“Ships approaching!” he bellowed. “Dromons! Eight dromons!”
She scrambled down the ladder from the poop deck and hurried along the starboard catwalk to the bow. Within a minute, she was standing alongside the lookout, peering at the small fleet which was emerging from the Great Harbor.
Eight dromons, just as he had said. Five of them were full-size, the other three somewhat smaller. In all, she estimated that there were at least one and a half thousand soldiers manning those dromons. Most of them were oarsmen, but, after a quick count, she decided there were well over four hundred marines aboard as well.
Armed and armored. And the oarsmen would also have weapons ready to hand, in the event of a boarding action.
As she watched, seven of the dromons spread out, forming a barrier across the entrance to the Great Harbor. The eighth, one of the smaller ones, began rowing toward her.
She felt someone at her elbow. Turning her head, she saw that Hermogenes had joined her, along with two of his tribunes and the captain of her flagship.
“What are your orders?” asked the captain.
“Stop the ship,” she said. “And signal the rest of the fleet to do likewise.”
A pained look came on the captain’s face, but he obeyed instantly.
“What did I say wrong this time?” grumbled Antonina.
Hermogenes chuckled. “Don’t know. I’m not a seaman either. But I’m sure you don’t just ‘stop’ a ship. Much less a whole fleet! That’s way too logical and straightforward. Probably something like: ‘belay all forward progress’ and ‘relay the signal for all ships to emulate execution.’ ”
Smiling, Antonina resumed her study of the approaching dromon. The warship was two hundred yards away, now.
“I assume that dromon is bearing envoys.”
“From whom?” he asked. Antonina shrugged.
“We’ll find out soon enough.”
She pushed herself away from the rail. “When they arrive, usher them into my cabin. I’ll wait for them there.”
Hermogenes nodded. “Good idea. It’ll make you seem more imperial than if you met them on deck.”
“The hell with that,” muttered Antonina. “It’ll make me seem taller. I had that chair in my cabin specially designed for it.” Ruefully, she looked down at her body. “As short as I am, I can’t intimidate anybody standing up.”
As she hurried down the catwalk toward her cabin, Antonina noted that the appearance of the eight dromons had at least had the salutory effect of eliminating the danger of capsizing her ships. The soldiers of her fleet had left off their sight-seeing and were taking up battle positions.
She stopped for a moment, steadying herself against a stay. Now that Antonina’s fleet had come to a halt, the flagship was wallowing in the waves, drifting slowly before the wind. The sea was calm that morning, however, and the wind not much more than a light breeze. The ship’s motion was gentle.
Searching the sea for John’s gunship, Antonina spotted the Theodora within seconds. To her satisfaction, she saw that John was already tacking to the northwest. In the event of a conflict, the gunship would be in perfect position to sail downwind toward the dromons blocking the harbor.
Ashot came to meet her.
“There’ll be several envoys from that ship”—she pointed to the dromon—”coming aboard. Hermogenes will usher them into my cabin. I want you and—” She broke off, studying the officers in the oncoming warship. Taking a count, to be precise. “—and four of your cataphracts to be there with me,” she concluded.
Ashot smiled, rather grimly. “Any in particular?”
Antonina’s returning smile was just as grim. “Yes. The four biggest, meanest, toughest ones you’ve got.”
Ashot nodded. Before Antonina had taken three paces toward her cabin, the Armenian officer was already bellowing his commands.
“Synesius! Matthew! Leo! Zenophilus! Front and center!”
The first thing the visiting officers did, after Hermogenes ushered them in, was to study the four cataphracts standing in each corner of Antonina’s large cabin. A careful study, lasting for at least half a minute.
Antonina fought down a grin. The visiting officers reminded her of nothing so much as four sinners in the antechamber of Hell, examining the denizens of the Pit.