Scaevola's Triumph (Gaius Claudius Scaevola trilogy Book 3) (45 page)

The vegetation was quite different from what they had seen before; some of it was jungle-like, some of it near desert. Then they were permitted to visit some animal parks, and a bewildering number of different animals could be seen. What could not be seen, however, were any of the local inhabitants. The official reason was that following a major war, everybody was too busy to waste time visiting parks, but Lucilla was convinced that they had been closed to everybody else for the time they visited.

"After all, why do we have to agree to where we're going two days in advance?" she noted.

They were then allowed to relax on an otherwise isolated beach. The water was warm, there were no venomous animals present, so they could swim, or play around with small boats that were provided. They could even go for walks in the forest behind them. They could visit the planet, they could take 'shore leave' for pleasure, but they were not to intermingle with the locals.

"We're good enough to risk our lives for them," Lucilla muttered, "but apparently not good enough to talk to them."

"I wouldn't worry," Gaius replied. "Lying around on a beach like this is fine by me."

Two days later, to their surprise, the party was called down to the surface for a formal victory celebration, attendance at which was restricted to the troops that had come from Ulse. They were instructed to wear their formal Ulsian uniforms, while Gaius was instructed to also wear all his Roman decorations. As he remarked to the others, it would be interesting to see how many others had similar medals. Their shuttle landed at the space port, and as Lucilla had predicted, they were led by their own troops to a capsule that transported them directly to what appeared to be an immense stadium with what would have had seating for almost two hundred thousand, except that the seats had been removed, and rows of rails replaced them, behind which the soldiers would stand. Clipped onto the rails were small boxes, with small drawers, and on each was a name.

As they were led into the stadium, the Ulsian forces were already present, standing behind their rails at attention. The Terrans marched up an aisle and were led to a position with a short rail and three boxes, each with a name written clearly on it. Once again, they were to see none of the actual citizens of the Ligra 2 system. As they marched behind their boxes, they were amused to see a small medal lying on each of them. The adjacent boxes also had the same medals.

The celebration started with a series of low-pitched roars of the kind that Gaius had begun to realize constituted Ulsian military music. Then tens of thousands of Ulsians broke into 'singing' what seemed to the Terrans a strangely mournful melody played over a series of slow low-pitched thumps made by stamping their feet in unison. This, it appeared, was a marching song, from time so long ago that nobody could really comprehend what life must have been like. While all of this was going on a series of symbols of each of the Corps present formed above the centre of the stadium while special lighting highlighted the members of those units, the symbols also coming from time immemorial. The Terrans, with no knowledge of the words, stood politely and, after watching the Ulsians, also began stamping their feet. Even though they knew the penchant Ulsians had for dragging ceremony to interminable lengths, they had agreed that, no matter what, they would honour the Ulsians by giving the ceremony their full attention. For there was one fact that they each recognized: they each knew some Ulsians who had died in the battle.

At last the music came to an end, and each Corps had been honoured, but then to their total surprise, a new sound came: a Roman marching song. The Terrans now had their turn to be illuminated, while a massive image of the great finned boar above a standard bearing the gold letters XX floated above the stadium. Then all sound died, all images ceased, and all stood in silence, formally remembering the dead.

Then came awards. The system was that the names of recipients were read out, and a light would shine on their faces, at which point they would stand at attention while everybody else applauded by the synchronized stamping of boots on stone. The first award went unapplauded: everyone in the stadium was to receive a Ligra campaign medal, the lights shone on everybody, everybody was to take the small medal on the box before them and pin it on their uniform.

Then names were read out, and it seemed that the corresponding decorations would emerge from a drawer in the box before them. These were for acts of bravery during the battle, and were graduated according to importance, the more important ones coming later, and the degree of importance being recognized by the number of foot stamps. About mid-way through this, Vipsania's name was called in amongst a number of others, her drawer opened, and there was a medal in the shape of a cross. With the other, she pinned it on, stood to attention, and received the roar of five volleys of hob-nailed boots from forty thousand troops stamping on stone, while a light shone on her face.

The awards continued, each one seeming to be more important, until eventually the list was completed. At this point, Vipsania was feeling rather uncomfortable; she felt that she had done less than the other two, yet she alone had been recognized. Then the speaking system came to life again, and announced that a number of field promotions would now be announced. Again, they began to work their way up from the lowest, and, as the ranks became higher, the numbers became fewer. Then came a surprising announcement: although not strictly speaking a promotion because they started without a formal commission, both Lucilla and Vipsania had commanded ships for periods, and therefore were formally commissioned as squadron commanders. Their faces were lit up, their drawers opened and, as the stomping boots acknowledged them there were the shiny lapel badges. The promotions continued, but by now there were few in each rank, and soon these were completed.

There was a silence, then a podium at the northern end was lit up, and an Ulsian who seemed taller than most, and who was dressed in civilian attire, stepped forward and began speaking. "We have now formally completed awards made by the field commanders, and I congratulate all recipients. However, there are some awards only the Ulsian Government itself can make. Because of the relativistic effects, it is customary for the Ulsian Government to send representatives formally empowered to make these awards. It is my pleasure to announce our awards.

"There is a longstanding tradition in the Ulsian military," he continued, "of a very special award for a General who, amongst other things, successfully takes a planet by defeating an equivalent or superior force. General Slaben has achieved this by taking the Ligra 2 system, which was stationed by a superior force . . ." An account of the battle sequences was read out, starting with the landings. While this happened, General Slaben stepped forward, under full lighting, knelt, then two Ulsian soldiers stepped forward and proceeded to remove the symbols of rank from him. ". . . Accordingly," the voice continued, "you are hereby awarded the rank of Marshall of the Army, together with all the rights and honours that go with the title." The giant screen showed four symbols that, as Gaius remarked later, looked remarkably like green sheaves of wheat. These were taken, and pinned on the lapels and on the arms. When this was completed, the two Ulsian soldiers stepped back. "Arise, Field Marshall Slaben," came the announcement. There was complete silence for three minutes, during which time all soldiers held a salute. Then Slaben returned the saluted, there was wild stomping, and he returned to his position. When he formally took up his formal position, the stomping stopped, instantaneously.

"In fact," the voice continued, "a third planet was taken. This has given us a problem," he paused, then added with an Ulsian laugh, "for while there was a formally superior force present, it was completely inebriated!" Laughter spread throughout the troops. "Nevertheless," the Ulsian continued, "if that planet had not been taken at that time, give or take an hour or so, Ulse would have lost a great many more ships, because the ground defences on Ligra 3 would have been turned on our ships rather than theirs, and had that space battle been lost, the remaining enemy fleet would have controlled space and the enemy would never have surrendered. What the outcome would have been we cannot tell, but it would most certainly have been far bloodier than it was, and there was certainly no guarantee of success.

"We have searched and searched our history, and find there is an honour that covers this situation. It is the Order of Camran, one of the most honourable orders of our history, and carries with it a number of special privileges. Accordingly, our newly appointed Admiral Klendor is hereby made a Commander of this order." It was now the turn of Klendor to step forward, kneel, and in a simpler ceremony, a disc with a cold blue gemstone embedded in its centre was pinned to his uniform. When the soldiers stepped back, Klendor arose, and in turn was greeted with a two-minute silent salute, the wild cheering while he returned to his position, then the silence.

"There were," the voice continued, "two officers responsible for retaking Ligra 3." The light now highlighted Lucilla. "Accordingly, Squadron Commander Claudia Lucilla is hereby made a Commander of this order, and, as far as we can make out, is only the second non-Ulsian in the history of Ulse to receive this award. Please step forward." As Lucilla was to remark later, she felt quite embarrassed, however she followed the procedure, and, as she was also to remark later, felt quite light-headed and proud as she received the stomping, so much so that she temporarily forgot the anger she was beginning to feel at Gaius having been systematically overlooked.

"As most of you are aware," the speaker said, "the order of these awards, when non-Ulsians are involved, is that the non-Ulsians are the last to receive awards, so that they may have the benefit of having seen the ceremony. We have one final award, and there is no proper illustration for this. One Terran here fought under the rank of his own army, and we cannot remove that. Nevertheless, under that rank a superior enemy fleet was destroyed, an absolute prerequisite for the taking and holding of the Ligra system, and, as far as we are aware, giving Ulse its first major victory in this war. Accordingly, Claudius Scaevola, Legatus, you are hereby awarded the rank of Marshall of the Fleet, together with all the rights and honours that go with the title." Again, the giant screen showed four symbols, this time looking remarkably like black sheaves of wheat. The small box in front of Gaius somehow advanced forward, and Gaius followed it, and as the drawer opened, knelt. Two Ulsian soldiers appeared, and pinned these onto his lapels and arms. The soldiers then stepped back, and when Gaius heard the voice say, "Arise Gaius Claudius Scaevola, Marshall of the Fleet," he stood at attention, and stared across at the silent salutes. Meanwhile the box in front of him produced a screen, which prompted him. After the three minutes, it said, in Latin, 'Return Slowly'. He did, and when he finally felt he had drawn it out sufficiently, he swung around to face the troops, and the stomping stopped instantaneously.

"And now," the Ulsian said with a chuckle, "what you have all really wanted. As is traditional following such a victory, it is time to feast and drink. Do not forget your fallen comrades, but equally do not let their memory prevent you from enjoying your life, for they would not want that. You are all dismissed, and your only orders are to enjoy yourselves, and be coherent tomorrow."

There was a huge noise, and the three Terrans could do no more than hug each other. Eventually Gaius felt a tug on his sleeve, and he looked around to see the Ulsian soldiers who had been assisting them with the ceremony salute and say, "We have special food for you, sir, if you would all follow me."

Gaius turned towards the women, and said, "Let's go and eat."

The eating-place turned out to be quite an extended area, which, bearing in mind the huge numbers present, seemed excessive to Vipsania. The food, however, was good, and there was plenty of drink, including an effort by the Tin Man to reconstruct Gaius' Egyptian beer. Gaius took some meat and vegetables on a plate and was about to walk off when a soldier stopped him.

"With respect sir, where are you going?"

"I want to see some of my soldiers," Gaius replied simply. "I want to congratulate some of them, and . . ."

"Then, please, could you please stay here. It is an Ulsian custom that all those who fought under an honoured officer have the right to come and congratulate him. You, of course, can return the congratulations, and speak to whomever you like. This has the benefit that everyone who wants to see you knows where you are, while if you wander off . . ."

"I take the point," Gaius smiled. And so, after they had eaten, they took their places along the zone allocated to them, and a stream of Ulsians came to them. The afternoon became evening, and it was very late when three very hoarse Terrans finally left the stadium.

* * *

"I am sorry you could not be present at the public victory celebrations," Slaben announced, when they were summoned to him the following day, "however I had strict orders on this matter from Ulse when I left."

"We understand," Gaius replied, perhaps a little stiffly.

Slaben smiled, as if acknowledging the awkwardness of the situation, then said to Gaius, "I confess that at the time I was rather nervous about your strategy."

"What you really mean," Gaius said with a laugh, "is that you wished you hadn't handed over control, and I completely understand that. Putting your planet's future in the hands of −"

"Don't say primitive!" Slaben said.

"Actually, I was going to say, anyone else," Gaius replied, not altogether truthfully. "That I understand completely. Mind you, the strategy was from my time."

"It was?"

"With obvious modifications, I refought the Battle of Cannae."

"A famous Roman victory?"