“Who found me?” I asked, suspecting Iknew the answer, and Alex confirmed it, answering simply, “Idid.”
Realizing that it did not ultimatelymatter, I walked across the space and opened the door to the maincompartment. I was unsure what to expect, but it was certainly notas frantic as it had been, and there was no longer the stench offear sweat. Yet, what did puzzle me was that the slaves were doingwhat passed for lounging on their benches, while theHortator was nowhere to be seen.Most of my men were lying in their hammocks, but Saloninus saw me,hopped up onto the walkway, and made his way from the front of theship. Now that the Brizo wasonly rolling from what felt like gentle swells, it certainly mademoving easier, and he weaved his way past the guards, who weresitting on the walkway.
Returning Saloninus’ salute, I began bysaying, “Alex gave me the report. Where’s Atellus?”
He turned about and led me towards the bow,then stopped about midway and pointed down to the ranker lying onthe top row hammock. Standing next to it in the scant space betweenthe rows was Publius Natta, Atellus’ close comrade, while Atelluslooked as if he was sleeping. When Natta saw me, before I couldstop him, he leaned down and whispered to Atellus, his eyes comingimmediately open, making me think he had not actually been asleep.I dropped down off the walkway, having to turn sideways to reachAtellus’ head, and I tried to make the smile I offered himgenuine.
“I’d come to intente, Pilus Prior,” the ranker’s voice washoarse but understandable, “but I just don’t feel likeit.”
Comprehending and appreciating what Atelluswas trying to do, I laughed at his jest, and I countered, “Well,you always were a lazy bastard, Atellus. Why change now?”
As I hoped, this made him chuckle; then thesmile faded, and he said quietly, “I’m done for, Pilus Prior. Iknow it. You don’t have to tell me.”
I knew he was telling the truth, yet I couldnot bring myself to acknowledge it, so I shook my head and said,“We don’t know that for sure, Atellus. As soon as the fleetregroups, I’m going to signal for the ship carrying the campphysician to come alongside and take a look at you.”
“I won’t be alive that long, PilusPrior,” he replied quietly.
“You don’t know that!” I argued, butthen Atellus turned and gave Natta a meaningful look, and while hewas obviously reluctant, it was Natta who spoke next.
“Gaius has asked me to send him acrossthe river, Pilus Prior,” Natta answered for him. He paused, and Isaw him swallow before he said in a choked voice, “And I’m going tohonor his request.”
I had every intention of forbidding this,except that when I opened my mouth, the words would not come,because my mind was working through what I would want if I was inAtellus’ position, and I realized that I could not forbid it.Still, I could not bring myself to give my permission verbally, soinstead, I gave a curt nod. I knew I was doing the right thing bythe look Atellus gave me, which I would describe as a mixture ofrelief and gratitude.
Realizing I had to saysomething, I asked, “Is thereanything I can do for you, Atellus?”
He shook his head, “No, sir. You’ve doneenough.”
I knew he was not talking about anythingother than my acquiescence, but I still felt compelled to say in alouder voice so his comrades could hear, “Atellus, you are a creditto the Second Century, and I will mourn you just as your comradesdo.”
Reaching down, I offered my arm, which hetook, clasping it with a surprising strength, and seeing the tearsin his eyes threatened my own composure, so I stepped back, thengiving them a nod, I hopped up onto the walkway and strode to therear.
I waved to Saloninus to get his attention,telling him, “Come with me. We’re going to see this Cador characterand find out where the fuck we are, and when we’re gettinghome.”
I had noticed the sky directly above wasgray, with low-hanging clouds, but when I emerged onto the deck, Isaw that this was the entire sky, and the cloud cover was so thickthat the sun was nowhere to be found. Fortunately, as I had feltunder my feet, the sea was calm, extraordinarily so in my opinion,especially given what had been going on just a watch or twoearlier, or at least so I thought.
I turned to Alex and asked, “How long was Iout?”
I was shocked when he replied, “A day and ahalf.”
“A day and a half?” I gasped, and Isuppose it was the knock on the head that made it take an extraheartbeat for me to add it up. “You mean this isn’t the day afterthe storm, but the day afterthe day after?” Alex nodded, and it made me think ofsomething else. “So have we just been drifting like this for almosttwo days?” He nodded again, and I burst out, “Pluto’scock! Why?”
“Because,” a new voice broke in, inLatin but with an even thicker accent than Vellocatus, and weturned to see Cador standing by the stern, “we spent most ofyesterday repairing the ship to keep it afloat. Then,” he pointedback over his shoulder, “we had to make another steeringoar.”
“And why aren’t we moving now?” Idemanded.
Now, for the first time, he lookeduncomfortable, but he waved his arm in an encompassing gesture ashe countered, “Because we have no landmarks, Centurion. And,” hepointed upward, “we cannot even see the sun.”
“Why don’t we drop anchor and wait forit to clear instead of drifting like we are?”
Cador glanced over at Saloninus, since hehad asked this, and while he was clearly reluctant, he answered,“Because we are in water that is too deep for an anchor,Optio.”
The instant the words were out of his mouthI, and I could see Saloninus did as well, understood why he hadbeen hesitant; we were too far out to sea, which meant that it waslikely that even if the clouds did part, land would not be withinsight.
Thinking as quickly as I could, I addressedCador. “I wanted to allow the men to come up on deck, but if theydo and
