Antony watched as Cleopatra drank the sour mixture. Twelve of the finest pearls in the world were crumbled, then poured into vinegar. Cleopatra had won the bet. She had spent one million in gold in one night. It started with a wonderful banquet, followed by dancers and jesters. All in all, it was a fun, albiet expensive evening.
Cleopatra was becoming more and more of an influence in Antony's life. He was drinking too much, and making poor decision. This party in Alexandria was just another example. He should have stayed in Caesaria. He should tend to his cities and allow Cleopatra to tend to hers.
The Queen had other ideas, though. Marriage was not far off in her mind. As the two grew closer they shared more. Had Antony been aware of the espionage taking place in America he would have stayed in the Northern Province. No, who was he kidding? He would have followed Cleopatra.
She was changing dramatically. With Caesar, she was compassionate. She cared for her people. She would not have wasted a million in gold on her own entertainment for the sake of a bet.
Yet Egypt was never richer. The value of the occupied lands in Zululand was immense. If only the Zulus themselves had known of the treasures there.
Some said that Cleopatra was using Antony to regain entry into Rome's inner circle. He knew otherwise, though. There was genuine effection between the two. Someday they would rule together, but on his terms. Not hers, as some suspected.
If anything, Antony was using Cleopatra. His armies in the Northern Provinces were strong, but they would not stand up against the combined armies of Octavian and Lepidus. Nor could they last long if the Americans were to attack. Cleopatra had unwittingly signed a right of passage agreement with Antony. She felt that Egypt should have a presence near America. Now those armies could be used to fend off Octavian.
His lands were safe now. Antony had seen to that at the expense of Cleopatra.
----------------------------------------
The seas were red with blood. Thousands of men had been slaughtered on the beaches. Someone had made a terrible intelligence mistake. Someone had followed industrial age warfare rules when their enemy had followed modern warfare guidelines.
With a lack of air cover, the Aztec army was eliminated in a matter of hours. Hannibal, while not exactly happy, was pleased that his defenses had been so successful. On the other hand, his country's reputation as a backwards, innocent, and peaceful civilization was no more. People around the world would have to take note of this. They would have to respect the military power of Carthage.
They seemed to have risen overnight. From a far off island with little more than sailing galleys, they now had fighters, battleships, and infantry. Their armor divisions were just now coming online.
Hannibal's turned to his brother, Hasdrubal. "It won't be long now. The demands of Rome will change."
"Now that we can protect ourselves," said Hasdrubal, "the world will change."
Hasdrubal was young, thought Hannibal. He was passionate, but not wise to the ways of the world. "We bested the Aztecs today. That is all. If these were Americans the situation may have been different."
"We must find a way to defeat the Americans. You swore vengeance on them to our father."
Hannibal thought back to the Franco-American war. So long ago his father fought alongside the greatest of the French generals. De Gaul and Napoleon honored the man as a great warrior. Yet he was only a warrior. The Carthaginians had declared their loyalty to the French. They had no contact with the Americans, however, so could not fight directly beside the French. Hannibal's father brought him to France when he was a boy. He watched his father fight. He sat beside his father while he died and swore that the Americans would pay for this.
"We'll find a way, Hasdrubal," Hannibal said as he continued to look over the sea of blood. "We must."
----------------------------------------------
"We may want to think about it before giving Hannibal an ultimatum," said Lepidus, holding up the newspaper.
Octavian sat drinking his morning coffee. He held up his own paper as an indication that he had already seen the news.
"What is he up to?" continued Lepidus.
"Moreover, where did he get his materials and how did he gain all of this technology?" said Octavian.
"I hate to say it, but we need to talk to Silvio," said Lepidus.
"Ah, what timing," came Silvio's voice from the doorway. He had an uncanny knack for timing, thought Octavian.
"How did you get in here!?" asked Lepidus.
"Through the back door," Silvio answered.
"You broke in?" asked Octavian.
"Well, it was open. You shouldn't do that, because you got a lot of nice things here." replied Silvio.
"Why are you here?" asked Lepidus.
"Because you need answers."
Octavian grew tired of the movie references. "Silvio, tell me what you know before I have my guards place you in lockup tonight."
"The same guards who couldn't keep me out?" asked Silvio.
"Silvio!" shouted Octavian.
"Alright, alright. You want to know how Carthage went from the stone age to the modern age overnight. It was the Americans."
Octavian looked to Lepidus. "What do the Americans have to gain from this?" he asked.
"Spices and Dyes," interrupted Silvio.
Now it was clear, thought Octavian. "Our spices, and our dyes," he said.
"Precisely," said Silvio. "The Americans are a Democracy. The people need imports far more than our people. They are addicted to luxury items. Without them, they must lower taxes. When they lower taxes they cannot pay their scientists enough. When their technology falls behind they feel threatened."
"Why didn't they just trade with us?" asked Lepidus. "We can offer them whatever the Americans have.
"The Americans offer information," answered Octavian. "We only offer protection."
"Which, apparently, they do not need," Silvio said, holding up the day's headlines.
------------------------------------------
Cleopatra was becoming more and more of an influence in Antony's life. He was drinking too much, and making poor decision. This party in Alexandria was just another example. He should have stayed in Caesaria. He should tend to his cities and allow Cleopatra to tend to hers.
The Queen had other ideas, though. Marriage was not far off in her mind. As the two grew closer they shared more. Had Antony been aware of the espionage taking place in America he would have stayed in the Northern Province. No, who was he kidding? He would have followed Cleopatra.
She was changing dramatically. With Caesar, she was compassionate. She cared for her people. She would not have wasted a million in gold on her own entertainment for the sake of a bet.
Yet Egypt was never richer. The value of the occupied lands in Zululand was immense. If only the Zulus themselves had known of the treasures there.
Some said that Cleopatra was using Antony to regain entry into Rome's inner circle. He knew otherwise, though. There was genuine effection between the two. Someday they would rule together, but on his terms. Not hers, as some suspected.
If anything, Antony was using Cleopatra. His armies in the Northern Provinces were strong, but they would not stand up against the combined armies of Octavian and Lepidus. Nor could they last long if the Americans were to attack. Cleopatra had unwittingly signed a right of passage agreement with Antony. She felt that Egypt should have a presence near America. Now those armies could be used to fend off Octavian.
His lands were safe now. Antony had seen to that at the expense of Cleopatra.
----------------------------------------
The seas were red with blood. Thousands of men had been slaughtered on the beaches. Someone had made a terrible intelligence mistake. Someone had followed industrial age warfare rules when their enemy had followed modern warfare guidelines.
With a lack of air cover, the Aztec army was eliminated in a matter of hours. Hannibal, while not exactly happy, was pleased that his defenses had been so successful. On the other hand, his country's reputation as a backwards, innocent, and peaceful civilization was no more. People around the world would have to take note of this. They would have to respect the military power of Carthage.
They seemed to have risen overnight. From a far off island with little more than sailing galleys, they now had fighters, battleships, and infantry. Their armor divisions were just now coming online.
Hannibal's turned to his brother, Hasdrubal. "It won't be long now. The demands of Rome will change."
"Now that we can protect ourselves," said Hasdrubal, "the world will change."
Hasdrubal was young, thought Hannibal. He was passionate, but not wise to the ways of the world. "We bested the Aztecs today. That is all. If these were Americans the situation may have been different."
"We must find a way to defeat the Americans. You swore vengeance on them to our father."
Hannibal thought back to the Franco-American war. So long ago his father fought alongside the greatest of the French generals. De Gaul and Napoleon honored the man as a great warrior. Yet he was only a warrior. The Carthaginians had declared their loyalty to the French. They had no contact with the Americans, however, so could not fight directly beside the French. Hannibal's father brought him to France when he was a boy. He watched his father fight. He sat beside his father while he died and swore that the Americans would pay for this.
"We'll find a way, Hasdrubal," Hannibal said as he continued to look over the sea of blood. "We must."
----------------------------------------------
"We may want to think about it before giving Hannibal an ultimatum," said Lepidus, holding up the newspaper.
Octavian sat drinking his morning coffee. He held up his own paper as an indication that he had already seen the news.
"What is he up to?" continued Lepidus.
"Moreover, where did he get his materials and how did he gain all of this technology?" said Octavian.
"I hate to say it, but we need to talk to Silvio," said Lepidus.
"Ah, what timing," came Silvio's voice from the doorway. He had an uncanny knack for timing, thought Octavian.
"How did you get in here!?" asked Lepidus.
"Through the back door," Silvio answered.
"You broke in?" asked Octavian.
"Well, it was open. You shouldn't do that, because you got a lot of nice things here." replied Silvio.
"Why are you here?" asked Lepidus.
"Because you need answers."
Octavian grew tired of the movie references. "Silvio, tell me what you know before I have my guards place you in lockup tonight."
"The same guards who couldn't keep me out?" asked Silvio.
"Silvio!" shouted Octavian.
"Alright, alright. You want to know how Carthage went from the stone age to the modern age overnight. It was the Americans."
Octavian looked to Lepidus. "What do the Americans have to gain from this?" he asked.
"Spices and Dyes," interrupted Silvio.
Now it was clear, thought Octavian. "Our spices, and our dyes," he said.
"Precisely," said Silvio. "The Americans are a Democracy. The people need imports far more than our people. They are addicted to luxury items. Without them, they must lower taxes. When they lower taxes they cannot pay their scientists enough. When their technology falls behind they feel threatened."
"Why didn't they just trade with us?" asked Lepidus. "We can offer them whatever the Americans have.
"The Americans offer information," answered Octavian. "We only offer protection."
"Which, apparently, they do not need," Silvio said, holding up the day's headlines.
------------------------------------------
