Civil War Stories, The Will of the Senate

[Mount Suribachi]

Even at this distance, the smoke stung Oppius's eyes. They had first spied the giant dark pall in the sky the previous morning. The fleets navigator had told Oppius they were a day or two's sailing from Sardinia, and the obvious conclusion filled Oppius with trepidation.

That night, he and his Admiral, Cassius, had boarded their fleets' lightest, fastest ship and made for the island, leaving the rest of the fleet away to the west, out of sight. Through the night the acrid smell of smoke had grown stronger and stronger, and the darkness had merely served to heighten their fearful thoughts of what might await them come the dawn.

Now, as the sun gained height in the early morning sky they could clearly see the source of the smoke. Caralis, capital of the Roman island of Sardinia had been burnt to the ground. Smoke was still rising from the city, but it seemed the worst ravages of the fire had done their business leaving the blackened, smouldering rump of what was once a thriving city.

"Ye gods, what has happened here?" asked Cassius aloud, voicing the question all those on deck were thinking.

Once more Oppius cursed being stuck at sea for months. What had happened here? He had no idea.

"Perhaps the city declared for the Senate, and this is how Servius chose to punish them. He is not a man to be wronged, as we all know. Or maybe Servius has been beaten already, maybe he fled here for sanctuary and this is how a vengeful senate extracts justice?"

He coughed, even at this distance the smoke was still thick enough to tickle ones throat. Oppius reached for the wineskin and tried to clear the irritation.

"Or maybe it was Carthage"

"Carthage?" snorted a surprise Cassius "but we left them on their knees"

"Aye, we did. But they had large armies stranded on Melite and Sardinia. For some reason they were reluctant to take the cities, content to live off the land instead. Maybe they got bored of the rural life?"

"We should send a landing party ashore to find out what has really happened"

Oppius paused.

"No, 2 of the 3 possible options are most unfavourable to us. I would hate to find a victorious, vengeful senate suddenly aware of our position. Its too dangerous. And it will cost us time. The men have been at sea for months, they long to get ashore. For good. No, we continue on the planned course."

Cassius gave the orders for their ship to return to the rest of the fleet whilst Oppius thought aloud to himself. "There is one more option of course. It could all be some terrible tragedy whereby the city has burnt to the ground by accident. But I don't believe in accidents. Not in this day and age."