The watch officer shifted uncomfortably.
‘We understand all that… but the last few weeks have made us feel part of something different. We all feel like real soldiers for the first time in a long while.’
He stopped talking, aware that the centurion was staring at him with something close to amazement. Dubnus shook his head slowly, staring hard at the other man in astonishment.
‘I’ve genuinely seen it all now. You want to turn your nose up at the best job a man can have in the army and pitch your luck in with a bunch of rough-arsed country boys? And it’s not as if your officers are just going to say “Very well, Tribune Scaurus, off you go with half a century of our men”. Even your legatus, decent bloke though he is, will be hard pushed to justify that to your new first spear, not to mention that complete prick of a camp prefect. No, you’ll just have to…’ He stopped speaking, tipping his head to one side. ‘Did you hear that?’
The sounds of raised voices reached them, and Dubnus grinned happily, draining his cup and heaving his body off the bed, making for the door with Titus just behind him. In the gap between the two transit barracks a dozen or more angry men were gathered, some of them armed with staves and practice swords, and their leader stepped forward when he saw Dubnus in the barrack’s doorway, raising a wooden sword to point at the Tungrian.
‘You! You broke one of my men’s jaw, and you’re going to fucking pay double for that!’
Dubnus stretched his massive frame, rolling his head and flexing both arms’ biceps to their full girth before stepping out into the confined space.
‘And you might well make me pay for teaching your idiot some manners, but if you’re stupid enough to come at me with weapons I’ll have half of you in the hospital for a month or more before you put me down. If you’re ready to pay that price, let’s get on with it.’
Titus stepped out beside him, muttering out of the side of his mouth.
‘If we fight these bastards off, you, me and the boys, you’ll take us with you?’
Dubnus held up a hand to the cavalrymen, his voice harsh with authority.
‘One moment, gentlemen, my watch officer wants to ask me a question.’
The infuriated cavalrymen seethed, but none of them was yet brave enough to be the first man to rush the intimidating centurion, and so they contented themselves with indignant looks while he turned to the watch officer with a raised eyebrow, his voice softened so as not to cross the gap to them.
‘You’re telling me that you want to fight for your place with the cohort?’
Titus nodded slowly.
‘There’s fifteen of them, and seven of us. If we send them away with a spanking, and the cohort’s honour intact, you agree to get us on to your boat for Germania?’
Dubnus nodded slowly.
‘Very well, you cheeky bastard, you’re on. I have no idea how, but if we send these donkey wallopers home to Mummy with their arses kicked, I’ll find a way for you to be Tungrians. And may Cocidius forgive me.’
Titus smiled happily back at him, putting two fingers to his mouth and blowing a piercing note. After a moment’s pause the barrack door behind them burst open, and the five other men who had accompanied Dubnus to Waterside Fort crowded through it, led by the grizzled soldier who had made the impassioned plea on their behalf at Fort Habitus. Their watch officer flicked his wrist, allowing a heavy leather-lined cosh to fall from his sleeve, pointed at the cavalrymen and bellowed a single word, lifting the weapon and stepping forward to find his first victim.
‘Habitus!’
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Document creation date: 15.05.2011
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Fortress of Spears e-3 Page 38
