Hail Caesar

[zeeterus]

As Caesar walked into his chamber the Senators low rumble came to an abrupt halt. A few years ago, these men held great power. Indeed, they built the great infrastructure that was now the glory of the Roman Empire. The Senators, it seemed, enjoyed building roads, markets, and other money making ventures. More money for the people meant more tax money for them. They viewed building Temples as a necessray evil to keep Roman citizens in line. Homeland security was limited to building a couple of spearman regiments in each city to thwart any misguided invasions.

Foreign policy was another strength of the Senators. They were fortunate in their dealings with foreign powers in that the Roman lands were rich in spices, ivory, gems, and dyes. The shear quantity of these riches was immense, and any time the Senators felt threatened by a foreign power, they offered some of these luxery items to keep the foreigners happy.

The closest neighbors to the Romans were the Iroquois. Throughout the years, the Senators kept them in supply of ivory and in turn were not attacked. Hiawatha, the Iroquois leader, was becoming impatient lately. The Senate ignored this. Centuries of peace and prosperity had built an iron skin around the Senators. They believed that nothing could hurt them.

When the Iroquois landed in the southern provinces the Senators sent a couple of Legions to stop them. They quickly drove the Iroquois back into the sea. From there, the Senators confidently loaded these legions onto galleys and headed them accross the channel into the Iroquois land - much to the dismay of a lowly general whose warnings went on deaf ears. The Legions were slaughtered. Not only had the invasion failed, but the Senators had left their homeland virtually undefended.

The next invasion of the Southern Province was more successful. The Iroquois actually built a colony before enough legions were built to stop further progress into the Roman lands. The Senators were at a loss. They had no military experience and were forced to ask for peace from the Iroquois. The Roman people were ashamed of their leaders. They had always felt secure that their way of life would never be interupted. They were a prosperous nation, but now that prosperity was in doubt. What good would this prosperity be if they were all slaves to the Iroquois.

The Senators knew what they had to do. That lowly general was now making noise near the Iroquois colony. He called on the Senators to build more legions so that he could take back the land that was rightfully Roman. The Roman Citizens now backed this General - calling him Caesar. His popularity was becoming a problem. The Senators were forced to give in and build these Legions for the Caesar.

Caesar did not use his new troops right away. First he positioned the small fleet of Galleys he controlled. He loaded two legions onto each one and sent them to the south. Caesar's main objective was to take back the land that the Iroquois had taken from him. His success as a leader depended on this. No matter what he did overseas, he would be remembered most for his actions in the homeland.

Hiawatha sent an envoy to the Romans. This time, though, the delegations was not met by the senate, but by Caesar himself. Taken off guard - the Iroquois had taken to the obsequious nature of the Romans - the envoy, Smell like Skunk, took time to recover from Caesars request.

"I'm sorry, sir. Could you repeat that?" the shocked envoy said.

"All trade between our nations is stopped until the lands that are rightly Roman are given back."

"Surely you can't be serious. Look at your defenses. Look what happened to you on our shores. You will give us what we want, or pay the consequenses." Smell like Skunk was recovering nicely.

"I am serious. And stop calling me Shirley. All trade is stopped between our nations. Any Iroquois ship seen from our shores will be quickly sunk. Any troops found within our territory will be destroyed."

"I will take your message to Hiawatha, however I'm sure he will have the same reaction as I do. Good day, Caesar."

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Hiawatha was amused by the report of his envoy. Who did this guy think he was talking to?

"Who is this General you spoke with, Smell like Skunk?" he asked.

"His name is Caesar. I'm not sure at this point what to think of him. When we first attempted to settle in southern Italy he was the General who defeated us. For some reason, he did not accompany the troops across the channel during their costly invasion. When we counterattacked again in southern Italy, it took a while longer until this general had enough troops to stop us. His Senators sued for peace before he could take back the land we took from them."

"Do you view him as a threat or simply some maverick running amok?"

"Its hard to say, sir. He speaks from a position of strength, although he has no strength. The few victories he has achieved were probably more due to us overextending ourselves than anything else. On the other hand, the citizens like him. He is quite possibly more popular than the senate at this point."

Hiawatha thought for a few moments. He was a good leader. When it came time for conflict, he was thoughtful, not reckless. This Caesar was to be taken seriously. He must be dealt with, if for no other reason than to teach the Romans a lesson. Reckless as this general may be, if his popularity continues he will become powerful. This power could be a threat to the Iroquois. Better to stop him now, than to allow him to gain strength.

"Smell like Skunk, go back and see this General. Tell him that he may not have his lands back. We will purchase Ivory from the Romans. What is the market for them now?"

"Five gold per year, sir."

"Offer him one gold per year for Ivory. I will not be intimidated by this man. If he declines, demand to speak with the Senate. We still hold them in our pocket. That is why you spoke with this Caesar instead of them in the first place. The Senate has no backbone and needs a figurehead. I will not allow this."

Roman ships cruised past the Iroquios coast, snaking in and out of the Iroquois territorial waters. As Hiawatha's envoy traveled the short distance accross the channel to Italy, he watched as the Iroquois strengthened their defenses on these channel cities. The envoy thought highly of Hiawatha. He was about to go to battle, but was careful not to leave the homeland undefended.

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"Stop wasting my time, Iroquois scum. This is your last chance."

"I tire of your demands, Caesar. My offer is on the table. One gold per year for a steady supply of Ivory."

"No deals until our land is returned. Final."

"I demand to speak with the senators. Maybe they can settle this problem. Why would they put a General in charge of these negotiations in the first place?"

"You may speak with the Senate after the lands are returned."

"You'll get the Senate now!"

Caesar turned to his guards. "Escort this scum out of my chamber and back onto his ship." He turned back to Smell like Skunk. "Wait. I have a final message for Hiawatha. We have a penalty in this country for thievery. You stole our lands. I find you guilty." Caesar drew his sword. "Guard - take him by the arm and strap him down."

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Hiawatha looked in shock at his envoy, still being attended to by the physicians.

"I will kill this man with my bare hands for doing this to you, Smell like Skunk."

"Sir, wait. Remember the words you once said to me about war. Never fight on your enemy's terms."

"That is against the Americans or the Aztecs. Not these Roman pigs. I see what they are doing. Goading us into a war. We watch their ships along the coast. I won't wait for them to attack us. I am going to bring the battle to this General."

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Caesar waited near the border in southern Italy. His legions were ready. All he needed now was the signal. He had already sent a messenger to the Senate in Rome requesting permission to take back the Roman lands by force. He needed only wait for the reply and reinforcements.

While Caesar considered their countries at war, diplomatically, they would not be until the senate approved his plans. The senators were not to be trusted, though. While he did receive some additional Legions, most were in Rome, waiting to be deployed. Until these legions were in his hands he could not move. Because of this, a back-up plan was in the works.

The Aztecs had no love for the Iroquois. Indeed, they had warred off and on for centuries. Most of these wars took place on the large island called the Unfinished Island to the south of Italy. Presently the Iroquois controlled this island with a few minor cities scattered throughout. While the Romans were not capable of a full, blown out war with the Iroquois, perhaps an alliance would suit his purposes. Caesar began meeting secretly with delegations from the Aztec Republic.

A messenger approached Caesar, "General, I have news from Rome."

"What is it then!?"

The messenger handed the General a scroll. Caesar read impatiently. War was approved, and six legions were on the way south from Rome.

"Messenger, did you see these legions leaving Rome?"

"No, sir."

"I have a job for you. Take two men and go back to Rome. Track these legions and send reports back as to their whereabouts."

"Yes, sir. And General, theres more."

"What is it?"

"I watched as an Iroquois galley left port in Rome headed back to Iroquoisland. They tried to conceal themselves as merchants, but I saw the Iroquois standard being hidden."

Caesar stood silently for a minute. He did not want to believe that this could be true. His Senate was in the midst of betraying him. His army would never see those legions - if they even existed. So Caesar was to go wage a war against the Iroquois that was entered into reluctantly by the Senate. He would be undermanned, as those vital Legions would never find their way into his command. He would lose, and probably die in battle - if not, he would be murdered by the senate. Seen as a failure in the eyes of Romans, the Senate would once again control Italy's future.

An envoy was sent to the Aztecs. They were to begin the battle at once. Caesar loaded all but one of his Legions onto galleys and headed south. Meanwhile, the Aztecs headed east. The Iroquois braced for an attack on their western shores, where the Romans had invaded once before.

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[zeeterus]

"Emperor! It has begun!"

"Excellent, Stepped in Bear Dung. Where are they fighting."

"On the Unfinished Island, sir."

Hiawatha was stunned. He had expected the Romans to invade on his western shores. The Unfinished Island was little more than a few settlements at this point, but it did provide him with a bridge to the Aztecs.

Hiawatha turned away. With his back turned to Stepped in Bear Dung, he asked "What is the status of our navy?"

"Four ships, sir. Two near port now."

"Very well. Load them with Iroquois Riders and send them to the Unfinished Isle."

"Yes sir. Also, the Aztec Dipomatic would like to see you."

"What does he want?"

"He states that there is a dispute as to the ownership of lands on the Unfinished Isle."

Hiawatha felt like he had been struck by a marble pillar swung by the raven. How could he be so foolish. This Caesar was not as reckless as he thought. Of course he wouldn't attack the Iroquois homeland. He didn't have enough legions to be successful there. But he had abandoned the Iroquois territory in southern Italy to attack Iroquois holdings on the Unfinished Isle. Who else has an interest in the Unfinished Isle? The Aztecs. Indeed, many of the cities on this island consisted of a mixture of Aztec and Iroquois people.

Now, Hiawatha had few options left. His deal with the Roman Senate stated that he would not attack any Roman Cities in Italy. Otherwise the Senate would send these legions south to his holdings on the continent. Hiawatha had no doubt that the Romans could not campaign on his homeland, but they could defend themselves on their own land.

His people on the Unfinished Isle were virtually unprotected, so Caesar could be successful there. What's more, the Aztecs were probably in galleys just off shore of the Isle waiting to attack.

Hiawatha's meeting with the Aztec diplomat went as expected. The Aztecs demanded that all of the cities on the Unfinished Isle that had Aztec citizens be turned over to them. Hiawatha actually considered this, but honor prevailed. Besides, after all of these years, many of the citizens of those cities were of Iroquois descent, so handing them over would be to betray his own people.

Within days, Hiawatha was informed of the Roman alliance with the Aztecs. Apparently this did not go through the senate, as they were as shocked as he was. In fact, the Senate was nowhere to be found, fearing Caesar's revenge.

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Caesar himself accompanied his Legions onto the shores of the Unfinished Isle. According to his agreement, he could attack the two northernmost cities, as they were entirely consisting of Iroquois citizens. The Aztecs could attack the mixed cities of the south. Suprisingly, there was little resistance on the way to the city of Keparta. His advance scouts even brought him good news. The city itself was little more than a few thousand people guarded by two regiments of spearmen.

With this news, Caesar sent his second in command, Hadrian, and two legions back to the galleys and instructed him to attack the second of his two objectives. While this would divide his troops, it would also divide the Iroquois counter-attack.

The taking of Keparta was of little note. The battle was swift, as was Hadrian's battle for Maize. His navy watched as the Iroquois warriors loaded onto transports in southern Italy, virtually abandoning the very city that caused this conflict.

The transports landed on the shore east of Keparta. This was the battle that Caesar was waiting for. Up until now, he had faced only Iroquois reserves. These were the regulars. To the south, the Aztecs were having great success, and this was sure to weaken the counterattack against his army.

The first regiment of Iroquois Warriors approached Keparta at dawn. The fighting was fierce, but Caesar found a weakness. While the Iroquois warriors were better at attacking than his legions, They did little to defend themselves. Caesar ordered his legions into phalanx formations and steadily moved them toward the advancing Iroquois.

Many a Legionaire was lost just after this formation order was made, but soon, the defensive posturing became effective. While receiving heavy casualties, those casualties were scattered throughout the line. The line was weakened, but never broke. Caesar was pleased at the end of the day. He had lost the equivilent of two regiments while inflicting the loss of five regiments to the Iroquois. Tomorrow would be the decisive day of the battle.

As tomorrow became today, Caesar looked out onto the field of battle. Something was wrong. There were campfires still burning, but no sign of the Iroquois. He sent his scouts out to track the enemy, but they returned with no news. A puzzled Caesar was approached in the mid-afternoon by a messenger from Hadrian's regiments. They too were at a loss as to the whereabouts of the Iroquois.

A week went by, and the fighting in the south was coming to an end, as the Aztecs overcame the last of the Iroquois cities. It was then that Caesar received some troubling news.

"General, we have news from Italy. The Aztecs are on the shores of the Iroquois holdings in the south of Italy."

Caesar was disapointed, but not suprised. While this technicaly was not a betrayal by the Aztecs, it did deviate from their pre-arranged plans. The Iroquoise city of Kente was to be his great homecoming victory.

"You are dismissed," he said to the messenger.

"Theres more, sir."

"What are you waiting for, then. Spit it out!"

"It seems that the armies of the Iroquois have been reinforced in Kente."

"So, thats where they went."

Perhaps this was good fortune. If Caesar had moved on to Kente after holding down Keparta and Maize he would have faced these reinforced Iroquois. Better to allow the Aztecs to take this city. They could be dealt with later, and were less of a threat than the Iroquois. Caesar could now turn his attention toward the Senate.

The Senate could not hide out forever, and as an olive branch, they planned a parade for Caesar upon his return to Rome. Caesar checked his revenge for the Senators. Better to keep them in fear of him, than to kill them and have them replaced with more worthy adversaries. He knew where he stood with these men.

This would be a different Rome from now on. The Senate would still exist, but on Caesar's terms. The main barganing tool in this negotiation was the six elite legions that waited on the outside of the city for Caesar's signal. All along the Via Apia thousands of young men joined the ranks of these legions, devoting themselves to Caesar. Never before had a general marched his army on Rome, but the senators had to hold their feelings on this and realize that they were lucky to be alive.

Caesar was now the most powerful entity in the Roman Empire. For all intents and purposes, he was the supreme ruler - the Dictator. While the Republic existed, its senators did little more than carry out Caesar's directives.

 

[zeeter]

More to come today! Is anyone reading this? Or should I start one that is a little bit more interesting? I try to keep this as true to the actual game I'm playing as possible, with only a bit of embellishing.

 

[zeeter]

It felt like cold hands wrapped around his neck. Every day it got colder, choking him and his men more and more. Trajan was noticing it, and he was certain that his men were, too. They needed something. After four weeks at sea they were becoming restless. And the cold was numbing. They took turns near the lantern, however the oil would not last forever.

Trajan had three ships now. He started with eight. Two had sunk, most of their crews joining the remaining ships, and three had disappeared completely - lost in the fog.

He hadn't counted on the fog on this journey. Indeed, he was in uncharted waters now. No person had ever been in this section of the world.

Trajan couldn't help but notice that his men watched him as he walked on the deck. Every move was carefully viewed, as if they were waiting for something to happen. He had to be careful. Trajan had to keep command of his mission, but be diplomatic to his men. They were ready for something. If he were too harsh his men could revolt. If he were too lenient, his men would think him weak.

This was a mutinious crew and Trajan knew it.

"Quartermaster of the watch. I need a fix," he said to the QMOW.

"Captain, I cannot possibly give you a fix in this fog. We cannot see the sun nor the moon. We have continued to sail with the waves breaking over our starboard quarter. We've done that for two days now. I'm sure that the seas have changed during that time, so we could be headed for the open ocean for all I know."

"Very well. Sound the horn." The Horn was a measure that Trajan had come up with as a necessity in these waters. It was their coming home horn that only his flagship had. Upon entering port the crew would blow the horn to sound off their homecoming.

Now the horn was the sister ship's only source of survival. Every five minutes or so a crewman would sound the horn so that the other two ships could follow them.

"What of the Bren and Caspias," he asked of the QMOW.

"We saw the Caspias a few hours ago off of our stern. I don't know about the Bren. We haven't seen them for two days, since this last batch of fog rolled in."

"Keep looking, I..." Just then they heard a loud clanging fron their port quarter. It was the Bren. Shouting could be heard, as well. "Can you make that out?"

"No sir."

"Helmsman! Come left! Bos'n! Ready your rowers! Messenger, two short blasts on the horn. Count to twenty, then repeat over and over."

"Aye sir. Coming left."

The Boatwain of the Watch looked at Trajan. "Aye sir," he turned to the rowers. "Rowers at the ready," he almost sang this last part. The crew shuddered at the sound of the Messenger's horn soundings.

The crew was all at alert now. They had been the sorriest bunch for the last two weeks, but now Trajan marveled at their efficiency. Finally, something new was happening, and Trajan once again felt like a captain.

"Helmsman. Ease your rudder." Trajan was trying to get a bearing on the clanging from the Bren. "It must be someone beating a spoon on a pot," he said to the QMOW.

"Yes, sir. Sir the wind is fighting us."

Trajan looked at the wind indicator. "Very well, QMOW. Lower the mast." He turned to the BMOW. "Bos'n! Oars in the Water!" His order was repeated to the rowers. "Commence."

"Aye aye, sir." The BMOW

Soon the Pharsalas had come alongside the Bren. They could hear the Caspias a few hundred yards to the rear. Trajan located the captain of the Bren.

"Markus. What is it? Pirates?"

The captain of the Bren was a young man, but Mark Antony was one of the better captains in the Roman Navy. He had started under Trajan and quickly moved up the ranks to become one of the most trusted men in Trajan's command. He was named captian of the Bren for this mission, and Trajan was proud of that decision. Numerous times the Bren, the last ship in the line, had become lost only to re-appear when she was thought to be sunk. He had the hearts of his men, it seemed, as well.
"No, sir. Look. Over there." Markus pointed off of the port bow."

"Where, I don't..." Trajan hesitated, "what is that?"

"They look like cliffs to me, Sir. See the white peaks?"

Trajan struggled to make out the white peaks through the white fog. He wondered how Antony could have seen this. He was looking right at it and could barely make it out.

"You've found it, Markus. Very good. Now lead the fleet," Trajan calmly and affectionately said to his prodigy.

"Thank you, Sir." Mark Antony had difficulty hiding the fact that he was proud of himself and his crew. A smile escaped him as he acknowleged his men.

 

[zeeter]

The fog seemed to clear a bit as the galleys moved toward land. The heat of the land itself must have cleared it, Trajan thought. Antony was leading them toward a strip of beach between two mountain peaks. Just where Trajan would have led them. They didn't know what they would find here, so the centralized location of their landing was important. The cliffs offered them protection from the weather and the beach would be a good landing area.

Soon Trajan felt the sound of gravel and sand beneath his galley. They had finally landed.

"Bos'n. Secure the oars and secure the galley to the beach." Trajan heard similar commands coming from the Bren as she, too, landed.

"Aye aye, sir." The BMOW turned to his men. "You heard the Captain! Stow those oars! You there, gather the lines from the bos'n hole and taken them ashore. Doubletime it!"

The crew of the Pharsalas lowered the gangplank and Trajan was the first ashore. He walked along the beach until reaching the Bren, where Antony was finishing up securing his ship.

Upon seeing Trajan, Anatony turned the work over to the QMOW and walked over to join his captain. The Caspias was just coming ashore now. The two of them walked together to her landing site.

"We'll need to set up camp here. I'll send Brutus with an expedition inland as soon as his ship is secured. They'll need to find water soon, and hopefully some food. I want you to come with me to the mountains. There is a smaller one over here," Trajan pointed to a low mountain, almost a hill, to the NorthEast, "and I think we can get a good view of the countryside from the peak."

"Very good sir." Just then the two captains were met by a 3rd. Decimus Brutus (some called him Markus, although his given name was Decimus) saluted Trajan respectfully. He was by most accounts a decent man, good to his crew, family, and to Rome. Indeed, his accomplishments kept him high on Caesar's list.

Trajan could see a dark side to Brutus, though. The accomplishments of Brutus served Brutus' interests. He chose his direction wisely, choosing goals which would not only advance himself, but seem to advance Rome, as well. A bit of luck had kept him from disaster more than a few times, as he was kept out of risking his army solely for Rome's purposes. His inner circle reportedly heard him say more than a few times that he doesn't work for Rome, he works for Decimus Brutus.

While he had no sailing experience, he somehow influenced the right people in Rome to achieve this assignment. He had even veyed for Trajan's job, but the latter was chosen due to his vast experience at sea. Brutus was officially the second in command for this mission, but Trajan trusted Mark Antony like a son and kept him close by.

"What have you found, Trajan?" Brutus asked.

"Nothing yet. I wanted to meet with you both before we begin exploring."

Brutus saw an opening. "I think that the tops of these cliffs should give us a good vantagepoint."

"Yes, I thought so too. Marcus and I will lead an expedition up those cliffs. I'd like you to lead a group into the forest over there. Find some water and look for food. The rest of the men will stay hear and build a camp."

Brutus protested. "I really think I should go up the mountain, Trajan. We need to scout it out for defensive posturing. We don't know what's on this island."

"I understand that you want to go up there, Decimus, but I need Marcus with me. He has skills in map-making."

"And I have skills in running an army" Brutus snorted.

Trajan could see this was turning into a power struggle. He tried to be diplomatic and called Brutus aside.

"Decimus, you are one of Caesar's finest generals. You've led armies countless times for Rome. I applaud and respect your request to go with me," Trajan chose his words carefully. He used the word "request" intentionally, so that Brutus would remember who was in charge here. Apparently, it worked. "Antony is young and headstrong. I'd like to keep him with me. You understand, don't you?"

Brutus was thoughtful. He wasn't going to win this battle, so he pulled back. Trajan was offering him an out and he took it. "You're right, Trajan. You take Marc with you, and I'll go into the forests."

"You're a good man, Decimus." Trajan replied. The three men set off.

"What did you say to him," Antony asked of his mentor when they were out of Brutus' earshot.

"I said I saw some native women in the woods back there," was the reply. Trajan turned to look at Antony, who stared up at him curiously. Suddenly, Trajan burst out laughing, much to the relief of Antony. "No, Marcus. I reasoned with him. Remember, from a position of strength you can get more by reasoning than from confrontation. I could have stood there and barked that I'm in command here and he should do as I say, but what would that do? Cause a splinter between us. While I don't trust Brutus, I do respect him. And, I respect his position in Rome."

"Sir, if you don't mind me saying, I hope that position in Rome doesn't come back to bite you when we return."

"We'll see, young Marcus. We'll see."

 

[zeeter]

Halfway up the mountain, and Antony could finally see the peak. The climb was a bit harder than it looked from the beach. Trajan seemed to have little trouble with the ascent. Marcus admired the man for keeping in shape for all of these years.

Antony heard the sound of rocks falling below him. He turned to see Brutus moving quickly to catch up. Antony walked over to Trajan to inform him of this. He could see the exaspiration on Trajan's face when he saw Brutus come up behind him.

"What is this, Brutus? Where is your party?" Trajan asked of his second.

"They are investigating the woods. I left Vitus with them. He is a good man."

"Very well." Antony could see that Trajan felt any argument here would be useless. Together the three of them ascended the mountain.

At the peak, the Generals could see that the land was higher on the other side of the mountain. Indeed, the climb down on this side would only be a few hundred yards. A short descent showed that the other side of the mountain was fog-less and actually quite pleasant.

In the distance, Antony saw something that would greatly interest Caesar. Horses. For decades, the Romans had imported horses from the Aztecs. It was this reliance that kept them on friendly relations. Too friendly, it was thought. Caesar still resented the Aztecs for taking the city of Kente, but could do nothing about it while still reliant on the horses.

While for centuries, the Roman army lived and died on the swords of its legions, the horses were just now becoming important. The Aztecs had beaten the Iroquois with Knights. When seeing these disciplined fighters in action, Caesar insisted that the age of the Legion was at an end.

The cost of these horses was immense, however, and required that Caesar kiss up to the Aztecs - something that he abhored.

Antony looked over the vast fields of horses below him.

"Caesar will be thrilled," he heard Brutus saying.

"Indeed." For once, Trajan was in agreement with Brutus.

Antony spent the next several hours mapping the territory. Further past the horse fields he saw fields of natural wheat and what may have been buffalo. Antony carefully measured the distances with his eyes and made quite a good map of the region. The three of them set off back down toward their camp.

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Caesar sat in his official chambers, his anger rising to a boiling point.

"Who did you leave in charge of Keparta, Milus?" He kept his voice calm, but it was clear that heads would roll for this.

"Octavianus was left in charge of the garrison, sir. He is a very capable..." Milus was cut off by the dictator.

"I never heard of him!" Caesar shouted.

"Yes, sir. But he is very capable. Why, just a month ago he..."

"I don't care what he did a month ago. All I know now is that he allowed Hiawatha to take the city back! And you! Leaving him there alone. Is this man a general?"

Milus was clearly shaken, "Well, sir he.."

"No, he is not a general. So let me understand. You left Keparta, a holding in a foreign, hostile land, guarded by just one legion, under the command of this..Octavianus? What is he, a captain?"

"Yes, General."

"Let me ask you this, Milus, where did you go after leaving this captain in charge?"

"Well, sir, There was a matter in Veii that I had to look in to."

"And did you have this matter taken care of?"

"Oh yes, sir. The problem has been taken care of." Milus said quickly.

"Hmm..." Caesar turned to his guards, "Master of the Watch. Bring her in." One of his guards walked into Caesar's private side-chamber. A few moments later, he returned, walking with a very attractive woman.

"Milus, is this the matter you took care of in Veii?" Caesar said to his General, who was now dumbstruck.

"Well, yes, sir." He watched as the guard brought the woman to Caesar's side. Caesar stood, and leaned down to kiss the woman. His approach was reciprocated by the woman, and they both turned to Milus.

Milus now had three different feelings running through him. Anger, Jealousy, and Fear. Caesar was loving this.

"General Milus. You are now Captain Milus. You have been re-assigned to the city of Maize under General Pompeii."

Milus hesitated, not sure of what to say. In the end, he dared not speak up against Caesar. "Yes..sir. I will report to my post immediately." Caesar couldn't resist humiliating the man one more time, and again kissed the woman in front of the captain.

When Milus was gone, Caesar released the woman without looking at her. She was of no further use to him. He turned to the Master of the Watch. "Bring this Octavianus to me."

"Sir, he is in Maize now. It will take a week for him to get here."

"Why is he in Maize? Why didn't he come back to Rome? Is he trying to escape punishment? The coward." Caesar was now disgusted with this man whom he'd never met.

"No, sir. He was injured in the battle. His assistant is in Rome, though. Shall I bring him to you?"

"Yes. Immediately." The guards ran off to find the assistant.

Caesar contemplated his next move. Keparta was his own conquest, and Milus had lost it. He should have executed the imbecile. In fact, he considered recalling the man for just that. However, Pompeii was a smart general and would understand how to use him. Mess captain, latrine warden, whatever low level jobs he could find.

Meanwhile, Keparta had to be re-taken. Caesar dared not give the task to Pompeii, as that would leave Maize unguarded. Brutus and Trajan were still at sea. He would have to recall Hadrian from his retreat in western Italy. Caesar found that he had only a few generals who he could count on. And thats assuming that Trajan and Brutus returned. For all he knew, they could be lost at sea.

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Trajan sat by the stove in his camp taking notes on their findings. They had been at this campsite for a month now, discovering marvelous wonders for Caesar. Just a few miles from their campsite, Marcus had found Iron deposits.

Disaster had also struck a few days ago. Brutus' men found a white powder in the hills a little ways from the campsite. They packed this powder up in a crate and stowed it aboard the Caspias near the galley (kitchen). Since most of the cooking suplies were still onboard all three ships, and since there was proper seating aboard, all cooking was done aboard ship instead of ashore.

Somehow, in the coarse of cooking breakfast one morning, some embers from the cooking fire landed on the powder crate. The cook, not thinking anything of this, started pounding on the crate with a spoon to put out the embers. Unfortunately he broke the top of the crate and the embers fell in. Suddenly, there was a huge explosion on board the Caspias. Men and wood were thrown everywhere. The ship was blown to pieces.

The men of the other two ships ran to assist, but there was nothing much to assist with. The few men who survived the explosion told Trajan what happened. That the box of powder blew up.

What remains they did find were buried at sea the next day. Now Trajan was pondering his new problem. Only ten men or so were on the Caspias when she blew up. Therefore, they had two full crews, the remnants of some of the sunken ships from their voyage, and the remaining crewmembers from the Caspias plus that ship's captain himself who all needed to return home. He had only two ships. Some sailors would have to be left behind. Trajan called for his two captains to join him.

He had to be careful here. He knew what would have to happen, but had to play it right. Brutus would certainly need to go back to Rome. It would be between himself and Marcus Antony as to the other captain. Antony was a good captain, but not quite politically experienced enough yet to keep from being bullied back in Rome by Brutus.

Brutus would approach his connections in Rome and point to his great success on the journey. Antony did not yet have the connections. Marcus Antony would have to stay here, otherwise the politial aspirations of Brutus would overshadow their accomplishments.

"Men, I've come to a decision. Decimus and Marcus, you will go home in the Bren and the Pharsalas. I will remain behind to begin a colony here." He looked at Brutus. He looked confused, as if he did not expect this. What was Trajan up to?

Trajan continued. "Brutus, do you remember the course back to Italy?"

"Well, no. But I'm sure Marcus does." They both looked to Marcus.

"I can lead the ships to Rome," he confidently stated.

Trajan quizzed him, "You remember that on the fifth day you need to come right and position the sun to the starboard side two hours after sunrise?"

Marcus was not so confident now. "Um...yes sir."

"And on the twelth day, you must come left four hours after sunrise to avoid the rock formation coming out of the middle of nowhere. Remember, we couldn't see this due to the fog last time and almost struck it, and theres little reason to believe that the fog will be lifted on the way back."

Even less confidently, "Yes....sir. I'll remember."

Suddenly, Brutus' look of suprised good fortune turned to genuine concern. "Are you sure of this, Marcus? I don't want to sink halfway home because you can't navigate your way around a bathtub."

Trajan gave Brutus a stern look, although inside he was smiling to himself. The plan was working.

"To be honest, sir, I don't remember either of those turns," Marcus could not look at Trajan. He felt that he had disapointed him.

Brutus was irate. "You expect me to follow this bumbling fool back home? What if he impales my boat onto a rock in the middle of the ocean? What if.."

Trajan interupted the General. "First of all, its not your boat as I seem to recall your boat getting blown up last week. And second, if you're so disapointed in Marcus, then you lead the way back."

Trajan knew that Brutus could do no such thing. He was a general, not a sailor. Trajan was a general as well, but he had practically lived his whole life at sea. Brutus responded. "Now you know that I can't lead these ships back."

"Then I will go with Marcus. You stay here."

"I will not be left here. I must report to Caesar personally," was Brutus' reply. "We can all go. I'll stay aboard the Pharsalas with you, Trajan. The men can stay here."

"We need to leave one of us here. Would you report to Caesar that you left the Bos'n of the Watch in charge on this land?" Trajan was cornering Brutus now.

"No, I guess the answer has been given. We must leave the camp in Marcus' hands."

Bingo, Trajan thought, as Brutus went to his tent to prepare for the return voyage. Marcus Antony stayed behind.

"I'm sorry, sir, that I disapointed you," he said to Trajan.

"What are you talking about Marc?" Trajan had called him Marc instead of Marcus, a true sign of affection which was not lost on the young captain.

"Those turns. I thought that I had documented all of the navigation enroute. I don't know how I missed those."

Trajan let Marcus think for a few moments. Finally he let him off the hook. "Marc, do you know why you can't remember those maneuvers?"

"No, sir." Marcus was looking more and more dejected.

"Because they never happened."

A shocked Marcus looked at Trajan. "But sir..."

"Do you really think that I would let you go back to Rome without me? Brutus would eat you alive."

Marcus let the fact that he had been tricked slide, more concerned now with his mentor's lack of confidence in him. "I can certainly hold my own in Rome, if that's what your saying, sir."

Trajan laughed. "Someday you will, Marc. I'm sure. But not yet, and certainly not against Brutus. He would have Caesar believe that he alone found this land and kept the rest of us alive shearly by his own will. No, I will go to Rome and give Caesar a true account of our journey."

His pride hurt somewhat, Marcus agreed that this was the best course. He didn't much mind Trajan hurting his pride, as he usually learned something in the event. This was a gift that Trajan had. He was able to tear someone down, then build them back up while in the same conversation.

Marcus was given instructions on turning the campsite into a settlement. Trajan showed him where to build huts and especially a temple to Neptune. He showed him how best to harvest the wheat fields, and how to capture the buffalo.

When he was sure that he had left the campsite in good hands, Trajan boarded the Pharsalas, which was loaded with supplies of wheat, water, and buffalo meat, along with some delicate spices, dyes, and the mysterious white powder. He kept skeleton crews aboard both the Pharsalas and the Bren, much to the displeasure of Brutus who would actually have to work on the return trip, so that Marcus would have the manpower to perform his difficult tasks.

----------------------------------------------

Caesar was only half listening to Lt. Nerus account of the latest battle of Keparta. He really just wanted to get this Octavianus and punish him for his failure. Then he heard something intriguing.

"What was that last thing, Leutenant?" he asked.

"He was quickly carried out by the citizens of the city and placed on a boat to Maize."

"The people of the city helped him escape Keparta?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why would they do this, Leutenant?"

"I..I guess they wanted him to live, sir."

"Who were these people?"

"The citizens of Keparta."

"Aren't the citizens of Keparta mostly Iroquois?"

"Well, yes. Sir."

"So the Iroquois citizens of Keparta assisted Octavianus out of the city that was being attacked by their Iroquois brothers?"

"That would be one way to say it, sir."

"Would there be any other way to say it, Leutenant?"

"Well, I guess not, sir."

"Amazing..." Caesar thought for a few moments. "Leutenant. Find Octavianus and bring him to me. Take my personal physician with you to assist him. And be quick!"

With that, the Leutenant was gone. Caesar had much to think about. Why would the Iroquois people help one of his soldiers? Especially one who was in charge of keeping their Iroquois brothers out of the city? He had to find out.
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[Padma]

Originally posted by zeeter
More to come today! Is anyone reading this? Or should I start one that is a little bit more interesting? I try to keep this as true to the actual game I'm playing as possible, with only a bit of embellishing.

Be assured it is being read. If there is lack of comment, it may only be that no-one has anything negative to say. This seems to be progressing quite well. Keep it up.

 

[zeeter]

<snip>

 

[zeeter]

<snip>

 

[No.Dice]

Originally posted by zeeter
More to come today! Is anyone reading this? Or should I start one that is a little bit more interesting?

Yup, enjoying it and looking forward to more.

 

[zeeter]

If it was one thing that Marcus Antony learned from Trajan, it was that the most important thing about building a settlement was the infrastructure. Without it, the city is helpless. His first order of business was to build roads to the wheat fields so that food could be quickly obtained. He then built an extension of that road into the horse fields, so that the horses they caught could be transported without breaking their legs on the uneven ground. Finally, he build roads to the mountains where the Iron Ore was found.

His job now was to make the new Governer's job easier. He had already built a small temple to Neptune so that his people could pray for safe seas. The city would need that, being so far from Italy. He began to notice, though, that some of the supplies he had been gathering were missing. His men would work for days to produce the building material for new houses and every time he looked it was missing. Something needed to be done.

Marcus personally began working on a building where his records could be kept. This would also be where criminals would be tried and executed. that should stop this pilfering.

"Captain Antony! Come Quick! Ship off the shore!" Marcus did not know who called for him, but quickly went into action. Running from his quarters, he called for everyone to go to battle stations. From his command post, he could see three huge ships, much bigger than galleys, about 1500 yards away. He couldn't see the ship's colors, though, as the wind blew the flags away.

"Be ready, men! Archers to the rear. Knights! Take up position behind the tree line. And don't let them see you!"

The men did as Marcus commanded without question. The ships continued inland. All Marcus could hear was a loud popping sound coming from them. He strained to see what the noise was, but couldn't tell. As the ship came closer, Marcus moved out to the beach. A smile came over him finally. "Trajan" was all he said.

-------------------------------------
"Caravels, Marc, newest and best ships in the fleet. They cut the journey in two." The two men walked along the beach as the sailors unloaded supplies. The first two boats carried pilgrims. Men, women, and children, who were to help build this settlement into a city. The third waited offshore until a landing was available. "There's two more ships moving around to the west side of the island. They'll settle there to give us a foothold on both sides of these mountains. What you need to do is to build a road to connect the two cities. It will be hard to defend both cities this far from Rome, so a road to move troops along is imperative."

"You keep saying that I'll have to do this. Why? Shouldn't the governer do this?" a puzzled Marcus Antony replied.

Trajan looked at Marcus and a huge smile appeared on his face. "Why yes, General. He should."

Marcus was dumbfounded. Trajan let the words sink in, then continued. "I put you in for it, and Caesar granted you a generalship. You are in command of all troops and people on this continent. You, General, are the Governor. I'm very proud of you Marc."

Finally, Marcus was able to speak. "Sir, I cannot tell you how much this means to me. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, Marc. In fact, as I am your sponsor, I will not let you fail. But now we must move on. There is work to do."

"When you approached I heard a popping sound. What was that, General?"

"In due time, Marc. You'll see. There is a problem that we need to speak of. As we approached the easern peninsula of this continent we saw a settlement."

"Who was it, Iroquois?"

"No. American."

"Who? American?

"Yes, we had heard of a great people who lived north of the Iroquois, but had never met them. We stopped to pay a visit, and they greeted us politely. Their leader is King Lincoln."

"What is he doing on this continent?"

"Gaining a foothold, the same as us."

"Do you consider the Americans a threat to us?"

"Not yet, but we have to move fast. Lincoln has built one settlement here, and we must keep him from building more. That is your job, General."

The word general in reference to Marcus was still difficult on the ears. "General Trajan, I succeeded in mapping the rest of the continent while you were away. Shall we go to my command post to review it?"

"Yes, right away."

The two men discussed strategy late into the night while the sailors continued to unload supplies from the Caravels: tools, building supplies, and most interestingly, cases and cases of wine.

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"We've finally made contact, sire." Lincon's aide said excitedly.

"With the Aztecs?" came Lincoln's reply.

"No. The Romans."

Lincoln knew little of the Romans. According to his adversary, Hiawatha, the Romans were little more than a tribe that got too big before the Iroquois could overwhelm them. Their leader was Caesar. A General who staged a coup-de-ta a few years back. This did damage to the Iroquois economy which counted on the taxes from various luxury items which the former Roman administration had provided for next to nothing.

Now, the Iroquois had to purchase these items at or above the true market value. This put a huge dent into their economy, which was once the strongest in the world.

Caesar was competant, to say the least. He was also ruthless, eliminating most threats to his leadership. Even now he was skirmishing with the Iroquois on the Unfinished Isle.

One thing that the Romans and the Americans had in common was a hatred for the Iroquois - the strongest nation on the planet. Neither the Americans or the Romans could take on the Iroquois head to head - although Caesar had won a great war against them on the Unfinished Isle a ways back. His relationship with the Romans would be fragile, but this may work.

"Watch Captain," he said to the messenger. "Call a meeting of my advisors immediately."

"Yes, my lord."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Marcus bid farewell to his mentor. He would not see trajan for a while, as he had been called upon to settle the skirmishes on the Unfinished Isle.

Trajan had left Marcus with great dreams. The new musket-men would give him some peace of mind defensively. With the added knights he would be able to conquer the whole continent, if necessary. Now to continue work on the infrastructure. Marcus looked out at the scene beyond his command post. There were people everywhere. He looked down at his map. To the north, beyond the area that would be of any use to Caesaria - the name of his city out of respect for Caesar - were more wheat fields and bufalo herds. Perhaps he would send the excess of these people there, to start a new colony. That would give him three cities to control on this continent. Trajan would be pleased with him.

Marcus decided that this would be his plan. But first, a drink of wine to celebrate.

----------------------------------------------------------

Octavian stood as best he could before Caesar. The wound in his leg was difficult to ignore, as was the pain in his ribs. The doctor said that this would all heal, but that was no help for the pain.

"You do not look well, captain," Caesar said to him.

"I'm fine, General."

"I'll get on with it, then. Captain, I've spoken with several citizens - Iroquois citizens - who were in Keparta when the city was captured. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Octavian's gaze never left Caesar's eyes. "General. My men did the best that they could. I failed them. Please do not punish my men for my failure."

"You're correct in that regard, Captain. Your men will not be the ones who are punished, although most of them died in the battle." Caesar turned to his clerk. "You may begin."

The clerk opened a scroll and began to read. "The Romans came to Keparta and stripped us of our dignity. They tore down what was important to us, then built what was important to them. General Milus took many of our young women from us and we never saw them again. They made us work in the fields while they sat in thier headquarters drinking wine." He turned to Caesar. "Shall I continue, sir?"

Caesar looked at Octavian. "Is this how we occupy our conquests, captain?"

Octavian continued to look into Caesar's eyes. "No, sir. It most certainly is not."

"What is your idea of our occupation plan, Captain?" Caesar responded.

"The occupied people need to have their dignity returned. This way they will be productive again. A non-productive city is little worth the effort in occupation."

Caesar motioned for the clerk to continue. "During his limited free time, Captain Octiavian assisted us in re-building our temple to the Raven. He also assisted in the building of our Granary, which was destroyed during the capture. Now our people had a place to store whatever grain and meat the General didn't take from us. This food kept us alive during the bitter winter months. Octavian entered the temple several times throughout that winter to deliver blankets for us..."

Caesar cut off the clerk. "Am I to understand, Captain, that you aided the enemy?"

Octavian answered quickly. Not confrontationally, but factually. "No, sir. I did not aid the enemy. The citizens of Keparta became Roman citizens upon your capture of the city. I could not allow the suffering of Roman citizens simply because they worship different gods."

"Did this interfere with the wishes of General Milus?"

"No, sir. The blankets were made from the hides of the cattle that were delivered to the army - by the Iroqois citizens. They were being discarded. The wood for the temple and granary were taken from the collapsed structures from the war."

Caesar turned back to the clerk. "Finish up now."

"Yes sir. 'We welcomed the expulsion of the Romans from Keparta. Indeed we did not lift a finger to help them during the battle. If not for Octavian, the battle would have finished more quickly. His leadership kept our Iroquois brothers at bay for several days. In the end, an arrow felled the Captain and he fell from the city wall. Knowing of the events that would occur when the walls were breached, some of the resisting iroquois ran to recover Octavian. They hid him and several other good Romans until they could be smuggled out of the city.'" The clerk looked up to Caesar to indicate that he was finished. Caesar dismissed him.

"Captain. It is difficult to find you a traitor. You brought up some valid points. The fact that Milus was a bafoon certainly helps your case.

"On the other hand, I cannot confidently say that you acted in Rome's best interests in Keparta. Therefore, what am I to do with you?"

Caesar stared at Octavian, who continued to return his gaze. The man was certain that he did the right thing in Keparta. What is right, Caesar thought. There are two answers to this. What is right to Rome, and what is right. Sometimes a leader got caught in this trap. Caesar certainly recognized it years earlier. The invasion of the Iroquois homeland was a blunder of monumental proportions. Caesar would have no part of it. The people respected him for this, because it was the right thing to do. According to the Senate, however, this was the wrong thing for Rome.

Octavian recognized this in his actions at Keparta. It certainly was in the best interest of Rome that supplies be given to the Roman Legions first and foremost. It was not in the best interest of the people of Keparta, however, to starve while the army feasted. To freeze while the General held banquets. And the Iroquois response? They recognized Octavian for his actions. Although their loyalty was to their own people, they could not let this man die.

Caesar made his decision. "Captain, as you may or may not know by now, General Hadrian has re-captured Keparta for Rome. You are to report to him immediately. I am placing you on assignment with him on a probationary basis. Be advised - you are being watched. Cross Rome, and you will be severly punished. Hadrian is one of my finest generals. If you have any concerns about the people of Keparta while there, report them to him. He is fair and will direct you in the right direction."

Octavian, fighting back a tear, finally broke his gaze with Caesar, if only to bow in reverance. "General. All I can ask for is a chance to prove myself. I thank you for that."

"Your're dismissed, Captain."

 

[zeeter]

------------------------------------

Brutus gazed down upon the city of Leza. It was a small village, overlooking a river to the east. The hills to the north and west did little to afford any protection since the small defense garrison would have to remain within the village limits. The slope of the hills was such that they could be overrun easily.

Brutus had been in Zululand for little over a week. He was on an assignment given him personally by Caesar to report on the war with the Zulus. It had been a difficult war so far. The Zulus were not an advanced people; having only spearmen to wage war with. However, in battle they came in vast numbers. The superior musket-men could do little to defend themselves against the Zulu numbers.

The site of the city was appauling to Brutus. Many men worked without their full uniforms on. They sang cheerfully as they went about their business, and did not seem at all to be ready to defend themselves. Why, just a few miles away a huge battle was raging. Several knight regiments and legions were in a battle with several hundred thousand Zulus on the Zulu plains.

Brutus approached the local governer, General Cassius. "What is this, Cassius? Don't you know that we're at war?"

"Greetings, Brutus. What brings you to Leza?" Cassius replied.

"Quit the formalities. We've got a battle waging just over the mountains. Your men are wandering around as if they're getting ready for a night on the town."

"These men are tired, Brutus. We've been fighting for a year. They returned just last week from the battle of Jessum. Only half their numbers made it here alive. Besides, the Zulus don't care about Leza. It has no importance whatsoever."

"This is not your normal enemy, Cassius. The Zulus don't care much for strategy. Their objective is to kill us all."

"I know, but.." Just then, Cassius was interupted when a horseman came galloping into the city. It was the scout - Povian.

"General," the scout was out of breath. "General, they're coming."

"Who, Povian. Who's coming?" Cassius replied.

"Zulus. Thousands of them."

Cassius turned to his men and sounded the alarm. Brutus continued to question the scout. "How far away are they?"

"About ten miles. They're heading straight for us."

Brutus continued, "Are they coming from the battle on the plains?"

"No, sir. They didn't make the battle in time. Because of that, they are looking for a fight. Otherwise they will be shamed."

"What consists of their ranks? Any muskets?"

"No. They are almost all spearmen. Thousands and thousands of spearmen."

"Help the men prepare." Povian moved quickly to assist the rest of the soldiers in preparing for battle. Brutus gazed about the city for Cassius. Finding him a few yards away he asked him of his defense plans.

"As you can see, we have no walls here. The men are constructing some fencing now, backed by hay bales. I'll position some men atop the barracks, but most along the fence."

"How many men do you have?"

"I have one hundred-five men. Plus another twenty in sick-bay, still recovering from the battle of Jessum."

"What is the amunition situation?" Brutus asked.

"We're fortunate there, Brutus. A fresh supply arrived a while back. Plenty of powder and shot. We should have enough food to last a while as well."

The two generals sat and drew their defense plans in the sand. When they were done, Brutus asked one more question.

"Who's to be in command?"

"Well, I don't know. Povian knows the most about the Zulus fighting tendancies, but he is just a scout. I've been in Zululand for quite some time, although mostly in an administrative role. However I've been fighting for Rome for many years."

"As have I. Although, also like you I haven't yet fought the Zulus. Let me ask you this then, Cassius. When did you receive your generalship?"

"Ten years ago. March."

"I was ten years ago as well. January."

"I guess that settles it, then. I will answer to you Brutus."

"We'll both answer to Mars, Cassius. Lets pray that he is on our side today. We'll need his help." The two generals walked into the unfinished temple to pray to Mars; the god of war.
---------------------------------------------


Ptolemy Auretes eyes closed for the last time just past midnight. Five of his children were at his side - his sons Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, and daughters Arsinoe, Berenice, and Cleopatra. They walked away silently and retired to their respective chambers, thinking about the man that they called Father.

Ptolemy Auretes did much to keep his people at peace. Indeed, the Egyptians had known peace during their entire existance. Contact with the other great nations was limited, but since they had little to offer other than grain, there was no need for conflict. His greatest achievement occured just a few years ago. The city of Alexandria had just finished building the greatest library in all the world. Merchants from all over the world brought great texts for the library's shelves, and the benefit was almost immediate. Egypt went from a backward nation, little more than a tribe, to a wonderfully modern one in just a few short years.

Cleopatra slept well that night. She had spent the last few weeks by her father's side, sleeping little. Now that her father had passed on she could sleep peacefully. In the morning she would have work to do. Ptolemy had arranged everything. Her siblings didn't know that she was to be named Queen. Being the third oldest child, this was sure to enrage the other children. She was only eighteen, but was to take the throne over a twenty and twenty two year old.

But Ptolemy knew what he was doing. The older children were spoiled and pompous. They went to social functions rather than attend to their royal duties. Often these duties were passed on to their maidens. They thought that Ptolemy would not know this, but there was little that the Pharoah did not know.

Cleopatra was different. When Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV were very young, their mother died. Cleopatra did not need to be told that she would raise them. At the age of eleven, she herself was raising a four year old and a two year old. The older sisters lifestyles changed little.

Tomorrow would be judgement day for these siblings.

----------------------------------------------------

Octavian viewed the carnage outside the walls of Keparta. Thousands of Iroquois laid dead in the field. His heart went out to the families of these men. These were fathers and husbands who would not be coming home. Inside the walls, there was a strange quiet. Everyone eyed the captain, waiting for him to address them. The battle was over, and they had lost only a handful of musketmen.

There was no celebration, however. And there would be none. Octavian paced the walls, trying to come up with the words he would need to address the men. Finally, he looked all along the walls at the soldiers guarding them. He called for a messenger.

"Bring me all of the leutenants at once."

"Yes, Captain," and the messenger was off.

Octavian walked over to Hadrian. He look upon the man who would have led this battle. The arrow was still protruding from the General's eye. He had led his last battle before it had even begun. The arrow had struck just as he was giving his instructions to the captain.

Captain Octavian was left to lead the men in defending the city. They had done so well. The captain's logistical presence and tactical ability ruled the day for the Romans. It seemed that everywhere the Iroquois tried to penetrate the walls there were a hundred muskets firing on them. No battle in recent memory had gone so much in one sides favor. He had even bested Caesar's original capture of the city - although he wouldn't dare mention this in front of the dictator.

The leutenants arrived to be briefed by Octavian. "Men, we would all like to celebrate. However, there are two reasons why we won't. One, our general is dead. We don't dare celebrate in the presence of our great leader.

"Two, and more importantly, this is an Iroquois city. To celebrate here is to dishonor them. We cannot appear to delight in the killing of their brothers."

The leutenants nodded in comprehension.

"Now, have your men stow their gear. The third shift will take the watch."

The leutenants left the captain now and attended to their respective troops.

Another event troubled Octavian as he looked out at the field of death. Atop the hills outside the city he could have sworn he saw Aztec scouts. What were they doing there? He must report this to Caesar at once. He retired to his quarters and began the difficult task of reporting Hadrian's death, and of the Aztec scouts.

-------------------------------------------

Once again Trajan's ships pulled in to Caesarian Harbor. Now that the harbor itself was completed all of the ships could moor at once, which would certainly help trade. Trajan's flagship was the first to moor. Just as they pulled alongside the pier, a fierce wind came at them. They were blown into the pier slowly. Trajan heard a crashing sound as the pier broke to pieces.

"What was that?" he asked his QMOW, unable to believe that the soft tap of his ship broke the pier.

"It looks like the pier broke, Captain." replied the QMOW.

"But we didn't hit it that hard, did we?"

"No sir. We've struck many a pier worse than that. They've all been able to take it."

"I'll have to bring this up to General Antony."

Once the gangplank was hastily rigged to the broken pier, Trajan walked ashore. Looking around, he could see that all was not in order. Men walked about laughing and joking. Rarely was he saluted. Livestock littered the streets, along with trash and rats. Finally he found a captain.

"Captain, where is General Antony?" he asked.

"He's in his quarters, sir. We haven't seen him for days."

Trajan grunted, then walked off to Marcus' quarters. Upon opening the door to the building, two maidens looked up at him in alarm. They giggled as he entered. "Where is the General?" he demanded.

They stopped giggling and pointed to the bedroom.

"Get dressed and leave. Now."

The maidens wasted little time and were soon gone.

Trajan had difficulty opening the door as something seemed to be behind it. He finally nudged it open and found the cause. Behind the door were at least thirty empty wine bottles. On the bed he found more wine bottles, and the half dressed general.

"Marcus!" he shouted. Only a grumble was heard in response.

"Marcus!" he said again, even louder.

"Not now. Have the captain attend to it. Get out!" was the reply.

Trajan had heard enough. He stormed into the bedroom and pulled Antony up by the hair. "General! Stand up now!"

This got Marcus' attention. "Trajan" the weary general replied. A slight smile began to appear on his face.

Trajan quickly slapped the smile from his prodigy's face. Blood began to form at the corner of his lips.

"Get yourself together and meet me at the command post in a half hour."

Trajan threw Antony down to the bed and stormed off. This place was a disaster, he thought. Maybe this was a mistake, leaving such a young general in charge of such a remote holding. No, he should have been able to handle this. If it was simply incompetance that would be one thing. But apparently his vices got the best of him. He had seen Marcus talents with his own eyes. He could handle this. Perhaps he needed more supervision. Or maybe this was not the place for him to begin his career as a General.
------------------------------------------------

 

[Bill_in_PDX]

Outstanding story! Keep going please.

Bill

 

[zeeter]

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"I think that we should go after the Romans. With their added infrastructure, we can surely take on Hiawatha." Thomas Jefferson was pleading his case to Lincoln's advisory board.

"If we attack the Romans, the Iroquois are certain to come after us. That will weaken our defenses, fighting a two front war," was the reply from John Adams.

"What if they sided with us? Did anyone think of that?" Andrew Jackson was putting his two cents in.

This meeting was getting out of control, thought Abe Lincoln. He would bide his time, though. Let them argue for a while.
"Can we even afford an all-out war right now?" asked Laffayette. Everyone turned to Alexander Hamilton for the answer.

"If we cut back on a few programs, I think that it can be financed. It will mean scrapping the University project, though," the financial officer reported.

"We must have those universities," retorted Jefferson. "The Iroquois just discovered our secret of gunpowder. We have to say ahead of them."

"Well, do you want this war? Or not?" came the reply from Hamilton.

Lincoln still waited while the meeting turned to complete chaos. Finally he looked to his most trusted advisor.

"Men." A word spoken as softly as one would ever hear. Yet the entire boardroom fell silent. All heads turned to the elderly man who had spoken. "I have just left a meeting with the Iroquios embassador. We must use restraint."

The man hesitated. Lincoln waited the appropriate amount of time to let the silence take hold. Then he spoke: "Why, Ben?"

"Yes, we have more money than the Romans. Not much, but more. We have about the same level of technology. We have significantly more soldiers than they do."

Jefferson, a longtime adversary of Ben Franklin spoke up. "Why, old man, should we restrain ourselves? If we have a larger army and more money, we should be able to take them. Think of the benefits! With their land we will be just a stones throw from the Iroquois homeland."

"You answered the question yourself. The Iroquois want us to attack the Romans. In fact, I'm sure that they would even help us."

"Then its settled. We should draw up the plans now!" Andrew Jackson was in agreement with Jefferson.

The room exploded again in arguments. Lincoln waited again for the proper moment and looked to Franklin.

Ben Franlin was Lincoln's closest and most trusted advisor. When he took office after the death of George Washington, Lincoln could think of no better chief of staff than Washington's own chief. While sometimes they made fun of his age and customs, every man in this room respected Franklin, and his advise was almost alway adhered to. When it wasn't, the results proved the old man's case.

"Thomas, what will happen after we defeat the Romans on their homeland?" Franklin spoke.

"We will build our army for an invasion of Iroquoisland." Jefferson replied.

"And the Iroquois will wait there for that to happen? They will stay in Iroquoisland watching us mobilize against them and do nothing?"

Jefferson was seeing his point. Franklin continued. "Hiawatha would like nothing more than for us to attack these Romans. It will weaken our economy, and set us years back in the technology race. Meanwhile, they will build their military at a steady rate - remember, they won't have to replace units lost in battle - and wait for our war to end. We will be penniless by that time, fighting a military that has better weapons and is better supplied."

"How do you know all of this, Ben?" Lincoln asked.

"I could read it in the Iroquois diplomat's eyes. They are licking their chops at the prospect of our war with the Romans. I wouldn't be suprised if they aproached you with an offer. They'll put up a half hearted fight against the Romans, watching while we wear ourselves down."

"So what do we do?" asked Jackson.

Jackson waited for an answer, instead Franklin turned to Lincoln. "King Lincoln, I believe that we should side with the Romans."

Once again the room burst into arguments. Lincoln didn't feel like waiting this time. "Quiet everyone," he spoke over their talking. Everyone turned back to Lincoln. "Go on, Ben."

"We can't look at the Romans as a threat. Not with them so close to the Iroquois. They wouldn't dare attempt to fight a war here, so far from Italy. It would take too long to resupply and weaken their home defenses. We do have a common hatred of the Iroquois as well. If we side with the Romans, we can create trade pacts and exchange technological ideas. Imagine the benefit of both of our nations working together to defeat these people. Not on the battlefield, but in the schools. In the banks. In the churches. King Lincoln, if we accomplished this, we would feel secure for the first time in our history."

The room didn't erupt into chaos this time, but a low murmur took over as the king's advisors discussed Franklins plan. To a man, they agreed with the old timer.

Lincoln stood. "Gentlemen, I don't think that there is a question as to what we'll do. Andrew, I want you to open up diplomatic channels with the Romans. Build an embassy in Rome so that we can contact them as necessary. Thomas, watch the Roman troops. I agree with Ben, but we cannot be too careful."

 

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Quiet anticipation had overtaken Leza. The soldiers had built a makeshift fence which would help somewhat against the spearmen. Thank Mars, Brutus thought, that they had no muskets or catapults. This fence wouldn't stand a chance.

The men were looking around nervously at one-another as they listened to the growing sound of a chant beyond the hills surrounding the city. Povian was now returning from another recon sortie. He reported to Brutus and Cassius as the soldiers closed the fence back up after his enterance.

"They're just over the hill. It looks like three thousand of them. Mushwala's standard was present."

"Who is Mushwala," Cassius asked.

"He's one of their Generals. Competant, but not extraordinary," answered Povian.

"Tell me, you've seen these tribes fight. What are we up against?" asked Brutus.

"They'll send wave after wave of spearment at you. They'll wear your men down until they have nothing left. Eventually, they'll kill you all. By the way, these men are canibals."

The thought of Povian's last statement sent chills up Brutus' spine. "So we have a chance, then."

"What chance it that? A chance to be killed, I'd say," Povian laughed. The scout had been in Zululand for years, and could get away with forgetting his place a few times. "General, you fight this battle. You may even fight well. But by the end of the day, I expect to see your head atop the flagpole. That is, if I'm not already dead myself." Povian laughed as he walked away.

The chant was growing louder. The Zulus were singing as they approached the settlement. Brutus turned to Cassius. "We need to keep the men. Give them hope for survival. That is our only chance. At no time can we look like we're not confident. Even if you've given up on the inside, don't let that show. They can try to wear us down all they want, but we'll stand here with our pride."

"I understand Brutus. That is all that we can do. Maintain our pride," Cassius responded.

The Zulus were coming to the top of the hill. Their numbers were intimidating. They surrounded the city on three sides, with the river on the third. There would be no escape for the Romans. They must fight, Brutus thought.

At the top of the hill, the Zulus fell silent. While they were a half mile away, Brutus could make out a different headress on one of the spearmen. That must be Mushwala, he thought. The Zulu leader stood with his wooded shield raised high.

After a while of this silence, which Brutus guessed was so the soldiers could see the hopelessness of this battle, Mushwala banged his spear on his shield. A man standing near him began to chant loudly. The rest of the Zulus repeated this. A large section of them began to walk forward.

The men began to get ready to fire on them. Cassius ordered them to wait until he gave the signal.

The singing continued until the spearmen were at fifty yards. Then the silence took over again as Mushwala raised his shield high. They waited.

Brutus gave the signal to Cassius.

"First rank, Fire!" he commanded. About half of the soldiers on this side of the walls fired on the Zulus. Several of them fell, but the rest still stood. When the smoke cleared from their eyes, he shouted again. "Second rank, Fire!" he commanded. The rest of the soldiers on this side fired on the Zulus while the first group reloaded. Again, several Zulus fell, but still, the rest stood. Over and over again Cassius called for the men to fire, finally calling for them to fire-at-will. The Zulus fell in droves, but still did not move. The rest of them atop the hill stood and watched.

Brutus watched as the Zulus fell. Why weren't they fighting, he wondered. They're like sitting ducks. He turned to Povian. "What are they doing, he shouted."

Povian calmly looked at the General. "They're counting your guns, General," he replied.

Brutus looked again at Mushwala. He seemed to be watching the battle intently.

"The next wave will fight," Povian continued. "But for now, they want to find your weakness."

Mushwala beat his spear on the shield again. The singing started, and the spearmen in the field that remained standing ran back up the hill.

"Here they come now," Cassius said to Brutus as a large group of Zulus ran down the hill at them.

"Be ready, now!" Brutus yelled. "Show them what we've got, Boys!" he said to the men. A few shouts came up from his men. They seemed sincere. When the spearmen were close enough, Brutus gave the signal to Cassius.

"Fist Rank, Fire!" he shouted. They repeated the earlier process, but quickly went to the free-fire command as the Zulus came to the gate. Brutus called for several squads of soldiers from the oposite side of the wall to come to the assistance of the ones being attacked now.

The Zulus were falling at an alarming rate, Brutus thought. But that didn't seem to matter. When they got to the wall, several spears came flying into the camp. A few Roman soldiers were hit by these spears, but only one died. These spears, it seemed, were better suited to be thrust into the oponent than thrown. It was good that Cassius had the men place the bales of hay between them and the fence. They would now have to climb the fence to get at them.

The firing continued. A few more Romans fell, but nothing serious. Brutus had to step over the Zulu spears which began to litter the compound.

The Zulus who made it to the fence were impaled by the Bayonettes of the soldiers before they could attack.

Mushwala called again for his spearmen to return. They quickly ran back to the top of the hill.

Brutus looked over the carnage before him. He had lost one man, while the Zulus lost about fifty. They had won the first round. He didn't know how long they would last, but he heard the soldiers cheering after the departing spearmen. Their spirit was high. He and Cassius must keep it high if they were to have any chance.

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Hiawatha couldn't stand the fact that he had been beaten now three times by the Romans on the Unfinished Isle. How humiliating. His people were laughing at him now. He was forced to make peace after the last attack, as he'd sent so many troops there that his home defenses were becoming fragile.

He must do something to regain the respect of the citizens. "When should we expect reinforcements, Stepped in Bear Dung?"

"Soon, sir. Four regiments of musket men are in training now."

That won't be enough, Hiawatha thought. He was pacing about his chambers, trying to find an edge. "What of the Aztecs. Where are they weak?" If he couldn't get to the Romans right away, maybe the Aztecs would suffice.

"We can forget the colonies on the Unfinished Isle. If we were to take them, the Romans would just sweep down and take them from us. That would leave them with the entire Unfinished Isle. Their weakest city is probably on the Roman Northern Province."

Hiawatha looked at Stepped in Bear Dung. "Where was that?"

"On the Roman Northern Province."

"When did they gain a foothold there? Why didn't I hear of this?"

"Just last year, sir. They landed there and built two colonies. I don't even think that the Romans know about them. The Aztecs had a short war with the Americans, as well, taking the city of Albany from them - the only city that they had on the continent."

"Why did you keep this from me? I need to know these things as soon as possible."

"I..you were so involved in the battle of Keparta. I didn't want to disturb you."

Hiawathat was already past this. A plan was brewing. The Aztecs have three cities on the Northern Province, and the Romans don't even know it. This could work out. If the Romans somehow discovered these cities, they would certainly be threatened. The Aztecs no longer supplied them with horses, so the relations between the two countries has been strained of late. This may push the Romans over the breaking point.

First, though, he would have to build his own outpost on the continent. A base from which to attack. Caesar couldn't possibly defend his homeland, the Northern Province, and the Unfinished Isle. Especially against Montezuma's troops and the Iroquois. Hiawatha wouldn't start this war, but would finish it.

"Stepped in Bear Dung, go call a meeting for me with the Roman Consul."

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Lepidus entered Caesars chamber for instructions.

"Ah, Lepidus. There you are. How goes the war in Zululand?" the Dicator asked.

"Well, sir, its difficult to say. We are gaining ground, but at a great cost. We've defeated scores of Zulu regiments, but they are immediately replaced. Plus, anytime we capture a city theres nothing left to occupy."

"These Zulu troops. Spearmen?"

"Yes," replied Lepidus.

"I see. Thats one of the problems with facing the Zulus. Give the man a spear, and he's a spearman. Yet if we give a man a musket, he's not a musket-man. It takes time and money to train our soldiers. The Zulus simply give their citizens spears. They can afford heavy losses this way."

"Surely the cost will wear them down, though."

"Not necessarily, and stop calling me Shirly. These men do not think like we do. They fight for different reasons. For them to die in battle is a great honor. They feel that they are being chosen to die for their country. They'll keep coming until theres none of them left."

"I see, sir."

"This conquest is costing us a fortune. I don't know why we even started it. They have nothing that we want. The land is flat and un-noteworthy, making it difficult to defend should we take it. We can't afford to send the bulk of our army there just yet. If we did, I'm sure that things would be different, but why risk it for such a little gain." Caesar thought for a moment. "Lepidus, have the troops alerted to be withdrawn. I'll make peace with the Zulus rather than risk more of our troops."

"Yes, sir. Shall I send in the Iroquois Embassador now?"

"Let him stew for a while. I'm tired of talking about how much they want Keparta and Maize back." Caesar then changed the subject. "Is everything ready for the ceremony tonight?"

"Hadrian's memorial service is all prepared."

"And you sat Captain Octiavianus next to me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well done. that is all, Lepidus."

Caesar had made the right decision with Octavian. He had turned out to be a wise and considerate leader. Tonights memorial service for Hadrian would also be a time to honor the Captain with the Roman Star, the highest award given to a soldier. Only five had ever been handed out. Octavians defense of Keparta would forever be remembered as a great achievement in Rome's military history.

He wished that he didn't have to say goodbye to his friend Hadrian tonight, though. Hadrian was his first assistant. Together the two of them captured their territories on the Unfinished Isle and Caesar always was fond of the man.

This reminded Caesar of another problem. Who was to defend Keparta. Pompeii was watching over the city for now, but he was needed elsewhere. There were no generals to spare. This Octavian was a good leader, but wasn't quite ready for this type of command. He could have Brutus or Cassius hold the city.

This might not be such a good idea, though. Brutus was restless, and might not be suited for a defensive role. Cassius was an administrative General. Nothing more. He would have to leave Brutus there when he returned from Zululand. Octavianus could hold down the city until Brutus arrived.

This will relieve Pompeii of his duties on the Unfinished Isle, allowing him to take on his next task. The invasion of Egypt.

 

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More to come today: The continued battle of Luza; The memorial service for Hadrian; Trajan's confrontation with Marc Antony; the ascention of Cleopatra; Hiawatha's gamble.

 

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Berenice, her maid at her side, was the first of the siblings to gather in the royal chambers. She approached the pharoah's council demanding to know why an ascension ceremony had not yet been scheduled.

"What have you been doing these last few weeks?" she asked of them. "We've seen my father's death coming for a while. This should have already been planned. Where is my personal council?"

"They were asked to leave, Princess," came the reply from one of the councilmembers.

"By whom?"

"Cyprotemy," came the reply.

Berenice looked to the man who was Ptolemy's personal advisor and head of the council. He had served her father for decades, and, she decided, would not serve her.

Cyprotomy was looking over some scolls. Why was he not addressing me, Berenice thought. This is utter insubordination, and must be dealt with. If she were to allow the head councel to get away with this she would lose control of the rest of them.

"Cyprotemy. Do you have anything to say about this?"

Finally, the councelmember looked up at her. "Your highness, I -"

Just then, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV entered the royal chambers. Berenice was not happy with their presence. Whilst she was the rightful heir to the throne, the two brothers may complicate things. Some councelmembers may be more comfortable having a man in the throne. However, their ages would most likely prevent this.

"Brothers, I am addressing Council. Would you excuse us?" she said in a way that was more of a demand than a request.

Before they could leave, Cleopatra entered the room. Berenice watched the councilmembers stand and lower their heads in reverence. What was this all about, she thought.

"Good morning councilmembers, Berenice, Ptolemy XIII, Ptolemy XIV."

The two brothers nodded to their sister. Not unusual, Berenice thought. Cleopatra raised these kids so they probably held her in high regard.

"Whats going on here, Cleopatra," Berenice said, still unable to grasp what was so obvious to the brothers. Behind Cleopatra were three of the Pharoah's elite guards. Something was definately wrong here.

"I'll not bicker about this, Berenice. I am the new queen of Egypt," came the reply from her sister.

"Ha!" Berenice laughed. "You have no claim to the throne. Isn't that right, Cyprotemy?"

"Well, Princess, technically you are correct. Cleopatra is third in line to the throne. Your other sister, Arsinoe, has fled the palace."

"Why?" Asked Berenice.

"Because she was to be killed, sister," replied Cleopatra.

A sudded chill filled Berenice's heart. It all sank in, now. Cleopatra could only be queen if she and her sister were killed. Now, it seemed that that was going to happen.

Berenice was indignant. "On who's doctrine is this?" she demanded.

"The Pharoah Ptolemy Auretes," Cyprotomy replied.

"He would most certainly not have his own daughters killed." Berenice was unbelieving.

"He has," was Cleopatra's reply.

Berenice watched as one of the elite guards approached her an drew his sword. The last thing that she saw was the look in Cleopatras eyes. There was nothing there. No sadness nor happiness. It was as if her life meant nothing to Cleopatra. Then she was dead.

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Dawn in Zululand is like a new beginning. Once must wait for the fog to burn from the hills before anything is visible. But for the Romans at Leza dawn could not have come soon enough.

Countless times they had turned back the Zulu charge. Of their original numbers, only ninety-five remained. The wounded dared not leave their posts. To do so would certainly mean their deaths, while to stay might mean their deaths. They were all weary, but felt that the Zulus must be too.

Finally, Brutus was able to see the tops of the hills. The Zulus were not there yet, but soon would be, he was sure. He could hear them singing for the other side of the hills. The men, some of them had been able to nap since the last assault, nearly a half hour ago, were getting ready again to defend the city.

The Zulus began again to line the tops of the hills. Their numbers didn't seem to dwindle much since yesterday, Brutus thought. They must have killed a thousand of them since the battle started.

The Zulus stopped singing. Now the assault would begin again.

Instead, though, Mushwala began a different chant, which was echoed by his spearmen. During this singing, the Zulu numbers doubled.

"It can't be," Brutus whispered. "How many of them can there be?"

"We can't do this, General!" came a shout from one of his men. "Theres too many! What more is there that we can do? We've done all we can!" The man was almost in tears.

Brutus looked at the soldier. "You can fight. All of you." He looked about the line of defenders. "You have nothing left but to fight. You cannot go to sleep. Cannot eat. Cannot leave this place. But you can fight. And you will fight, because you are Romans."

The men looked at their general, trying to believe him. Trying to gather some encouragement from is words. There wasn't much to grasp onto. Then Brutus heard a strange singing. This was not coming from the Zulus, but from his own men. He looked at the singer. It was Cassius.

Cassius had begun singing the Roman national anthem. He was singing louder now. Brutus listened as several of the men joined in the singing. It was getting louder now, and the haunting stares he had just seen turned to focused anticipation. After a while, Brutus found himself singing as well. He walked over to Cassius.

"This was what the men needed, Cassius."

"Yes Brutus. They needed some pride. They'll fight. We'll all die together here in this place. But we fight for Rome and Caesar," replied Cassius.

"Hail Caesar, Cassius," said Brutus as the Zulus began to charge the city again. "Hail Caesar."

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I have a bit more to add, however the story is sort of dragging. If anyone is truly reading this and waiting for more, let me know and I'll continue. If not I'll start another one. A lot of the recent stuff has been set up for future additions.

 

[Padma]

Aargh! Don't leave me hanging! :aargh3:

But seriously, better to leave me hanging than to continue to grind out words if your heart isn't in them.

 

[zeeter]

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Marcus had worked hard to regain favor again in Trajan's eyes. The city was cleaned, buildings were repaired, and a new land mass, discovered with the help of the Roman's new Caravels, was settled in two areas. Whats more, his scouts noticed a new Iroquois settlement on the new landmass. They would have to be watched.

Trajan was watching Marcus, and he knew it. Allowing the Northern Province to fall under dis-repair was a big mistake. Since Trajan's return they were both changed men. Marcus gave up the drinking, setting his sites on correcting the problems here. Trajan was busy working on a secret project for Caesar. Even Marcus was not aware of what this was. All he knew was that at the end of the day he saw the light on in Trajan's quarters, and in the morning that light was still on. He was working himself to death to complete this project.

When Trajan arrived he was flanked by several ships carrying supplies of marble and granite.

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Another night had passed, and no relief seemed in sight. The Zulus continued to rush the settlement of Luza, and the Romans repeatedly pushed them back. Nobody had given up, but Brutus knew that it was only a matter of time. How much longer could they hold out here? They were down to eighty men, going up against thousands of Zulus - and it seemed that their numbers continued to grow.

The men's spirits were dwindling, but they did not give up, as Brutus and Cassius would not let them give up. The occasional song and the liberal offerings of wine lifted the moral when it seemed needed.

The physician, working in a makeshift practice within the temple patched the men up as best as he could, gave them some wine for the pain, and sent them back out.

Last night, the Zulus broke through the fencing and reached the settlement's buildings - most notably the barracks. They were pushed back in a valiant battle against some of the wounded men resting withing the barracks.

It seemed that everyone was wounded. Brutus himself was nursing a stab wound in his thigh. He did not let that bother him, and even made sure the men saw it, hoping that it would inspire them to fight through their wounds.

Brutus approached Cassius in the morning of the third day of battle.

"Cassius, how was roll-call?"

"We lost fifteen men yesterday, Brutus."

"And we'll lose twenty today, I'm sure," replied Brutus. "Its a damn shame. They are fighting the battle of their lives, but won't live to tell about it." Brutus continued, "How much longer, do you think?"

"I'd say another few minutes and they'll charge."

"Cassius, I want you to take twenty men. Form three ranks. We'll let them in this time. Maybe we can set up a trap within the settlement."

"Perhaps."

Cassius rushed off to begin his task. Brutus looked to the tops of the hills where the Zulus were chanting and forming their morning line. There were still too many of them.

Brutus gave instructions to the leutenants on how his trap would work. When he was done, the Leutenants rushed off.

The Zulus charged a few moments later. Cassius looked at the direction of the charge and concentrated forces on that area. A few less than usual as he had twenty of the best soldiers in the rear. The men at the fence killed the first rank of charging Zulus, then backed off.

The Zulus continued at the fence and broke through. The original straglers were picked off by musket-men from the flanks. When the full force of the charge entered the city, Cassius gave the command.

"First rank, Fire!"

The first row of soldiers fired on the charging Zulus. They then stood and moved to the rear rank. The second rank, now the first, knelt down as the third rank reloaded.

"First rank, Fire!"

Again, the entire first row fired on the Zulus. More of them fell as they repeated this process over and over. Cassius and Brutus stood on either side and fired their hand-held muskets at the Zulus. The remaining soldiers continued to fire on straglers when they entered the city away from the main group.

Eventually, the Zulu assault was pushed back. The men quickly rebuilt the wall where it was breached.

Brutus turned to Cassius, "Fine work, Cassius. You allowed us to live a while longer."

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Caesar had learned much of Octavius during Hadrian's memorial service. He was an only child, orphaned at an early age. Raised by the temple, Octavian joined the Roman Army at age fifteen. He rose through the ranks, and gained his commission as an officer during the first war with the Iroquois. He was promoted to Captain under Milus's command during the second Iroquois war on the Unfinished Isle.

Perhaps losing his parents at such an early age gave Octavian his compassion. While he performed his duties above and beyond what was expected, he did so with an understanding of both his men and of the army. Something was missing in him though, Caesar thought. A certain happiness that existed in men was not there.

Caesar saw in Octavian the qualities of leadership, without the evils of political gain. It seemed that this lack of political ambition grew from his unhappiness. Caesar felt sorry for the man, and decided that he would personally observe his progress over the years. He had too much potential to ignore.

Meanwhile, Caesar's other thoughts were of the Aztecs. They were watching him in the Unfinished Isle, and the Iroquois had just given him a map of the Northern Province where three Aztec cities were growing.

Caesar's first thoughts on this were to conquer these cities. But then he thought of an important factor. Why were the Iroquois telling him of this?

He could easily take over the Aztec cities in the Northern Province. His lead in naval forces could transport troops there at a moments notice. Not only that, but he had just recently begun a defensive upgrade of all his cities. The musket-men were being replaced by riflemen. These riflemen were far better shots and could defend a city more easily.

But if he were to spend time defending the Northern Province with his army, that would leave the Unfinished Isle isolated from reinforcements. Perhaps Trajans work in Caesaria would solve this problem.

In the meantime, it was time for Caesar to once again lead an army, something he had left to his generals for quite some time.