‘He was a tough one, and he’d served in just about every corner of the Empire. After I was promoted to the centurionate I had a drinking session with him in the mess. He had a right skinful and, as old soldiers will in the company of their own kind, he fell to reminiscing. Anyway, I remember the most impressive story he told me was about some messed-up campaign in Pannonia. Some of the mountain tribes had decided they’d had enough of Roman tax collectors so they rebelled. The Second was sent in to put down the revolt. But the governor had no idea quite how many rebels there were, nor much about the conditions in the mountains during the winter. So the commander of the legion gets caught in a trap, loses a quarter of his men and has to retreat two hundred miles to the nearest fortified town. Took them twenty days and cost nearly half the men. But Bestia reckoned it was the legate’s finest hour. He led his men to safety. That’s the point, Cato. The real test of a commander is how he deals with adversity.’ Macro looked at Cato and nodded earnestly. ‘That’s the truth of it. So you’d better get a grip on yourself, right?’

‘Yes. I understand.’ Cato forced a slight smile. ‘And thanks.’

‘Think nothing of it.’ Macro punched him lightly on the shoulder. ‘I’d far rather you were in charge and fucked it up than me.’

‘Oh, great . . .’

Macro raised his canteen and took a series of swigs before he set it down. ‘Ahh! That’s better.’ He decided to change the subject and glanced quickly round at the ruined village. ‘So what’s the story here? Where are all the locals?’

‘Dead.’ Cato pointed towards the pen, a short distance down the street. ‘Ajax had them all killed.’

‘Why? Why the hell would he do that?’

‘Maybe they refused to help him. Or maybe he just wanted to keep on destabilising the province. I don’t know the reason.’ Cato picked up a pebble and rolled it between his fingers for a moment before flinging it away into the darkness. ‘Anyway, they’re dead. All of them. And that’s why we’ve got to track that bastard down and kill him.’

‘There you go. That’s the spirit. Put this day behind you, and concentrate on what you must do on the morrow.’

Cato nodded. Macro rose stiffly to his feet. ‘I need to speak to Rufus and the optios about the watch-keeping schedule. You get some rest, sir.’

‘I’ll try.’

Macro slapped his cheek as a high-pitched whine sounded close to his ear. ‘If you can manage it with all these little bastards then you’re a better man than me.’