Hail Caesar

[zeeter]

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

"Its official, sir," said Maximus. "Hiawatha, Montezuma, and Lincoln have all issued declarations of war." Maximus was a sub-general in Caesar's personal army. Due to his duties in Rome, Caesar was forced to delegate much of the day to day activities of the army to a subordinate. Maximus had proven himself numerous times in battle and had earned the right to lead this army in the absence of the Emporer.

Caesar was not suprised by some of this news. Hiawatha and Montezuma were always declaring war on someone. But the Americans were different. He had never trusted them, however he could always predict their actions. He knew that much of this had to do with Albany. Lincoln cherished that city. Caesar could not, however, turn this city back over to the Americans. Albany was in a prime location to become a staging point for war on the Northern Province.

"Well, they certainly timed this right. My army is here in Alexandria, and Antony's army is enroute."

Caesar thought for a few moments. "Octavian, what is our situation in the Northern Province without Antony's army?"

"Not good, Sir. Each city is protected by two rifleman regiments. There are two Cavalry regiments within the entire province, along with four cannon. The small island to the west, the West Isle, is a little bit better defended, having eight Rifleman and six cavalry along with four cannon. Remants of the battle for Elk River.

Caesar was pacing now. More or less thinking out loud. "Cassius and Brutus are guarding the Unfinished Isle against the Aztecs. Italy is well protected - Marcus Aurelius' armies guard the homeland, with help from his son, Commodus who defends west Italy. The Northern Province is the problem. I don't dare re-enforce it with armies from the Unfinished Isle or Italy."

"Sir, may I make a suggestion?"

Caesar was startled. "Yes, Octavian?" He looked at Octavian like a man who was just caught talking to himself.

"We're too far away to do any good. You can send Antony back. He is only a week away from Caesaria. This will give us time to act here in Egypt."

"We're done here, Octavian," Caesar replied. "We need to get back to Italy to help with the defense."

"Yes, General. But not before we plant a seed here."

Caesar was intrigued. "Go on, Octavian."

"Well, its no secret that there is no love lost between Cleopatra and Arsinoe."

"I think I see where he's going with this Julius," interjected Maximus.

Octavian shot Maximus a wry smile. "Yes. The two brothers are irrelevant. But who can we count on here?"

"Arsinoe fears us, but will not show it. That fact alone reveals a weakness. Cleopatra asks us for help. Even going as far as to stow-away in a rug shipment."

"I think that the answer is clear, General," replied Maximus.

Caesar understood the plan now. "Yes, we need to place Cleopatra in the throne here. With the Egyptian Armies on our side, we can attack the Iroquois homeland while Egypt attacks the Aztecs from the West. We'll send Antony logistical support against the Americans, I think that we still hold a technological advantage there.

Octavian nodded to confirm that the Emporer understood him. "Fine work Octavian. You've come a long way. Now go get me Cleopatra. We need to arrange this.

Maximus patted him on the back as he went below. "Nice job, Captain," he said. Octavian smiled proudly.

Caesar and Maximus spoke when Octavian was gone. "He's a good man, Julius."

"Yes he is Decimus. I hope to make him a general some day. This plan of his is but another step in that process."

"Indeed. He'll go a long way," Maximus observed.

"On to you now, Maximus Decimus Meridius."

Maximus was not prepared to talk of himself. "What is it, General?"

"I need you to take command of the West Isle."

"Under general Antony, I presume?"

"No, Maximus. You are to be a full General, with your own army. You've earned it."

"Thank you, General. I will not let you down."

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

Geronimo sat on his horse outside the gates of Sunset View. An emissary had been sent to the city demanding its surrender. The surrender was expected, as the Romans had not yet had time to defend the city properly. They were most likely making arangements to withdrawl the defenders, lest surrender troops to the Iroquios.

He could accept this, thought Geronimo. It was much better to allow them to leave now than attack the city and rist losing all of the infrastructure within.
Sunset view held a commanding position as the nearest city accross the channel to Italy. It would make a good staging area when the Iroquois took the fight to the Italian countryside.

Geronimo remembered the many battles he had fought against the Romans in the past. Keparta, Elk River, Maize. He had left the field in shame after each one. Having to tell Geronimo that he had failed numerous time was getting the general into trouble. He was certainly not held in high regard in <Iroquois Capital>. Hopefully this war would place him back in Hiawatha's favor.

The emissary returned. "General, the Romans have declined to surrender."

Geronimo looked at the emissary in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me, Farts Many Times. What are they defending themselves with?"

"It looks to me like only two regiments of Riflemen. They can't hope to win," replied Farts Many Times, as he looked over the eight regiments of Cavalray that waited to attack.

What are they up to, thought Geronimo. He had learned not to trust the Romans to do the expected. In Keparta, they attacked with Legions while he defended with Spearmen. In Elk River, they attacked with Ironclads while he was invading with Galleons. Could there be something new?

"Farts Many Times, come with me to the command tent."

The two men began walking to the green tent used to coordinate Iroquois activities.

"Have you heard anything of the Northern Provinces yet?" the General asked. "Have the Americans attacked there yet?"

"Not yet, General. They should be fighting any day now.

"But what of their troops? The Romans may decide to reinforce the North at the expense of the Unfinished Isle.

"They may, indeed, Sir. But I think that would be a mistake. The Unfinished Isle it too close to Italy."

"Yes, Farts Many Times. But the Northern Provinces have a much better infrastructure. It would be a huge blow, economically to lose those territories. No, I expect that the Romans will defend Italy and the North with troops from the Unfinished Isle."

"You are probably right, General. What are you going to do here?"

"We'll attack. At first light tomorrow. Then we will take the battle to Italy. We will take Rome while the emporer drinks wine in Egypt."

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

"He sits in Egypt while we fight to the death here. I just don't understand Caesar sometimes." Brutus was a bit hot under the collar today.

"Yes, Brutus. But in the meantime we need to defend ourselves here. Lets stay focused."

Brutus sat down. "I know, Cassius," he sighed. "I just get frustrated."

"I am too. However we have work to do."

"Alright. Where exactly have the Aztecs landed?" asked Brutus.

Cassius could see that Brutus was not focusing entirely on the defense plans for the Unfinished Isle. The two men looked down at the map. "Here," Cassius pointed to a location just south of Maize. Eight Cavalry regiments and four cannons. Two more ships wait just offshore."

"Do we have any ironclads nearby that can intercept them?"

"Well, theres one nearby, but I think it would be best to bombard the Aztec troops first."

"Hmm," Brutus thought for a moment. Cassius was happy to see that the General had at least temporarily dropped the matter of Caesar. "You may be right, Cassius. So it looks like our options are to let them take Maize, then wait to meet them here in the south," Brutus pointed to an intersection on the map where troops from Maize would most likely encounter troops coming from Keparta. "Or we march on Maize and attempt to take the city back after its capture."

"Or," Cassius interjected, "We wait for them here in Keparta."

"We can't wait for them here." Brutus answered. "Oh, maybe in the past we could have, but we now control the six cities in the south. What are we going to do? Let them take five of the cities while waiting for them here?"

Cassius knew that Brutus was right. The longer they waited for the Aztecs, the more powerful they would become. "I see your point, Decimus. So the question is 'what are the advantages to meeting them in the field versus counterattacking in Maize?'"

"Well, in the field we will meet on equal terms. Attacking the city will be difficult and provide them with an advantage. On the other hand, if we wait for them in the field they will have time to regroup."

"Is there any chance that Maize will not fall?" Cassius asked.

Brutus just looked at Cassius. That was all of the answer he needed.

Brutus continued. "We cannot expect any reinforcements from Italy, in fact I wouldn't be suprised if they reinforced Italy with our troops. Once again, Cassius, we are on our own."

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

"Briana, have you news from the Romans?" Arsinoe asked. Briana had been the liasion between the Romans and Arsinoe's court. She had big news for the queen.

"Yes, your magesty." Briana said proudly. "Caesar would like to express his wishes that the Egyptians join the war."

"Ha!" Arsinoe answered, startling Briana. "Of course he does. He is in a war now that he cannot win without us. You know, Briana, I don't much care for this 'Caesar'" she said the name Caesar with such contentment that Briana almost sprung the even bigger news prematurely.

"His people come here and demand a city. My sister gives it to them, and our own people reject them. What does he hope to gain here? Now he goes to war with three other countries and wants our help. Well, where was he when our people were poor?"

Briana had to hold her tounge at this. Her people were poor, indeed. They had few libraries, cathedrals, and universities. However, while the people had little, the coffers of the government had grown tremendously. Certainly some of that gold could have gone toward building some infrastructure.

"Well, your magesty, I have news that the war is not going well for the Romans. They have lost territory in the Northern Province, and just recently lost two cities on the Unfinished Isle. Sunset view is waiting at this very moment to be overrun."

"Hmm. He's getting whats coming to him. Whats to keep them from disolving as the French did years ago."

"Your death, your magesty," Briana said calmly.

"He doesn't - ...what?" a startled Arsinoe finally realized what Briana had said. This was almost too funny for the spy.

"I said, you death, your magesty."

"What are you talking about. I cannot die. I am the Sun and the Moon. I am the water and the land." Arsinoe was trying to regain her composure.

"You will be buried in that land, your body feeding the worms," Briana said as she plunged a dagger into Arsinoe's heart.

 

[zeeter]

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

"White smoke. There it is," Octavian said to Caesar and Cleopatra as he watched the smoke rise from the stack atop the palace of Alexandria.

"The task is completed, Queen Cleopatra. You will now rule."

"And Ptolemy...? Cleopatra asked.

"He'll swear his loyalty, or die," answered Caesar.

"Part of me doesn't want him to swear loyalty. Where was he when Arsinoe took control?"

"He was by her side," answered Caesar.

"His younger brother is not as smart as he, although Ptolemy XIV is more compasionate." Cleopatra continued.

"And you are wise for agreeing to our country's relationship," Caesar said. "I will take you personally through the streets of Alexandria so that the people may be reintroduced to their queen."

"I have learned much from the Great Library of Alexandria about your culture, Caesar. There are programs that I would like to institute based on these examples. Your city infrastructures are great lessons to be learned. Egypt has always prospered based on a few great achievements, but never anything that could stand the test of time. We have all the money in the world, but our people are uneducated, and our army suffers. Your country's great achievements are less, however I can't help but wonder if that is for the better. Instead of building these great monuments you built pratical structures. And roads. Some of our cities still are not connected by road, while all of your cities are connected by rail."

"Yes, Cleopatra. It takes a great deal of time to build this infrastructure. And it takes dedication to maintain it. These are the expectations of my generals - to maintain these cities."

"Indeed. I have much that I can learn from you. Where do we start?"

"Let me see," Caesar looked about the deck of his ship. "Ah. Michaelangelo. There you are." He turned back to Cleopatra. "Queen, this is one of our most celebrated scientists. Michaelangelo will now teach you the secret of Flight."

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

Geronimo watched for a moment as his riflemen began to march forward. They held the Iroquois flag proudly and moved in perfect unison - making left and right obliques accross the field as they approached.

"Let us ride!" Geronimo shouted to his men. His cavalry was pumped up and ready to fight. The bugler sounded the charge. They were to attack from the north, while the riflemen attacked from the east. Cannons had been firing on Sunset View for several hours.

"This is a great day for the Iroquois, General!" his assistant, Farts many Times said. "Hiawatha will be proud."

"Indeed. As he should have all along. I cannot wait until I can tell him of our victory here today." Geronimo almost could not contain his excitement. Finaly they were to be victorious in battle. Even the weather was on their side. A storm was coming from the other side of the city, but the battle would be over by then. Still, he could hear the thunder becoming louder as they approached.

"What is that?" Farts many times asked, as he pointed to the sky.

Geronimo looked to the sky. "Birds, I guess," he said, almost annoyed. Why was this guy looking up at the birds when they were attacking a city?

"No, sir! Thats not birds!" his assistant shouted as the "birds" began to come toward them. Indeed they were not, Geronimo thought. They were too big, and were getting bigger all the time. And that wasn't thunder he was hearing. The noise was coming from these things.

They swept lower. "Get Down!" Geronimo shouted as the guns of the "birds" began to report.

Geronimo watched as several score of him men were killed within a few seconds. Throughout the day his men lay trapped in the middle of the field, not daring to get up to be a target for these Birds.

Geronimo's great victory was not to be, at least not on this day or against this enemy. By nightfall his forces were reduced to shreads and they were finaly able to slip away under the cover of darkness. They were airplanes, he was later told. A new secret weapon of the Romans.

 

[zeeter]

"Admiral Nimitz. Would you mind telling me exactly why we cannot land a single transport in the Northern Province?" This must be Lincoln, the spy thought. He wished he had planted a camera in the room, but that was too intrusive. He was nervous enough with the bug.

Nimitz voice came through the tinny speaker. "They are simply disapearing, Mr. President. I've heard that the Romans were working on a secret ship that runs under the ocean, but thats not supposed to be ready yet."

"We're wasting time here," this must be F.D.R. He spoke a bit more distinguishedly than the others. "We should have taken these provinces weeks ago. What was the tally last month?"

"Twelve transports sunk." Nimitz again. The spy thought that he sounded nervous. He should.

"And how many troops, Admiral?" the French accent gave Laffayette away.

"Thirty, General." Nimitz was sounding more and more dejected.

"How are they finding them? I thought I told you to plot the transports courses personally. Here in Washington." This was Eisenhower. He sounded even more livid than Lincoln. This was too much fun for the spy. The men in that room were mere puppets to him. He had strung them along for quite a while.

"And I did, Mr Eisenhower. I sent them by way of the north, south, zig-zagged from the east, and I even sent one around the world. It was like they knew where we were.

Yep. Sure did, thought the spy.

"Could they have heard us?" That was Roosevelt again, followed by a bit of mumbling. A low rumble came through the speaker for a moment that the spy couldn't make out.

"No. We sweep this room weekly. Only the most highly cleared people are allowed in here." This was most definately J. Edgar Hoover, thought the spy. A good intelligence officer, but not good enough to catch him. As far as Hoover knew, there were no spies in America. Little did the man know that on the same day that the room was swept, the spy removed the bug, and replaced it later. It was easy. He knew when the sweep was planned, and had arranged for one meeting in the morning before the sweep, and one in the afternoon.

Hoover continued. "Maybe they've broken our radio code?" Now theres an idea, thought the spy. It was wrong, but an idea. This was too much fun.

Nimitz replied, "No, we don't even send it over the radio. It is hand couriered to the transport captains."

"Then what is it. We're missing something." Lincoln again. He sounded like he was deep in thought. "Lets go over it again, Nimitz."

"Yes, Mr. President. I draw up the course, sending destroyers out to search for these undersea boats. They never find any. The transports are under strict orders as to when and where to zig-zag accross the sea."

"I see." Must be Roosevelt. "Continue."

"Yes. I confirm the course with General Bradley, then give the paperwork to Ben who delivers it to the ship captains."

There was a moment of silence on the speakers, followed by a loud laugh. "Oh, not me, Gentlemen. I never see these courses." That was Ben Franklin. Everyone got a chuckle out of this. Franklin couldn't be the courier. He could barely walk and had to be carried into the oval office to meet with Lincoln.

"No, not Ben." Nimitz again. "Benedict Ar-" Silence again from the speaker. Uh oh, thought the spy.

Suddenly the room erupted in shouts. Roosevelt finally calmed things. "Has anyone seen General Arnold?"

Eisenhower replied: "I saw him the other day for our weekly briefing."

"Was there anything unusual about him?" Lincoln asked, trying to regain control of the room from FDR.

Silence again from the speaker. Eisenhower must be thinking. "He did seem very interested in our defenses at Albany."

"He is a General, why would that be unusual?" must be Roosevelt.

"Well, he's a supply general. He mostly does administrative tasks. I just thought that he wanted to pitch in." Eisenhower replied.

"Damn. We can't trust anything we've done now." Said Hoover. Thats right, thought the spy. I've known everything you've done since the Americans first landed near Albany.

Eisenhower spoke harshly. "Admiral Nimitz. You are to draw up a new course, and courier it yourself to the transports. And you are to sail over the seas with the plans in your hands to ensure that nobody sees them. Is that understood?"

Nimitz mumbled something that the spy couldn't quite make out.

"And I want Arnold!" Roosevelt.

"I'll get him for you," Hoover's voice came through the speaker, but Benedict Arnold had already left his listening post. Time to move to Italy, he thought.

 

[spiky82]

YAY! You are BACK!!

 

[alpha one]

Write, write, WRITE FOR GOD'S SAKE!

This is the best story I'v ever read at the forum. So pleas continou with story!

 

[Raiden]

Great!

 

[zeeter]

Caesar looked at the others in the meeting hall. For the first time, he laid eyes on Hiawatha, Lincoln, and Shaka. Cleopatra sat next to him, and Montezuma, whom Caesar had met years ago sat on the other side of the table.

This would be the first time all of the leaders of the world would sit in the same room.

Hiawatha sat looking as he did in the pictures of him that Caesar had seen. There was a defiant look about him that betrayed the truth. The Iroquois Empire was crumbling. Hiawatha was either too proud, or too dumb to recognize this. His people still worshipped him, which kept his confidence up, but once again he had lost a war in embarrassing fashion.

Montezuma was irrelevant. Throughout his life the Aztec leader followed the winning horse. They picked up a few scraps of spoils from the battles that other countries had won.

Shaka was here only as a figurehead. His presence was of little consequense and it somewhat suprised Caesar that Cleopatra had invited him. There had been a worldwide embargo on the Zulus due to their forced slavery. Countless times they had built structures such as temples and harbors at the expense of their people. Thousands died building these structures and the world condemned them.

Lincoln sat sternly, but not quite confidently, next to Hiawatha. He had lost the war, and his cabinet was losing faith in him.

After a few moments, Caesar noticed that Lincoln was staring right at him. The two locked their eyes on each other, not willing to look away. Caesar noted to himself that Lincoln hated him. There was something about the Northern Provinces that Lincoln resented him for. It was more than Albany. It was probably that the Northern Provinces were the last unclaimed territory in the world and the only place left for American expansion.

The two continued to stare at each other, and Caesar noticed that the room had become silent. Everyone was looking at the two adversaries. Finally, Cleopatra interupted the silence. That was quite diplomatic of her, Caesar thought. She had stopped this stare-down without either side losing face.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," she started off. "I'd like to thank you all for coming here to Alexandria today. I'd also like to thank everyone for the truce that we now enjoy. Hopefully this meeting will result in a permanant peace."

"That's easy for you to say, Cleopatra," Hiawatha said. "Your people haven't even begun to fight yet. You have not lost any of your warriors in battle. You have nothing to avenge."

Caesar had to interject at this, "Avenge what? You started this war. You can't complain about losing a war that you've started."

"I haven't lost this war yet, Caesar!" Hiawatha stood quickly. Octavian, who was standing behind Caesar reached for his side-arm to protect his leader as Hiawatha stood.

"Enough!" shouted Cleopatra. "We're not children here. Our purpose is that nobody's warriors should die anymore." Hiawatha stood for a moment, then finally sat.

"What is your peace plan, Cleopatra?" asked Montezuma. The Aztecs had probably taken the most losses during the war. Despite an early victory in Maize, Montezuma's troops stalled on the Unfinished Isle. Then, instead of reorganizing, they began a campaign of scattered attacks. Occasionally they took a city, but that city was easily taken back by Brutus' army. Eventually the Aztecs were forced off of the Isle and Brutus took Maize back for the Romans.

Cleopatra began her plan: "First, this truce must become a permanant peace."

"On what terms?" Lincoln asked succinctly.

"Lets begin that phase now. All troops foreign to the land that they are now in will be returned home. Furthermore, all ships in the territorial waters of another nation - other than those who have treaties specifically granting them permission to be there, will move to international waters immediately."

"This is standard boilerplate." Hiawatha interupted. "Here are my terms. I want all of my cities back."

Caesar looked at the Iroquois king. "You may have all of your cities back."

"And I want you off of my continent."

"I will be happy to remove my troops from your lands, however I have a city on you continent which I must protect." Caesar knew this would anger Hiawatha.

"There is no way that I will allow you too keep Sunset View."

"That option is not up to you, Hiawatha. That is up to the people of Sunset View, themselves."

"The people of Sunset View are Iroquois." Hiawatha was becoming even more angry. Caesar was loving this.

"By ethnicity, that is true. But the minute they decided to join the Roman Empire - completely on their own, I may add - they became Romans."

Hiawatha began to speak again but was wisely interupted by Cleopatra. "Hiawatha, the people of Sunset View have chosen to separate themselves from the Iroquois Nation. What do you think will happen if the city is once again placed under your control?"

"They will be Iroquois again!" Hiawatha shouted.

"Yes, but for how long? How long will it be before they decide to become Roman again?"

Hiawatha was silent. He could not respond to this because there was no response. What he wanted to say was that he will place troops there to put down any type of uprising. However, with Lincoln next to him he could not do that. The democratic people of America would not stand by while an ally oppressed his people. Shaka was a good example of this.

Caesar was about to speak when he was handed a memo from Octavian. He read it and looked at Octavian in disbelief. "Is this true?" he mouthed silently. Octavian nodded.

Cleopatra was distracted the the exchange and looked at Caesar. "What is it?" she whispered.

Caesar thought for a moment. "Nothing. A domestic matter," he lied.

"Let us get back on track. What is to happen to Albany?" asked Lincoln.

"Albany is to remain a Roman city," Cleopatra stated. Your battles with the Romans did not result in any land transfers, therefore there is little to settle.

"So let me ensure that I understand your proposal, Cleopatra," Montezuma interjected. "For peace, all troops must return to their own borders, and all ships must leave the territorial waters of their enemies.

"Furthermore, all of the cities that the Romans took from the Iroquois will be returned with the exception of Sunset View. Do I understand you correctly?"

"Yes, Montezuma. Do you all need a moment to discuss this?" Cleopatra asked.

"I w-" Lincoln started to speak but was interupted by Hiawatha.

"I agree to your terms," he said humbly.

"I, too, agree," said Montezuma.

Caesar looked to Lincoln. He, in turn was looking at Hiawatha in disbelief. Finally, the American President agreed.

"For the sake of lives and peace, I will agree to this plan," the American President said.

The world war was over.

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

Caesar and Cleopatra were discussing the meeting in her chambers late that night.

"So, what was that message? It certainly wasn't a domestic matter?" Cleopatra asked.

Caesar thought for a moment. If he was going to keep Cleopatra as an ally, he would have to let her know these things.

Finally, he gave in. "It seems that our friend, Mr. Lincoln, has been up to no good."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"I had always wondered where the Americans received their coal. I assumed it came from the Iroquois or the Aztecs, but neither of them had enough to trade."

"Go on," Cleopatra said.

"He's been trading with Shaka."

Cleopatra was stunned. It took her a moment before she was able to speak. "How can he do that? He knows what Shaka has done."

"Yes, he knows." Caesar could see that Cleopatra was upset by this. No doubt, the queen was remembering her own people under her father. Oppression had existed in Egypt for many years before she came to power.

"Why didn't you bring this up during the meeting?"

"This is a card I will not play for a while. You must think of the consequences."

"The consequences are that everyone will turn on the Americans. Isn't that what you want?"

Caesar looked at the Queen. "Why Cleopatra. I thought I'd taught you better than that. Do you think that the world will be a better place when the American lands are in the hands of the Iroquois and Aztecs?"

"No. I see your point. What will you do, then?"

"There are a three things to consider here. One: Is it diplomatically appropriate of me to leak this information to the American Senate. Two: Is there anyone better that could replace Lincoln. Three: How do we keep the other civilizations from attacking them."

"So what are the answers?" Cleopatra asked.

"I don't know yet," was Caesar's answer.

 

[Azale]

Great story!Keep up the good work .Can't wait for the next update.

 

[zeeter]

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

New York City was a pit of hell, Antony thought. The train station was not a site to behold. The stench of the bathrooms could be smelled all the way to this deep, distant corner of the station.

He felt a tugging at his pant leg. "A quarter sir? A quarter for a cup of coffee?"

Antony looked at the derelect and tossed him a quarter in disgust. The man certainly wan't going to buy coffee with it. Why couldn't these guys just get here so that Antony could return to Caesaria? He looked at his watch. 2:57. Almost time. He watched a rat drag what must have been a hot dog down even deeper into the train station.

NYC was proud of its train station. It was the main hub of all travel in America. Down here, though, was where the dregs of society roamed. Those who wouldn't, or couldn't adapt to the lifestyle that most Americans enjoyed.

He heard a moaning in the distance. Someone calling for something. Then he heard another voice telling the first to "shut the hell up, Victor!"

Antony heard footsteps coming closer. Finally. Another ten minutes in this dump would be too much for him. Two men came around the corner. They stopped upon seeing Antony. No doubt, the sight startled them.

Antony was dressed in all black. He wore a hat and the brim caused enough shadow over his face so as to hide him from being recognized.

When they got to within fifteen feet Antony spoke.

"Thats close enough. Why are there two of you?"

"Mr Green?" a voice asked.

Antony replied. "Yes. Are you Woodward?"

"I am. I brought an associate - Carl Bernstein with me."

"I told you to come alone!" Antony replied sharply.

"Carl is working the piece with me."

"Yes, Mr Green. I hope you don't mind me coming, but Bob and I are chasing some rumors that I hoped you might be able to confirm."

Antony thought for a moment. He looked down for at a derelect sitting against the wall. After a moment he spoke. "Is this the ideal of Democracy in action?" The two men looked to the derelect, then back to Antony, but said nothing. "Very well. What do you want to know?"

Woodward started: "Mr Green. Is the President or anyone in his administration involved deals with the Zulus?"

Antony stood silently. After a while, Woodward continued. "I'll ask more directly. Is the President involved with Arms deals to Zululand?"

More silence. "Mr Green. You called me. You know what angle I'm working on for the paper. Don't you want to tell me what you know?"

"You need to ask the right questions," Antony replied.

Bernstein took a crack at it. "Mr Green. Did the Zulu army receive a shipment of American made, outdated muskets in July of last year?"

"Yes."

Woodward: "How do you know?"

"The same way that you can find out."

Bernstein: "We checked the manifests for every ship that left America last year. Not one of them was headed for Zululand."

"A candle can burn at both ends. If theres no fire on one end, look for it on the other."

Woodward and Bernstein mumbled to each other. Something about checking the manifests for ships incoming to Zululand.

Bernstein: "If we find something, can it be directly linked to anyone in the President's administration?"

"No."

Woodward: "Can it be linked to a member of the Senate? Of Congress?"

"No."

Woodward looked at Bernstein. "It's what we thought. The lobbyists. We have to look at them."

"You're on the right track, boys, but its a little bit deeper than that."

Bernstein looked at Antony. "The Whig party? Is that it?"

"Deeper."

Woodward looked at Bernstein. "Deeper than the Whigs? Who?" The two thought for a few moments.

"wait...wait...what was the name of the President's campaign fund organization?" Bernstein asked.

"The....organization to..." Woodward was interupted.

"Yes the org..no..the Committee to Re-elect the President. Thats it," Bernstein said triumphantly.

"Is that who we should - " Woodward started to ask Antony, but when he looked up, the man was gone.

"Where did he go?" Bernstein asked. The two men turned in circles looking for Antony. He was gone.

"I don't know. Lets get out of here. We know what to look for now." Woodward said.

The two men discussed the meeting as they ascended the station.

"We got two things from that. One, look at the receiving manifest in Zululand. They probably don't need to hide the shipment like they do here," Woodward said.

"And two," Bernstein continued, "we've got to somehow track that shipment back to the Committee to Re-elect the President."

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

Hiawatha was reluctant to give the speach to his people. It was basically a lie, but it had to be done to keep the union. He sat in front of a microphone waiting for the signal from the radio technician.

The war had not gone well, but he had a chance here to save face. He needed a great victory very badly. There was but one place where he could get it.

"Sir, you're on....now."

"My Iroquios people. I speak to you now at a time of conflict. The end of one conflict has been caused by the beginning of another. The world has stopped fighting amongst itself, seeing the futility of war. We have demanded, and the Romans gave us, all of the territory that was lost to them during the war. No doubt they saw with their own eyes the resolve with which our nation came together against them. It was a losing battle for them, and they knew it.

"Citizens, the war was ended due to a tragic event in Ulundi, Zululand. Thousands of Zulu citizens were subjected to the horrors of slavery, most of them dying. It seems that the government in place there had begun the production of a University, but it could not be finished in time.

"For decades, the Zulus had halted this practice of working their people to death, but it seems that that is what happened here.

"This senseless slaughter must stop. As the world has done throughout time, they look to the Iroquois people to lead them in this campaign. We have sent a directive to Shaka that we will not stand for this anymore. Our transports are enroute now. We will go to war with the Zulus."

"Thank you citizens. Good night."

"And.....clear." The technician said.

Hiawatha looked at Stepped in Bear Dung. "Think they bought it?"

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

 

[alpha one]

Are you dead ore somthing like that?
I NEED TO READ THE END OF THE STORY!!!!!
PLEASE write it soon.

 

[zeeter]

Ok, ok. Don't get your undies all in a bundle. I'll try to get something this week.

 

[zeeter]

Caesar stood on the balcony from his chambers in the Forbidden Palace of Caesaria. It was a fabulous morning. The sun was just rising over the cliffs on the other side of the protective cove while waves gently swept the shore below.

It was good to get away, he thought. The troubles of Rome seemed so far away from this remote location. His nation was at peace, for once. However, there was trouble throughout the world. America was a boiling pot waiting to overflow as President Lincoln waded through the waters of scandal. In Zululand, the Iroquois were making incredible progress. Somehow they had taken over half the country in less time than it had taken Caesar to take only four cities during the Zulu-Roman war. His spies were trying to find out the cause of this rapid takeover.

Caesar was joined on the balcony by Cleopatra. "You're up early today, Julius. Did you have trouble sleeping?"

"No trouble, I just enjoy the sunrises here." Caesar said as he pulled a chair for the Egyptian queen.

Cleopatra chose to stand next to Caesar on the balcony. "It is beautiful, isn't it?"

Another benefit to vacationing in Caesaria rather than Italy proper was the attitude of the people here. Italy was a proper, traditional land. The Northern Province was more tolerant. Since there was such a mixture of of nationalities here - American, Iroquois, Roman, and Aztec, the people tended to be a bit more liberal. The distance from Italy further helped this matter.

Vacationing with Cleopatra in Italy, while not quite a scandal, would certainly turn the heads of the traditionalists.

They were interupted by a knock at the door. Octavian had arrived bearing some morning coffee. "Good morning Emporer, Queen," he said.

"Good morning Octavian," Caesar replied taking a cup of coffee. "What do you have for me today?"

"Big news in America. Lt Col. Oliver North goes before the Senate Investigative Committee today to answer charges about his involvement in the Zulu arms deal."

"What is his involvement?" asked Cleopatra.

"He basically ran the whole thing," replied Octavian. "He arranged the stockpile, chartered the transports, erased the manifests, and arranged the incoming shipments of Coal."

Caesar interupted. "Thats one part of this that I can't understand. Where did the commerce secretary think that the coal was coming from?"

"Mexico," replied Octavian. Both Caesar and Cleopatra's jaws dropped. Octavian allowed for a moment for this to sink in. "The weapons were transported directly to Zululand. Meanwhile, the coal was transported to Tenochilan, where it was laudered into the gems and silks trade agreement."

"So Montezuma was involved as well?" Cleopatra asked.

"Yes. He was instrumental in the trade. That's expected to be Lincoln's defense. He's expected to swear that as far as he believed, the Coal came from the Aztecs as a part of the pre-existing trade."

Caesar interjected. "It sounds like that's North's dilemma. Does he stand behind the president and put the weight on his shoulders, or does he break the silence and speak of the President's involvement?"

"Yes sir, thats what the American papers are speculating on. Nobody knows for sure."

"I see. And what of the Iroquois - Zulu war, Octavian?"

"Well, the news from Zululand is troubling. The Iroquois are taking cities at an alarming rate. Depending on the population, they are either leaving a garrison in the city or simply razing the city all together."

"The premise of the Iroquois invasion was to stop the slaughter of civilians," said Cleopatra. "In effect, the slaughter continues, but is being performed by the Hiawatha instead of Shaka."

"Indeed. The humanitarian issues that caused the war were secondary to Hiawatha's need for victory. His people now back him with undying loyalty," Replied Octavian.

Caesar could tell that Octavian was holding back. "Is there anything else?"

"Well, sir, I don't have all of the details yet, but the Iroquois seem to have found a use for the oil that we've discovered..."

"Continue, Octavian," Caesar prompted.

"They call them "Tanks". Octavian said. "They are armored vehicles that run on fuel oil. Each one has a cannon in front which can be moved from side to side and up and down to adjust for range and bearing. The armor protects them against everything but a direct cannon blast."

"What of artillery. Can it penetrate the armor any better?" asked Cleopatra.

"Yes, Ma'am. But only moderately so. It seems that the only weakness of these behemoths is that they cannot travel over mountainous terrain."

"Hmm. This is a terrible predicament. We should meet in the staff room below in an hour. I believe that we need to prevent something sinister from happening."

Cleopatra and Octavian looked at Caesar with great concern. Caesar was worried, and as much as he tried to hide it, he knew that the Queen and his personal assistant could see it.

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

Jefferson couldn't believe his ears. He was running at a full sprint to the White House, trying to phrase what he needed to tell Lincoln. Finally arriving at the gate, he was stopped by security.

"Let me through you imbecile!" he shouted. The security guard, realizing who it was, allowed Lincoln's chief of staff through the gate.

Jefferson hurried to the oval office. It looked to him as if Lincoln was wrapping up for the day.

"What is it, Thomas?" Lincoln asked.

Jefferson tried to catch his breath. "It's....It's North. He told the Senate everything."

Lincoln's return gaze was one of horror. "What exactly did he say?"

"He stated that his orders came from the Chief of Staff directly."

"Did he mention my name?" Lincoln asked.

"No, but the implication is there. I've been called before the committee tomorrow."

"And what will you say, Tom?" came a voice from the corner of the room.

Jefferson, in his haste to brief the president had neglected to see Aaron Burr to the side of the room. Taken aback slightly, he answered "I...I don't know."

"Certainly you won't bring down this administration, right Tom? You know what would happen to the country if that were to happen." Continued the director.

"You...You don't want me to be the scapegoat for this, do you? I can't take the heat for this by myself."

Lincoln answered: "Tom, we've put in a lot of years together here. We've done some great things. We cannot throw that all away. I will not allow it."

"But Mr. President. I have a wife and children. I can't be the scapegoat and leave them with this legacy."

Lincoln turned to Burr and nodded. Jefferson watched as Burr pulled a side-arm from his belt.

"What are you going to do with that?" Jefferson asked.

"You will write a suicide note now, Tom. Explaining how you cannot live with the burden of this scandal and exonerating the President," Burr directed.

"I'll do no such thing!" Jefferson replied.

"Yes, you will," said Burr. "Unless you want the fate that is to become of you to become of your family."

Jefferson looked at Burr in horror. "You wouldn't dare. My family has done nothing to you or this administration."

"Its the only way, Tom. You have a choice of Prison or "assisted" suicide." Lincoln replied, glancing at Burr's weapon.

Jefferson eyes turned hard on the President. He had worked for years with this man, and now he was sending him up the river. It was a solemn moment.

Jefferson sighed. "I love it."

Burr and Lincoln looked at each other curiously. "What?" asked Burr.

After clearing his throat, Jefferson repeated more clearly, "I love it."

Again, Lincoln and Burr looked at each other.

"I don't kn..." Lincoln started, but was interrupted by a crash at the door. Suddenly ten FBI agents entered, followed by J. Edgar Hoover.

Jefferson walked over to the agents. Un-tucking his shirt, he revealed a recorder beneath it.

Lincoln slumped in his chair solemnly. Burr was not as passive. When prompted for the gun he carried, he hesitated, then turned the gun on himself and fired a bullet through his head.
------------------------------------

 

[zeeter]

Caesar sipped his coffee as he waiting in the staff room. On the table was a map of Zululand. Marc Antony had assembled a makeshift warmap identifying the Zulu cities as in Iroquois hands, razed by the Iroquois, or still in Zulu hands.

Cleopatra entered the room followed by Octavian. "Thank you both for coming, and you Antony for fabricating this map on such short notice.

"I'll begin. Michaelangelo has been working on this tank concept since he finished creating the airplane. The Iroquois beat us to it - most likely because of our lack of Oil. We could only bring in enough for brief testing and could not really put the machine through its paces."

"So we have tanks, then?" asked Octavian.

"No, we have a prototype of a tank which is, as of yet, untested. Here is our dilemna. We have no oil. Egypt has none, nor do the Americans. As far as we can tell from exploration, the only nations with oil are the Iroquois, Aztecs, and Zulus.

"While the Zulus don't know what to do with the oil, and the Aztecs probably don't yet, the Iroquois have plenty. The tricky part is that the Zulu's have enough deposits for themselves, the Americans, and us - including the Egyptians."

"Are you suggesting that we go to war with the Zulus?" asked Antony.

Cleopatra answered for him. "That would be difficult. It would take too long, first to get to Zululand, then to build the infrastructure necessary to transport the oil back to Italy and Egypt.

"Absolutely correct, your highness," Caesar said - smiling at the queen. She was learning quickly, he thought.

"Not to mention the difficulty in holding these cities so far from Italy," continued Octavian.

Caesar nodded. Both of his prodigies were making valid points.

"So, it seems to me that we must trade with the Zulus somehow," said Antony.

"But look what happened to America. They're amid a huge scandal because of that," said Cleopatra.

"Yes, you're both right," said Caesar. "Thats why we need to handle this delicately. First, we must raise support for the Zulu people in both Italy and Egypt. We must specify the Zulu People," Caesar was emphasizing the word "people" when he spoke. "We need to separate the people from the Zulu administration. And frankly, that is not a stretch. The people are being slaughtered there. However, we needn't kid ourselves. If we didn't need oil, we wouldn't get involved."

Octavian pointed to the map. "These moutains here. They may be able to stop those tanks from taking these eastern cities. The roads will need to be demolished, but it may delay them just long enough."

Antony agreed. "We can move a carrier in there to bomb the hell out of those roads. That way they'll have to move the tanks by sea to the eastern shores, or attack using regular infantry over the mountain."

"I can have my infantry fighting in those moutains within two weeks," said Cleopatra. Egypt is much closer to that position."

"You'll need to hold these beaches as well, Cleopatra. In case they move the tanks over the water," answered Caesar.

"Understood," replied Cleopatra. Caesar marveled at how well the three of them were coming together on this.

"We should send some destroyers out there immediately to help support the Queens troops, and to protect our carriers against any lucky steamship strikes," Octavian stated.

"The Iroquois have destroyers as well," answered Antony. "Have we finished the battleships yet?"

"Should be done in a week," replied Octavian. "I'll see to it that they are sent to the Eastern shores.

Caesar stood. "I'll speak with the Zululand embassador. We'll begin negotiations for an oil purchase."

"You won't give him too much, will you?" Cleopatra asked.

"Well, I've been thinking of that. It may not hurt to give them enough to defend themselves. They're still fighting with musket men. Perhaps we can trade them some better rifles."

"And what of the Americans?" asked Octavian.

Cleopatra answered: "I think we should wait to see what happens with this scandal first. We don't want to involve a country that could turn against us. Who is likely to take over if Lincoln is ousted?" She turned to Octavian.

"I would guess either Thomas Jefferson or Franklin Roosevelt."

"Well, we'll have to see what happens with North today. I presume that we haven't heard anything yet?" Asked Caesar.

"Not yet, but I expect word from my courier any time now," answered Octavian.

"Fill me in immediately."

"I will, Sir."

"Ok, lets move."

 

[EQandcivfanatic]

nice

 

[alpha one]

Go Caesar, Go Caesar!
You should write a book!
Can't wait for the next update.

 

[zeeter]

Visions of Hiawatha filled his head. Those and Caesar. Hiawatha was nothing if not direct and decisive in his dealings. Caesar was more subtle, leaving his options open. Although decisive when it counted, there was always a motive behind his actions. A motive that was not always clear. Meanwhile, Hiawatha's motives were always very clear, if not often ruthless.

Roosevelt was brought back from his daydreams by his wife,Eleanor.

"I've made the invitations to the Inaugural Ball, dear. They're right here beside the fire."

"Thank you, Eleanor," FDR replied as he turned to thumb through the box.

He hesitated on two of them; Hiawatha's and Montezuma's. Since these were in here, it was plainly obvious that one to Caesar would not accompany them. This was a decision that had plagued him for some time.

Hiawatha and Montezuma had been allies with the Americans in the last war. Protocal demanded that they be invited to his inauguration, and that Caesar should not be.

Where does the world stand now, he thought. The Iroquois went into Zululand with good intentions. At least that was what the world was led to believe. The slaughter of five hundred thousand Zulu civilians later and FDR thought of Hiawatha in a new light. Or a new darkness as the case may be.

FDR thought about that number: 500,000. So many lives lost and for what? Worldwide respect, his advisors told him. Hiawatha went quickly from a laughingstock to a leader to be feared. No, his advisors were wrong. The world did not respect this man, they were afraid of him. This was a man who was what he pretended to be.

His thoughts turned again to Caesar. Once a noble General, the man was loved by his people. He had made a very strong alliance with the Egyptians - one that rivaled that of the Iroquois and Aztecs. His motives were unclear, though. There was little to gain from an alliance with Egypt. He understood, though, these allies defense of eastern Zululand. There was oil at stake. If Rome didn't get it, the Iroquois surely would. Being the only countries in the world with Oil would completely unbalance the world in favor of the Iroquois alliance. They would control all of the world's tanks and heavy shipping. It would only be a matter of time until Hiawatha's sights were pointed toward Washington. Sure, the Romans would go first. Hiawatha might even take out the Egyptians before the Americans. But that would only buy them time....

It suddenly struck FDR that his thoughts continued to turn toward worries over Iroquois agression. A decision had to be made. One that the Senate would most likely disagree with. The Presidency, as a philosophy, had suffered greatly with the demise of Lincoln. Indeed, the turnout for his election over Jefferson was the lowest voter turnout in history. Despite his lopsided victory over the scandal scarred former chief of staff, the position he was to take in government now would be one of a mere figurehead.

FDR needed to get the people on his side, as they once were toward George Washington. This was the first step.

"Eleanor, would you come here please?" he asked. As he did so, he turned toward the fire. FDR looked one more time at the invitations to Hiawatha and Montezuma before tossing them in among the flames.

 

[Nick014]

More! More! I just spent a few hours reading the whole thing, it's great!

 

[zeeter]

Caesar looked among his generals with grave concern. Dissention was rank among them.

"Good morning, men. Thank you for coming to this special general session," he said to them.

"Caesar, does the Senate know that we're meeting like this?" Brutus asked.

"Yes, I don't remember them authorizing this war," agreed Cassius.

Caesar turned to Brutus. "No, they have not authorized this. Yet. But they will." Caesar hadn't thought of the senate in some time. The body hadn't been of any significance since he had taken power. Frankly, Caesar was suprised that Brutus brought them up. It reminded him once again that he needed to watch his generals' loyalty.

"Besides," he continued. "We're not at war presently."

"That's a technicality and you know it," replied Lepidus. "In fact, this whold mutual protection pact was only a farce to get into a war with Hiawatha."

Brutus agreed. "This talk of oil. Ha! Those tanks that the Iroquois have may be good at taking out Zulu musketmen - but let them see how they can do against my infantry! Oil means nothing, Caesar. Whats the real reason for this? Is it for Cleopatra? I notice she's not here. What could separate you two for so long?"

Caesar began to fill with rage. "Leave her out of this, you fool." He stood, and was only kept from rushing Brutus by Octavian and Antony.

Marcus Aurelius calmed things. "We have a strong relationship with the Egyptians. I think that we need to look at that as an asset," the elderly general said.

"But how long until this relationship turns the alliance sour!" replied his son, Commodus. He looked at Octavian. "And what is this...boy...doing at this meeting?" he demanded.

Octavian shot him a glance. Caesar answered for him. "This "boy" is a year older than you were when appointed general."

Brutus was stunned. "Do you mean to tell me that this fool is a general? I should have killed him in Keparta," he said in disgust.

"Enough!" Caesar said. "Enough of this. I'll not have it. We're here to discuss the impending war with the Iroquois and subsequently the Aztecs."

Cassius chimed in. "Don't forget about the Americans. Can't leave them out."

"No, but we may not have to worry about them. It turns out that I have been invited to the Inaugural Ball by Roosevelt."

The room sat there, stunned. All but Octavian who knew of this already. Finally Lepidus broke the silence. "You, Caesar? Why would he invite you? It must be a trap."

"I don't think so. Neither Hiawatha nor Montezuma have been invited," replied Octavian.

"Then he's looking to align with us? Is that it?" asked Antony.

"I believe that may be his motive. We will certainly welcome them if I sense sincerity," replied Caesar.

"Again I must ask about the senate's authorization," said Brutus.

Caesar once again turned to Brutus in anger. "I don't care one bit what the senate has to say. Let them worry about domestic matters such as building roads and olive farms. I'll worry about protecting the Roman people from the rest of the world."

"That is not your place, Councelor!" replied Brutus. "According to the Republic, all dealings with foreign nations must go through the Senate. You know this!"

"Why are you so concerned, all of the sudden, with the Senate, Decimus?" Upon asking this question, Caesar noticed Brutus's glance at Cassius, then to Lepidus.

"Well? Are you going to answer me, General?" Caesar demanded.

Finally Lepidus sounded off. "Caesar. Cassius, Brutus, and I have joined the Senate. We have decided to work to make a better Rome."

"Bah! The senate is powerless," retorted Antony.

"Not anymore. Rome has fought your wars for decades, Caesar. No longer." Replied Cassius.

Caesar sighed. This meeting was not going well. He knew that Brutus was behind this.

"Do you men know what will happen when the Iroquois land twenty tank divisions on our shores? Have you seen them in action?" asked Marcus Aurelius. He waited for an answer, but everyone knew that it was a hypothetical question. "I have seen them. It is a terrible sight. Our artillery will fire at them, but they will miss a moving target. Our cavalry will fire at them, but what is a rifle to do against armor. Our infantry will dig trenches and fortify themselves. The tanks will destroy their enforcements, then run over them. In other words, we will be powerless to defend ourselves.

"Its easy to say that "Roman Honor" will prevail, but you remember your battle with the Zulus, don't you Brutus? Cassius? Thousands of spearmen were thrust at you, but your superior firepower prevailed. Perhaps it will take a bit longer for the Iroquois superior firepower to win here in Italy, but they will win.

"We need this oil, gentlemen. Without it there is no senate, nor Councelor, nor Rome or Italy itself."

Silence filled the room. Leave it to the old man to put some sense into these men's heads, thought Caesar.

Brutus spoke first. "I agree, Caesar. Defending Zululand should be our top priority." Cassius and Lepidus nodded their agreement.

Caesar thought for a moment. Aurelius certainly had returned the meeting to order, but for how long? He now had three generals against him. Worse yet - these generals were now a part of the senate. In the past, Caesar's armies had kept the senate in line. Now the Senate had their own armies. Lepidus' army was the least of the worries. Cassius' army was a bit stronger. Brutus' army, however, could certainly challenge Caesar's.

This was a time for diplomacy, Caesar thought. "I'm glad you agree, Decimus. This will be a difficult time. Until we have enough tanks to put up a fight we will lose many men."

Caesar turned toward the rest of his generals. "I want General.." he looked back at Brutus,"...that is, Senator Brutus to take command of the first tank army upon its completion."

The rest of the generals, all thankful that the conflict which seemed inevitable moments before, congratulated Brutus. Caesar wondered if he was doing the right thing. Those armies in the hands of a General like Brutus could be dangerous.

 

[zeeter]

General Tut was deeply alarmed. His deputies in the eastern mountains had informed him of a grave event. At first it was good news. The Zulus had recaptured the city of Asa. His mood changed within seconds, however, when the deputies told him what happened next.

The Zulus had captured the city at great cost to their army. Since they would have great difficulty holding the city against the counterattack that was sure to come, the Zulus razed the city. Six hundred thousand Zulus immediately became refugees. Some traveled to the mountains and were seeking refuge from the Egyptians who were holding out a defense there. Others made their way west; toward the Iroquois. Either way they were doomed. Two hundred thousand Zulus had died from this battle. Already the Iroquois had enslaved two hundred thousand of them.

How could Shaka order this, Tut thought. They had the defense of the the Egyptians at their disposal, yet chose to leave their people to certain death. Cleopatra will not be pleased. This would have certain ramifications toward the alliance that had been sworn recently.

In one regard this was lucky. Since the alliance formed, the Iroquois had stopped all advances into Zulu territory, preventing an all out war. No doubt Hiawatha was taking time to organize his troops to fight on several fronts. If this had happend during the all out war nothing could have been done.

Tut had already begun the process of setting up refugee camps for the Zulus that came his way. This will be a humanitarian disaster, he thought. Immediate calls for food were made to the eastern Zulu cities, however none would be forthcoming. The Zulus were inexplicably leaving these people for dead.

Tut rationed what he could spare and called on Cleopatra for supplies in order to deal with this.

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

It was a frigid morning in Seattle. Caesar was already jumpy. It was 11 o'clock and he'd already had seven cups of coffee. When he arrived the night before, he'd wondered to himself why there were so many restrooms in this city. Now he knew. All he wanted was a glass of juice, but everywhere he went they offered him coffee. Ice coffee, cappuccino, swiss mocha, orange mocha frappuccino. It was just too much caffiene.

His short meeting with FDR last night would be continued shortly. Caesar was relieved to hear that the American president was open to improving Roman-American relations. They had already set up the guidelines for a spice - gems trade arrangement. A serious event, Caesar thought, since the Americans had been trading for spices from the Iroquois for decades.

It was then that Caesar received the news from Zululand. As Octavian explained it to him, Caesar's face grew red. Cleopatra had already begun shipping supplies to the refugee camps, and Caesar ordered the same from Rome.

Perhaps this would be a good opening to further the Roman/American relations. Caesar would call on FDR to join a multi-nation humanitarian relief effort. In one regard this would not be an actual alliance or military joining. In another, it would be a step toward bringing them together.

Caesar trusted FDR for some reason. Lincoln had issues. He was overmatched for the position of President; relying too much on his advisors. In reality, what brought Lincoln down was the death of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin was the real leader of the Americans.

FDR was different. He was a more thoughtful leader, plus he knew how to play politics. Already he had given speaches which went far towards re-strengthening the presidency. He had initiated plans to revitalize the country.

If things worked out, this could be a good arrangement, Caesar thought.
---------------------------------------------

 

[The_Newbie]

Great! Please post more!