Chancellor Cylis

Dominic Cylis is chancellor of the Global Union. He seized power soon after the Total War ended, introducing the Unity and the Marking program in order to achieve absolute control.

Biography
Dominic Cylis was born Dominic Baros, the son of Andre and Lydia Baros. Andre and Lydia were native Greeks who began to fear for their lives, and especially their son's, when street rioting began to tear Greece apart at the beginning of the European War. In fact, Lydia held off naming her son until she was sure he would survive. She chose the name "Dominic," meaning "of the Lord," to express her thankfulness to God for the baby's survival. Six months after Dominic was given his name, the Baroses left Greece as refugees and relocated to Switzerland. Oddly, baby Dominic seemed upset to leave the fighting behind.

As Dominic grew older, he developed an interest in the military. This interest extended to enemy soldiers advancing on his home, much to his father's dismay. Dominic enjoyed talking about war, even when it threatened his life. Eventually Andre was drafted into the Greek army, despite his long residence in Switzerland. Before he left, Andre gave a newly thirteen-year-old Dominic his old .45-caliber revolver. Andre wanted Dominic to protect Lydia as well as Dominic's younger sister, Marina, should anything go wrong in Andre's absence. The gun only stirred Dominic's dreams of fighting, as did Dominic's experience with a young Italian named Turin.

Both boys were about fifteen when Turin broke into the Baroses' home, demanding food and supplies. Dominic wanted to shoot Turin, but Lydia insisted on giving him food. Three years later Turin returned to Switzerland as the vice commander of a platoon of Italian soldiers. The soldiers killed Lydia and all of the people in the little refugee community where the Baroses had lived. Only Dominic and his sister Marina survived. Dominic concluded that his failure to kill Turin was the reason for the devastating attack. He joined the Swiss militia, swearing that he would never make such a mistake again.

Dominic soon began to se the war as an opportunity to thrust himself into power. After convincing many Swiss soldiers of the importance of absolute European unity, he deserted and joined the Italian forces, where he came to know those soldiers and to convince them of his plan. Deserting again, he then fought with the French. Dominic continued to strategically join and desert various military forces until he made his way back to Greece. Dominic spent ten years rising through the ranks of the Royal Hellenic Navy. His fast rise through the ranks--he was an admiral at thirty-five--earned him the nickname of  "Cylistella," or "jumping spider." Dominic liked the name so much that he began using a shortened form, "Cylis," instead of his own last name. Finally reaching the highest rank possible in the navy, he contrived to kill the prime minister of Greece, who opposed his plans for unity. Greece signed the European Unification treaty, and Cylis soon maneuvered his way into chancellorship over the renewed European Union.

With the cooperation of key Europeans such as Mr. Rathbone, Cylis introduced the Mark as a way to promote union, and, ultimately, the cult of his own personality. Rebuilding war-torn Rome as his new capital of Third Rome, Cylis appeared extremely successful, both to his own people and to leaders abroad. Soon Cylis forged a relationship with General Lamson, leader of the new American Union. Ostensibly, Lamson's subsequent adoption of the Marking program was to benefit the A.U., but Cylis had his own plans in mind.

Swipe
Cylis is only briefly mentioned in Swipe. He and Lamson are working toward forming the Global Union, although their plans have not yet been enacted.

Sneak
Cylis and Lamson cooperate to push the Global Treaty through the American Parliament, creating the Global Union.

Storm
"'Welcome. Welcome to your country. And welcome to my home.'—Chancellor Dominic Cylis"

Cylis becomes interested in IMP Advocate Lily Langly, convinced that her betrayal of her brother proves her absolute loyalty to the cause of worldwide unity. He has her transported to his residence in Third Rome, where he asks her to serve as his spy against Lamson. Cylis and Lamson are no longer cooperating as they once did, and Cylis does not want Lamson to get in the way of his plans.

Lily does as Cylis requests. By convincing Logan to stop Lamson's plans for the Lahoma weather mill, Lily contrives Project Trumpet's release and Lamson's death. Cylis promotes her, believing that she is clearly on his side.

Spark
"You can tell Chancellor Cylis that we beat him this time. You tell him that—from me."

"You did, didn't you, Daniel Peck? Unless, of course, the Chancellor has you right where he wants you."—Daniel Peck and Chancellor Cylis

Calling himself "Uncle Nico," Cylis brings Ali into his home in the Taurus Mountains. Ali believes that Cylis rescued her from the IMPS, but the "rescue" was actually Cylis's way of succeeding where the violence of the IMPS failed. Cylis knows of Ali's connection to "smart" technology, and he hopes that her trust in him will uncover the secret. Ali, meanwhile, loves Cylis deeply, but she finds herself deeply conflicted over whether to trust him. When Ali believes that the artificial intelligence behind the Ultranet has betrayed her, she reveals its existence to Cylis, helping him understand part of the puzzle.

Despite Cylis's fondness for Ali, his own interests take clear precedence over any love he might feel. After Daniel Peck breaks into his home with an army of tinchers, intending to rescue Ali, Cylis uses his old .45-caliber revolver to shoot her. He has no intention of allowing Peck to exploit Ali's unusual abilities. Cylis then flees the scene. Returning to his capital of Third Rome, he shares his new knowledge with the IMPS, expecting to soon be able to utilize the old "smart" technology. Unfortunately for Cylis, Ali is ahead of him. From the Ultranet, she shuts down every power grid in the Global Union and transfers the electricity to the Dark Lands.

Physical Appearance
Cylis is middle-aged, and his short, wavy brown hair now shows a few strands of white. His eyes are a pale blue. He is extremely handsome and has a wide smile. His handsome appearance helps him to gain sway with others.

Personality
Cylis has a charismatic personality. Although he usually charms people he meets, beneath all of his magnetism, Cylis is essentially a ruthless man who will stop at nothing to gain what he craves--total subjugation to his will.

Family and Relationships
Cylis had distant relationships with his parents, both of whom are dead. Although he remains in contact with his younger sister Marina and her family, Marina does not approve of her brother's ruthlessness. Cylis never married and has no children, although he functioned as a surrogate father to Ali for several years in order to extract information from her.