Centurion

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

'You've done an outstanding job, gentlemen,' said General Longinus.'In the best tradition of the service. You can be assured that I will mention your achievement when I report to Rome.'

'Thank you, sir,' Macro responded.

They stood in the king's audience chamber of the citadel. King Vabathus and his advisers had returned with the Greek mercenaries to the far more comfortable accommodation of the royal palace at the other end of the city. His Majesty had first offered his profuse thanks to General Longinus and then thrown the city open to his army, partly out of a desire to cement his friendship with Rome, but mostly to have his revenge of those inhabitants of the city who had supported Artaxes, or at least had done nothing to resist him. Longinus had thanked him for the offer but declined, as he could not afford to let his army be compromised by drunke

'According to your report, Prince Artaxes quit the city yesterday evening. He will have a fifteen or twenty-mile head start on us. It's my intention to set out after him as soon as my column is resupplied with water and food. I took the risk of leaving most of the baggage train behind at Chalcis so that we could reach Palmyra as swiftly as possible. We'll march on with whatever we can carry. When we catch up with the rebels we will wipe them out. We should be more than a match for Prince Artaxes and his ragtag army.'

Cato had little doubt about that. Longinus had brought two legions with him, the Tenth and the Third, as well as several cohorts of auxiliaries.The Sixth had been left behind to defend the province. Only one thing concerned Cato about the composition of Longinus' army, and he cleared his throat.

'Sir?'

'Yes, Prefect?'

'Prince Artaxes said that a Parthian army was within two or three days' march of Palmyra.That was yesterday. If he was telling the truth then we run the risk of catching up with him after he has joined forces with the Parthians.'

Longinus nodded. 'So much the better. My spies tell me that the Parthians ca

'I'm sure you are right, sir. If we defeat them.'

'If?' Longinus smiled. 'Do you doubt that we will defeat the Parthians?'

'No, sir. Of course not, provided we take the appropriate precautions.'

'Precautions? What precautions are you referring to, Prefect?'

Cato paused a moment to consider the best way to present his worries. General Longinus shifted his weight from one foot to the other impatiently. 'Well? Out with it, man.'

'Sir, you may well have two legions, but what's needed most of all is cavalry. If the army does run into the Parthians then it is vital that you can match them horseman for horseman.'

'Ah.' Longinus nodded.'You must think me a fool not to be familiar with the, er, legendary Parthian horse-archer. Prefect, let me reassure you. The legions of Rome are more than a match for any horsemen or archers that have ever lived. The fact that our Parthian friends have seen fit to combine the two roles makes little difference.'

'You wouldn't say that if you'd been with us in the desert when we took on a small force of horse-archers, sir. If it hadn't been for Prince Balthus and his men…'

'Then it's as well that the prince and his followers are joining our force. They are finding fresh mounts even now.'

'Balthus is coming with us?' Macro interrupted. 'Why?'

'His father made the offer of his son's services, and I'm happy enough to add a few levies to my strength. They might be useful in a scouting role and save our men the job. We should have enough mounted men to counter any threat of horse-archers. Does that set your mind at rest?'

'Frankly, sir, no,' said Cato.

General Longinus frowned. 'Why is that?'

'The desert is cavalry country for the most part, sir.You ca

'No more than a nuisance, Prefect. It won't stop us advancing on their main force.'

'But their cavalry is their main force, sir. That's the point. At first it will seem like just a series of harassing attacks. They will lure us on, deeper into the desert, all the time whittling down our numbers and making our men fear living under the threat of a sudden shower of arrows.'

'Then what would you have me do, Prefect?'There was an exasperated edge to the general's voice. 'Call off the advance and let Artaxes and his rebels escape?'

'With respect, yes, sir. That's precisely what I would do.'

'Why?'

'We have Palmyra.There is nothing of any strategic value between here and the Euphrates. If the Parthians want war, then let them attack us here, on our terms. They will only wear themselves out attacking the walls of the city. As for Prince Artaxes? The best he can hope for is exile in Parthia. His rebels will have to join him there, or drift back to Palmyra and seek a pardon from the king. Artaxes is a spent force, sir. We can ignore him.'

'I will not ignore him. I will not hand the initiative to the enemy. I will find Artaxes and defeat him. He ca

'I'm sure that's what General Crassus thought, sir.' Longinus waved his hand dismissively.'Crassus was a fool. He ventured too far into enemy territory. I am simply going after a band of rebels. Of course, if there is a Parthian force out there, they will have to stand and fight with their Palmyran allies, or abandon them. If that happens, then we will have Prince Artaxes in the bag, and we will have proved the worthlessness of any alliance with Parthia. We have the advantage now.' General Longinus smiled reassuringly. 'I understand what you and Centurion Macro have endured these past days, and you and your men could well do with a rest and a chance to recover. It might be best if you remained here, if you are not fit and ready to join the campaign.'

Macro shook his head.'We don't need a rest.We're ready to fight, sir.'

'Good. I will need every man I can get to track down and crush the rebels. So, if you have nothing further to add, Prefect?'

Longinus paused and fixed Cato with a hard stare, daring him to continue to stand in his way. Sempronius stepped forward.

'General, if I may say something?'

Longinus' gaze flicked to the ambassador. 'Well? What is it?'

'These officers have proved their courage, and their ability, time and again, not only in defence of the citadel, but in fighting their way across the desert and into the city in the first place. I have no doubts about their mettle, nor their understanding of the enemy and his tactics. You would do well to heed their advice.'

'Would I?' Longinus turned to his small coterie of staff officers, mainly young tribunes on their first military posting. They smiled knowingly. Cato felt his blood burn in his veins. What did they understand of desert fighting? What could they know, fresh from their fine houses in Rome? The only action they could have seen since arriving in the east was in the whorehouses of Antioch and the other fleshpots of the cities garrisoned by the legions in Syria. He suddenly felt the full weight of his weariness and knew that there was nothing he could do to persuade Longinus to change his plans. He glanced at Macro and bowed his head in resignation.