Chapter 236: The Shadowy Connections

"We have special ties with Thessaloniki."

"What kind of connections are you talking about?"

The ambassador thought for a while rephrasing his sentence and replied. " if, admiral you want to expand your territory into the city of Thessaloniki, we can offer some guidance communicating with the citizens of Thessaloniki trying to get them to your side and in the best scenario, we might be able to get the citizens to… open the gate for you."

Hearing this sentence Antonius quickly went through Antonius' head as he understood what these people are trying to say, just the news that he needs after expanding in to the Aegean waters. Antonius turned to a more serious posture and asked again. "How do I know if you are reliable?" 

The ambassador placed a wooden card with his signature on the table in front of Antonius and replied with a smile. "I can come with you, admiral, I can deposit all of my properties and family under your men's care.  with the fame and virtue, I have gained through so many years of running trade in this region I have accumulated an entangled web of social net work with all the big families in the Roman lands, one just need to say my name Nikolas to get a special discount in almost all the markets in the Genoese markets." 

"Thank you, Nikolas, please go on to discuss the specific terms and conditions with Abdullah over here, I will think of using your special 'connections, later." Antonius made the final decision and reached forward his hands. "I hope that we will have a trust worthy partnership."

"Hope we will…" the man named Nikolas returned with a smirk.

…

Right after the group of ambassadors are led to another cabin to lay down their back, Angelo who have been silent the all time returned to Antonius with a rare stony face, judt as before Antonius is about to ask he stood right in front of the table looking at the wooden identity card urging. "My admiral, that man called Nikolas was the one in the Genoese negotiation fleet that tried to destroy our fragile market replacing it with his monopoly!"

"Destroy our market? What did he do, did he try to blow the fragile wooden structure up? Or demolish the entire building?" 

"No, not that kind of demolition, admiral, it's … it's… Guerra economica! Non ergo intellegis?"

"Ah sic sic… was it very serious?" Antonius recalled his past memories when living in Genoa about the term 'economic warfare' between the republic and the Venetians. 

"Yes, it is serious, he tried the simplest but most effective method, buy all available grains and harvested food  on the island of Marmara from every other vendors, farmers and fishermen stock them in a different place and then trying to sell them at a high price during the planting seasons facing almost no competitors, if the market is going to wait for other suppliers they are going to miss the planting seasons, causing an entire wide spread shortage of food on the island which will lead to social and economical destruction causing an instability to our governance losing out support among the peasants!" 

Slowly through the old Anjelo's description Antonius understood the threat this man has possessed to him, he walked out of the seat holding Anjelo's hand looking in to him with a pair of knowledge seeking eyes and asked. "I must admit that I am not in to the different intrigues and economical struggles, this I am leaving it to you with out asking you the specific measures you have under taken (afraid of getting nagged and lectured by the old man like Anna), but do you have any suggestions on how I should deal with this kind of person? Arrest him forcing him to compensate? Humiliate him and banish him with his deals? Or…." 

Antonius gave a hand sign of a knife chopping down. 

"No, we can use him." The old man replied with a slyish grin. "Since he gave us a deal that we cannot reject, why not we just go for it and see what tricks does he have in his mind in the process…If he really wants to jump over board to our side, we can give him a chance to prove himself useful…then we can prevent the massive casualty trying to take the city of Thessaloniki." 

"I see… Let me see what trickery he has in his pouch."

Antonius poured a cup of sour sailor's mead for Anjelo. "Cheers."

Anjelo raised the cup and returned a toast. "Good health to you, and your regnum, pal." 

Antonius smirked.

…

After a series of verbal confrontations Abdullah and Nikolas managed to come in to an agreement making the island of Imvros a special semi autonomous subject of Antonius, hosting annual elections for an island consul as its ruler. The candidates participating in the election and the winning candidate must be seen and permitted by Antonius before the results are made legal. Monetary wise the government must deliver a total of twenty percent of its monthly taxation to Antonius following the equal taxation system as other islands under Antonius' control, and the admiral shall take full charge of the island of Imvros' military and diplomacy, leaving the island with autonomous rights on laws, trade, and self development.

This mode of semi autonomous governance can be the start of a new kind of maritime sovereign for many other places like those Genoese islands which are doubtable whether the Serene Doge of Genoa have any influential authority over these places or is it more like a so called 'Shadow colony' of the republic with its sole ruling governors being the Giustiniani family.

The answer is pretty obvious since Giovanni Giustiani Longo, a previously privateer under arrest in Genoa can recruit mercenaries for his band of merry men in Chios under broad day light.

With the agreement being approved by Antonius the island of Imvros stopped jumping between three sides and submitted to Antonius' rule peacefully. The first ever expansion by Antonius getting a piece of land almost the size of the Erdek Peninsula with out having to draw his cutlass.

However, the first step also most probably marks the last step for Antonius' expansion in the Aegean waters for now, as all the other lands are either under Genoese or Venetian controls, and it is the best option not to bother them before Antonius' fleet is proficient enough to confront them.

Hence, it seems like the suggestion for the city of Thessaloniki is the only option for Antonius' continuous expansion.

And now, it is time for the Nikolas man to fulfil his promise before hand of providing the admiral with his 'special connections' within the walls of Thessaloniki. As soon as Antonius docked his fleet in a tiny gulf resembling a natural deep water port and a perfect harbour against wind and attacks seating on the north eastern corner of the island. He then went on meeting the various lords and chiefs of the island lecturing them about the regulations of the agreement made and the three princeps of justice, equality, and fairness. Then lastly, and most importantly, he summoned Nikolas. 

"Nikolas." In the very same spot located in the same cabin, Antonius is seated in a bossy position with his legs crossed on a wolf skinned seat leering at the man beneath him. "I will leave your families and your properties, because I believe that keeping your valued ones under custody by force is not an appropriate attitude for partnership. But still, I need you to tell me now how can you help me with the city of Thessaloniki?"

Nikolas is indeed pretty surprised by the admiral's words as in the heartless war zone of trade one ought to exploit every thing of the other party, especially if the other party showed his weakness offering hostages. Slowly in his mind he has already stamped Antonius with the tag of a naïve negotiator and disqualified trader.

"Yes, admiral." Nikolas still made a delightful face as he rubbed his hands and kneeled down with appreciation. "I truly thank you, for your trust admiral, I shall perform my best… Now, please, look at this, my lord."

Nikolas drew out a scroll from his chest and laid it on the floor in front of him, carefully treating it like a piece of gold foil.

"This, is what I wanted to show you, my admiral."

Antonius leaned forward examining the scroll and took a heavy gasp of air, filled with curiosity Abdullah and Anjelo stepped forward and took a gasp of air too.

This scroll before them, is a fully detailed map of Thessaloniki with almost all of its defences, walls, deployment of Ottoman forces, arms ware house, head quarters being marked and labelled clearly with descriptions and annotations, containing the entire area from the port of Constantine to the northeast fortress of Heptapyrgion, it can be said that whoever acquired this map already has half of his foot inside the city.

Perhaps now Antonius and his crew needs to re-evaluate the power of Nikolas.