Chapter 17

We circled the Mediterranean to get to these military bases and get them to see matters the way I wanted. Our time ashore was usually only a few days in each location. The bases a lot further inland were avoided because of the time taken to get to them, unless they were only a days ride away. We made a great ring around the Med. We came back and hit the main base on Crete but didn't go to see my people on the island.

Largely we were successful but in one case I had to resort to primitive solutions to get a high ranking officer from turning us in. I was able to get to his commander and talk to him. After some healing and the usual shot of endorphins his subordinate would be held in check for a while. I did not know how long this would last.

We had new converts when the crew finally learned of our identity. Eventually I had them go in and get the feeling for my presence before I showed myself. There was still resistance but it was getting less with time.

The base at Perinthus was through the Dardanelles and on the shores of the Sea of Marmora. It was also close to Constantinople. It was the last base before I would enter the Black Sea once more. It happened to be the home of one of the more loyal legions. Constantius made a point of coming here often to talk to the legionnaires so they would know on what side of their bread the butter was on.

My usual method would be to sail to the city and wait for a chance to talk to an officer. I tried to vary my approach and this time we landed on the shores of the Med and then went on horseback to the base. Our new ship must have gained some notoriety and I did not want to go through the inspection we would get by traversing the narrow channel. They were to wait though for a few weeks and if we did not return then they were to sail to Antioch.

Mithridates and Lazeez hired some women to accompany them and thus seem less odd. The women did not know who we were but would soon enough. I had been without for a while but didn't find the need as strong when my body was toned down. We went to the wineshops and sampled a bit of wine and waited for the soldiers to arrive. The shop we were in was a bit upscale so we would get wealthy merchants and officers. We knew the place was good because the clay mugs were not chained to the table.

We sat at a large table that was suited for a dozen people. We ordered a jug of wine instead of buying it by the mug and just sat down to talk.

When the establishment began to fill, Mithridates said aloud, "I heard that this Hand of Woden cured hundreds more people on Crete, and just a week ago."

Lazeez said in the style of a playboy, "There may be peace with the Persians soon. I heard that the Hand had talked to Sapor and asked him to stop killing unless he had to. Sapor has not been harsh on the cities he took and they are free to continue as they had before."

Lazeez' girl stayed close to him and said, "I hear he carries a giant hammer with him."

Lazeez said, "I heard that too but I think it is actually the power of Thor's hammer and not the hammer itself. I have heard from a man that met the Hand that no man can weald the real hammer."

"You knew a man that met him?"

"Many have. He goes among the people and cures every disease known. The blind will see within a week and with two weeks they were when young. Men without arms and legs are growing new limbs. There are very few lepers left. The old that are healed will dance around as if they are fifteen again. I heard that many of the old women that were healed are now with child."

Mithridates added, "I heard that the plague can be cured when the Hand touches a man. Other religions talk of miracles but the Hand does many each day. You do not have to believe someone's word. All you have to do is watch how the man heals and you will see with your own eyes."

Mithridates' woman said, "Where is he? I would like to see him do this."

"Last I heard, he was in Crete. I talked to some traders that just came from the island. One day he will come to Constantinople and you may not have to go far."

"Why won't he come here now?"

"It is not that big. Maybe after he goes to all the large cities he will come here."

"I wish he would come soon. My sister's child is weak and we think he will die soon if he doesn't get some help."

"I do not think he has the time to cure everybody. He gets weaker every day and needs to rest almost constantly. Maybe we should ask some of the others around to see if they know about the Hand." The women were not following a script at all. They had no idea of our identities or real reasons because being here.

Mithridates turned around and said to two men sitting at a table behind him. "Hello, gentlemen. Will you join us for some wine so I can find out about the latest news?" The girls were good looking and the wine now free, so the two got up and brought their mugs over to our table.

We introduced ourselves with assumed names. We talked about Lazeez and his money was taking us to a lot of interesting places. Before we finished our story the soldiers were asked about what they knew about the Hand of Woden.

"A lot of the men started to follow Woden but our Augustus said that the man was false." The officer didn't comment after that but the Augustus was also trying to convert the military to Christianity from the worship of Mithra with little luck.

Lazeez said, "I heard that the Hand not only tolerates all religions but says in his books how this should be done. As long as he is not attacked he leaves all others alone. There were reports that he has assisted other religious orders with their sick and donated gold and assistance to those that were doing this good work."

The other officer finished pouring his mug full of wine and said, "I heard that too. If I were him I wouldn't, but I am not him. We were angry at him for all of the men he has killed. His people are all over now and explaining his side of the massacre."

Lazeez said, "I heard he fought men trying to attach his people in Germania. He fought more men recently. They attacked his people. They killed many and took the rest as slaves. The Hand got them back, all by himself and Woden. The legions then attacked Antioch. I could easily believe that the commander of the legions would get angry if one man was killing his men and he could not catch the man responsible. This makes the story about killing those in the city sound not just possible, but probable."

The officer thought for a moment and said, "I think that was probably true too. We have done things like that all the time. You have to show the natives who is boss. Usually they understand quick enough and you do not have to kill many."

Lazeez admitted, "I journeyed to Antioch a few months ago. I saw the city both before and after Thor threw his hammer. There were few walls that were higher than my eyes. The city was spread out because of the quakes but all of it was destroyed. The land for miles out was black. I have seen some paintings by a truly gifted painter that shows this very well. I wish I was close enough to see this miracle when it happened but many miles away. I heard that the Augustus was protected by the gods but most of his escort were killed and all of them were at least hurt."

"I have heard that too. We have not seen him in a while. The fire almost killed him we were told but his god protected him."

"Do you think he is still after the Hand?"

"I do not know. When he feels the need to do something it usually happens. Sometimes it takes a while."

"What have you heard about the possible peace settlement?"

"Only rumours like you have heard, I guess. Constantius says they are lies because none of the Persian envoys have come forward."

"You cannot believe every rumour but I did hear that Sapor is not killing any of the Romans he captures. Another rumour says that he is putting them to work as tutors."

"I have heard that too. I wonder why he's doing that?"

More people came in and one of the officers invited three more people to our table for the free wine. Mithridates started to answer the question before the people sat, "People have read from the books to the people at the sermons. One language is necessary for everybody to understand what is happening. Latin is what had been chosen but there are more letters. Roman numbers though not good enough. I learned about the new numbers and everything is much easier."

More introductions were made and we gave a recap of who we were supposed to be and the new officers did the same thing. Lazeez called over a waitress and fondled her ass as he ordered another jug of wine. He got a smile from the waitress and the girl with him squeezed his arm to remind him that he still had an escort.

One of the newly arrived officer's eyes kept coming back to me. I was young, strong and good looking but I did not think he was interested in a date. He began to ask Lazeez' guard about his opinion and I answered that I believed wholeheartedly in Woden.

"The Hand hates no group of people. No matter what we look like on the outside, we are all of one race inside. Soon we will be one great empire with the Augustus controlling this area and having a say in how the rest of the world is handled. This means that those that control other areas will have a say in what happens here."

I was asked, "You want this to happen?"

"The Roman empire has had two or more leaders at different times. What is so hard to see that a few men could sit down and govern the world? One of them will be the Augustus. Wars kill a lot of people. The leaders will be able to talk out a problem before an army moves. There are a great many barbarians outside the borders and a lot inside too. I think that if they are educated correctly then they will be more fully Roman. Romans though have to change a bit too. Woden does not like slavery and now men have to be paid to work."

"What if I want to keep my slaves?"

"Things like slavery take a long time to change. Men will start to get paid, more like they did in the Republic. Slaves will be just a bit more unprofitable. In years to come a man will hire men to work for him at a cheaper rate than it costs to keep a slave."

"What if I do not want that to happen?"

"Then you oppose it. You are free to talk to others. Slavery is still legal but when it is uneconomical the senate will have it outlawed. That will be many years from now and you will be long dead."

Before the man could snarl a retort I asked, "Do you oppose good health care for your wife and children? Do you oppose everybody getting enough to eat? Soldiers are not going to disappear but change into super warriors that can kill the enemies of the United Nations. Soldiers will be very well paid, because it will only take a thousand trained men to do the job of twenty legions today. There is a lot of change coming and all you have to do is try to learn new ways of fighting."

"What do you know of fighting?"

"I have knowledge you do not. My family taught me to fight since I was an infant. Some if the training was in how to fight without weapons. I have travelled a lot and talked to men of other lands. They have shown me some of their tricks and I have found them useful."

"Show me some."

"Sure. Give me an aureus for the lesson. I paid for mine."

The man grinned and said, "I do not have to pay. All I have to do is start to beat you."

"You would attack a man for no reason? Roman officers for the most part have been men of honour. You came to this table as a guest and now want to fight."

"Are you calling me dishonourable?"

I reached out to the best of my ability and tried to weaken the man. It seemed to be working because his mug fell to the table and wine spilt over his friends. In a few more seconds the man fell onto the table and his men scrambled to protect their wine and then get their friend back into his chair.

The man said to his friends, "He put a spell on me."

I said, "Woden does not always like fights. This time I think you are just drunk or maybe you have a sickness that steals your strength like the plague."

The friends moved away from their friend quickly but not far. He tried to yell at me, "I do not have the plague."

"One of the symptoms of the plague is a weakness. As I said, you may be just drunk. Now let's go outside and I will give you a lesson."

The man tried to get up and had to do this a few times before he gained his feet. The man's friends pleaded for him and I said, "I can put off this for a few weeks if you need the time to recover."

"I don't need to recover. I can take you now."

"Rome has fallen on hard times if you are the one that is supposed to keep the peace." I had not got up or made any hostile gestures and the man tried to strike me with his hands but fell onto the table one more time.

The disturbance caused even more looks and men coming into the wineshop suddenly stopped, or rather the first one did and the ones behind ran onto the heals of the one in front. The first man had his mouth open in surprise.

In seconds he was close and his two friends had followed. The newcomers looked to be merchants or perhaps traders that had a higher standard of living than most of the people that were Wodenists. Apparently they all knew me by the way they were acting. I was hoping to remain anonymous a bit longer but my identity came out sooner or later.

"Hello, my lord. Do you have any need of our services? Anything."

The belligerent officer snarled and asked me, "Who are you?" It was even turned into a small smile.

I gave my own smile and said humbly, "One of the great many servants of our god, Woden."

"You are more than that."

"Nobody can be more than that."

"You are the Hand. Admit it. I knew it when we first sat down."

"I admit to being the Hand. Why is it that you are so angry at me? It is as if you hold some personal grudge against me."

"You killed a lot of soldiers. I think I will kill you."

I did not move and neither did Mithridates or Lazeez. This had happened before and it was better if I handled it. The man fumbled for his knife and he could barely make it too me and had to be supported. "What did you do to me?"

"Did I not say that my god does not want fighting some times? My god reached down and touched you with his love. You are not dead now and nobody will be cursing your family until the end of time for killing me."

"They would thank me."

"I am but the Hand of Woden. The world is changing around us. Do you not think that we are coming into a time when we may make peace with our neighbours and flourish? There have been too many acts done recently. Woden will be the supreme god and the world will breathe a sigh of relief from all the war. Do you not think that your name will be cursed for all time for stopping my work?"

"That is what you say and I say you will die."

He tried to stand straighter and I said, "Do you think my god will allow you to do this? Miracles happen all the time around me."

The man could not come closer but I did not stop his life. His fellow officers restrained him and one asked me, "Release him."

"Order my god not me. I think it may be better to ask him humbly instead."

The man came at me with his own knife and fell to the floor with screams that few men had ever heard before. After a quarter minute I stood and backed up a few metres and the pain decreased and I allowed the man to go unconscious.

There were more officers in the shop but none interfered. The first of the three Wodenists said, "I am sorry my lord for bringing down this trouble on you. I did not think that anyone would try to kill you especially after..."

"You did not know and you are forgiven."

"If you do not mind me asking, why are you here?"

"I like to see what a city is like before I introduce myself. I have been attacked many times when it might have been avoided with some talk."

Five of the other patrons came over and one officer said, "If you are the man called Jón of Germania then we have to take you into custody."

Mithridates and Lazeez had not jumped up during the previous confrontation but now did. I said, "I do not wish to be placed in your custody. Some people from Constantius invited me to talk to your Augustus but there was no assurance that I would not be killed or held in the dungeon. You are not offering any better and I refuse to go."

"We have to take you in."

The man did not seem very sure of himself and I said, "The last group that tried that numbered over twenty thousand men. The majority of them died in seconds and a city was obliterated from the face of the earth. Do you think a man like Constantius supersedes a god?"

"That is beside the fact. We have to do our duty."

"You have a family here. You have friends here. What will you have when your city dies and I am still free."

"You will be with us."

"If my god is angry and powerful enough to kill a city he may allow me to die or save me. It is his choice. My choice is not to go. I will talk to your commander though. This will be on my terms and where I choose. We will have a sermon later this afternoon and I think we can talk at that time."

I turned to the three men that had brought this situation to a head and said, "We need a place for a sermon. What is the best choice?"

With the word out, the public square was very crowded. The majority of those present were the legion I came to try to sway towards Julian. Lazeez was very worried and so was Mithridates but this was the reason I had come in the first place. Now I would talk to more people and hope to sway the officers from a distance.

Mithridates and Lazeez had the help of many local Wodenists that came out to assist. They read selected passages that had been used at all the other forts. It was geared to the strengths of Rome being used to nurture as well as protect. It was plainly stated that Rome would get some fearsome weapons to use if they made some small changes. The changes were social in nature and would benefit those I spoke to in many ways.

I gave the speakers a break and I spoke of what I was trying to do and why I was here now. Julian was not mentioned though. I gave the long drawn out story about what had happened when I came to this area. The pirates, Berytus, Seleucia, Antioch and then back to Seleucia were told in detail that lasted nearly an hour. My trips to the forts were listed under spreading the word instead of drumming up support for Julian.

The patients came up to me and the first was a boy that was the nephew of one of the girls that had accompanied us. I had to sedate him a bit then we talked. This was the same no matter where we went. The boy was weak with a variety of ailments and this one looked to be a genetic disorder.

I talked to the boy but actually I was talking to the crowd about DNA and heredity. I had not found out how to cure this sort of problem but I did encourage the levels of the proteins to come into balance. This boy took longer than most and when I let him stand on his own feet he did so straighter.

"You are not cured yet but you are much better. You are going to have to come back and we can work on you a bit more."

The boy said, "Ok," and I called on Woden to look over the child for me, his loyal servant. The boy got a small surge of endorphins and left the platform with a bit of a stagger.

Before the next patient came I said to everybody, "I would like to give the blessing of Woden to all of you as I just did to one sick little boy. You are probably touching each other now but I want to make sure that this is so. You soldiers in the back, I want you to lay a hand on each other. You are comrades in arms and this should be no problem unless you are afraid of your neighbour."

It took a minute and I had to cajole the soldiers again until a higher ranking officer ordered them to do as I asked. I got close to the people and felt a few and through them the rest of the crowd. I casually wondered at the number of people and for some reason, I knew that there were 13,651 people in this group. I did not know where the number came from.

I worked to bring the bond tighter and fed in a feeling of well being and all the good thoughts I had been able to convey to others. The surge of endorphins was now a gradual process taking much longer but I think doing a better job. If I did this right then few would fall when their emotions overcame them.

The effect was tapered off slowly and I withdrew from the group. I heard a collective sigh. The energy to do all this was less as if I had passed a barrier and the effect was self-sustaining. It was a good five minutes later that I talked of how I wanted the crowd to behave with each other and hopefully with a responsible religion to guide them.

I healed people and called forth some of the officials in the community including the base commander that happened to be Legatus Legionis and not the local governor because there were many legions.

Introductions were made and the men worked with me to assess those that needed healing. Not all of the patients looked better after the healing but some did. The blind and cripples would need time to complete their healing and my cures had to be taken on faith. I had a good track record and I think they were prepared to do this.

When I felt too tired to continue healing I said as much and started to talk about the world I saw for all of us. They liked my ideas of railroads and giant ships and most of my audiences felt the same way. Planes were too difficult for them to visualise.

Medicine, apart from my healing, was explained and how many people were saving lives, repairing teeth or helping animals. Farming they knew about and I explained about how slavery was going to dwindle and die and men would make a good wage to support their families.