Chapter 7 - Waiting for Information
In the meantime, he had work to do. He was pretty sure that he had Georgios’s allegiance, but there were other influential men in the Legio I Thrakia, and he needed to be sure of their allegiance, or, at least, of their current allegiance - if they weren’t loyal to him at all, then he would need to keep an eye on them somehow.
Georgios might have omitted some details from his tale, but he was loyal. He had a explicitly stated reason for that loyalty, but the Emperor wasn’t stupid. He had caught the subtext of the other - perhaps more important - reason for his loyalty. His family had ruled over at least a portion of Cyprus, and they believed that the Julio-Argeads were their best bet for reclaiming their ancestral lands. Whether or not that was true was ultimately irrelevant. It could be used to his advantage if it seemed like Georgios’s loyalty was faltering.
But Georgios wasn’t the only person that Emperor Cassander needed to worry about. There were two other men who were influential in the new legion, and he needed to know what they were like. He knew what their names were, of course, but that was far from enough.
In addition to that, spies could be in places other than the army. They could be in the capital. For that matter, they could be in the Senate. Even if the Senators were loyal to him right now, they might not be later. He needed to keep an eye on his capital.
But how could he keep an eye on Thessalonica? At the moment, he was outside Thessalonica’s walls, so nobody would dare act against him. When he was on campaign, however… that was another matter entirely. Who could he trust with such a job?
Then, the answer came to him. Alexios and Leonidas had been his father’s advisors. Alexios handled military matters and had already given him advice - Emperor Cassander figured that he would want something in repayment for his service. Leonidas, however, had allegedly been the more political advisor. The Emperor would need to ensure his loyalty, but he could keep an eye on Thessalonica if he proved trustworthy. Of course, that wouldn’t necessarily be permanent - he still needed a way to discredit democracy.
The Emperor smiled. That was a good plan, but he’d held off on interrogating the other two important men in the Legio I Thrakia. Their names were Alexandros and Constantine, but that - and the fact that they were leaders in the Legio I Thrakia - was pretty much all that he knew of them. He would need to ensure their loyalties.
First, however, he needed to get background on the two men. His father had told him about Georgios, but he didn’t know these two men. Cassander couldn’t afford that degree of ignorance himself. His father’s fate had taught him that much.
Oh, his father hadn’t trusted many people, but he had trusted. Sometimes, that had been blind trust. Cassander knew that trust had to be earned, and he would make others earn it. If they did not, then they were foolish. And just because a person had his trust once didn’t mean that they would keep it. Blind trust and ignorance had gotten his father killed. He couldn’t afford to make the same mistake.
He needed to get information on the other two important men in the Legio I Thrakia before he subtly interrogated them. They couldn’t know that he wanted to know their loyalty, or they would answer what he thought that he wanted to hear - and not the truth. He needed the truth from them, for he wouldn’t entrust command of his men to people he didn’t trust. That would be utter folly.
He sighed. He couldn’t send Leonidas,as he would be busy enough with dealing with the schemes that were undoubtedly cropping up in Thessalonica already. The center of power was always the most attractive prize. But he still needed someone to gather information for him.
The answer hit him like a bolt of lightning. Of course. He was already almost certain of the loyalty of one man in the Legio I Thrakia, so why couldn’t he use that? He resolved to ask Georgios about both Alexandros and Constantine. He was a member of the Legio I Thrakia, so the information shouldn’t be that hard to get. Furthermore, this would reassure the Emperor of Georgios’s loyalty. Words meant nothing.
He decided to ask Georgios this in person. He did know where Georgios’s tent was - it never hurt to be prepared - so he could simply walk there.
He decided to be polite and knock on Georgios’s tent door. From there, he would give Georgios his assignment, and they would begin to march towards Athens itself.
Georgios quickly answered the door, and the Emperor told him of what he needed to do. However, it seemed as if Emperor Cassander was lucky. Georgios already had the information that he wanted. Furthermore, he was willing to share it.
Emperor Cassander entered the tent of his father’s second-in-command. He didn’t look at the tent at all, though, he simply sat down. This information would prove very useful.
As the Emperor waited for the answers he wanted, he mulled over his other plans. He would ensure that the men who led the Legio I Thrakia were loyal to him, and he would attack Athens. Well, he wouldn’t attack the city of Athens itself - he would attack wherever the Athenian army happened to be. He would leave the Prince of Attica alone, as long as he didn’t aid Athens. The Emperor figured that both Attica and Athens would soon be forced to surrender.
That was assuming that the Prince of Athens aided his nominal vassal, but Emperor Cassander figured that he would. If he didn’t, then that would be even better, as that would make this war far easier. However, the Emperor figured that Attica would feel threatened by his new expansionist policies. He’d be right to be worried about that, at least - Attica would either fall with Athens or alone, but it would fall.
As he mulled over all of this, Georgios was silent. Finally, he spoke. “I have the information that you seek,” he said.
Georgios might have omitted some details from his tale, but he was loyal. He had a explicitly stated reason for that loyalty, but the Emperor wasn’t stupid. He had caught the subtext of the other - perhaps more important - reason for his loyalty. His family had ruled over at least a portion of Cyprus, and they believed that the Julio-Argeads were their best bet for reclaiming their ancestral lands. Whether or not that was true was ultimately irrelevant. It could be used to his advantage if it seemed like Georgios’s loyalty was faltering.
But Georgios wasn’t the only person that Emperor Cassander needed to worry about. There were two other men who were influential in the new legion, and he needed to know what they were like. He knew what their names were, of course, but that was far from enough.
In addition to that, spies could be in places other than the army. They could be in the capital. For that matter, they could be in the Senate. Even if the Senators were loyal to him right now, they might not be later. He needed to keep an eye on his capital.
But how could he keep an eye on Thessalonica? At the moment, he was outside Thessalonica’s walls, so nobody would dare act against him. When he was on campaign, however… that was another matter entirely. Who could he trust with such a job?
Then, the answer came to him. Alexios and Leonidas had been his father’s advisors. Alexios handled military matters and had already given him advice - Emperor Cassander figured that he would want something in repayment for his service. Leonidas, however, had allegedly been the more political advisor. The Emperor would need to ensure his loyalty, but he could keep an eye on Thessalonica if he proved trustworthy. Of course, that wouldn’t necessarily be permanent - he still needed a way to discredit democracy.
The Emperor smiled. That was a good plan, but he’d held off on interrogating the other two important men in the Legio I Thrakia. Their names were Alexandros and Constantine, but that - and the fact that they were leaders in the Legio I Thrakia - was pretty much all that he knew of them. He would need to ensure their loyalties.
First, however, he needed to get background on the two men. His father had told him about Georgios, but he didn’t know these two men. Cassander couldn’t afford that degree of ignorance himself. His father’s fate had taught him that much.
Oh, his father hadn’t trusted many people, but he had trusted. Sometimes, that had been blind trust. Cassander knew that trust had to be earned, and he would make others earn it. If they did not, then they were foolish. And just because a person had his trust once didn’t mean that they would keep it. Blind trust and ignorance had gotten his father killed. He couldn’t afford to make the same mistake.
He needed to get information on the other two important men in the Legio I Thrakia before he subtly interrogated them. They couldn’t know that he wanted to know their loyalty, or they would answer what he thought that he wanted to hear - and not the truth. He needed the truth from them, for he wouldn’t entrust command of his men to people he didn’t trust. That would be utter folly.
He sighed. He couldn’t send Leonidas,as he would be busy enough with dealing with the schemes that were undoubtedly cropping up in Thessalonica already. The center of power was always the most attractive prize. But he still needed someone to gather information for him.
The answer hit him like a bolt of lightning. Of course. He was already almost certain of the loyalty of one man in the Legio I Thrakia, so why couldn’t he use that? He resolved to ask Georgios about both Alexandros and Constantine. He was a member of the Legio I Thrakia, so the information shouldn’t be that hard to get. Furthermore, this would reassure the Emperor of Georgios’s loyalty. Words meant nothing.
He decided to ask Georgios this in person. He did know where Georgios’s tent was - it never hurt to be prepared - so he could simply walk there.
He decided to be polite and knock on Georgios’s tent door. From there, he would give Georgios his assignment, and they would begin to march towards Athens itself.
Georgios quickly answered the door, and the Emperor told him of what he needed to do. However, it seemed as if Emperor Cassander was lucky. Georgios already had the information that he wanted. Furthermore, he was willing to share it.
Emperor Cassander entered the tent of his father’s second-in-command. He didn’t look at the tent at all, though, he simply sat down. This information would prove very useful.
As the Emperor waited for the answers he wanted, he mulled over his other plans. He would ensure that the men who led the Legio I Thrakia were loyal to him, and he would attack Athens. Well, he wouldn’t attack the city of Athens itself - he would attack wherever the Athenian army happened to be. He would leave the Prince of Attica alone, as long as he didn’t aid Athens. The Emperor figured that both Attica and Athens would soon be forced to surrender.
That was assuming that the Prince of Athens aided his nominal vassal, but Emperor Cassander figured that he would. If he didn’t, then that would be even better, as that would make this war far easier. However, the Emperor figured that Attica would feel threatened by his new expansionist policies. He’d be right to be worried about that, at least - Attica would either fall with Athens or alone, but it would fall.
As he mulled over all of this, Georgios was silent. Finally, he spoke. “I have the information that you seek,” he said.