‘I know what you’re thinking. The first opportunity you get, you’ll just ride away from us, laughing as you once again show what fools we are. Except you should also meet this man. His name is Silus.’
The officer indicated simply smiled broadly.
‘He commands a squadron of cavalry whose only responsibility once we’re in the field will be to shadow you, night and day. And if you attempt to run, they’ll stake you out, open your guts and leave you for the carrion birds. There are thirty of them, more than enough for there to be a dozen or so of them around you all day. When you sleep they will watch you, and when you squat to empty your bowels they will be there to tell you just how badly your shit smells. Let us hope that you are a man capable of exercising self-restraint when it comes to …’
He made a circle of thumb and forefinger, moving it to and fro to the amusement of the officers.
‘Yes, you’ll be better protected than the emperor himself, with a dozen watchful men like Silus around you at all times. There will never be a moment when you run the slightest risk of harm. Isn’t that good to know?’
5
‘So, Legatus. Will it be the usual this morning? Weapons drill followed by a march?’
Scaurus shook his head, looking out across the parade ground at the legion’s assembled ranks as the soldiers reordered themselves after the customary prayer to greet the sun’s rebirth for another day. The legion’s senior officers were gathered to one side as usual, under the aegis of Tribune Umbrius, although he noted with a quiet smile that Varus was standing as far from the broad stripe tribune as he could without actually detaching himself from the group.
‘No, First Spear, this morning I have something different in mind. This morning I plan to march for Zeugma with my entire force, once the extra equipment I’ve had manufactured has been distributed to the men and loaded onto our carts.’
Quintinus gaped at him.
‘You intend to march … this morning?’
The legatus smiled beneficently.
‘It’s either that or wait for the governor to come down here and arrest me on a charge of deliberately acting to conceal the location of a fugitive from justice which, as I’m sure you can imagine, isn’t really a desirable outcome. Not desirable for me, and for that matter most certainly not desirable for the man who ordered me to relieve Nisibis. You may have seen his head on the coinage you’re paid with.’
‘But …’
Scaurus patted him on the shoulder.
‘No need to trouble yourself, First Spear, you won’t be coming with us. My own first spear is more than capable of running a half-strength legion, and one of his centurions can step into his shoes for the time being. Your place will be here, commanding the defence of what the governor has pointed out is a vital imperial trading city. All that remains for you to do, before I march my men out to battle on the emperor’s behalf, is to make some organisational changes.’
He motioned to Julius, who stepped forward and gestured to the waiting cohorts.
‘After yesterday’s weapons drills, we marked every man who my officers felt capable of standing up for themselves in a proper fight with a circle drawn in henna. And after the practice march, we marked every man who finished under a certain time with a cross, having allowed them to march at their own best speed rather than in cohorts.’
Quintinus nodded. The exercise had excited much comment among his men, with the strong rumour that anyone who gained both marks being granted a day’s holiday from duty resulting in a significant improvement in the numbers of men pushing themselves to keep up the marching pace.
‘Indeed. The men with both symbols on their hands have been strutting around like peacocks ever since.’
The legatus smiled.
‘I’m glad to hear it. If you’ll be so good, order every man who doesn’t have either mark to leave the parade ground.’
Quintinus frowned in incomprehension.
‘But what-’
‘All will become clear, First Spear. In the meantime, please just make it happen. Send the unmarked men back into their barracks if you like, but make sure any of them with the new shields leave them behind, will you?’
Still baffled, Quintinus strode out across the parade ground’s wide expanse, shouting commands to his cohort commanders. The men who had failed to meet Julius’s expectations in either regard walked away with grins at those who had performed better, while the remaining soldiers looked at each other with trepidation as to what might be happening. Quintinus made his way back to the legatus with a hard face, clearly having realised what was happening.
‘Thank you, First Spear. Now I need you to reorder all of the cohorts with the exception of my Tungrians and marines, retaining the First, Third, Eighth and Tenth, and feeding the remaining men into them to make up their numbers. Array them in four ranks, with the front two ranks to contain as many men with both marks as possible.’
‘Legatus, I-’
‘Now, First Spear.’
Quintinus stared at his superior for a moment and then stalked away to obey the command.
‘He’s not happy.’
Scaurus laughed softly, shooting a surreptitious glance at the increasingly perplexed Umbrius.
‘He’s going to be a lot less amused by the time I’m done. And he’s not the only one.’
With the remnant of the legion reshuffled into four more or less full-strength cohorts, Quintinus returned once more, his face now set in angry lines.
‘I see from your thoughtful expression that you’ve discerned my purpose, First Spear Quintinus. And yes, I am indeed moving a considerable number of men into the four best cohorts in the legion, those which traditionally contain the strongest and best soldiers. What I’m doing, Quintinus, is bringing all four of those cohorts as near to their full strength as possible. Each of them will have something close to the number of men that they would have had they not been reduced to half the manpower due to leave and other duties. I shall march north with those four cohorts, plus my own Tungrians as my legion’s new Fourth and Fifth Cohorts, and the marines as the new Second. Since they fall under the command of the emperor rather than the governor, I do not consider them to be under the constraints of his order.’
He waited with an imperturbable expression while Quintinus stared back at him with a look of angry consternation.
‘You plan to march with seven cohorts, Legatus?’
The first spear shook his head in apparent fury.
‘Including my best four cohorts?’
‘It’s really quite simple,’ Scaurus replied levelly. ‘I’m taking just about anyone from the remaining cohorts who actually knows how to handle a sword or has enough stamina to cover twenty miles in a day, and I’m putting them into the cohorts that are marching east, not just to bring them up to full strength, but to give them a fighting chance when we meet the Parthians in battle. Those men who will struggle on the march will be encouraged by their centurions and chosen men. Vine sticks and fists can be quite remarkable for helping a man to find stamina he didn’t know he possessed. And those men who have stamina, but who are yet to fully master their weapons, will have their opportunity for some intensive practice under battle conditions quite shortly, I expect. Do you have a problem with that?’
‘But your written orders from the governor-’
‘Say that I am permitted to march for Nisibis with half of the legion’s strength. There are ten cohorts in the legion, First Spear, and I’m marching from here on my way to Nisibis with four of them. It seems like a fairly basic piece of arithmetic. I’d say I’m exceeding the governor’s instructions. I expect he’ll be appropriately appreciative.’
Quintinus shook his head.
‘But-’
‘No.’
The legatus’s voice cut him off with an abrupt force of personality that he’d chosen not to display since arriving in the city.