“My resources are at the disposal of General Eumenes. If someone from his staff requires everything I have to offer, so be it sir.” It was rare to see him have to act deferential to anyone.
I don’t require that much, lochagos, just the boy here,” Vettias assured him with a smile. “Andrikos has spoken highly of your leadership and I have no doubt you’ll be able to manage during his temporary absence.” Croesus looked at me sceptically in response to Vettias’ flattery. “I depart tomorrow and will expect Andrikos to meet me at the commander’s tent at sunrise. He will not require his armament or sarissa but will need to bring his tent and short sword.”
“He will be there with his required items. Andrikos, you will turn in your armament tonight and will be waiting at the command tent thirty minutes before dawn tomorrow.”
“Thank you lochagos, I can see Andrikos was correct in speaking so highly of you. Andrikos, I will see you tomorrow.”
As Vettias departed, Croesus continued looking at me incredulously. Sensing his thoughts, I added, “Sir, I swear I do not have any notion of what he wants. My only dealings with him were the two occasions at the medical tent and occurred exactly as I described.”
“Hmph,” was his response. “Get your shit together tonight and try not to bring any dishonour on yourself or the lochos. Dismissed.”
“Yes sir,” I replied, and departed to gather my armament to return to the quartermaster that evening. Upon completing this errand, I visited Stephanos’ tent where I relayed to him all that transpired. He again was genuinely pleased at my apparent good fortune. I suggested he seek out and strengthen his relationship with Rhexenor when he returned to the surgeon’s tent in five days since he claimed to be in a position to acquire things. As we were talking I realized that I was about to be separated from Stephanos for the first time since our chance encounter in Sardis several months ago, and the two of us embraced as brothers when it was time to retire for the evening.
“You better not replace me,” I said, only half kidding.
“Return soon then, there are many in line waiting to take your place.”
The next morning I rose before the horns, disassembled my tent, ate some hard tack bread, and drank some brackish water before donning my marching pack and making my way to the command tent. Very few people were awake and stirring at this early hour, with all bivouac fires burnt out and the waning minutes of night perfectly still and calm. Guards standing at attention holding torches could be seen throughout as I neared the leadership areas. They silently eyed my every move until I reached the perimeter of the command tent and the quarters of the high officers. Guards stopped me and demanded I state my business in this area. I explained I was to meet Vettias from the battle staff at the command tent, to which one of the guards escorted me. Another quad of guards stood in front of the tent’s entrance and my escort passed me into their custody. Since I was so anxious to be punctual I was in fact thirty minutes early and spent the next fifteen minutes in awkward silence until Vettias mercifully arrived. I followed him to where his gear was assembled and noticed two horses tied to a post.
“Can you ride?” asked Vettias. “I probably should have asked that yesterday.”
“I’m no Companion but I am competent enough.”
“Good, then pack you gear on that one so we can depart,” Vettias ordered, pointing at an impressive mount. I did so and we led our horses out of the encampment entrance. There we were interrogated by the watch commander to whom Vettias briefly spoke with and was granted passage. I looked back at the few flickering lights of the encampment as we mounted our horses and felt like a farm animal let out of its cage, not knowing what to do with itself after a lifetime of captivity. As we started a slow trot, Vettias turned to me and asked, “So, interested to know what this is all about?”
“Yes sir,” I enthusiastically answered.
“First thing is you will never call me sir; call me uncle for now.” You are not to speak to others unless spoken to and you will be introduced as my nephew. Your parents are dead, you are not married and you have no children. We are going to grow out our beards from now until we are finished. We are merchants from Cyprus looking to acquire wares at the upcoming meeting of the Kings and generals taking place in Syria. I realize that doesn’t answer any of your questions but you must become the person I have just described immediately and never stray from our story until we are safely back within General Eumenes’ encampment. Understood?”
“Yes sir, err- yes uncle,” I replied.
“Good. Now, tomorrow the army will be informed of disastrous news to our cause of protecting the heirs of Alexander. Lord Regent Perdiccas has been defeated in Egypt and betrayed to Ptolemy through treachery perpetrated by the Silver Shields and Perdiccas’ own deputy commander, Seleucus. Regency of the Kings has been granted to two of the conspirators and General Eumenes has been declared rebel and enemy of the Kings. A meeting has been called at Triparadeisus, Syria, by Antipater to divide the empire between our enemies and their allies. I have been sent to Triparadeisus to try and influence the outcome as much as possible and report back to General Eumenes on what is decided. I can’t be everywhere at once and will require the assistance of someone with a modicum of competence who does as he’s told. So, naturally, when I met you in the surgeon’s tent displaying an overt willingness to please me, I decided you would be the right man for the job.”
There was a long pause as I processed all that was just relayed to me. Most disturbing was that overnight, I, and thousands of others, had gone from victorious defenders of Alexander’s true heirs to outlaws of the Macedonian crown and enemies of the Kings’ Regency. After a few moments I gathered my thoughts and responded. “This news certainly complicates things; I am at your disposal sir, err, uncle, in any way that will assist our cause.”
“I know you will. So, tell me about yourself, young Andrikos,” Vettias commanded. “If I am to be your uncle I should know a little something about you.”
As dawn broke, I told Vettias of my childhood, my mother, Helena, Leandros, Argos, my father, Nearchus, the wine shop, and life in Ilandra. I of course left out the details regarding Theon, Ganymedes, and Nearchus’ ignoble fate. Vettias listened intently, asking questions now and then while keeping eye contact and smiling warmly at appropriate intervals. The idea of someone who I felt so far my superior taking interest in anything I had to say engendered in me such a desire to obey and please this man that I would do just about anything he asked at any moment. The back of my mind told me his kindness was for this result all along but his demeanour and confidence alone would have created a loyal servant of me. My father’s early departure sowed fertile ground for the overtures of capable, confident men that showed an interest in me.
Our slow pace continued throughout the morning until we broke for a meal at midday. “Have you heard of Triparadeisus?” Vettias asked.
“No, is it a large city?”
“It’s not really a city at all. A paradeisus is the name given to the decadent pleasure retreats established by the Achaemenid Kings of Persia. There are several paradeisuses around the empire: at Ecbatana, Susa, Persepolis, Babylon, and a tri-paradeisus in Syria. The ‘tri’ means it is three times the opulence and size of a normal Paradeisus- which is formidable in its own right. Someone of your meagre background cannot comprehend that such a place could be constructed, let alone enjoyed, by men. If man can create such a place, we do not hold the mental capacity to grasp what Mount Olympus is like. There will be a multitude of factions vying for power through intrigue at this meeting. There will be agents sent for the explicit purpose of countering our efforts. I will teach you how to survive in such a lion’s den along the way. Perform well and perhaps there will be a future in this line of work for you- the pay is better and you won’t have to dig drainage ditches with the rest of the line units of the army. Tomorrow we’ll begin your training along the road and put it into practice tomorrow evening.”
We made camp that evening on t
he outskirts of a small town. As I lay in my tent chasing sleep, my mind raced at a fever pitch thinking about all that was conveyed to me today and what the future would bring. Vettias was correct about someone from such a simple background as I not being able to comprehend the information I had been given, and the world I had been thrust into.
Chapter 19
We began our ride early that morning after procuring several items in the town and having breakfast. Vettias appeared to have an inexhaustible supply of coin that must have been allotted him from the army’s treasury by General Eumenes himself. Two hours passed along the road before my ‘training’ began.
“We’ll stay in a proper town tonight with proper food, drink, and women,” Vettias assured. “One benefit of travelling with me is that you will enjoy a standard of living unknown to someone like you. It will be hard to go back to the life you knew after our mission is completed. So, let’s begin. What are we going to do in Triparadeisus?”
“We are going to attempt to influence the outcome and report the final conclusions to General Eumenes,” I said, unsure of my answer.
“Correct, but how are we to do this? We’ll get to the influencing part later. To be able to influence the negotiations we have to know what is going on. How are we going to ascertain what is going on if we are not in the actual meetings?”
“I don’t know,” was my uninspired reply. Vettias was starting to move beyond my feeble reasoning abilities the more he spoke.
“Think, Andrikos; in your home of Ilandra, how do you obtain information about an event you did not witness yourself?”
“You ask someone who was there,” I answered unsurely.
“Yes, that is how a normal person with benevolent motives would learn of events for which he did not witness. This will be our starting point for today’s lesson,” Vettias continued in a condescending manner. “When we arrive in Triparadeisus and we are attempting to discover what is being discussed in the inner chamber of the council, will we simply walk up to Lord Regent Antipater and ask him what his intentions are for General Eumenes and our army?”
“No,” I feebly responded.
“And why not?”
“Because Antipater is not likely to divulge that sort of information to someone outside of his inner circle.”
“That is true. We are beginning to learn, despite not yet moving past the realm of common sense. So should we walk up to someone in Lord Regent Antipater’s inner circle and ask them what the Regency’s plans are for General Eumenes and our army?” Vettias further interrogated.
“No.”
“And why not?”
“For the same reasons it would be unwise to ask Lord Regent Antipater.”
“So if we don’t ask Lord Regent Antipater, and we don’t ask someone in his inner circle, who do we ask?”
“Someone other than Antipater or his inner circle that is privy to the information,” I responded.
“Excellent. Now, who would that be?”
“I don’t know.” Vettias had now pushed me well beyond any previous mental exercise I had been a part of.
“Come now, Andrikos, I’m not going to make this easy for you. There are plenty of invisible people around these men that hear all sorts of things. Servants, aides, relatives, whores- all kinds of people. So, assuming we find someone who is close to a member of Antipater’s inner council, what do we do then?”
“We ask them what they know about the information we desire?”
“Incorrect. Why would someone with access to the most important men in the entire world divulge information to a stranger that would surely get him killed if discovered?”
“They wouldn’t.”
“Then how are you going to get the information necessary to allow General Eumenes and our army to be triumphant in our quest to protect Alexander’s heirs? Do you think General Eumenes will obtain all the information he requires by divine intervention? Do you think he has another plan to glean the information necessary to defeat Antipater, Antigonus, and Ptolemy? We are here on behalf of our general, the only leader working solely on behalf of the Kings, to attempt to influence events and quickly report the outcome of this summit. You need to get your head out of your ass and start understanding the immense responsibility General Eumenes has placed in me and I have placed in you.”
“I’m sorry sir, err, uncle,” I said in a fluster. “I assure you the entirety of my mental faculties are being directed to absorbing all you are explaining to me now; perhaps you decided poorly in choosing your aide on this mission of great importance.”
“Don’t try and garner sympathy from me. I know you are trying; don’t let my demeanour discourage you. I am simply conveying the importance of what we are embarking on and identifying the mindset needed to accomplish it. No one as inexperienced as you could know the answers to all the questions I have asked. Just continue learning the tenets I am conveying and understand the importance of our mission. The Socratic Method can be frustrating to the student, just stay with me…So, how do you get someone to tell you something they normally would not?”
My fear of sounding ridiculous gave way to memories of Ilandra where Argos would regularly defeat my best attempts to conceal information about my exploits and my eagerness to perform the same manipulations on my mates. “You could trick them,” I said after a short pause.
“Alright, I’ll accept that as proof you at least have the ability to think. But there is much more to it than that. First, you must present yourself in a way that your target doesn’t feel he or she has committed a transgression by divulging information to you. Second, if your mental ruse is too blatant, you may have obtained some sliver of information in the short term but you will have shown your intention to your target and risk exposure. Never allow your target to know the information you are actually after. Never ask yes or no questions. Never ask direct questions for they divulge your intent to your target. You must always prompt your target to willingly tell you what you seek without them feeling as though you coaxed it from them or had a premeditated interest in it.”
“You can tell a story similar to the topic you are interested in and allow the target to reply with a story of their own that relates information about themselves or the issue of interest. You can divulge something private about yourself, real or imagined, to cajole the target to reciprocate by sharing something personal about themselves which reveals information of importance. You can use deliberate silences to entice your target to fill the quiet. You can purport to know more about a subject than you actually do to deceive him into feeling comfortable talking about information he assumes you already know. Bring up different aspects of your desired information at different intervals to obfuscate your objective. Alcohol is always useful as well. The options are limited only by your resourcefulness and the particulars of the target and situation.”
“This is all of course before we start to introduce money. We must identify motivations of targets who will have prolonged exposure to information we desire. Money is always a factor but some value their lives over money. Others are too proud to take it, thus introducing it in the first place reduces our chances of the target agreeing to cooperate with us. We cannot assume every target we meet is for sale- but make no mistake, anyone willing to lie, cheat, steal or kill is susceptible to enticement. In addition to what motivates them, it is beneficial to identify something in their lives that makes them susceptible to bribery or intrigue. There are the few targets who are truly moral beings, however, and we may have to manufacture a circumstance in their life they will do anything to avoid. This can sometimes involve threatening those they hold dearest. Once we exploit motivations and establish liabilities, we should have pretty firm control over their actions and must keep them alive long enough to serve our purposes.”
“Still, what we practice is an unreliable art. Good practitioners of these skills can usually accomplish their goals efficiently and discreetly. Sometimes, however, when time is of the essence and the importance of our
charge is so great, untidy options will present themselves.”
“You mean kidnap…torture…murder,” I asked. Vettias nodded in response to each.
“Sometimes, but we try to avoid it and always remember the cause at hand. I call it coercion. There is an art to that side of our profession as well, Andrikos, and I will need your assistance in that respect to be sure. For now, let’s focus on getting people to willingly tell you things, since the better you are at it, the less you will have to resort to cruel tactics. Tonight you are going to apply what I have taught you with unsuspecting patrons and employees in the tavern we stop at.”
We continued our journey for three more hours in relative silence before arriving at the medium-sized town of Myrana, where we stabled our horses and rented two respectable rooms for the evening. Our amenities provided warm water to bathe in, fresh meat to consume, and offered to wash our clothes the following morning, which Vettias purchased for the two of us. I had three articles of clothing to my name after leaving Ilandra and all had been washed very infrequently since enlisting in the army. After our appetites were sated, Vettias inquired into the best source of entertainment for the evening and the two of us walked down the main thoroughfare in the direction pointed out by our lodging’s patron. I had pent up nervous energy as we made the short walk to the tavern. I was excited to drink good wine and possibly bed a woman, but vowed to pace my indulgences lest Vettias think me a degenerate. However, what if he was a heavy drinker and thought my moderation unworthy of a drinking companion? I decided I would drink exactly as much as he and mind my tongue for fear of blurting out something absurd in Vettias’ presence. There was also the unexplained expectation of practicing the day’s lesson on unsuspecting patrons.
We arrived at a standard establishment that was moderately attended with uninteresting patrons. Vettias purposely walked over to the counter where an old, thin man with unkempt facial hair and gnarled skin was serving cups of wine. I followed him to an unoccupied space where I watched him scan the room. He then positioned himself on the other side of me and instructed that I educe from the man standing to my left his name, trade, and immediate family members within the next five minutes. Vettias’ sudden assignment caught me off guard and I awkwardly stood next to the target for the first minute while I composed a suitable approach. Looking at the man, I deduced he was a local patron, most likely a labourer or tradesman, who probably had no interest in anything a twenty year old nobody like myself had to say.
By the Sword Page 18