The rebuilt Senate House was a huge facility, housing the entire SPQR. It had been built in the manner of the ancients, so that no matter where one stood, their voice was carried to all of the 300 senators, even without microphones. The building was built of marble and looked totally authentic (even though it was less then 300 years old), it could sometimes seem like a time capsule, with the senators wearing their archaic togas with a single purple stripe to show their rank. That is, only when you disregarded the huge holographic projection sphere used to display information, the swarm of press camera drones that filled the air, and the Urban Cohort legionnaires standing guard. Every senator was accounted for, and the two Consuls (Autronius Paetus and Lucius Mugillanus) were just about to present something to the Senate when Gaius and Camilla were led in.
"Ah, excellent timing." Began Autronius. "Senators, I present you Gaius Drusus Rufus Marcellus, Tribune of the Eighth Cohort of the Praetorian Guard, and Camilla, Tribune of the Praetorian Guard's 10th Cohort." Both saluted, then took the seats on the speaking floor offered. They had literally been planetside only for a few seconds before being asked to testify at the Senate. Gaius tried to smile, but he felt he just made himself look like an idiot. He truly hated having his full name read. Camilla sat with her arms crossed and her head down, as if in deep sorrow. It was not because of being called only Camilla; Roman women were referred to by one name only.
Lucius spoke while motioning for the holographic projector to be turned on. The room darkened. "We are, of course, here to discuss the death of our beloved Trebonius Cinna, a hero of the Republic, cut down in a manner not at all fitting a man of his virtue. Our rescue fleet has returned, and a previously said, found our son of Rome dead. We have more details now. But I will not say them, instead we will let Trebonius speak to us.”
Gaius immediately realised they had been able to recover Trebonius’ last words. He craned his neck to look at the projection sphere floating in the center of the room. Camilla immediately raised her head. The voice cam clear through the room’s speakers, and the projection sphere played Trebonius’ HUD camera feed, though it was full of static and only showed the ceiling that he saw while lying on the stretcher. It was his voice, but weak and pained.
“This is Trebonius Cinna, Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, Roman Citizen and Hero of the Republic. I will not bore you with my many titles…” He breathed deeply. “I was sent here as an ambassador to the Cornarians. All went well until the station was locked down. I survived as many around me perished each night, mourning the slaughter but believing my inviolateness of person as an Ambassador and martial strength would keep me safe until the crisis was over. Little did I know these, Cornarians, these… Creatures, for they are certainly not human, they show so little sorrow at the deaths of their fellows, these souless Xenos did nothing to aid the situation, actually voting on who to kill. I barricaded myself in my quarters and waited for the storm to pass.
“That night I was sleeping when there was a clash, and the door was smashed open. I rose and shouted at the form. ’Intruder! I am Trebonius Cinna, Prefect of the Praetorian Guard and ambassador of Rome! Attack me and you will bring only a ruinous war upon your people!’ but it did not retreat. It strode into the room, and I saw it too was wearing power armor. It had razor-sharp claws and teeth, and was far larger then me. I had no weapons. It slashed and I rolled back to dodge its attack. What followed was a brutal fight, I used my fists and everything around me as well as I could, but I was badly mismatched. I broke some bones in it, but the beast rent me badly with claws and teeth. It did not even finish me. The cowardly Cornarians, who must have heard the tremendous fight, only came out in the morning to find me lying unconscious on the floor.
“I awoke days later in this medical bay, pain surging through my body as it still does. I must have been kept in a coma to ease my suffering. At the very least, the medical droids had stabilized my condition; I was terribly weak but still alive. There were no technicians nearby. My IV had run out, no one had come to refill it, and that is why I am awake. I sat up as best I could. Suddenly as I sat there, a Cornarian entered. Krystal, I believe she was called. She seemed to be… Of ill repute. Look at her outfit and you would understand.
"She began to work on a nearby terminal. I was going to thank her for coming to check on me with my weak voice when I realized she was shutting down the machines I was still attached to. I roared at her. ‘You bitch! What are you doing! If you wish me dead, have the courage to do it yourself!’ I was weak, but rolled off the bed and found I could still stand. Immediately I grabbed a scalpel from a table and rushed at her the best I could. Fear filled the bitch’s face, and she hurriedly typed into the console. The droids grabbed me and held me down. I raged, but the strength was leaving my body. She left, and as soon as I could no longer fight, the droids returned to their stations and shut down. Here I am, unable to escape my fate. I know I am dying, and I know I cannot outrun the angel of death now.
“I am sad, but I can not complain of my life. To merely live among such people as the citizens of Rome was enough of an honor to fill a lifetime, and to serve them was enough to let my soul rest in peace. You are all my friends and countrymen. I hope I have made my father and mother (may their souls rest in peace) proud and have been worthy of my name. Gaius has been my closes friend and companion for years. Let him secede me as Prefect. I wish I had more time to be here, I know far too many of my men less then they deserve. To Camilla, I wish it to be know that…” He sighed, “that I love you.
“To all Romans, remember this: Strength and Honor. The human will can always prevail. Do not let me go unavenged; I know you will fulfill this wish. These are the last words of a murdered man. Strength and Honor.”
The projection finished, and the Senate immediately burst into shouts and mourning cries. Gaius could not speak. Rage filled him. The enemy had not even given his friend an honorable death. If he were not in the Senate, he would break something. Right now the only things nearby were the Consuls (punching one of them would not be a good idea) and Camilla (punching her would be perhaps the fastest way to commit suicide), so he suppressed his anger. He knew he must have looked furious, due to the number of camera drones that buzzed around him. Camilla still sat arms crossed and head down, but her eyes were open.
A fire burned in them.
LOL plot advancement. I just want to point out I'm trying to shoehorn as many historical references as I can into here. Points to whoever is a big enough history buff to find some!
Topic: Wrath of Rome: Last Wish (Read 961 times)
