"Here Ye, Here Ye, The court of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, Emperor of Rome, Just and Fair Ruler of all the Civilized World, is now in session."
The emperor looked down upon his court from the throne of Rome, as the many minute introduction ceremony continued. A tall and strong man, he maintained himself in the fighting trim he had earned while adventuring with his father in Germania, on which occasion he had been given his earned name, Caligula. Today, he would hear the report of his general, Romulus, on the efforts to expand civilization to the barbarian peoples to the north. That is, if the crier ever finished.
Unusually tall, even for a roman soldier, Romulus was an imposing sight at 5'11", all of it muscle. He had earned the loyalty of his men by leading them from the front, rather than the rear. This had impressed Caligula enough that he had chosen Romulus to replace his father as general of the army of enlightenment. Romulus stepped forward to the center of the amphitheater, glad that the announcement was done.
"My emperor, fellow citizens of Rome, I bring good tidings. The paving of southern Germania has been completed, and we have established garrisons and schools throughout the region. I anticipate it will only be a few more years before the Germanics are fully integrated into civilization. Further, we have made overtures to the northern tribes, and based on our initial discussions I believe that the Visagoaoths may be brought into the empire peaceably. I have come before you this day to request funds and personnel to provide these people with assistance. The greatest problem these people face is a lack of medicine and healers, and if we can provide them with this, then I have no doubt we can bring them under the blanket of our great civilization without the need for bloodshed, either theirs or that of our brave legionaries. Do I have your permission, my emperor?"
The court looked to the emperor, but few doubted that Romulus' request would be granted. This emperor was well know as a wise and kind ruler, and more frugal with the lives of his troops than the empire's gold. When Caligula raised his hand in ascent, and bade his general assemble the personnel and supplies he needed, none were surprised.
It was for acts such as this, and others, that Caligula was to be remembered as the wisest and kindest emperor of the eternal roman emperor. Even 2000 years hence, to be compared to Caligula was the greatest of complements one citizen of the Roman Republic could give to another. It was on his wisdom that the continent spanning empire had survived and spread even to the other planets of the solar system.
On November 39, 2436 RC, nothing happened in the fields of the Franscescan province of Roma, except perhaps the passing above of a couple Faster-Than-Light freighters passing overhead on their way to land at the spaceport in Parisia.
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As the crier called the court to order, a small ripple, imperceptible to any in attendance, was the only sign that something had changed. Following lines of force spanning more than 4 dimensions, a field began to propagate from elsewhen into the room. |