Primary Vessel: Fer De Lance
Vessel Identification: The Great Filter, CDE-HV
Information on Felix is widespread, almost by design.
Mercenary, assassin, crazed killer, terrorist or rebel. Whatever name is given to Felix by those that meet him, one thing is universally agreed upon: He is unfathomably dangerous. To say this commander has no issues with criminality would be an understatement, and his proclivity for acts of shockingly widespread violence quickly secured his spot on every "Most Wanted" list in known space. He is known to associate with a number of criminal elements, yet oddly has found himself as the figurehead for a syndicate consisting of mercenaries and assassins, traders and miners, and his own pirates and killers. This position demonstrates what those who fly his banners would call Felix's "Contagious Insanity". A charismatic man in the most unsettling of ways, Felix has released several statements and "Orders" since his appearance on the galactic stage, and shows no signs of stopping.
[Detailed Report]
Through the joint efforts of policing forces within the Federation, Alliance, Independent Systems and - most notably - the Empire, a comprehensive picture of the individual at the head of the Crimson Syndicate can be formed with shocking ease, as details following his explosive appearance on the Galactic Stage are not hard to come by - partially thanks to his disturbingly showman-like persona. Unlike most of his infamy, details of his past are equally accessible, and he seems to take great pleasure in "regaling" those who meet him with such tales, often moments before leaving such unlucky individuals badly beaten, or their ships torn down to bare essentials.
Felix himself is an utterly strange individual. He seems to take absolute pleasure in combat - both physical and when piloting - and yet possesses very little in the way of modification and cybernetics, leading many who meet him to insist he is "The most human monster around", a moniker possibly coined by Felix himself. Unlike many of the pilots, criminal or otherwise, that he associates with, Felix himself seems to have next to no philosophical or societal ulterior motive for the crimes he commits. Instead, Felix has been known to kill or spare individuals on a whim, and when asked why he does what he does, almost always seems to respond with "Because I can do it better than anyone else".
Post-engagement reports filed by close to 200 unique system security forces attempting to put an end to Felix's activities - criminal or otherwise, often in an attempt to "Put an end to the terror before it starts" - all paint a disturbing image of the man at the head of the Crimson Syndicate. The most recent filing details an instance during which an independent fleet carrier under the title "Retribution" made its presence known in the "Yorua" system right as war broke out between the local Federation elements and the public facing "Corporate" elements of the Crimson Syndicate - seemingly over ownership of planetary assets. Within an hour of its arrival, Felix had been sighted in local close-space engagements, not only aiding the Syndicate in its skirmishes with the Federation vessels, but often firing upon his own vessels after announcing, via system wide communications, that "All Syndicate pilots found to be flying Asp class vessels must submit for filtration." Unfortunately, any attempts at uncovering exactly how or why Felix went about this "Filtration" were unsuccessful, as every report made during this period was cut short when the last of the Federal Navy vessels were destroyed, alongside any and all local System Security, local Informational Correspondents and any civilian vessels - a notable 100% fatality rate for all non Syndicate vessels.
This proclivity for killing unfortunately does not stop at close-space skirmishes. There are several reports - many of which include audio and video recordings (scrubbed for publication) - that detail the particular joy with which Felix engages in personal combat. Most recently, a report originating from a commonly visited planetary location referred to by Pilot's Federation members as the "Jameson Crash-Site" that came alongside an automated insurance claim. The report shows that the commander of a Diamondback Explorer class vessel had made land nearby the famed crash site, and was preparing for deployment of an SRV to get a closer look at the site, when an individual forced the vehicle bay open and climbed inside the vessel. The individual - identifiable as Felix Klass via audio and video recording - having forced his way inside the independent commander's vessel, proceeded to haphazardly rip his way through the vessel before tearing the blast door of the pilot's cabin out from the vessel and provide it as "a shield" for the terrified independent commander, before attacking said commander with his bare hands - taking two plasma bolts to the shoulder and chest in the process. Further questioning and details on this attack were impossible to acquire however, as the insurance company informs that the commander in question was killed, and the ship left irreparably damaged.
These reports demonstrate the danger Felix poses not only to those who protect civilised space, but also the danger those who fly either under his banner or against it find themselves in when he chooses to make an appearance. Attempts have been made to understand the combat techniques employed by this individual, both during personal and ship combat, and a number of System Security forces have joined together to analyse and attempt to counteract the actions of Felix and his associates, though little success has been found as of yet due to the unpredictable nature of their engagements.
Additional notation should be made detailing the systems that play host to the most frequent appearances of Felix and his associates, these being; Yorua, Meidubi, [REDACTED], Ho Hsi and Cubeo - where Felix was responsible for the bloodiest day in Imperial history.
[Psychoanalysis/Doctor's Interview]
A vast collection of Orders, Manifestos and transcripts between Felix and Pilot's Federation commanders has been maintained and gathered by the Pilot's Federation via the numerous system security forces and individual documentation of those unlucky enough to meet Felix Klass. Of the transcripts between Felix and independent commanders, 86% are automated reports submitted via the claims system employed by the Pilot's Federation and end with the destruction of the ship and death of the pilot in question, whilst the remaining 14% vary wildly from close call encounters to disturbingly social discussions about philosophy, economics, politics, engineering (with particular interest given to combat vessels) and blood sports. Yet in spite of the availability of such reports, it is incredibly difficult to paint an accurate psychological and - more so - ideological profile of the individual known as Felix Klass, as each transcript portrays wildly differing views and opinions.
However, the recent increase in Crimson Syndicate activity, as well as interviews taken alongside some of its public facing members, do show one side of Felix that seems to hold true throughout. When engaging independent pilots in combat, he does so with the honest intent to kill. Should he be unsuccessful however, he will change gears with remarkable ease and instead attempt to coerce, encourage and convince the surviving pilot to join the Crimson Syndicate - regardless of their position or rank. Several of the interviewed members of his organisation identified such an event being the beginning of their membership within the Syndicate, some believing it to be the safer option, some enjoying the sound of the freedom Felix proclaims, and some simply being charmed and enticed by his sudden social flattery and aggressively open and forward speech.
In spite of this bizarre recruitment methodology and his habit of whip-lashing between ideology, many of the pilots who work under the Syndicate insist that Felix does what he does for a reason, that he follows some grand design laid out by a long dead ideology - perhaps of religious origin. This cannot be confirmed, and should be taken as conjecture at best, and the ravings of deranged criminality at worst.
Beyond the piecing together of a psychoanalytical profile via documentation and transcripts, Felix has - on two occasions - willingly interviewed with medical professionals who wished to "understand the monster". The first interview was with Dr. Arlo - a famed psychologist and analytical professor. A transcript of the interview - which took place in a secure facility, with Felix bound and guarded - follows:
Dr. Arlo: "So, Mr Klass. I'd like to ask you a few questions, it's most important that you answer truthfully, do you understand?"
Felix Klass: "I understand, doctor. I was the one who agreed to your interview."
Dr. Arlo: "Quite true. Well then, if you don't mind we'll get right into it. Why do you do what you do, Mr Klass, truthfully?"
Felix Klass: "Why? And I can't just tell you it's because I'm the best at it? Damn, alright. So you've heard of the Engineers, right? Eccentric folk who make a living fine tuning ships, some more legally than others?"
Dr. Arlo: "I have, in fact I've met a few personally."
Felix Klass: "Alright, then you know they require pilots to bring them the materials themselves, and that to even deal with a few of them they expect you to complete arduous and mundane tasks? Yeah, well I'm sure you know my ship - the Great Filter - has been heavily modified, some of it was me but most of it was thanks to those Engineer folk."
Dr. Arlo: "Mr Klass, I'm unsure as to how this is relevant to my question"
Felix Klass: "Right, right I'm getting there. Okay, so you know my ship, she's a beauty - fast devil too - I've got that Professor Palin to thank for that. But do you know what he asked of me before he'd deal with me? This was before I'd performed a single crime mind you, but he asked me to fly five thousand light years and back. FIVE THOUSAND! Do you have any idea how boring that was? By the time I'd gotten all the way out there and my ship - an asp at the time, if you're wondering - had recorded my distance, I saw another pilot. Another poor sod who'd trekked all that way for the same reason, and he greeted me, he said "Well met Commander, out here for Palin, or just a fellow explorer?" and something in me snapped."
Dr. Arlo: "What do you mean, snapped? Could you elaborate?"
Felix Klass: "Well, I'd been jumping for a long time by now Doc, and the noises you hear in witchspace can really mess with your head. The radio frequency he greeted me on sounded a hell of a lot like something you'd hear out in the void, so I freaked out, deployed my hardpoints and dusted the poor guy."
Dr. Arlo: "And that didn't bother you?"
Felix Klass: "The opposite! It felt good. I felt alive, and after all that jumping, I could feel the blood rushing - his and mine mind you. So I made my way back, spoke nothing of it as well. Bought the fine machine I came here on and took it to Palin - he did a stellar *hah* job of making her fast. Then I started killing."
Dr. Arlo: "So you mean to tell me that you do what you do for - what - retribution? As payback for the monotony inflicted upon you?"
Felix Klass: "Well, it's either that or the Salome incident. Or the church. Or that one time when I... Look, you get the picture."
The transcript continues, but contains little else of value
Following the interview, Dr. Arlo had plenty to say to independent correspondents about his initial thoughts, and released a small statement thereafter about the interview.
"It is often the case that those who engage in criminal activity come from distraught backgrounds, fighting to survive. These individuals often perform acts of terror or violence to uphold some ideology that civilised people would identify as twisted and wrong, and yet it is this adherence to ideology that allows us to understand and eventually help or stop these individuals. Felix Klass is not one such individual. He is unconcerned with his history or reasoning, sharing events openly and yet in such a manner that one would be hard pressed to identify what is truth and what is embellishment, and yet all he says seems the former. He shows no signs of remorse, and simply laughs when questioned about the morality of his actions, insisting he is fully aware that what he does is wrong. He is a narcissist, a killer and a dangerously charismatic manipulator."
Following this statement and a more detailed breakdown of the findings of Dr. Arlo, it is recommended by the Pilot's Federation that those who encounter Felix Klass do not engage with him in any way, and that the security forces attempting to apprehend him do not engage in conversation with him for risk of manipulation.
More recently, Felix was again interviewed by a medical professional, whose identity has since been scrubbed for security purposes. The following is a brief audio transcript of this interaction, and should only be accessed under clearance from a joint Imperial and Pilot's Federation watchdog.
Dr: "I'd like to draw your attention, if you would, to this data file Mr Klass, wherein you can see the last of the personnel in Blackwell hub working under your syndicate being detained by independent and imperial forces, just prior to the installation of a new independently controlled democracy backed by the forces of Princess Duval. "
Felix Klass: "Got a reason for showing me this, Doc? You know I get cranky when I hear about the blue haired fraud."
Dr: "I'm showing you this so that you understand the consequences your actions can have on those that flock to your "cause" Felix. You're quite lucky indeed that Princess Duval's personal flight hasn't simply had you kille-"
The discussion is cut short, from provided audio recordings it sounds as though Felix reacted negatively to such a notion, and tore whatever restraints he was in off before killing the guard posted in the interview room. The status and whereabouts of the Doctor present during the interview are currently unknown.
[Known Associates/Crimson Syndicate Heirarchy]
The following is a small list of known individuals related to Felix Klass collated by the Pilot's Federation.
- Kal Blackwing - Pirate Lord
- Asher Delwyn - Crimson Syndicate Treasurer
- Aoth Sepret - Crimson Syndicate Associate
- Ryan P - Crimson Syndicate Associate
- Toby Poyser - Crimson Syndicate Mercenary
- "Carver" - Crimson Syndicate Mercenary
- "Hazards" - Crimson Syndicate Associate
- Ayre Fox - Crimson Syndicate Mercenary
- Phisto Sobanii - Ally [List Continues]
[Current Activity]
Despite a period of quiet within the Crimson Syndicate - seemingly moving to entirely legal operations for approximately 2 years from 3305 to 3307, Felix reappeared in the Syndicate in March 3307 and has since continued his criminal activities, focusing on the [REDACTED] system and the home of a branch of the Crimson Syndicate in Yorua - identifiable as the Crimson Dawn Elite - where Felix has appeared to engage in conversation with the newly installed independent security forces that were installed shortly after his actions in Cubeo. His current purpose and goals are unknown, though it seems likely that he would push to reacquire control over the system through legal means or otherwise, and activity within branches of the Syndicate should be closely monitored to confirm as such.
[Final Notes]
Pilot's Federation policy encourages independent bounty hunters to aid local security in dealing with criminal elements when possible, but there are exceptions to every rule. Felix is one such exception, and should be approached with extreme caution - if and only if encountering him or his associates is an unavoidable inevitability. Pilots who do encounter this individual should avoid combat at all costs, and are encouraged to undergo psychological evaluation should they engage with him in discussion. The preferable alternative to both combat and discussion is escape, and pilots are directed to simply jump to witchspace or local supercruise where authorities can further assist.
Known Charges: Murder, Assault, Political Terrorism, Political Assassination, Vandalism, Smuggling, Laundering, Theft, Piracy, Extortion, Civil Dissention and Kidnapping. There is currently a 10,000,000 bounty for the capture of this individual alive, whilst destruction of his vessel is recognisable via commendation.