The Sands of Saturn - Chapter 4

Outside Londinium

Ky looked over Ursinus’s reports. He’d liked the Legate back when he’d been an Optio, tasked with keeping Lucilla alive, but he missed Velius’s ability to combine thoroughness with succinctness. In Ursinus’s defense, he hadn’t needed to oversee reports detailing the condition and disposition of several thousand of men when he’d been an Optio. Scattered as the reports were, it was clear they had the Carthaginians well hemmed into the city.

With the departure two days before of Velius and three legions, along with over half the surviving Caledonians, most of whom were headed home for planting season, Ky’s forces were down to just one-third of their previous strength. If he’d been the commander inside Londinium and he’d had any strength at all, he would have seen this as his chance to make a breakout.

Even if they were outnumbered, the enemy could have concentrated all of their forces on one or two sections of the Britannians lines while Ky’s men had to remain spread around the entire city, which ended up being almost an entire circle, split in half by the river, making reinforcing one part of his army from the other a slow and difficult task.

The Carthaginians had extended the walls far beyond what the Romans had built before abandoning the city and even beyond what the Romans in his original timeline would have built, at least according to Sophus’s records.

The original wall had been on just the northern side of the Thames about three and a half kilometers. The Carthaginians had added an additional wall on the crooked bend on the south of the Thames, allowing them to have a protected area to load and offload ships. Ky had patrols out to watch for ships coming down the river and archers ready to do as much damage to resupply boats as possible, but the ones that made the trip at night completely blacked out made it difficult for his men to spot. Ky could have stood there and spotted them, since the dark wasn’t an obstacle for him, but as the commander he had other places he needed to be.

His men had been somewhat successful, turning back several small barges that had tried to make the run into the protected docks behind the Carthaginian wall. Long run, it was a terrible position. If Ky had been in charge, he would have moved his soldiers to one of the southern port cities as soon as the invasion force was smashed, allowing for easier resupply.

Still, for now, it also meant Ky’s forces were extremely spread out on both sides of the river, creating a supply headache for Ky as well, since he had to have food and essentials carted well west of the city, and around in order to resupply them.

Thankfully, as long as his supply columns stayed away from the walls of the city and had enough guards to protect them from bandits or opportunistic peasants, they were safe enough. His men had done a good job of scouring the countryside of all Carthaginians, but that only meant his supply lines were more or less secure. If the Carthaginians weren’t going to come out to him, Ky needed to find a way to get his men into the city without getting a huge number of them killed. He and Sophus had gone through the problem multiple times, looking at both the southern and northern sections of the wall, looking at attacks down the river, through the only open section of the wall, and looking at massing their limited siege weapons on one small section to achieve a breakthrough, and none had a high enough chance of success. At least not one that didn’t involve getting a large number of his men killed.

If that was the only way to do this, then Ky would order the attack, but he wanted to exhaust all other options before ordering a direct assault by men with ladders on the city walls. He’d ordered more trebuchets, but it would take time for those to get built and arrive, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to get enough to punch through the thick walls.

There was a cough at the entryway to his tent, causing Ky to turn. Hortensius, looking dusty and tired, stood in the doorway. For a man who spent all his time running the largest part of Rome’s manufacturing, Ky hadn’t seen him actually dirty before this moment.

“You look tired,” Ky said, seeing the lines on the man’s face.

“You look exactly the same, which considering the schedule you keep is infuriating. What I wouldn’t give for your endurance.”

“I don’t think you’d enjoy what it took to have it,” Ky said, flashing back to the surgeries and vomit-inducing medication he’d been subjected to when he’d first been selected to be a pilot.

“Probably not. You sent for me?”

“Yes. Now that the forges are going strong and the new mining operations have started, we can start looking at the next set of ideas and inventions I want to implement.”

“Finally. You keep hinting at these things and I wondered if the day I’d get to learn about them would ever come.”

“Some of this is going to be really extensive and difficult to understand. A lot of it you’re going to have to take on faith until you see the end product.”

“I’ve managed to make everything else you’ve given me work. I’m confident I can handle whatever this is.”

“I am too, or I wouldn’t be giving it to you, but I just wanted to prepare you. This is the key to the future of our military,” Ky said handing a stack of scrolls over. “Everything we do moving forward, at least in the martial arena, is going to rely on this.”

He had been working on these instructions even before the battle with the Carthaginians, since he knew this was the next step after they ended the immediate threat from the south.

“It’s a mixture of some kind. Burned wood, brimstone … and I don’t know what this last thing is. I don’t understand.”

“I know. These things will seem insignificant and benign separately, but when mixed correctly, they can be devastating. I realized it might be confusing, so I had the men gather a small amount of the items days ago when I asked you to come down here, so I could show you the end result,” Ky said, going to a table on one side of the tent and picking up a small covered clay bowl.

Setting it on the table, Ky removed the equally small lid, revealing a grainy, dark powder.

“This is called gunpowder. When lit on fire, it burns incredibly rapidly, releasing a burst of gas, fire and heat.”

Ky pulled Hortensius back from the table, lit a small piece of paper and threw it in the bowl. The moment the paper hit the powder, there was a loud hissing pop and a bright flash that caused Hortensius to jump back, hands going to his eyes.

It was over almost as soon as it happened, causing the factory owner to look around the tent, to the bowl, to Ky, and back to the bowl in confusion and amazement.

“Go ahead,” Ky said at the man’s obvious curiosity.

Hortensius stepped tentatively forward, walking around the table the clay vessel had been sitting on, picking up its shattered pieces and turning them over.

“The powder is gone,” he said in amazement.

“Yes. Burned up in an instant. That was a tiny amount. In large amounts, it can be used to destroy huge areas. In small, tight containers built with metal strong enough to withstand the destructive power, the force of that explosion can be used to make terrible weapons.”

“This is … incredible. I’ve never seen anything like this. Such a tiny amount of black sand did … this. Incredible.”

“Like I said, it is the key to winning this war. It’s how we will make up for the manpower difference we have with the Carthaginians”

“I am impressed with its … potential, but I don’t see how something like this can be used as a weapon. Maybe against walls or throwing barrels of this at the enemy.”

“It’s just the first piece. As impressive as gunpowder is, we don’t use it in isolation. It is part of a larger weapon system that will, I promise, eventually make sense. But we’re going to need a lot of gunpowder to make these weapons work, so we need to set up manufacturing now to begin producing it now. I’ve written down instructions on the best ways to store the powder so that it remains dry, which is important, and safe. I’ve written down descriptions of how to properly mix the parts together. The end result will look somewhat different than what I had here, more like grains of spice than a powder.”

“I recognize Charcoal and Brimstone, but I don’t know what this last thing was. The words are, strange.”

“The potassium nitrate. There is no Latin version of it, or at least not current Latin,” Ky said. “For our immediate purposes, I’ve listed the exact location where we can mine small amounts, but these caves are going to be difficult to access, although I’ve added in a lengthy section on how to recognize what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, that might be enough to get the process started, but it isn’t going to be enough for what we need. There is a way to produce it ourselves, but it takes time. Even if you get started as soon as you return to Devnum, it will take a year for any of our works to produce the substance, and we’ll have to continually be producing it to feed into our factories. I’ve included all the calculations for a staggered production schedule and the size of the works needed.”

Ky waited for Hortensius reaction when he read just what exactly it would take to produce the substance themselves.

“You want us to collect what?” the manufacturer said when he finally got to that section.

Ky had been aghast himself when he’d found out what they needed to do to create the potassium nitrate needed to make gunpowder in a pre-industrial civilization. It involved building what the medieval British would have called nitrate beds, which were prepared by mixing manure with wood ash and straw into a large compost pile. The heap is then covered from the rain and regularly moistened with urine, usually from horses because of the quantity needed. After a year, they could remove soluble calcium nitrate, which could then be mixed with potash, which was derived from wood or plant ash, that they would also have to begin producing right away.

He could imagine the complaints of anyone who might have to work on the nitrate beds, since the smell was going to be something unbelievable, but it was what they needed to do if this was going to work. There was also an alternative Swiss method that was more passive, involving creating sandpits underneath stables, which would have a constant supply of urine from the horses above. The time frame on that one was the same, and would help to add to their total, but there weren’t enough stables in either Rome or Caledonia to produce what they needed, and it would cause disruptions when the stables had to get dug out every year and reset, so it wasn’t a replacement for the larger production nitrate beds.

Had they been in North America, or Spain, or even Italy, there would have been large natural deposits they could have accessed, but because of the wet nature of the British Isles, there had never been a significant source of naturally occurring potassium nitrate. Based on Sophus’s records, this had been a problem for the British up until more modern chemical processing became available, and they had relied on many of the same methods, if somewhat less systematic than what Ky and Sophus were trying to set up.

This was also why Ky’s plans only involved canon for now, since using what they could dig up from caves might be enough for limited artillery. They’d have to wait to convert the legions from their swords and shields to rifles until they had enough gunpowder to actually fire the rifles.

“I know it’s disgusting, and it’s not work people are going to want to do, but it’s critical. The compounds we are able to get from these will be what ultimately ends the war.”

“If you say it, then I believe it, of course; but I have trouble seeing how this, even as spectacular as your small demonstration was, will help us defeat the Carthaginians.”

“I know, and for now you’re going to have to trust me. Follow these directions to the letter, and I’ll be able to put on a demonstration of what the weapons I’m having you build actually do. On that note, I actually have more for you as well,” Ky said, handing over yet more scrolls.

“Interesting,” Hortensius said after a long ten minutes of reading over Ky’s written description of the design of a Galilean-style telescope, including the production of optical lenses for it.

Now that they had the forges running much hotter and much more predictable temperatures using coke and coal instead of just wood, and the measurement tools he’d already introduced, he could start making precision glass, which was needed for telescopes. Since they could already make glass, even if it was too opaque and uneven to be useful as it was, this wasn’t going to be a huge leap in technology like the canons and gunpowder.

“Using these looking glasses I’ve described, along with the stations at set distances and a series of flags, or lights at night, we can relay messages much faster than it would ever be possible using riders and runners. Once everyone gets enough practice in, a message can travel from here to the Caledonians in a few hours. This system can also apply to ships, who will be able to communicate at a distance with each other, allowing them to coordinate better.”

They were still a ways off from needing their own navy, but Ky was already eyeing the technology that would be needed, which was one of the factors that led to him introducing this, rather than trying to push the Romans directly to an electric telegraph. While it was theoretically possible, using either a hand-cranked electromagnet or a voltaic battery; using the current technology base, it would require a lot more work to get up and running. They’d also have issues with insulating and protecting the wires over a long distance, since the Britains didn’t have the technology at the moment to process rubber, even if they could get the raw materials, which wasn’t likely since the raw materials were on a continent that none of the locals even knew about. They were already working on operations on Ireland and Ky didn’t think they were far from needing to look at the continent as their next step to countering the Carthaginians, so he needed something fast. The fact that this could also be used on ships was simply the thing that had swayed him to it over a telegraph.

“But how could glass allow us to see these distances,” noting the placement Ky had suggested for each tower station in the relay chain he’d drawn up.

“Again, you’ll have to trust me that, if you follow the instructions, it will make sense.”

“I trust you, but this is a lot. Will you be returning to Devnum soon? These are very thorough, but once we get started, I’m almost certainly going to need clarification and answers to problems that come up.”

“I don’t know. We are still working on a plan to take Londinium that doesn’t devastate the forces we have remaining, prepare for the eventually Carthaginian response, and we will hopefully be operating in Hibernia soon. It’s hard to say where I’ll be. I am sending Lucilla back, both to help on the political front and to be there if you need assistance. She’s much more involved in my planning and has some insight into these designs already, so hopefully she’ll be able to answer your questions, at least until we get the semaphore station, that is the messaging stations here set up,” Ky said, point at the second set of documents he’d handed over.

“Good. Good. If she doesn’t have the answer, it will be good to have her here with me, so she can relay my questions to you directly.”

“What?” Ky said, trying to keep a straight face.

It sounded like Hortensius had suggested he knew about the transmitter he’d given Lucilla, which was impossible.

“Consul, I appreciate that you have knowledge of things we can never even imagine, let alone know about, and much of how we do things probably seems backward to you, but that doesn’t make us stupid.”

“I’ve never thought you were …”

“I know. Not on purpose, at least. But this isn’t the first time that you have suggested Lucilla has some special insight into your thinking to the point of acting as your voice when you aren’t around. It was believable, to a point, when it was just in the political sphere, since at least she is familiar with that arena. This, however, is completely different. I have spent my life trying to improve Roman science, mostly to make money it’s true, but I am still as close to an expert on our technical abilities as anyone in Devnum. Yet you would have me believe that you were able to explain all of this to her to the point where she would be able to answer any questions that might come up. Mind you, I’m not doubting Lucilla’s capability, which I have great respect for, I simply call into question her experience in this arena.”

Ky didn’t answer right away. It was a valid question, and one he should have already prepared himself for. Hortensius was right, it made sense when he’d placed her as his proxy while he traveled north, since she’d already been training for politics under her father since she was small. He’d had to try and make the same play here, since there was no way he could travel back to Devnum, even though they knew this was going to be harder to believe. He’d hoped that Hortensius would overlook the more unbelievable parts of the suggestion, but he should have been prepared for when the man hadn’t.

“I should add that, last time, she did an amazing job answering a wide array of questions. Such a good job that I’d already thought maybe it wasn’t just her natural ability and you're preparing her to stand in your stead that allowed her to fill your place so well. Now that you’ve suggested this, I can’t help but ask myself if something more is at play.”

“Like?” Ky asked.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to tell Horsentisus about the transmitter. It was more that he couldn’t think of a way of explaining it that made sense. He also wanted to keep the existence of it secret, since part of its usefulness was the fact that no one knew about it.

“That you have some way of communicating with her over large distances. I’ve heard from the soldiers that, somehow during the battle she knew exactly when you needed her side of the force to attack. Since it was mostly Caledonians, who have taken her as one of their own, the only thing I’ve heard is amazement at her ability to time the attack, and not questions of why you’d put someone not trained in military matters in charge of one-half of your forces to begin with. All of these facts together suggest you have some mystical ability that allows you to send her information regardless of how far apart the two of you are.”

Ky was impressed. The logic was solid, but the idea would be so far beyond the Romans that it should have been anyone born in this time made. True, they believed in mystical forces that could let explain away the more fantastical levels of technology, but it was still an impressive leap to make.

“It’s important you don’t tell anyone that this is possible. It gives us an edge that our enemies don’t know about.”

“I assumed as much, since you haven’t told any of us about it, either. Although, it would make things easier if I could communicate with you in the same way.”

“Unfortunately, it’s not possible. It’s not something that I can explain, but right now I am only able to communicate with her.”

It wasn’t that Ky didn’t trust the manufacturer, he just didn’t want to tell anyone there was an actual device that made this possible, since if word ever got out, it was something their opponents could look for, if they ever got their hands on her.

“How far does it work.”

“Please, don’t ask me questions about it. I am impressed you were able to work this out on your own, but it’s important everything about it stays a secret.”

Hortensius frowned, but assented, “I guess I’ll have to live with not knowing. At least I know I’m not crazy for thinking about this.”

“You’re not. Besides, as soon as we get the semaphore stations set up, you’re never going to be more than a few hours from an answer even when she isn’t around.”

“That’s true. I guess I better hurry back and get to work on this then.”

“Good luck, my friend,” Ky said, patting the man on the shoulder as he walked him out of the tent.