‘You aren't been the right sort of heroic,’ Gentius said. ‘You must win battles, that is the road. That is how my first captain was made, you know. They never used to let Longwing captains be proper captains. They called her only Miss, and put a fellow aboard who she was supposed to listen to; only he was a lummox and managed to be drunk out of his wits just when we had a battle to join, and all our formation waiting.’ He snorted. ‘So she said to the crew, “Gentlemen,”’ here he paused, frowning, and rubbed his forelegs against one another, restlessly.

They waited, and waited, and waited. Temeraire was almost quivering with impatience. If Gentius's captain had gone from Miss to Captain, surely Laurence might have his rank repaired, in the same fashion …

‘It is difficult to remember, the exact way she said it,’ Gentius said defensively. ‘They don't talk now as they used to, but I think I have it. She said, “Gentlemen, seeing that our duty consisteth going to war, I should judge this situation a sad excuse for failure if we were to contrive without Captain—Captain—” bother,’ Gentius muttered, interrupting himself, ‘I have forgotten his name; but she said, “if we were to contrive without his company, a worse outcome upon the field than our complete absence will ensure. Therefore will I continue on, and any man who wisheth not to venture himself under my command, may remain behind.”’

He triumphantly completed his recitation, but then had to wait for applause while his audience worked out just what had been said. ‘But I don't understand, did you win the battle or not?’ Messoria said finally, still puzzled.

‘Of course we won the battle,’ Gentius said irritably. ‘And we did a sight better without Captain Haulding—Hah! I have remembered his name after all—I can tell you that. I was even writ up in the newspapers, and Government gave over and made her captain properly, because we had done so well,’ he finished, with a meaningful nudge to Temeraire's shoulder. ‘That is the road. Win battles for them, and they will come about, see if they don't.’

‘That is all very well,’ Iskierka remarked, “as long as they let us have some battles. There he comes now, ask him when we shall be fighting,' and she nudged Temeraire as Laurence came down the path from the castle.

But Temeraire hardly knew how to look Laurence in the face. He was bitterly conscious of his guilt, and half expected Laurence to upbraid him at once. But Laurence said only to Roland and to Demane and Sipho, ‘Go and rouse the other captains at once, if you please,’ and stood waiting silently until the others had been drawn from their uncomfortable bivouacs. ‘Gentlemen, I have been commissioned temporarily, and given command of this expedition. You will find your written orders there, and I trust they allow no ambiguity.’