The Sword of Jupiter (Imperium #1) - Chapter 11

“Princeps,  I would like a word with you!” Ky said as they walked up the steps of  the imperial complex, away from the wildly cheering crowds.

“I thought you might. Legates, please see to your men, and ensure they all have time to visit the games while they take place.”

“Father!” Caesius said as he and his sister followed their father up the steps. “How could you …?”

“I  know you have much to say, Caesius, but the games have been announced.  As my son, you have responsibilities. We can speak this evening.”

Caesius  gave Ky a look of pure hatred and stomped off the steps with several of  the men who had been gathered behind them following in his wake.

“Lucilla, I believe you also have duties to attend.”

“Yes, Father,” she said with a slight incline of her head.

The look she gave Ky was far different than her brother’s before she too turned and walked down the steps, Ursinus in her wake.

Successive  men from the group lined up at the top of the steps behind the Emperor  attempted to stop them as they passed, to ask their leader questions.  Although the Emperor was successful in deflecting each of them, the  constant interruptions did slow the pair enough for Ky to query the AI.

‘Explain what a consul is.’

“In  the Republican era, Rome was commanded by a pair of consul voted on a  one year term, exercising controlling executive authority over the whole  of the Republic on alternating days. These powers included commanding  the legions, executing laws passed by the Senate, and conducting  diplomacy with foreign powers. During the period of imperial rule, the  position lost most of its power, becoming largely ceremonial with some  notable exceptions during times of crisis. All documents reviewed of  this timeline to date suggest no consul has been named since the last  Publius Vipstanus Malchus shortly before the expulsion of Rome from the  Iberian peninsula and the end of this time period’s Republican rule.”

‘With  all those powers, what does the Emperor declaring me Consul mean? Your  explanation makes it sound like the consuls had full executive power and  yet the Emperor didn’t say the powers would be any different. How does  wielding executive power work if there’s still an Emperor?’

“Current data insufficient to extrapolate any likely scenario, Commander.”

‘You’re a big help,’ Ky thought, receiving no answer from the AI.

Finally,  the Emperor getting past the throng of audience seekers led Ky into one  of the offices used by a functionary. There was no door, but the  emperor’s guards flanked the arched doorway, keeping anyone else from  following the pair inside.

“I want to apologize to you, Ky. I  realize I made my announcement of your elevation without warning you  first. I believed you would have declined the offer if I’d asked you  beforehand.”

“If you predicted my response, then why would you  make the announcement, anyway? While I do want to help your people, I  will not be bullied or tricked into doing something against my  principles. I agreed to not openly tell people I wasn’t the person in  your prophecies, I did not agree to have you announce to everyone I was  this Sword person! I will not lie about who I am.”

“I also  predicted your refusal to listen to why you must be appointed Consul. I  announced you were the Sword despite your declining the title for the  same reason. This morning you told me we would have to agree to make  major changes to some of the fundamental building blocks of our society  if you were to stay with us. I don’t think you grasp the difficulty  those changes will require. We are a people steeped in tradition, and we  rarely look beyond ‘the way things have always been done.' While I  recognize this is a problem, and I agree change is needed for our  survival, most of my people cannot see this. They will need a powerful  reason to abandon some of our oldest traditions and systems. For the  types of changes you are suggesting, nothing short of a messenger from  the gods would be acceptable.”

Ky frowned, his righteous  indignation faltering on the Emperor’s words. While he did not like the  idea of deceiving people and claiming he was something he was not, what  little he had seen of Roman society did suggest the Emperor was correct.  Globulus threw away his own life, and the lives of five thousand of his  fellow Romans, because he could not accept Ky’s participation in the  plans for the defense of Devnum.

“I can see your point, but I do  not want to claim I’m something I am not. Yes, letting people believe  what they want to could help get changes made now; but someday the truth  will come out, as it always does. If your people are as resistant to  change as you say they are, how will they feel about learning the  changes they’d been forced to go through were made under false  pretenses. Do you think they will realize the rightness of the changes,  or will they ignore it all in anger over being deceived?”

“Which is why I didn’t have you announce you were the Sword. I am an old man. If someday the people start believing you aren’t the sword, then you will be able to lay the blame on an old man who wanted to save his people.”

“I couldn’t …”

“You can. Ky, I don’t know if you are the Sword or not. I do not know if the gods sent you or not. What I do  know is, I will allow nothing to keep me from saving my people. My  people may be able to bury their heads and ignore the future, for the  gains of today. I, however, can recognize the  impossible situation laid out for us. If preventing the annihilation of  all of Rome means having you sell my legacy in exchange for legitimacy  in the future, so be it. I also believe if you do end up saving our  people, you will have completed the prophecies of the Sword, and my  legacy will remain intact.”

“So, I can continue telling people I am not some agent of the gods?”

“Yes.  Humility is one of the things our culture prides itself on, even if few  of us are actually humble. They will recognize your denials for what  they are, and you will endear yourself to them even more.”

“Fine. You seem to keep talking me out of the things I believe in, and getting me to agree with you.”

“Which is one of the reasons I have been able to maintain my position as Emperor.”

“So, what are my duties as Consul?”

“Your  duties are whatever you decide is necessary. No one has held the  position in almost a hundred years, and the last consul gave himself  wide latitude in the position. He needed to get the remaining Romans in  Gaul to abandon their lands and retreat to Britannia before the  Carthaginians could destroy them, and gave himself whatever powers he  needed. I was purposefully less than specific in my decree to allow you  the same latitude.”

“I don’t understand something, Praetor. You  don’t know me, and your legates did as much as I did to save your city.  Why would you give me this power?”

“You forget my daughter saw you  fall from the heavens. Also, in a matter of moments, you not only cured  me of the poisoning, but made me feel better than I have since I was a  young man. I also have heard accounts of some of your actions on the  battlefield which were described as nearly miraculous. Beyond your  actual deeds, I am a good judge of character, as is my daughter. We both  agree we can trust you. All of this, of course, ignores the ultimate  reason I decided to allow you a free hand.”

“Which is?”

“I  have no choice. I have already leveraged everything in my power, and was  on the cusp of losing my life and my people when you arrived. You are  the only untried option left.”

Ky stood silently in front of the  Emperor, trying to sort out everything he had said since they walked  into this room and how he felt about the man’s words. The Emperor, for  his part, silently waited for Ky to speak.

“I’m not sure what to do next,” Ky admitted.

“You knew this morning. Don’t second guess yourself.”

“I  think we need to start with you hearing the overall changes I have  planned. I know some of the changes I want to make, but not the best way  to enact them, since I don’t know Rome well enough to know how your  people will deal with the changes. After we talk, you can decide who I  need to talk to, and how best to approach the people who need to be  involved. Since a lot of these initial changes will involve the  military, I think Aelius and Velius should sit with us as well. I would  also value Lucilla’s input and anyone else you feel should be in the  first meeting.”

“I have heard of all the documents you’ve been  reading in your rooms. Do you have everything you need, or do you need  more time? Also, if you need to make notes of the meeting, I can have a  scribe sent to you.”

“All I really need is some time to put my thoughts together.”

“Fine,  then tomorrow we can meet. First, however, you will have to meet with  the priests. I have been putting them off, but with the games, they feel  they must speak with you before they can offer any sacrifices. While I  don’t need to be present for most of the games, I do need to attend the  first contests tomorrow morning. Afterward, we can sit down with the  legates and my most trusted advisers.”

“Thank you for hearing me out, Imperator.”

“As my newest consul, how could I not?”

Ky  gave a slight bow and walked out of the office, back towards his  quarters. Ky noticed odd looks by people he passed on the way, something  he suspected would be happening more often thanks to the Emperor’s  grand proclamation.

The celebration went on all night as the people let loose their  collective joy and relief at surviving the Carthaginian onslaught. If Ky  had not been able to filter out the wave of noise pouring in through  his window all night, he would not have been able to get anything done.  Finally, Ky, with the help of the AI, managed to assemble the beginnings  of a plan.

Early the next morning, one of the Emperor’s  messengers arrived and led Ky to a large, ornate temple not far from the  imperial complex. A group of fifteen men in white togas with purple  edging stood on the steps in front of the giant doors. A sixteenth man  standing in front of the group was further distinguished by a covering  draped over his head, also trimmed in purple.

“Consul,” the man in front said.

“Pontiff,”  Ky replied, the AI having pulled descriptions of the notable positions  in Roman society and the special garb they wore. The covering on the  man’s head with its purple border signified him as the Pontiff Maximus,  the head priest in Roman society who essentially ran all religion for  the Romans.

“Follow us.”

The priests turned, and Ky fell in  step behind the Pontiff as they walked into a large open room with a  scattering of Romans on the floor bowed in prayer. At the end of the  room was a huge statue of a bearded man seated on a throne, holding a  staff in one hand and the figurine of a winged woman in the other. The  statue reached to the ceiling of the room, which stood at well over two  stories. Ky guessed the towering stone figure was at least thirty feet  tall.

On either side of the statue were doors, into one of which  the priests led Ky. The antechamber was a much smaller room, with an  open area and an altar against the back wall. The group of them filled  the room almost to capacity. Ky followed the Pontiff Maximus into the  center of the room as the fifteen other men lined up along the walls,  all facing in towards the pair.

When they reached the center of  the room, the man indicated with a gesture for Ky to stop there before  continuing to stand in front of the altar, also turning to face Ky.

“I am Lucius Vesnius  Sacerdos, Pontiff Maximus of the Roman people,” the man in front of the  altar said, and then gestured at the men along the walls. “The gathered  pontiff’s each lead and command a Roman cult for one of the dominant  gods in the heavens. Our Emperor has identified you as the Sword of  Jupiter, sent to answer the ancient prophecy, and deliver the Romans  into salvation. We are here to determine if you are, in fact, sent by  the gods.”

Ky was not sure what he needed to say and decided to remain silent, looking back at the gathered men.

“Do you claim to be sent by the gods?” one of the men asked.

“No,  I never claimed I was sent by the gods. In fact, I denied being sent by  them, or anyone else, when the Emperor asked me directly. While the  exact nature of my arrival here is difficult to explain, my arrival here  was happenstance and not direct intention on my part.”

“The  prophecy said the Sword would deny his role. While the proclamation  isn’t explicit in the text, I agree with those who say he is a tool of  the gods and not a direct servant,” a second man said.

“More of  Trogus’ nonsense. The oracle said he was a servant of the gods. One  cannot be a servant of the gods without knowing they are,” the first man  replied.

“You wear the mantel of Apollo. Are you not his servant?  Have you spoken with the god directly? Were you ordered by Apollo to  your present position?” a third man asked.

“We are not here to  argue old disputes. We must determine if this man is who the Emperor has  claimed him to be,” Sacerdos said before turning back to Ky. “You said  you had difficulty explaining how you arrived here. Why? Do you not know  how you arrived here?”

“I do, but the words to explain my arrival  are far enough outside of your experience as to not exist in Latin or  Greek. I will try, but please understand without the right words, what  I’m going to say will not make much sense.”

“We are learned men. I doubt there is much you can say we won’t understand,” one of the men around him said.

“Do your best,” the Pontiff Maximus said, making a gesture to quite his subordinate.

Ky  struggled to find the words, noticing some of the things he wanted to  say were not going to be translated by the AI into Latin since the word  for the idea did not exist. Instead of throwing Hague Composite English  at them, he would have to improvise.

“I come from a point far in  the future, although a different future than your own. I was testing a  craft in the … among the stars,” Ky said, struggling to find a way to  describe outer space.

He queried the AI for other options of how  to describe his true arrival in a way a primitive culture would  understand, but got no response.

“My test went wrong, and I was  sent here. What your soldiers saw in the marshes was me falling from the  stars to the ground. I did not know of your conflict with the  Carthaginians and only helped your soldiers because they were surrounded  by a larger force and needed help. On my journey here I found I liked  the Romans I’d met, a feeling reinforced after the Carthaginians tried  to murder us in camp the next night. From there, your Emperor told me of  your struggles and asked for my help.”

“You admit you come from the heavens, traveling the night sky with Mars, Jupiter, and Venus?”

“No.  I was … you don’t have the words for me to explain. I was born in a …  great house … far above the earth; high enough that even the tallest  hills looked like dots, as my home circled the planet.”

The men started mumbling amongst themselves, and Ky sighed, knowing he was not getting anywhere.

“You  came from the heavens, crashing to the earth on wings of fire, but you  say you were not sent by the gods themselves. Perhaps the gods sent you  to us, but without your knowing their machinations, pulling you from  your home in the heavens and throwing you to Earth.”

“No, I  participated in the events leading to my coming here and my coming here  was random chance. What happened is just what happened, not something  foreordained. The gods did not give me special abilities. To me, the  things I can do are science, no different than your turning lumps of  iron into swords.”

“These abilities go beyond the tools you use.  We have reports from soldiers of your leaping over dozens of men and  running faster than a charging horse.”

“Those are also a tool,  after a fashion. In my time, we can … modify the body. My muscles have  been altered to allow me to do things you would find impossible.”

“So, you could make us able to do the same things then?”

“No. I don’t have the tools or the expertise to give you the same abilities. I was a soldier, not a scientist.”

“So, you were crafted to be a warrior.”

“I guess.”

“As  is true with all prophecy,” the speaker from before who defended Ky’s  being the Sword said, “the meanings are layered upon one another.  Jupiter did not send us a man who would be a weapon for Rome, he sent a  weapon that is a man, and a man that is a weapon. How does this not  convince you?”

“Consul, we must discuss what you have told us. Please wait outside while we confer.”

Ky  bowed slightly and walked out, unsure of how to answer any of this and  afraid he had confused their incorrect beliefs further by being unable  to express himself properly.

‘You could have helped me more in there,’ Ky said internally to the AI.

“Acceptance  of your divine origin is key to the greatest probability of successful  societal evolution; which is, in turn, a key to successful survival in  this timeline. Convincing religious leaders you were not sent by their  deity lowers probability of successful societal evolution and survival.”

‘You’re not supposed to make choices for what the best course of action is.’

“No decisions were made by this unit.”

Ky  sighed, known this would get nowhere. He had already started looking at  the logs the AI was compiling and had noticed some discrepancies  between its actions and what it was logging. He was certain this would  be another such case.

After a few minutes, the men emerged from the room.

“Consul,  we have discussed your responses to our questions and decided they both  match and expand our understanding of the prophecy. We agree with the  Emperor. You are the Sword of Jupiter.”

“Okay, what does your decision mean?”

“Our  decision means the religious orders will not oppose the Emperor’s  decree. We also ask that you join the Emperor at the opening of the  games this afternoon, and take part in other, similar blessings during  other festivals.”

“Does the Emperor know where and when I need to be somewhere?”

“He does.”

“As long as nothing goes against my moral judgment, I’ll be happy to take part.”

The  priests nodded sagely, dismissing Ky, who began his walk back towards  the imperial complex. He was unsure if he should be happy about their  decision to publicly agree he was this mythic figure. He could not  disagree with the AI that being declared this Sword person was the most  expedient way to accomplish what he needed to do, he just hated the idea  of allowing everyone to believe a lie.

Ky did not feel like going  back to his small quarters and waiting for another summons. He had  already run through most of the documents in the Roman library, which  was unsurprisingly small. Each time a capital had been lost as they were  pushed further and further out of Italy, and then Gaul, and finally,  out of southern Britannia, they had been forced to leave behind or  destroy much of their collected works. What remained in the Roman  library was a collection of writings from the last fifty years,  reconstructed works from people’s memories, and a few tattered originals  that somehow survived each displacement.

There were probably a  few documents left that he had not dumped into the AIs memory banks, but  Ky doubted more research would change the plans he and his implanted  assistant had devised. On the flip side, his sanity could do with a  change of scenery. Being cramped in a space station was not as bad when  you could look down on a planet floating under your feet. Here, he  needed more.

This led him to start walking a slow loop around the  inner courtyard created by the several blocks of buildings making up the  imperial complex. The open area was a large rectangle about a hundred  yards across and several hundred yards deep with a small flower garden  in the center and stone benches scattered along the periphery. Looking  at the people as he walked, they all seemed to be from the upper  echelons of Roman society. He had not been far enough out of the  imperial complex to see the poorer segments of the city, but many of  those Romans had made up the levy, whom he did have a chance to see.

There  was a noticeable difference in their health, most likely from a wide  gap in the level of nutrition each received, as well as the maintenance  of their clothes. He was not an expert by any means, but he assumed  these were members of the government and not just citizens. There were  walls between some of the buildings, and some of the buildings were  directly connected without a gap in between, but others left alleyways  leading out of the imperial complex. He had not seen any guards, but Ky  thought it likely this area was off-limits to the average citizen.

Hearing  a rapid set of footfalls, Ky glanced over his shoulder and saw Lucilla  quickly closing on him, although she slowed to a fast walk once she saw  he had noticed her.

“May I walk with you, Consul?”

“Could  you please call me Ky? I understand many of your people will feel the  need to address me by the title your father gave me, but I wouldn’t  think you would need to join them, considering who your father is.”

“Actually,  while my brother has an official position in the government, I do not.  I’m not sure you understand the magnitude of the position my father has  given you. I believe you would now outrank my brother, at least as long  as my father lives.”

“No, I do not really understand what being  Consul means but I do understand what I need. People have been trying to  either kill me, or make me into something they can use, since the  moment I arrived here. I know some of the things I’ve done seem  fantastical, but I am still a human being, and I could use a friend.”

Lucilla placed a hand on Ky’s arm, her eyes radiating sympathy.

“You seem so … different from the rest of us I hadn’t really considered how you’d feel about the deferrence.  While my addressing you by your name wouldn’t be proper when we’re  among others, when we are alone or with my father, yes, I will call you  Ky.”

“I hope you know I consider you a friend, even if I haven’t  been good at showing it. I know how Father is when he finds something,  or someone, he can use. Even though he’s pushy and manipulative, I can  tell you he genuinely likes you, too.”

“He is pushy.”

She  removed her hand and looked around for a moment, as if she was afraid of  being caught, letting her hands drop back to her side.

“I’m to understand you will be joining us at the games?”

“Yes, although I’m not sure what to expect.”

“The  games will be exciting and loud. The crowds go crazy for the spectacle.  There will be animal fights, chariot races, and gladiatorial combat. I  enjoy the chariot races, or at least the less violent ones, but I could  do without the animal fights or gladiators. Caesius, however, loves the  fighting best and has since he was a boy.”

“For the fights, two  men are armed and told to kill each other. Why would two people put  their lives on the line just for entertainment?”

“They have no  choice. Both men are slaves, well … usually. If a gladiator wins enough  fights, he can win his freedom and enough money to carry him into a new  life.”

“That’s … barbaric.”

“Really?”

Ky was surprised she seemed genuinely confused.

“You take two people who have no choice in the matter and have them try and kill each other?”

“You have to remember a lot of the slaves were either captured as an enemy of Rome, or were born to an enemy of Rome.”

“Their being your enemy does not make them less than human.”

“No,  but what do you think would have happened if the Carthaginians had  taken Devnum? Or to the Romans living in cities taken by the  Carthaginians? The ones who aren’t killed outright are all put in  bondage. Every Roman is aware of the fate waiting for them if the  Carthaginians win.”

“Should their children have to suffer the same fate?”

“I  haven’t thought about the subject very much. Probably not, but this is  the way things have always been. You aren’t going to convince many of my  fellow citizens to feel leniency towards either the Carthaginians or  the Northmen.”

“I can try!”