‘What if we offered them Quertus, on the understanding the rest of us are permitted to leave the valley?’
Quertus glared at the legionary officer. ‘Coward.’
Severus shook his head and answered angrily, ‘It’s because of you, playing the barbarian, that we’re in this bloody situation. It’s you the enemy want. Like Macro says, you’re to blame and now you can reap what you sow.’
Macro turned to him. ‘Now hang on, Severus. I was joking. There’s no way we’re handing one of our own over to those Silurian dogs to tear apart. Not even him.’
Severus glanced round at the others, and then fixed his gaze on Cato. ‘Why should we give our lives for him, sir?’
‘Because we are Roman officers. If you sacrifice Quertus to the enemy, then that will be a stain on your honour that will never fade. And not just you. It would be a stain on the honour of the legion, forever. I will not let that happen. In any case, I have made my decision. We defend the fort. That is our duty. It also happens to be our only chance of survival, Centurion Severus.’
The legionary officer opened his mouth to protest and then saw the cold expression on his commander’s face and the mixed looks of contempt and anger on the faces of the other men and slumped back against the wall. ‘Then we’re all dead men,’ he muttered despairingly.
‘Not yet,’ said Cato. ‘First, Caratacus and his warriors have to get into the fort. It’s our job to see that we keep them out. Bruccium is finely positioned. There’s only one front they can attack us on easily and even though they greatly outnumber us, they’ll not be able to throw their full weight at us at any one time. As long as we have enough men to fully man the gate and the wall on either side, we can hold the fort.’
‘And how long do you think we can do that for, sir?’
‘As long as necessary,’ Cato replied, ‘until we are relieved, or the enemy gives up their attempt to take the fort.’
Severus gave a mirthless laugh. ‘We aren’t going to be relieved. The fort is too far from any help.’
‘Not true,’ Macro chided his subordinate. ‘As soon as there’s enough light, we can put a flame to the signal fire. If the weather is good, the smoke will be seen from Gobannium. They’ll raise the alarm and Legate Quintatus will send out a column. You’ll see.’
‘We can’t use the signal fire,’ said Cato.
Macro frowned. ‘Why not?’
‘Think about it. As far as Quintatus knows, the enemy is several days’ march to the north, close to Ostorius and his army. Once the smoke from our signal fire is spotted and reported to him, he’ll send out a relief column all right, and it’ll march straight into a trap. Caratacus will pick his ground carefully and he has more than enough men to annihilate a detached force from the Fourteenth.’ Cato shrugged. ‘We daren’t light the fire and lure our comrades to their deaths. Better that we fight it out, or find some way of getting a message through to the legate before he sends us any help.’ As he concluded, Cato felt a sudden cold stab of horror. ‘Shit. .’
Macro cocked an eyebrow anxiously. ‘What is it, sir?’
‘The reinforcement column. They may already be on the road to Bruccium. If they arrive while Caratacus is still here. .’
Every man in the room understood the danger well enough, and it was Macro who spoke up first. ‘If they see the smoke from the alarm beacon, they’ll know we’re under attack and turn back.’
‘Assuming the sky remains clear enough for them to see it.’
Macro pursed his lips. ‘Either way, we have to warn them, sir. We have to get a message to the legate.’
‘How?’ asked Cato. ‘Even now, I suspect that Caratacus has already closed the noose around us. It’d be a brave man who dared to try and find his way through the enemy lines. I’ll not send a man to certain death.’
‘Even if he volunteers?’ Severus asked hopefully.
‘Even if he is volunteered.’
Macro shook his head. ‘Sir, it’s a risk we have to take. Not just to save our necks. Ostorius needs to know what the situation is. If he learns that Caratacus and his army are here then he can march on Bruccium at once. It’s the opportunity he’s been waiting for. The chance to catch and destroy the enemy once and for all.’
‘I’m aware of that,’ Cato replied tersely. ‘However, it would take several days to get a message to the governor, even if a man could find his way past the enemy and reach Glevum. By then, it’s likely that the siege will have ended, one way or another.’ Cato glanced round the room. ‘Gentlemen, I’ve given you our situation as fully as I can. The blunt truth is we must make our stand here and hold Caratacus off for as long as possible.’
‘What about Maridius?’ asked Quertus. ‘What do we do with him?’
‘We try to use him. When dawn comes I’ll have him taken to the gatehouse and show him to Caratacus. I will warn him that we will cut his brother’s throat the instant any attack is made on the fort.’
Macro looked at his friend in surprise. ‘You’d do that?’
‘Make the threat, yes. Kill him, no. He’s too important for that. Governor Ostorius will want him alive.’
Quertus leaned forward. ‘And what if the fort is taken? What then?’
Cato was still for a moment before he replied. ‘If it comes to that, then I’ll give the order for him to be killed.’
‘There is another path open to us, Prefect.’
‘I’m open to suggestions, Quertus. Speak on.’
‘We could cut our way out of the fort. March out closed up, and fight through their lines and make for Gobannium.’
Macro shook his head again. ‘That’s madness. There’s too many of them. Our cavalry will have no room to deploy. They’ll be hemmed in and cut down if they stay with the infantry.’ He looked at Quertus with a knowing expression. ‘Of course, it’s possible that the infantry could open a gap and that would give the cavalry the chance to make a break for it. It’d mean sacrificing my men. But you might escape. That’s about the size of it, am I right?’
Quertus showed no reaction for a moment. ‘If we can save one unit, then that’s better than losing two. It’s a simple enough calculation, Centurion.’
Severus glared across the hall. ‘And you call me a coward. .’
Cato stepped forward and raised his voice. ‘Gentlemen, quiet! No one is leaving the fort. We all stay here and fight. There is no other option. Caratacus has thousands of men at his back. I have, what? Quertus, what is the latest strength return on the Thracians?’
‘Two hundred and thirty-eight.’
‘And the wounded?’
‘Twenty-seven, five seriously. The rest are walking wounded.’
‘Not any more. I want every man who can stand ready to take his place on the wall. And you, Macro? Your cohort’s strength?’
‘One hundred and forty-eight, and nine walking wounded. . A hundred and fifty-seven in all. Though most of them still need feeding up.’
Cato did a quick calculation. ‘Four hundred and twenty, or so. Enough to hold the wall either side of the main gate.’
‘Barely,’ said Quertus. ‘Once we start losing men, we’ll be stretched thin.’
Cato shot him a withering look. ‘Obviously. We’ll deal with that if the time comes. Meanwhile, there’s every reason to think we can hold out. We can make our food last for ten more days at least. More, if we cut the rations of the prisoners. The real problem is going to be the horses. With the loss of the haystacks, they’ll have to make do with whatever feed we have inside the fort. Quertus?’
The Thracian officer scratched his jaw. ‘There’s a standing provision of three days in the stables.’
‘Three days?’ Cato thought briefly. ‘Very well, keep one of the squadrons on full feed. The rest of the mounts go on half feed. After two days, cut it to a quarter. If we’re still under siege when the supply is exhausted we’ll have to start slaughtering them. At least that’ll help with the rations for the men. Fresh meat will give them heart.’