ICHaFBI 25

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=I, Corvus; How a Fool became Imperator of the O'Reillys - Chapter XXV -=
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===Message heard around the Sphere===
Imperial Palace
City of Nova Roma, Latium District - Gaul Continent
Alphard IV, Corvid Principate
12th July, 3036
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The words were fresh from the HPG. Corvus held up the digital tablet Gnasher had just provided him and glanced over the message while more unwelcome news loaded into the holotank display at the center of the Imperial Palace's War Room.
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Open Pronouncement from Her Serene Highness
 
It is with a swelling heart and great joy that the peoples of the Arcadian Free March have received word of the abolition decreed by the Senate of the Corvid Principate. May the Lord God bless Princeps Corvus and his reign as his people begin to dismantle the horrifying system that once ensnared so many souls in the living death of slavery.
 
While a number of differences still remain to be settled between our governments, I hold great hope that the end of slavery will be but the start of resolving those differences and ensuring peace to the peoples of our realms. I welcome the Principate to begin discussing these matters through an establishment of diplomatic ties. Furthermore, to celebrate the liberation of so many millions, I declare the date, the Eighteenth of June, to be the Jubilee of Alphard, which shall be celebrated as a national holiday across the Free March.
 
May God bless us with further good tidings in these uncertain times.
 
Signed,
March-Princess Sara-Marie Proctor
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If not for Livia, if the abolition had failed, how darker our situation would be now. Corvus returned his attentions to the holotank and the map of dark greens and reds that flashed angrily upon it. Corvus rubbed at his brow briefly and pondered the history of his realm and their ancient counterparts in Rome, and how often the consuls and emperors and imperators had to confront military setbacks, even disasters. It is not yet a Cannae, at least…
 
The light told it all; a green cancer had now eaten away the very heart of the Magistracy of Canopus, one of his state's few allies.
 
"The last HPG message from Legatus Gregson verified that Magestrix Kyalla is dead," Yassin continued. "The surviving Lifeguards and other soldiers of the MAF on-planet have gone into the bush to fight an insurgency campaign against the Andurien forces and their Compact backers. Emma Centrella is still moving between systems with her deep raiding forces and all efforts are being made to inform her of the development."
 
"Given this and Tematagi…" Kelly glanced towards Corvus with worry.
 
"Rome suffered m-many a setback, even a-at its h-height," he reminded them gently, not quite able to restrain the genuine stutter. Canopus' gamble leaves my new Principate dangerously vulnerable. I may yet join Kyalla as a victim to her ambition. Zielinski and the other patricians had been caught by surprise with the success of S-53 but were already slyly inferring that abolition should be postponed for the duration of the war. They are setting the stage to exploit defeat. But at least they do not appear to be actively plotting yet, they fear the stigma of betraying the State in time of war. I suppose the war may be useful in that respect… "The naval engineers c-confirmed the findings?""The loss of the Rim Commonality's shipyards and new hulls is total," Yassin said. "Going by the holorecordings our analysts believe the Golden Apple will need the better part of a year in dock to repair, but it is still spaceworthy and we can confirm their return to Oriente."
 
If only we hadn't had to scatter the fleet to hunt that damn Tamarindian destroyer! I would have gladly seen the Arcadians hire them on too just to have had another WarShip at Tematagi! Corvus nodded quietly. "Do we have g-good news?"
 
"The Compact does not yet have the naval strength to completely control the front," Yassin said. "The Federated Suns does not appear to be reinforcing them due to their conflict with the Peripheral Union. The Capellan Hegemony's diehards continue to make Harsefeld's forces pay in blood for every meter of Capella they take, delaying the day that the Harsefelders can bring their full strength down on the front. And there is no indication that the Lyran Alliance are preparing to attack."
 
"W-What of the Arcadian a-and New C-Commonwealth troop movements?"
 
Kelly gave the answer. "The Vigilus believes Katrina Steiner's preparing to go after the Rim Republic. And the Arcadian forces at Labouchere are reported as moving on to Bella to secure that system."
 
"And so now no in-independent systems remain on our frontier," he observed. "No new c-conquests." Potentially dangerous in the long term. Notwithstanding our current war.
 
"We are running projections, Princeps," Yassin continued. "There is a chance to gain a strategic edge if we begin striking into the former Marik Commonwealth on Oriente's flank. But we will need the Limitanei. And it will require a great risk to be taken."
 
Corvus sighed at the silence when it continued past the three second mark. "Prefect?"
 
Yassin shook his head. "To make it work, we will have to pull three-quarters of all our legions and auxiliaries from our conquests in Bolan and Tamarind. We will have nothing to hold the border if the Arcadians decide to attack us."
 
"And if we don't pull those troops?" asked Kelly.
 
"Strategic projections are that Oriente and supporting Harsefelder forces will expand their current raiding campaign into the Commonality into a full-blown invasion. Without a means to disrupt and dilute their forces, as soon as the Harsefelders finish conquering Capella, they will have both the ground troops and naval force to press an invasion deep into the Commonality or into our new Kashamarkan province. And if they persuade the Arcadians to join them, I don't see how we can defend Bolan and Tamarind anyway. Maybe Timbiqui and Cavanaugh, but not those worlds."
 
"And at the end of the day, h-holiday declarations aside, the Arcadians are as much a Successor S-State as any of us," Corvus said. "They've promised to restore t-the Umayrs, and now the Shahs. And as a strategic calculation, th-they will have to join Harsefeld and Oriente to a-avoid falling behind them in resources."
 
"A shame we can't leverage abolition to bring them in on our side," Kelly said.
 
Corvus chuckled. "Y-yes, th-that would be…" He let his sentence trail off as he considered the idea. Could it work? Sean made them our enemies, but abolition has been very popular on Arcadia, as Sara-Marie's proclamation shows. Could it sway them? The balance of power in the old League teeters, and they cannot remain neutral. But maybe…
 
"Princeps?"
 
"We need allies," Corvus said. "More. That m-much is plain. Harsefeld and Oriente have four allies on their side that can re-reinforce them and Andurien. Our list of potential allies is th-thin. We will never sway Galedon and Lexington, they have little love for us either and little interest in the former L-League. The Terrans despise us all. COMINTERSTEL is l-locked into its war with the Sh-Shogunate and have Oberon to consider. But the Lyran states? There may be s-something there. The Arcadians certainly have little love for Harsefeld given its decision to reimpose the Capellan caste system."
 
"You'd have to give them Bolan and probably Tamarind to make any deal politically viable," Yassin protested. "You may as well hand the State to Zielinski if you give up conquests!"
 
"If I did it for nothing, c-certainly, but as part of a wider territorial agreement? And the populace will find a territory exchange m-more palatable." Corvus noted the anger still on Yassin's face. He commanded the invasion of Bolan personally, and the resistance to the Arcadian 'Rettungsaktion'. The hostility is understandable. Yet his loyalty to the State will outweigh any personal feelings on this, if I am right about him anyway.
 
Kelly nodded. "Then let's ask for Cajamarca. We didn't have the means to take it before they did when House Yupanqui collapsed. A lot of our former Kashamarkan worlds had economies linked to that planet, and it's been an economic millstone around Arcadia's neck since the collapse. The entire province would benefit from having the Principate in control over Cajamarca."
 
"Two worlds for one?" Yassin's voice betrayed his skepticism.
 
"I suppose we could a-ask for a second world in the f-former Antisuyu, but the Arcadians have none other as wealthy as either Bolan or Tamarind. More to the point, we would be making this contingent upon their military entry into the war and acceptance of t-territorial gains by the Principate and our allies." Saying the words helped crystallize the idea in Corvus' mind. It would work. It would give both of us territories that benefit us more, economically and politically, and provide a check to the boundless ambitions of the Harsefelders. But it will not be done easily.
 
"They're offering an ambassadorial exchange now," Kelly said. "Shall we have a new embassy take this up?"
 
"No," Corvus said. "We would be asking t-too much with relations so new. No, it must be a special mission. From someone with rank to s-speak for the Principate from the highest levels."
 
"Not many left who can do that," said Kelly. "And the Senate would want to weigh in on an official mission."
 
"Make it unofficial," Yassin proposed. "Find a suitable cover."
 
Corvus considered that. "Yes. Y-yes, there is the opportunity. March-Princess Sara-Marie's scheduled re-coronation." While some details had apparently not been decided, the Arcadians were already sending out the invitations to the ceremony in question. Their rapid expansion had compelled a constitutional reorganization upon them, not much different in scope than that Corvus was pressing within the Principate. The ruler of the Arcadian state would be assuming a new title, and new dignity, with the coming of the new year. Six months is a long time to wait in war, and so much can happen… but I dare not hope we turn the war around and prevail before then.
 
"Send a delegate to sound them out on a deal?" Kelly nodded. "That tracks. Just a question of whom."
 
"There's only one suitable c-candidate," Corvus said. "I will s-speak to Livia later. For now, let us continue the briefing."
 
Yassin sighed and nodded. "Planning is underway for what we've dubbed Operation PILUM. The following legions are intended for deployment to the front over the course of the remaining year, notwithstanding the proposed thrust into the former Marik Commonwealth held by Oriente…"
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===Growing distrust amidst a Crisis===
 
The news of Canopus falling to the enemy was on every set of lips in Nova Roma by the time Livia returned to the Palace. She could only be thankful the news came after her tour of the now-abolitionized estates outside the city. The local patricians were surprisingly supportive, or perhaps not do surprising when you considered how much they would be saving on not having to pay overseers and guards to keep their captive workforces under control. Or they simply fear upsetting us after seeing Sean's rampage through their ranks. Her belly twisted instinctively at the thought of her brother, and the memory of when Sean buried the dagger into their mother's body and cut her guts open. The first of his many victims. She glanced about the Palace and felt a chill at what she had once held as her home, before she'd had her eyes opened by the reality of it. So many plots in these halls. Schemes for power, for advancement. All those lies. And I'm still trapped here, forced to play this game. If only…
 
…no. I won't think that. The work's not done yet. I have to find a way to keep the plots away to see it through and make sure Zielinski and his creatures don't bring slavery back.
 
She considered that. It was obvious Zielinski hadn't counted on Gordon Humphries' choice. The patricians hadn't been ready at all to resist S-53 when it was passed. Only Niops' higher caste had managed a reaction, with the almost immediate filing of a lawsuit to nullify S-53 in their territories as a violation of their treaty of annexation, but there'd been no organized violent resistance to abolition. Some scattered patricians had acted on their own, certainly. On Pompey, a Lord Hammond had refused to accept the new law and readied to resist authorities when they came to free his slaves, just for one of those slaves to blow his brains out with a seized rifle. Suetonius had seen another case where a Lord Vulpis had been thrown out of his mansion by the mass action of his freed slaves, with several of his former overseer staff and a dozen slaves dead in the preceding violence. Had they been ready they could have made a fight of it, but they clearly thought S-53 couldn't win. They'll be more careful next time. It's why I have to play this game. If only I could know where the next attack would come, if Corvus will turn on me to empower Lucia, or if it'll be Lydia looking to supplant me. Her father's change of heart was too good to be true.
 
She didn't like that last thought. Gordon Humphries had done something of great benefit to them all. But she couldn't dismiss it either. She'd seen too much of how power was played. She glanced to her side for the reassurance of Maximus' presence, and the knowledge she had some loyal supporters beyond suspicion. But too few. Too few.
 
She noted the lack of workmen when she arrived at her father's old office. Corvus' renovations were done. Bookshelves were installed alongside ports for digital tablets, with the visages of Roman Emperors on the walls. Most of the paintings were from a series by Tristan de Cunhal, the popular painter of the 30th Century who had been commissioned by Johann O'Reilly to provide him formal portraits of the historic Emperors for the new Palace. Was it Lucius or was it Gaius who had them packed into storage? I don't remember now. Evidently Corvus had located them and decided it was time to display them. The portrait of Claudius was given a place of prominence over the door to the Princeps' Office.
 
Once past the anteroom and Corvus' personal secretary, Livia found her cousin-slash-adopted-father at his desk reading a print book. As usual, the dwarfish form of Gnasher remained near him, tapping away at a digital tablet, undoubtedly compiling this report or that report for Corvus' benefit. Corvus always has him around. Even now. Sean assigned Gnasher to him as a cruel joke, and yet they're still working together.
 
"Livia." Corvus smiled at her. The smile was pensive. He is worried. Is it just what happened on Canopus or something more? "It went well, I heard."
 
"It did. The local patricians aren't trying to obstruct us. I don't know if it's because they don't like Zielinski or are afraid we'll do to them what Sean would have if he'd been defied."
 
"Both. Zielinski has m-made his own enemies, and after everything the l-local patricians w-would prefer stability and prosperity to more political upheaval, even if it m-means no slaves for their estates." Corvus slipped a bookmark onto the book and shut it. Livia spied the cover. It depicted a plain, not very pretty woman of brown hair and fair complexion and clad in a formal gown with what Livia took to be a ducal tiara, set on a seal of a winged avian on a field of blue and red. After a moment Livia realized the seal, while her eyes read the inverted title: "The Breaker of Chains: The Life of Sara Proctor", by a Lord Donatello Ciano. 
 
Corvus noted her interest. "This book was on the censor list even before the fighting on Bolan," he said. "Your father, or r-r-rather, uncle b-banned it as an insurrectionary work after a T-Terran publisher sent a box of copies here and the c-customs agents seized it."
 
"What happened to the bookseller?"
 
Corvus smiled thinly. "He was my favorite, a-and I appealed to Marius on h-his behalf. Marius let him off with a sm-small fine. H-he let me keep a c-c-copy too, when I asked, so long as I hid it." Corvus tapped the book. "A birthday gift, he called it."
 
Because you were the book-obsessed cripple and utterly harmless, and it let Father… no, Uncle feel like he was being kind to his subjects and family. Livia forced herself not to frown. After all this, after Sean had killed their parents, she still sometimes instinctively thought of Marius as her father. "You had the courage to approach Marius in those days?"
 
"It was before my br-brother died," Corvus answered. His eyes grew briefly distant. "He encouraged me to m-m-make the try, and I caught your father in a g-good mood."
 
You may not be here if you'd caught him in a bad one. Livia let the thought pass, but already her mind was churning. Canopus has fallen and he is showing me the biography of the founder of the Arcadian Free March. These are connected. What is he planning? What does it have to do with me?
 
Corvus turned the book and presented it to her. "Needless to say that with S-53 p-passed, I had the book removed from the c-c-censor list. This is actually a new p-print fresh off a DropShip from the p-publisher on Summer. I'm giving it to y-you."
 
Livia pulled the book closer but didn't lift it. "Corvus, everyone knows about Canopus, and word is spreading about how badly Tematagi went. This is precisely what Zielinski needs. He's going to be quietly blaming you, blaming us, for these defeats. We have to deal with this, and that's what I'm here to talk about, because otherwise all those freed slaves I just welcomed into the citizenry will be right back in chains!"
 
"I-I am certain of what Senator Zielinski w-will be doing. The Vigilius makes sure of that." Corvus tapped the book. "That is why I'm g-giving this to you. If we are to turn this w-war around, buy the time we need to get the l-legions reorganized and our fleets bulked up to f-fight the Compact, we will need more allies."
 
And there it was. Livia made the connection. Her stomach twisted. He means to send me to do this. I'll be the one who has to make concessions, and if they're too unpopular he can blame me! She tried not to gulp. "Alright. So you want me to study the Arcadians. I assume we're opening talks and I'm to take the lead?" She shook her head. "I'm not a diplomat, though. I've never even gone out into the provinces! Lucia's the one who went to Terra!"
 
"Lucia is busy in the L-Lothian District, seeing to the reforms," Corvus replied. "And I'll be sending Antonia with y-you to handle the details. The Concordia is being given a f-full refit for the trip."
 
He wants me away from Alphard? Why? What is he planning? Am I the scapegoat for a bad deal with the Arcadians? But no, if the deal goes well the people will praise us for it… but we'll have to make concessions. It won't go well. People will be furious! "I'm sure they're ecstatic about our abolition, but I doubt they'll join us in a war out of the kindness of their heart. Can we survive the concessions we'd have to make?"
 
"If done right, y-yes," said Corvus. "We would all benefit if C-Cajamarca were part of the Principate, it was too central to the old Antisuyu's economy and the Arcadians' former K-Kashamarkan worlds cannot support Cajamarca's surviving in-industry as well as our Kashamarkan P-Province can. The people will accept the c-cession for a world like that, especially to an ally in a greater war."
 
"That assumes the Arcadians, or their other allies, will be interested."
 
"They have to be. The Arcadians and Hesperans have their o-own interests in the former Free Worlds League, the Arcadians even have Atreus now, and it is n-naturally the second world of their state! The logic of Machiavelli applies as well here as it did to R-Renaissance Italy. Right n-now, Oriente and Harsefeld seem to take their hostility towards us for granted, but t-they won't forever. We n-need to make a move."
 
He's right. Damn him, he's right. But I don't want to do this. It'll weaken my position to be away from Alphard for so long! Livia's mind raced. "The Senate will need to be consulted or they may refuse to ratify any treaty my mission provides. How do you intend to pacify them? Zielinski will use this to strike at us."
 
Corvus nodded to Gnasher. He reached into a satchel and provided a piece of printed paper with a ComStar watermark, which he handed to Corvus. Corvus placed it over the book. Livia looked over the printing of a ceremonial invitation marked with the Arcadian national hawk emblem. "She is being… re-crowned?"
 
"The Arcadians are undergoing their own con-constitutional reforms, and it is expected the March-Princess will assume a new title of h-higher dignity," Corvus explained. "The invitation to attend was sent out sh-shortly after SB-1 was passed. K-Kelly has c-confirmed that Ian Davion has already stated his intention to a-attend. So h-has Eris Halas."
 
Our enemy will be there, one of their rulers, and one of her allied rulers with her. If we don't have someone of equal rank, we already cede ground. Livia considered the fact bitterly. I'm being trapped. I have no argument to refuse without openly breaking with Corvus, and I can't do that unless I can be sure I can beat him. The only way to even try to do that right now would be to go to Zielinski, and I would have to renounce abolition and restore slavery! I would just be Zielinski's puppet! "Will you be able to hold things here, without either me or Lucia?"
 
"I-I believe so, y-yes," Corvus said. "Z-Zielinski cannot r-risk destabilizing the Principate in a time of w-war, the people, even some of his supporters, w-would turn against him. And if we're to win this war and preserve the P-Principate, we need the al-allies. And y-you are the b-best for the job. The first of us t-to propose abolition openly." He leaned forward and put his hand on yours. "I understand y-you're frightened by this. G-Going so far, with s-such responsibility. I do n-not ask this lightly. I s-sincerely believe this is our best h-hope to preserve what w-we've accomplished.
 
"I understand," Livia said. "I'm… I'm just worried, but you're right. I'll start reading the material and set up a meeting with Antonia."
 
"You w-will need to depart b-by the end of the month t-to get to Arcadia in t-time," Corvus said. "With t-the war, a command c-circuit can't be maintained the w-whole way."
 
"I understand." She stood and gripped the book, holding it under one arm. Corvus stood as well and walked about the desk. She instinctively tensed before forcing herself to relax. He won't murder me here. He can't afford to, she reminded herself. She felt his arms embrace her at the shoulders and tried not to think about a knife going into her back.
 
"I am proud of you, L-Livia. I-I can't do this without you. Th-Thank you for being one of t-those I can trust."
 
The words should have reassured. But Livia had to suppress the shudder they brought. He's flattering me. This is a manipulation! He wants me off-world to undermine me and consolidate his own power, this is just an excuse! Unless it's not… what he wants makes sense… but I can't trust it! I… I have to do something!
 
The embrace ended. Corvus, favoring his weak leg, returned to his desk. Livia gave him a final smile she didn't feel and left the office before her control failed her. Her eyes caught Maximus' eyes as they left. He was concerned, that much was clear. He doesn't trust Corvus either. He knows how badly this can go for me. But what can I do?
 
The thought snuck up on her. What if she did remove Corvus? What if she could overthrow him now, while Lucia was on Logan Prime? She'd have time to consolidate power and, as the daughter and sister of slain rulers, she'd have natural legitimacy. Could I persuade Xiahou? Kelly is in with Corvus, so that won't work… and he was Sean's creature anyway. But I need allies, more than just Maximus and Agrippina.
 
The thought came to her. Gurdeep. He'll know what to do. I'll talk to him. He can help me, he will help me. He's my only hope.
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ICHaFBI 25