Muses of Roma (Codex Antonius Book 1) (39 page)

Kaeso blinked away the stinging sweat in his eyes. While crawling along the support girders beneath the walkway, he clenched his teeth to stifle his grunts of effort. He figured he was twenty paces behind Lepidus and his backup. Any closer and they’d hear him climb onto the walkway behind them, but any farther and he risked giving himself away when he approached from behind. And he wouldn’t have the energy to attack after the brutal hand-over-hand crawl.

As soon as Lepidus started shooting near the door, Kaeso quickly explained his plan to both Lucia and Cordus. Afterwards, he lowered himself over the side of the walkway and onto the support girders beneath. They were set diagonally every six feet, one end bolted to the cavern wall and the other to the walkway’s outer edge above. To get from one girder to the next, Kaeso had to crawl hand over hand along the I-beams beneath the walkway. It was a short hand over hand crawl, and Kaeso avoided looking down at the infectee bodies on the cavern floor. He made the crawl six times before reaching the last support girder. His forearms and hands trembled with the effort.

He was about to climb onto the walkway behind the Praetorians when Lepidus stopped shooting and Lucia issued her ultimatum. As he expected, she shot Lepidus, but also, as he expected, Lepidus’s armor easily repelled the shot. Lepidus's man ran across the walkway above Kaeso, firing at the control station. Lucia’s pulse rifle had no fragmentation rounds, so she was outgunned by the two Praetorians.

Kaeso took several deep breaths, then pulled himself onto the walkway, struggling to do it quietly in his bulky EVA suit. He swung his right leg up, slipped off the walkway on some infectee blood, then swung it up again and found purchase. He pulled himself onto a pile of glistening infectee bodies and pieces. He was thankful once again that smell did not invade his EVA suit.

Lepidus fired another fragmentation blast into the control panel. Kaeso turned his external audio down to keep the blasts from deafening him. He hoped Lepidus and his man had to do the same.

“Surrender now,” Lepidus said.

“You'd kill the Consular Heir?” Lucia called out, keeping Lepidus occupied. “I may have been away from Roma too long, but isn't that blasphemy? By the time they were done with you, you'd beg for crucifixion.”

Kaeso crept forward, trying not to make a sound or slip on the blood and tissue.

“It is not blasphemy to kill traitors,” Lepidus said. “You have ten seconds to surrender yourselves.”

Another ten paces before Kaeso reached Lepidus and his man. He decided to take out the man first. Kaeso didn't know his abilities, so it was better to remove him quickly.

“The Consul and the Collegia are not what you think,” Cordus's voice shouted. The boy tried to make his young voice deep with conviction.

“Five seconds,” Lepidus said.

“They are using you, Lepidus. They do not want humanity to know the secret they have kept for a thousand years. The Consul, Collegia, and their families are infected with an alien virus called the Muses—”

“Time’s up.” Lepidus raised his rifle to destroy the control station.

Five paces away.
Now.

Kaeso charged Lepidus’s partner. The man whirled around, but was too late. Kaeso gave him a violent shove. The man's eyes widened as he fell backward, his arms flailing. He tumbled off the walkway and into the chasm below.

Kaeso did not watch the man’s landing. He attacked Lepidus. The Praetorian brought his rifle around to Kaeso, but Kaeso knocked it aside with his left forearm. Shots fired into the wall behind Kaeso. He brought his foot up into Lepidus's groin. The Praetorian grunted then fell to one knee. But with a lightning attack, he swept his leg under Kaeso’s feet. Kaeso jumped away, but tripped over the body of an infectee and fell on his back.

Lepidus leaped at him, a knife in his right hand, his teeth bared. Kaeso rolled off the infectee corpse, and Lepidus plunged his knife into the body. Kaeso jumped to his feet as Lepidus did the same. They stared at each other, both seeking advantage.

Lepidus feinted to the right. Kaeso dodged, but did not see Lepidus's right leg sweep Kaeso's left foot out from under him. Kaeso stumbled forward, saw Lepidus's pulse rifle to his right and aimed his fall that way. Lepidus jumped over an infectee body and plunged the knife into Kaeso's calf.

Kaeso screamed at the searing pain engulfing his leg. He brought his other leg down on Lepidus's hand and felt, more than heard, the crunch of broken bones. Lepidus cried out, and pulled his hand back. Kaeso scrambled toward the rifle and grabbed it. He aimed at Lepidus and pulled the trigger.

Nothing.

He cursed, knowing why the gun didn’t work. Praetorian weapons had biometric safeties.

Lepidus brought up the knife and leaped at Kaeso.

Lucia cursed. She aimed her rifle at Lepidus, but every time she got a clear shot, Kaeso got in the way. She could not kill Lepidus in his armor, but she could at least knock him down or distract him long enough to give Kaeso an advantage.

“I have an idea,” Cordus said next to her. He jumped up and tapped on the control panel.

She didn't bother to ask what he was doing. She kept her aim on Lepidus, her finger curling on the trigger, waiting for one clear shot.

“I found it!” Cordus cried. “These archives are amazing. I could spend years just—”

“What do you have?” Lucia asked.

“Lepidus.”

Cordus tapped a few keys. The holographic projector went blank, and then blurry images materialized. They were wavy and insubstantial for a moment, but soon became clear.

Lucia stared at the video.

Kaeso brought the rifle up and blocked Lepidus's strike. He fell onto his back, Lepidus on top of him. He pushed against Lepidus with the rifle, but his arms still shook from the climb along the bottom of the walkway. All he could manage was a weak grunt.

Lepidus slammed his knee into Kaeso's stabbed calf. Kaeso screamed, the pain weakening his push against Lepidus. The Praetorian's knife would soon pierce the thin EVA lining around Kaeso's neck, and there was nothing he could do.

Petra, I hope you're waiting for—

“—Please confirm, my lord. You want me to implement
decimation
?”

Lepidus blinked, then turned to the holographic projector. Kaeso's heart thundered in his ears, but he recognized Lepidus's voice coming from the projector.

Kaeso gathered his strength and gave Lepidus a shove with the rifle. The Praetorian fell backward and against the cavern wall. He didn't move, however, only stared at the projector with wide eyes. Kaeso stood, the rifle in his hands, and he pulled it back in a swing to do as much damage to Lepidus as his armor would allow.

“Kaeso, wait!” Cordus called out.

Kaeso held the rifle in a half-swing, his eyes on Lepidus. “Why?”

“Lepidus needs to see this.”

Kaeso half-turned to the projector, keeping Lepidus in the corner of his eye. The view in the holographic sphere was through the eyes of someone standing on the command deck of a Roman Eagle looking at a com display showing Lepidus's face. The Praetorian was years younger, dirty, sweat-soaked, and weary. Though he had tired eyes, they were not filled with the zealotry Lepidus now had.

“Correct, Tribune,” said the man who stared at Lepidus. “The XVII Legion has dishonored the entire Republic with this humiliating defeat today. It must be punished. It is the will of the gods.”

“But…decimation will not—”

“The gods have written a Missive. I received word this hour.”

Lepidus paled. He worked his lips, but no sound came from them. Finally, he said, “How many centuries must...must be punished?”

“The entire Legion.”

Lepidus's eyes twitched. “We will destroy ten percent of our soldiers when the Kaldethians are still lurking in the Caan Forest. We have no idea how many—”

“Do you question the will of the gods, Tribune?”

“No, my lord, but surely we can delay the punishment until after we’ve secured the planet.”

“The Missive said the punishment must be carried out immediately.”

Lepidus stared at the man, his eyes desperate. “Brother.”

“I understand how difficult this is for you, Lepidus,” the man said in a gentler voice. “That is why I wanted to tell you myself. But it is the will of the gods. Have faith they know what is best for you and the Republic.”

Lepidus sagged, then nodded reluctantly. “I will begin immediately.”

His face winked out on the com screen. The man turned to another man next to him wearing the dark blue robes of a Pontiff. The second man was old and frail, and Kaeso recognized Savix IX, the Pontifex Maximus from the days of the Kaldethian rebellion.

“We will need to create a Missive to validate what you just told your brother, Avitus,” Savix said with a frown.

“It was necessary, your grace. He would not have carried out the decimation without one. I know my brother. He is sentimental when it comes to his soldiers.”

“You don’t think he would have carried out the order if he knew it came directly from the Consul and not the gods?”

Avitus paused. “My brother is a patriot. But I don’t think he would understand that our new Consul had to demonstrate his resolve to the Kaldethians. I apologize if the lie bothered you.”

Savix shook his head. “No, no, the lie does not bother me. It is just that Missives are so damned hard to create. I did not bring scrolls or pig’s blood.”

“I doubt Lepidus will ask to see the Missive. It would demonstrate a lack of faith on his part, and he is the most faithful man I know.”

Savix put his spotted hands into the folds of his robes. “Good. My hands are not as nimble with calligraphy as they once wore.”

Lepidus groaned behind Kaeso. “It's not possible...how could they have known my exact words...my brother's exact words...”

“Because it's not an act,” Kaeso said. “Your brother was infected with an alien virus. The Muses. That thing records every event every Muse in the universe sees. If your brother is infected, then his memories will show up here.”

Lepidus closed his eyes. “It's not true...”

“It is true,” Cordus said from behind Kaeso. He turned to see Cordus jumping off the support beam onto the walkway. Lucia was in front of him, her rifle aimed at Lepidus. “They lied to you, Lepidus. Just as they have lied to humanity for a thousand years.”

Lepidus opened his eyes again. He had the look of a man who'd lost everything. Kaeso tightened his grip on the rifle. A man who lost everything might be harmless, or he might be even more dangerous.

“No,” Lepidus said. “The gods are challenging my faith again. You can't break me with—”

The holographic images shifted again. The view was still through the eyes of Lepidus's brother, but this time he regarded Lepidus in person on a grassland at night. Lepidus stood before a funeral pyre staring at it with vacant eyes.

“Triaria is in Elysium now, brother,” the man said. “She died with valor. The gods will reward her.”

Lepidus continued to stare at the pyre. “I shot her myself, Avitus.” He said this as if explaining how he shaved that morning.

“I heard. And the gods saw. Your faith will be rewarded a hundredfold.”

“Rewards,” Lepidus said. “I serve the gods because it is the right thing to do. For the Republic and for humanity.”

Avitus put a hand on Lepidus's shoulder.

“I would like to see the Missive, brother,” Lepidus said. “It would give me solace.”

“Of course. You can see it when you return to the flagship next week.”

Lepidus nodded.

The image blurred and then faded. The holographic globe became a swirling mass of colors.

Lepidus stared at the globe for many moments, his face slack. Kaeso was about to nudge him to see if he still lived, but Lepidus said, “My brother and I were the only ones there. Nobody knew of our conversation. I never did see that Missive. He kept delaying it. And then I just stopped asking.”

Cordus walked closer to Lepidus. Kaeso grabbed the boy's arm, but Cordus waved him off. “It is all right.”

Kaeso let him go. Cordus knelt on one knee next to Lepidus. “You served Roma for many years, doing things you thought were right and good. But you were lied to. The Muses use loyal people like you to further their own agenda. They are using humanity to continue a war they have fought amongst themselves for millions of years. You did not know. You could not have known.”

“The gods don't exist?” Lepidus whispered. “Triaria…”

“Lepidus, hear me,” Cordus said. Cordus waited until Lepidus turned his head to face him. Cordus was too close to Lepidus for Kaeso's comfort. He inched forward with the rifle held back, ready to smash it against the Praetorian.

“The gods do not speak through the Consul or the Collegia,” Cordus said, “but that does
not
mean they don’t exist.”

Lepidus stared at Cordus for a long time. The Praetorian did not blink, did not move. The only way Kaeso could tell he breathed was from the hum of the air scrubbers on his back.

Finally he closed his mouth, set his jaw, and said, “My lord.”

Lepidus glanced at Kaeso, then at the rifle. “I'm getting up now, Liberti. Please do not hit me.”

Before Kaeso could respond, Lepidus slowly stood, wincing as he held his left hand close to his body. Cordus backed away behind Kaeso, and Kaeso kept the rifle at a half-swing. Once Lepidus stood, he turned his back on them and walked toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Kaeso asked.

“To my shuttle and then off this planet,” Lepidus said without turning. “I suggest you do the same. You have fifteen minutes before the Consul glasses this entire continent.”

Kaeso wasn't sure whether to stop Lepidus or let him go. Cordus answered the question for him. The boy ran back to the support beam and made his way to the control station.

“What are you doing?” Kaeso called out.

“I need to make sure the right files have uploaded.”

Kaeso glanced at Lucia, who asked, “You think Lepidus was serious?”

“About the Consul bombing us?” He paused. “We have to assume he is.”

“The Consul would kill Cordus? His own son?”

Kaeso shook his head. “These are the Muses. If the Consul believes Cordus is lost, I'm sure he'd rather kill the boy than let him escape.”

Lucia scowled, then turned back to Cordus. The boy was already tapping keys on the control station. “How much longer?” Lucia yelled.

Cordus just frowned.

“Cordus?” Kaeso said.

“Twenty minutes.”

“You said fifteen minutes before,” Kaeso growled. “And that was fifteen minutes ago.”

“There are more files I did not see before. They are important, too.”

Kaeso shifted his weight accidentally to his wounded leg. He gasped and then yelled out, “You have five minutes, and then we leave.”

“It will not be enough,” Cordus shot back. “If we do not get it all, we will not convince people—”

“If we don't get off this planet before your father bombs us, we won't convince anybody. Five minutes.”

The boy sighed, then turned back to the control panel and began choosing files.

Kaeso hobbled over to the wall and leaned against it. He activated his com. “Nestor, have Daryush fire up the engines. We leave as soon as we get back.”

“Understood, Centuriae, but the way line engines aren't working yet.”

“I don't care. We have to get off the planet now.”

Kaeso said to Lucia, “I want you to go ahead and make sure our way back to
Caduceus
is clear of infectees. Lepidus probably got them all, but I don't want any surprises.”

Lucia shook her head. “You can barely walk. You'll need my help getting up those stairs.”

“
Cac
, Lucia, just follow my orders.”

“Bring me up on charges before the Merchant's Guild, but I am not leaving you behind, Kaeso.”

Kaeso glared at her. For the first time he could remember, she used his name rather than “Centuriae” or “sir.” She returned his stare, her eyes showing him the depth of her feelings.
Damn, woman, this is no time to make things awkward.

He frowned and then nodded. He turned to Cordus. “Three minutes!”

Cordus shook his head. “It will not be enough.”

“It'll have to be.”

Kaeso then turned to the projector, which resumed showing random videos from Muse history. Colorful centipede-like species performed a ritual that included mating and pipe smoking. More images showed dozens of humans in wide-brimmed hats hoeing a large, flat field. Above them, in the cloudless blue sky, hovered a ringed gas giant with yellow and orange swirling bands.

Kaeso wondered what images belonged to which Muse strain. How had the Cariosus strain gathered all these memories? How many species had the Liberti Muses infected before they found humans? How many had they destroyed? Cordus was right: these archives were a priceless source of information that could help humanity defeat the Muses.

Kaeso glanced at the time on his helmet display. They would have to defeat the Muses with that they got.

“Time’s up, Cordus! Let's go, now!”

Cordus sighed. “Please, just another—”

“Your father,” Kaeso said, “is he or is he not a man who will bomb this planet when he says he will? You tell me.”

Cordus looked at Kaeso, and his face fell. He tapped a few keys on the console, then ran to the support beam. “I selected one last file,” he said when he reached the walkway. “It will be uploaded by the time we leave the planet.”

Nestor's voice crackled over the com. “Centuriae, what’s your status?”

“We're on our way.”

“Good,” Nestor said. “The Roman flagship just launched half its payload of missiles at us. If they stay on their current heading, they will arrive in ten minutes.”