When The Eagles Reached The Crown

MISSION

" Eyes front! " Maximian roared out.  " For Jupiter cocks , I Said , eyes front , ignored those bastards !"

A cold of filth sailed through the air and struck the Centurions on the shoulder . He clenched his jaw and stared straight ahead , Unfortunately , the example had been set and suddenly the air was filled with mud, excrement  and other stinking refuse and it pelted down the hapless marine and their officers . The men at the front of the Column faltered as they tried to shield themselves from the bombardment and Maximian rose to his feet then cupped his hands to his mouth .

" Keep marching at the front there! Don't bloody stop!"

The optios lashed out at their men with their staffs and the pace picked up , Maximian with their staffs and the pace picked up . Maximian opened his mouth to shout further encouragement and as Marius watched , A turd flew through the air and Caught the Centurion right in the mouth. There was a spontaneous roar of laughter from the nearest towns people at the sight . Maximian ducked down, spitting and wiping his lips on his sleeve.

" If I ever find the bastard responsible for that . I'll make him eat his shit for the rest of his bloody days."  

Marius struggling hopelessly to keep his face straight, nudged at Artemis. " I thought that sort of thing only happened to me." 

" It has look ." Artemis pointed and glancing down to Marius and smiled calmly . The watch officer on the gate had seen the trouble brewing along the wharf and as the recruit column approached a squad of marines piled out of the entrance to the naval base and charged into the crowd to clear a route for Maximian and his men .

The Barrage intensified as the townspeople made the most of their last chance to have a go at the men they held responsible for the loss of their livelihood . 

" Some Fucking welcome ." Marius grumbled.  " This Job is getting better by instant . Wonder what's in the store for us next ?" 

Artemis did not reply. He was looking intently at the sea and for the first time he started to calculated the element inside his mission , now he was destined to spend the foreseen future on. 

When the wagons at the tail of the convoy had entered the naval base the marines retreated inside and quickly close and bolted the gate . The watch officers , another Centurion, strode up to Maximian's wagon , grinning widely . 

" A fine wecome home , eh ?" 

"Great ." Maximian growled as he reached for his canteen and rinsed his mouth out. He spat the content to one side . " Farro , what the hell's been going on here since I've been in Rome ? The whole of Umbria's gone mad with this pirate nonsense." 

The watch officer's smile faded. " You don't heard any ?".

" Heard what ? 

" They landed near a colony at Illyricum a few days ago . Sacked the placed and slaughtered everyone there. women and kids puts the sword and all the men impaled . They burned the colony to the ground ."

 Maximian stared at him . " Lissus ? You mean ? I know some people there ..."

" I don't know man, seem not anymore."

" Shit..." Maximian slumped down on to the driver's bench . The watch officers reached up and gave his arm a gentle squeezed , before he turned to the other centurions . 

" Are you Marius and Artemis ?." They nodded. Then farro watched them a brief moment.  " You're come with me . The legate gave orders to send you for you the moment you arrived ."

" Just a moment ." Artemis said as he climbed down from the wagon and trotted back to the vehicle carrying Marcus. 

The Legate's office was impossing - along room that gave out on the upper level of the portico, which provided access to all the officres along the second floor of the fleet headquartes building. The view of the Legate's office took in the broad sweep of the naval harbour , the marines barracks and the sprawl of store sheds and workshops beyond . To one side of the harbour was a timbered hard where men toiled over a breached trireme, covering the bottom with black tar from the steaming vats - further evidence of the preaparations for the campaign against the pirates . Inside the Legate's office , the floor was laid with attractive mosaic featuring Neptunes skewering some demon of the deep with shi strident while the otherhand directed a storm to wreck a punic fleet .