Captain:Malachi

Captain Malachi is the first, only and supreme Captain of the Malkweess Empire. Because of his mission, he is a fast-and-loose, relentless, yet easily bored, loyal to his species, yet more in space than on the world. He is a contradiction, yet others claim to be able to describe him in a single sentence (that sentence usually involves the word "sporebucks"). Ballads were sung to him, but also new pejoratives were invented especially for some of his deeds. To be "Malachi"'d means either to be saved, destroyed or betrayed, depending on the planet you're asking (and this includes the various planets of the Malkweess Empire itself).

All of this is relatively excusable if we are to believe the rumors that he is one citizen given practically complete control (and responsibility) over the entire Universe as a member of his species. While other commanders of ships exist, it is unknown if they are called "Captain" as known in the rest of the Galaxy, or some other appellative so to not undermine Malachi's "first and only" status of captaincy. While the Malkweess are not fanatical in any way, this is the only sore spot they have and they have been known to destroy entire convoys calling any other of their Malkweess "Captain" (although some claim this was an excuse to destroy anything coming too close to their home planet, not that this excuse has saved them from repercussions). However, they have no problem with other races calling their own "Captain", or having as many captains as they wish.

Some claim he has gone completely mad, in his quest through the Galaxy, in his upgrading his ship and especially after meeting the Grox in the center of the Galaxy. There is also the matter of his fortunes keeping waining in space (the Malkweess are relatively egalitarian, and although he would have been given by the Malkweess anything on land he had asked, all he asks - and is refused - are tangible spacebucks). Most are skeptical on this, as he continues to function, to improve his Empire's relations with other races, to improve his ship and to get medals from his people. Still, there is the possibility he will snap and take a big chunk of the Galaxy with him. The Gods only know and guide him - unless they snap too!

Personality & Rationale
Captain Malachi is a strange bread, part of him evolving from his genetic makeup of his race, that pragmatism, that "shoot if you were shot upon" reaction. But another part of Malachi does not adhere either to his spiritual or warrior legacy. Indeed, he has no idea of the importance the cult of the multiverse is putting on him, and does not see their influence inside Malkweess society, so alienated and disinterested has he become of his own species.

Instead, he's in it for the profit. He figures, if his race prospers, he prospers. If he has to die a thousand times and continue to live, he can at least get something to show for it on his name. Not very interested in his species' development, he still protects his homeworld sector with teeth and claw, and has bought an uber-turret as soon as he could procure it for his homeworld after the devastating raids and wars (which strangely left his atmosphere intact). He has also forged alliances in his corner of the Galaxy, bargaining with all but the most fanatics of spode (who he learned the hard way that if he doesn't pay them off, missions for them will only get him sporebucks, but that's all).

His appetite for money comes from his species' heritage of having to feed, then gather food and store and defend it. He considers this no different than what he's doing with money now, as in a strong way, money is food, if not for him and his crew, it's fuel for his ship, and guns and shields and anything else he can buy.

He has saved planets from ecosystem collapses when he was asked, but mostly to keep his alliances, and less for the care of the worlds. After all, he had witnessed new stars appearing almost literally right in front of his ship, and he knows new lifeforms will appear always, in their usual monotonous, repeatable and automaton-like behavior. He does not realize that this view of the universe, which he considers "real" but boring, is actually the view that the sect of the multiverse shares closely with him and has begun to take his actions as the way of the future of his race (they're right, but mostly because the Malkweess don't bother to send a replacement or reinforcement for him).

Wormhole daze
As soon as he discovered the Wormhole Keys, he went into a binge of testing out new wormholes, uncaring for what it would do to his ship. However, what the wormholes didn't finish, the Grox did when he stumbled in the middle of an entire enclave of their directly in the middle of the Galaxy. Since then, he decided to be a little more cautious, improving his relationships with his homeworld's neighbors, and trying to make an enclave close to Grox-taken space, as well as preferably many alien worlds around it, so he can ally with them and push the Grox back where they came from (which he really hopes for them it's oblivion, because that's where he'll send them).

Malkweess Empire
I was born in a cheapskate race. They want me to actually do missions for aliens and pay my own race hundreds of thousands of sporebucks to buy anything for my goddamn ship! It's ludicrous I tell you! Who's taking the risks? Me! Who's going to be blown up and end up in a cloning tub? Me! Who's gonna profit? Well, apparently, not goddamn me! Worse of all, they don't even give me a blood discount! Sometimes, they're even selling higher than the alien scum I have to deal with in all those shady ports. While not in tense relations, the good Captain has both supporters and detractors. There are many reasons the detractors usually hold their tongue - unless something of truly disastrous scale happens, and one such incident involved the homeplanet losing all but one city - for several reason, the least of which, ironically, is fear of reprisal. The biggest reason is of course that the Captain does more good than bad to the Empire, and indeed, the Empire itself is to blame for the loss of more than 5 worlds and most of its city-states on its home planet. The fact that the Malkweess won't spare funds for another The Umbeatable, the fact that their defenses need to be paid by his own money by the Captain, and the fact that the Captain has arrived when he could, and tried when he couldn't, and was still berated for it in most of the second cases, makes him sympathetic. There are few who would use the "loyalty to the species is its own reward", but those are strongly rebuked, even by those that dislike the Captain and his methods.

Sentient life
Malachi does not have special fondness for life. In fact, one of the last available missions from his homeworld that he accepted was terraforming. It didn't really impressed him. He's out for fun and profit, and anything else is a waste of time (maybe except the badges, which let him adapt his ship more so he can stay out of that damn cloning chamber more).

The Grox
Obviously, he disliked the Grox at first sight, especially with their "shoot first and ask question later". He has not met any species which would outright shoot him if he so much as entered their system. The fact the Grox system declared war on him was no surprise, although he's hoping aliens will soak up their firepower and leave his worlds alone. If not, he can always make more money and rebuild. A major goal for him, except the forever profit, is to make the Grox extinct. Somehow, looking at the Galaxy and at his own species, he just knows he'll have to do it alone.

Quotes
If he were not of our species, I doubt he would reach - or bother to reach, maybe on his own whim or out his own patriotic fervor - a level above 50 - or even 10, just enough for trading, healing and repairing - with the Malkweess Empire itself.