Kapitel 89: Chapter 5

Meanwhile back on the Imperium, the whole Martian surface is filled with different factories, assembly plants, and many more industrial related buildings.

The planet has long been terraformed before, however due to the massive industry related buildings it delved back to its primordial state.

But now that the Imperium has managed to become a fully fledged Type 4 civilization. Mars has been terraformed once more but the terraforming has a rather interesting results.

Instead of terraforming Mars to be green lush and verdant planet like Terra, the whole Mechanicus or it's now known as Mechanicum decided to live up to its name of the first and most important Forge World on the Imperium.

They terraformed it to become a rocky desert planet. So instead of the whole Martian surface colored in the bright orange red, it became more of an orange brown.

From space, you wouldn't really think that this planet has color other than black or the color of metals.

The large orbital drydock, the gigantic ring surrounding the Martian planet is constantly filled with welding sparks, and countless moving machineries as it manufacture the weapons, ships, and many more that's used by the Imperium.

Skitarii, the cyber enhanced soldiers of the Mechanicum is patrolling the whole planet. They're equipped with immensely powerful firearms just like their guardsmen counterpart.

But the very difference between the two of them are that the Skitarii are almost completely cyber enhanced. They have swapped their weak flesh for the more powerful cybernetics making them more powerful, faster, and smarter than a normal guardsman.

On a particular hive city, the whole get together of the curios filled mostly of technopriest are on a lockdown.

The skitarii surrounded the whole city, none can get in, none can get out. The Martian governor gave this order and the Skitarii complied.

The moment the blunder happened, he immediately got the news and he almost turned his whole office upside down.

He questioned everything, such as why would they put someone who's clearly on an on the job training type of guy on such an important position.

Currently, he's on his office on the Martian capital, throwing everything he sees due to anger.

"What's the news? Has those people released their statement? They'll be eliminated if they can't explain what happened! Also, the superintendent of that technopriest, where is he?" asked the Planetary Governor of Mars as the technopriests inside his office looked at each other, probably waiting for someone to speak first.

"They still haven't gave any statement regarding the matter. The skitarii has blockaded the whole hive city and most notably their headquarters. The superintendent on the other hand is currently on prison, chained and locked." answered a brave technopriest with a trembling voice as the planetary governor nodded slightly and leaned back on his chair comfortably.

But just then, someone came inside, bearing the news with importance.

"Sir! A squad of Silent Sisters has came bringing a direct order from the Omnissiah himself!"

...

Ticino river, night time, the day before the battle...

Two armies encamped on the flatlands near the today's settlement called Ticinum and the Roman's encampment is on the south, at Gambolo.

The Roman encampment has large bonfires on every unit group. From Velites, to Triarii. Each of them has it.

Currently, Lupus is on his tent resting and eating the ration of food. He's wearing a simple linen cloth and the Equites equipment set is on a little armor stand near his bed.

His nanotechnology equipment is currently his bed. He willed the whole equipment to become a comfy bed for him and the supposed bed of his was given to the slave named Khloe.

He won't be using the original equipment set tomorrow, instead he will just use his nanotech equipment and have it form an equipment set for him to wear. This way, he can change armors almost immediately if things go hairy.

Lupus looked at Khloe who was standing near him, looking like an obedient servant. He just gently shook his head and sipped on the soup on his wooden bowl.

"Get yourself a chair, eat with me." said Lupus as he pushed the bowl of fruits near him towards the center of the little table. He is uncomfortable eating while someone is just looking at him.

Khloe on the other hand is dumbfounded. She's known her new master for about 2 days now and has even dreamt of him jumping from atop the high walls of the city of Rome and landing unscathed. She has skips in her memories since the moment her new owner changed.

"I, I can't do such a thing my lord! J-just eat, I'll go out if you're uncomfortable with me watching you." said Khloe immediately after a moment of awkwardness as her voice was that of someone rushing.

Lupus just looked at him and stood up to get water from a nearby wooden drum with his little wooden cup. Khloe on the other hand was quick to react as she approached Lupus and tried to snatch the cup so she can do her job.

"My lord, I ca-" her words are cut off as Lupus moved his hand away and thus preventing her from snatching the cup.

"I'm not disabled, I can get myself a drink." said Lupus as he took the cup and filled it with pristine clean water from a wooden vase.

"B-but my-" the words of Khloe was cut off once more as the cup in which Lupus drank was offered to her by Lupus himself.

"Drink." ordered Lupus in which Khloe was forced to comply as she took the cup with unstable hands and gently drank from it.

Lupus gently nodded. He needs to have her become more comfortable around if she's his slave. He can't have someone untrustworthy by his side. Yes, he can use mind controlling chips and transform her into near mindless servants, but such measures are already too far.

He only needed to make her comfortable around him, nothing more, nothing less.

...

The night has slowly progressed as each soldier from both side got a good night's sleep. As of now the sun is currently rising and both sides are already preparing for the battle.

The Roman Consul will take with him around 15 thousand men and meet the enemy head on, while the two Praetors will secure his right flank and encircle the enemy once the fighting ensured on all sides.

Lupus specially woke up early and did simple warm ups and exercises such as 50 bench press, 50 pull ups, and many more.

By the time it's already breakfast he's all drenched in sweat, his manly features clearly visible from the thin linen cloth he's wearing.

The other men from his squad too did warm ups and exercises together with him as they got the attention of some people who came by and watched including Publius Cornelius Scipio's son who's also named Publius Cornelius Scipio.

The son was around 22 years old and his simple walk with a general was fruitful as his encounter with Lupus and company brought him great ideas.

They have such excellent men on their army, surely this battle will be easy and the invaders will be pushed back in no time.

He's wrong...

Although the battle will be in a small scale, the result of the defeat will deliver a great blow to the morale of the Roman people, something deadly on this era.