The Eagle In the Sand

'Near Heshbon, sir. I decided to investigate. It would take quite a lot of men or animals to make that much dust. So we rode closer until I could make out the details. It was an army, sir.Thousands of men, hundreds mounted and what looked like a baggage train at the rear, although I couldn't see it clearly. That was when their scouts spotted us. Next thing I knew they were coming at us from all directions, shooting arrows. That's when I realised the mounted fellows were Parthians. They cut most of my men down, but me and these others managed to find a gully and rode through them in the dusk. We carried on through the night, and headed back to the fort. They caught up with us a few miles back.' He shrugged.

Macro stared at him for a moment and then clapped him on the uninjured arm. 'Carry on, decurion. See to your men as soon as that wound's dressed. Get 'em fed and get 'em rested.'

'Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.'

Macro drew Cato away from the men, under the gatehouse, and lowered his voice. 'Coming for us do, you think?'

'I'm sure of it. Ba

'But why us? Why not start with a smaller outpost?'

'We're as far from any large force of Roman troops as you can get in this region. He can easily cut us off from supplies and reinforcements. At the same time, we can only escape by cutting our way through him. There's nothing but desert in the other direction.'

'Shit.We're stuck here.' Macro pressed his lips together for a moment. 'The Governor can help. If he leaves now, he'll be able to make it back to the legions, and send a column down here.'

'He might. If he can spare the men. Don't forget, there's that force of Parthians moving up on Palmyra.'

'I'm sure he can spare us some men. Enough to deal with Ba

'Stay here?' Cato looked uncertain. 'Is that wise?'

'What else can we do? We'll be safe enough in here.'

'You think so?'

'Why not? He's got a force of brigands, and now, it seems, a few Parthians. They're not going to get over the walls in a hurry. Not without siege weapons.'

'What makes you think they lack those?'

Macro smiled. 'And where would they have spirited them up from?'

'Parthia, that's where.'

'Cato, have you any idea how difficult it would be to move a siege train over the desert?'

'No. How difficult?'

Macro was taken aback, and struggled for an answer. 'I don't really know, but I should imagine it would be bloody difficult to haul anything across the terrain out there. All right?' He gestured vaguely in the direction of the caravan trade route and the desert beyond.'I'm telling you, he has no siege weapons. We're safe.'

'I hope you're right.'

'I'm right. But we're going to make some preparations all the same.' Macro made a few mental calculations. 'Heshbon, that's what, thirty miles away. They should be here tomorrow then, from noon.'

Cato nodded. 'Sounds right.'

'Then there's not much time.We need to speak to the Governor. Come on.'

They climbed back into the tower. Longinus and Postumus were watching the rapidly diminishing cloud of dust kicked up by the Parthian horses and discussing something in muted tones. They stopped as soon as Macro and Cato emerged from the trapdoor. Macro quickly described what the patrol had seen. There was a momentary look of alarm on the Governor's face before he controlled his feelings again and stood, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

'I'll have to re-join my command before the fort's cut off.'

'Yes, sir,' agreed Macro. 'The sooner you leave, the better. We'll wait here for the relief column.'

'Relief column?' Longinus repeated. 'Yes. Yes, of course. I'll have to send you some more men. Enough to beat Ba

'Very good, sir.' Macro nodded.

'I'd best leave at once then.' Longinus turned towards the trapdoor. Then he paused and turned back, staring hard at Postumus. 'You can stay here.'

'What?' Postumus looked horrified. 'Stay? Sorry, sir, but my place is at your side. It's going to be a dangerous journey back to the legions. You'll need every man you can get to ensure your safety.'

'On the contrary, more men will only slow me down. The prefect has more need of you than I do right now. You will stay here, and help defend the fort.'

'But, sir!' There was a pleading tone to his voice and Macro felt sick with disgust.

'Enough!' Longinus snapped. 'You will stay here! Understand?'

Postumus stared back, and there was a bitter twist to his lips as he replied. 'Oh, I understand, sir. Perfectly.'

'I shall not forget you, Postumus. I never forget those who have served me well.'

'That's a great comfort, sir.'

'Farewell, then.' Longinus nodded, made to hold out his hand, and then let it drop back to his side as he turned away and climbed down from the tower.

A little later Macro, Cato and Postumus looked on as the Governor and his escort galloped out of the fort and immediately swung north to give the approaching rebels as wide a berth as possible before they made for the security of the legions under Longinus' command in Syria. Macro noticed the look of acute bitterness in Postumus' face as he watched them ride off across the desert.

'That's what you get when you play politics, friend.'

Postumus turned to the prefect and laughed. 'You don't get it, sir. He's not going to send us any reinforcements. '

'Why?' asked Cato. 'What do you mean?'

'If you two are the best that Narcissus can come up with, then may the gods help the Emperor. Outside Rome, I imagine that it's only the three of us who know the scale of Longinus' treachery. If he leaves us here to die, then he's in the clear. Of course, the moment Bushir falls, and we're all slaughtered, he'll mount a punitive expedition and grieve over our bodies, and claim that he was just too late to save us.'

Macro and Cato stared at him a moment, then Macro shrugged. 'Fine. Then the only way we get back at that patrician bastard is by making sure we come through this alive.'

'Oh?' Postumus smiled weakly. 'And how do you propose that we do that, sir?'

'The same way we always do. By beating the living shit out of our enemy and dancing on his grave. Cato?'

'Sir?'

'I want every officer at headquarters at once. We've got work to do, and it looks like there's not much time left before Ba

'Including Scrofa? Shall I have him released?'

Macro shrugged. 'Why not? He might as well do something useful before he dies.'

07 The Eagle In the Sand

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Macro looked over the faces of his officers, waiting for their complete attention before he began.

'In two days' time Ba

This remark brought on looks of surprise, and a tone of muted anger rippled across the hall. Macro raised a hand to attract their attention.

'Gentlemen! Quiet… The Governor of Syria is facing a substantial threat from Parthia across the frontier. He ca