#Grattius

[trialsinthelateromanrepublic]

trial of Aulus Licinius Archias

date: 62 BCE charge: lex Papia (illegal grant of citizenship) defendant: A. Licinius Archias advocate: M. Tullius Cicero cos. 63 (Sch. 27) prosecutor: Grattius (urban?) praetor: Q. Tullius Cicero witnesses: M. Terentius Varro Lucullus cos. 73 Heraclienses

Cic. Arch.; Schol. Bob. 175-179St; see also Cic. Att. 1.16.15; Div. 1.79

[dotzilaa]

Road Trip

Writer’s Month Day Four! The prompt for today is Road Trip

Summary: Jenn, Novus, and Grattius prepare for their road trip. Reminder: Novus and Grattius are Turians, Jenn is a human, and 9273 is a geth prime. A mako is mentioned and that is a tank. 

Word Count: 443

   “…How far away is the base?” Jenn asks. The hair above her eyes, eyebrows? are up in what he’s learned to be disbelief in humans.

  “A little over two-thousand miles.” Grattius repeats. Jenn scoffs and pushes away from the table, running a hand through her fringe- err hair. She does that quite a lot now that he thinks about it. Grattius shakes his head in agreement. Two-thousand miles. Over two-thousand miles.

  “And how long will that take us?” He asks. Grattius looks back down at his omni-tool.

  “Given that we have no problems, roughly three/four days.” Jenn groans.

  “Great. So, let’s assume that everything that could go wrong, goes wrong. We arrive in five days. Will that give us enough time?” Grattius fiddles with his omni-tool while Jenn and Novus share a glance. They both have a feeling that everything will go wrong. It just seems to be there luck nowadays.

  “Maybe?” Grattius offers after a minute.

  “Maybe!?” Novus parrots. Grattius turns to look sat him, powering down his omni-tool.

  “Look, I’m working with variables I don’t have okay!? We might have enough time to shut down the reactor, we might not. We’re just gonna have to uh- what’s that human saying?” He turns back to Jenn and she raises an eyebrow.

  “Uhm wing it?” She offers. He points to her, mandibles spreading a bit.

  “Yes! We’ll just have to do that. Although, I don’t see how wings have anything to do with-”

  Jenn face-palms immediately. “Oh, for fucks sake.”

Novus lets out a chuckle. “As much fun as picking apart our different sayings is, we really should figure out how to get that there with us.” He points over his shoulder at 9273. They all collectively turn to look over at the slumped form of the prime.

  “Fuck.” Grattius mutters. Novus can’t help but laugh again.

-

  They all stood in front of the mako, pondering.

  “We could just leave it here.” Grattius offered. Novus and Jenn spoke in unison.

  “No.”

  “Fine.” A pause. “We could just tie it up and drag it behind us.”

  “No.”

  “Well…”

  “Novus!”

  “I’m not saying that exactly! But what if we tied it to the top of the mako?”

  “No.” Jenn stated.

-

  “I can’t fucking believe this is my life.” Jenn muttered as she tightened the ropes.

  “Ah, well all get there one day.” Jenn looks up from her knot and Novus’ body is already moving before she could push him off the mako.

-

  “All the supplies are packed?” Jenn asks.

  “Yep.” Grattius answers.

  “Fuel?”

  “As much as we could find.”

  “Our gear?”

  “Yep.”

  “Well guys, I guess it’s time for a road trip.”

[dianasson]

"...We construct cross-road shrines in groves of soaring trees and set our sharp-pointed torches hard by the woodland precinct of Diana, and the whelps are decked with the wonted wreath, and at the centre of the cross-roads in the grove the hunters fling down among the flowers the very weapons which now keep the holiday in the festival peace of the sacred rites. Then the wine-cask and cakes steaming on a green-wood tray lead the procession, with a young goat thrusting horns forth from tender brow, and fruit even now clinging to the branches, after the fashion of a lustral ritual at which all the youth both purify themselves in honour of the Goddess and render sacrifice for the bounty of the year. Therefore, when her grace is won, the Goddess answers generously in those directions where you sue for help: whether your greater anxiety is to master the forest or to elude the plagues and threats of destiny, the Maiden is your mighty affiance and protection."

- Grattius, Cynegeticon 481-496

🌿🦌🌕🐕🌿

Photos from Nemoralia earlier this month

... [Image description: (1) dark photo of a lit pillar candle illuminating a glass of wine in front of a statute mostly in shadow. There are flowers in a vase and on the statue's head. (2) bright photo of a dark cake cut into the shape of a stag and a circle. The cake has chopped nuts glazed on top and sits on a white plate. End descriptions.]

[dianasson]

"Thee first, O Vulcan, and thy peace, holy dweller in this place, do we entreat: grant final aid to our wearied fortunes, and, if no guilt is here deserving penalty so great, pity these many lives and suffer them, holy one, to attain to thy fountains" te primum, Vulcane, loci, pacemque precamur, incola sancte, tuam: da fessis ultima rebus​ auxilia et, meriti si nulla est noxia tanti,​ tot miserare animas liceatque attingere fontes,​ sancte, tuos

- Grattius Faliscus, Cynegeticon (437-42), translation University of Chicago

...

[Image description: engraving, god Vulcan standing with chest exposed in a niche flanked by classical columns. He holds a hammer and possibly a helmet. He has curly hair and a gruff face. Above the niche arch, his name is portrayed with Latin letters as "Vvlcanvs." 1592, artist Hendrik Goltzius after Polidoro da Caravaggio. End description.]

[dotzilaa]

Rachni

Writer’s Month Day Eleven! Today’s prompt is Whump.

Summary: Jenn gets hurt during a fight and doesn’t notice it until later. 

Note: Again, Jenn and Novus along with their team! Novus and Grattius are turians, T’Vex is an asari, Sakalla is a Salarian. 

Word Count: 334

   It was intense battle, Jenn almost thought they weren’t going to win. There were the usual suspects: marauders, husks, and brutes but with this one brought along fucking bug things. That shot lasers and released little bug things that she knew bothered T’Vex but T’Vex wasn’t admitting it. Yet.

   One of the bug things had shot her as she was fighting a group of husks, the same moment one lunged at her, clipped her in the side and sent her sprawling to the ground where the husks promptly tried to claw her eyes out. It took a nasty head butt and some fancy biotics to get them off of her. She looked around for her shot gun. Once she located it, Jenn quickly grabbed it and crawled back into cover.

   “Reaper bug thing is disposed of. Along with its little friends. That seems to be the last of it.” Grattius’ voice crackled over her comm and she sighed in relief. She pushed herself to her feet and looked around. She was glad that she was wearing her helmet because she knew the smell from the bug things were rancid. “Report in.”

   “T’Vex here.”

   “Sakalla here.”

   “Trentitius here. You guys need to come to my position.”

   “Fritzen here, roger that.” She holstered her gun on her back and looked at her map for Novus’ marker. She took off, winding around debris and fallen reaper troops. They were gonna have to move these bodies, her least favorite part. Once she got there, Novus was kneeling next to one of the bug things, poking it with a stick. Fritzen looked around, checking over her friends. “Everyone okay?” Sakalla gave a quick glance as he answered.

   “Yeah.” He looked back towards the body but then immediate looked back at her, his eyes going even wider than normal. He sucked in a breath. “Fritzen…” Grattius looked over and his mouth dropped.

   “Spirits.” The last two members looked up and as they did Jenn fell to the floor.

   “Jenn!”

[dotzilaa]

Hospitalized

Writer’s Month 2019 For day two the prompt is Hurt/Comforts

I’m using the same characters from last time, Jenn and Novus.

Word Count: 318

   Novus slowly blinked his eyes opened, he groaned and closed his eyes back again. The doctors said he needed rest, so he was going to take advantage of it.

   “Novus?” He opened his eyes again and turns look at the owner of the voice. Jenn was curled up in the chair next to his bed. She smiles at him, pure relief in her features. “Hey bud. Look who’s awake.” She shifted so she was sitting properly in her chair. “Sorry I wasn’t here when you first woke up, Grattius pulled me away.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “How are you feeling?”

   “Like I just got blown up. And some water would be great.” Jenn huffs out a laugh as she stands. She goes over to the little table in the corner where the pitcher is.

   “Yeah, I bet.” She looks over her shoulder. “Don’t make this a regular occurrence. You had me worried.”

   “Did I now?” Jenn turns back to the cup of water.

   “Yeah.” She helps him sit up and drink from the cup. She places the now empty cup on the nightstand and pulls her chair closer to the bed.

   “I didn’t know everything in your body could hurt at once but apparently that can happen. I’m feeling things I haven’t felt before.” Jenn laughs again as she oh so gently lays a hand on his leg, thumb rubbing up and down.

   “I’m sorry Novus. It’ll get better soon. And I’m gonna be here the whole time.” Novus smiles, mandibles spreading wide.

  “Well then get ready for a lot of naps, complaining, and knots in your neck and back because hospital chairs are terrible.”

   “I think I’m up for the challenge.” Jenn reaches for his hand and he readily lets her take it. “Anything for you.” 

[dotzilaa]

Piggy Back Rides

Writer’s Month day 29: Height difference

Summary: While stopping Jenn and 9273 take a moment to appreciate the scenery. (a geth prime, which is what 9273 is, are like twelve feet tall and Jenn here is 5′7)

Word Count: 803

   Jenn slid out of the truck and took in her surroundings. The sun was setting, and Novus was to her left cataloguing their inventory for the day. Grattius was checking on the mako, his drone beeping beside him. Jenn looked back at the horizon, noticing 9273 near the edge of the ravine that they were driving past. Novus had convinced them to stop for a “scenic view” while they ate. And Jenn begrudgingly admitted that she was appreciating the stop. The air was fresh, the breeze was cool, and the sun was shining on her face. She took a moment to take it in, committing this moment to memory before moving to 9273. 

   “Nice view huh?”

   “We have no likes nor dislikes.” Jenn’s eyebrows twitched upwards and looked back over at the horizon.

   “Yeah… well, to us organics, at least to me I guess, this is nice. Reminds me of this planet I went to a couple years ago. The view was nice, but it was hot as hell. And there were these giant rodent looking things,” Jenn chuckled. “Smith, one of my teammates, was so freaked out. They were harmless, only attacked you when you provoked them and my god, Rodriguez fucking provoked them. Ran away from them screaming, he had nightmares for a week afterwards. And then! And then Wilson actually bought him a fucking hamster. His face was priceless. Wilson said it was “Exposure therapy. It’ll help you get over your fear of rodents and responsibility.” Rodriguez was so pissed he kept the hamster out of spite.”

   “This place… does have a resemblance of Rannoch.” Jenn whipped her head to the side and immediately regretted it. She brought a hand to rub at her neck but still kept her eyes on 9273.

   “It reminds you of home?”

   “…Yes.” Jenn hums in response.

   “The planet I was from didn’t have a lot of deserts, beaches sure, but no deserts. It was a full-on garden world and well… I’ve seen old photos of Rannoch, from before the uh, war.”

   “Rannoch is a beautiful world to organics.”

   “But not to synthetics?”

   “We have no preference.” Jenn had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

   “Have no preference.” Jenn quotes. “You’re free now, you are your own person. Make a preference! You have a life now. Live a little!”

   “How would you suggest we ‘live a little’?” 9273 uses air quotes when he says, ‘live a little’ and Jenn might think its her new favorite thing. She could watch three fingered people do air quotes all day.

   “You… take a risk. Or do something that’s out of the social norm. You’re a fucking geth for christ’s sake! I don’t even know if you have social norms. You could do every crazy and weird thing and probably get away with it.” Jenn spreads her arms out. “I’m saying people are already gonna stare at you because you’re a geth, even more so because you’re a prime, so if they’re going to stare, give them something to stare about.” She plants her hands on her hips and cranes her neck up to see him.

   “What do you think.. I should do first?” Jenn grins up at him.

   Jenn thinks for a moment, squinting and tapping her chin. Her eyes widen and so does her smile when she gets her idea. “You ever heard of a piggyback ride?” 9273 tilts his head for a second before answering.

   “You want to give me a piggyback ride?” Jenn barks out a laugh. “You will not be able to hold me if you-”

   “No, silly. I want you to give me a piggyback ride.” Jenn begins to walk around 9273. “Well, maybe I should sit on your shoulders instead given your… back.” She comes to a stop behind him. “So, crouch down and be steady. I’ll climb you.” There’s a split second where he’s still and then he crouches down. He’s still rather large and it is going to be difficult trying to maneuver herself to sit on his shoulders but goddamn if she’s going to try her hardest. Jenn begins to climb him, glad she doesn’t have to worry about hurting him because well, he’s made of a metal. ‘This is one of the craziest thing I have ever done.’

   “Okay, one the count of three you stand and make sure to grab my legs so I don’t fall okay?”

   “Affirmative.”

   “One… two… three.” He stands and she grips onto the edge of his head and shifts her weight. Jenn carefully moves the hair out of her face and looks around. The view is much better. “I have to admit, I’ve never though I’d ever do this, but this view is fantastic.”

   “Views can be more pleasurable from a height, yes.”

   “Did you just call me short?”

   “Yes.”

   “Hey!”

[dotzilaa]

Family

Writer’s month day 28: family

Summary: Jenn thinks about her friends.

Word Count: 95

   Jenn leans back in her seat, looking around the room. Grattius and Sakalla are doing something in the corner which she hopes isn’t them building a bomb, T’Goto and 9273 are having a very animated conversation, at least on T’Goto’s part, Novus and T’Vex are arm wrestling while Cherrick goads them on. Her chest warms as she smiles. She never thought that when her parents died, she would find something permanent again. everyone else had left but these guys… God help whoever dared to mess with her family. She was never letting go of them.

[dotzilaa]

Comforting Sounds

Writer’s Month Day Five! The prompt is Sound. 

Summary: Jenn is having a hard time and Novus comforts her. 

Note: Again, its Jenn and Novus (my mass effect OCs) I write a lot of these prompts with them, so yeah. 

Word Count: 496

   Jenn didn’t turn to see who it was when she heard the door open. She already knew who it was. She seemed to be getting better at knowing when Trentitius entered the room. She didn’t know what to make of that.

   “It’s a bit late don’t you think?” He let out a sigh as he too a seat next to her. He turned to look at her, but she didn’t.

   “Yeah well, time doesn’t always equal sleep.”

   “Wanna talk about it?” Jenn shook her head. She brought her knees to her chest and set her chin on them. “Well, that’s okay. I’ve been told that I can talk enough for two people.” Trentitius titled his head in thought. “Numerous times in fact.” Jenn let out a quiet snort, but he heard all the same. “Anyways, has Grattius said how he first got his drone?” Jenn shook her head. Trentitius bodily turned to face her, stretching one leg behind her and bending the other one. 

   He launched into his tale, gesturing wildly and adding more emphasis than necessary. But Jenn appreciated it. It gave her something to focus on, something to picture in her mind instead of the burnt-up child’s toy she had found. It was a stuffed pyjack of all things, half its tail was missing, so was a leg, and there was more burnt fabric than not. Seeing that while looking around in the apartment that they were thinking of staying in, it was like the war finally seemed real. Like she finally realized just what is happening to millions- billions in this galaxy. It wasn’t just her and the others fighting monstrosities, it was families being torn apart, lives ruined and lost.

   Jenn buried her face between her knees, pleading with herself not to cry even though she could feel her eyes burning. She sucked in a shaky breath, trying to focus on Trentitius’ words instead. She felt his hand rest on her shoulder but did not look up. 

   “Jenn.” His voice was soft, gentle. She realized it was the first time he had called her by her first name. She then jarringly thought that she wanted him to do it more often. “Come here.” It took some shuffling and moving of limbs, his legs and well, her whole body, but she was tucked against his chest, his arms around her like a safety blanket and she finally let herself cry.

   Trentitius started running a hand through her hair and slightly started to rock them. Jenn rested her head against his chest, trying to calm down. This was definitely not what she wants him to see her like, but she felt so comfortable. Wrapped up in someone’s arms, a hand through her hair and- was he purring? She focused on his vibrating chest, on the rumble she could feel more than hear and found it relaxing. She smiled a little, and let it wash over her. She could stay like this for a while.