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
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
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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