against him . . .’
‘Well, he doesn’t. And he’s never going to find out, gentlemen. He has complete trust in me, and so does Narcissus. So don’t start getting any ideas about telling them any stories. You’d never be believed, and I assure you the consequences would be far worse for you than for me. Do we understand each other, gentlemen?’
Macro nodded slowly. ‘Fair enough, sir. So tell me, what are you doing here?’
‘Like I said, I’m on my way to take up a new appointment. ‘
‘Where’s that then?’
‘Really, Centurion, we’re going to have to work a little harder at formalities. Especially as I am about to become the new prefect in command of the fleet at Ravenna . . .’
‘You?’ Cato stared back, open-mouthed. ‘It can’t be true.’
‘It is. I assure you. Granted, I have no experience of naval operations, but I can rely on others for that. My real mission is far more vital, and I’ll need every measure of cooperation from you two to see it through. I want that understood.’
Cato rubbed his brow. ‘You’re the one Narcissus told us about.’
‘I am. From now on, you two are under my command. Both as officers attached to the fleet, and also as agents acting for Narcissus. I’ll be watching you closely. If you give me any cause to doubt your loyalty to the Emperor, and to me, I’ll have to report back to Narcissus. And we know what that means, don’t we? A short interview with the palace interrogators and a nasty, obscure death. You won’t be missed, I can assure you. Meanwhile, your lives are in my hands, gentlemen. Serve me well and you’ll live. I’ll come out of it something of a hero. You’ll have your lives. You can’t have everything. But I can, and one day I will. On that day, you had better be on my side.’
‘I can’t believe this,’ Macro muttered to Cato.
‘We’d better,’ Cato replied, struggling to hide his anxiety. ‘He’s quite serious.’
Vitellius smiled. ‘Your little friend has it right, Macro. Now that we understand the situation, and each other, I think it’s time for a little toast.’ Vitellius picked up the jug and filled each of their goblets to the brim. Then he raised his and smiled at them across the glimmering surface. ‘Gentlemen, I give you partnership! At last, it seems, we are on the same side.’
He raised the goblet and drained it steadily, his eyes fixed on the two centurions. When he had finished he set the cup down and gazed at the two goblets standing untouched on the table in front of Macro and Cato. He smiled.
‘As you wish, gentlemen. I’ll indulge your insolence on this occasion. But mark my words well. The next time you give me one shred of defiance or discourtesy, you’ll pay for it.’
CHAPTER NINE
The column assembled in the yard at dawn. A centurion, assisted by a team of optios, had been appointed to lead the marines across to Ravenna. These officers stormed into the general barracks and began turfing the men off their sleeping mats and screaming abuse into their faces. Amongst the marines terrified recruits hastened out into the cold dawn air, many half dressed and shivering. Dazed by their rough handling, the men stumbled into line, some still struggling into their clothes. As they readied their packs for the march, Macro cast a critical eye over them.
‘Not exactly an impressive bunch, are they?’
Cato shrugged. ‘No better or worse than the batch I joined the Second Legion with.’
‘And you can tell, of course.’ Macro shook his head. ‘Trust me, Cato. I’ve seen ‘em come and go for years and this lot are from the bottom of the barrel.’
Cato turned towards him. ‘Is that experience talking, or prejudice?’
‘Both,’ Macro smiled. ‘But we’ll see who’s right soon enough. I’ll bet you that we lose a quarter of these men before we reach Ravenna.’
Cato looked over the men gathering by the wagons. The majority of the recent recruits certainly looked like poor specimens. A
‘Well, he doesn’t. And he’s never going to find out, gentlemen. He has complete trust in me, and so does Narcissus. So don’t start getting any ideas about telling them any stories. You’d never be believed, and I assure you the consequences would be far worse for you than for me. Do we understand each other, gentlemen?’
Macro nodded slowly. ‘Fair enough, sir. So tell me, what are you doing here?’
‘Like I said, I’m on my way to take up a new appointment. ‘
‘Where’s that then?’
‘Really, Centurion, we’re going to have to work a little harder at formalities. Especially as I am about to become the new prefect in command of the fleet at Ravenna . . .’
‘You?’ Cato stared back, open-mouthed. ‘It can’t be true.’
‘It is. I assure you. Granted, I have no experience of naval operations, but I can rely on others for that. My real mission is far more vital, and I’ll need every measure of cooperation from you two to see it through. I want that understood.’
Cato rubbed his brow. ‘You’re the one Narcissus told us about.’
‘I am. From now on, you two are under my command. Both as officers attached to the fleet, and also as agents acting for Narcissus. I’ll be watching you closely. If you give me any cause to doubt your loyalty to the Emperor, and to me, I’ll have to report back to Narcissus. And we know what that means, don’t we? A short interview with the palace interrogators and a nasty, obscure death. You won’t be missed, I can assure you. Meanwhile, your lives are in my hands, gentlemen. Serve me well and you’ll live. I’ll come out of it something of a hero. You’ll have your lives. You can’t have everything. But I can, and one day I will. On that day, you had better be on my side.’
‘I can’t believe this,’ Macro muttered to Cato.
‘We’d better,’ Cato replied, struggling to hide his anxiety. ‘He’s quite serious.’
Vitellius smiled. ‘Your little friend has it right, Macro. Now that we understand the situation, and each other, I think it’s time for a little toast.’ Vitellius picked up the jug and filled each of their goblets to the brim. Then he raised his and smiled at them across the glimmering surface. ‘Gentlemen, I give you partnership! At last, it seems, we are on the same side.’
He raised the goblet and drained it steadily, his eyes fixed on the two centurions. When he had finished he set the cup down and gazed at the two goblets standing untouched on the table in front of Macro and Cato. He smiled.
‘As you wish, gentlemen. I’ll indulge your insolence on this occasion. But mark my words well. The next time you give me one shred of defiance or discourtesy, you’ll pay for it.’
CHAPTER NINE
The column assembled in the yard at dawn. A centurion, assisted by a team of optios, had been appointed to lead the marines across to Ravenna. These officers stormed into the general barracks and began turfing the men off their sleeping mats and screaming abuse into their faces. Amongst the marines terrified recruits hastened out into the cold dawn air, many half dressed and shivering. Dazed by their rough handling, the men stumbled into line, some still struggling into their clothes. As they readied their packs for the march, Macro cast a critical eye over them.
‘Not exactly an impressive bunch, are they?’
Cato shrugged. ‘No better or worse than the batch I joined the Second Legion with.’
‘And you can tell, of course.’ Macro shook his head. ‘Trust me, Cato. I’ve seen ‘em come and go for years and this lot are from the bottom of the barrel.’
Cato turned towards him. ‘Is that experience talking, or prejudice?’
‘Both,’ Macro smiled. ‘But we’ll see who’s right soon enough. I’ll bet you that we lose a quarter of these men before we reach Ravenna.’
Cato looked over the men gathering by the wagons. The majority of the recent recruits certainly looked like poor specimens. A
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