The Fatimid Caliphate:
In the shadows of those who came before them II.
The throne room of the palace of Pharos
"Guide me, oh light of Allah" Radhi said formally as he bowed, forehead to the floor, before the Calipha
"Arise ye faithful" Abdul responded. "I believe we have all the relevant Lords Fatimid assembled?"
He looked to the assembled Emirs of Syria, Jerusalem, Egypt and Fatimid Arabia. Most of them were veterans of Iraq and Anatolia, old men clad in even more ancient armour and billowing emerald cloaks. Radhi was something of an anomaly, born to late to have participated in the war. Having spent his life attempting to get the economy back on its legs after the loss of naval dominance in the Mediterranean he wore more comfortable silks, something the old guard frowned at. As if his garb was a surrender of the mindset and goal to retake the lands lost.
"Now, give me good news of the west Radhi" The Calipha continued.
"The Imperial court has been... slow in reigning in the pirate barons they have set to rule over the western isles." Radhi murmured in response. "With the loss of the Grand shipyard of Palermo, as well as the other major ports on the island, we have had to rely on the Naval Harbours of Tangiers and Tunis to supply our war ships. Frankly they are not sufficient to provide more than escorts for the merchant marine, and even then we are suffering losses from raids out of Mallorca and Corsica. The Maltese have even started praying on fleets carrying the Caliphal banner. As it stands we may have to start compensating the merchants out of the Alexandrian treasury to provide stimulus, lest we see our merchant marine shrink and lose all chance of competing at sea."
"I have a proposal for a economical stimulus package myself." Retorted the venerable Lord Fatimid Faisal al-Skarktik. "I call it 'Brutal Conquest'! Let us see how much raiding they can to with their head on a spear!"
"I don't believe..."
"Did the Rashidun spent their days organizing escorts for the merchant marine? Did Ala'i spare those who stood before him? Did Afzal mollycoddle the Persians when they refused to recognize the Persian border? No! They went forth in the name of Jihad with Allah and victorious arms! The Barbarians in the North have twice ransacked Alexandria, now a child king rules and the vikings revolt. I say we avenge their imperious arrogance! I say we burn Lond'in and Kop'al-hagiin to the ground and proclaim a Sultanate of the Bretons, let some Andalusi noble administer it. The Rus will approve" Faisal continued, demonstratively pushing chess pieces across a map at the center of the table.
"No. We bloody need the ships at home, as I have already explained" Radhi cut him off. "Let the barbarians kill each other off in their own spare time."
"Them trade routes would be safer if we owned both ends." muttered Faisal with at sneer "What good is money if we are not using it to spread the faith?"
The Calipha raised a finger slightly off his armrest, silencing the two men. "Sicily? Is my Imperial counterpart holding his part of the
pact?"
"In that arabs and infidels are treated equal? Yes. And by equal they mean of course that everybody is equally punished for not praying in church on Sundays..."
"So the rumors are true then?" The Calipha's eyes darkened
"Not all, but most" Radhi sighed "But there is not much we can do for them, and the assassination of their Pope did not help much" He ended pointedly.
"Allowing the Engineers Guild to take up residence in Beirut may have been a bad decision" The Calipha sighed. "But my chief Spymaster has throughly investigated the alchemist responsible for handing over this new wizardry to the Hassassins, and assures me no black magicks were used."
"The Papal throne spewed forth a daemon of fire that engulfed the old bugger in screeching flame, it sounds more like something that happens in the darkest Russia..." Mullah Quasim said in a suspicious tone. "From what I hear this alchemy is from the East, and we all know what
fell wizardry stems from Esfahan..."
"Some form of black rock the Guild hopes can be made to breach walls once sufficiently refined. As for Esfahan I suspect they will soon have enough trouble with the vengeful Rus and other assorted nomads they have angered." The Calipha mused. "One wonders what they were thinking, simply walking into Russia..."