Chapter 79: Lysander: Teeth of Civilization

Summary

• Lysander leads an attack on the Ascomanni warships orbiting Io in a carefully staged propaganda campaign.
• His forces include Gold knights, New Shepherds, Praetorians, and House Lune legions, backed by the Bellona clients and the Reformers.
• The Ascomanni fleet is caught off guard, resulting in their rapid defeat as they exhibit flawed tactics and no unified command.
• Lysander’s flagship, the Lightbringer, relentlessly attacks the Ascomanni, who had also used civilians as human shields.
• Lysander focuses on liberating the Garter on the surface, where the Ascomanni defense crumbles under sabotage and superior Lightbringer forces.
• Victory comes swiftly; Ascomanni are caught unprepared on the ground, and most air defenses have been disabled.
• Lysander and Cicero personally take part in ground combat, killing Ascomanni and rescuing a collared Green operator before heading off to continue their assault.
• Their forces, including the New Shepherds, swiftly secure the city, with Ascomanni either fleeing or being massacred.
• Lysander participates in rescue missions to save Society's civilians used by the Ascomanni as human shields aboard their ships.
• Lysander and Cicero exhibit leadership and compassion, focusing their efforts on saving lives and assisting the wounded.
• Cicero exhibits stoicism despite being injured, prioritizing the well-being of others over his own.
• The relief effort appears chaotic but is driven by a sense of order, and logistical support ships arrive to aid the injured and the refugees.
• Cicero prefers to rejoin the battle rather than receive medical attention, and later, Lysander deals with disrespectful soldiers who insult him.
• Noble prisoners, including a surviving member of the Raa, Gaia, are liberated and exact vengeance on their Ascomanni captors with Gaia executing the prisoners personally.
• The Moon Lords thank Lysander, each repeating "indebted" after executing the Ascomanni prisoners, signaling great debt to Lysander's aid.
• Lysander commits to avenging losses and promises to attack Europa to defeat the remaining enemy forces, adhering to Gaia's request for a brutal revenge.