Ibex, also called Attar Rose, is the Candidate of Righteousness.
In Stars Without Number he is mechanically the Seductress.
Appearance
Ibex is a dark-skinned black man. His face cast is CEO Tristan Walker. He typically wears a buttonless suit which has been compared to that of the Illusive Man from Mass Effect. As a point of pride, he keeps himself well put together at all times. He appears fairly youthful, but is in fact the oldest Candidate in the sector by the beginning of COUNTER/Weight.[1]
In "A Splintered Branch, A Ringing Bell Pt. 1" he now walks with a cane.[2]
Personality
“
Ibex is could probably be the best kisser in the Golden Branch, but because he wants to be #1 so badly he'll only ever be #2.”
Ibex is very confident and forward-thinking. His self-assuredness comes off as charming to some, and violently aggravating to others. He's good at making himself, and his manipulation of others, seem necessary.
History and Involvement
Regardless of whether it's true, Ibex thinks of himself as having come "from nothing".[3]
For a time he and his then-partner Maryland September rejected the Autonomous Diaspora. Together they helped found the September Institute in the wake of Service leaving September. After uncovering the remains of an Apostolosian mech there, they appropriated its technology to create anti-Divine projects, including Voice, and launched research into the nature of Strati. A few years before the Golden War began in earnest,[4] Ibex left Maryland and became the Candidate of Righteousness.
Towards the end of the Golden War, he joins the Kingdom despite no one wanting him there. He is eventually forced out onto Vox, and spends the next ten years building a power base on the planet for the Liberty and Discovery Automaticorps.
After some point after becoming a Candidate, Ibex aids the September Stratus program by giving them either Righteousness or a portion of its code to use to develop artificial Strati. He subsequently defers any direct involvement in the running of the September Institute to Twelfth and a small paramilitary group he created (under the guidance of Liberty and Discovery) to oversee operations. Ibex also eventually creates a series of lifelike robotic facsimiles of himself. With the aid of Righteousness, he can operate them simultaneously while his original body is hidden safely in a bunker (possibly on Glimmer). He considers this a sign that he is succumbing to Righteousness's influence.
When Ibex gets word of the rise of Rigour, he spends considerable political capital aiming to build coalitions to stop it. With the September Incident delaying the confrontation, the Righteous Vanguard loses momentum, angering Righteousness. Ibex decommissions his robot bodies and hands Righteousness over to Aria Joie. He remains in hiding for years, emerging only during the gala in "A Splintered Branch, A Ringing Bell Pt. 1".[2]
Relationships
Righteousness
In the beginning of his career as a Candidate, Ibex is viewed as having the upper hand in his relationship with Righteousness, to the point of being called an Executive by the public rather than Candidate.[5] He thinks of Righteousness with antagonism, calling it "a fucking vulture." As time passes, Ibex seems to be losing ground. Austin describes Ibex and Righteousness during "Three Conversations" as "one [consciousness] that’s in contestation with itself."[4]
Maryland
They were partners, and left their respective cultures together to live on September. After Ibex became a Candidate, they split up; their relationship was still good enough after that that Maryland was willing to ask him for help with her research at the Institute.
When Ibex sends the Chime to September, he still thinks fondly of her, but Maryland has become pretty critical of him and seems resistant to any kind of nostalgia. She refuses to leave September as Ibex wanted her to.
Orth Godlove
When they meet during the Kingdom game, Ibex thoroughly manipulates Orth into giving away his power as captain. Orth is so self-effacing that Ibex compares him to a dog. Still, later in life Ibex thinks Orth's position as a bureaucrat in the CCT is beneath him.[4] At the gala in the finale, Ibex asks Orth to ensure he is remembered as Attar Rose and not only as Ibex.[2]
Liberty and Discovery
Ibex, Liberty and Discovery became friends after his ascension to candidacy. Ibex confided in them and listened to their advice. He was aware of their decision to change bodies; he messages them right away when they came back online.[6] Despite that they had unknowingly killed his brother, he is glad to see them again.
Jerboa
Quentin is Ibex's brother and at least 10 years younger than him. Ibex's plan was not for Quentin to become a Candidate, but unfortunately Quentin looks up to him enough to copy him. This does not end well.
Kobus
After being kicked out of the Kingdom onto the planet Vox, Ibex practically raises Kobus. This makes it easier for him to manipulate them.
Quotes
“
People like you starve to death, eventually. Because you’re so alone. Because no one wants to be near you. People like me would starve to death, except we move towards new people all the time.”
References
- ↑ COUNTER/Weight 09: This Month of Ours
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 COUNTER/Weight 41: A Splintered Branch, A Ringing Bell Pt. 1
- ↑ COUNTER/Weight 30: Another Facility Among Trees (intro)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 COUNTER/Weight 29: Three Conversations
- ↑ COUNTER/Weight 20: The Glimmer Incident: The Executive Enters!
- ↑ COUNTER/Weight 27: An Animal Out of Context