Fire, fire, fire!
— Bobbie Draper to railgun batteries in Persepolis Rising

The Third Battle of Medina station was the opening engagement of the Laconia-Sol Conflict. Intitally it was believed by the Sol powers to be diplomatic visit whom were them caught off guard by the USM field projector weapon and regeneration hulls of the Laconian ships.


When the Laconian Empire sent a automated message stating that it would be entering the Slow Zone the Transport Union gave contracts to the Tori Byron and Rocinante to meet the Laconians and defend the station along with the Ring station railguns.

The Laconians were coming to take control of all humanity with their vastly superior technology. This was unknown to the United Nations, Martian Congressional Republic, and Transport Union whom believed that the Laconians were struggling economically and were making contact because they had little choice.[1]


During the initial contact between the military representatives of the Laconian Empire as the Heart of the Tempest and the Gathering Storm emerged from the Laconia gate into the Slow Zone and advanced toward Medina station, as they were target-locked by Tori Byron, they responded by using the magnetic field projector weapon.

When the Laconians entered their ship was completely alien looking to the defending forces. The Tori Byron began giving orders to the intruder when the Laconian battleship called Heart of the Tempest fired it's secret weapon, a magnetic field generator, at the Tori Byron, turning the cruiser into dust instantly. Upon seeing this, the captain of the Rocinante ordered the Ring station railguns to fire. The resulting railgun shots hit their target successfully but the Heart of the Tempest's hull absorbed the fire and regenerated before firing its magnetic field weapon at the railguns, destroying them. Seeing no method of success, the Rocinante stood down and kept its weapons powered down to avoid being fired upon.

The Laconian destroyer Gathering Storm then flew alongside Medina station, destroying its PDCs and torpedo emplacements. with pinpoint accurate railgun fire. The destroyer then deployed a dozen Marine landing craft.

Laconian Marines in power armor then stormed the station, taking full control, but not before the security system was purged.


When the Heart of the Tempest fired upon the Ring station railguns the magnetic weapon caused the Ring Station to glow yellow for fifteen seconds throwing large quanities of Gamma rays at all of the gates. Approaching four of these gates from solar systems were four freighters. The Gamma rays tore through these vessels killing all onboard whilst leaving the ships undamaged and adrift. Each ships emergency systems activated the autopilots stopping the ships and preventing them from entering the slow zone uncontrolled.[2] Upon discovering that this had occurred the Laconian Imperial Navy decided to use it as a defensive measure to protect the slow zone from external attack. This allowed Laconia to not to wait for several months whilst defensive emplacements were completed.[3] The Heart of the Tempest shortly after moved into the Sol system well before schedule.


  1. The Expanse Novel Persepolis Rising - Chapter 10: Drummer
  2. The Expanse Novel Persepolis Rising - Chapter 14: Singh
  3. The Expanse Novel Persepolis Rising - Chapter 14: Singh