章 1781: Farewell

In the heart of Rome's bustling city center, a crowd had gathered, their attention riveted on the Emissary ship that stood poised for departure. Anchoring the event were two distinguished figures, the Earth Magus, Emery and Julian. They were slated to embark on what was projected as a brief journey to a Centauri planet.

Despite the voyage's alleged brevity, the atmosphere was thick with emotion, a cocktail of anticipation, anxiety, and wonder. For Earth, this was a seminal event: its first official interstellar foray. But underpinning the general sense of excitement, there seemed to be an undercurrent of deeper concerns, nuances that only those intimately involved could fathom. 

Among the Romans, tension was palpable. Julian was flanked by a cadre of his most trusted young centurions, and prominent among them were Marc and Octavius. Their postures were stiff, their expressions grave. They hung on Julian's every word, absorbing the weight of his counsel.