“I don’t know how you can drink that stuff.”
“It’s an acquired taste,” Hamilcar said in Phoenician and added, “And remember that the servers here are not slaves but…” He paused, looking for the right word, the English word. Employees didn’t really translate. “…contractors, perhaps craftsmen, with their craft being the serving of food and drink. It is polite among the ship people to say please and thank you without much regard to station.”
Hamilcar pointed at a somewhat quieter nook in the casino and they sat down.
“Is it important?” Capot asked.
“Yes. Not every time, but often enough. And any time you slip, it’s possible that either the person you’re talking to or someone listening will take offense.”
“What does it matter if a servant takes offense?”
“The croupier at the craps table is Faith Marie Essence Jordan. She is the granddaughter of Gary Jordan, who was what they call a gentleman host before The Event. But he also has a bachelor’s degree in English composition, and in cooperation with one of the Greek playwrights is translating the works of someone named William Shakespeare into Greek. Faith was a croupier before The Event, and is now both a croupier and a student of engineering at the Queen of the Sea University, with what they call a minor in business. In five years, you may be trying to hire her to redesign your rope factory with ship people machines. Do you want the cost of the insult with five years of interest added to her bill?”
“I’ll hire someone else.”
“Will there be someone else?” Hamilcar asked. “And if there is, will they have the level of understanding of ship people technology that Faith, who was born in that other time, will have? Besides, Amanda Miller, the representative of President Wiley, will be taking careful note of it every time you fail to show what they call proper courtesy.”
Capot didn’t respond immediately and Hamilcar waited while he worked it out. “Just how important is Amanda Miller? Remember I only boarded at Carthage. I have never been to New America, and anyway, they are across the Atlantic. What influence can they truly have on affairs on this side of the world?”
“Steamboats.” Just the one word was enough. Steam as a power source had hit the world of this time with a clang that could be heard from the Tin Isles to India. Every artificer was trying it and some of them were starting to succeed. Or at least, starting to look like they would succeed. Besides, Capot had already seen the example steam engine that was on display in the mezzanine where the Help Desk was situated. Most of the local passengers were entranced for a while by the device, and it was a big reason that Hamilcar had enrolled in the university.
“Can they build them?”
“They are building them. There were a dozen or more passengers that had an interest in steam, and they have the Wiki and the Britannica and the engineers who studied the history of shipboard engineering as part of their studies. There are working steam engines in Fort Plymouth as we speak. They don’t have the ships to put them in, not yet. But that will change.”
By the time Hamilcar finished, Capot was pale. “That could spell the end of Carthage. Our hope was that there was only one Queen of the Sea and she couldn’t be everywhere. Even with the Reliance, there were only two. But if they can build them, make…”
“They can’t. Not of the size of the Queen or even the Reliance. They can build ships, smaller and made of wood, but still with steam engines and better hulls and rudders. But so can we. I will be able to design a steam engine when next I see Carthage. I probably could now, though I am afraid that our smiths are not up to making the boilers safe.”
It was a wide-ranging discussion, and it lasted for hours. But, by the time they were done, Hamilcar thought—or at least hoped—that Carthage’s observer to the constitutional convention realized that he should pay attention to Amanda Miller and that the ship people, even the ones on the other side of the world, would have a real influence on the world.
CHAPTER 28
Alexandria
September 6
Ptolemy looked out at the great ship and wondered what was coming. The politics since the Queen of the Sea left in June were complicated. Antigonus One-eye had retreated south and east, but gained the support of several eastern satraps, and was building a strong army. Eumenes was training his army and rebuilding his territory after Antigonus’ raids. Polyperchon was nominally satrap of Macedonia, but Olympias was criticizing every move he made. The Greek states were quiet, based on the almost-promise of either independence or membership in a coalition of Greek states where they would have a real say. Everyone was waiting for the conference to establish a constitution.
Ptolemy looked over at Eudemus. “Have you found any more about constitutions?”
“Not really. The ship people mean basically what we mean by Athenaion Politeia, but there are differences. Their constitution is less a description than instructions, and has the power of law.”
“Perhaps Thaïs will know.”
“It’s entirely possible, Satrap. I look forward to speaking with her.”
“Not nearly so much as I do.” Ptolemy smiled at the thought, then frowned. “I guess I should talk to Cleopatra as well.”
“It would be wise, considering your plans.”
By now Ptolemy had shared his plan to eventually split Egypt off and make his own kingdom of North Africa, perhaps including Carthage, with Eudemus. It was sort of an open secret, anyway. Everyone knew by now what happened in that other history after Alexander’s heirs—real and imagined—died. But all the generals, even Cassander, were busy insisting to anyone who would listen that they were loyal as long as there were heirs to be loyal to. And Heracles was busy insisting to anyone who would listen that he was no relation to Alexander and didn’t want to be.
“Are you going to send a delegate?”
“I have to or declare myself traitor,” Ptolemy said. “I think it will probably be you, though if I had my choice I would send Thaïs.”
“She might well be the best choice. The ship people seem to be even more radical than the Egyptians in regard to letting women involve themselves in politics.”
“And yet the captain of the Queen of the Sea is a man. The president of the New America is a man, the captain of the Reliance is a man. Women can have jobs, and important ones, but they can’t be kings,” Ptolemy said.
“It’s a small group. For all we know the captains of most of their ships are women,” Eudemus said, but Ptolemy could tell he didn’t mean it.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Papa, they have flying machines!” Eirene yelled. “And I know how to make them! Well, almost.”
She came charging onto the terrace, with her mother Thaïs closely behind. Eirene was eight and full of enthusiasm but this was more than Ptolemy expected even from her.
“How do they work?” Eudemus asked before Ptolemy could speak. The satrap of Egypt looked at his librarian in surprise bordering on shock.
“It’s airflow. Bernoulli’s law.”
“Who is bernewly and how did he gain the power to legislate flight?” Ptolemy asked before Eudemus could interrupt again.
“That’s what Lagus said. But it’s not that kind of law. He didn’t make it. He discovered it. It’s a natural law,” Eirene said, her voice not so loud.
“Is that what the constitutional convention is for? To discover laws?”
“No,” said Thaïs, “though I think some of the ship people think the Constitution of the United States is made up of natural laws. And even more, something they call their Declaration of Independence. A document that seems to be the attempt of their first kings to claim that their revolt was legal.” She reached him and gave him a peck on the cheek, but there was a bit more reserve in that gesture than Ptolemy had been expecting, and it made him a little nervous.
Still he turned and put an arm around her, and led the way into the palace. “Are Roxane and Eurydice still afraid to come ashore? I had at least expected Cleopatra to be with you.??
? Apparently that wasn’t the right thing to say, because Thaïs stiffened in his arm. Could it be because of the possibility that he might have to marry Cleopatra? No. That didn’t make sense. Thaïs knew the rules. She had lived with them as long as he had.
Then she relaxed a little and murmured, “We’ll talk about it later.”
☆ ☆ ☆
Later arrived.
The sun was setting, the children were in their rooms with their books and games, and Thaïs took a chair across the table from Ptolemy. “Laomedon is on the Queen of the Sea, claiming to be the satrap of Syria. His argument is that the satrapies are not the property of the satraps, but the property of the empire and one of them cannot be conquered by the satrap of another without that satrap being in rebellion against the crown. So far, Roxane and Eurydice haven’t ruled on the issue.”
“That little weasel.” Ptolemy stood up and paced to the window. “It didn’t stop him from taking my money. Are they really listen— No, of course they are. If I can’t take Syria without their say so, they gain a great deal of direct power over the empire.” He went back to his chair and sat. “What else?”
Thaïs nodded. “Cleopatra won’t come ashore unless she first receives strong assurances that she will be allowed to leave again. Also, the offer of marriage is retracted.”
That was bad news. A political alliance with Cleopatra would have possibly given him enough legitimacy to go for the regency. “Why? And who has she decided to marry?” If she chose Eumenes, she would effectively give him the regency. That had to be prevented at any cost. If she chose Cassander, she would legitimize him and put him back in the game. And Cassander was dangerous. He was smarter than most people gave him credit for. An effective planner and skilled strategist. If he lacked personal courage, he didn’t shrink from hard decisions.
“She hasn’t decided to marry anyone, but she is leaning toward a ship person named Sean Newton.”
“Who? A ship person? But they don’t have royalty, do they? I mean, none of their leaders came with the ships. Except perhaps Wiley.”
“The ship people don’t have the respect for royalty that is common in the world. They talk about royalty and their ship is named Queen of the Sea, but they are all republicans like the Athenians or the Romans. Well, some of them call themselves democrats and they argue with the republicans about things that make no sense. Don’t ask me what the difference is. But whether they call themselves republicans or democrats they don’t even have the level of respect for lesser ranks that is common in Athens or Carthage. They say everyone is equal before the law.”
“Even slaves?” Ptolemy started to say, then realized the ban on slavery meant no slaves. “So who is this ship person?”
“He was a manager of a grocery store and on vacation. He is now a professor of business management at the Queen of the Sea University.”
“Why would she choose such a man?”
“Because she has a choice. On the Queen, she is safe and she can, to an extent, exercise political influence by influencing Roxane and Eurydice, and by commands, decrees, and instructions. By marrying Sean, she would remove herself as a prize and become safer from the machinations of the generals and her mother.”
“Well, at least it’s not Eumenes or Cassander.”
“What is Cassander doing?”
Pella, Macedonia
September 6
Cassander stepped out from behind the wall hanging and said, “Hello, Aristide.”
Polyperchon’s aide went pale, then shouted for the guards. The guards continued to stand their posts, paying no attention at all to the puffed-up Greek mercenary. Cassander was a Macedonian of noble birth. Besides, he had paid them well and they could expect more.
Cassander gestured and two guards came over to take Aristide into custody. It would be a short imprisonment. They would kill him as soon as they got somewhere private.
Pella was the true capital, where Philip II had ruled, and from which Cassander’s father, Antipater, had administered Macedonia. It was also where his family’s money was kept. Cassander went to the dais, stepped up, walked to the throne, and sat. He had been a long time getting here. Years serving his father, and months sneaking around the back country of Macedonia, pulling together all the young conservatives who had never approved of Alexander’s adventures in Persia and didn’t respect Polyperchon.
But he had done it. He had his army now. It was small and still in need of training, but it was enough, with Polyperchon sending most of his army to support Eumenes against Antigonus. Roxane was too busy with the empire to worry about Macedonia, just like that maniac Alexander had been. Stupid bitch.
He waved over a guard and had his generals called in. It was time to take back Macedonia, for it was the core of the empire.
Where Macedonia led, the rest would follow, soon or late.
Amphipolis, Macedonia
September 8
“What are you still doing here?” Olympias demanded.
Polyperchon closed his eyes. He had never understood how a voice could be so harsh and so dulcet all at once. “I am satrap of Macedonia, and where else should I be?”
“With the army in Anatolia. Roxane ordered you to support the clerk.”
“I sent an army to support the clerk.” Polyperchon snorted a laugh. Olympias and he didn’t agree about much, but neither of them thought much of Philip II’s clerk. Not as a general anyway. They had both known Eumenes when he was a teenager, and the fact that his father was nothing but a wagoner was well known to them both. A man like Eumenes could be trusted and be of great value to the dynasty, but he should never be placed above a noble.
“You leave noble Macedonians and allied clans under the command of a carter’s son?”
“No. Your daughter-in-law places them under the carter’s son,” Polyperchon said. “I was just obeying the orders of the wife of Alexander. It was your son, Olympias, who made Eumenes a general, not me.”
“Alexander, chosen of Zeus.”
Polyperchon looked away and rolled his eyes. He knew about the cult that both Philip and Olympias were members of, and he knew Olympias had powers. But her visions and ramblings could get wearing at times.
“Word has reached us from Italy. The Queen of the Sea is back. So you can ask Roxane why she appointed Eumenes strategos of the Empire.”
Queen of the Sea, Ashdod
September 11
“They are insane,” Rabbi Benyamin Abrahamson said. “Half the Pharisees insist that Abraham actually sacrificed his son.”
Dag nodded politely as he escorted the rabbi and the reverend to the elevators. This wasn’t news. They had gotten regular reports over the radio.
The religious émigrés were still in Ashdod. They had made a couple of trips to visit the Second Temple, but had been refused entrance by the priestly class of this prerabbinic version of Judaism. The Jews of this time mostly believed that each nation had its own god or gods. Their interpretation of the commandment Thou shalt have no other god before me was that it clearly signified that other gods existed but that they were inferior to the god of the Jews.
It followed that the Jews thought they were better than the other nations also. They had apparently paid scant respect to Rabbi Abrahamson, and none at all to Reverend Terrence Hewell. In fact, if it hadn’t been for Ptolemy’s guards, Hewell would have been stoned for heresy, because he insisted that the messiah was coming on a specific date and he knew when it was.
“Do you want to come back aboard the Queen?” Dag asked.
“No,” Hewell insisted. “God requires this of us. It is clearer to me than ever that we must prepare the way for Jesus. The crucifixion cannot be allowed to happen again.”
Rabbi Abrahamson was rolling his eyes, but not where Hewell could see it. With an effort, Dag schooled his expression to polite enquiry. Then he turned to Rabbi Abrahamson and asked, “And you, Rabbi?”
“No. I need to understand what these people believe, as disgusting as I find much o
f it. There is something altogether too reminiscent of Nazism in their beliefs for my peace of mind.”
“Jews as the master race?” Dag asked, surprised.
“Apparently.”
“Well, if it is, it’s certainly not unique to them. Some of the tribes in Venezuela were busy trying to sacrifice our people to their gods and had a very similar attitude.”
“It’s a universal condition that only Jesus put an end to!” Hewell proclaimed.
Dag got them to the conference room and made his escape. He had a date with a queen. Dag grinned. He had called Roxane a dowager queen once, and she had looked confused. Then, after she talked with Marie Easley, she hadn’t spoken to him for a day and a half. It wasn’t the specific meaning that she objected to, as the meaning was all true. It was the connotations, the image of a sixty-year-old walking with a cane, that she didn’t like.
Queen of the Sea, Izmir
September 15
From Ashdod to Tyre, where they picked up delegates and observers, then to Rhodes where they got more observers, and Arrhidaeus as Antigonus One-eye’s delegate. Then to Izmir, where Eumenes was waiting, along with a wet nurse and his infant son.
He bowed to both queens, but to Roxane first. “So, Your Majesties, do you want me here or commanding in the field?”
It was Cleopatra who answered with a question. “Do you have someone you can leave in command?”
“Well, Attalus might do. He’s Macedonian and of noble blood. Frankly, my generals would be more comfortable with him than with me. Besides, I don’t think we want him on the same ship as Arrhidaeus.”
“No, probably not,” agreed Roxane. “But Cleopatra could be your representative.”
Eumenes looked at Cleopatra. “What have you decided for my satrapy?”
“Nothing specific to your satrapy, Eumenes. That’s not what we are doing. We are designing a structure for a government that recognizes local sovereignty in some ways, but where military and international relations are controlled by the central government. Your satrapy, and Ptolemy’s, as well as the others, and the Greek states, and even the allied kingdoms, would become part of the same structure.”