The Eagles Prophecy

Cato struggled to contain his astonishment at such a vast demand. It was a fortune, enough to ransom a kingdom, let alone a king. He stared at Telemachus. 'When you say the merchandise, you are referring to the scrolls, aren't you?'

The pirate chief exchanged a glance with his lieutenant and chuckled. 'That's right.'

'But no scroll is worth such a sum.'

Telemachus poked the centurion in the chest. 'These scrolls are. Believe me.'

'Why?'

Telemachus stared at Cato with amusement.'You have no idea what they are, do you?'

Cato thought about trying to deceive the pirate chief, and then realised he would be seen through in an instant. 'No.'

'But you would like to know?'

Cato stared back at him for a moment, but could no longer deny his curiosity.

Telemachus nodded before the Roman could reply. 'I thought so. If I told you what they were… if I told you any detail of what they contain, you would be in mortal danger, Roman. Be content in your ignorance. If you want to survive.'

He watched Cato closely to make sure the young officer understood the peril, then continued, 'Now, before you run along, there's one other message I'd like you to carry back.' He clicked his fingers and a Nubian came trotting up with a small wicker casket, which he handed to the pirate leader. Telemachus flipped the lid open and tilted it towards Cato. Inside there was a shock of black hair plastered down on to a scalp. 'May I introduce you to the former governor of the former colony at Lissus? Gaius Manlius, I think his name was. Take this back to Rave

'Yes.'

The pirate chief looked a little uncertain. 'How old are you, boy?'

'Nineteen.'

'Why did they send you?'

'I'm expendable.'

'Indeed you are,' Telemachus replied as he scratched his chin. The rasping noise drew Cato's eyes and there was a blur of motion and then a curved dagger was at the centurion's throat. Cato froze, and Telemachus leaned closer, dark eyes narrowing to slits. He spoke softly. 'I'll remember you, you arrogant young pup. I could cut your throat right now and send your head back as a companion piece.' He leered into Cato's face, and the warm odour of fish sauce filled Cato's nose. Then the dagger dropped away. 'As it happens I want to close negotiations reasonably soon and I'm not prepared to wait until you Romans send out an envoy with some ma

Cato hurried down the side of the trireme and back into the skiff, and the casket, with the lid fastened, was tossed down to him. Cato quickly tucked it under the thwart and tried not to think about what it contained.

Ajax watched him with an amused expression. 'You've got guts, Roman. There's not many people who speak to Telemachus in such a ma

'Oh, really?' Cato looked at him for a moment before he continued. 'You can't have served him for long enough to know the man.'

A strange smile flickered across Ajax's face.'You're wrong. I've known him all my life. He's not the dandy you think he is. If you meet again, he will kill you.'

'Not unless I kill him first.'

The pirate laughed.'Roman arrogance. I've never known anything like it.'

As Decimus helped Cato on to the deck the centurion passed the casket to the marine he had sent to fetch the chest. 'Put this in the cabin, but don't open it, unless you want to be flogged. Understand?'

'Yes, sir.'

Cato crossed the deck to the far rail and threw up.

'What happened over there?' Decimus asked.

'Don't ask. Just take the ship back to Rave

06 The Eagles Prophecy

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Prefect Vitellius looked up from Cato's report. 'He gave us two months?'

'Yes, sir.'

Vitellius closed his eyes and thought aloud.'That gives us enough time to send a message back to Rome, and for Narcissus to make a decision about his offer, and send us a reply to pass on to Telemachus.'

'Excuse me, sir, but do you think it's likely that the Imperial Secretary will top the opposition's offer?'

'Oh, yes. He has to. If the scrolls fall into the wrong hands, they could make life very difficult for Rome…' Vitellius looked up and saw Cato shake his head.'You don't believe me.'

'How can I, sir? I have no idea what's in these scrolls. It all seems too far-fetched.'

'You don't have to worry about it. You're a soldier, and you must obey orders. That's all you do. Your superiors can deal with the finer details.'

Vitellius glanced back at the wax tablets. 'Now, to this other matter. The tribute he's demanding for not attacking our colonies. That's his first big mistake.'

'Sir?'

'Telemachus is getting too greedy. The scrolls are one thing, but this demand for tribute is quite another. There's no question of us paying it. The Emperor would never stand for it.'

'Why not, sir? We already pay off any number of tribes in Germany to keep the peace.' Cato was struggling to work through the logic of the situation. Rome would pay upwards of twenty million sestertians for some scrolls, yet balk at half that for saving the lives of thousands of her people and dozens of her colonies.

'That's different. The Germans act as a buffer between the Empire and other barbarians of an even more violent and distasteful disposition. Pirates are different – no more than a gang of thieves and murderers.'

'It would seem they have grown to become more than just a gang, sir.'

'True. But I can tell you now that Claudius will not demean himself by permitting these pirates to run a protection racket. He'll give orders for them to be found and destroyed, and we'll not be allowed to rest until that has been carried out.'

'Even at the risk of losing the scrolls, sir?'

'Maybe we can combine the two tasks.' The prefect rose from his chair and crossed the office to the map. Cato followed him. Vitellius stared at the Illyricum coastline for a moment before he spoke.

'Centurion, where would you position your base if you were Telemachus?'

Cato concentrated on the detailed map as he collected his thoughts, and then offered an answer. 'Going on what you've let me read of the intelligence reports, it would have to be somewhere off the trade routes, by land and sea. He couldn't afford to be near any spot where a passing merchant vessel might beach for the night. So that rules out the Liburnian coastline, and there, further to the south, in Macedonia – far too many colonies and ports. At the same time he needs to be sufficiently close to the trade routes to prey on them. Some of his ships carry oarsmen. If he provisions his ships like we do then that gives him an operating radius of five or six days' sailing at most. That places him somewhere between Flanona and, say, Dyrrachium. Most probably in one of those inlets, or on one of the small islands just off the coast. Could be hundreds of them.' Cato turned from the map. 'That's my best guess, based on the information I've seen, sir.'

Prefect Vitellius nodded. 'I agree. So that's where we'll start looking for them. We'll leave a garrison here, and I'll take the fleet over to Illyricum and establish a base near…' his eyes sca