Cador looked upward, scratching his beard,which was streaked with gray, although I had given up trying toguess the ages of seamen because their features are more weatheredeven than those of us under the standard.
“Perhaps,” he finally answered, whichwas not what I was looking for, but when I pressed him, he refusedto commit to more than that.
“Go get the Second Century,” I toldSaloninus, “and bring them up on deck.”
He turned to obey, then hesitated, asking,“What should I tell them about our situation?”
“That we’re waiting for the clouds toclear so that we’ll know what direction to head. Don’t,” I warned,“mention anything about how deep the water is.”
Saluting, he hurried across the deck to gobelow, and it was only then I noticed that Alex was not nearby, butwhen I turned around, I saw him approaching from where he hadobviously been, at the stern, next to the steering oar.
“Centurion,” Cador spoke again, and Iturned back to see that he was still scratching his beard. “Westill have some minor repairs to make, up at the bow, so pleasekeep your men away from there as we work.”
I nodded, and he left me just as Alexreached my side, but while his expression was neutral, I sensed hewas suppressing some emotion, and I should have gotten the hint bythe way he was staring at the new defacto navarch’s back, waitingfor him to pass the splintered stub that was all that remained ofour mast.
“Gnaeus,” he was barely audible,“there’s something you should know.” Nodding to him to continue, hebegan by asking, “Do you remember what I told you aboutVellocatus?”
“I know I got a bump on the head, butmy memory is just fine,” I snapped, a bit nettled at what I took tobe his assumption my wits were scrambled, and I assured him, “Yes,he was swept away is what you told me.”
As always, Alex did not react to myirritability, saying only, “Yes, but I didn’t tell you all of it. Iwas told that the rope snapped when the ship turned suddenly rightbefore we were struck by the wave that took down the mast.”
I recalled the moment, if only because I wasswept off my feet and shortly after that knocked unconscious, and Inodded as I assured him, “I remember when that happened.”
“When I walked over by the steeringoar, the part of Vellocatus’ rope tied to the railing was stillthere.” He hesitated, and I saw his eyes flicker back to the bow ofthe ship, where Cador was bellowing orders to three of his crewmenabout something. “Gnaeus, that rope didn’t snap. It was cut throughwith a knife. And,” he finished quietly, “it was Cador who told me,because he was helping Vellocatus controlling the oar.”
I cannot say that this news swept all myother worries about our situation aside, but it certainly did nothelp my state of mind.
Finally, all I could think to say was,“Well, I just hope he’s at least a good a seaman as Vellocatus,although it would be more helpful if he was better.”
Before Alex could respond, the first men ofthe Second came up the ladder, wearing only their tunics, blinkingin the increased light, despite it being so overcast, and I hadother things to worry about.
The first thing that the men of theSecond did, aside from spending a moment to take in theirsurroundings and enjoy air that was not fouled, even as their worrywas clear to see on their faces, was to attend to the solemn dutyof burying Gaius Atellus at sea. It is certainly not our custom,but given the situation, this was the best alternative facing hiscomrades, and as I learned, it was Atellus himself who made thesuggestion, just before his close comrade slit his throat. He waswrapped in his sagum, whichwas secured by leather balteastraps, but my concern that he would not sink to the bottomwas unfounded.
“We buried him in his armor, and oneof the boys found a couple of spare stones for ourballistae that made itaboard.”
We had actually been instructed to leave theammunition behind in order to lighten the load, but such oversightsare very common. With this detail taken care of, I joined the menof the Second Century as they gathered at the side; at least, theystarted to do so, before Cador’s shouted warning about the dangerof capsizing with so many men on one side of the ship meant that itwas just the Tenth Section, Saloninus, Columella and the otherofficers of the Second Century, and myself of course, as we intonedthe prayer for the dead, just before his comrades gently loweredhis body over the side.
There was a brief pause when Saloninuswondered, “Is there a special prayer for men buried at sea?”
We sent Natta to ask Cador, but he returnedquickly with a shake of the head, and Atellus’ comrades let him go,whereupon he dropped the final few feet and disappeared with asmall splash.
“Right,” I finally broke the silence,“there’s one other thing to attend to before you go back down belowand get out of the crew’s hair so that we’ll be ready once theclouds clear and we can get back underway.”
“Why are we drifting, PilusPrior?”
I had been looking in the other direction towhere the rest of the Second was standing, but I recognized that itwas Natta who asked the question.
Fighting the urge to just tell him to keephis mouth shut, I decided a half-truth was better than an outrightlie.
“Because of how thick the clouds are,the navarch doesn’t want torisk heading the wrong direction. Once we can see the position ofthe sun, we’ll start moving again. And,” I finished using the tonethat signaled this was all I would tolerate, “that’s all you needto know. Now,” I pointed, “go join the boys and gather round. Ihave an announcement to make.”
They did as I ordered, of course, but I hadto stifle a smile at how careful they were
