On the Rocks

by Peter Rhodan

  “Ah.” Said Arcadius non-committedly. He looked over at his daughter who was smiling at something Oween said and stroked his chin. “I will think about it Arturo.” He said at last.

  “Good enough.” Arturo answered.

  The next day was spent with Ceri trying to explain a steam engine to him. As he only had vague recollections of generalised drawings from the history course he had done to draw upon it was not surprising Ceri found it difficult to understand where it was going. Eventually Arturo managed to get enough of the concept across for them to start drawing up a rough plan of a simple single cylinder steam engine. His foreman Durovix and his offsider Dryffyd were called in and after some discussion and a few more ideas on practicalities they resolved to build a small version to test the idea out and so the three iron men could get some idea of the problems involved.

  Arturo realised that without power tools it was going to be hard to manufacture the smooth surfaces needed for the cylinder and the valves. It would be easier once they got one working because he could build a lathe type unit to be powered by it that would make future engines easier to manufacture. The old need the tools to make the tools problem he thought to himself.

  While that piece of work was being undertaken Arturo turned to tracks and wheels. Coming up with a design for a cast wheel for railway type wagons was not hard given the wheels they had already developed for the ploughs and they also developed a simple mould to produce cast rails as well. Arturo felt that the weight and force that any steam engine would produce would probably prove too much for cast rails once they got the bugs out of the whole steam engine thing. In the short term, while the development of the steam engine went forward, they would make do with easily cast rails anyway in the hope the experience gained would be of great help later on.

  Special plates were developed to hold the rails in place and wooden logs were placed under the rails into which these plates were spiked. It took a week to come up with a master for the mould making but by the end of the second week they had laid fifty paces of track and had a working wagon albeit a creaky and rough riding one. The rails were placed two paces apart and the wagon loaded with coal and a horse had no problem hauling it. Once a bit of grease was applied to the bearings it quickly became apparent that one horse could haul three fairly full wagons effectively on reasonably flat ground and four at a pinch which translated into at least twice the load or more than one horse could haul in a normal wagon on even the best maintained Rufanig road.

  Arturo now announced the formation of the North Britannia Railway Company and opened it to anyone who wanted to invest. Gold and silver appeared as if by magic as many of the local men of property invested in this latest outlandish idea of Arturo. Given the number of curious onlookers who had watched the wagon trials there were plenty who could see the advantages to moving goods on the rail line. Plans were drawn up to build a line to the nearest coal mines as a first step and then later a line to Wern would be built.

  While all this was taking place word came that King Cluen of the Selgovae was massing his fighting men apparently in preparation of a major raid south of the wall. Arturo felt this would keep Maximus occupied for the near future and went on with his other plans. He was tempted to offer his force to aid Maximus but decided in the end to keep quiet and not attract the Dux's attention.

  Chapter 11

  Sail ho

  With the area enjoying clear skies and tolerable weather for a change, Arturo rode back down south to Wern accompanied by Oween and a couple of the cavalry troopers. On arriving he bypassed Dileen's fort and first visited Hwillam who was working on the paper problem. This worthy had made some progress although nothing usable as yet. Despite that, Arturo took him to see Lewarth and explained the idea of moveable type to the both of them. Arturo could remember a picture of an early printing press in one of the books he had used in his history studies and it looked enough like a wine press he had seen in Dervent. He rather thought that with some fiddling, one could be used as the basis for a simple printing press.

  Lewarth knew of a man down the coast a bit who was a fine jeweller, just the sort of fellow needed, so he was sent for. While Arturo waited he wandered down to the waterfront where he found Dileen talking with a fisherman. “Hail Dileen.” He called smiling.

  Dileen looked up. “Ah, tis the Primarius.” He said gloomily. “No doubt wanting his first taxes.”

  Arturo laughed. “But of course.” Then shook his head. “Actually no. I want to talk ships with someone. Does anyone here know anything about building ships?”

  Dileen looked surprised. “Building ships? No. Not here in Wern. We haven’t had much need for ships of late.”

  “So I understand. But ships are something we will need soon. Do you think there would be someone in Londinium?”

  Dileen scratched his chin. “Mayhap there would be. You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  Arturo nodded but before he could reply the fisherman broke in. “There’s old Coel down at Deva. He claims to know how to build ships. Leastways that is what I heard.”

  Arturo smiled. “Sounds a good place to start. How would I get word to him quickly?”

  Dileen waved his arm at the sea, the steady onshore breeze ruffling his cloak. “The Moarciu will be in later today or tomorrow. Captain Largwil will be only too happy to carry your offer to this Coel if you pay him. Probably better to actually send someone in person though."

  “The Moarciu?” Arturo asked.

  “That be the local trading ship. The only one left these days. She brings us tin from Dumnonia plus other minerals as well, specialty items, wines and copper from Deva and so on. Largwil sometimes trades with the Scotti and the Novotae up to the north there. Pretty poor pickings, or so he assures me, but it is all he knows how to do. And it can't be that bad cause he keeps his ship maintained and his crew paid in metal.”

  Arturo considered this. It would be interesting to see what a local ship looked like. “I shall await the arrival of this Captain Largwil with great anticipation.”

  Dileen laughed. “Well I doubt you’ll be impressed but still and all it will be kind of good for the town to see you here taking an interest in things without an army at your back.”

  Arturo smiled at this while he considered the bay formed by the mouth of the Dervent river, which actually looked almost river like right here at the coast. He was not a nautical person but he could see that it wouldn’t take too much work to build a proper stone jetty on the south shore. At the moment all there was a rather shaky looking wooden jetty that was the sole sign of any nautical activity. On the other side of the river there were a couple of fishing boats drawn up out of the mud. “How much further out does the tide go?” He asked Dileen who was standing nearby patiently waiting while Arturo took in the vista.

  “Oh, a bit yet. Fairly big rise and fall here.” Dileen answered. Just then the was a gust of wind more northerly than east and Arturo got a could lungful of air off the mud flats and nearly choked at the smell. Dileen laughed. Arturo shook his head and made a point of breathing through his mouth form then on.

  “I see. So to handle big ships there really needs to be like a basin with a gate and they could sail in and out when the tide is like three quarters full.”

  “Ain’t never thought about it before. Be a bit of work making something like that though.” He said doubtfully.

  Arturo looked at the muddy flat sand and behind it the swampy area where the Dervent curved around. “Maybe. Maybe not. If we built a wall there along the edge of the swampy ground and then a temporary fence thing at the far end to block the water out, we could then dig out a large basin in that swampy ground fairly easily I imagine. Have a gate at the front and then pull the fence bit down after we’ve finished.”

  Oween added his bit. “There be remains of a structure like that over near Eboracum.”

  Arturo looked at him. “Really?”

  “Oh, aye. Not used anymore as the river silted up too much and no one could be b
othered to do the work to clear the silt or fix it up. Not as much trade these days.” He looked out at the river in front of them. “Could be done here I reckon. Like Dileen said it will take a bit of work.”

  “So do either of you know someone who could do the engineering?”

  Both shook their heads. “Ask Valerius.” Oween offered. “He might know someone in the army.”

  Arturo nodded. “Hopefully. Speaking of the army, where are there other Ruman forts around here?”

  Dileen smiled. “Over there up the mountains a ways." He said pointing south eastward. "Not a particularly hospitable area though. Leastways not these days. The last unit to garrison it wrecked a fair bit of it when they left. Makes a nice source of already cut stone for the locals though.”

  Arturo laughed. “Well hopefully we won’t need a fort there anymore. I understand there is another further down the coast?”

  “Yes at Glannoventa. Not much there now but the fort and it's a ruin so I hear. The garrison left decades ago and the town died slowly. Mostly just a few farms these days. Get raided by the Scotti regularly see.” He paused for a moment scratching his head. “There used to be a naval base there back in the old days but that’s been abandoned even longer.”

  Arturo considered this information. He could see that protecting this coast from the Scotti was going to be a difficult matter without a navy nor any facilities. The Scotti could raid wherever they chose without any warning and do lots of damage before any garrison could march to the relief, which meant a land defence would be of limited utility which left a sea defence. Which meant he would have to develop a navy. “I’m going to have one of the centuries do a march down there and back to show the flag and get everybody onboard with what’s happening.”

  “Aye. Be good for people to see soldiers again. Everyone is getting tired of being on the receiving end of both raids and taxes with nobody doing anything about it.”

  Arturo nodded as he looked around. Like at Dervent, the civilian town was on the opposite side of the river from the fort, now at least. He could see the remains of civilian buildings near the fort but they were falling down and disappearing. The road out of the fort was obviously lined with tombs in what he had been told was the Ruman manner, all now overgrown. “I want those tombs cleaned up and brought back into order.” He said at last. “Hire some men and get that done will you please Dileen. Send the bill to Isaac at Dervent. He is going to be in charge of the state treasury.”

  “Are we going to be required to use these new types of numbers you have taught the Jews?” Dileen asked after a moment.

  Arturo blinked, surprised that he knew of the new numbers already. “Eventually everyone will be yes, but I am not going to decree their use. I’ll let their advantages speak for themselves, and gradually education will replace the old with the new over time.”

  “Education? We have no scholars anymore, not that there ever many outside of Eboracum or Londinium.”

  Arturo smiled sadly. “So I gather. Well that will change too. Oween tells me there’s a chap up at Alauna that has some scholarly background. I am going up there to see him after things are sorted here. If he is not interested there is man Jacob knows of near Londinium somewhere who could be the right person. We shall see. Like everything else it will take time.” He paused and pointed at the rather rickety wooden bridge that spanned the river. “Once we find an engineer we’ll build a stone bridge there. And another for the rail road that will be needed to bring coal and iron for Lewarth’s iron works over there.”

  Dileen scoffed. “A rail road belike. Surely there would not be enough traffic to warrant such a thing?”

  “Not at the moment.” Arturo answered then smiled. “But wait till you see what Ceri and I are going to create next!”

  Dileen looked over to where Lewarth’s iron works was and was clearly considering the thought of the ironworks growing. It was a blot on the landscape with the fumes, gases and noxious run off. Arturo knew that Lewarth was thinking of moving it further south to a spot where he could make use of the overshot wheels doing such a great job at Ceri’s works. It would be a good thing for Wern if the plant was further away once the town started growing as Arturo expected it would.

  Late in the afternoon the sail of the Moarciu came into sight but with the tide against it and the light failing Captain Largwil elected to anchor offshore till the morning. He brought his ship into the river early and basically ran it aground in the mud near the village. As the tide went out the little ship heeled over and settled at an ungainly angle. The crew and a couple of townspeople quickly unloaded whatever cargo the ship had been carrying for Wern and then the Captain clambered over the side and came ashore.

  This delay gave Arturo time to dress and arrive before the Captain reached the high ground. While he waited he studied the little ship in front of him. The vessel was single masted with a short bow sprit, about twenty metres long and maybe nine or ten wide. Her hull curved from bow down to the waist then up again to the stern where the sternpost was shaped like a dolphin. She had only flown one big square sail on the main mast as it had come in and Arturo could see now that she was not capable of carrying more.

  There were about six crew on board and two accompanied Largwil ashore. Arturo could see they were all dressed fairly poorly in wool trousers and shirts, even the Captain and decided that being a trader skipper had not been all that financially successful for Captain Largwil. He was a large man, with brown hair and a bushy beard, both speckled with grey.

  He approached the small group looking over Arturo and Oween carefully then smiling at Dileen. “So Dileen, you’re still here then?” He asked in a jovial manner.

  Dileen laughed. “Aye, you old pirate. Mind, the Scotti came to visit a few weeks ago only they found more than they bargained for.”

  Largwil’s eyes narrowed. “Did they now? I head a whisper that Mac Duic was thinking of raiding you but nothing more. So they came did they?” He deliberately looked over at the untouched village. “What happened?”

  “They happened.” Dileen answered nodding at Arturo and Oween. “Allow me to introduce Arturo Sandus, leader of the new Republic. And his aide, Oween. Arturo has a small but extremely well trained and tough little army that smashed the centre of the Scotti force, then they hit the flank of those fighting us and the whole lot ran. Mac Duic is buried over there.” He said pointing south beyond the village.

  Largwil smiled. “Well I’ll be. And here I was thinking they mustn’t have actually come yet. Was going to warn you about their intentions.”

  Dileen smiled. “Sure you were. Pick over the ruins to see what they missed more like you old scoundrel!”

  Largwil tried to look upset and put his hand over his heart. “You wound me Dileen, truly you do.”

  Dileen laughed. “I doubt a cataphract lance could wound your heart Largwil!” He said, attempting make it a sneer but Arturo could tell he was not really serious.

  At this point they were interrupted by a short, thin, narrow faced man in a plain gown like outfit of undyed wool. He nodded to all. “Mair Dileen. Master Largwil. I thought you might have been carrying the new bishop.” He said, looking over at the ship. “But obviously not.”

  Largwil shook his head. “Sorry. No bishop with me this trip. You are expecting one then?”

  The man nodded. “Yes. I received word a month ago that Bishop Theodorus was coming to restore the church at Aluana and take charge of the Diocese.” He turned to Arturo. “You are intending to keep the Imperial policy that Christianity is the official religion are you not?”

  Arturo saw all sorts of problems ahead and took time to consider his answer. “Well I’m not from these parts as you probably know. Oween, you have never seemed to be very religious to me. Is this Christianity that widespread?”

  Oween rubbed his lips before answering. “It is not that strong up here, especially since the Army left. Most people pay lip service to it these days, but the old gods are still around. In the main parts
of the Empire I believe it is fairly all embracing now. Certainly, Bishops wield a lot of power.”

  Arturo nodded. “I see.” He stared out to sea for a few moments trying to decide what to do. His own choice would be to allow religious freedom. In the Federation religions were generally poorly supported except on a few backward planets. Science had a way of dispelling superstitions. “How long has this Christianity been the chosen religion of the Empire?” He asked.

  The priest looked at him strangely. “Why since the Constantinius Magnus made it the main religion.” He answered.

  Dileen obviously found this answer unsatisfactory. “About a hundred years ago that was.”

  Arturo smiled at this. “So, of fairly recent date and nothing to do with when the Empire was built.”

  Dileen nodded, “No. In fact many say the problems the Empire is having now is due to the old Gods of the Empire being replaced by Christianity.”

  The priest winced and looked upset. “The Lord will protect all who follow him. If the Empire is suffering problems it because it’s people are not true to God, no other reason.”

  Arturo had never dealt with religious arguments before, but the self-supporting logic was obvious. Such blind faith would not be good for his plans. “Well in the new Republic all people will be equal and all faiths that do not harm others will be allowed. All citizens will be able to believe in whatever gods they want.” He declared.

  Oween looked surprised, but not as much as Dileen. The priest expostulated. “The will of God will be done regardless of the decrees of men. The Empire has seen the light and endorsed the Church as being the One True Faith. You cannot now encourage the blasphemers and pagans to continue with their Godless rites. God will not allow you to turn away from his love now.” He stated hotly.

  Arturo frowned at the priest. “Those are old arguments priest, used by many religions over the years. Where I come from few believe in your sort of flummery. I am not going to persecute people for believing in your god priest, but on the other hand nor am I going to allow you to persecute those who do not. There is no more to be said.”