“All right, boys! Let’s show the PilusPrior just how full of cac heis! What do you say?”
In the enclosed space, the roar made my earsring, but despite the very last words being immediately drownedout, I had recognized the voice, coming from the bow of the boat,as belonging to Minucius, yet I made sure my face did not betraythat I was pleased; it was too soon for that.
Instead, I shook my head, and as soon as thenoise died down, I shot back, “Talk is cheap, boys! Show me in yourdeeds, not your words!”
“We will!”
“We swear it, Pilus Prior!”
“We’ll show you!”
These cries rang out from all points insidethe compartment, but it was the last call that actually drove mefrom the compartment.
“We’ll do it for you, and for yourfather!”
I did not make eye contact with Saloninus asI hurried out past him, as for another time, Titus Pullus helpedhis son, and the men he used to lead.
The men of the First and Second Centurystayed at their posts, maintaining the same rhythm for the rest ofthat watch, and two parts into the first night watch before Motiusdeclared that we had successfully evaded our pursuers.
“All but one of them turned aroundbefore it got dark,” he told me when I went up onto deck, where thelight of a three-quarter moon bounced silver rays off the water,which had become slightly choppy. “The last one might be out there,but I doubt it. Six against one is worth the risk, but no singleship will be trying to board another single ship. Those are badodds.” This made sense to me, so I said nothing, which he correctlytook as my acknowledgement. “Centurion,” his tone altered subtly,“please tell your men for me that they performed magnificently.They truly surpassed what I thought them capable of.”
I could not argue this as far as theirsurpassing even my expectations, but I do confess it nettled me abit, and I asked, a bit sharply, “And what did you think wouldhappen?”
“That they would last maybe a thirdpart of one of your watches,” he answered, but before I couldreact, he grinned and added, “but I do not think I would do muchbetter.”
This was when I understood his true meaning;it was not about their strength or their stamina, but the factthat, like with anything, performing a prolonged physical activitythat one is not accustomed to is much more taxing than somethingone does often. In fact, I remembered how I felt after I swung anaxe the first time when we were cutting down the timber to make thefleet.
“Cador will be coming to your cabinshortly, Centurion,” Motius reminded me, which I also took as hishint that I was overstaying my welcome in his world, although I didnot begrudge him for that; I knew how I would feel if he had comeinto a marching camp and always hung about as I was doing myjob.
I had Alex fetch the other officers exceptfor Mus and Herennius, who stayed to keep an eye on our rations,and we were crammed in the cabin chatting quietly while we waitedfor Cador. We were not drifting, and my men had been relieved bythe slaves, who were stroking at the slowest pace possible thatstill kept us moving, but after Motius had changed our course tobreak away from our pursuers, I had no sense that we had altered itany more. Finally, the rap on the door came, but when Alex openedit, while Cador was there, Motius was with him.
“Cador asked me to come with him,” heoffered as they entered the cabin, but because of his position, Icould not meet his eye to get an idea as to the reason for thischange.
There was no real need to understand why;Cador was perspiring heavily despite the cool night, and he wasobviously very nervous.
He began well enough, echoing Motius. “Iwant to thank you and your men on behalf of the crew, Centurion.And,” he turned to execute an awkward little bow, “to you otherofficers as well. What they did today not only saved their ownlives, but ours as well.”
The thought crossed my mind that perhapsthis called for some wine, then I remembered Alex telling me thatthere was only enough for one cupful, so I remained silent,watching as Cador opened the chest, except this time, he extractedtwo scrolls. I could see that Saloninus and the others shared mysense that something was about to happen that we might not like,but I am certain none of us had any idea about what it would be.The first map was the one I had seen before, but while I noticedthat Cador was careful to place it at one end of the desk, Ithought it was only to give enough room for the second map, whichhe unrolled now. And, I immediately saw that his hand was shaking,causing me to look sharply at Motius, who was standing slightlybehind Cador’s bent back. This map had clearly been rolled for sometime because it would not stay flat until, muttering what I assumedwas a curse, Cador set my cup on one edge, then unfurled the map sothat we could all see. Which, it must be said, we stared atcompletely uncomprehendingly since it did not appear to us to makeany sense, based on a common assumption.
“Shouldn’t you turn that map?”Saloninus asked. “So that we can see the rest of the Galliccoast?”
For that was the cause of our confusion; thejagged but clearly drawn line that marked the beginning of land onthis second map was running up and down from my perspective and notparallel with what I knew was the map of the coast of Germania andGaul. I suppose that was what jogged my memory, and I felt a suddenlurch in my stomach as my mind started to understand why this wasthe case.
“Wait a moment,” I heard my voice, butit did not sound much like mine. “Does this mean what I think itmeans?”
Cador’s nerve apparently failed, because hismouth opened, then shut, then opened, before he finally turned tolook over his shoulder at Motius, and I saw
