Saderan Perspective

After the senate session ended many of the senators either left for their villas or dispersed to further chat and scheme about the future. Many senators were still talking about today’s events and many more about the new laws set forth by the emperor. A lesser amount of them were seemingly talking about a strange feeling they’ve been having through the week. Many were just brushing it off as a feeling of nervousness from the new enemy while others thought it was a sign from the gods. Past all of these senators sat a small clique of senators safe from prying eyes and ears in a little room.

Cicero: puts down his wine glass. These new laws passed are straining the economy. With the lands between our west and east cut, it's going to be hard to get grain shipments to their silos. 

Marcus: That it will be, I’m more worried about the recruitment quotas being sent out. With the empire practically split in two now we need more able bodied men to be working on the fields that we have. I can understand the emperor’s need for fresh recruits in the legions, but still to hurt the markets and food storage we have doesn’t bode well for the empire. 

Casel: It does not, but this order set up to the allied kingdoms does give me pause.

Cicero: Why so Casel? 

Casel: While the allied kingdoms are certainly closer to the gate than any imperial legions within the region. To pull our southern garrisons out of their forts to help the attack doesn’t help us. The kingdoms to the south are preparing for war, maybe against each other or to retake the land we took a few generations ago. Moving those legions will leave our southern lands open to attack. 

Marcus: While that may be true the greacians have always been fighting each other. They wouldn’t attack the southern lands even if we didn’t have a single legionnaire there. If their collation of kingdoms gets into a battle and one loses more warriors than the other. Well what’s to stop the other kingdoms from turning back around and taking some of that new undefended land. I’m more worried about the troubles on our western frontier. 

Cicero: Ah yes the cartiagians  are rallying their armies and hiring mercenaries. With many of the legions in that area gone it would make sense for them to make a southern push and try to take bellhango and rondel. Cutting the empire in half even more and taking the western frontier. With only a skeleton force taking up refuge in our frontier castra I would expect they could break through the line into the frontier within a month or two.  

Casel: Which means the western part of our empire will have to deal with three separate invasions at the same time. Even if we were to fully recover our lost forces to retake the whole western empire would take a multi decade long war. Not to mention the possible centuries it would take to fully repair the damages to the land. The current doctrine put forth by the emperor does protect the heartland and the eastern empire. But it exposes the west too much to our allies and our enemies in the region. Hopefully the allied kingdoms are able to push the enemy from the gate out of our lands so we can recover.

Cicero: And if they fail?

Marcus: They can’t. their military numbers combined; they can marshall a force of over a hundred thousand men. Including the different auxiliares they carry with them they should be able to push the enemy out of the western frontier. The only problem is what happens after the battle.

Casel: Yes that it is. If they win the battle easily they will have the western frontier to themselves. An army nearly a hundred thousand strong will have free reign of the more prosperous region of the empire. They could easily turn against the legion attached to them and raid the whole region.

Cicero: Yet what else can the empire do. We’re retraining all our eastern legions to this new doctrine, our western legions are left to the commands of their legates. Our western empire is too exposed. Even our most loyal allies in the west might take advantage of our weakened state and pillage it.

Marcus: Empire is truly exposed. We have no hold over the west anymore we can only pray to the gods that everything goes well for the empire. 

Casel: indeed we can only pray. Let us hope that the gods favor the empire in this endeavor. 

All the men nod as they take sips of their glasses of wine. Their minds know that the empire if it wins this war will be forever changed. 



Myui perspective

She sat in her room, looking solemnly outside her window. When the deserters came to italica she held hope that her father would be with them. She knew that her father was a loyal man to the empire but she thought no hope that her father would try and guide them. Instead they returned and told her the truth. Her father was most likely dead after he lead italica’s legion through the gate. Her family was now at each other's throats, her sisters using their husbands to try and claim the city, starting a war between their clans which ended with a few hundred people dead before her sisters husbands were able to calm their minds. She was weak, when she first learned of her father’s possible passing she didn’t understand, she couldn’t understand. Her father was the best person in the empire. He treated everyone as his equal; he didn’t force taxes on everyone he built housing for people that lived in squalor. He couldn’t die he was too god for emory to take away. When she finally accepted the fact she cried and wailed into the night only being able to take comfort in her maids. She was in bed for a whole week, weak frail and wondering why. Why had the gods dealt her such a horrid hand. Her sisters didn’t comfort her; they simply fought over who could control her. Her maids were the only ones there for her. They truly cared for her in the weeks that she lived after her father died. Right now looking out at the city she is forced to care for she sees the carriage of the rose order approaching. She heard that people from the other gate were coming and that the city might be besieged. Yet the walls weren’t aflame and the people weren’t running towards the palace. So it seemed everything was going well. These new people would most likely want to speak with her, so she got out of bed and rang a bell for one of the maids to make her look a bit more respectable. She would have  to met these new people, she couldn’t be that weak girl anymore. 

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Aurelian perspective

Aurelian was sitting in his chair listening to the ramblings of the council. The Gracchiist were currently in a heavy debate with the Christian democrats. The Evolaists were in their corner shouting for sending more legions through the gate. The unionists and the Social democrats were doing their best to try and calm down everyone before a fight erupted in the council chambers. Aurelian could only let out a sigh as the chambers were filled with the voices of a hundred different people all shouting for different things. He was honestly happier before the gate opened the council of course had its fights but never to this degree. With the first reports coming in from the expeditionary force and from the UN surveyor team, the whole world wanted a hand on the new frontier. The America’s were already claiming land rights beyond the gate. Something about right of domain. The Chinese were pushing forth the idea to colonize the other side and start sending their people through it. Course they didn’t put it that way they made it sound a bit better. And of course, the Russians were saying something along the lines that they have oil rights to anything their teams discover. All in all this whole gate thing was a mess. It could turn into a good mess but right now it was a very messy and dirty mess. He had in secret sent more frumentarii and vigilies through the gate to help in security and espionage. If everything doesn’t go well with the talks with the Saderan empire his frum could easily cripple the whole state in a swift strike. Then there was the problem of this other force. They were at war with the Saderan. Depending on how advance this foe is he will either have to try and bring them to the diplomatic table. Or try and wipe them out. This brought further thoughts to his mind. There were some leaks to the UN about how the Saderans were a slaver nation. Which of course with their modern Ideals thought of horrid. Even though pretty much every nation that has outcried this revelation have slaves. Yet he had to use thier simple minds to help his advancement of the cause of Roma. He would send a few more legions through the gate, course he would have to send this information to the UN. Yet they couldn’t do anything to deter him from furthering the advancement of his empire. Roma would no longer be just a superpower that has to rival a self-destructive state, a regional power thinking it can regain its old glory or a genocidal state bent on the deaths of millions. Roma would be the sole superpower of earth, and the new frontier would be the treasure chest that will fund the advancement of Roma. The door to the council chambers opened as a Prateroian guard walked briskly towards Aurelian’s side. 

Aurelian: Yes?

Victoria: We have gotten a report from Tacitus team. He has made contact with the city of Italica. From what we have heard over their open radio they seem to have met with a member of the royal family.  
Aurelian: That is good to hear. Hopefully, through this royal, we can meet with the emperor. May I ask what the royal’s name is? 

Victoria: Pina co lada sir. 

Aurelian: side-eyes the praetorian. That is her name. 

Victoria: Yes sir. 

Aurelian: lets out a sigh. That isn’t the strangest thing we’ve encountered so far, but it still is ridiculous. Any reports from the frumentarii?

Victoria: A few have been able to infiltrate many villages and cities around the gate. From what they have gathered it seems further war is on the horizon for the Saderan empire. The kingdom of cartiagian to their north is raising their armies and mercenaries to attack from the north. And the greacian kingdoms to the south seem to be raising their armies and navies.

Aurelian: This could help us in our endeavors to look well in the eyes of the Saderans. Of course, the distance between the north and the south is vast and we only have five thousand legionaries on the other side of the gate. And from those heading towards the capital.

Victoria: They are returning reports of a wasteland between the western and eastern portions of the empire. From what they can tell it’s a scorched earth policy to delay and advance from Alnus hill. They have also noted that it seems the paths eastward are started to be heavily guarded and castra are seeming to be readied for war.

Aurelian: They’ve gone defensive. It makes sense they are dealing with an enemy they have no information on. Yet soon we will have information to give them. Tell the furmentarii they are doing the gods work and to continue on their missions. 

Victoria: Of course sir. Bows and leaves the council chambers. 

The council seemed to finally be calming down after their hour-long debate. Once the air in the room calmed down Aurelian stood up from his chair and spoke. 

Aurelian: My brothers and sisters. This is a flashpoint in our history. We are being put on a leash by the young nations of the world. They don’t understand the nation in the new frontier and what they have to deal with. They wish for war over the simple fact they have slaves. Yet we know of their history and the history of past nations. The saderans don’t use slaves cause they are evil. They have slaves because they need them. Of course, this is a horrendous act and i’m not trying to defend them. Yet these young nations think destroying the order of the new frontier will somehow improve the lives of those within it. We must try our best to improve the standards of living with the saderan empire through paper or by sword. We know how this is done for we turned Africa into the beautiful continent that it once was. We can improve the lives of the people of the saderan empire. Furthermore, we must make sure that those who come through the other gate don’t understand the predicament that they are in. If they destroy the empire they will destroy the only order in the new frontier. So by my order and if the council wishes it. We shall send an additional four legions through the gate to both secure our point in the new frontier and make sure we can stand against those from the other gate. For we must make sure the new frontier doesn’t become the new dark continent by the hands of western slavers! 

The council cheers out in agreement with Aurelian. The military officials within the council chambers already begin to plan on what legions should be sent through the gate. He smiles as he looks out to the council knowing that the empire is united in this cause. Yet something catches his eye. Near the back of the chambers behind some council, members stands a man in very ornate armor looking at him. He can’t see the man’s face but all he can see is a long beard flowing out of the shadows of where his face should be. When Aurelian blinks the man is gone. He wonders why he is seeing these people before he turns back to the council members and gets things in order for the new deployment of the legions. 

Tacitus perspective

Tacitus watched as Pina drank the wine that was given to them. He made sure the wine was poured from the same bottle as he took a sip of his wine. As he sat his glass down he looked at the princess before him. She was noble, showing false bravado, definitely wasn’t the sort to effectively lead. Yet under that tough exterior she had a child at heart, doing what she thought was best for her people. Tacitus could commend her for that perspective, yet in many positions it left her weak. And the governorness sitting next to her drinking a water down cup of wine seemed pale. Most likely the daughter of a noble lost in one of the gates, or through the anarchy that has followed from the massive loss of life. she most likely trying to put on a strong complexion to show she is strong. Anyone perspective enough could tell she was putting on an act, yet it was not best to prod a child who has lost someone so he returned his sit to the princess and spoke.

Tacitus: To make things a bit clearer since we are both empires, in this talk i’ll be referring to the roman empire as the union, and the saderan empire as just the empire if that works for you. 

Pina: That does indeed work.

Mari: Um and for help i’ll be talking about the nation of japan, as its representative in these talks. 

Pina: nods. So tacitus what have you come to speak about. You say you come here for talks yet bring warriors to our gates.

Tacitus: The union is walking upon new land, and while our weapons most certainly are effective in dealing with bandits and other sorts. We thought it best to bring an extra contingent of forces in case first contact with the empire went sour. 

Pina: And if my men at my gates tried to strike you down, while you were exposed.

Tacitus: Well it wouldn’t help you that you would strike down a friend of the emperor of Roma. But if you did, gods protect you from the wrath aurelian would bring upon this city.

Pina: well it was wise we didn’t do as such.

Tacitus: quite. Now then. Claps his hands. This is first contact between our three nations so lets get started. The union is asking for mining rights within the empire, along with this to allow union troops and coalition forces to survey the land. We are also willing to offer a cultural exchange program to further tie our nations together. Further talks will have to be between our emperors on ground that they can agree to.

Mari: Japan is also willing to offer the same terms.

Pina: and what does the empire get out of this?

Tacitus: we are willing to offer assistance in furthering the development of the empire. Until the discussion between our heads of state weapons will be off the table.

Pina: No weapons then, what about the war that is ravaging our land. 

Tacitus: If they are a threat to the union, we will join on your behalf. Though if this war ends with the union having to pull all the weight we will seek altercations to how the empire is run.

Pina: so you will ask for something in return for helping us.

Tacitus: that we will. 

Pina: and what would that be.

Tacitus: an end to slavery will be a start.

Pina: blinks.

Tacitus: Many nations of our world have a distaste towards slavery. And while many of them practice it under a different word they don’t like calling it true slavery. Your nation while within the period where slavery was normal still practices it. Now I understand the need for manpower and cheap labor. Yet the other nations don’t. So slavery is something that will need to be handled.

Pina: My father will be the one needed to talk to about that.

Tacitus: I fully understand.
Mari: I agree with tacitus, if you want our help in this war slavery will need to go.

Pina: nods. Very well then, anything else.

Tactius: there is much to discuss. Now then on the land exchange around our gate.

So all three parties discussed their plans and ideas for their first meeting. Pina pushing and asking of the technologies of the union. And mari and tactius asking for mining rights and military access through the lands of the empire. 

(This post was last modified: 02-20-2021, 08:07 PM by Montron.)

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Colt Formal P.O.V.

Colt Formal sat in his cell and soon he hears the clack of boots approaching his cell. The door opens and two people enter, both wearing weird black and white clothing.

"Colt Formal, could you come with us?" said the male of the duo in the language he and the other prisoners had to learn. 'I think they call it "Inglish"?' Colt noted.

Colt replied "What do you want?" fearing  a little bit for his life. Were they here to make him disappear with the thunder? What did he do wrong to deserve it?

"We simply want to take you somewhere" replied the female.

"And do what?" the noble questioned.

"We simply just want to improve your situation. Don’t worry, we won’t hurt you in any way" said the man. Why would they do that? They have to know that there are nobles with better lands than him in here. But he complied, fearing for what would happen if he didn't.

They escorted him for a while until they stoped in front of a a door with another door to the left of it, Colt noting that both having weird writing on them.

The woman opened the door. Colt waited until the woman said "Well? Go on. Get in. You know how hard it is to book an employee bathroom and shower?". So he got in, taking note of the white tiled floor, blue walls and the weird items, like the weird white door, the white chamber pot adjacent to the wall the door was, similar to the one in the small room next to his cell, next to its right was a white bowl on the wall with a weird tap and red and blue valves, above it is a square mirror with a weird storage chest to its right attached to the wall and the last thing he could take note was the white bowl on the wall parallel to the one with the other items. "Do want to relieve yourself?" asked the man. "No thanks." Colt declined.

He was then escorted to the white door, which the woman slid open. The room had a similar floor and wall to the other room, but it had different items in it. Inside was a weird white bath with a tap and red and blue valves, a light green curtain attached to a metal pole, a tap high on the wall similar to the ones in the prison, with a weird knob and red and blue valves, a polished looking slab with a white bowl with a tap similar to the ones in the other room and a weird bag on it and a big rectangular mirror above the slab.

They told him to brush his teeth and shower, they gave him a "tooth brush" and "toothpaste" similar to the one he had in prison but better, a glass of water, soap and "shampoo" like the ones in prison but better and showed him what was inside the bag, some clothes and a towel.

After telling him what to do, like not getting the shampoo in his eye. The people left him to do it in private. After brushing his teeth, showering, drying himself with a towel, changing his clothes and taking note he smelled nice and his eyes sting a little. He used the doors the people used and went outside of the room. The door being the door left of the door he and the people used to enter.

He was then escorted for a while until they were outside the building and were near a black carriage. The woman opened the door and let him in, the man tacking a seat next to him. The woman then turned on the car and started driving.

"Where are you taking me?" asked a confused Colt.

"We have learned a lot about you Colt. Through some cooperative prisoners." said the man beside him.

"And some we had to tear the information out of." continued the woman driving.

"We know you are the governor of Italica, a very important city for the western half of the Saderan empire." the man replied.

"Quite and you see with that information, we’ve thought on how to handle this new piece that has fallen into our laps." the woman informed.

"So, congratulations Colt. It seems you’ll be returning to Italica ." both said casually in unison.

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Personal audio log – XX/XX/20XX
 
Henry Bernard: This is Captain Henry Bernard of the Noimosinian Special Force, preparations for the joint scouting mission to Italica is almost ready. All that's left is for
Jack to finish diagnostics for the ARV, so until then we’re stuck here and [door knock]

John Beckett: Hey Bernard. Oh, am I interrupting something?

Henry Bernard: Oh, don’t worry. Come in.

John Beckett: So, Bernard. Excited to visit Italica.

Henry Bernard: If I’m being honest, I’d rather stay here than go on the mission.

John Beckett: Wait, really?

Henry Bernard: Now don’t get me wrong, I get the whole “it’s a new world to explore and there’s so much to discover”. It’s just that I would rather stay here where I can get a reliable connection.

John Beckett: Well, I mean. Look on the bright side, we get to try on some of that power armour the boys over in the R and D department have been working on. I mean, have you seen the armour? It looks really cool.

Henry Bernard: True and I guess it does make you feel invincible but you have to admit the armour does feels clunky whenever you move and quite uncomfortable to wear.

John Beckett: Fair enough [small pause]. Oh, that reminds me. What's your opinion about the guys from Star Gate command?

Henry Bernard: [sigh] Honestly, I don’t really have an opinion. I mean, all I have to judge them is well, what I know about them. Which is that they’re an organisation created by the nation of Padnar which has visited many, many other planets like ours and I presume that they're technological on par with us. I also only had few interactions with one person, that being the C.O of SG1 and I’m pretty sure his name is um Lybener, Lubenen, it began with an L I know that for sure.

Jack: Sorry for interrupting, but the diagnostic is complete, we’re ready to move out

Henry Bernard: Good, let's move it men. [sounds of footsteps] Huh forgot to turn this thing off.

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Saderan perspective

Diabo sat in his tent overwatching the new legions being trained. This new doctrine was strange to Diabo but he could understand why it was being implemented. These enemies fought from afar so they needed to fight from afar as well. Though the main idea was still to fight up close and personal with the enemy. Diabo looked towards the west and saw the newest additions to the legions practicing their magic. Currently, he could see them forming magic shields and causing massive patches of fog to appear and block what little vision Diabo could see of them. He could see some of the mages helping out with testing their magic to boost the range of bolts, arrows, and even the range of trebuchets. He looked towards the cohorts and thought about their organization. From what he had learned the enemy had weapons that could annihilate whole cohorts in a single strike. So maybe cohorts should be broken down into contubernium sections and have the cohorts as more of an outline for their units. Tight formations against this new foe will only end with legions being decimated. Of course, this would have to change the legions, even more, centurions would still hold their positions but the decanus would have to be given more pull. If the legions were to be broken down to allow a more organized but spread out legion. This would complicate things with the legion being more disorganized when combat happens. But it would help against this new enemy. Diabo let out a sigh as a thought went through his mind. His brother Zorzal was being recalled from the northern frontier and when he arrived he would most likely use this new doctrine but take a more sledgehammer use of it. Zorzal was no fool on the battlefield he had taken on the barbarians in the north and against the warrior bunnies. Yet his brother while smart and wise on the battlefield was to put it simply an idiot when it came to the political field. As he stewed in his thoughts a legate approached his tent he quickly dismissed these thoughts and focused. 

Apollo: kneels and holds a fist over his heart. Salve Diabo.

Diabo: Salve Apollo, how goes the training.

Apollo: stands. It goes well Diabo, many of the veterans are grumbling over this new way of warfare but the new recruits are taking well to these new methods. The mages are something else though. The older ones are very resistant to trying to help us and the younger ones are well full of themselves.

Diabo: It will take time but soon they will be like any other legionaries. And hopefully, they will be able to assist and bend the tide in this new war. 

Apollo: It shall sir we shall win this war. The gods are with us.

Diabo: looks at his guards, chosen of Emory, and looks back at apollo. That they are. Now return and continue the training. 

Apollo: Of course sir. holds a fist over his heart bows then turns back to help with the training. 

Diabo: taps his foot. We shall win this. Saderan can't fail, it can't fall.

"I know its short but I'm very tired and just the writing juices haven't been flowing as well as before. So yeah sorry about that."

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Aurelian perspective

Aurelian sits in his office looking towards the eastern district. In his mind, he thinks about the recent orders he had sent out. The new frontier requires more legions more hands to work on building the Castra. He had sent word out to some of the legions fighting against the warlords left in Africa. True veteran legions that will be the spearhead in the future expansion of the empire. The 9th, 12th, 15th and 10th legion would return to Roma and march through the gate. Alongside them will be further supplies to help with additional expansions. The new frontier will be a massive boon for Roma, and a firm fist against its enemies. While the UN and the young lions of the world look upon the new frontier as a new Africa, a new region for them to rend and tear for scarps. He saw it as something else, while they saw the resources the endless fertile fields he saw it as something else. Magic, dragons, wyverns, and more. These THESE were the important things. Those wyvern scales his men collected were as strong as steel and as light as a feather. From the reports he got from the interrogations dragon scales were worth more and even stronger. His mind raced with the possibilities infantry with dragon scale armor able to take rounds from high-powered rifles and walk it off. Tanks enchanted with magic able to launch rounds further and faster than ever before. And the races oh the new races he had heard about. Myuute's race were harpies or more like cockatrices fast and light on their feet. Warrior bunnies faster than any man. and elves, if stories in his world and there's were true, then they would be the best auxiliaries his empire could ever have. He looked once more towards the eastern district and saw the renovations going on. The roads were being widened, new military and scientific buildings being put up. The history of the eastern district would be remembered as having a scar on its history. But in the new dawn of his empire it would be remembered for all the breakthroughs it will bring for its glory. The empire of his ancestors got lazy and fell in time. His ancestors lasted over a thousand years. While his empire is still young he will make sure it outlasts them. A smile started so appear on his face. Oh that statute of him was going to be glorious, maybe there would be a way to expand his life. maybe live for hundreds of years. his smile fadded. No he was not going to become more than a human. he would not separate himself from his people but outliving the young. So lost in his thoughts thinking of the future it took the third ring for him to realize someone was calling him. He quickly turned to his phone and answered it. 

Aurelian: This is aurelian.

Belisarius: Hail Caesar. I've called you to tell you that the 9th, 12th, 15th and 10th have boarded their ships and are on their way to return to Roma. 

Aurelian: That is good to hear Belisarius. I'll put them under the command of Scipio when they arrive through the gate. Hopefully, they are ready for the grunt work.

Belisarius: Are you sure about this sir.

Aurelian: What are you suggesting Belisarius.

Belisarius: Scipio is a good legate Caesar I fought alongside him during the great African terror. Yet the history of great legates leads them to-

Aurelian: You suggest that he will defect? 

Belisarius: It is a possibility sir.

Aurelian: If he does he will continue the legacy of the empire. He would know that he wouldn't be able to return through the gate without being dealt a bloody nose.

Belisarius: Of course sir.

Aurelian: Also don't suggest this again. Scipio is a loyal legate just as his father was.

Belisarius: of course sir. That is all that I wised to report. May the gods guide you.

Aurelian: May they guide you as well.

Aurelian hangs up the phone. He thinks about what Belisarius said. It was strange, the legates of Roma were loyal. They wouldn't dare to turn their back on its light. thoughts ran through his mind. Maybe he had been turned by the Americans to whisper lies in his ears and turn him against his most loyal legate... He could send vigs and have them- NO. they are both loyal he will not turn against his followers. The gods have gifted him this new land and he won't think their followers are wrong. 

(This post was last modified: 03-05-2021, 05:53 PM by Montron.)

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Propaganda Songs:

Saderan version

The barbarians march through the gate.
(Boom boom boom ) with beasts of metal,
they walk and trot (Boom boom boom )

But our sword and shields shall make them fault.
(Boom boom boom ) We are the legions,
we are the legions,
The legions that shall march

(Boom boom boom) Our enemies soar in the sky.
(Boom boom boom) But worry not our dragons' soar. ROAR.
We are the legions,
we are the legions,
we are the legions that shall march on Alnus hill.

Glory to us death to our enemies
glory to, us glory to us, GLORY TO US!

Ipugao version

The barbarians march through the gate,
(Boom boom boom ) Go our beasts of metal
They walk and trot and we go (Boom boom boom )
A score we must settle

Their swords and shields shall not make us halt (Boom boom boom )
'cause we are not the ones at fault (Boom boom boom )
They are the legions,
they are the legions.
The legions that shall march
As we go (Boom boom boom)

Our enemies soar in the sky (Boom boom boom)
But worry not their dragons' will meet their (Doom doom doom)
They are the legions,
they are the legions,
they are the legions that shall march to Alnus Hill,

And they are the legions,
they are the legions,
they are the legions that we shall kill!

Let death be,
let death be,
let death be to our enemies
And glory be to us,
glory be to us,
GLORY BE TO US!
As they pay for their felonies!

(This post was last modified: 03-06-2021, 05:05 AM by UltraUnity.)

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Tacitus perspective

The talks ended with the land around the gate being transferred to the union for supplies and a few dozen tractors and other farming equipment. Mari during most of the talks only copied what he had said. He could understand that she didn't have the full grasp on how to play the great game, but in time she would be a great player. But for now, she was a pawn for the union. He let out a sigh as he thought that, she was a very intelligent girl it was sad to have to see her in such a light. But for now he headed to the library and see if he could read anything on the history of the empire. Hopefully, he could find something to back up one of his theories or find out how people got here. When he reached the library he saw that it was packed wall to wall with books and scrolls. Hopefully, he could find something in this mess that could help him out. As he went to grab one of the books he flipped to a readable page and reached an impasse. The text while in Latin was something he was not able to fully translate. Of course, he could understand this while they spoke old Latin some new words were spoken that you had to use context to fully understand. But this would be a different problem. Well, tactics grabbed a few more books and went to one of the tables, and sat. He had till the next round of talks of private time to get a basic idea of what the books said, for what little he could translate from them. 

two hours later

This was truly interesting, in his hours of reading these books he could see that it was a mix of some different languages translated into greek or latin. there were even a few Phoenician words thrown in that he had to think back to remember what they translated to. Many of the words he couldn't translate but from what he could read the empire is old around nearly 700 years old which would put the foundation of the empire around the 14th century. So maybe the people descended from the eastern roman empire. But that didn't quite make much sense since they looked and talked from the imperial era of the roman empire. Maybe the dates were dropped or fabricated. Or maybe the idea of the gates having some temporal distortion held true. Time here when the gate was closed much flow slower than to the other universes that are connected through the gate. If that was true it could explain the lack of advancement but still, nearly 700 years gave them ample time to advance themselves. His other theory about the gods could still hold merit of course he will have to take some of these back to Roma to get fully translated and learn how to read these texts fully. As he went to grab another book from the shelves the door to the library opened, Tacitus turned towards the entrance and saw Princess Pina co lada close the door behind her. She turned towards Tacitus and gestured towards one of the tables in the room.

Tacitus: takes a seat. its certainly nice to talk to you again princess. But I'm guessing your not here to talk about our recent meeting or about tomorrow's meeting.

Pina: You are correct tacitus. I've come here to talk about your nation.

Tacitus: well then ask away.

Pina: How far does the Roman empire span.

Tacitus: From the northern most point to the southernmost point it would be around 6,400 kilometers from its east most point to west most point including the Atlantic it would be around 10 thousand kilometers. 

Pina: And the population?

Tacitus: The Roman empire has the third-largest population coming in around 600-700 million. The full census of Africa hasn't happened yet but that is the official guesstamate.

Pina: Is taken back. If I'm remembering the conversion correctly that would be larger than the Saderan empire. How is your nation so able to hold claim to so much land? And how are you able to keep such a large population under control?

Tacitus: Enforcing peace and bringing the local cultures to the table. Local autonomy also helps, but I would like to think it all comes down to how a leader leads their people.

Pina: This Aurelian is your leader... what do you think of him?

Tacitus: Personally, he is the best leader we could have asked for. He has expanded the border of the union to its furthest, laying claim to lands in the new world, bringing order to Africa and South America. And most importantly reviving the Roman Empire. But what admire about him is that he knows he is human.

Pina: gives a confused look. What do you mean by that?

Tacitus: Most leaders in our world see themselves as something above the populace. That due to their birth, wealth, or even ancestry. Aurelian knows that his position is only held together by the populace. If they don't like his rule they can overthrow him and replace him with something better.

Pina: But if the plebs rebelled wouldn't the legions support Aurelian? Do your legions have no allegiance to their leader?

Tacitus: Oh no the legions are very faithful to Aurelian they have more faith in him than they do in the council. If Aurelian sent down an order to completely get rid of the council they would do so without question. Yet the legions hold the idea of the nation over the idea of a single person. The imperators the previous title before there was a Casaer. Were very apt at not repeating the failures of our ancestors. The legions are made now to stand for the nation, if we have an incompetent leader the legions would know to stand and protect the nation. Leaders can come and go but the legions will be eternal.

Pina: So the legions are true to the nation then. 

Tacitus: Correct. They stand for the nation, and the nation alone.

Pina: ... How many people do you have in your legions?

Tacitus: We have around 700 thousand people in the legions, with around a million people give or take in the auxiliaries. 

Pina: is shocked. by Emory.

Tacitus: Yes the legions are quite vast in their numbers.

Pina: Why do you need such a large amount of legionnaires?

Tacitus: To garrison states within Africa, and South America. They are also used to take care of warlords in Africa to stabilize the region. There have been ideas to lower the number of legions so we can use put the budget to more urgent projects. But with the gate opening the popular proclamations have been to increase the military budget and increase recruitment. Of course, combining navy and airforce personal we get somewhere close to around 2 million active with a few million inactive. 

Pina: gulps. I'm glad your leader has chosen to ask for trade, and not conquest. 

Tacitus: chuckles. That I can agree.

(This post was last modified: 03-17-2021, 03:37 PM by Montron.)

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