Macro gritted his teeth as he controlled his temper. Then he took the cup and drained it quickly and set it down with a sharp rap. ‘Another.’
This time he drank more slowly then pushed the empty cup away. ‘That’s better. Bloody tongue was starting to feel like a strip of old boot leather.’
‘I know what you mean.’ Cato nodded. ‘I hope water’s been provided for the men on the ships. They’re still out there in the sun.’
Macro frowned at him. ‘I think you should be concentrating on our predicament rather than theirs.’
‘Why? Didn’t you always tell me that a good officer thinks of the well-being of his men before his own? You used to be quite adamant about that when I was your optio.’
‘Did I?’ Macro grumbled. ‘What good is that doing you right now, eh?’
‘It’s taking my mind off being stuck in here with a firebrand who is storming around the place like a caged bull.’
Macro’s weathered and scarred face creased into a smile. ‘Sorry. I just don’t take kindly to being called a murderer and pirate. A killer and plunderer, yes. That goes with the job.’
‘To some minds that would seem to be a distinction of degree rather than category, Macro,’ Cato replied wryly.
‘Really?’ Macro raised his eyebrows. ‘Then fuck ’em, I say. I’m no murderer.’
Cato had become well used to the rather rough and ready nature of Macro’s soldier’s sophistry and simply shrugged.
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of boots in the corridor outside the watchroom and a moment later the guards stepped aside to admit the centurion in charge of the arresting party, as well as the governor of the province and a scribe. The centurion stood to one side and bowed his head as he announced, ‘His Excellency, Gaius Petronius, governor of Alexandria and the province of Egypt, and legate of the Emperor.’
Cato and Macro stood up and bowed their heads as Petronius strode to the centre of the room and stopped, hands on hips, a dark expression on his face. He snapped his fingers and pointed at the corner. The scribe hurried over, sat cross-legged, and took a waxed tablet and stylus from his satchel.
Petronius rounded on Cato. ‘I let you take my forces to Crete to quash rebellion, not to spread it about even more widely. You two have a lot to answer for.’ Petronius glared at them. ‘You’ve got the entire delta region up in arms and not just them. The merchants’ and traders’ guilds of the city want your heads. I’m tempted to give due legal process a miss and let the mob tear you to pieces, before their mood boils over into open revolt.’ He folded his arms. ‘So please, in the name of all the gods, tell me just what the hell you two think you are up to?’
‘Up to, sir?’ Cato shook his head. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘Bollocks! I’ve been getting reports for the best part of a month that you have been terrorising the coastal villages. Landing, demanding supplies and killing those who refuse to cooperate. I’ve even heard that you have been stopping ships, torturing their crews for information and then killing almost everyone on board before you move on.’
Macro and Cato exchanged a quick look.
‘Oh, don’t deny it!’ the governor raged. ‘I have reports naming you. And a handful of witnesses that you have been kind enough to spare. More than enough evidence to have you nailed to a cross before the day is out. So,’ he forced himself to control his temper before he continued, ‘I ask you again, what do you think you have been playing at? According to the last despatch I had from Crete, you had been sent to track down a renegade slave. Not to foment yet another rebellion here in Egypt. I’m not sure who poses the greatest threat to peace in the Empire, a renegade gladiator, or the two moronic thugs sent to track him down. To add insult to injury you are using my men, and my ships, to carry out your dirty work. Don’t think that has escaped the notice of the mob either. One of my patrols was stoned as it passed through the streets yesterday. I lost an optio and one of the men. All thanks to you two and the heavy-handed way you have gone about hunting down this character, Ajax.’
‘But we’ve done nothing, sir,’ Macro protested. ‘None of it’s true.’
‘Tell that to the witnesses.’
‘Then they’re lying. Someone’s put them up to it.’
‘We shall see. My prosecutors have been taking statements, gathering evidence. I shall take every possible step to put you two on trial as soon as I can. Then, a public execution. That might just be enough to satisfy the mob and calm things down here in Egypt.’
Macro snorted with derision. ‘You’re having me on! It’s utter shit, all of it.’
‘Trust me, Centurion, that’s exactly what is going to happen. What’s more, the Emperor, and that snake of his, the imperial secretary, Narcissus, will approve my action without a moment’s hesitation.’
Cato had been listening to the heated exchange in silence. Now, as understanding dawned, he smiled without humour.
‘What in Hades are you grinning at?’ asked the governor. ‘I see no cause for amusement.’
‘It’s Ajax, sir. He’s responsible for all of this.’
‘Ajax?’
‘Of course. He’s been covering his tracks. Better than that, he’s been stirring up the locals in his wake.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘We came across a ship, adrift, a few days back. All the crew dead, save one who told us that it was the work of Centurion Macro.’
Macro snorted. ‘Which came as something of a bloody surprise to me, as you can imagine.’
‘It also explains why those villagers fled when we landed on the coast the day before,’ Cato continued. ‘He’s been a busy lad, our gladiator.’
‘I assume you can prove this?’ said the governor. ‘Can this survivor of yours testify that the man who attacked his ship was not Macro?’
‘Unfortunately not, sir. He died soon afterwards.’
‘How convenient.’
‘Not for us, it seems. Nonetheless, you produce your other witnesses and see if they can identify either of us as their attackers. That should prove our innocence.’
The governor was silent for a moment and then nodded. ‘Very well. You have a point.’ He paced to the door and clicked his fingers at one of the guards standing outside. ‘You, go and fetch that temple priest, Hamedes. He’s being held over at the palace barracks. I want him brought here at once. Don’t tell him anything about these two officers. Understand?’
The guard saluted and turned to stride off down the corridor. Petronius returned to Macro and Cato. ‘I’ll know soon enough if you’re telling me the truth. One of the temples on the delta was raided ten days ago. The priests were killed and the temple’s strongbox was taken. Only one person was spared. He turned up at the gates of the city yesterday, babbling about the Roman soldiers who had attacked the temple. He was taken into custody to have his wounds dressed and to be fed and rested before we took a statement. We’ll see what he says when he encounters you two.’ He paused and stared at Macro and Cato for a moment before he continued. ‘However, if you’re being straight with me, and this is all the work of Ajax, then it seems we’re dealing with a rather more dangerous and resourceful enemy than I thought.’
Cato nodded. ‘Oh, he’s all that and more. Utterly ruthless. My guess is that he has ambitions to stir up a fresh revolt here in Egypt. That’s the only thing that makes sense.’
‘But why?’ Macro interrupted. ‘Why doesn’t he just run and go to ground? Find somewhere to hide until we give up the chase, then he and his followers can live out their lives as free men.’
‘No, they’ll always be fugitives. Ajax knows that. There can be no peace for him. No matter where he goes, Rome will never give up the hunt. So, all that is left to him is to fight on. It’s all he knows. One way or another he will always be our enemy. Until he is found and killed.’
‘That can’t happen a day too soon,’ Petronius added with feeling. ‘I already have enough problems containing the situation on the upper Nile without this new trouble along the coast.’ He paused and crossed over to the table, pulled up a stool and sat down, gesturing to Cato and Macro to do the same. The scribe remained sitting in the corner, discreetly taking notes. Cato glanced at him, mindful of the need to choose his words with care since Petronius would have a record of what was said.
The governor poured himself a drink before he continued. ‘The province seems to be afflicted by a confluence of threats at present, even before this gladiator of yours turned up – assuming that you are not responsible for the actions that have stirred up the locals.’
Macro bristled, and Cato shook his finger slightly to warn his friend not to react. Petronius missed the gesture; he had his cup in both hands and was staring down at the shimmering surface.
‘For the last three months the Nubians have been carrying out raids against our southern frontier,’ he went on. ‘Each time, they have penetrated further along the Nile, but always withdrawing before we could gather sufficient forces to trap and destroy them. It’s my belief that they have been testing our defences and reconnoitring the ground in preparation for a larger operation. A few days ago I had that confirmed in a report from the strategos of the nomes on the border with Nubia.’
Macro looked at Cato and cocked an eyebrow. He cleared his throat. ‘Excuse me, sir. What do you mean by these, er, nomes?’
Petronius looked at him irritably and shrugged. ‘Should have known you weren’t familiar with arrangements here. It’s a hangover from the time before Rome made Egypt into a province. The nomes are administrative districts. Each one is under the control of a strategos and a local council. They did a good job of collecting the taxes and taking care of local legal matters so Rome saw no need to change things.’
Macro grunted. ‘Glad to see the Greeks got something right.’
‘Actually, the Greeks adapted the system from the natives.’
‘What? The gypos?’
Petronius smiled. ‘You really have no idea, do you?’
‘About what, sir?’
‘This province. Egypt was a great power once. Long before Rome was even a tiny village of farmers scratching a living on the banks of the Tiber.’
‘Bollocks.’ Macro jerked his thumb towards the heart of the city. ‘That lot?’
‘It’s true, I assure you, though don’t ever attempt to get one of the locals to tell you the full story, unless you have a few years to spare.’
Cato coughed. ‘Sir? About the Nubians?’
‘Oh yes.’ Petronius refocused his thoughts. ‘The strategos at Syene. Anyway, he sent several spies across the frontier to gather intelligence. Most didn’t come back, then at last he heard from one. The man had seen columns of Nubian warriors massing a hundred miles or so beyond the cataract. They were led by Prince Talmis. He’s the eldest son of the King of Nubia. He’s already extended their kingdom into Aethiopia and has quite a reputation as a general. He means to enhance it by attacking this province, I’m certain of it.’
‘But why?’ Cato asked. ‘Have the Nubians been provoked?’
‘In a manner of speaking,’ Petronius admitted. ‘A year ago, the Emperor ordered me to send a survey to map the Nile to its source. I advised him that such an expedition would cause friction with the Nubians. They’re a touchy people.’
‘No doubt. I would imagine they suspected this was a prelude to invasion. Why else would Claudius want the area mapped?’
‘The imperial secretary gave me his firm assurance that there are no plans to invade Nubia. The purpose of the expedition was purely scientific.’
Macro scratched his cheek. ‘And you believed Narcissus, did you, sir?’
‘Whether one believes Narcissus or not, once the Emperor gives the order then the thing is done. So I sent the cartographers up the Nile with a small escort, and a message of goodwill.’ Petronius paused.
‘What happened?’ asked Macro.
‘Prince Talmis sent their heads back with a message warning us to keep our noses out of Nubian territory.’
Cato leaned forward. ‘And, naturally, you sent out a punitive column.’
‘Of course. What else could I do? Rome is not prepared to suffer such an insult to her authority. Our men burned several of their settlements, enslaved over a thousand of their people and destroyed whatever irrigation infrastructure they came across. Since then we’ve had these raids and I’ve had to send reinforcements south to bolster our defences along the frontier. Under normal circumstances the garrison of Egypt is perfectly capable of defending the province and keeping order. We have two legions, the Third based here in Alexandria, and the Twenty-Second at Heliopolis. There’s also nine cohorts of auxiliaries based in forts across the delta and along the Nile. However, as you well know, I had to lend my good friend Senator Sempronius three thousand men from the Third Legion and two auxiliary cohorts to put down the revolt on Crete. He has still to return most of those men. Right now, I have two cohorts of legionaries available to hold Alexandria. A thousand men to control over half a million. Not an easy job at the best of times. But since this business with Ajax began – if you’re telling me the truth – the sailors and merchants have been up in arms demanding protection. That’s over and above the usual friction we have between the Jews and the Greeks. Then there’s the fellahin, the peasants, along the coast, ready to revolt, thanks to these raids on the villages and the sacking of that temple. Oh, and there’s one other thing,’ he added bitterly. ‘The latest readings of the Nilometers suggest that we’re in for a poor crop.’
‘Too little water?’ Cato surmised.
Petronius shook his head. ‘Too much. The Nile’s going to flood much higher this year, which means it will take longer to recede and the crops will have to be planted late. The fellahin are going to go hungry and the tax take is going to fall. I have the men to deal with the first problem, but as sure as Vulcan made little knuckledusters, I’ll get it in the neck once the imperial treasury detects a shortfall in Egypt’s tax take.’ Petronius raised his hands helplessly. ‘So, as you can see, your friend Ajax has arrived on the scene at the very worst of times.’
Macro’s eyes narrowed darkly. ‘Ajax is no friend of mine, sir.’
‘Figure of speech,’ Petronius excused himself lightly.
They were interrupted by a rap on the door frame. All three turned as a guard entered the room. ‘Sir, got the gypo from the temple you wanted outside.’