Crescent Dawn (Dirk Pitt Adventures)

There's nonetheless no signal of our escort. ” 3 days previous, the galley had departed Judaea with a wide trireme warship as escort. however the ships had turn into separated in the course of a violent squall the evening prior to, and the escort had no longer been visible because. “Have no worry of the barbarians,” Plautius spat. “We will flip the ocean crimson with their blood. ” The centurion’s brashness used to be a part of the explanation that Vitellus had taken an speedy disliking towards him. yet there have been no doubts approximately his skill to struggle, and for that the captain used to be grateful to have him close to. Plautius and his contingent of legionaries have been participants of the Scholae Palatinae, an elite army strength usually assigned to safety of the Emperor. such a lot have been battle-hardened veterans who had fought with Constantine the good at the frontier and in his crusade opposed to Maxentius, a rival Caesar whose defeat ended in the unification of the splintered empire. Plautius himself bore a depraved scar alongside his left bicep, a reminder of a fierce come upon with a Visigoth swordsman that almost price him his arm. He proudly wore the scar as a badge of durability, an characteristic that no-one who knew him dared to query. because the dual pirate ships drew close to, Plautius readied his males alongside the open deck, supplemented by way of spare galley crewmen. every one used to be armed with the Roman conflict accoutrements of the day—a brief combating sword known as a gladius, a around laminated guard, and a throwing lance, or pilum. The centurion fast divided his squaddies into small scuffling with teams to be able to shield either side of the send. Vitellus stored a set eye on their pursuers, who now stood inside transparent sight. They have been smaller sail- and oar-driven vessels of sixty toes in size, approximately part the dimensions of the Roman galley. One displayed faded blue sq. sails and the opposite grey, whereas either hulls have been painted a flat pewter to check the ocean, an previous hide trick favorite by way of Cilician pirates. every one vessel carried dual sails, which accounted for his or her stronger velocity below brisk winds. And the winds have been blowing powerful, delivering the Romans little likelihood of get away. A glimmer of wish beckoned whilst the ahead lookout shouted a sighting of land forward. Squinting towards the bow, Vitellus eyed the faint define of a rocky coastline to the north. The captain may well basically speculate as to what land it was once. crusing basically by means of lifeless reckoning, the galley were blown wealthy its unique path through the past hurricane. Vitellus silently was hoping they have been close to the coast of Anatolia, the place different ships of the Roman fleet will be encountered. The captain grew to become to a bulldog-shaped guy who wielded the galley’s heavy tiller. “Gubernator, steer us to land and towards any leeward waters which could avail itself. If we will be able to take the wind out in their sails, then we will be able to outrun the devils with our oars. ” Belowdecks, the celeusta was once ordered to overcome a rapid-fire rhythm. there has been no conversing now among Arcelian and the opposite oarsmen, only a low bellow of heavy respiring. observe had filtered down of the pursuing pirate ships, and every guy targeting pulling his oar as fast and successfully as attainable, figuring out his personal existence was once in all likelihood at stake.