Primus Salvius Sextus
| Name | Salvius Sextus |
|---|---|
| Title | Primus |
| Date of Birth | 21.04.31129 |
| Planet of Origin | Gela |
| Affiliation | Umbrian Republic Army |
Salvius Sextus is one of four primes leading Praetor Gaius Aurelius Marcellus's praetorian guard units. Older than his peers, Salvius has participated in major combat operations numerous times. He played a key role in the evacuation of Leciri, leading an armored cohort and earning a temporary promotion to Prefect before the conclusion of the battle.
The tremendous losses his command endured during the battle would lead to a period of disillusionment and malaise, but Sextus's record made a strong impression on Marcellus, who accepted his request to transfer to his command staff.
Born on the prosperous Frontier world of Gela, Salvius Sextus struggled in school and exhibited a number of antisocial behaviors. After a series of run-ins with the law, Salvius's father would give him a simple ultimatum: join the Republic military, or be cut off completely.
Salvius chose the former, more than willing to pursue any opportunity that would take him away from Gela. Enlisting at the age of seventeen, Salvius would enter the Republic Army's reserve force, receiving basic infantry training and being posted to a number of different worlds on minor assignments.
During this time, he met a man who would have an important influence on his life: Optio Rufus Sarius. The warrant officer came down hard on Sextus, having seen plenty of maladjusted youths flee to the URA for structure and purpose.
He whipped Sextus into shape, and the young legionnaire realized that he had wasted his potential. With Rufus's help, Sextus went back to school, with the intention of applying to officer candidate school upon earning his diploma.
The arrival of the Ascomanni, and the brutal stories that started to emerge from the Frontier, would only harden the young man's resolve. As a reservist, his unit would be called up to active status, primarily serving as garrison troops in the Frontier. Sextus would still find time for his studies, and he would finish his degree on an accelerated timeline. A half a year later, he earned his commission in the URA.
For the second time, Sextus found himself at the Ozenuzo Recruiting Depot, but this time instead of slogging through the Swamp's bogs and marshes, he would be heading to the planet's broad plains, home to the Republic's armored warfare school.
Sextus would fall in love with the strength and power of his tank. On Ozenuzo, Sextus would meet his century, a unit of four tanks that he would personally lead. He developed a close bond with his subordinates, especially the members of his own tank crew, and together they were attached to the Twelfth Armored Legion.
The unit would see their first combat at Leciri. The colony world had been invaded, and the Umbrian Republic launched a counterattack to rescue civilians who had been trapped on the world. The fighting was fierce, and Salvius quickly found himself in command of his entire cohort.
Despite facing a numerically superior enemy, the URA succeeded in evacuating the planet, but at a steep cost. Praetor Taurus would be killed in action when an Ascomanni frigate rammed the planet's surface, obliterating the Republic's forward operating base.
Sextus would make it out on the very last transport, along with another young officer, Optio Antonia Lutatia. Both would be transported to Safe Haven with the remnants of the deceased Praetor's army group.
He requested a transfer back to an infantry unit, distraught by the horrific deaths of his tankers. He would undergo a battery of psychological evaluations, and it was recommended that he be removed from active duty for a period of time. Sextus's commanding officer overrode the recommendation and approved the transfer, reasoning that the Republic could ill afford to have qualified officers sit out the war.
Sextus would bounce around from unit to unit over the next year, participating in a number of minor engagements. However, he would receive a series of reprimands for poor and disorderly conduct. Sextus's only saving grace was the tactical brilliance and utter ruthlessness he displayed on the battlefield.
He would find his way to the Forty-Sixth Legion, serving under Invictus Flaminus, just in time for the unit to be shipped out to Varese. In the battle that followed, he'd again demonstrate his prowess in an adverse situation.
Following the successful retrieval of the planet's defenders, he would be asked to join the praetorian guard of the newly promoted Praetor Gaius Aurelius Marcellus, an offer he would readily accept.