[b]Commander Cassius Caspian
CVE-121 High Charity (Solar Flare Class Carrier)
Gamma Sector (01.12N, 90.2S, AZ 12 Degrees)[/b]
[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/aeMYMswMJzRwbGuoC4_MY4vMeCHrXBDIoFa1IssYnmju0_epq87PcSmVk6KaDjw5820=w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu[/img]

Cassius blinked the sweat from his eyes, silently sighing as he eyed the man standing in the center of the observation deck. The man was standing with his arms outstretched, one arm extending directly above his head while the other extended directly to the side. His bare feet were together, almost as if he was standing at attention while balancing on the pads of his feet. Every so often the man would alternate arms, keeping his lower body completely still and balanced. Thin grey robes clung to his elderly frame, resembling a solar priest preforming missionary duties. However the thick golden jeweled medallion that hung from his neck set him apart, designating him as a high solar priest.

Cassisus checked his watch again, noting the time before increasing the polarization level on the visor he was wearing. An eerie red glow filled the observation deck, as he moved his eyes out towards the large glass dome. The red giant, S-1103 filled the entire field of view, quickly inducing a feeling of vertigo and forcing Cassius to look away. His eyes fell back on the high priest, as an expression of anger mixed with fatigue washed across his face before a loud series of metallic knocks could be heard. 

The sound startled Cassius slightly, before the high priest’s voice echoed throughout the chamber. 

“ Get it….” The man stated simply and without breaking his position.

“Gladly” Cassius said under his breath as he turned towards the exit bulkhead before pressing the door control.

Cassius was immediately greeted with the cool, almost ice cold, air that existed outside of the observation deck. A welcome break after standing in the equivalent of a sauna for the past hour. His eyes quickly focused on another officer as he stepped out of the threshold of the bulkhead before he noticed the data pad in the officer’s hand. 

“  Sir, you and the high priest have a few messages from the Arch-diocese.” The officer said before moving the data pad towards Cassius

“ Thanks” Cassius grunted, taking the data pad as the officer quickly walked away.

Cassius looked towards the officer for a moment before looking back towards the bulkhead, letting out a sigh before focusing on the data pad again. His mind wandering towards how he ended up in this position in the first place.

High Priest Emporion Barca was a leading member of the high council. Solite politics is mostly outwardly peaceful but maintains a culture of subterfuge and deception. Every high solar priest maintains a retinue of wealthy and influential people to help aid in their quest for increased knowledge and power. In turn, these associates are tasked with handling the intelligence gathering efforts of numerous spies and other officials who are under the influence of high priests. High priest Barca was no different, he also maintained a multitude of informants and spies, but retained a relatively small number of associates. Most solar high priests maintain large groups of associates, adding to their public image as leaders of the people. High Priest Barca retained a singular person, Cassius, and he owed his career and possibly life to the high priest. Like all military leaders in the current age, Cassius gained his combat experience during the mordant uprising. Coming from a noble family of influence and wealth, Cassius attained a leadership position within the elite shock troops, marine raider detachments. Participating in the first operations of the uprising, Cassius distinguished himself as a competent leader before being poached by High Priest Barca. His previous detachment would go onto be completely wiped out during a botched orbital insertion over mordant shortly after.

The motion detection of the data pad activated, and a collection of messages appeared, categorized by varying urgency. Cassius skimmed the messages, reports from subordinates in military high command and the high church scrolled by as he moved the page to different messages. These were normal reports, denoting the positions and actions of local governors and, clergy and high priests. These messages were usually low in urgency, but today there were two high priority messages, both distinguished by the bold red highlight on the data pad.

The first was from a source within naval high command, specifically the officer who receives communications from long range destroyer patrols. High command received information of a possible distress signal from the far galactic east, past the core. The galactic far east was not very explored, so any information from this section of the galaxy would be very important. The captain of the ship wanted to investigate further, adding months to their deployment. 

Secondly, and possibly the most jarring, was the reality of a popular uprising against the Dominion in the Saxonian Confederation. The Ecclesia’s time under dominion direct control is taught as ancient history, as the Ecclesia slowly split from direct control over the course of generations of separation. The Ecclesia has not formally split ties however and is still by treaty. This could be a chance to make history and expand into Dominion space. 

‘The high priest would  definitely want to know about this’ he thought before placing the data pad under his arm and looking back towards the observation deck bulkhead. Cassius hated being here with every fiber of his being. Every so often, when the high priest needed “guidance” or “ to hear the word of the gods” he charted a ship and made the weeklong trip to this doomed system. The D-112 system was home to six dead planets, long killed off by the red giant that they orbit. Everything was bathed in an eerie red glow The system itself was eerie and felt evil, whatever god this star embodied it was certainly a dark one.

The priest would order the vessel as close to the star as possible without sustaining damage and spend hours praying to it in the observation deck. Every time they entered the system, Cassius swore that this would be the time that the star would explode, asking himself, ‘ who knows how long this star has been here and who knows how much longer it has’. Personally, Cassius did not want to play chicken with a star. 

Toggling the observation deck door control again, the heat of the room hit Cassius like a wall, prompting him to start sweating immediately. Heat waves could be seen through the bulkhead and mirage was visible by the floor near the high priest. 

“Lord Barca” Cassius said loudly as he walked back onto the observation deck, his voice echoing throughout the large domed chamber. 

“ Speak my child……” the high priest answered, dropping his arms and turning the face Cassius.

The skin on his face was cracked, dry and sunburnt yet caramel in color from years of devout prayer. His eyes were a deep maroon changing to a bright red when his face was shadowed, adding to the evil look of the priest.

“ Your agents in naval high command have discovered communications from a possible distress signal in the far east, they want to investigate further” Cassius said, removing the now damp data pad from his arm. 

“ And……” the high priest said as he grunted, slowly making his way towards Cassius.

“ The Saxonian Confederation has declared themselves formally independent of the dominion and wishes to wage a conflict of popular opinion.” Cassius said curtly, before stretching the data pad towards him. 

High Priest Barca was nearly a foot shorter than Cassius but even his aura made Cassius feel uncomfortable. He could feel the hairs on the back on his neck stand up as the priest grabbed the data pad. Despite the unnerving aura, Cassius trusted Lord Barca, as a son would a father. High priest Barca was always loyal to Cassius and is responsible for his quick ascent up the political and power ladder. Whether or not Lord Barca wishes to collect on his influence is to be seen, but for now he was a good leader and mentor. A ruthless political agent but a just leader to those who serve under him. 

Lord Barca skimmed the two messages and lazily handed the data pad back to Cassius, a quizzical look firmly planted on his face. 

“ Leiar…..” the priest said as his voice trailed off “ I know that family……contact our source in High Command, recommend that they investigate further. I will pay the extra wages and supplies” he finished before turning around to look back towards the red giant.

“ As for the Saxonians” he said in elderly raspy tone “ We must assist, we cannot miss this chance to showcase Solite supremacy and expand our power.” He finished with a quick pause before turning to face Cassius again, an evil grin beginning to form across his face.

“ We must make best speed to high command on Lokia, I have generals who are loyal to me there. This will suffice until we can court enough of the council in the favor of war.” Lord Barca finished as he slowly walked to observation deck bulkhead. 

“ Come my son, we have much to discuss, I need my advisor present” he said in an almost parental tone, before waving his hand towards Cassius to join him.