were met and respected.
New Ministries were created to oversee the various areas of the new government. The Ministry of Defense, overseen by Axel himself, was established to manage the military affairs of the Ascendancy. The Ministries of Trade and Interplanetary Affairs were created to handle commerce and foreign relations respectively. For the social welfare of the species within the Ascendancy, the Ministries of Health and Education were set up, and a Council Ethics Committee was organized to ensure fairness and justice in all inter-species dealings.
He held regular meetings with representatives from each species, spending long hours discussing policies, listening to their perspectives and addressing their concerns. He also ensured that each species witnessed the benefits of this unity first-hand, with solid improvements in living conditions, safety, economic growth, and increased inter-species understanding.
Some species, such as the Jiralhanae and the Sangheili, had old hostilities dating back centuries. Axel had to personally intervene in several disputes to ensure that these deep-rooted hatreds did not ignite a civil war within the Ascendancy. It was a delicate balancing act, but he managed to maintain peace and unity.
Despite all this, there were still many challenges ahead. There were factions within each species that opposed this new alliance; they saw it as a betrayal of their own kind or an act of subjugation under human rule. Axel had to deal with these factions carefully, always promoting dialogue and understanding above all else. He consistently reinforced the idea that this was not a human empire, but an imperial ascendency where all species were equals.
Another major challenge that Axel faced was integrating different technologies from each species to form a unified technological base for the Ascendancy. Each species had its own unique technology, developed over centuries of independent evolution. To bring about a unified technological platform was herculean task.
To address this situation, Axel established the Ministry of Technological Integration, comprised of the best scientists and engineers from each species. They were tasked with the study and amalgamation of the various technologies to create unified systems that could be universally operated and maintained across the Ascendancy. His vision was for a shared technological advancement, where every species could contribute and benefit from unified progress.
In addition to the political restructuring, Axel also spearheaded an initiative to revitalize the economy of the Ascendancy. The wars with the Covenant had left many worlds ravaged. Reconstruction efforts were set into motion with economic policies that encouraged trade and cooperation among species. Tax incentives were offered for inter-species partnerships and businesses, a move that saw booming growth in various sectors.
The UNSC was integrated into the Ministry of Defense alongside all the other species military forces, forming a powerful combined fleet.
Years of war had led to a sizeable military-industrial complex within the Ascendancy. Factories that once churned out weapons and war machines were now repurposed for peaceful endeavors. They manufactured infrastructure, ships for exploration, and tools for terraforming.
Axel also saw the need for ongoing training and education among the Ascendancy's military forces. The Ministry of Defense established new training facilities staffed by instructors from different species. In these academies, recruits were not only trained in combat but also educated about the cultures and values of other species. This innovative approach fostered mutual respect and understanding among the soldiers.
The crowning jewel of Axel's efforts was the creation of an Inter-species Cultural Exchange Program overseen by the Ministry of Education. The program encouraged individuals from different species to spend time living and working among other species to promote understanding and harmony. It was a popular initiative that saw many sign up enthusiastically.
A Senate to represent every world within the Ascendency was also established, complete with representatives elected by the inhabitants of each planet. This ensured that every voice, no matter how small or remote, would be heard within the Ascendancy.
To manage and coordinate this vast tapestry of cultures, economies, and militaries, Axel established a central administrative hub on the Ark. The capital city was an impressive display of architecture and technology, featuring structures built to accommodate every species' unique needs and preferences. Embassies for each species were established to represent their place in this grand empire.
On Earth, a grand Hall of Heroes was created to honor the millions of lives lost during the war. It was a massive structure that had quickly become the biggest tourist attraction on Earth within the first few months following its construction.
Axel was not one to rest on his laurels, however, for he recognized that all these monumental changes required continuous oversight and careful management. He became a constant presence at meetings, conferences, military drills, and diplomatic missions. While he could have easily assigned these duties to appointed officials, Axel maintained a personal involvement in the day-to-day running of the Ascendancy.
He made sure to balance his work life with his family life to raise his sons and spend time with Catherine, whom he finally married now that the Galaxy was at peace. Of course, Catherine hated the idea of becoming Empress, but she still did it for the sake of Axel, their twin sons, and Miranda.
Miranda had continued to climb the ranks of the new Ascendency military despite her new title as princess. She became the second in command onboard one of the many exploration fleets that the Ascendency had sent out to explore uncharted space and reclaim Forerunner Shield Worlds.
As for the Forerunner technology, the Ascendency had seen various forerunner technology used on every world that they touched. Entire worlds were turned into Assembly forges to build the massive mega structures that Axel had planned.
Orbital rings and slipspace gates were created to enable rapid transportation between systems, as well as the construction of expansive habitats in space to house the growing populations of the Ascendancy. Vast signature megastructures like the Dyson spheres and ringworlds were also initiated, harvesting energy from stars and providing ample living space.
(Orbital Rings)
Cities on every world was undergoing reconstruction with new technology and methods of traveling being introduced. The Galaxy was being transformed thanks to the peace that had been established after the end of the war.
(New cities appearance on Earth)
Every species flourished and eventually got along with each other after the first 5 years of the Imperial Ascendency's rein. A new religion which replaced the old Covenant religion was created to promote the truth of humanity being the inheritors but to not as a form of subjugation but to promote mutual understanding and provide guidance to all species.
In this time span, the Librarian's imprint was discovered on Requiem Where Axel had taken a small force to learn the secrets of the Shield world. It was here that the Librarian had managed to speak to Axel, and she was very intrigued at the progress that Humanity had made so far. Once she learned that the Galaxy was united, she was quite surprised, but she also knew that once she discovered Axel for the first time, she knew he would have important for humanity to have.
After a brief talk, the Librarian had used an Armiger body to implant her personality, basically allowing her to walk amongst the living once again. Her return brought with her a lot of knowledge as she was an actual Forerunner.
In her return she also started her plan to turn the Ur-Didact on their side and change his views on humanity. She slowly started to heal his mind which was damaged by the Gravemind and show him humanities achievements. It was a slow process, but he started to show signs of improvement.
In addition to this, Axel had learned how to utilize Constraint fields which was a form of energy field used by the Forerunners to restrain individuals. Once he manages to control these fields, he would be able to use them in a manner similar to telekinesis, allowing him to immobilize and move his opponents from a distance.
Ancient Forerunner ships were discovered and the knowledge from the librarian boosted their technological process.
After 10 years had passed, everything had stabilized, and the Ascendency was flourishing as a dominant power in the galaxy. There was an atmosphere of peace, prosperity and mutual respect that reached every corner of the Ascendancy. It had become the beacon of hope and unity it was intended to be.
And now that things were peaceful, Axel was about to embark on another journey. Cortana, Omni, the Librarian, and several other Forerunner AI had been working on a slipspace gate that would connect to another Galaxy. Just the idea of traveling to another Galaxy was exciting and would allow the discovery of new species.
While the slipspace gate was under development, a Fleet of 10,000 ships carrying 50 million was being built. The main ship of this massive fleet was the UNSC Infinity which was created for exploration purposes but did not lack defensive or offensive capabilities.
(Slipspace gate)
(UNSC Infinity)
Volunteers from each species were selected and would be put onboard massive colony ships that would make the long journey across intergalactic voids. Somewhere out there, there was a brand-new galaxy to explore, and Axel was interested in the various species that he would encounter.
(Colony Ships)