The Siege of Mercury was one of the major battles of the Solar War, consisting of a two-year campaign by the Solar Republic to liberate Mercury from the control of the Society Remnant.
Background[]
For the first several years of the Solar War, the Republic's primary focus was on liberating Earth, Mars, and Luna from the control of The Society after the death of Octavia au Lune.
Battle[]
The siege began in 751 PCE and lasted for approximately two years.[1]
To gather intel on the Society Remnant's troop movements, Screwface was carved and sent undercover within the ranks of the Ash Legions during the first year of the siege.
Later in 751, a fleet of Society Remnant ships attempted to raid a Republic supply caravan en route to Mercury. The raid failed, and one of the ships, the Nessus, was captured by men loyal to Regulus ag Sun, who used archaic salvage laws to claim the vessel for his personal use.[2]
Eventually, the Master Maker Glirastes defected to the Solar Republic and agreed to aid them in capturing Mercury. In exchange for his cooperation, Glirastes made Darrow promise to avoid the bombardment of population centers and keep civilians out of the crossfire.[3]
In August 753 PCE, Darrow submitted a proposal the Republic Senate to launch an Iron Rain upon the planet to finally secure control of the surface. Under the leadership of senator Dancer O'Faran, the senate rejected the proposal and ordered Darrow to maintain the siege and not waste men and resources on an assault.
Around the same time, Julia au Bellona and Asmodeus au Carthii were sent to the Morning Star as emissaries to request a cease-fire in order to discuss terms for an alleged peace treaty between the Republic and the Society Remnant.
Recognizing that the offer was a ploy by the Society, Darrow rejected it before launching an Iron Rain against the continent of Borealis despite the senate's orders.
Aftermath[]
One million lives were lost in the Iron Rain, which succeeded in driving the Ash Armada away from Mercury and allowing the Republic to secure control of the planet and add Mercury to its dominion.
After the Rain, Darrow returned to Luna with Sevro and the Seventh Legion to convince the Senate to requisition ships and troops for one final campaign against Venus to defeat the Society Remnant and end the war for good.
At the same time that Darrow departed Luna, Julia was sent by the Society Remnant to deliver her offer of peace talks directly to the senate.