Union on Edge to Imperialism?

At least since Ian Flemings James Bond: 007 we all know that the World is not enough. Kingdoms, Democracies, Dictatorships - there's no difference, all are seeking power. Aiming for the hegemonial power - on which homeplanet, regardless of race, weren't fought bloody wars for territory and glory? Admittedly, no one beats the Rash'kir if it comes to war, given their East-West conflict lasting for centuries, but even the Keldons had their fair share of conflicts.
With the invention of the Warp Drive and the expanding of the races' power into the universe, it was just a matter of time until tensions rose between the four races, and open fights over more or less important assets started - Leading to the First Great War.

Since those days, a lot changed. The Empire lost much of it's territory to the Federation, and was not able to prevent the rise of the Union. Of course, blaming the Unions rise on the Empire would be silly at best, but it certainly made it even more different for the Empire - or let's rather say the Emperor himself - to achieve his goal: The hegemonial power. The ultimate power ruling the galaxy.
Hegemony - An ideology that is associated with the Empire. Who does not remember imperial attempts across the universe to gain as much power as possible, going as far as the Empire's current incredibly successful Western Pardus Empire Contingent project?

BUT: Is this ideology only to be connected with the Empire? Not quite.


Let's go back some decades: Imperial imperialism - Pardus' domination: In fact, quite the opposite happened - With Usube II, the Empire lost one of their most important assets, Nari, to the Federation, who didn't even think about returning it. The motivation - and means - to raise a hegemonial power were at their through. With the recapture of Nari during the Separatist War, the Empire reestablished their power within their own proclaimed border - yet they had to suffer from another, until then underestimated power: The Union.
The Don's Faction wasn't only able to protect their assets within the Eastern Pardus Rim, an - until then - rather peaceful place (Let's keep the Broccoli War out of this), but was able to capture several imperial properties, the most important one being the Western Diphda Nook.

With - or rather after - this war, a totally new kind of conflict between those two factions started. A conflict that was not fought with weapons or squads, but with influence, strategy and credits: A long term swap of the East Pardus Rim.

Within the next 18 months, the Union was able to purchase most of the assets within the EPR, either handing them to Union aligned alliances or alliances who have been in a close relation with them. The predominant Empire lost nearly all of their influence in the EPR, and with Blue Sun Corporations selling of the Thabit Nooks and Adara base, their last strongholds were gone.
Today, the Imperial presence in the EPR is a shadow of what it once has been, while the Union can nearly act as it wants.

Of course, in any conflict against the Union, the EPR is an important asset. Yet, the Empire more focused on "their" neutral zone cluster, the South Pardus Rim, and with the exception of neutral alliances as P.A.C.K., the Empire is the unchallenged power there. Veareth is the shining example of a functioning, multi-alliance imperial skilling nook, something that both other factions lack, giving them a great strategic advantage.

Times changed, and factions nowaday care only for sectors as close to their homecores as possible - chances of long-term capture in case of a war are too big to maintain a colony on the other edge of the Universe - and aside of ERAs Phiandgre Nook, no alliance owns such a naval base.

However, the universe lately eyes a constant decrease of attacks on neutral zone targets, as war continously shifts towards the Pardus Contingents, with the current state of the Pardus Federation Contingent being a shining example of what can be called modern imperialism. With every sector except for Sargas and Mintaka under Imperial command, the Empire has been close to hegemonial power as never before.
While several Starbases already returned to federal commanders, it can be assumed that the new owners will be in a close relation to the Empire and it's Directory.
Reasonably, several decorated Imperial pilots thought in the public about the capture of the comparatively weak Pardus Union Contingent, leaving the Empire as the only power in the Pardus Contingents - which comes nowadays, in most opinions, close to universal domination.

Officially, the Union did not do much to prevent the capture of the PFC, allowing the Empire to reach a strategically position unheard of before. Declining an Imperial offer to take Sargas, the Union faced a possible two side attack, forcing it to react: With the northeast Starbase in Sargas, under command of then Rear Admiral Binomag, under constant threat of being captured, Union elements, mainly from The Order of the Don and Theocracy of Kai-Rang, acquired the base temporary to get at least one little buffer between them and the Empire. Further attempts to purchase the West Sargas Base were turned down by Prince Lucky.

Today, the Empire is stronger than ever before. With alliances like Imperial Guard and MERC, it seems more unlikely than ever before to defend, let alone defeat this faction - In the Pardus Contingents.

With both the Union and the Empire trying to acquire more assets, it is only a matter of time until those two factions will see each other in a war. A war, likely unprecedenced both in economic destructions and excessive loss of life, the universe will once more see a struggle of power. A struggle of domination, far beyond the borders of each faction.