Newcomer / Intro Another Newb Question - Faction and Faction Ranks?

[NewYears1978]

So I have been playing just a few days. Learned the ropes and all that. Have about 200k just messing around with trading, bounties or whatnot but my question is this:

When I started first I was in Federation space and I ended up getting a BB mission to rank up. We wanted to go Empire so a buddy of mine and I moved to Empire space and I have been doing some BB missions, some trading but mostly killing wanted in Nav Beacons.

My question is, do all those activities up my influence/rank with the Empire? I see that I have 81% influence with Empire Pact (which I guess is a system faction, whatever that means?) but all the others still show neutral and I can't tell if I am gaining any points in them.

Any help would be appreciated. Google didn't help me much :\

 

[Ferris]

So I have been playing just a few days. Learned the ropes and all that. Have about 200k just messing around with trading, bounties or whatnot but my question is this:

When I started first I was in Federation space and I ended up getting a BB mission to rank up. We wanted to go Empire so a buddy of mine and I moved to Empire space and I have been doing some BB missions, some trading but mostly killing wanted in Nav Beacons.

My question is, do all those activities up my influence/rank with the Empire? I see that I have 81% influence with Empire Pact (which I guess is a system faction, whatever that means?) but all the others still show neutral and I can't tell if I am gaining any points in them.

Any help would be appreciated. Google didn't help me much :\

The influence is how much influence that minor faction - Empire Pact - has within that system, so they would be the controlling faction there. By completing missions for them you will be increasing their influence and you will be gaining reputation with them as well (neutral, friendly, allied etc.).
Increasing your rep with a minor faction will also increase reputation with the parent major faction. So by doing missions for a minor empire faction you will also be increasing your rank with The Empire by a small amount.
You can rank up within both Federation and Empire AFAIK.