Roundtable Fleet

The Roundtable Fleet is led by Lorian Aristedes, who holds the titles Supreme Commandant and Grand Admiral of Roundtable Fleet. He styles himself First-Among-Equals of the Free Captains. The fleet is co-commanded by three Commandants-General -- Tolten, Gadkari, and Harred -- each of Imperial extraction, who formed the leadership faction with Lorian following Latarra's collapse.

The fleet's vessels are large, cigar-shaped ships. At its arrival at Gododdin, the fleet comprises thirteen ships; Tolten claims each Roundtable vessel is worth a hundred Imperial ships. During subsequent operations near Ywain, the fleet is deployed strung out across ten thousand miles of open space. The flagship is the Mistwalker, a vessel identified as Class-9 or possibly Class-10, placing it at more than twice the size of the greatest Imperial dreadnought. It is described as egg-shaped with a stark white, smooth hull, save where tripod legs each as large as a house extend from its base. Mistwalker has a vast central hold with a docking port and multiple airlocks, a long illumination strip running the length of its bay that creates a false day, and a gray city at its heart. Lorian's first officer aboard Mistwalker is Amatorre.

The fleet's ground forces are Latarran dragoons, organized into units designated with the prefix GAL followed by a number. They wear black uniforms with bare black helmets; the solar falcon sigil of Calen Harendotes has been stripped from their uniforms. Their armor gives their eyes an appearance described as shining like obols laid on the eyes of the dead.

The Roundtable Fleet forms in the aftermath of the death of Calen Harendotes, the monarch of Latarra. The ensuing factional collapse of the Latarran Monarchy leaves its military forces leaderless; Lorian Aristedes, together with Commandants-General Tolten, Gadkari, and Harred, seizes command of what remains and constitutes the Roundtable Fleet. The fleet holds the Norman Expanse by right of arms and claims it as its sovereign territory.

Lorian Aristedes arrives in the Gododdin system with thirteen ships to participate in the final confrontation with the Cielcin. At a grand alliance gathering on the Llurug Planum on Gododdin, Lorian formally presents himself and his command to Emperor William, demanding recognition of the Roundtable as the legitimate government of the Norman stars and peace between the Roundtable and the Sollan Empire. The Emperor provisionally agrees on condition they survive the Cielcin assault.

At the onset of the Cielcin attack on Gododdin, the Roundtable Fleet jumps away. Hadrian deduces that Lorian jumped outside the light-front to observe the battle and gather intelligence rather than abandoning the engagement.

During the subsequent campaign near Ywain, Roundtable Fleet intercepts the Cielcin armada emerging above the ecliptic and engages the enemy before the Imperial main fleet can respond. Hadrian speculates that Lorian had planted surveillance satellites undetected and withheld the intelligence for fear of Minoan spies. After Hadrian's destruction of the Cielcin Prophet-King Syriani Dorayaica and the Watcher Ushara aboard Dharan-Tun, Lorian brings Mistwalker into orbit around the crippled worldship. When the Watcher Miudanar threatens the Imperial flagship Aurora near Cynon, Lorian deploys Roundtable Fleet against the entity using atomic weapons.

Lorian Aristedes commands the Roundtable Fleet as Supreme Commandant and Grand Admiral. He captains the flagship Mistwalker and is a veteran of the engagements at Almatana, Ceuta, and Eragassa, where he defeated the Cielcin General Teyanu. Hadrian considers him the most capable officer he has ever known.

Amatorre serves as Lorian's first officer, described as towering and slender.

Tolten, Gadkari, and Harred each hold the rank of Commandant-General and co-command the fleet alongside Lorian. All three are of Imperial extraction and previously served as Commandants-General in the Grand Army of Latarra.