Gallia Invicta

Riding on past, he reached the vanguard to find the officers in deep discussion.

“And that’s where their chief settlement should be?”

A tribune nodded.

“We believe it lies where this river meets the main water of Aquitania, legate.”

“Then we will bring our forces to bear on them before they can prepare.”

He noted Galronus and barely gave a glance to the state of the man and his new steed.

“Good. Have your cavalry form up and chase down those horsemen. I don’t want them to reach their city and give warning of our imminent arrival. Make sure you get rid of them all, though.”

Galronus blinked.

“Legate, that is foolhardy at best. We should be moving slowly and carefully, given what just happened, not splitting the force up and riding into unknown territory.”

Crassus sneered at him.

“Coward! It was your cavalry and your scouts that gave them this chance. My legion took it away from them again. Now get out there and put down that cavalry.”

Galronus shook his head.

“Impossible, sir. They know the terrain and have a considerable start on us. We’ll never stop them all. Besides, they likely had a reserve of scouts watching that are already busy reporting to their leaders. Whatever we do now, they will already be prepared.”

Crassus issued a low growl.

“If you will not lead your men down there, I will select someone who will.”

The Remi officer smiled.

“Good luck, then.”

Ignoring the crimson face and the spluttering of the legate, Galronus wheeled his horse and rode back along the line to the cavalry.

Tribune Tertullus sighed.

“I warned you.”

Galronus nodded gently and drew a sharp breath as the capsarius put the final stitch in his shoulder wound.

“It is his loss now. He can remove me from command, but under the terms of our agreement with Caesar, he can do nothing more to me without the general’s authorisation. I’m quite safe. Safer than ever now, in fact, since I’m not down there on a lunatic errand.”

Tertullus turned and glanced down the slope.

The cavalry had been placed under the command of one of the other junior tribunes and had ridden off ahead to chase down the Sotiates on Crassus’ order. The legion, however, was moving at triple time, close behind them.

Back here, among the baggage train among the few wounded, Galronus and Tertullus sat on a gently- bouncing wagon as it descended the slope, bringing up the rear of the Roman column. It was a rather impressive vantage point, allowing them an unrivalled view of the entire column stretching out ahead and the valley beyond with its steep slopes.

“Still,” the tribune said, scratching his greying scalp, “it might have been better if you’d stayed with your men. With Sextius commanding them, they’re probably more of a danger to each other than the enemy.”

Galronus grinned.

“You’re assuming they’ll do as he says. Most of those men and their commanders are as loyal to me and to Varus as the legions are to Caesar. They are well aware of what my refusal means and they will not put themselves in unnecessary danger. Your Sextius might find he has bitten off a little more than he can chew trying to command a large force of Gauls.”

The tribune laughed and leaned back.

“I hope you’re right. From what I hear of Aquitania, we’re likely to need every man we have before this is over.”

“Hardly,” Galronus said with a sly smile. “Your man Crassus tells me he could charge the very gates of the underworld with his precious Seventh.”

“Ha.”

The two men fell silent as the truth of the situation continued to nag at them both.

Down ahead, something was happening. A blast from a buccina rang out, to be picked up quickly by others.

“What was that?”

Galronus squinted off into the distance. A mass of dark shapes were issuing from the trees and copses to either side of the valley.

“Ambush” the commander said flatly. “I was expecting something like this.”

The tribune frowned and looked at the activity in the distance.

“The cavalry are separate from the legion, out ahead.”

Galronus nodded.

“My officers were expecting it too. As soon as they saw the enemy, they’ll have pulled ahead to somewhere they can marshal their forces.”

Tertullus shook his head.

“There are a hell of a lot of them. The legion could be in trouble.”

Again, Galronus shrugged.

“Not my concern anymore. I’m just a passenger now.”

The tribune narrowed his eyes at the Remi commander.

“You don’t believe that any more than I do. We need to do something.”

Galronus squared his shoulders, wincing at the pain in the fresh wound. The capsarius, who had moved on to the next man, turned an angry glare on him.

“If you undo all my work, when I re-stitch it I’ll sew a coin inside. Sit still.”

Once again the two men turned their gaze to the activity ahead. The valley was narrow and with steep sides. The auxiliary cavalry had formed up ahead, creating a barrier that prevented the remaining enemy horsemen from rejoining their fellow tribesmen, but remained largely removed from the action.

It was hard to credit how well the trap had been laid, really. The number of Sotiates pouring down the slopes onto the Roman forces was more than a match, the enemy outnumbering the legion by perhaps two to one. How they had managed to secrete such a large force in such a small area without being spotted earlier was truly marvellous.

The legion had organised into squares against the enemy coming at them from all sides.

“At least he’s had the sense to form them defensively” Galronus nodded. “I’d have half expected him to charge them.”

Tertullus shook his head.

“I know that the lad has faults, and plenty of them, and that he has little regard for you and your men, but I think that perhaps you do him a disservice tactically.”

Galronus turned a surprised look on him.

“Don’t forget,” the tribune said “he pacified the north west with one legion. His methods are a little brutal, but don’t confuse aggression with stupidity. He’s fairly shrewd in terms of actual tactics.”

The Remi commander looked distinctly unconvinced.

“What can we do to help them?” the tribune nudged.

“He’s under-using the forces he has.”

“What?”

Galronus shrugged and winced again, sucking in air through his teeth.

“It’s a common failing I’ve seen in Roman commanders. No disrespect, but most Roman officers concentrate all their energy on the legions, to the exclusion of all others. See how, once the cavalry are out ahead, he appears to have forgotten they exist. While the legion is manoeuvring into the most protective formation possible, what is