half.’
‘But it could so easily be a ruse.’
‘The thought had occurred to me, Corbulo,’ said Abascantius sharply. ‘And I might agree with you were it not for one particular detail. I managed to get a look at Prefect Sanctus’s report regarding the theft of the stone. One of the few surviving witnesses was a young priest. He was unable to speak for several days afterward but when he did, he offered what has turned out to be a vital piece of information. He watched the raiders as they set about removing the stone from the temple. He saw their leader without his helmet – a tall man with fair hair. This northerner. Ulixes is telling the truth.’
Cassius leaned back and considered what he’d heard.
Abascantius let his belt out a notch, lowering the flabby rolls of his gut. ‘I told Ulixes to be in Petra in seven days’ time. He will be at the Temple of Atargatis at midday. You are to meet him, get the location and pay him. You will then proceed south and attempt to recover the stone.’
‘Might I ask how, sir?’ asked Cassius, trying not to sound incredulous. ‘Will Calvinus let us use men from one of the southern garrisons?’
‘He might. But I wouldn’t dream of using conventional forces. Word would travel several days ahead of you: whoever has the stone would have ample time to make their escape.’
‘What’s the alternative?’
‘A covert squad of around twenty soldiers – small enough to avoid detection, big enough to grab the stone. You will masquerade as a merchant and they as your local help.’
Cassius couldn’t even reply; the assignment was sounding more perilous by the minute.
Indavara spoke up. ‘You said soldiers. Not legionaries?’
‘To move freely through that area the men will have to pass as natives. They will need to speak Nabatean and know the ways of the desert and its people. We will use auxiliaries from one of the cohorts based here in Bostra.’
‘
Auxiliaries
?’ repeated Cassius.
‘Yes. And if that pompous arsehole Pontius has done his job, some volunteers will be waiting for us in the fortress right now.’
Abascantius stood. ‘Come, we must choose our twenty. There will be an officer to lead them. Don’t worry, Corbulo, only an optio – local, apparently. I think we both know field operations aren’t your strength, so I thought it seemed wise.’
Cassius couldn’t deny that; in fact he was relieved. ‘Fair enough, sir.’
‘Swiftly then, I have only today to help you prepare. I need to be back on the road tomorrow.’
As Abascantius and Indavara left, Cassius remained behind for a moment and examined the map. South of Petra was a region dominated by desert, where only the hardiest creatures and men could survive. Three centuries earlier, the emperor Augustus had launched an expedition under a general named Aelius Gallus to cross the barren wastes and reach the kingdom of the Sabeans, a people who had grown rich through producing incense and spices. The expedition had ended in disaster and Gallus had been forced to retreat, defeated by the conditions and the treacherous locals.
Cassius stared at the bottom of the map, beyond the last known settlements and roads. It was blank.
The fortress was virtually empty. So far they’d seen only a handful of men, mainly clerks and other specialists exempt from regular duties.
‘Manoeuvres going on apparently,’ remarked Abascantius as he led the way along the main avenue. To their left was a long, timber-built warehouse, to their right the hospital, a stone building with a wide entrance that opened out into a courtyard. Cassius looked inside as they passed, noting a herb garden and several men lying on beds in the shade.
‘This place is huge,’ said Indavara, who had never accompanied Cassius on his few trips inside.
‘Has to accommodate the best part of an entire legion,’ replied Abascantius.
At the centre of the complex they came to the legion headquarters: a two-storey structure from which a
‘But it could so easily be a ruse.’
‘The thought had occurred to me, Corbulo,’ said Abascantius sharply. ‘And I might agree with you were it not for one particular detail. I managed to get a look at Prefect Sanctus’s report regarding the theft of the stone. One of the few surviving witnesses was a young priest. He was unable to speak for several days afterward but when he did, he offered what has turned out to be a vital piece of information. He watched the raiders as they set about removing the stone from the temple. He saw their leader without his helmet – a tall man with fair hair. This northerner. Ulixes is telling the truth.’
Cassius leaned back and considered what he’d heard.
Abascantius let his belt out a notch, lowering the flabby rolls of his gut. ‘I told Ulixes to be in Petra in seven days’ time. He will be at the Temple of Atargatis at midday. You are to meet him, get the location and pay him. You will then proceed south and attempt to recover the stone.’
‘Might I ask how, sir?’ asked Cassius, trying not to sound incredulous. ‘Will Calvinus let us use men from one of the southern garrisons?’
‘He might. But I wouldn’t dream of using conventional forces. Word would travel several days ahead of you: whoever has the stone would have ample time to make their escape.’
‘What’s the alternative?’
‘A covert squad of around twenty soldiers – small enough to avoid detection, big enough to grab the stone. You will masquerade as a merchant and they as your local help.’
Cassius couldn’t even reply; the assignment was sounding more perilous by the minute.
Indavara spoke up. ‘You said soldiers. Not legionaries?’
‘To move freely through that area the men will have to pass as natives. They will need to speak Nabatean and know the ways of the desert and its people. We will use auxiliaries from one of the cohorts based here in Bostra.’
‘
Auxiliaries
?’ repeated Cassius.
‘Yes. And if that pompous arsehole Pontius has done his job, some volunteers will be waiting for us in the fortress right now.’
Abascantius stood. ‘Come, we must choose our twenty. There will be an officer to lead them. Don’t worry, Corbulo, only an optio – local, apparently. I think we both know field operations aren’t your strength, so I thought it seemed wise.’
Cassius couldn’t deny that; in fact he was relieved. ‘Fair enough, sir.’
‘Swiftly then, I have only today to help you prepare. I need to be back on the road tomorrow.’
As Abascantius and Indavara left, Cassius remained behind for a moment and examined the map. South of Petra was a region dominated by desert, where only the hardiest creatures and men could survive. Three centuries earlier, the emperor Augustus had launched an expedition under a general named Aelius Gallus to cross the barren wastes and reach the kingdom of the Sabeans, a people who had grown rich through producing incense and spices. The expedition had ended in disaster and Gallus had been forced to retreat, defeated by the conditions and the treacherous locals.
Cassius stared at the bottom of the map, beyond the last known settlements and roads. It was blank.
The fortress was virtually empty. So far they’d seen only a handful of men, mainly clerks and other specialists exempt from regular duties.
‘Manoeuvres going on apparently,’ remarked Abascantius as he led the way along the main avenue. To their left was a long, timber-built warehouse, to their right the hospital, a stone building with a wide entrance that opened out into a courtyard. Cassius looked inside as they passed, noting a herb garden and several men lying on beds in the shade.
‘This place is huge,’ said Indavara, who had never accompanied Cassius on his few trips inside.
‘Has to accommodate the best part of an entire legion,’ replied Abascantius.
At the centre of the complex they came to the legion headquarters: a two-storey structure from which a
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