INCEPTIO (Roma Nova)

by Alison Morton

Sergia – Political officer, serious but sour

  Grattius Duso – Cultural officer and teacher

  Galla and Maro – PGSF Guards

  Marcus – Housekeeper

  Family

  Aurelia Mitela – Karen’s grandmother, head of Mitela family

  Quintus Tellus – Conrad’s uncle, the Roma Nova Imperial Chancellor

  Helena Mitela – Karen’s cousin

  Household

  Junia – Comptroller/steward of Domus Mitelarum

  Palace

  Silvia Apulia – Imperatrix, ruler of Roma Nova

  Department of Justice

  Aemilia Fulvia – Minister of Justice

  Inspector Cornelius Lurio – Special Assistant to Fulvia, Organised Crime Division

  Sentius – Senior Justiciar, Organised Crime Division

  Boot camp

  Felix – A leader

  Tonia – A staff member

  In the city

  Dania – A friendly bar owner, protégée of Carina

  Martina – Goldlights club manager

  Pulcheria Foundation

  Apollodorus – A career criminal, head of the organisation

  Flavius ‘Flav’ – A criminal strategist

  Philippus – Their armourer

  Justus – Informer and intelligence gatherer

  Hermina – Recruiter and provider/organiser of people

  Pollius – A doctor

  Dolcius – A technical wizard

  Military (PGSF)

  Lucius Punellus – Adjutant, Conrad’s comrade in arms

  Daniel Stern – Lieutenant, ex-IDF, on secondement

  Julia Sella – The training major

  Robbia – Lieutenant

  Paula Servla – Sergeant

  Somna – Captain, Interrogation Service (IS)

  Murria – Lieutenant, Interrogation Service (IS)

  Livius and Atria – Other ‘Victis’ team members

  Bad guys

  Jeffrey Renschman – An American covert security services ‘fixer’

  Lev Palicek – An American of East European extraction

  About the Author

  Alison Morton grew up in West Kent and worked as a civil servant in the City of London, dealt in coins and antique jewellery, head-hunted chief executives, served as a Territorial Army officer and owned a translation company. She completed a BA in French, German and Economics and thirty years later an MA in History. She now lives in France with her husband.

  A ‘Roman nut’ since age 11, she has visited sites throughout Europe including the alma mater, Rome. But it was the mosaics at Ampurias (Spain) that triggered her wondering what a modern Roman society would be like if run by women…

  Find out more about Alison’s writing life, Romans and alternate history at her blog www.alison-morton.com and follow her on Twitter @alison_morton.

  Acknowledgements

  This book has grown out of my eleven year old self asking ‘What would have happened if women were in charge of the Romans?’ As I crafted my first thriller story set in an alternative world populated by Roman descendants and run by women, I had the benefit of many people’s advice and expert knowledge.

  Anna-Marie Buss of Bussroot Ltd, who gave me valuable information about working life in advertising and PR agencies.

  Dean Armstrong, British Airways senior first officer, and his pals, including the then British Air Defence Attaché in Washington, for information about helicopter flights from NYC to Washington DC.

  Amanda Rae Rosado from New York City and Shawn Hanes from Indiana University, both on student exchange to the University of Kent, who checked my American terminology.

  My wonderful Latin teacher, Miss Polmounter (also praised by comedian Jo Brand – see story here!) for introducing me to the rude poems of Catullus as well as telling me what crossing the Rubicon meant.

  Joanna Cannon MD who made sure nobody recovered too slowly or too quickly from gunshot wounds.

  Fellow writers, including the late Paul Sussman, Nicola Morgan, Adrian Magson, Talli Roland, Helen Hollick, editor Robert Clark and publishing consultant Mick Rooney.

  Helen Hart and all her team at SilverWood Books – patient, professional, knowledgeable.

  My late father, Charles Lusted, who was significantly responsible for making me a ‘Roman nut’.

  My patient husband, Steve Morton, for enduring the creative and editing process running his life.

  And Denise Barnes, author of from Bad to Wurst and Seller Beware, my critique partner who gave me constant feedback with equal doses of brutality and love.

  Copyright Notice

  Published in 2013 by the author using SilverWood Books Empowered Publishing ®

  SilverWood Books

  30 Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol, BS1 4HJ

  www.silverwoodbooks.co.uk

  Copyright © Alison Morton 2013

  www.alison-morton.com

  The right of Alison Morton to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright,Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright holder.

  This novel is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN 978-1-78132-062-4 (paperback)

  ISBN 978-1-78132-063-1 (ebook)

  Table of Contents

  Praise for INCEPTIO

  Historical Note

  Part I: Departure

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  V

  VI

  VII

  VIII

  IX

  X

  XI

  XII

  XIII

  XIV

  XV

  XVI

  XVII

  XVIII

  XIX

  XX

  XXI

  XXII

  XXIII

  XXIV

  XXV

  XXVI

  XXVII

  XXVIII

  XXIX

  XXX

  XXXI

  Part II: Transition

  XXXII

  XXXIII

  XXXIV

  XXXV

  XXXVI

  XXXVII

  XXXVIII

  XXXIX

  Part III: Metamorphosis

  XL

  XLI

  XLII

  XLIII

  XLIV

  XLV

  XLVI

  XLVII

  XLVIII

  XLIX

  L

  LI

  LII

  LIII

  LIV

  LV

  LVI

  LVII

  LVIII

  LIX

  LX

  LXI

  LXII

  LXIII

  LXIV

  LXV

  Part IV: Resolution

  LXVI

  LXVII

  LXVIII

  LXIX

  LXX

  LXXI

  LXXII

  LXXIII

  LXXIV

  LXXV

  LXXVI

  LXXVII

  LXXVIII

  LXXIX

  LXXX

  PERFIDITAS

  Dramatis Personae

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Copyright Notice

 

 

 
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