Shadow of Ararat

THE OLD PORT OF OSTIA, LATIUM

Ziusudra smiled broadly, spreading his muscular arms wide. “You see, my lord, did I not say she was beautiful?”

Gaius Julius swung up over the side of the ship. He was quite impressed, though he took pains to keep his face even and calm, showing no particular emotion.

“She is swift, like the wind over the water, and light, like a young girl dancing.”

Gaius Julius raised an eyebrow and surveyed the broad teak deck of the Nisir. The long ship was clean and spartan, its ropes and line tied up in neat bundles. High walls rose up on either side of the deck, and two masts rose out of the polished wood of the foredeck. A high prow curled up at the front, painted in gray and dark blue. Two tall steering oars flanked a steering deck at the back of the ship. None of the Tyrean crewmen was in evidence, leaving Gaius Julius and Ziusudra standing alone under the tall masts.

“She seems sound,” the Roman said, testing the weave on one of the ropes tied off to the main mast. “How long would it take you to reach Alexandria, say, or Tingis on the coast of Mauretania?”

The Tyrean smiled, his strong white teeth gleaming amongst the bushy red beard. “My love is swift and sure-I can plot a course by the light of the stars. I have made course from Ostia to Alexandria in eight days, Cadiz on the coast of Hispania in four. Nisir will take you anywhere you desire to go, like the chariots of the sky gods.”

Gaius Julius shook his head in amusement-no ship captain on the Inner Sea would say any less. He rubbed the side of his long nose, considering the captain, the ship, the strength of the timbers under his feet.

“I understand that you have had… some ill luck of late.”

Ziusudra’s eyes narrowed, seeing a slight smile on the patrician’s face. “There was some… trouble… with a cargo of eels a month ago. But it was the fault of the shipper! We made our run in plenty of time!”

“The eels,” Gaius Julius said slowly, “got loose and escaped through the bilge hatches, my good Tyrean friend. Two of your men had to go to the surgeon to have the creatures detached from their bodies. A terrible calamity. My sympathies. I wonder, then, if it is safe to carry precious cargo on your ship.”

The Tyrean glared back at Gaius, his hands on his hips. If he had been a pot of hot water, he would have been boiling over. “Those baskets were supposed to be eel-proof! Ah, and the stench! It took a week of scrubbing to get it out of the planking. You’re not looking to move rare and precious animals, are you?”

“No,” Gaius said, relenting at last and cracking a smile. “Only some tourists-but, my friend, this is a private voyage, so no other passengers will be allowed aboard. Oh, and no cargo either, just me and my friends.”

“No cargo!” Ziusudra was outraged. “How shall I make a profit then? I have notes to pay, my lord. I must turn some shekels with this voyage!”

“No matter,” Gaius said, pulling a plain wooden scroll case out of his tunic. “I took the liberty of acquiring your notes from Zuscis the banker. He was quite pleased and so am I. This seems a fine ship to own.”

Gaius Julius grinned, showing his own even white teeth to the Tyrean. Ziusudra glared back at him with beetling brows.

“If you do well, then you shall have the Nisir back when we are done.”