817.M41
Segmentum Obscurus
Koronus Expanse
Marani nebula
Epsilon Marani system, Nova Roma in High Gothic or New Rome in Low Gothic
groundbreaking constructions for New Rome on the surface of Capitolinus

The fleet of House D'Romas dispersed itself within the Nova Roma system. The Ceres was placed in the outer asteroid field and the Tech-Priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus began restoring the ancient starfort to working condition. The subfleets belonging to the varied void clans orbited over their granted planets with few willing to venture out of the void and onto the surface of a true habitable planet. Each clan sent mining vessels into the outer asteroid belt and the two inner asteroid belts. The remaining non-combat vessels orbited Capitolinus and construction began of the primary colony on Capitolinus.

The founding of Nova Roma was a vast affair. Artisans disembarked from the Tiberius and organized the colony construction. The mass conveyors and transports of the D'Romas fleet spent seventy-two standard days offloading construction equipment, and pre-built modules. Three quarters of a million colonists transplanted from the Scarus sector hive cities on Thracian Primaris and Lethe-Eleven disembarked the mass conveyors and transports to start their lives anew on Capitolinus. Farming equipment, which had been loaded onto the galleass of war Ulysses even as it was being refurbished at the Drystan Construction Yards, was off-loaded onto the surface. Also unloaded were hearty farmers, gathered from frontier worlds in the vicinity of the Spinward Front, who had volunteered in hopes of avoiding being conscripted into the war. Most importantly, the troops of the 87th and 29th/35th Mozhel Integrated Regiment were put to use. The roughly seven thousand troops who originally hailed from the 29th/35th drop troop regiment were spread far and wide guarding the scattered farmsteads, as well as the central constructions, from the predations of the many local predators. A company had also been detached to each of the void clans' five worlds in order to secure a habitation zone. The seven thousand veterans who originally hailed from the 89th siege infantry regiment put their fortification and construction skills to work digging out the future Capitolium fortress as well as laying infrastructure for the central constructions of the future capital of New Rome.

The site chosen for the capital sat high upon a great plain with an enormous river running through it. It was early spring, with new foliage sprouting, and a chill hung in the air.

A stiff wind blew in Lady Azzurra's face. She held her tricorn cap tightly in her left hand so as to not lose it in the wind and her long blonde hair ran down her back in a single tight braid. Azzurra was dressed appropriately for the early spring chill in her crimson greatcoat with gold trim and black pants. She was armed with a bolt pistol on her right hip and her power spear strapped to her back.

Azzurra stared at a massive skeletal construction in front of her. Workers were climbing throughout its beams. Bipedal power-lifters, many of them operated by Mozhel siege infantry regiment veterans, moved bulk material about the site. The foundation and underground levels had been structurally completed. The rest was a work in progress. So, this will be the administrative center for the colony, she mused. She turned to a crane as it lowered an enormous wrapped structure onto its platform. Ah, the statue has arrived.

Workers proceeded to remove the wrappings. The statues were of two tall men wearing primitive leather and hide armour. Each was armed with a long and slender sword. Ah, the twins. She immediately recognized their historical significance to the D'Romas dynasty and Rome itself. Then, she noticed something else.

"Why?" she mumbled to herself as she stared at the statue of the twins in front of her. She spoke again, more loudly. "Why?"

"Aren't they wonderful?" said a cheerful voice from over her shoulder.

Lady Azzurra glanced to her left as Sister Elena stepped up beside her in a dark crimson robe with a golden fleur de lis on its chest. Her long red hair was in two tight braids.

"The twins, Romulus and Remus," Sister Elena said as she looked at the two statues. "The legendary founders of ancient Rome according to the datavaults aboard the Tiberius." She turned toward Azzurra and continued, "The artisans hail from the planet Ardium in Ultramar. Your father obtained their services before that realm suffered from Hive Fleet Behemoth." A slight frown appeared on her face as she mentioned and recalled the suffering under the invasion of the monstrous Tyrannid aliens. "The planets of Ultramar were laid out in a superior manner to those which have haphazardly grown throughout the Imperium. They supported great populations without destroying the beauty of the planet. Your father wished to replicate that in the colony founded by your dynasty."

Why must she insist on telling me things I already know or have no desire to be bothered with? Azzurra said to herself. She turned her head to look the Sister in the eyes. "I know all that you just told me. What I want to know is why do they have Vitus' face?"

"The artisans wanted to capture the look of those who lived in ancient Rome," answered Sister Elena. "Since your family line runs unbroken back to Rome itself, they decided to use his likeness. That, and your cousin tends to pull people about him merely by breathing."

Uggh, Azzurra said to himself. I will be stuck with him watching over me after I take the warrant even if he is dead. She then said to the Sister, "What does Vitus think of this?"

Sister Elena's eyes narrowed and her lips pursed for a moment. "His reaction was most odd," she said. "He shook his head and asked 'Why?' just like you did." Azzurra watched Elena's eyes focus in the distance and knew the Sister was picturing Vitus' actions as she spoke. "He looked very sad and said 'The records indicate that Romulus killed Remus. I wish I had a brother. If I had one, I would never kill him.' Then, he stared off into the distance for a moment and said, 'I can't see it clearly. I see multiple things. I see the twins happy as brothers, fighting side by side. I see one killing the other. I see them killing each other. I do not understand.' Then he seemed to snap out of it." She paused, concern etched onto her face, "I think he was trying to psychically see what happened forty thousand years ago and tens of thousands of light years away." The Sister shrugged and her focus returned from afar, back to Lady Azzurra.

As she finished speaking, three colonists walked between the two ladies and the statues. All three were dressed in overly large brown robes, their swollen bellies marking their pregnancies for all to see.

"The renewed bloodlines of ancient Europa," said the Sister as she watched the women walk past. "Not only must you be confronted with Vitus' face everywhere, but you will be confronted with the handiwork of Magos Alidyne every day you stand on this planet." The Sister frowned and continued, "I do hope that the test results are clear for these children. I would hate to see so many put to death." She paused and looked at Lady Azzurra again. "Vitus has been roaming the population, personally visiting them, and urging them to procreate in the name of the Emperor." She snickered. "Of the countless things these people have been commanded to do in His name throughout their lowly lives, I believe they will relish following that command more than any other."

Another pregnant lady walked nearby in loose robes. Instead of walking past the two, she walked up to Lady Azzurra and kneeled. Lowering herself was awkward due to her advanced pregnancy but she managed not to fall. Lady Azzurra looked at the top of the young woman's dark curly hair and said to herself, At least Magos Alidyne chose well-trained breeders. She then said to the kneeling woman, "Speak what you have to say. I do not have all day."

"Yes, my Lady," answered the kneeling pregnant woman without raising her head. "Master Haarken sent me to inform you that the Emperor's Lance has been contacted. It is currently being led here to the Nova Roma system."