Publica Section 2 Part 4
Part 4
It was a new morning and Jacobi did not intend to waste a moment of it. He poured a tall glass of wine and breathed in every scent of the city. The reprieves in his life were few and short but he did not squander a single one. The senatus had become too tiresome to ponder in his leisurely moments and he had taken to reading his tomes for longer stretches each day.
He sat in his cushioned wooden chair to rest a moment before choosing a literary masterpiece within his large collection. Taking a sip, a golden spine of a book caught his glance. With his old arms, he lifted himself out of the chair. Suddenly, a desperate knock on his door stole away his peace. He hid his frustration before he opened the door to a distressed Lavendi.
Forgetting his distrust, he pulled her into his house to avoid the prying eyes of the public. The wine in his hand was immediately thrust onto a table. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked the woman in her eyes. There was a genuine sadness floating in her pupils that Jacobi dared not disregard.
“What has happened, Lavendi?” Jacobi asked with a level tone. He did not intend to appear overly conciliatory to the girl.
She composed herself before speaking, but with no familiar faint smile. “I heard a messenger arrived today that the Federation had slithered an enormous force into the Gladius system. He requested reinforcements be brought to the recon base before it was overrun by the barbarians. He spoke as if there was no hope of any legionnaire surviving the battle.”
The brows on Jacobi furrowed to minor length. “Surely,” Jacobi whispered, “the Serpens would not have sent Germanicus into such danger as this. The Serpens always has knowledge of these matters, suspicious as it was.”
“Hasitus has survived a perilous battle such as this before, has he not?” Lavendi asked, ignoring his words. “Before you asked me to wed him, I heard many stories about his deeds.”
Jacobi knew she spoke of Londimin. For weeks, he had no word of him as the Federation had brought down half of his fleet. The centurion himself was brave or foolish enough to set down the rest of his ships, as if utterly destroyed, only to sneak Grandeur refugees aboard. He fought the barbarians where they were the strongest; on the land.
“Lavendi,” he said more sternly. Jacobi could not absolve himself of the suspicion for the girl. Even her watery eyes appeared as evidence toward her false sorrow. “I will know what the Serpens are conspiring. Travel to the frontier in secret and find what you will.”
She knew he spoke of the missing Serpen senator. Valisus absence was testament to the guile and deceit capable of the Serpens. “You do not believe the Serpens act within the bene principes?”
“Senators are only forced to act within the bene principes by the watchful eye of the people. When the plebs are distracted, who will know where a snake slithers?” Jacobi responded. “If there happens to be a serpent abroad, I am certain you will find it.”
“I do love him,” she whispered into his ear before leaving.
As he heard the door shut with a soft thud, Jacobi felt his mind wander once again. It was a feeling he had known once before. The feeling had come upon him during Hasitus campaign into Londimin and it had returned once again. This time, the perils his nephew faced appeared to stretch beyond that of politics. Gladius was a system held with little regard with in the Publica. It houses three hundred thousand in a poor city, without any terraforming done on the barren rock. Those who lived there, stayed only for the military men that were stationed at the lonely recon outpost.
It was impossible for the Federation to have slipped through republic forces so easily with such a great force. Even though the Publica had neglected the defences of the recon outpost, they were wise enough to send forces when the system was threatened. Losing Gladius to great host of barbarians may have meant attacks into populated Publica worlds. These were worlds that were terraformed; worlds that were central to the wealth, power and culture of the good republic.
Valisus percolated through his mind, but Jacobi could not think that a Serpen would risk allowing a Federation force to enter republic space to gain some political advantage. Unfortunately, his belief in the good of the Serpens was lacking foundation. Jacobi could not stand to think of such games being played with the Publica’s very survival.
He knew Lavendi was an advocate of a strong and whole republic with fewer politics and a senatus far closer to the bene principes. That was why he had her wed to Hasitus. Despite her flaws, it was her political undertones she carried that would protect his nephew.
Donning a sullen white robe, Jacobi took a brisk walk through the marketplace. The images of war and battle flowed through his mind but he had never lifted a sword in his life. It seemed to be simple for Hasitus. The enemies were clear and what had to be done was obvious. War was simple if perilous beyond imagination. The life of a senator was to serve the people, but the senatus carried its duties poorly of late. Yet, it was politics that drove war. Conflict did not drive the senators. The long standing hostilities with the barbarians from Terra did not begin with war but with politics, where individuals had chosen to trade peace for power.
“Senator Jacobi,” a deep strong voice bellowed from behind.
Slow from his age, Jacobi turned to give a face to the voice. A massive praetorian stood before him with a brown bag in his hand. Even without a single weapon on his form, he had a menacing figure. “Yes, praetorian?” Jacobi asked the Lupus soldier.
“You had dropped this,” the soldier said handing the item to him.
Jacobi picked the object from his hand and knew he was the owner immediately. Inside were trinkets of little value but that was not what troubled his mind. “I am glad you patrol this area of the market, soldier. I had not realized the Imperator had decided to dispatch soldiers into this section of the city.”
“The military must patrol many areas,” the praetorian responded before disappearing into the crowded market.
The bag was clasped tightly in his hand now as he watched the crowd. There were other praetorians, but they stood were they were busy with delivering rations to the plebs. It was only the one that patrolled the city and alone. Jacobi replaced the bag onto his sash and continued his walk through the market.
It was a new morning and Jacobi did not intend to waste a moment of it. He poured a tall glass of wine and breathed in every scent of the city. The reprieves in his life were few and short but he did not squander a single one. The senatus had become too tiresome to ponder in his leisurely moments and he had taken to reading his tomes for longer stretches each day.
He sat in his cushioned wooden chair to rest a moment before choosing a literary masterpiece within his large collection. Taking a sip, a golden spine of a book caught his glance. With his old arms, he lifted himself out of the chair. Suddenly, a desperate knock on his door stole away his peace. He hid his frustration before he opened the door to a distressed Lavendi.
Forgetting his distrust, he pulled her into his house to avoid the prying eyes of the public. The wine in his hand was immediately thrust onto a table. He placed a hand on her shoulder and looked the woman in her eyes. There was a genuine sadness floating in her pupils that Jacobi dared not disregard.
“What has happened, Lavendi?” Jacobi asked with a level tone. He did not intend to appear overly conciliatory to the girl.
She composed herself before speaking, but with no familiar faint smile. “I heard a messenger arrived today that the Federation had slithered an enormous force into the Gladius system. He requested reinforcements be brought to the recon base before it was overrun by the barbarians. He spoke as if there was no hope of any legionnaire surviving the battle.”
The brows on Jacobi furrowed to minor length. “Surely,” Jacobi whispered, “the Serpens would not have sent Germanicus into such danger as this. The Serpens always has knowledge of these matters, suspicious as it was.”
“Hasitus has survived a perilous battle such as this before, has he not?” Lavendi asked, ignoring his words. “Before you asked me to wed him, I heard many stories about his deeds.”
Jacobi knew she spoke of Londimin. For weeks, he had no word of him as the Federation had brought down half of his fleet. The centurion himself was brave or foolish enough to set down the rest of his ships, as if utterly destroyed, only to sneak Grandeur refugees aboard. He fought the barbarians where they were the strongest; on the land.
“Lavendi,” he said more sternly. Jacobi could not absolve himself of the suspicion for the girl. Even her watery eyes appeared as evidence toward her false sorrow. “I will know what the Serpens are conspiring. Travel to the frontier in secret and find what you will.”
She knew he spoke of the missing Serpen senator. Valisus absence was testament to the guile and deceit capable of the Serpens. “You do not believe the Serpens act within the bene principes?”
“Senators are only forced to act within the bene principes by the watchful eye of the people. When the plebs are distracted, who will know where a snake slithers?” Jacobi responded. “If there happens to be a serpent abroad, I am certain you will find it.”
“I do love him,” she whispered into his ear before leaving.
As he heard the door shut with a soft thud, Jacobi felt his mind wander once again. It was a feeling he had known once before. The feeling had come upon him during Hasitus campaign into Londimin and it had returned once again. This time, the perils his nephew faced appeared to stretch beyond that of politics. Gladius was a system held with little regard with in the Publica. It houses three hundred thousand in a poor city, without any terraforming done on the barren rock. Those who lived there, stayed only for the military men that were stationed at the lonely recon outpost.
It was impossible for the Federation to have slipped through republic forces so easily with such a great force. Even though the Publica had neglected the defences of the recon outpost, they were wise enough to send forces when the system was threatened. Losing Gladius to great host of barbarians may have meant attacks into populated Publica worlds. These were worlds that were terraformed; worlds that were central to the wealth, power and culture of the good republic.
Valisus percolated through his mind, but Jacobi could not think that a Serpen would risk allowing a Federation force to enter republic space to gain some political advantage. Unfortunately, his belief in the good of the Serpens was lacking foundation. Jacobi could not stand to think of such games being played with the Publica’s very survival.
He knew Lavendi was an advocate of a strong and whole republic with fewer politics and a senatus far closer to the bene principes. That was why he had her wed to Hasitus. Despite her flaws, it was her political undertones she carried that would protect his nephew.
Donning a sullen white robe, Jacobi took a brisk walk through the marketplace. The images of war and battle flowed through his mind but he had never lifted a sword in his life. It seemed to be simple for Hasitus. The enemies were clear and what had to be done was obvious. War was simple if perilous beyond imagination. The life of a senator was to serve the people, but the senatus carried its duties poorly of late. Yet, it was politics that drove war. Conflict did not drive the senators. The long standing hostilities with the barbarians from Terra did not begin with war but with politics, where individuals had chosen to trade peace for power.
“Senator Jacobi,” a deep strong voice bellowed from behind.
Slow from his age, Jacobi turned to give a face to the voice. A massive praetorian stood before him with a brown bag in his hand. Even without a single weapon on his form, he had a menacing figure. “Yes, praetorian?” Jacobi asked the Lupus soldier.
“You had dropped this,” the soldier said handing the item to him.
Jacobi picked the object from his hand and knew he was the owner immediately. Inside were trinkets of little value but that was not what troubled his mind. “I am glad you patrol this area of the market, soldier. I had not realized the Imperator had decided to dispatch soldiers into this section of the city.”
“The military must patrol many areas,” the praetorian responded before disappearing into the crowded market.
The bag was clasped tightly in his hand now as he watched the crowd. There were other praetorians, but they stood were they were busy with delivering rations to the plebs. It was only the one that patrolled the city and alone. Jacobi replaced the bag onto his sash and continued his walk through the market.
posted by Ultrapunk at 3:46 PM
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