Collegia Pontificis is at the door. He says he has an urgent summons for you.”
Lepidus and Silus were supposed to attend the gladiatorial championship tonight between Herculaneum and Alexandria. He had box seats two rows up from the glass wall, seats that would make Senators envious. But an “urgent summons” from the Collegia meant he had to leave immediately for a mission that would end in the death of an enemy of the Republic. His duty to the State and to the gods required his presence, even if it meant disappointing his only son.
“Have the courier wait for me in the library,” Lepidus told Kalan. The slave bowed, then hurried off.
Lepidus turned to Silus. “I may not be back tonight. I want you to use the tickets. Take a friend from the gymnasium.”
“ We were supposed to go.”
“I have a duty to Roma.”
“I know your duty,” Silus said, and turned to go. “I'll call Titus. Maybe he doesn't have more important things to do.” He walked away to his room.
Lepidus watched his son leave, choosing to ignore Silus’s disrespect to his paterfamilias . Most house leaders would never allow their children such liberal license, but Lepidus knew the boy was honorable and respected his father. The gods had taken the boy’s mother at an early age, so Lepidus gave Silus more leeway than his father had given him. Children weren’t complete unless they had both their fathers and mothers to guide them. If a child lost one or the other, he would never have the same advantages as other children with a proper family. But despite the handicap of one parent, Silus had grown into an honorable young man. He just had moments where he allowed his temper to take control. It was a handicap Lepidus constantly worked with Silus to overcome.
Unable to coach his son now, Lepidus strode through the atrium and to the other side of the house. He opened the library door, and a courier golem dressed in a gray suit and white toga stood at attention.
“I thought you were from the Collegia?” Lepidus said, entering the library. “Where is your finery?” Courier golems from the Collegia wore ceremonial gold armor over a black cloak, and a gold helmet with red plume.
“The Collegia wished this meeting to be discreet, Evocatus Quintus Atius Lepidus,” the courier said in the clipped monotone of a golem.
Lepidus raised an eyebrow. His meetings with Collegia couriers were always “discreet” affairs, but that never stopped them from sending an adorned messenger to his house.
“Well out with it, golem.”
“Not here, Evocatus,” it said, glancing at the open door behind Lepidus. “I am to escort you to the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. The Pontifex Maximus wants to give you your new assignment personally.”
Lepidus studied the golem. He’d never had to go to the Temple to receive mission details. Every mission Lepidus took was sensitive, from assassinations to the negotiations of deals the Collegia could not be known to negotiate. And every assignment came from a courier golem, the most secure way to pass sensitive information Roma had ever developed. Electronic messages could be intercepted and decrypted. Courier golems never gave up their information, and were programmed to “die” if they fell into the wrong hands.
What could be so important that the Collegia did not trust a courier golem?
“I’ve been instructed to tell you, Evocatus, that you should not expect to return home until after this assignment is complete,” the golem continued. “You are ordered to come with me after you’ve acknowledged receipt of this summons.”
Lepidus nodded. He was a servant of the gods and the State. Obedience was his duty.
And the mystery only enhanced his curiosity over the mission. It had been weeks since his last one. He was restless.
“I will be ready in an hour,” Lepidus told the golem. He left the courier and went to get his mission pack. He always kept it ready for these occasions, so he could leave within
Lepidus and Silus were supposed to attend the gladiatorial championship tonight between Herculaneum and Alexandria. He had box seats two rows up from the glass wall, seats that would make Senators envious. But an “urgent summons” from the Collegia meant he had to leave immediately for a mission that would end in the death of an enemy of the Republic. His duty to the State and to the gods required his presence, even if it meant disappointing his only son.
“Have the courier wait for me in the library,” Lepidus told Kalan. The slave bowed, then hurried off.
Lepidus turned to Silus. “I may not be back tonight. I want you to use the tickets. Take a friend from the gymnasium.”
“ We were supposed to go.”
“I have a duty to Roma.”
“I know your duty,” Silus said, and turned to go. “I'll call Titus. Maybe he doesn't have more important things to do.” He walked away to his room.
Lepidus watched his son leave, choosing to ignore Silus’s disrespect to his paterfamilias . Most house leaders would never allow their children such liberal license, but Lepidus knew the boy was honorable and respected his father. The gods had taken the boy’s mother at an early age, so Lepidus gave Silus more leeway than his father had given him. Children weren’t complete unless they had both their fathers and mothers to guide them. If a child lost one or the other, he would never have the same advantages as other children with a proper family. But despite the handicap of one parent, Silus had grown into an honorable young man. He just had moments where he allowed his temper to take control. It was a handicap Lepidus constantly worked with Silus to overcome.
Unable to coach his son now, Lepidus strode through the atrium and to the other side of the house. He opened the library door, and a courier golem dressed in a gray suit and white toga stood at attention.
“I thought you were from the Collegia?” Lepidus said, entering the library. “Where is your finery?” Courier golems from the Collegia wore ceremonial gold armor over a black cloak, and a gold helmet with red plume.
“The Collegia wished this meeting to be discreet, Evocatus Quintus Atius Lepidus,” the courier said in the clipped monotone of a golem.
Lepidus raised an eyebrow. His meetings with Collegia couriers were always “discreet” affairs, but that never stopped them from sending an adorned messenger to his house.
“Well out with it, golem.”
“Not here, Evocatus,” it said, glancing at the open door behind Lepidus. “I am to escort you to the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. The Pontifex Maximus wants to give you your new assignment personally.”
Lepidus studied the golem. He’d never had to go to the Temple to receive mission details. Every mission Lepidus took was sensitive, from assassinations to the negotiations of deals the Collegia could not be known to negotiate. And every assignment came from a courier golem, the most secure way to pass sensitive information Roma had ever developed. Electronic messages could be intercepted and decrypted. Courier golems never gave up their information, and were programmed to “die” if they fell into the wrong hands.
What could be so important that the Collegia did not trust a courier golem?
“I’ve been instructed to tell you, Evocatus, that you should not expect to return home until after this assignment is complete,” the golem continued. “You are ordered to come with me after you’ve acknowledged receipt of this summons.”
Lepidus nodded. He was a servant of the gods and the State. Obedience was his duty.
And the mystery only enhanced his curiosity over the mission. It had been weeks since his last one. He was restless.
“I will be ready in an hour,” Lepidus told the golem. He left the courier and went to get his mission pack. He always kept it ready for these occasions, so he could leave within
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