Travis Starnes
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The Sword of Jupiter (Imperium #1) - Chapter 6
🕑 Added 2017-12-16 18:29:14 +0000 UTC
Ky helped the Emperor out of the chair with the older man gripping Ky’s forearm even after he was standing. Subtly signaling by pulling or pushing on his arm, he directed Ky out of the building the meeting had been held in and around the periphery of the large open square at the heart of the city.
Already Ky could feel a difference in the Emperor’s condition. The man was no longer putting his entire weight on Ky in order to walk and he was notably more steady on his feet. The nanobots had a few hours left in them before they deactivated, and his body was already healing rapidly. By tonight, he would feel as well as he had before the poisoning and by the next morning, he’d feel close to how he’d felt as a young man.
“I am curious, what are your plans now?”
“Sir?”
“You said you weren’t able to stay here and help us in the coming battle, that you hadn’t been sent to help us. That would mean you were here for another reason. I was curious what that was.”
Ky hesitated for a minute before replying, looking at the people around him going about their lives in the open plaza. He wasn’t sure what he should say. While he was certain there was no way that someone from this time could really understand the full story of how Ky ended up here, there was also not a good reason to hide anything.
“It’s … I didn’t come here on purpose. I was testing out a new invention for my people when something went wrong and I ended up here instead. I am nearly certain I won’t be able to return to my … to where I came from so now my main goal now is to learn enough about this place to figure out what I need to do now.”
“So you plan to learn from us for a time and what? Journey into the wilderness where no people live and create a small farm? Find a cave to hide out in?”
“No, or … I’m not sure. I just don’t know enough about this place to know what my best course of action is.”
“From what you’ve said to me and to my daughter, you seemed pretty certain you didn’t want to become involved with ‘local’ affairs, and yet anywhere you go, any city or community you live in, will make you part of the ‘local’ affairs. It’s the nature of being alive. So the only answer that would make sense based on your stated desire. The only way to live apart and unconnected is to live in a cave or in the deepest unknowns away from all other living souls.”
“That’s … honestly, I haven’t really thought this through. Living in a cave or in some forest all by myself doesn’t sound like what I want either but I’m not sure getting involved in someone else’s war is the right thing to do. We’ve just met and while I’ve been impressed by your daughter and all the Romans I’ve met, I only have your side of what is happening. Not that I disbelieve you of course but it doesn’t seem right that I come here and immediately pick sides in someone else’s conflict.”
“That is an excellent point. Of course, anything I say on the subject would be biased towards my people. All I can say to that is you have to look at the sum total of your experiences with my people and the sum total of the experiences with theirs. There’s a reason you decided to aid my daughter over her attackers. It’s up to you if your judgment then and now is flawed.”
“I have been considering that. The issue remains the same as with the question of where I go from here. I don’t know enough about this place to make an informed decision. I’ve been mostly looking at short-term goals like landing safely, getting your daughter back here alive, and helping you. I did have an alternative motive for coming back here. My hope had been that, if I helped you, I’d be allowed to look through any records or archives you have.”
“I will, of course, be happy to grant you access to our libraries and make any of my scholars available to you as you need. Of course with the army that I am certain is heading this way I can only promise aid so long as I still have cities to command.”
Ky didn’t respond since there wasn’t much he could say. The Emperor wasn’t wrong, and it had been something that had already occurred to Ky, but he hadn’t yet figured out what he was going to do about it.
“What do you think of my people so far?” the Emperor asked.
“They seem like all people everywhere. Some are good people and others … less so.”
“That’s true enough, I guess. I can promise you though for every man like Globulus there are many, if not more, like Ursinus who live their lives and try to do the best they can.”
“Not to be rude, but what is your point?” Ky said, trying to make the statement not come off as harsh as it might otherwise sound.
“Yes. My point is you have to end up somewhere unless you’ve changed your mind on the cave thing. Again, I cannot deny my bias, but I would say here is as good as any other place you might find.”
“As you said though, you are biased. I’m not sure picking the first place I end up is the best option.”
“Do you believe in destiny?”
Ky paused again. He was starting to find it disconcerting how the man kept changing topics unexpectedly in the middle of a conversation on one thought to another. Of course, Ky knew the Emperor was making a point by tying multiple thoughts together, to convince Ky to do what the Emperor needed him to do. Ky was, however, a soldier. He wasn’t a politician or a diplomat and wasn’t used to verbal maneuvering.
“I don’t know,” Ky said eventually, since it wasn’t something he’d ever considered.
“You don’t know if it exists or you don’t know if you believe in it?”
“My people are very practical. We don’t spend a lot of time on fate or destiny or control by a higher power.”
“So, you just happened to end up here then?”
“Yes. A lot of things went into my coming across your daughter. Any one of them could have caused me to end up somewhere else. I could have just as easily arrived among the Carthaginians or out in the middle of nowhere by myself, or some other option.”
“Yet you didn’t. You ended up with my daughter, just in time to save her, and then agreed to travel with her here, where you were able to assist her a second time and pull me from the gateway to the underworld.”
“That’s just coincidence though. I made choices at each step, any of which could have been made differently.”
“Maybe or maybe you’re right where you should be. I know my daughter told you of the stories surrounding the Sword of Jupiter and I know you don’t believe in them, or at least you don’t believe they relate to you. That doesn’t mean they aren’t true and you aren’t the answer to our problems.”
“I’m just one man. I know a lot of the things you’ve seen me do, or heard of me doing, have been spectacular. I promise you, I can’t just keep doing them all on a whim. I’m not sure how I can help your people.”
“You can bring them hope. Despite what my son and some of my legates think, my people are on the verge of being wiped from history. The Carthaginians have too much power and we’ve been pushed as far as I think we can go. If not now, then in the next few years I am afraid my people will be no more. I’ve always believed that with just a little luck we could reverse the tide of what has happened and push the Carthaginians off Britannia. We just needed something to change the path we’re on.”
“From what I’ve seen and heard you would need more than a little luck. The forces stacked against you are enormous and you’re people are small in number. I’m not sure one man, even someone with the knowledge and tools I have at my disposal, could turn that around.”
“Look around you,” the Emperor said, sweeping his arm across the square.
Ky looked around and noticed a lot of faces were looking back at the pair of them as they made their way slowly around the perimeter.
“They are watching their leader. I would think that’s pretty common.”
“Yes and no. I know my people. I make this walk often when I need to clear my mind. They are used to me being here. Other than the occasional glance, they normally go about their business. Many have not looked away since we started walking. They stopped and continue to stare and they’re not staring at me.”
“I realize my clothes and height make me stand out.”
“They do, although that only feeds into it. I guarantee by now the word of your arrival has started to spread, along with the story of how you helped my daughter. Many of those who haven’t heard her conclusion have certainly reached the same idea on their own.”
“But it’s not true.”
“Truth is a unique thing. At first glance, it seems all things exist as either true or not. The sun will arrive in the morning and travel across the sky until its journey is finished. The tides will come in at night and retreat again in the morning. Fire will burn and snow will freeze. At a second glance of these things, it becomes clear that these things aren’t always true or false. We know at times the sun goes dark in mid-day, the tides do not always come and leave at the same times or at the same height. Fire can be applied to wood or thatch and if it is wet enough it doesn’t light and the coldest snow will cause your skin to feel as if on fire. Truth changes.
“There are explanations for why all those things happen though.”
“If I was to ask that merchant if he knew the explanations, and he said no, would things be different or remain the same. Truth is what it needs to be. You might not be the one sent by the gods but if you stay and help us wouldn’t the story be fulfilled all the same.”
“It would be a lie though,” Ky said again, not allowing the old man’s rhetoric to take the point from him.
“If the Sword of Jupiter is meant to save us, you are hailed as the Sword sent to save us and then help us be victorious, wouldn’t you have fulfilled the prophecy, making it in fact true.”
“I don’t …”
“I realize I’m playing with words but you see my point. Just because things aren’t true now doesn’t mean they will always be false. The first step to making it true is by giving my people hope, something they can rally around. Even if you leave and the circle never completes isn’t there value in giving people hope?”
“I …”
“Look up there,” the Emperor said.
Ky looked where the Emperor was pointing. They had made the way around the square and were back to the palace, or whatever, where they had originally started. On one of the upper floors of the palace was a balcony where Ky was surprised to see Lucilla leaning against the railing. She’d been watching their progress and made eye contact with Ky when he looked up at her, smiling and offering a small wave to him.
“She has faith in you. It doesn’t matter if you believe you were sent by the gods or not. It doesn’t even matter if I believe you were sent by the gods. What matters is that people like my daughter, people like Ursinus, or any of my people who by now have heard of your arrival believe. Hope is a powerful thing, my friend. If this army is as large as you say it is, we will need hope if we are going to win.”
“I can appreciate that but like I said I’m not here to pick sides.”
“You already have.”
“What?”
“Others saw you when you defended my daughter and her guards. Word would have spread back by now and I can tell you one thing’s for sure, the Carthaginians do not forgive easily. To them, you’ve already declared the side you’re on. Unless we go back to discussing the finer points of caves, that leaves you with the painted barbarians in the north or finding a way across the sea into the territory controlled by the various Germanic tribes. You declared yourself an enemy of the Carthaginians the moment you killed one of them. The only way to keep from picking sides is to go where there are no Carthaginians.”
“Hmm,” Ky said noncommittally.
He hadn’t considered that but it made sense. Too many Carthaginians who survived the encounter would have spread word of his arrival, especially considering how notable it had been: falling out of the sky apparently surrounded by flame. Even though everything he did since landing in this time had been his own decision, he couldn’t help but feel a little cornered by the Emperor now, as the man cataloged the ramifications of his decisions.
“Of course, there’s the other reason you should help us.”
“Which is?”
“You are a good person. That’s been obvious from the moment I met you and heard about what you’ve done. Look at my daughter. Look at the people around you. How would you feel if you left and heard about the Carthaginians overrunning my troops and conquering the last of us? The men and infants slaughtered, the women raped and sold into slavery with the children.”
And that, of course, was the thing that had been bothering Ky all along. He’d hidden behind his lack of knowledge of the time, behind his not being what these people apparently thought he was. The Emperor had seen right through him to his biggest fear!
Ky still didn’t like the way the Emperor was maneuvering him into agreeing, and he still didn’t think he had anything tangible to offer these people, at least not in the short run with the battle just days away.
“I’ll consider what you said. You really should go rest so you can finish healing,” Ky said.
The Emperor didn’t say anything right away. Instead, he had Ky lead him towards his rooms and help him into his bed, waving off the servants that moved to intercept them. Ky turned to leave, with the Emperor’s eyes drooping. His system was taxed from the walk, still needing most of its energy to repair the damage done by the poison.
“Ky,” the Emperor called out as he started to leave, stopping him in his tracks. “Don’t think too long. My people won’t survive it.”
Carthage Camp
“ … upon pain of death,” the courier was saying, ignoring the glower coming from Zaracas or the occasional glance at the two dark, cloaked men standing a few paces behind the courier.
Although Zaracas had never enjoyed being micromanaged by far away superiors, outside of the theater of action these weren’t unusual orders. The Great One, and those he deemed fit to control the various provinces that made up the Carthaginian Empire, had little patience with failure. The attrition rate for unsuccessful generals had always been high.
The threat, however, was usually less explicit. The additional unspoken message, in the form of the two Acolytes of Hexitas in their death masks and black robes, was even more unusual. What made Zaracas curious was why it was necessary. There wasn’t anything he was aware of that would make this a particularly pressing campaign, at least not that required this level or reminder of the penalties for failure.
Which, of course, meant politics was into play. That was an area Zaracas avoided, as much as a general could. The one thing more deadly than battle in the Carthaginian Empire was politics. It was conducted with a sense of ferocity that would have made the hardest front line soldier blanch.
“I understand the Governor’s requirements. We will attack in three days and victory is a certainty. They have only two legions to stand in the way of our forces. I will smash through them and deliver the end of the Romans, once and for all.”
“What of this ‘wizard’?” one of the acolytes asked, his voice deep and rumbling, sounding like metal being pulled over gravel.
Zaracas was never sure why these people always felt like they had to sound so ominous. Either they practiced the speech pattern in their twisted apprenticeships or the Emperor only brought people with major throat damage to join the brotherhood. The general had not met many of the cultists and most of those rarely spoke, but the few times he’d had the misfortune to communicate with them, the men had always sounded similar.
“A man who throws fire from his hands and snapped men in half? Absurd. A coward’s excuse for running.”
“We have reports of the mutilation of the bodies.”
“You of all people should know damage like that doesn’t require special powers.”
“I also know it takes time. Your reports show Romans running as soon as their way through our soldiers was clear.”
“More exaggerations on the coward’s part. It doesn’t matter. Even if they do have this wizard, they cannot stop us. My forces will roll over the Romans and grind their bones into the dust.”
“For your sake, I hope so General or you will envy the fates of the mutilated men.”
Zaracas was a hard man, but the threat chilled him to his very core. He could never tell one of the cultists from another and normally he considered them with little more than contempt. Yet their cruelty and fanaticism wasn’t something even he could ignore. A direct threat from one of them would have scared the bravest of men.
“Go tell the section leaders we leave at first light. Any man who slows the advance will answer to me.”
The messenger saluted and left the tent at a sprint, giving the acolytes a wide berth.
“You can assure the Governor in three days the Roman capital will burn.”
“We will be traveling with you, General. To … observe on behalf of the emperor.”
The chill in Zaracas’s soul intensified at the news, but he kept his face passive, refusing to give the sadistic bastards the satisfaction of seeing how effective their threats were.
Instead, he replied with a nod; while secretly hoping the stories of the Wizard were as inflated as he had stated so confidently, moments before.
Devnum
Ky sat on the floor, sheets of leathery documents the AI had called ‘velum’ spread out in front of him. The Emperor had seen to it that he received stacks of histories and other documents, to help Ky start learning what he didn’t know about this time and place. In reality, he wasn’t learning so much as he was facilitating the AI in gathering data that it could analyze and use to provide Ky with answers. All he had to do was glance at a document for the computer to capture all the information on it and add it to its databases. Already he had read what would have taken the average Roman years to cover. Twice he’d sent one of the guards assigned to his door, whether for his protection or to ensure Ky didn’t wander unaccompanied he wasn’t quite sure yet, for more documents.
“Anything?” he silently asked the AI.
“Yes, Commander. There seems to be a clear pattern of deviation approximately thirty years prior to the conflict our histories classified as the second Punic war.”
“What was the point of deviation?”
“There were large-scale influxes of nomad tribes into the lands controlled by more sedentary Germanic tribes and the northern edge of the Roman republic. While migratory influxes of nomads were an ongoing problem for the Romans throughout their history in our timeline, the volume of the influx is magnitudes greater.”
“How did that cause the Romans to lose to the Carthaginians?”
“Prior to the invasions by Hannibal, the Romans were forced to combat the incursion of the tribes from the east. While this was not an uncommon occurrence throughout Roman history, these texts suggest the incursion was by a larger group of invaders than historically experienced by the Romans. Their losses in these conflicts were significant, consuming large portions of both the available Roman manpower and their treasury. A similar dynamic happened in our own history hundreds of years later, involving incursions by the Huns which in turn pushed Germanic tribes into Roman lands. In that instance, the Roman Empire was significantly weaker than the Republic at the point of divergence. Instead of being overrun by Germanic tribes, the Romans were able to push back the invaders, with the results previously stated.”
“So they were made weak, and the Carthaginians were able to roll over the Romans?”
“The conquest of Roman territory did not happen immediately. The invasion of Hannibal over the Alps proceeded as it did in our history and the Romans were able to eventually force him back to Africa, again as they did in our history. Although with more losses than experienced in our timeline due to the use of a higher ratio of forced levies and untested troops. The following invasion of Africa by the man who would become known in our time as Scipio Africanus happened as it did in our history, in hopes of refilling their emptied treasuries. He was, however, unable to defeat the Carthaginian army. His army was destroyed. This invasion of Carthage constituted an extraordinary cost to the Republic, which had borrowed heavily from its richest citizens to fund the invasion of Africa. When an army under the command of Hannibal returned to Italy, the Romans were unable to mount a significant defense. Hannibal overran and captured Rome itself, destroying the last Roman legions in Italy.”
“I see. So they were able to push the Romans back to Britannia.”
“Yes, Commander, although that was not specifically their goal. There seems to have been a skilled Roman legate in Iberia who was able to rally the fragments of the destroyed Roman legions and evacuate a large number of civilians from across the failing empire and then across the Channel.”
“Why didn’t the Carthaginians follow up?”
“The Roman records are less specific with information from the conquered areas being intermittently available. From the sources, it appears another nomadic invasion occurred, this one somewhat further south, which forced one of the Persian empires into the area previously controlled by the Romans. They came into direct conflict with the Carthaginians who were attempting to assert their own control of these areas. In addition, multiple Germanic tribes also attempted to gain control of the previous Roman lands, although it is unclear if that is because of the same Nomadic pressures experienced by the Persians, or in reaction to a lack of a controlling government in the contested area.”
“So they were forced to consolidate their gains and fight off the Germanic tribes and Persians?”
“Yes, Commander. Again, primary sources in the documents available are not clear, but it appears this took at least a century, which allowed the Romans to solidify their foothold on Britannia.”
“Although not enough to keep the Carthaginians from eventually invading.”
“No, Commander.”
“What caused all this nomadic invasion, if it didn’t happen in our timeline.”
“That is unknown, Commander. Roman sources indicate an unknown group was pressing into the Nomads territory, forcing them west, but data on this civilization is not present.”
“I see, what …”
Ky’s questioning of the AI was interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Yes,” Ky called out, standing, and heading towards the door.
When the door opened, Ky stopped, surprised. He’d been expecting one of the guards with another armload of documents. While he was being brought documents, the person who walked in carrying them wasn’t one of the guards, but Lucilla.
“What are you …” he said, caught off guard.
“Delivering more documents than I could read in a week, and apparently your fifth batch, tonight. You continue to surprise me.”
“I read quickly,” Ky said, deflecting. “Why are you the one delivering?”
“I ran into the legionnaire outside and offered to bring them in, since I was coming to see you anyway.”
“Was there something you needed from me?”
“No,” she said, almost reluctantly. “I just wanted to see you.”
“Why?” Ky asked.
Her reaction confused Ky. She seemed nervous and yet she’d spent several days on their journey from the ambush site to here and she hadn’t shown any hesitation around him until now. The behavior didn’t make sense to him. While they’d been friendly on their journey they were still little more than strangers, so her wanting to just see him was also strange.
“I … I don’t know,” she said. She stood awkwardly for a minute, holding the stack of documents, looking around the room silently before continuing in a more sure, brighter tone of voice. “Where did you want me to put these?”
“On the table is fine. I’ll sort through them later.”
“What have you been looking for?”
“Just information. I know very little of your people and wanted to find out more about you, like your history and beliefs.”
“Does that mean you are thinking about staying?”
“I’m considering it. Your father made some good points, but I’m still not sure.”
“He said you told him you didn’t have anywhere specific to go. That you were stranded here. Why wouldn’t you stay?”
“I don’t know. I thought it was because I didn’t want to get involved in your war with the Carthaginians. However, your father made good points about why I should get involved, and how I’m already involved after helping you.”
“Do you think we’re worth helping?”
“I don’t know your people well enough to answer that.”
“You’ve met some of us like Ursinus, his troopers, and my father. They’re good people and worth helping.”
“I also met your brother.”
“Don’t judge us by him. I’ve always felt he was touched by Pluto while still in our mother’s womb. Don’t you have people like him where you’re from?”
“Not … exactly. The society I’m from is very different.”
“Could you tell me about where you’re from?”
“I’d rather not. At least not now.”
“You’re very secretive, you know that?”
“I do. I’m sorry. I know it’s frustrating, but I’m not even sure how to go about explaining where I came from. Also, there could be repercussions I haven’t given enough thought to.”
“Repercussions? Just from hearing about where you’re from?”
“Like I said, I’m not even sure how to explain it to you. Once I figure out how to explain it, I promise I will.”
“For you to keep that promise, you need to stay. You know that. Right?”
“Yes, I do. Why is your brother so antagonistic?”
“Probably because he thought you might get in the way of one of his plots. The only thing he’s ever cared about is himself. He’s been like that since we were children. Always wanted to not only be in charge but to be given deference by everyone we’d meet. Don’t worry about him, he knows he can’t challenge Father. Everyone, or at least everyone important, sees right through him.”
“But you seem so …”
“Different? Sometimes I wonder if we had different parents, except he is my twin, so that’s not likely. Which is how I came up with the cursed in the womb idea. Also, you changed the subject.”
“I know. Because I know you’re right and because the part of me that wants to stay is winning out over the much smarter part that’s telling me to run far and fast.”
“So you’ll do it? You’ll stay?”
“I’m not sure what I can offer. I was trained as a soldier, but … in a very different way. I’m not sure what I can offer your people. I’ve already told you my weapons have limited usability. I’ve already used up much more of them than I should have.”
“You’ll do more than you think.”
“How?”
“By just being here. My father always said that morale is the key to war. If our soldiers believe that the gods are behind them, then we have a chance, at least.”
“So we’re back to the prophecy nonsense?”
“Just because you don’t believe it doesn’t mean it won’t work for us. You don’t have to understand something, or believe in it, for it to still work. Let the people have their figurehead.”
“Fine, I guess I’ll live with it, for now. Please remember that I’m uncomfortable with the idea.”
“That’s because you’re a good person.”
“You haven’t known me long enough to say that.”
“I can tell. I’m a good judge of people,” she said, turning and putting her hand on the door to his room. “I should go. You have all this new stuff to read and you need to get some rest. I’m sure Father will want you to go out to the camps tomorrow and see the soldiers … or at least let them see you.”
“Sure. Good night, my lady,” he said, adopting the honorific he’s heard used by other Romans.
“I’m glad you’re staying to help us, Ky. Good night.”
She pulled the door open and left the room. Ky stood, staring at the door for several minutes, wondering why exactly he’d changed his mind. All of the Emperor’s prodding hadn’t pushed Ky to commit to staying with them and yet, somehow, the Emperor’s daughter convinced him to stay without him even realizing he’d made the decision until after it was all over. Not coming up with a good answer he turned and headed back to the new stacks of documents.
Now that he’d decided to stay, he’d needed to find some clue as to what he’d gotten himself into.
