you musn’t forget that almost all of those men are Greeks, and orthodox. They completely dominate the city’s commerce and manufacture. They are the same men we will be relying on—tomorrow, and for years to come—to forge the Roman arsenal against the Malwa. For doctrinal reasons, most of those people are inclined to support Paul and his diehards. But they are also uneasy about their fanaticism, and their thuggery. Bad for business, if nothing else.”
Antonina pitched in. “It’s essential that we drive a wedge between Paul’s fanatics and the majority of the orthodox population. If we have a massacre, the city’s Greeks will be driven into open opposition. And you know as well as I do—better than I do—how the cataphracts and the regular infantry will hammer into that mob if they’re in the forefront.”
She stared at Ashot and Hermogenes. The two officers looked away.
“You know!” she snapped. “Those men are trained to do one thing, and one thing only. Slaughter people. Do you really want to unleash a volley of cataphract arrows against a crowd? This is not the Nika revolt, God damn it! There, we were dealing with Malwa kshatriya and thousands of professional thugs armed to the teeth. Here—”
She blew out her breath. “Christ! Half of that crowd will be there more out of excitement and curiosity than anything else. Many of them will be women and children. You may be crazy, but I’m not. Theodora sent me here to stabilize imperial rule in Egypt. To stop a civil war, not start one.”
Ashot and Hermogenes were looking hangdog, now. But Antonina was relentless.
“That’s the way it’s going to be. I have complete confidence that the Knights Hospitaler can handle the situation. I simply want you there—in the background, but fully armed and armored—to add a little spice to the meal. Just to let the crowd know, after Paul’s goons have been beaten into a pulp and routed, that it could have been one hell of a lot worse.”
She chuckled, very coldly. “You may sneer at quarterstaffs, but my husband doesn’t. And I think, by the end of the day, you won’t be sneering either.”
She straightened, assuming as tall a stance as she could. Which wasn’t much, but quite enough.
“You have your orders. Follow them.”
Hermogenes and Ashot left then, very hastily. An unkind observer might have said they scurried. An instant later, Zeno followed. His pace, however, was slower. Very
Antonina pitched in. “It’s essential that we drive a wedge between Paul’s fanatics and the majority of the orthodox population. If we have a massacre, the city’s Greeks will be driven into open opposition. And you know as well as I do—better than I do—how the cataphracts and the regular infantry will hammer into that mob if they’re in the forefront.”
She stared at Ashot and Hermogenes. The two officers looked away.
“You know!” she snapped. “Those men are trained to do one thing, and one thing only. Slaughter people. Do you really want to unleash a volley of cataphract arrows against a crowd? This is not the Nika revolt, God damn it! There, we were dealing with Malwa kshatriya and thousands of professional thugs armed to the teeth. Here—”
She blew out her breath. “Christ! Half of that crowd will be there more out of excitement and curiosity than anything else. Many of them will be women and children. You may be crazy, but I’m not. Theodora sent me here to stabilize imperial rule in Egypt. To stop a civil war, not start one.”
Ashot and Hermogenes were looking hangdog, now. But Antonina was relentless.
“That’s the way it’s going to be. I have complete confidence that the Knights Hospitaler can handle the situation. I simply want you there—in the background, but fully armed and armored—to add a little spice to the meal. Just to let the crowd know, after Paul’s goons have been beaten into a pulp and routed, that it could have been one hell of a lot worse.”
She chuckled, very coldly. “You may sneer at quarterstaffs, but my husband doesn’t. And I think, by the end of the day, you won’t be sneering either.”
She straightened, assuming as tall a stance as she could. Which wasn’t much, but quite enough.
“You have your orders. Follow them.”
Hermogenes and Ashot left then, very hastily. An unkind observer might have said they scurried. An instant later, Zeno followed. His pace, however, was slower. Very