Publica Section 2 Prologue
Creating Heroes
Prologue
Spreading out underneath, like an overgrown tree, was the city of Gladius. Built by the families of the lonely garrison force stationed on this distant Publica planet, it had become a way station for fleets before passing into the war torn Grandeur lands. The world was still a barren rock. Terraforming had not taken place yet, leaving the citizens breathing air from great steam vents.
Over a hundred capital ships orbited the small planet, journeying for days from Porta. Already, the voyage returned Hasitus to a sombre mood. He commanded fifty of the ships in defence of the outpost, and Germanicus headed the other fifty. The duty seemed less of commanding a great battle than watching over a senator’s prodigy.
Orders were handed out in quick fashion. Hasitus positioned the Arma ships between two gas giants, waiting for the Federation ships. It had taken them a long time to arrive at the world and they had feared the Federation might arrive before them. Over three hundred thousand lives depended on their success.
“This had best be the boring assignment I was assured,” Posydin muttered, as the command staff peered over the holographic display of the battlefield.
“The scouts report fifty Fed dogs moving about outside this system,” Hasitus stated. He carried no assurances in his voice.
“What do we do now?” Harma asked.
Hasitus slouched his shoulders and looked at his officers. “We wait for them to bark.”
The Publica spacecraft floated in space, periodically firing their engines to remain in place. Hasitus felt they had arrived just in time. They were certainly not late, as the outpost still stood untouched and they were not early, for it took days for a Federation fleet to assemble an attack. Hours passed as the crew went about their basic duties.
A single flash permeated through space and was detected immediately by the fleet’s FTL sensors. The three commanders of the Arma fleet jumped to their feet, scouring the holographic display for details. Only one sphere appeared at the far edge of the Gladius system. A Federation probe.
Hasitus held his silence, watching the probe move forward several kilometres in a few seconds before blinking away from existence. It was seconds later that dozens of new hyperspace flashes spread across the display. There were far too many shapes materialized on the holographic display to match any report.
“Ten, fifty, hundred,” Harma counted in a hushed voice. Shock in his voice betrayed his calm face.
“Five hundred?” Posydin said in disbelief. “This place is a deathtrap.”
Hasitus remained calm and peered over the battlefield for strategy. He was here to fight a battle. The odds no longer mattered. He pictured ship movements, ambushes, bombardments and boarding raids but then he suddenly noticed one element missing.
“Where in Eres’ plane are Germanicus’ ships?” Hasitus muttered under a voice too angered.
Posydin gripped the edges of the holographic displays with his hands until his knuckles turned white. “They’ve halved our ships that barbarian.”
The Federation fleet was still assembling into formation, giving them time to think of strategy within seconds. For Hasitus, all plans collapsed once they marched onto a battlefield. Now, he had the choice of a heroic defeat or surviving an epic battle.
“It’s enough Fed dogs for a full fleet,” Hasitus said. “They are most likely planning some kind of new assault through Gladius system. We’ve got nothing but an irregular small fleet.”
“So, we’re not going in for a frontal assault?” Posydin said with a smile.
“No, you can die well some other day,” Hasitus replied. “We will fire our barrage cannons, it outranges their starlight missiles. Harma, send out your fighters here,” Hasitus pointed to a location halfway between the fleets. “Let them send out their slip fighters to engage you and slowly pull backward. Whatever you do, don’t fly into a barrage shell.”
“I will march with you,” Harma replied in a formal tone. He picked up his helm off the display and marched away immediately.
“What’s the plan?” Posydin asked.
Hasitus looked down at the display and answered, “I’ll think of something.”
Prologue
Spreading out underneath, like an overgrown tree, was the city of Gladius. Built by the families of the lonely garrison force stationed on this distant Publica planet, it had become a way station for fleets before passing into the war torn Grandeur lands. The world was still a barren rock. Terraforming had not taken place yet, leaving the citizens breathing air from great steam vents.
Over a hundred capital ships orbited the small planet, journeying for days from Porta. Already, the voyage returned Hasitus to a sombre mood. He commanded fifty of the ships in defence of the outpost, and Germanicus headed the other fifty. The duty seemed less of commanding a great battle than watching over a senator’s prodigy.
Orders were handed out in quick fashion. Hasitus positioned the Arma ships between two gas giants, waiting for the Federation ships. It had taken them a long time to arrive at the world and they had feared the Federation might arrive before them. Over three hundred thousand lives depended on their success.
“This had best be the boring assignment I was assured,” Posydin muttered, as the command staff peered over the holographic display of the battlefield.
“The scouts report fifty Fed dogs moving about outside this system,” Hasitus stated. He carried no assurances in his voice.
“What do we do now?” Harma asked.
Hasitus slouched his shoulders and looked at his officers. “We wait for them to bark.”
The Publica spacecraft floated in space, periodically firing their engines to remain in place. Hasitus felt they had arrived just in time. They were certainly not late, as the outpost still stood untouched and they were not early, for it took days for a Federation fleet to assemble an attack. Hours passed as the crew went about their basic duties.
A single flash permeated through space and was detected immediately by the fleet’s FTL sensors. The three commanders of the Arma fleet jumped to their feet, scouring the holographic display for details. Only one sphere appeared at the far edge of the Gladius system. A Federation probe.
Hasitus held his silence, watching the probe move forward several kilometres in a few seconds before blinking away from existence. It was seconds later that dozens of new hyperspace flashes spread across the display. There were far too many shapes materialized on the holographic display to match any report.
“Ten, fifty, hundred,” Harma counted in a hushed voice. Shock in his voice betrayed his calm face.
“Five hundred?” Posydin said in disbelief. “This place is a deathtrap.”
Hasitus remained calm and peered over the battlefield for strategy. He was here to fight a battle. The odds no longer mattered. He pictured ship movements, ambushes, bombardments and boarding raids but then he suddenly noticed one element missing.
“Where in Eres’ plane are Germanicus’ ships?” Hasitus muttered under a voice too angered.
Posydin gripped the edges of the holographic displays with his hands until his knuckles turned white. “They’ve halved our ships that barbarian.”
The Federation fleet was still assembling into formation, giving them time to think of strategy within seconds. For Hasitus, all plans collapsed once they marched onto a battlefield. Now, he had the choice of a heroic defeat or surviving an epic battle.
“It’s enough Fed dogs for a full fleet,” Hasitus said. “They are most likely planning some kind of new assault through Gladius system. We’ve got nothing but an irregular small fleet.”
“So, we’re not going in for a frontal assault?” Posydin said with a smile.
“No, you can die well some other day,” Hasitus replied. “We will fire our barrage cannons, it outranges their starlight missiles. Harma, send out your fighters here,” Hasitus pointed to a location halfway between the fleets. “Let them send out their slip fighters to engage you and slowly pull backward. Whatever you do, don’t fly into a barrage shell.”
“I will march with you,” Harma replied in a formal tone. He picked up his helm off the display and marched away immediately.
“What’s the plan?” Posydin asked.
Hasitus looked down at the display and answered, “I’ll think of something.”
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