“I didn’t see that coming,” he admitted. “Someone has drilled that Century hard and properly.”
“I watched Sisera last year at Messina teach veterans,” a Junior Tribune remarked. “His style is brutal.”
“And as we just witnessed,” Publius added. “very effective.”
Chapter 16 – South to Rhégion
Late in the day, the 25th Century swaggered into their camp. Although it had been a long day of drills, the Legionaries’ spirits were high and their steps lively. As the columns marched down the center, contuberniums fell out of the march at their tents. While the squads busied themselves with chores in their areas, Optio Gustavi and Tesserarius Sisera followed their officer to his tent.
“Do you think the Senior Centurion will reassign us?” Horatius Ostrei asked from where he squatted at the 1st Squad’s campfire.
“A couple of days of us showing our muscle and he’ll have to move us off the end,” replied Hallus Italus from the adjacent 3rd Squad’s area.
Before anyone could even unfold the leather-bags and cover their shields, a runner came off the road and jogged to Megellus. After delivering a letter to the Centurion, he ran off to deliver a message to the next Century.
“Decanus Ostrei, I’m afraid we’re stuck with our unit designation,” Megellus informed the squad leader. The infantry officer waved a piece of parchment in the air and added loudly. “The Legion is marching south to Rhégion in the morning. All assignments are fixed.”
Groans from the Century greeted the news. They were the 25th Century and destined to anchor and defend the left end of the Legion line.
***
Before daybreak, and while Consul Valerius Mesalla’s two Legions slept and Consul Otacilius Crassus’ Southern Legion dozed, Crassus’ Northern Legion strapped the final camp gear onto the backs of their mules. Once the pack animals were led away, the Legionaries hoisted their personal gear onto their shoulders and formed up on the road.
“Crassus’ North, standby,” voices passed on the words from the front of the column. They rolled over the 25th and continued on to the 37th Century and the mule handlers at the rear. Moments later, the order to move came from the front. “Forward march.”
The Legionaries on Alerio’s side of the Century burst out laughing.
“They always say march,” one of the men offered. “It’ll take half the morning for us to move.”
As predicted, the 25th stood around until pink appeared in the sky. Then, the unit in front of them shuffled away. No one even tried to march. Just putting one foot in front of the other allowed them to keep up with the slow-moving columns of the Legion.
“Keep it tight,” Gustavi instructed.
“Optio. At this rate, I could take a nap and jog a quarter of a mile to catch up and it would be considered tight,” an infantryman pointed out.
“If you allow a quarter of a mile between the Centurion and you, I’ll have Corporal Sisera give you a shield and gladius lesson,” Gustavi warned.
To Alerio’s delight, the threat brought a round of half-hearted complaints. The Century had begun to see themselves as infantrymen and the Optio and Centurion were doing their part to become line commanders.
It was long past sunup when the last of the Legion passed out of the camp. Stretched out on the road to Rhégion were the command staff, thirty-seven heavy infantry Centuries, ten Centuries of light infantry, three hundred cavalrymen, almost two hundred pack mules, and a long wagon train. They had two hundred miles to cover and General Crassus wanted them at the port city in five days.
There would be no temporary camps with trenches and sharpened pole barriers. Other than breaks for midday meals and overnight rests periods, the Legionaries would march.
As the Senior Centurion stated when he rode down the columns, “The pack animals and supply wagons will catch up or not. But the infantrymen will be ready to board ships on the sixth day.”
After delivering the order, Publius kneed his mount and rode back to inform the next Century. Based on the wishes of their General, the four thousand men of Crassus’ Northern Legion put hobnailed boots on the ground or heals to flanks and moved southward.
***
The Legion threaded through the foothills stretching out so far, the lead elements had no idea where the tail, the middle, or back sections were located. Every unit received their guidance from the backs, elbows, and marching feet of the Century to their front. While the 25th reached the outskirts of Scilla, a small coastal town, the Legion’s command staff rode into Fort Rhégion some eleven miles away.
“We’ll be sleeping on the beach tonight,” Alerio announced.
“How do you know, Tesserarius?” asked Lance Corporal Umbria from 6th Squad.
“I was stationed with the Southern Legion before the Qart Hadasht Empire took over Messina,” Alerio answered. “When you see Sicilia on the other side of the water, we’ll turn southeast and, in a short while, march into Rhégion.”
“This is dangerous,” warned Lance Corporal Enitui. He indicated the gaps between Centuries and the distances where the hills and spaces caused most of the Legion to be out of sight.
“You’re not wrong,” Alerio admitted to the Decanus of 4th Squad. “If we were across the water and in enemy territory, we’d be in a defensive marching formation.”
“I’ll hold you to that,” Enitui replied.
Despite the uneven ground, the 25th soon reached the Messina Strait. Following the toe of the Republic around in a southeasterly direction, they saw the tower at Fort Rhégion in the distance.
“Imposing structure,” Gustavi called from the far side of the formation.
“It is that. And from the top, it commands a view of Sicilia from Messina and south along the coast to Giampilieri,” Alerio shouted over. “Giampilieri has a deep channel and a broad beach. It’s probably where we’ll land.”
“A sentry in the tower can see if a company is coming,” the Optio ventured. “It’ll make our landing safer.”
“Yes, Optio,” Alerio reported. “Unless we land in the dark.”
“Would command have us do that?” inquired Lance Corporal Umbria. “I mean, land in the dark.”
“It’s not a generally acceptable tactic,” Alerio informed him. “But it’s been done.”
“To what success?” Gustavi demanded.
“Sometimes it gives you the element of surprise,” Alerio bellowed.
“And the other times?” someone inquired.
“Landing at night can have you fighting for your life in the dark.”
***
They hiked into Rhégion, crossed the piers, and angled up into the heart of the city. Blocks later, the long string of exhausted Legionaries turned to the right and left the civilian area.
Once through the gates of the fort, duty NCOs stood in the drill field directing the column across the open area to the gates in the wall on the far side.
“I see the command staff has the luxury of indoor accommodations,” Lance Corporal Frentani mentioned.
He referred to the Legion’s Tribunes who were stripped down and lined up at the baths. It was obvious, their staff officers weren’t headed for a bivouac on the beach as Corporal Sisera mentioned.
“You should have picked your father better,” someone called out.
“Or he, his father,” another Legionary suggested. “Then you could be a nobleman and have indoor plumbing.”
“Stifle that talk,” ordered Sergeant Gustavi. The last thing he needed was an officer to overhear the conversation and decide the Century required extra duty to tamp down the disrespectful thoughts. Changing the subject, he craned his neck back and noted. “The tower is a nice piece of engineering.”
***
Standing at the western edge of the fort, the tower rose beside the water of the Messina Strait. In the afternoon sunlight, it cast a long, slim shadow back over Fort Rhégion. Three senior officers stood in the tower’s shadow where it passed over the porch of the command buildin
g. Senior Tribune Nictavi, Senior Centurion Publius, and Tribune Velius from the Southern Legion watched the Centuries march across the drill field.
“The 25th?” Publius questioned.
“If that’s the Century with Alerio Sisera,” confirmed Velius.
“It is. But what difference will a Corporal make?” challenged Publius. “Why not use one of our veteran Centuries?”
“You saw what the 25th did to the veteran 10th Century,” Nictavi pointed out.
“It’s not the Century specifically. Although if Sisera trained them, I’d wager they are better than average,” Velius ventured. “The reason I suggested him is Sisera knows the landscape and has done a number of successful missions for me on Sicilia.”
“This is more than information gathering, spymaster,” Nictavi stated.
“Most of Sisera’s assignments became hands-on in one way or another,” Velius responded. “Even if they didn’t start that way.”
“I still think ranks of heavy infantrymen is the best diplomacy,” Nictavi insisted. “Let me line up the Legion outside their walls and then see if the rebels want to resist.”
“Centuripe is one of the largest and most prosperous cities on Sicilia,” Velius advised. “With an army second only to Syracuse and the Qart Hadasht Empire. If Centuripe can hold off both of those, your Legion wouldn’t frighten them into submission. And they’ll send our ambassador back over the wall one body part at a time.”
“And you think the 25th can do what an entire Legion can’t accomplish?” asked Senior Centurion Publius.
“A Century can sneak in close to the city in a shorter time than your Legion can cross the strait and march up the Symaethus valley,” Velius offered. “And if Fortūna smiles on them, they will arrive at Centuripe without engaging in a glorious battle. One that is sure to lead to the death of Ambassador Octavius Sergius.”
“Tribune Velius. We’ll go with your recommendation. I’ll clear it with Colonel Bacaris,” Senior Tribune Nictavi declared. “Senior Centurion, pull the 25th off the march.”
“Okay, but I still don’t like it,” Publius responded. He looked across the drill field to where the 25th Century was approaching the exit gate. “Centurion Megellus. Pull your Century out of the march and wait for me outside the wall.”
Optio Gustavi’s stomach twisted. Apparently, a senior officer had heard his Legionaries’ comments about the Tribunes. He could only imagine the punishment duty his exhausted Century would be assigned. The thought hit him in the gut. If the Sergeant knew the real reason for pulling the Century to the side, his upset stomach might have escalated to vomiting.
***
“Have your Century drop their gear on the other side of these patrol boats,” Velius instructed while pointing to an open space between overturned vessels.
“Tribune Velius. Why do I have a feeling the 25th being separated from the Legion isn’t to award us an honor?” Alerio guessed.
“Corporal Sisera, you know me too well,” the head of Southern Legion’s planning and strategies section replied. “But this isn’t my mission so I’ll leave it to the Senior Tribune to explain.”
The eighty heavy infantrymen, their Optio, and Tesserarius dropped their equipment and personal belongings on the ground. Then the Legionaries sat and leaned against the stacked gear while the command staff remained standing.
“We have an issue,” Nictavi stated. “The Senate sent an Ambassador to Centuripe to discuss a treaty. While Octavius Sergius met with the city council, their military revolted and took our diplomat and his party prisoners.”
“We should march the Legion directly there,” offered Megellus.
“My thoughts exactly,” Nictavi replied. “Except, I was informed if the Legion showed up outside the city walls, Ambassador Sergius would be dismembered. He has a brother and two uncles in the Senate who would miss him dearly if we allowed that. Thus, the General has challenged us to find an alternate approach.”
The Senior Tribune pointed to the spymaster from the Southern Legion.
“The militia has revolted and is holding our Ambassador. So, we are sending the 25th to Centuripe,” Velius informed the Century. “You have one mission. Locate, secure, and protect Ambassador Sergius until the Legion arrives.”
“Permission to speak freely, sir?” asked Alerio.
“Granted,” the Tribune responded.
“If we succeed, the Legion claims a victory,” Alerio described. “However, if the Ambassador and the 25th are killed, you can blame it on the failure of the Century. Did I miss anything, sir?”
“In a crude manner of speaking, you’ve summed it up,” Velius admitted. “But the Centuripe city council wants peace and trade. So, it isn’t as if you have to fight the entire population.”
“Yes, sir. Only their military,” added Optio Gustavi. “When do we leave, sir?”
“At moonrise,” Velius told him. “The sailors need light to cross the strait.”
“To Giampilieri,” inquired Alerio.
“No, Corporal. The patrol boats will drop you at Catania.”
“It’ll take all night to row to that beach, sir.”
“Then you better have some food and decide what equipment you’ll be taking with you,” suggested Senior Centurion Publius. “You don’t want to hold the boats up.”
Act 5
Chapter 17 – Simeto River
Rays from the morning sun broke over the far-off mountains and illuminated the path. In fact, the light truly only helped one man. He jogged at the head of the column. Behind him, the eighty Legionaries of the 25th Century and their command staff followed in a tight, twisting line. The formation resulted from a quick discussion when the eight patrol boats deposited them on the beach at Catania.
“Slow and steady?” inquired the infantry officer.
“No, sir. The Legion will hit this beach sometime tomorrow,” Alerio offered. “They’ll need another day to cover the thirty-two miles to Centuripe. If we haven’t found the Ambassador and set a protective perimeter around him by then, we’ll have failed.”
“Two days isn’t much time for the mission,” Gustavi added. “We can do a Century march with flanking elements for security. We’ll be slow until daylight. Or Corporal Sisera, did you have something else in mind?”
“The only hard navigation is the twelve miles west to the Simeto River,” Alerio exclaimed. He looked at the stars in the sky and continued. “Give me a man blessed by the Goddess Theia to lead and I’ll run second. We should make the river just after sun up.”
“Then it’s only a matter of moving upstream without being noticed by a patrol out of Centuripe,” Centurion Megellus said.
“Who has the best night vision?” Gustavi called to the Legionaries gathered on the beach.
“Decanus Aternus. Theia had blessed him with eyes that can dance with Luna along moonbeams,” a Legionary from 7th Squad advised. “If more game animals roamed the night, we’d never go hungry.”
“Lance Corporal Aternus, lead us off,” Alerio instructed the Lance Corporal with excellent night vision.
“In what direction?”
Alerio placed a hand on the squad leader’s shoulder, turned him to face west, and announced to the men on the beach, “Grab a shoulder and keep up.”
As if an uncoiling snake, the 25th Century unwound from ranks on the beach to a serpentine line heading for the Simeto River. With Alerio guiding and the Lance Corporal watching the ground as the trail twisted and turned up and downhill, they maneuvered through the night. Exhausted, they arrived at the river bank of the Simeto shortly after sunrise. Thanks to the rapid movement, they avoided contact with locals and patrols.
From hyper-alert, the legs of the two men in the lead folded and they sank numbly to the grass. The Century flowed around them and fell into formation on the sand and gravel while the Legionaries at the tail end caught up.
“Ostrei. Push out with 1st Squad,” instructed Gustavi. “We’re a good way from Centuripe but I don’t want
to be caught off guard.”
While the 1st moved upstream, the other squads straightened their ranks and began following them to the north. Alerio and Caricini Aternus climbed to their feet and fell into the center of the loose formation.
“Now I wish we had our armor and shields,” Aternus complained. “I get it that we needed to move fast and appear to be a work crew. But come on, it’s a stretch to believe we’re anything except a Legion Century. Do you really think we’ll fool the Centuripe military?”
“One Century against a militia that held off the Syracuse army,” Alerio pointed out. “Not an open field match up I’d place coins on. However, a moment of hesitation on their part to allow us to react is worth not carrying shields.”
I know, we’re craftsmen of war,” commented Lance Corporal Aternus. “I would still feel better if I had my armor and shield.”
***
The Century moved rapidly throughout the day. By early afternoon, Lance Corporal Italus, whose 3rd Squad had the advanced position, sent back word that there were large hamlets and farms off the river bank.
“I think it’s time to head for the hills,” suggested Megellus after the Legionary reported the sightings. “Have Lance Corporal Italus pull back. We’ll let 4th Squad take the lead.”
“Enitui. Break the trail,” Gustavi instructed while pointing to the hills west of the river. “Get us off this exposed terrain.”
“Just think of us as your mountain goats, Optio,” Enitui exclaimed.
The squad climbed out of the river valley, reached the top of the hill some four hundred feet above the river, and dropped flat. Lance Corporal Enitui waved frantically from where he hugged the ground.
Centurion Megellus and Optio Gustavi scurried up to find out why the squad leader was panicked.
“What do you have?” Megellus inquired.
“Centuripe is maybe two miles away, sir,” the Decanus of 4th Squad reported. “I can make out details of the guards on the wall. If I can see them, they can see me.”
“Alright, stay below the crest of the hill and find a way to get us closer,” Gustavi ordered. While the Legionaries, using their hands and knees, crawled by, the Sergeant pondered. “How are we supposed to get close to the city unnoticed? At least up north of the Capital, the hills have big trees.”
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