Muses of Roma (Codex Antonius Book 1) (5 page)

Nestor raised the knife above his head, then brought the serrated point down into the breast of the partially thawed chicken on his sacrificial cutting board.

“Oh, Jupiter Optimus Maximus,” Nestor chanted from his post on the command deck, “we ask your permission to travel through your realm.”

Nestor split open the chicken’s ribcage with a quick, expert motion. He removed the gray, semi-frozen heart and held it above his head.

“Accept this offering,” he said with a wince, “from a beast of flight. If it pleases you, grant us a safe journey through your way lines so we may arrive at Menota.”

Nestor put the heart into a clay bowl and mashed it with a mallet until it was a gray paste. He then sprinkled some powder over it, touched the mixture with a small fire torch, and the sacrifice sparked into flames.

Kaeso suddenly remembered the fire alarm on the command deck, and lunged for the off switch before the noxious smoke could trigger the alarm. Avoiding the shrill warning siren was not his goal. He just didn't want Nestor to waste another good chicken if his ritual was interrupted.

Once the sacrifice had burned away, Nestor nodded to Kaeso and then strapped himself into the delta operator's couch behind Kaeso and Lucia.

“All hands,” Kaeso said into his collar, “perform undocking check.” He turned to Lucia. “Environmental?”

“Connector tube is retracted and entry hatch is secure,” she said, moving her fingers across her tabulari sliders. “Atmospheric and power cables disconnected.”

“Engineering.”

“Grav and inertial cancelers are stable,” Dariya’s voice said from his com. “Thrusters active. Ion drive powering up. Way line drive ready for coordinates.”

“Navigation.”

Lucia said, “Way line coordinates entered, Centuriae. Awaiting way line bearing from Way Station Control.”

“Delta.”

Nestor said, “Delta wave powered up and ready for way line jump.”

“Good,” Kaeso said. “Way Station Control, this is
Caduceus
requesting permission to undock.”

“
Caduceus
, Way Station Control,” a voice crackled. “Permission granted. Proceed according to your flight plan to way line jump point.”

“Thank you, Control,” Kaeso said. “Lucia, undock us.”

“Undocking.”

A small shudder rippled through the ship. The Reantium waystation’s docking port shifted and turned sideways outside the command deck window.
Caduceus's
thrusters backed the ship away from the way station, then Lucia pointed the ship’s nose down 90 degrees from their original position.

“Hope Dariya’s repairs worked,” Lucia muttered and then tapped the ion drive slider on her tabulari. The ship blasted forward beneath the waystation’s gray, rocky surface.

“She did something right,” Kaeso said. “We're not stains on the wall.”

Lucia grunted as she moved a slider farther up to increase the ship’s speed.

Kaeso watched out the window. This was his favorite part. Most space travel was spent in unimaginable emptiness. But this moment, when
Caduceus
left a way station, he could see a star ship’s fantastic speeds with his eyes. The gauges told him the ship’s velocity, but to see the twelve-mile wide way station literally disappear from view…well, it amazed Kaeso every time.

“Wayline jump point in seven minutes, sir,” Lucia said.

Kaeso tapped his collar com. “All crew, prepare for way line jump.”

Outside the window, Kaeso saw other starships lined up at the way line jump point. He counted six ships ahead of them. They all varied in size and shape, depending on the world or nation from which they originated. One ship had the shape of a gliding eagle, the classic Roman design. While the eagle-like wingspan was of little use in the vacuum of space, Romans liked the design’s symbolism.
Caduceus
, on the other hand, was a Mercury-class gray ovoid with four engine cones protruding from the rear. About as ugly as ships came, but made of solid Liberti engineering. She was old before Kaeso was born, but she’d be flying longer than the “throwaway” Roman bird in the way line queue.

A large freighter, perhaps two miles long, floated at the column’s head. It was not a design Kaeso recognized. It seemed patched together from pieces of other ships. Its engines flared; the whole ship
stretched
forward and then vanished, on to one of three possible terminus points: the Lost Worlds of Acestes, Quiritis, or the dead Roman world Menota.

Kaeso guessed the Lost Worlds, since only fools would defy a Roman and Liberti quarantine.

When he saw a ship ride the way line, sometimes he really thought humanity was traveling through the realm of the gods. Less than a thousand years ago, the fastest mode of transport was either horse or trireme. Now men jumped between stars. If the gods had not given humanity this gift, then perhaps humanity was close to godhood itself? Both options worried Kaeso.

“Way line jump in thirty seconds, sir,” Lucia said.

Kaeso blinked away his musings. “Nestor, engage the delta sleep.”

“Delta sleep engaged.”

Beside Kaeso, Lucia's eyes closed and she settled back into her couch. A small snore escaped her open mouth. He glanced at the delta monitor on his tabulari and saw that only he and Nestor were still awake.

“All crew under delta sleep,” Nestor confirmed. “You now have delta control, Centuriae.”

“Thank you, Nestor,” Kaeso said. “See you in the Menota system.”

Nestor's silence told Kaeso he was either under delta now or still nervous about jumping. Kaeso checked Nestor’s delta readouts. He was safely unconscious.

Kaeso watched the way line countdown. Rather than let the delta systems put him to sleep, he preferred to engage his delta sleep at the last possible moment. While the ship was programmed to enter the jump point on its own—something he could not change without an extreme emergency shutdown—he hated giving up control over his consciousness to the ship.

When the clock ticked down to two seconds, Kaeso engaged his delta sleep. He closed his eyes...

…and then found himself facing the command deck ceiling. His head had fallen back in the delta couch. He looked out the command window and saw black space and stars. Beside him, Lucia snorted once, then opened her eyes. She blinked several times, then checked her tabulari.

“Way line jump confirmed, Centuriae.”

Nestor exhaled loudly.

“Coming about,” Lucia said.

The stars outside the command window moved to the left, and then Menota’s gray-white outline appeared from the right, filling the window. The planet had once looked like any other settled planet in human space—blue water, brown-green landmasses, and swirling white clouds. Now thick, gray clouds covered the entire world, courtesy of Roman mass drivers. A ring of rocks and metals surrounded the planet, remnants of an ancient moon destroyed by Menota’s gravity millions of years ago.

“Roman patrols?” Kaeso asked Lucia.

“No ships on scope, sir, but two drones hold a position a hundred miles from the way line. And they just shot a courier missile into the way line.”

Kaeso nodded. “No doubt they saw us. The Romans will be here soon enough.”

Nestor asked Lucia, “Any Liberti ships?”

“None. The pact was just announced yesterday, though. Doubt Libertus had time to get ships out here that fast.”

Kaeso said, “The Liberti Defense Force wouldn't be able to muster enough ships in less than a day. I don't think they're here yet.”

Liberti Umbra ships, on the other hand...

A twitch of pain behind his right ear reminded him not to think such things.

Kaeso unstrapped himself from the delta couch and stood. “Lucia, yell if you see
any
ships. Nestor, let's go get the clean suits ready.”

“Two Roman Eagles just left the way line from behind us,” Lucia said. “Beacons identify them as
Corus
and
Virtus
.”

Kaeso went back to his command couch. “Here we go.”

No sooner had he sat down than a voice came over the ship’s com. “
Caduceus
, this is Roman Eagle
Corus
,” said a Roman with a Terran accent. “You are in restricted space. You will turn your vessel around and proceed to the way line jump point. Any change in your course and you will be fired upon. Acknowledge.”

“Not much room for negotiation,” Nestor mumbled.

Time to see if Vallutus was right,
Kaeso thought. Along with the cancellation fee, Vallutus had given Kaeso the code phrases he planned to use when he bribed the Roman sentries. Kaeso tapped the com on his tabulari.

“
Corus
, this is
Caduceus
. We have authorization from Menota’s Agricultural Praetor to land on the planet and conduct soil tests.”

“We have no record of any scheduled landings today. Turn your ship around now or you will be fired upon.”

Kaeso bit his lip. Damned bad luck to have a junior officer challenge him on the com rather than the ship's centuriae. “It was Praetor
Gurges
, my lord. Please tell your centuriae it was
Praetor
Gurges
who authorized this landing. Your centuriae will have the records.”
Fortuna grant it be so...

There was a long pause, a minute which felt like an hour to Kaeso. Sweat trickled down his back. Why the wait? Was he unlucky enough to run into the most honest centuriae in the Roman fleet? Kaeso never heard of a Roman centuriae who would ignore a bribe.

“
Caduceus
,” the com said. “Power down your ion drive and prepare for boarding.”

“Damn,” Lucia cursed.

“Confine your crew to quarters,” the com continued. “You alone, Centuriae, will meet the boarding party. Do you have any weapons onboard?”

Kaeso sighed. Better to be honest and avoid any surprises. “We have seven pulse pistols.”

“You will place all seven pistols in your galley. Any crewman seen with a pistol—even if it is holstered—will be shot. Acknowledge.”

“Acknowledged.”

“Come about to bearing 271.
Corus
out.”

“You heard the man, Lucia. Power down the ions.”

“They'll take us back to Roma for sure,” Lucia murmured.

“Not if they take the bribes.” Kaeso said into his collar, “All crew return to quarters and lock your doors. They’re going to board us. Lucia?”

“Sir.”

“Stow the pulse pistols in the galley and get to your quarters.”

“Maybe we should keep—”

“I don't want anyone shot by mistake. Stow the pistols.”

“Then I should at least be with you when they board.”

“Again, no. They ordered everyone but me to their quarters. We’re in no position to disobey them. Besides, I don't think you want Roman Legionaries seeing you.”

She sighed. “No, sir, but it's too dangerous for you.”

“Why are we still talking about this? Follow my orders, Trierarch.”

Her eyes narrowed, then she said, “Yes, Centuriae.”

Kaeso turned to Nestor. “You, too, Medicus.”

The Greek nodded, then unstrapped himself from his delta couch and exited the command deck, leaving Kaeso to watch the two Roman Eagles grow larger in the window.

At
Caduceus's
entry hatch, Kaeso moved the sliders on the tabulari to equalize the pressure in the air lock. At the other end, several helmed heads peered through the Eagle’s airlock window.

“Docking secure,
Caduceus
,” the
Corus
officer said over Kaeso's collar com. “Open your hatch.”

Kaeso moved a tabulari slider, and the airlock hatch opened. The first thing he saw were red Roman boots.
Caduceus’s
nose was docked with the
Corus's
underbelly like a suckling wolf, so the Romans had to climb “down” through their connector and then reorient themselves ninety degrees when they met
Caduceus's
gravity field.

As soon as the helmeted soldiers could stand, they stormed through the hatch with their pulse rifles pointed at Kaeso’s head. He noticed the charge indicator near each rifle’s trigger showed ‘maximum’, and their projectile clips were likely full as well. Their faces were hidden behind gold visors.

“Hands on your head,” the lead soldier ordered. He was a centurion, judging from his shoulder stripes. Kaeso backed away from the controls and placed his hands on his head.

“Face the wall.”

Kaeso turned. The centurion shoved Kaeso’s back and pressed him into the wall. Gloved hands patted him down, removed his collar com, and then put bindings on his wrists.

“Is this necessary?”

“You the ship’s centuriae?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s your crew?”

“In their quarters, like you asked. The pistols are in the galley. Like you asked.”

“Where’s the galley?”

“Down the corridor, up one level, first hatch on the right.”

“Rullus, Silo, secure the galley and the pistols. Centuriae, you said you had seven pistols, right?”

“That's right.”

“There better be.”

Two Roman soldiers in dark-red uniforms proceeded down the corridor, their pulse rifles raised in a firing position. Kaeso made sure his crew were in their quarters before he docked with the
Corus
, but he prayed they wouldn’t be stupid enough to use the latrine right now.

The soldiers yanked Kaeso away from the wall and turned him toward the airlock hatch. The Romans stood at attention as the Centuriae of the
Corus
stepped through. She was like most Roman Eagle Centuriae Kaeso met in his time with Umbra: short, gray-haired, and with an imperious bearing that would impress the Consul. She sniffed the air and scowled.

“Let's get this over with, centuriae,” she said, as if addressing a dog on a
cac
run. “I have no desire to be here any longer than I have to. Your ship smells of rotten cabbage.”

Kaeso bowed his head. “I can assure my lady we've never transported rotten cabbage.”

She looked at him, gauging whether or not he was being insolent.

Kaeso said, “I didn’t catch my lady’s name.”

“No, you didn’t. Why does the good Praetor Gurges want a Liberti ship to study a planet the gods have declared a blasphemy on humanity?”

“The Praetor believes soil samples can—”

The Centuriae snorted. “Soil samples? The planet is irradiated. It will be thousands of years before moss grows there, if ever. What does he want with dead soil?”

Kaeso paused and then smiled his most charming smile. “My Lady Centuriae, we both know why I'm here. We both know why you're here. So to limit the Lady Centuriae's olfactory exposure to my ship, I suggest we discuss our arrangement.”

The Centuriae upturned her lips in a quick smile Kaeso almost missed. “Very well, centuriae. Let us discuss terms then. I will permit you to land on the planet for twenty-four hours after you transfer a port entry fee to the
Corus's
purse.”

The Centuriae sounded so official when she explained the bribe’s terms that Kaeso thought he was talking to an actual way station customs officer.

“How much is the, um, port entry fee, Lady Centuriae?”

“How much do you have in your ship's purse?”

“We can contribute 500 sesterces.”

The Centuriae laughed, then turned toward the airlock. “Centurion, confiscate the ship and arrest the crew.”

“I meant 1,200 sesterces, Lady Centuriae,” Kaeso said.

She paused, then turned her head. “A good start, but it's still not enough. The Collegia Pontificis have released a Missive of the Gods saying any ship landing on Menota will be damned for all eternity. The gods don’t issue such strong proclamations too often.”

“We have 1,500 in the ship's purse.”

The Centuriae sighed. “You’re making this hard for me. Fifteen hundred may satisfy me, but I have the centuriae of the
Virtus
to consider, and he has more expensive tastes than I.”

“You can check the tabulari yourself,” Kaeso said. “It's all we have.”

She stared at Kaeso, once again evaluating him. “I will grant you this concession: we will take the 1,500 sesterces in your ship's purse. Also, once you return from the planet, we will board your ship again and confiscate 70% of what you find on the planet. I’m willing to 'overlook' the remaining thirty percent.”

“Thirty...”

“Come now, Centuriae, let's not be greedy,” she said with a straight face. “If what the stories say is true, thirty percent of what is down there is more than enough to buy yourself a new ship. From the look and stench of this one, you could use an upgrade.”

“Lady Centuriae, my crew and I will be risking our lives. Shouldn't we deserve at least half?”

“I happen to believe the vaults are a myth,” she said. “The Roman fleet is thorough when it comes to its duties. Anything valuable was certainly evacuated or destroyed. From where I stand, I'm only getting 1,500 sesterces out of this deal.”

“Yes, but thirty percent is—”

“Thirty percent or I destroy your ship. Decide now.”

Kaeso shook his head. “I suppose I have no choice, do I, Lady Centuriae?”

She raised an eyebrow.

“I accept your ladyship's most generous offer.”

The Centuriae turned and entered the airlock. “Transfer your ship's purse to
Corus
as soon as we leave. If you try to run after you leave the planet, I will destroy you whether or not your 'soil collection’ was successful. You have twenty-four hours.”

Once the Roman centuriae left
Caduceus
, the centurion unbound Kaeso's hands. He rubbed his wrists. “Is she always so generous?”

Kaeso could not see the man's expression behind the gold visor, but the centurion faced Kaeso a moment and then gave him a slight nod.

After the Romans left the connector tube, Kaeso sealed the outer airlock door. He reattached his collar com and said, “All crew, the Romans have left
Caduceus
, so you can leave your quarters. They have graciously allowed us to land.”

Lucia's voice came back, “What did we have to give up, sir?”

“Everything in the ship's purse,” Kaeso said, climbing up to the command deck, “and seventy percent of what we take from the planet.”

“So we keep thirty percent?” Lucia asked.

“Uh-huh.”

After a long silence, Blaesus laughed. “Vallutus was giving us twenty-five. Well done, Centuriae! I had no idea you were such a vicious haggler.”

Kaeso entered the command deck and strapped himself into his delta couch. “No haggling, we just got lucky. The catch is we have twenty-four hours on the planet. Vallutus said he could get us three days, which means we’ll be grabbing fewer marques.”

“Indeed,” Blaesus said. “But I'm happy to work a little harder for five percent more.”

Lucia entered the command deck and strapped herself into her pilot's couch. Kaeso said into his com, “All crew prepare for landing. We enter atmosphere in fifteen minutes.”