The Syri nodded affirmation.
"Firstly, we must ask him how he came to be here at the Temple of Amun. We were certain he'd been killed by renegades. Ask him for his explanation."
Surisca turned to the trembling worker and spoke patiently and calmly in the fellow's own language. Hetu listened intently. His surprise at being spoken to in his own tongue by such a high ranking lady of quality was evident on his features. He responded in halting bursts of his native speech. Surisca turned to Suetonius to offer her translation.
"He says he fled his attackers after witnessing the killing of his cousin Ani, and escaped here to take sanctuary at the temple. The priests here are customers of his fish and fowl, and pay too for laboring chores, so they know him well. He intends staying hidden from attack at the temple until Pharaoh's Soldiers have departed on their journeys."
"I see," Suetonius said. "He suspects his attackers were Pharaoh's Soldiers does he? Now ask him a simple question:- tell us about the vessel seen upon the Nile at earliest light on the day of his discovery of the water demon, Antinous. Ask him to describe it just as he and Ani described it to us two days ago."
Surisca began to speak to Hetu in a slowly-enunciated articulation of his tongue. His body responded sharply in fear at the mention of Ani's name. On hearing-out Surisca's query, and after a few moment's recollection, he replied in the sharp monosyllabic bursts of his native dialect. Surisca translated carefully to the assembly.
"The vessel was a dhow of fine timbers, a costly lateen-rigged craft from a foreign place.
It's hull was the bright color of the spring crocus, a vivid yellow, and its sail was painted with the many-pointed starburst of the Old Pharaohs.
It was large enough to carry six sailors, though only two were travelling that dawn.
They were having trouble controlling the vessel in the brisk morning breezes. They were amateurs not familiar with the Holy River's whims.
He and Ani were too far away to recognize by their faces, but they were known to be foreigners because of their clothing…"
Suetonius looked to Pachrates and Kenamun for their confirmation of the translation. The two nodded acceptance.
He looked towards Urbicus. The centurion was standing-at-ease pointedly averting his eyes. A rustle of whispers swept across the assembly.
"Its sail was emblazoned with the many-pointed starburst of the Old Pharaohs," Suetonius repeated. "This is surely the eight-pointed star of Alexandria and its dynasty of the Ptolemies. This is the Alexandrine insignia of Rome's Legate Governor. The boat was from the fleet of river craft sailing with The Alexandros, the flotilla of Alexandrian vessels following in the governor's wake."
Governor Titianus immediately cast his eyes over members of his retinue around him. He looked to Urbicus and other officers of his auxiliaries. His glance fell upon Anna Perenna, who stood motionless by his side. He was seeking some acknowledgement of the use of his vessel two dawns previously. No one responded.
He spoke.
"Only two of our craft carry the Governor's star insignia, the others are indicated by their respective corps blazons. Tell us, what more do your investigations reveal, Special Inspector?" the Governor asked, intrigued.
"Hetu thought of the vessel's sailors to be 'foreigners because of their clothing," Suetonius emphasized. "Who could these foreigners have been, we wonder? To Hetu, of course, anyone not residing at Besa is a foreigner."
Governor Titianus spoke again.
"My chamberlain retains records of those who go to- amp;-fro from The Alexandros including, I hope, our service craft. I will order an immediate search of the records," Titianus declared, "but it takes time."
"This might not be necessary, Lord Governor," Clarus intervened enigmatically. "We have taken certain precautions which make a search unnecessary."
Suetonius interrupted the notion.
"Perhaps firstly, though, we should ask Centurion Quintus Urbicus how he managed to be so close to the place where Ani and Hetu uncovered the body at such an early hour two dawns ago? Is the centurion a regular sojourner at the river's edge so early in the day? Does he take the air with his fellow soldiers at first light?"
He turned to Urbicus at the head of the Alexandrian troop just yards to the side of Titianus. All eyes fell upon the guardsman. Urbicus cleared his throat.
"Special Inspector, I and my men had been on a drunken spree throughout the night, and we were returning to our tents in the early hours to revive. It was the first day of The Isia, so our previous night's celebration had been very festive, sir. We probably overdid the festivity a bit, I'd say. There was much wine, women, and pleasure to be had."
"Where precisely, Centurion, did this festivity occur?"
Urbicus hesitated momentarily.
"We had been at the guardsmen's party attached to Caesar's own personal celebration that night. It was at a courtyard close to the Imperial Household's tents," the Praetorian regaled happily. "It was a good party. A hundred officers and ranks from various corps mixing together at Caesar's behest. The wine and local beer flowed abundantly. Soldiers know how to enjoy themselves!"
"How long did this jolly event prevail, Centurion?"
"Why, it had begun in the late afternoon I'm told, but we arrived at dusk. We stayed until the very end in the wee hours, almost dawn. Soldiers' celebrations always survive until the booze runs out or everybody's rotten drunk. Or they've taken a woman or lad for their pleasure."
"So, you were the entire night at the Household's tents enjoying this trooper's party? From dusk until before dawn?" Suetonius probed. "That's a long night's partying?"
"True, Special Inspector. We're members of the Guard after all. We have our hell-raiser reputation to uphold."
The assembly chuckled with uncertain enthusiasm.
"Tell me, Centurion Urbicus, do you have a witness? Is there anyone here who can vouchsafe your drunken revel that night?"
Urbicus looked blinkingly around the assembly. His sight settled on Decurion Scorilo at the head of the Horse Guard brigade colorfully garbed in their Germanic ethnic uniforms.
"My friend and colleague Decurion Scorilo of Caesar's special Horse Guard can vouch for me, Inspector. He was there too. Ask him yourself."
Suetonius cast a questioning eye towards Scorilo, who responded haltingly in his Germanic-accented Latin.
"Yes, sir. We both enjoyed Caesar's party for the troops that night, sir."
"So you too, Decurion, partied into the night as well? Also until dawn?"
"Of course. That's what soldier's drinking bouts are for."
Suetonius turned to Salvius Julianus's group of lictors and grooms. Beside them was the jetty clerk of The Alexandros he had brought with him.
"Officer of the Watch," he called to the clerk, "you register traffic to and from The Alexandros, yes?"
The uniformed Alexandrian was prodded forward gently by Julianus to respond.
"I do, noble sir," he stammered.
"Tell us who you are, identify your unit, and describe your duties," the biographer said.
"Sir, I am Danaos, born at Tanis of the Nile Delta marshes. I am of mixed Greek and native descent. I am a tesserarius of the Alexandrian Auxilia. I supervise and roster the sentries of the Watch. During this imperial river tour I am the shore clerk at the jetty to The Alexandros, the Governor's barque offshore. I and my staff monitor and record all movement to and from that vessel."
"Do you read and write, Tesserarius Danaos of Tanis?"
"I read some Greek and some Latin, sir, with a little more in the local Demotic. I have not mastered the art of writing well. I can maintain records but not express myself."