‘Yes, sir.’ Geminus cleared his throat. ‘And the men, sir?’

‘What?’ Aurelius turned towards him.

‘Shall I stand them down, sir?’

Aurelius looked back towards the fire and was silent for a moment before he replied, ‘No. Not until we know for certain what is going on over there.’

Macro glanced at Cato and cocked an eyebrow. Cato ignored him and stared at the fire. It was clearly growing in intensity and looked as if it threatened to consume the entire fort. He made up his mind and approached Aurelius.

‘Sir, I don’t think we should wait for a report. We should send someone across the river to investigate at once. If it is the work of the enemy then we need to know immediately. Even if it is just an accident we need to know if the garrison requires any assistance.’

‘Are you volunteering to cross the river and reconnoitre, Tribune?’ asked Aurelius wryly. ‘Or are you not too subtly volunteering a more junior officer?’

‘I’ll go, sir,’ Cato replied. He was infuriated by his superior’s insinuation. ‘Better to send someone with experience.’

‘In that case,’ Macro intervened, ‘I’d better go too, sir.’

Cato turned to him. ‘It’s not necessary. I can do the job by myself.’

Macro was about to speak, and then remembered that the days of fatherly advice had passed. He kept his mouth closed but looked at Cato imploringly. Cato shook his head.

‘Not this time.’

‘Why not?’ asked Aurelius. ‘Surely two sets of eyes are better than one? I’m sure the legion can spare you both for a few hours. Take Macro.’ He looked at Cato and forced a solicitous expression. ‘For my peace of mind, eh? Oh, and you can take Junius too, as he was so keen to sound the alarm. If it turns out to be a minor incident then perhaps spending a night grubbing around in the darkness might teach him to think twice before reacting so precipitately in future.’

‘Is that an order, sir?’ Cato asked flatly.

‘It is. Report to me the moment you return.’ Aurelius raised an arm to gather the attention of the other officers. ‘I’ve seen enough. Come, back to headquarters. Geminus, pass the word to all formations that they are to stand to until further notice.’

‘Yes, sir.’

With that, the legate turned away and led his entourage back towards the entrance to the temple complex. Cato shook his head.

‘I’m sorry, sir,’ said Junius. ‘I didn’t mean to cause unnecessary trouble. Will the men really hold it against me? Will they resent me?’

‘Lad,’ Macro smiled at him, ‘you’re a tribune, doubtless by virtue of family connections, like most who hold your rank. You have no prior military experience and once you have served your time in the legion, you’ll be returning to some cushy job in Rome. Take it from me, the common soldiery will always resent you.’