Umbrius shrugged.
‘I can only ask for the justice I feel-’
Scaurus rode over him in a tone that brooked no argument.
‘But if you do seek to take advantage of my strained relationship with the governor then I warn you, beware of the consequences.’
Umbrius gaped at him.
‘Are you threatening me, Legatus?’
Scaurus shook his head with a tight smile.
‘I would never do any such thing, Tribune, not given our respective social statuses. But I warn you, Tribune Corvus has been to war with my Tungrians, and they feel a fierce affinity with him. If you challenge him then you challenge them. And my Tungrians, Tribune, are not the sort of men to take a challenge lying down.’
‘You can’t do this.’
Scaurus looked up at Marcus, turning his attention from the paper on his desk to the incredulous tribune.
‘I most certainly can. And I will. And you, Tribune, will obey my lawfully issued orders.’
‘The governor will hold you responsible! He’ll-’
‘Not immediately he won’t. The first thing he’ll do is send men to bring you back. Which will take time.’
‘But that-’
‘Will be days from now. Whereas if I don’t send you away immediately you’ll be arrested within hours and dead soon after. So stop arguing and start listening.’
He folded the paper, securing it with thin ribbon and then dripping a thick blob of candle wax onto the spot where the fabric strips crossed, pressing a waiting seal into the hot globule.
‘There.’
He passed it to Marcus.
‘You have your orders. Execute them, Tribune, and leave the worrying about the consequences to me.’
The younger man saluted and turned on his heel, leaving the headquarters to find Martos waiting for him.
‘Who told you?’
The Briton’s one eye was bright with the joy of the moment.
‘Your first spear. He thinks you might appreciate some company. I have horses saddled and ready, your cloak, provisions for a week. I even found your socks and packed them. Lugos will stay and look after the rest of your gear.’
Marcus smiled, despite the seriousness of what they were about to do.
‘I doubt there’s a horse in the stables that could bear his weight.’
Martos grinned back at him.
‘I doubt such a beast exists in the whole of this city. So, Tribune, where is it that we’re headed?’
Governor Dexter swept into the fortress in his full pomp the next morning, his ceremonial escort of six lictors preceding him into Scaurus’s office, their leader announcing Dexter’s presence while he lurked in the corridor.
‘Gaius Domitius Dexter, Proconsul Legatus of his imperial majesty’s province of Syria Palestina, commander of the imperial legions!’
The governor stalked into the office, looking about him with an air of dissatisfaction before fixing his attention on Scaurus, who now stood to attention awaiting his superior’s command.
‘Legatus.’
Scaurus saluted.
‘Governor. If I’d known we were to be honoured by your presence I would have arranged for some refreshment.’
Dexter shook his head, waving the lictors from the room now that their intimidatory purpose was done with.
‘No need, Rutilius Scaurus. As you may have guessed from my official escort, this is no social visit. I am here to transact official state business in my role as commander in chief of the Syrian legions.’
Scaurus bowed, gesturing to one of the chairs set out before his desk, but the governor shook his head with a thunderous expression.
‘I’ll stand. I have received word from within your legion that a crime has been committed against a senior military tribune, a man of the senatorial class. A crime of murder.’
He stared intently at his junior, but Scaurus wasn’t prepared to be intimidated.
‘I’m aware of the source of your information, Governor. Tribune Umbrius made it perfectly clear that he intended to report Tribune Flamininus’s death.’
‘I should think so!’
The governor’s brow lowered over his eyes, an apparent sign of his fury over the matter.
‘Young Flamininus was the son of a close friend, and was serving here at the express request of his father, in the hope that he would return a better man. Instead of which he lies rotting in the earth …’
He paused, shaking his head at Scaurus.
‘How am I to explain this to his father? Tell me that!’
The legatus waited a moment to be sure that the outburst was over before replying.
‘I suggest you tell Flamininus senior that his son was a bully, with the twin curses of delusions as to his own competence with weapons and a temper that should have been dealt with in the nursery.’
‘What?!’
‘Further, Governor, I suggest that you tell him his son was foolish enough to attempt serious harm to a fellow officer who also happened to be a veteran of several bloody campaigns, and who was recently appointed to his tribunate by the emperor himself.’
Dexter shook his head, refusing to be put off his indignant stride.
‘Your man Corvus killed him!’
‘Indeed so, in a freak accident of the type which will happen when one man attempts to physically damage another who is by far his master with the weapons to hand. Flamininus had already attempted one physical attack upon his colleague, with nothing better to show for it than a badly bruised face. He tried the same trick with a practice sword, forcing Corvus to put him down, made a mess of his defence and took Corvus’s blow in the throat. I have several witnesses to the event, officers who-’
‘Who will retract, when they realise the seriousness of the charges facing your man.’
‘Charges, Governor?’
‘Charges, Legatus. Murder, for the most part. I will not tolerate such a thing. Have him delivered to my presence for judgement. Today.’
Scaurus stared at him for a moment before speaking again.
‘Unfortunately, Governor, I sent him away last night.’
Dexter stared back, his eyes narrowing.
‘You … sent him away?’
‘Indeed. I have many and varied needs if I am to take my legion, my mistake, my half-legion, into Parthia, some of which I cannot satisfy with purely local resources. Tribune Corvus has travelled south to Hama, in order to procure some of that province’s excellent archers to serve alongside my legionaries.’
‘Has he indeed? In that case, Legatus, I shall detail a man of impeccable character to fetch him back!’
He turned on his heel, calling over his shoulder as he exited the room in high dudgeon.
‘I’ll have your man Corvus in front of me before the week’s out! This transparent attempt to delay imperial justice won’t save him from the fate that’s waiting for him!’
‘Gentlemen, my apologies for not receiving your debrief from the night of the legion’s festivities in the city a little earlier. I’ve been somewhat preoccupied. I’ve now had time to read Centurion Qadir’s written report, which makes for interesting reading.’
Scaurus looked up from the scroll, raising his eyebrows at the two soldiers who were standing to attention before him.
‘You’re quite sure about this?’
Sanga nodded confidently, while Saratos stared at the wall behind the legatus and let his comrade do the talking.
‘There’s no doubt about it, Legatus.’