2.10 No habla
Six tall columns support the roof above the entrance to the Vigiles building’s lobby. The lobby itself is crowded, police clerks are busy running around with documents from office to office. But most people are simply waiting in queues. Some look like recent victims of crimes or the relatives of victims, angry or depressed by what has happened to them. A cacophony of cries, screams and the sounds of hectic pacing fills the chamber.
Eventually you locate a sign telling potential recruits to wait for an officer here. Outside of you and Paul only two other people are waiting there.
One of them starts talking, you don’t understand much out of what he said, just something about a slave. Well that and he seems rather excited. “He says he is a recently freed slave,” Paul translates, “well not exactly freed , his owner died and with no heirs the state seized his property including this man.”
“So now he has to work at least 3 years in the Vigiles before he becomes a citizen, the alternative was getting auctioned off and still being a slave.” Rather than make a profit by selling him the local government preferred to have him do police work? How short on manpower are they exactly?
Finally, an officer appears. He says something to all of you. “They’re going to teach us the basics and send us out patrolling the plebian quarter in the nig...” Paul is interrupted by the officer. He seems angry while Paul, embarrassed by what has happened, clumsily tries to explain something to the him.
Suddenly the officer starts looking at you menacingly, he shouts “Excedo!” at you while pointing his finger in the direction of the exit. “He said only civilized people speaking Latin are welcome in the Vigiles. I can stay but they won’t pay me until Monday...”
You told Paul what he should do and left the police station.
*
Following the embarrassing incident at the Vigiles station, you submerged the filtering unit in one of the city canals. Fortunately, there was nobody around to witness what you did. Afterwards you and Paul went to the port. It is a pity you’re broke, that fight tomorrow would have been rather entertaining if you could afford the tickets.
Flocks of seagulls glide above the harbor while men help haul goods to and from ships. Some of them are in chains, they are slaves no doubt. Bigger steam ships have their cargo unloaded using steel cranes, the local children observe the tall machines with fascination until the dock workers chase them away.
“You took the box with you, I thought you gave it to Ajax?” - Paul asks. You explain to him why you have the box with you.
*
A mob has gathered in front of one of the few buildings in the port that isn’t a warehouse. Two mobs actually, one is listening to some kind of speaker who keeps using the word “dominus” a bit too much. The other is shouting what appear to be vulgar profanities at the speaker and his listeners. The establishment they are standing in front of is the “Coitus Maximus”.
“He’s a priest,” Paul starts explaining, ”they’re protesting against this den of sin as they call the brothel. He says the politicians should abandon the false gods, embrace Jesus and abolish slavery because all men are born equal in God’s eyes.” A Christian rally? Well that is something you did not expect. “The other group appears to be formed by defenders of Roman tradition or something like that. They claim slavery, the old gods and prostitution are an inherent part of national identity and what the preacher calls for is barbarism.” This sounds all too familiar to you.
After a moment, a tall man comes out of the brothel. He looks mean and tough. He starts yelling at the Christian protesters, the preacher and the crowd ignore him. A few other men, as menacing as the first one, come out of the establishment a moment later. They’re all armed, two with guns while the rest with clubs, pipes and other blunt objects.
The preacher decides to leave rather than risk bloodshed, he gives you a pamphlet on the way out. “Via Galicia XXXIVB, Western Caesarea Christian Society. Come and learn more of the Lord and his love. Meet fellow brothers and sisters who embraced Jesus! Learn how you can help in turning the Fourth Republic into a Christian state by fighting slavery, alcoholism, sexual depravity and paganism.”
*
Most people Paul asked around, had absolutely no clue as to where to look for somebody who would know where the box came from. The few that did, suggested you to visit the Shanghai Trading Company and ask there.
Crudely carved into the outer wooden walls are Chinese pictograms, which make the otherwise deserted-looking and equally crude shack stand out. A short east Asian male greets you inside using broken Latin, his name is Cheng. You on the other hand greet him and introduce yourself in perfect Mandarin. “A Gwailo can talk like a civilized person? Tell me, what business do you have in my establishment?”
You show him the box, he gazes upon the carved silhouettes of demigods and gods. “Decent craftsmanship, looks expensive. Worth at least 30 solidi, but I am not interested in buying. I only sell things here, fine things from the homeland.” You don’t want to know how much it’s worth, you want to know *who* could have made it or sold it someone, or who could have bought it.
“One of the local patricians of course, who else would pay over 30 solidi for a chunk of fancy Gwailo wood?” He does make a point, does he have any leads as to which patrician would? “Don’t know, the only patrician I deal with is Lucius Bucco. He buys porcelain and jewelry from me. Rich man, very powerful”.
Rich and powerful he says? Who exactly is this Bucco? “You new in town Gwailo? Lucius Bucco owns the vineyard outside of town, his family made Red Galeon wine ever since they settled on this continent. Well the two hundred slaves they own do, the Buccos just reap the profits from their toil. He lives in the Bucco family villa near the Vineyard, it used to be visited by powerful friends of the family in the past, even senators. New patricians stole influence from them, many rose to the top by opening factories. A sign that the balance of power is shifting.”
You will…
A)…visit the Vineyard and the Villa. See if Lucius Bucco or any of his slaves knows something about the box.
B)…check out the Caesarea Christian Society. They seem like a decent bunch even if they want to ban whores.
C)…ask about the box around the forum. Somebody has to know something there.
D)…visit the library. They got to have some recent press there.
E)…contact the local government. Show them some advanced tech and propose a “partnership”.
You will get money by…
1)…breaking into a store at night.
2)…breaking into an apartment at night.
3)…mugging somebody.
4)…breaking into the Bucco Villa at night.
5)…hauling stuff for Israel Pera.
6)…selling the wooden box.
7)…not getting it. You have no need for local currency.
You told Paul that you have the box with you because…
V)…you do not trust Ajax. The totenkopf soldiers and his fascination with the automaton gave you good reasons not to. As did the tortures you endured in New Swabia.
X)…Ajax sent you here to investigate the matter. How were you supposed to do this without the box?
Y)…Himmler wants this matter to be investigated without Ajax’s knowledge. He fears Ajax may have an agenda of his own, one different than that of the Fuhrer.
Z)…he does not need to know why. You will tell him he should know better than to question his superiors.
Paul will…
I)…join the Vigiles.
II)…not join the Vigiles.
Vote now.
Just FYI, if you decided that Paul joins the Vigiles he meets up with Heracles at the port after some basic (short) training. Otherwise he helps you with hiding the filtering unit.
He will only go out on patrol (or not) after the update. This means that if you do something in the night (all other actions unless specified will take place "tommorow") he won't be able to assist you.
