The Eternal Empire (24 page)

Cornelius felt his stomach tighten and
anger rising up inside him.

"With respect chief
minister!" he said carefully emphasising each word. "The report from
Saxony should be given a great deal more consideration by you than it has been!
The threat of a war is real and you are handing the...."

"ENOUGH!" screamed Exanzenus,
slamming his fist onto the desk and causing the pens lined neatly at the top to
jump. One rolled off the table and onto the floor in front of Cornelius.

"How dare you speak to me like
that!" Exanzenus's face was red as he stood up. "I decide what is
right for the Empire, not the ambassador to Saxony! I decide whether a report
is worth considering and acting upon, not some junior diplomat! Is that
clear!"

Cornelius stood his ground glaring
defiantly at the chief minister of the Roman Empire.

"Get out! This audience is
over!"

Cornelius nodded curtly, not even attempting
to hide the disgust he felt. He turned and walked out.

Exanzenus sat down, still seething with
anger. He would remember the name of Cornelius Petronius, and should the
opportunity arise he would ensure that he suffered for the disrespect he had just
shown. Yet despite what he had just said, the threat of a war with Saxony had
not been as lightly dismissed as he had led Cornelius to believe. His own
agents had reported the belligerent mood of the Saxon nobility, many of whom
stood to lose a great deal of money because of the new trade laws. Some
precautions might well be in order.

15th
April 1920

Saxony

A week after the council meeting,
General Godisger called Franz Maleric into his office. He arrived with an
armful of papers and spent the first hour briefing Godisger on how development
of the operational plans was proceeding. He informed the general that
everything was going well.

"Good," said Godisger as
Franz finished detailing the mobilisation plan, "performing the annual large
scale manoeuvres near the border as usual and then not releasing the men from
their training afterwards should provide enough troops for the initial attack
without the announcement of a full mobilisation."

"Yes sir," said Maleric,
pointing to a table of figures, "our success depends upon surprise and a
well co-ordinated strike at the Roman frontier defences. If they are given
sufficient warning the legions will be able to deploy and to be ready for
us."

Godisger studied the data before him.
"Are you sure that we can launch the attack with only three days
notice?"

"Once the artillery, bridging
equipment and landships are in place, three days should be adequate,"
confirmed Maleric, "at least half the men for the initial assault will be
with their units on the frontier. The rest will be brought in from nearby
garrison units and local regiments quietly mobilised a few days before the
attack." Franz Maleric picked up another sheet of paper. "Most of the
troop movements in the days leading up to the attack will be at night so that
they'll be less likely to attract attention."

Godisger nodded. He took another sheet
of paper off the desk and began questioning Maleric on that. "Your
'special teams' only go in a few days before the attack - are you sure that
they'll have enough time to reach their targets?"

"Yes sir," said Maleric
confidently, "I could've made it longer but once the special teams are
sent across the border there's no going back."

Godisger looked directly at Maleric,
looking for any signs of hesitation or second thoughts. He saw none.

"In other words," said
Godisger, "once the special teams leave Saxony we are irrevocably
committed to a war with the Empire?"

"Correct Sir," confirmed
Maleric, "that's why I kept the time scale to a minimum. The special teams
have an objective and a time at which to begin their attack. We won't be able
to contact them once they have crossed the border."

Godisger studied the plans for a few
more minutes before finally putting them aside, apparently satisfied with what
he had read and heard. He then turned his attention to a blue folder that
Maleric had been holding.

"What else do you have for me
tribune Maleric?" he asked, "We’ve covered all the primary aspects of
your plan."

"In my original presentation I
highlighted the importance of involving other countries in our conflict and of
fermenting internal unrest."

"Yes, I remember," said
Godisger, "we have people dealing with that."

 Maleric continued, opening the blue
folder in front of him. "The recent disturbances and political situation
in Britannia could be used to significantly improve the chances of success when
we attack across the Rhine."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I believe that the entire
province could be provoked into a rebellion. Constantinople will not tolerate
such open defiance and will send a large expeditionary force to crush any
insurrection. Those troops would most likely come from the Rhine."

The general began to nod his head in
comprehension. "The idea is good Maleric, but how do you propose to keep
them in Britannia once they've crossed the sea?"

From amongst the papers in the folder
Franz Maleric withdrew a large, thick envelope.

"Operation Sea Lance."

16th
April 1920

Constantinople

If Cornelius had been depressed after
his meeting with the chief minister, by the end of the following week he was
feeling even more despondent. Gregory had been unable to get him another
appointment with Exanzenus or with any other senior minister in the government.
Word had gone out that Cornelius Petronius was on the Exanzenus blacklist and
that was enough to close most doors.

Cornelius decided to contact Marcus
Metellus to see if he had any suggestions. They met at noon outside the
assembly buildings. Marcus introduced Cornelius to Magnus and then they all
went off to Attila's Place for lunch.

After a couple of jugs of wine - Magnus
refused to discuss any 'business' concerning the chief minister without
sufficient alcohol - Cornelius outlined the nobles’ reaction in Saxony. They
both listened intently, interjecting occasionally to clarify a point but
otherwise allowing Cornelius to explain the situation at his own pace.

"It doesn't surprise me,"
said Magnus when Cornelius had finished describing his confrontation with
Exanzenus," he doesn't give a damn about what anybody outside the Empire
thinks."

"He's not that concerned with what
those inside think either," added Marcus, "he believes that he knows
what's best for the Empire and anyone who disagrees is at best a fool and at
worse a traitor."

"What can be done then?"
asked Cornelius.

Magnus emptied his glass and seeing
that the jug was nearly empty gestured to a serving girl for a refill. He then
turned to Cornelius.

"Not a great deal," he said
candidly, "the state of emergency allows the Emperor to rule by decree for
six months, and with Alexander supporting him Exanzenus can do more or less
what he likes."

"It sounds like we have been
turned into a dictatorship!" exclaimed Cornelius.

"Just about," agreed Marcus,
"don't forget that the Roman Republic invented the principle of a dictator
to rule during a crisis."

"They were supposed to solve a
crisis, not create one," observed Cornelius wryly.

"It requires a two thirds majority
in both the assembly and the senate to remove the chief minister, provided we
could find grounds," continued Magnus, "but even if we could get
enough votes in the assembly, which is quite possible, Exanzenus controls too
many senators."

"I'm surprised nobody has stuck a
dagger into him before now," said Cornelius with feeling, "I've only
met him once, but within five minutes I felt like strangling him!"

"Quite a common reaction I
believe," commented Marcus, "but Cornelius," he put his hand on
his friends arm, "please be careful. Exanzenus is vindictive and has no
scruples."

"Gregory said much the same
thing," said Cornelius, "I'll be watching my back from now on."

A new jug of wine appeared at that
moment and Magnus eagerly poured everybody a full glass. They drank in silence,
caressing their glasses as they mentally searched for a solution.

"I can't see any legal way to stop
the new trade laws from being implemented," said Magnus eventually,
shaking his head sadly.

"Well, what about an illegal
way?" suggested Cornelius.

"We could kill Exanzenus,"
said Magnus.

"He's too well protected,"
countered Marcus, "he has his own bodyguards and since becoming chief
minister, the Emperor has assigned a cohort of Praetorians to guard all his
private residences."

"Yes," said Magnus with a
trace of disappointment, "he hardly ever appears in the assembly or the
senate so there is not much chance of doing a 'Brutus' on 'Caesar'
Exanzenus".

"Probably just as well,"
commented Cornelius, "an assassination could plunge the Empire into civil
war."

"What about the army?" suggested
Marcus.

"A coup?" said Cornelius.
"I think we should try and keep the military out of politics. I don’t want
to see a return to the 'Military Emperors', do you?"

Marcus and Magnus agreed that they did
not.

"Besides, I think quite a large
section of the military agree with the new policies," added Cornelius,
recalling his conversation with the old tribune on the plane.

"I'm afraid that the only option
open to us at the moment is to grit our teeth and hope that something will turn
up," said Marcus.

"Yes, I think you're right,"
said Cornelius sadly, "I only wish you weren't."

Before returning to Minden Cornelius
went shopping for a gift for Katherine. After many hours of searching through
the markets and shops of the capital he finally settled on a very expensive
silk scarf with an elaborate pattern. The shopkeeper told him the name of the
pattern and assured Cornelius that it was the latest fashion, but by the time
he had walked out the door he had forgotten the name.

Cornelius had decided to stop at the
frontier for a few days to visit his uncle and to meet a few of the
intelligence officers in the Rhine Army. The trade talks were effectively dead,
so he might as well concentrate on his other role at the embassy. He feared
that it would become a very important job in the near future.

17th
April 1920

Imperial
Palace, Constantinople

Exanzenus made his way out onto the
terrace that ran along the length of the ball room, discretely leaving several
hundred guests milling around inside. He found himself alone on the terrace. He
stood looking out over the lights of the city, visible beyond the walls of the
Imperial Palace. A few moments later he sensed her presence even before he
smelt the fragrance of her expensive perfume.

"You don't like these formal balls
do you Exanzenus?" she said.

He continued to look out over the
capital. There was a full moon and he could make out the never-ending stream of
ships passing from the Black sea to the Mediterranean.

"A lot of mindless people saying
what's on their mind," he finally replied.

"Oh, very witty," she said
laughing politely, "I must remember to tell Alexander, he would like
it."

"And how is our Sovereign?"
asked Exanzenus casually.

"I left him talking to that new
army general, you know, the one who going to Egypt as military governor."

Exanzenus nodded. Leo Ducas, another of
Alexander's obscure cousins, promoted from some harmless desk job to the
command of a border army. He would have to have a discrete word with the
Emperor; too many of these appointments could cause unnecessary discontent in
the army.

"He seems a lot more relaxed since
you took over as chief minister," she said, "he trusts you to take
care of things."

He turned to face his companion for the
first time and raised his glass to her.

"Partly thanks to you my
dear," he said.

Stephanie Dikouros smiled and bowed her
head slightly in acknowledgement.

"Just a few, well chosen words
when Alexander was, shall we say, the most receptive to suggestion."

"Very expensive words they are too,"
added Exanzenus.

"I'm sure that you find them good
value for money," she replied frostily.

"Absolutely," said Exanzenus,
"the latest 'fee' has been paid into your private account."

Stephanie's voice mellowed as she
thanked him.