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THE GATHERING
Via Domitia, northwest towards Viennes, Italia Prefecture, Summer, 471 AD)
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The Sun was just past midday. The dust hovered in the still summer air for miles. It settled in the eyes and nose of every
trooper in column downmarch of the vanguard. It settled in the throat. It made the horses irritable. It made the Germans irritable.
And thirsty. And tired. The mounted officers and manes half-marched and half herded the more sedentary Heruli foot northwest
on the via Domitia towards Vienne and the Rhone.
They were making good time, the General reflected, But not too good.
The barracks-softened mercenaries were struggling to maintain the pace. Too much easy living and unwatered wine. That was
good, too.
The two junior military Tribunes, Alla and Sindila, cantered up the hill above the column.
" Ave,
Sir " the two said slightly out of unison. Both were clearly showing the effects of ten day's forced march. Still, they
had not lost their enthusiasm.
"Ave lads, have you dispatched the morning's couriers?"
" Yes Sir,
we couldn't help noticing that you were sending only the Germans".
"That's right"
On foot, said one.
"By contubernae", confirmed the other.
"Right again"
"Sir, at this rate you will lose
a full cohort before we reach Vienne."
"You have my permission to lose two cohorts or however many you need
to ensure that the very latest information on our whereabouts is carried by every malingerer, informant, buggerer and troublemaker
that you can identify. Thieves and looters we'll keep for now. How many of Ricimer's or Odoacer's stooges do you think we've
disposed of in the last ten days?"
The two looked at one another before Sindila responded.
"At least half
of every contubernae dispatched, Sir, but the whole force is still rotten with them ".
"Never mind ",
The General assured them, "we'll never get rid of them all, but this will keep the rest off balance. They won't know
whether to complain or scheme if they think there is a chance they can go back to the barracks in Mediolanum. They won't know
about the food shortages"
Again Alla and Sindila looked at each other; they hadn't discussed their conversation
with the 'fair one'. Sindila broke the silence by asking,
"Where do you want to bivouac them?"
"Keep
them close to the road and on the low side of the any sizeable ridge we pass, keep your Horse above them and on the outside.
The only ones that leave will be those we send.
Alla ventured a question, " Sir, If we have to nursemaid them then
why take them at all? Theyll fight if theyre cornered, but they won't press an attack".
"We take them because
Ricimer gave them to us", Hiberius replied, " We won't ask them to attack" He smiled," and if we have
to use them then we'll be sure to place them in a corner. Say, have either of you read Vegetius? The General reached into
his saddlebag...
That evening in his tent, the General
continued reading Aegidius' history by the flickering pine-torch light long into the night ...
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