Chapter 34 January 407 Rome-The Emperor’s Plans

            Michael, the Bishop of Rome, had a large smile on his face as he made his way to the Emperor’s office, with four servants following close behind, all carrying large cases filled with documents.

            When Michael entered Trajan’s office, the Emperor saw his smile and asked, “What’s the good news?”

            “The blacksmiths figured out why their recreations of the steam rifles were not as accurate as the originals taken from the Parthians. The original steam rifles had a spiral groove in the barrel.”

            Trajan was confused for a second and then said, “Show me.”

            Michael went to one of the cases his servant held, opened it up, and flipped through some papers before pulling out a picture and taking it over to the Emperor. As the Emperor looked at it, Michael explained, “The concept of the steam rifle is not hard to understand. It’s basically a pressure vessel, a hose, and the rifle. Rifle being the Paulsland word for the weapon. That said, if the rifle is inaccurate, it’s far less useful. In the first few attempts to recreate the rifle, our blacksmiths made working rifles that had bullets that veered wildly in every direction.”

            “Yes, you told me in our last meeting.”

            “In the picture before you, our blacksmiths peeled the barrel apart and discovered spiral grooves going the entire length of the barrel. They were able to hastily make similar grooves in a barrel, and it significantly increased the accuracy of our prototype rifle.”

            The Emperor nodded and asked, “So, how long until we can mass-produce these new weapons?”

            “At least a year. Although we are figuring out the mysteries of the weapons, our blacksmiths are still going to have to make completely new tools to make each piece efficiently.”

            “That’s fine, it’s what’s to be expected.”

            “If we need steam weapons sooner than that, then chances are we will be able to buy them from the Kush.”

            “Are they producing their own yet?”

            “I am not sure, but I have gotten reports that they are using steam weapons to push back Paulsland ships blockading their harbors. It is assumed they are using their home-built version for that, instead of the steam weapons they took from Paulsland.”

            “I will have our Kush ambassador talk to them once again.”

            “With that said, I think that the steam weapons need to be integrated into the navy.”

            Emperor Trajan frowned. “That is outside of your preview. Explain.”

            “Currently, in our war against Parthian, the Parthians are being hampered by the bulkiness of the steam weapons. I think we should start putting steam weapons on ships, as our ships can best use them.”

            “That makes sense. I will need to discuss this with my admirals.”

            “I recommend making your second son, Scipio, an admiral and putting him in charge of integrating steam weapons into the navy.”

            “But he has no experience with sailing.”

            “Exactly. Steam weapons are completely different than ballistae and liquid fire. He will integrate it differently into the Navy than the admirals who already know how naval warfare is supposed to work. Although I suggest forcing him to spend two weeks out of the month working with the blacksmiths making the steam weapons, and two weeks out of the month learning about sailing, until we are ready to mass produce steam weapons.”

            Trajan gave the bishop’s words serious consideration for nearly thirty seconds before eventually saying, “Scipio is the spare. If it's successful, it doesn’t particularly hurt Julius; if it's not successful, it doesn’t matter, regardless of what happens to Julius.”

            “I am glad you approve.”

            “Do you have any information on the Cubans in Britannia?”

            “Yes.” Michael took several photos from one of the cases, handed them over to the Emperor, and said, “They are building and training the Britons on chariots.”

            “Chariots? But that’s outdated tech. The Britons used chariots against Emperor Claudius three hundred and fifty years ago, and he crushed them.”

            “I don’t think these chariots are like the ones Emperor Claudius fought against, nor do I think the Cubans are using the same tactics the Britons used. First of all, they are using the chariots as fast-moving platforms so they can move their archers around the battlefield more efficiently.”

            “Why? They should be using their buffalo riders.”

            “My priests in Briton tell me that the only Cubans allowed to ride buffalo are the Landowners.”

            “Then why don’t they just ride horses? We ride horses.”

            “Chariot horses, or at least how they use chariot horses, are easier to find and replace than cavalry horses. Since chariots, at least how they use them, can use any kind of horse as long as they can gallop, it’s not difficult to breed more. Furthermore, my priests were very clear on this: the Landowners know that their buffalo are better than the chariots. To some degree, they are using chariots because the buffalo riders, the Landowners, can come together and beat them, if they should rebel.”

            Emperor Trajan considered his bishop’s words, then asked, “Logistically, chariots are difficult to maintain. It’s one of the reasons they are outdated.”

            “We haven’t faced chariot warfare since before waterwheel industrialization. The Cubans have waterwheel-powered workshops that they are building all over Briton and Hibernia to build and maintain their chariots. To make matters worse, their chariots are also made with steel, not iron.”

            Trajan frowned and said, “There are too many things changing in my lifetime. If things were like they were under my father, we would never have lost Briton, or the gold fields of Africa.”

            “Not all is lost. The reason the Cubans are making chariots is to have the numbers they need to fight our forces. They are very aware that they will not win a direct confrontation with Roman armies. In fact, they have already destroyed any forest near a landing point in Briton and Hibernia, and have their military patrolling those areas. I believe that once we have enough naval vessels with the steam weapons, we will be able to take their beaches, and once we have a foothold, we will take the island back. Unfortunately, that is two years away.”

            “That may be an opportunity for Scipio. We will just have to be patient. Is there any news on Paulsland?”

            “Yes. Jinka wants to assassinate the young king.”

            “Wonderful. Does he need any help?”

            “He needs information, but unfortunately, the young king has wisely surrounded himself with loyal people. We are getting some information out of our priests when one of the young king's guards goes to confession, but that’s the exception, not the rule. In fact, we are getting a lot of information from a new magazine published by the king called the People’s Mechanics.”

            “What’s it about?”

            Michael went to one of the cases, pulled out a thick magazine, and said, “Look through there.”

            Emperor Trajan flipped through it for a few seconds and asked, “What I am looking at?”

            “It’s a magazine following the people the young king is investing in to innovate with steam technology. It includes lots of diagrams of what they are building, and simple ways for people to develop their own steam engines.”

            “Why would he give information out so freely? Doesn’t this hurt his nation?”

            “He isn’t concerned with us. The little king is smart enough to know that his biggest enemies are in his own nation, and so he has to rally support around himself. The last few years Jinka and the seventy families have been releasing a lot of reports calling him stupid and selfish. This magazine does a beautiful job of countering that narrative, as he is at the forefront of bringing steam technology to everyone in Paulsland. Furthermore, I don’t know who is advising him, but the magazine brilliantly says that the reason those in power thought Shimbir was stupid was because they just didn’t understand the new technology, so King Shimbir is attempting to help everyone understand it.”

            “Sounds like he needs to be assassinated.”

            “Not assassinated. Killing him would do more harm to our cause than good. We want there to be internal division in Paulsland. The best way to make that happen is to have the various parties defending themselves from each other. Right now, my sources in Paulsland are trying to find incompetent assassins to go after several of the parties. If they blame each other, we may get to watch as Paulsland starts a civil war.”