Muses of Roma (Codex Antonius Book 1)

by Rob Steiner

  Ocella stared at Gaia. “Aren't you?”

  “Saturnists are killed on the spot in both Roman and Liberti space. It's the one thing on which both nations seem to agree. Why would I admit to you the one crime that would negate my rights as a citizen?”

  “Do you think I'm a Roman spy after I just kidnapped the Consular Heir? Do you think I'm still Umbra after I single-handedly destroyed their Terran corps? The Saturnists are my only hope to get Cordus to safety.”

  “You've fallen far from your Umbra loyalties, my dear,” Gaia said. “What made you defy years of Umbra training? What turned you?”

  “Unshackle me and I'll consider telling you.”

  Gaia watched the streets of Roma roll by the van’s darkened windows. Ocella noticed they were in the Suburba—small discount shops lined the streets along with cheap, fastfood taverns. The people were not as finely dressed as the residents of the Palatine.

  “So Scaurus told you I could be trusted,” Gaia said without looking at Ocella. “Trusted to do what?”

  “This sparring wastes time we don’t have,” Ocella said. “Are you, or are you not a Saturnist?”

  Gaia sighed. “As I understand it, a Saturnist would be careful to whom she admits that sort of affiliation.”

  Gaia stared at Ocella, and she got the impression Gaia waited for—and wanted—Ocella to say more. Ocella had gambled when she mentioned Scaurus. The Julii have been a strong friend of my family since the days of Caesar, Scaurus had told her the day she and Cordus arrived at his door. She assumed that friendship, and the fact Scaurus kept a bust of Caesar in his entry, meant the Julii were also Saturnists.

  Gaia's behavior implied she knew Scaurus as more than the former Prefect of the Praetorian Guard. But was Gaia a Saturnist? Was she waiting for a secret code word? Some gesture that Saturnists gave to each other to identify themselves? Ocella racked her mind thinking of every conversation with Scaurus, searched for a clue that would—

  She looked up at Gaia. “Scaurus kept a bust of Gaius Julius Caesar and Marcus Tullius Cicero in his entry way.”

  Gaia smiled, relief softening her hard eyes. “Really? And what did he say about them?”

  “That Caesar reminded him of Roma's excess, and that Cicero reminded him to laugh.”

  Gaia exhaled. She leaned down and unbuckled the shackles around Ocella's ankles and then her wrists. Ocella wrapped the blanket around her body and then rubbed her wrists where the straps had chafed.

  “So you are a Saturnist,” Ocella said.

  Gaia's smile turned to a sad frown. “My family has been Saturnist for as long as Scaurus's. It grieves me to know he is dead. How did it happen?”

  Ocella explained how she and Cordus had fled to Scaurus's home, where he hid them in his secret basement for two weeks. She described the night the Praetorians arrived.

  Gaia stared at the Umbra device she'd used on Ocella, her eyes not really seeing it. “He killed himself. He knew how the Praetorians worked. He knew he’d break eventually.”

  “So you can get Cordus off Terra?” Ocella asked.

  “I will try. First we need to get you and the boy to a safe place. You were tracked to my cafe. The Praetorians will be watching it soon, if not already.” Gaia inspected Ocella's hair. “Your hair is already too short for cutting, but we could dye it.”

  “I already have,” Ocella said, touching her short brown hair. It was one of the first things she did when she and Cordus arrived at Scaurus's safe house. “It used to be black.”

  Gaia sighed. “Not much else we can do with your Indian skin tone, then, and not attract attention. You will wear your hooded cloak, and I’ll get you some clothes once we arrive at the safe house.”

  “Will you bring Cordus there?” Ocella grew more anxious every moment the boy was out of her sight.

  Gaia nodded. “After we’ve made sure he has no trackers as well.”

  Ocella frowned at the thought of Cordus enduring the scan, but she knew it had to be done. She just wished she could be with him when they did it.

  “Another thing,” Gaia said. “Except for Tiberius and Brocchus up front, my employees don’t know I'm a Saturnist. They think I'm an Umbra sleeper agent. Which in most respects I am. I would appreciate if you'd keep the Saturnism to yourself. It could make things difficult if they knew. Their morale is not the greatest right now.”

  “What's wrong with the morale of your men?”

  “My men blame you for the war with Libertus. It was all I could do to keep them from killing you. And now a new development. The government has officially admitted the Consular Heir was kidnapped. The Consul and the Collegia Pontificis have been on the bands for the last few hours demanding that Liberti agents return the Heir. If he's not in Roman hands within two days, they will slag Libertus.”

  30

  Kaeso's collar com chimed.

  “He's awake,” Nestor said.

  “I'll be right down.”

  Kaeso stood up from his command couch. Lucia sat in her pilot’s couch reviewing Daryush’s navigation charts. She didn’t look up.

  “Time to see if he'll help us,” Kaeso said. When she ignored him, Kaeso turned and descended the ladder to the crew deck.

  Lucia had done her job as she and the crew had agreed to yesterday, but she still didn’t trust him, Nestor, and especially Galeo. He remembered how long it took her to integrate with the crew when she first came aboard. She was always professional in her duties, but she had kept her distance emotionally, staying in her quarters when the rest of the crew visited taverns on whatever planet they did business. It was only in the last six months that she dropped her shields and began trusting the crew. Kaeso and Nestor had just destroyed that, and he could not blame her for her wariness.

  But Kaeso had no time for her to return to her shell. He needed his trierarch at his side, running the ship smoothly, anticipating his needs and orders. He needed that more than ever, and he hoped Lucia understood that.

  Kaeso landed on the crew deck and glanced down the ladder to the engine room. Daryush’s shadow moved about as the big Persian tried to figure out the new way line drive. He had made great strides in the last twenty-four hours in deciphering the systems, but it was not fast enough. At this rate it would be another few days before Daryush figured out how to find a quantum way line, much less get Caduceus to ride one to Terra. They didn't have a few more days. Libertus was under siege and Ocella was stuck in Roma with the Consular Heir. Every moment they wasted was another moment the Romans could win.

  Kaeso entered the ship’s small infirmary. Galeo lay strapped to a bunk, a sensor cuff wrapped around his arm. Nestor was checking the monitor next to Galeo. The Vessel was shirtless, with fresh white bandages wrapped around his abdomen and chest. There were no bloodstains from the wound just below his left lung. The Umbra cloak still functioned, displaying the pale, Germanic complexion. But patches of olive skin peeked from where the cloak was torn near the bandages.

  Galeo's eyes opened, and they followed Kaeso when he entered the room. Galeo had no expression and regarded Kaeso as if studying a blemish on the wall.

  “He's still groggy,” Nestor said, “but the wound is almost healed. I changed his bandages just before he awoke, and the hole is only a scab now.”

  Kaeso nodded. “Give us a moment, Medicus.”

  Nestor hesitated. “Centuriae, he's a Vessel who happened to reactivate your implant just before he was shot.”

  Galeo eye's darted from Kaeso to Nestor, and then slowly returned to Kaeso. Galeo sighed, his gaze turning sad.

  “He can’t control my mind, if that’s what you’re thinking. Please close the hatch when you leave, Medicus.”

  Nestor frowned, then turned and left the room, shutting the hatch behind him.

  “You told them everything,” Galeo said in a weak voice. “I didn’t think you would.”

  Kaeso nodded. “How could I not with your Umbra cloak hanging open. I had no idea your true skin was so tan.”

  �
��Kaeso.”

  “My crew is safe. That's the deal we made, right? I help you get the boy, and you keep Umbra away from my crew. That’s the deal you forced me to make.”

  “The deal stands,” Galeo said. “The Muses never break a contract.” Galeo stared at him through half-closed eyelids. “Does your crew know about Petra and Claudia? You seem to have told them everything else.”

  Kaeso tensed at the sudden question. “No. They don't need to know.”

  “Why not? They’re the reasons you joined Umbra in the first place.”

  “I said they don't need to know.” Kaeso saw no reason to reveal his greatest pain and his greatest shame.

  “We need your help with the engines,” Kaeso said, bringing the conversation back to what he intended. “It'll take Daryush a week to figure the damned things out. We don't have a week.”

  “No we don't.” Galeo moved against the straps holding him in the bunk. “Revenge for me strapping you in?”

  “Precaution,” Kaeso said. He moved to Galeo’s side and unbuckled the straps. “Lucia doesn't seem to trust you.”

  “Ah,” Galeo said, sitting up slowly. “How is Lucia? I hope she at least cleaned my blood from the engine room floor.”

  “Nestor did that.” Kaeso tossed one of Nestor's green tunics to Galeo, who eased it over his bandaged chest. He winced as he pushed his left arm through, so Kaeso helped him. “Did you know he’s a Saturinst?”

  “Yes.”

  Kaeso looked at Galeo. He hoped the revelation would throw Galeo off balance.

  “Come now,” Galeo said, “we knew every little secret about your crew days before we met at Menota. You know how it's done.”

  “Why didn't you take Nestor out then? I thought Saturnists were killed on sight.”

  Galeo winced as he slipped on the green pants. “Saturnists are no longer a threat. We’ve done a good job marginalizing them. We needed him as part of your crew more than we needed him dead.”

  “Another expendable crewman.”

  Galeo was silent as he looked for his shoes.

  “So only the Romans fear Saturnists now,” Kaeso said, picking up Galeo’s bloody shoes from near the hatch and handing them to him.

  “Why would the Romans fear them?” Galeo asked. Galeo didn't seem surprised at Kaeso's question.

  “Maybe because the Romans are also infected with the Muses.”

  Galeo chuckled. “You've been listening to Nestor too much.”

  “Maybe,” Kaeso said. “But it got me thinking. Why is it so important that the Consular Heir come to Libertus?”

  “You really have to ask? He's the Consular Heir. He knows things.”

  “He's a twelve-year-old boy. What’s he know that’s so damned important to Libertus? And why would Libertus risk open war with Roma to get him?”

  Galeo rolled his eyes. “Do you want me to fix these engines, or do you want to talk mythology all day?”

  “Seems to me that it's not what the boy knows that's so important. It's what he is.”

  “‘What he is?’” Galeo said, then laughed. “Don’t tell me you think he’s a god?”

  “No. But maybe he's a cure.”

  “Our sources say he knows something about a cure for the Cariosus,” Galeo said, “not that he is the cure. How could a boy be a cure for anything?”

  Galeo is either very good at this or he actually believes what he's saying, Kaeso thought. He doubted he’d get Galeo to admit anything. But if Nestor's allegations were true, and the Romans were infected with a different Muse strain, was it possible Umbra knew nothing about it? Kaeso didn't think so. Umbra had Ancilia in every corner of Roman power centers. If a Roman Muse strain existed, Umbra knew about it.

  If Nestor's claims were true, that is.

  Kaeso stared into Galeo's Umbra cloaked eyes. “Never mind. I’m sure it's all a story.”

  Galeo grunted. “Look, the boy is important, but he's just a boy. He's not a god. He simply has information that’s important, not to mention the priceless value of him publicly defecting to Libertus.”

  “That's it?”

  “Can we get started on these engines?”

  You never denied it, old friend.

  Kaeso nodded, then motioned Galeo toward the infirmary hatch.

  “Oh, before we go,” Galeo said. “Your implant.”

  Kaeso frowned and then nodded. He knew this was coming once Galeo woke up. He had asked for his implant’s reactivation to verify the Muses had approved Galeo’s contract, but he had also wanted a brief taste of his old life. He needed the power, wisdom, and confidence it gave him more than ever now. It grieved him to lose it again, and he worried he couldn’t complete the mission without it.

  However, with all he learned in the last few days, he wasn’t sure he wanted the strings that came with it.

  “Get Nestor this time,” Kaeso said as he lay down on the bunk. “I want to be knocked out.”

  Galeo smiled. “Wise choice.”

  31

  Kaeso strapped himself into the command couch and then tapped his collar com.

  “All crew to your delta couches for way line jump.”

  The crew finished numerous repairs the previous day, so they were all anxious to leave whatever corner of the universe they were in. Even if it meant going to Terra.

  Galeo had the engines running two hours after waking up. Kaeso praised Daryush, who did most of the work calibrating the systems while Galeo was unconscious. Galeo doubted Kaeso’s praise, but was surprised when he saw the progress and complimented the Persian, even half-jokingly offering Daryush a job with Umbra. Daryush looked horrified at the prospect, which drew a proud smile from Kaeso.

  Kaeso glanced outside the command deck window at the green gas giant they'd found in this unknown system. Though Caduceus was more than 500,000 leagues from the planet, the giant was a swirling green wall to the left of the command window. Galeo said its quantum way lines were strong and that it would give them a clear passage to Pandisa, a Lost World two alpha way line jumps from Libertus. Galeo wanted Caduceus to leave him there, where he would rendezvous with other Umbra Vessels on the planet.

  Kaeso watched his tabulari lights turn green as his crew secured themselves in their delta couches. Kaeso noticed Flamma’s light was still off and for an instant wanted to call him. Then he remembered the young Egyptian’s body was in the Cargo Two freezer. A cold lump grew in Kaeso’s throat. Before he allowed the guilt to consume him, he focused on the last remaining red light. Kaeso was about to call Nestor when the medicus hurried up the command deck ladder. He climbed with one hand, while the other juggled the way line sacrifice bowl and a knife.

  “Nestor, we ate the last chicken yesterday,” Kaeso said.

  “I know,” he said, arranging his ritual supplies on his cutting board. “I'm not using a chicken.”

  He took the knife in his right hand and ran the edge down his left palm. A bright line of blood gushed from the wound.

  “Nestor!” Lucia cried.

  “We didn't make a sacrifice on our last jump, and look what happened,” Nestor said, squeezing his left hand over the bowl. Scarlet blood dripped from his fist into the pewter bowl. “The gods require a blood sacrifice for way line jumps. I hope my blood satisfies them.”

  Lucia grunted, and shook her head.

  Kaeso frowned at him. “If this boy is what you say he is, then I think the gods will give you safe way line passage your whole life.”

  Nestor grinned. “Let us pray that is so.”

  Nestor closed his eyes and chanted way line passage prayers. When he finished, he took a skin glue tube from his pocket and squeezed the clear gel into the wound. He wrapped his hand in gauze, taped it tight with practiced precision, and then strapped himself into his couch.

  Kaeso tapped his collar com. “Galeo, are the coordinates set?”

  “They should be on your tabulari now,” Galeo said from his engine room couch.

  Though unrecognizable to Kaeso, the quantum way l
ine coordinates streamed down his tabulari display, and he transferred them to Lucia's station.

  “Medicus, engage delta sleep,” Kaeso said.

  “Acknowledged,” Nestor said.

  Kaeso watched Galeo’s delta indicator until it turned green. Kaeso waited another moment and then tapped his collar com. “Daryush, is Galeo asleep?”

  The Persian grunted an affirmative from the engine room.

  Kaeso opened another file on his tabulari, this one with the coordinates he, Daryush, and Blaesus worked out while Galeo was still unconscious. Though they weren’t 100% confident in their accuracy, they were reasonably sure the coordinates would take them where they wanted. And it was not Pandisa.

  Kaeso transferred the coordinates to Lucia’s pilot tabulari, who entered them into the quantum way line jump program. She smiled as she did so. “This’ll be fun when he wakes up.”

  Kaeso said, “Medicus, engage delta sleep for the crew. For real, this time.”

  “Engaging delta sleep now,” Nestor said. “For real this time.”

  Kaeso saw Lucia's eyes close and her body slump into her couch. He checked his tabulari. Daryush and Blaesus also slept.

  “Transferring delta control to you, Centuriae,” Nestor said formally.

  “Acknowledged. See you on the other side, Medicus.”

  Kaeso moved Nestor's slider on his tabulari, and Nestor’s delta indicator turn green. Kaeso started the quantum way line jump countdown, watching the numbers tick down to five seconds. He blinked...

  ...and faced another swirling gas giant through the command deck window. This one had red, brown, and pink bands, along with a large red storm in the lower hemisphere. It had been years since he'd last seen the planet Jupiter.

  Lucia was awake and already running diagnostics. “Ship integrity normal, position two light-seconds from Jupiter.” She looked at Kaeso. “Right where you wanted us.”

  Kaeso exhaled. “I love these engines.”

  Panicked shouts issued from his collar com. “Kaeso, what have you done! Why did you take us to Jupiter? We were supposed to go to Pandisa!”