Magistrate Genucius Laid to Rest

Gensari, Umbria

18.06.31149 09:38 UMT

Opiter Genicius, the famed explorer and military leader who most recently headed the Frontier Reaction Force, was laid to rest this morning at the Mt. Altos National Cemetery.

Magistrate Genicius, who passed away a little over two weeks ago from complications related to heart disease, was best known for his vital role in taking the Frontier Reaction Force, better known as the RF, from policy proposal to an organized and effective means of providing security to the Frontier.

"Opiter deserves much of the credit for what the Reaction Force was able to achieve," newly elected Triumvir Publius Decius said after the funeral service. "He was a true son of Umbria, who put the needs of the Republic before his own. He saw in the Frontier our next leap forward as a people, and did everything he could to support that vision."

Others have been less favorable in their remembrance.

"Genicius was a man who never passed up an opportunity for self-promotion," Senator Alessia Bantia said. "When faced with a large scale disturbance, one the RF was never designed to deal with, he chose to throw his people into a meat grinder in hopes of securing his own advancement."

The Magistrate's legacy has come into question in the aftermath of the discovery of the hostile alien race known as the Ascomanni. The exact sequence of events surrounding the fall of Battipaglia continues to be scrutinized, and some have questioned when exactly the RF became aware of the alien presence.

"There are still many outstanding questions that need answers," Senator Vespasia Domitilla stated. "While I can empathize with the Triumvirate's need to manage the message surrounding this extraordinary event, it is unacceptable that they would choose to hide it from the public entirely."

The battle on Battipaglia continues to rage, with several commentators indicating that the situation on the ground has become a stalemate. Casualty reports are being tightly censored, while the Republic military continues to refuse the press access to the conflict zone, stating that the dangers of the situation do not permit access by non-combatants.

As the Republic continues to gear up for an armed conflict with an extraterrestrial threat, the fate of the Reaction Force itself has come into question.

Many are now calling for the organization to be dissolved, pointing out that it is poorly equipped to face off against military grade opposition. Other have said that its policing resources should be delegated to the individual planetary governments amongst the Frontier.

In the end, the organization that Magistrate Genicius worked so hard to build may not long survive the passing of its founder and fiercest champion.