After reading, I'm going to end up saying more than I intended...
My first Phantom encounter was when I was new to the server. I had only begun to map Sirius, and was attacked while docking with a border station. After hearing threats of calling support to destroy the station, I undocked in order to defend the people there. (Re-engaging, I know.)
Exposure to the Phantoms changed my RP on this server forever. I've shadowed them sometimes, studied the Cambridge incident, Fes, etc. I'm very taken by the whole concept, and if I could somehow manage to misplace my real life, the faction I would create would strive to be your primary antagonist. (Don't get me wrong, I have no intention of hunting you down like a 4.84 BHG.)
I like the galaxy-spanning C'tan Empire. It makes the situation that much more ominous, and the mind wonders what's going on out there... Ever play Star Control II? The Phantoms and C'tan, for me, invoke the same sense of dread the Ur-Quan did. Foreboding like I suppose the Juggernaut is supposed to invoke. The threat of something great and terrible hanging over your head. I enjoy that. And all with only sharing a single PVP with you in my time here.
I ask you not to downsize your threat.
It's not all good, no. My personal experiences have been chilling- fantastic. However I do have some problems shared by other people. For example, holding hands with every unlawful by default. The Phantoms don't really strive to make friends as far as I can see, and they also haven't mustered enough clear and present danger to make, say, the collective houses Hispania kowtow to them. It's not a big deal for me, but it does bother me.
I understand why you use such a hodgepodge of ships, so I don't speak out against it even if it does ruffle me a little sometimes.
My main complaint is probably not having witnessed enough interactions between yourselves and other factions. Now that I think about it, I suppose I enjoy the presence of something so vile and evil. In Sirius there isn't really a lot of true evil- even the Nomads are "right" in what they do, if you can see through their eyes. Phantoms are just personified brutality, maybe that's why I "love to hate" them.
I apologize if I was at any point incoherent. Seriously though, please don't turn your faction puny, Virus.