POV of Andronikos
Anno Domini, 831-February-2
The campaign in Aegyptus was going excellently. We had taken many sarakenoi prisoners, defeated their patrols and watched as they withdrew into their fortresses, giving us wide room to take control of the area and secure the population while work began on a local administrative system to justify the recruitment of local Coptic troops.
We had advanced quite far considering that we greatly outnumbered the locals and their defenders, but even so, the sarakenoi fortresses in the southern parts of the Nile were problematic, since they were enormous urban centers that would have to be besieged.
Even with all our victories and the ports filled with prisoners ready to be sent to the markets, it seemed the commander was not pleased with our results. After a few weeks of campaign and easy victories, the strategos in charge of the invasion seemed quite angry with the outcome of the campaign for a reason that was not unknown to many, since he was constantly seen observing the siege camps around several fortresses, incredibly annoyed by something that should have happened but never did.
There were many fortresses filled with defenders who refused to surrender and let us reach the heart of Aegyptus to secure the Nile and all the rich lands that would once again become the granary of the Empire.
''The sarakenoi have taken refuge in their citadel. The forces my troops have faced have been repelled, so the encirclement of the city is close to being completed. It is only a matter of finishing the earthworks and engineering works, and the city will be completely isolated from the rest of the territory'' I said, informing the strategos, who was in his tent filled with maps, staring fixedly while I spoke.
''Has there been no attempt at parley or surrendering the fortress?'' asked Strategos Basil as he placed his gauntlet on his chin and observed the map of the city.
''No attempt at parley, my strategos. The only thing we know is that the walls are well manned with guards, which would make an assault very difficult, but not enough to cover every section of the walls'' I said, nodding as I firmly adjusted my helmet.
''Damn it. Why are the Copts not cooperating? They were supposed to see us as liberators'' said the strategos, repeatedly tapping the table with the finger of his other gauntlet while looking at the maps.
I remained standing before the strategos, waiting for instructions while he reviewed map after map.
''Return to your post, Andronikos. I am going to... What about the scouts? Have they seen any presence near the Sinai in case the forces of the wali of Aegyptus return by land?'' asked the strategos as I returned to stand beside the other tourmarches who were waiting for instructions on how to continue the siege.
''We have sighted an increase in sarakenoi scout activity, but nothing that warns of an army in the area. Just a great deal of scout activity'' said one of the Roman horsemen who was part of the strategos' personal retinue.
''That is a sign that an army is approaching. The increase in scouts means the sarakenoi army is coming against us by land, so it is coming through the Sinai. We have to move an army there to block its movement. We have to prevent them from entering Aegyptus and keep them in the Sinai and Arabia. That way they will have problems with their supplies'' said the strategos, answering his officer.
I bit my lip and opened my mouth.
''If it pleases you, I can lead my men to try to control the possible enemy passes'' I said, looking at the strategos with hope.
The strategos simply turned his head, watched me for a few seconds and looked back to his right.
''Sigurd...'' said the strategos, looking at the enormous Varangian who was cleaning his nails with a piece of metal.
''Yes?'' replied the Varangian, setting aside the tool he had been using to clean his nails.
''You will take 5,000 Varangians, 4,000 Serbs and 12,000 Romans and march east. Make life impossible for that army. If it greatly outnumbers you, send a messenger and we will do what we can to assist you, but for now we must focus on the sieges'' said the strategos before turning and beginning to point with his finger. ''You four will accompany the Varangian. His orders are as if they came from me, understood?'' said the strategos to four tourmarches.
''Understood. We will see if these fight better'' said the Varangian, making his heavy steel armor ring. ''Come on, Romans, we have to ride'' he added, looking at the selected tourmarches.
I remained looking at the rest of the tourmarches, who grimaced and simply kept watching.
The strategos began assigning the sieges of the southern fortresses to many of the other tourmarches, who had begun fighting over the chance to be the ones to launch the assault on the rich cities and claim their share of the plunder.
For the moment I stayed silent, since I was probably not good enough to be trusted with such an important siege, and he was assigning them to the veteran tourmarches who had come with the troops.
Slowly the tent emptied as the strategos put away his maps while giving out the missions, until finally there was only one map left on his table.
''Andronikos, continue the siege. I will send some Serbs to help you, so you should have around 7,000 men. Just maintain the encirclement'' said the strategos after observing the map for a long time.
''Just maintain the siege... If you wish, I can try to assault the walls to test their resistance'' I said nervously, watching the strategos' gaze.
One of the strategos' eyebrows rose, and then he closed his eyes while shaking his head until he finally rose from his chair and began walking in circles.
''Do you know what soldiers hate more than the enemy?'' said the strategos, looking at me from the corner of his eye.
''I do not know, my strategos'' I replied, lowering my head.
''A commander who does not care about the lives of his soldiers just to prove himself before his superiors… You have men with little training and poor equipment compared to other themata that sent troops, but even so, you try to bring them to the front. Not just to the front, you want to turn them into the anvil even though they are not ready for that role'' said the strategos, stopping to look at me.
I tried to think of something, but honestly, he was right. The thematic troops serving me had been recently recruited and although we had won victories, it was because we had numerical superiority and an enemy that barely offered resistance.
''Look, Andronikos, I know you have had your victories against the sarakenoi and your reports show that you are a capable commander, but you want to prove something and I know it because a brilliant commander does not offer himself to be the anvil, he offers himself to be the hammer. Only those who seek glory and prestige do that… Here is the matter. You do not have to prove anything to me. Preserve your men, act with your head and when you have more veteran men, you will be able to do the things you are proposing'' said the strategos, walking toward me and standing in front of me.
''Thank you for the advice, my strategos'' I replied with some difficulty.
''It is not advice, it is an order. You are young for a tourmarches and you are well advised, just too stupid for someone who knows strategy, but that is something you will gain with the years'' said the strategos, placing his gauntlet on my shoulder.
''Eh… forgive my words, my strategos, but I think I am older than you'' I said, smiling a little.
''Certainly, but I reached this place because I have a head on my shoulders and because I believe I have never fought a battle I should not have fought. I have veteran men who can carry out my orders and I know they will. My Varangians are the best warriors you will find in the army and Sigurd has been with me, and I have been teaching him strategy. You too, Andronikos. I expect you to learn. So obey your orders and do not do something you regret afterward'' said the strategos.
When I was about to withdraw, a man entered the tent and removed his hat.
''Well, well, well, what do we have here? Shimon… you finally appear. Can you tell me where you have been all this time?'' said the strategos, looking at the man who had just entered.
''My strategos, no… well… you will understand that I have worked tirelessly so that your orders could be fulfilled, but certainly the sarakenoi have not made things easy'' said the man, moving his hands and gripping his hat tightly.
''I was supposed to have paid you to convince the Copts to open the gates for us and that has not become reality. Everywhere, we have had to lay siege. No garrison has opened the gates for us and Alexandria only fell because we managed to convince the local merchants to open a gate, but beyond that, nothing I have been paying you for has happened'' said the strategos with a cold and serious tone, looking at the man with his eyes open.
''Yes, I… well… I had managed it. I had built many networks of collaborators, spies who worked with us, but a great problem happened with the plan since, unfortunately, we had changes that went over to the sarakenoi side and then put all our networks at risk, and we have tried to rebuild them without much success'' said the man while nervously clenching his teeth.
''Explain yourself'' said the strategos seriously.
''The wali, during the war, needed more men for his fight against the Abbasids and it happened that he decided to take many measures by relaxing the restrictions against Christians. He began selling permits for the production of alcohol, allowed alcohol consumption so he could tax it, eliminated the jizya and changed the legislation that forced taxes to be paid in coin. He won the favor of the people. With that, some decided that what Rome offered was not better and sold us out. Many of those who supported us died and the networks I have are few since the Copts are not very willing to change sides'' said the man while he kept moving his hat between his hands and gripping it tightly.
''Incredible. So much gold I have paid for it to end in nothing. Well, that means we do not have local support. That explains many things. I need you to mark the locations with collaborators since, without local support because we are the best option, we will have to cause fear, but at the same time avoid damaging the productive infrastructure'' said the strategos thoughtfully.
''I have the locations that are loyal and that are sending information, but they are mostly rural locations. In the cities, everyone was eliminated or is hiding, so I can do nothing'' he said, taking a paper from his clothes and handing it to the strategos.
''Mark them on this map. This is garbage, Shimon'' said the strategos, taking out the map he had put away and opening it in front of the man.
After a few moments, many locations were marked.
''That means everything else is a target… Andronikos, I have a job for you. Considering that the other tourmarches are already marching to their duties, you will take care of this'' said the strategos seriously.
''At your command'' I said, putting on my helmet.
''Nothing too complicated. Considering that most of the fortresses in the area are under siege and that we are not continuing the march south because it could be risky not to control the road, go and plunder the nearby villages, but no massacres. Just enter, take everything of value, all the food, but leave the Copts intact. If they do not cooperate, we will make them a burden or make them beg for our help'' said the strategos, pointing to several nearby locations.
''To force them to go to the cities and fortresses and consume the food from their reserves, is that it?'' I asked the strategos.
''Yes. Or so that afterward they must come to negotiate at our camps for us to give them food to endure the year. If we are going to have a hostile population, at least we should not allow them to support the enemy and make sure they become a burden. So take your horsemen. I will send some of my horsemen with yours. Be quick'' said the strategos, pointing me toward the exit.
I quickly left while I heard him continue speaking with the man Shimon.
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