Uncertain Honor by J. Clifton Slater

Author:J. Clifton Slater [Slater, J. Clifton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-06T22:00:00+00:00

Act 6

Chapter 16 – Commotion and Control

In midsummer, the God of the North Wind didn’t have the chilling bite he would deliver later in the year. That’s not to say Aquilo’s interference didn’t have an effect when he blew strong and steady.

The rear segment of the Roman fleet slanted westward to avoid sailing directly into the headwind. While the five-bankers and three-bankers rowed easily, the deep bellied grain hailers, wide hulled supply vessels, and the boats transporting troops and livestock struggled to maintain speed. Out of necessity, the warships slowed to stay with their charges. Their new heading took the rear of the Roman fleet further out to sea as they struggled to evade running aground in the wind.

Along the coast, Hasdrubal Gisco’s detachment of ships-of-war sailed rapidly southward. Figuring the Roman transports would not stray far from land, the Empire General planned on locating them by sight. He maintained a course southward with all his lookouts scanning seaward.

Thanks to the God Aquilo granting a favor to the Goddess Victoria, the Qart Hadasht watch officers would not find the transports on their first pass.

***

“Tribune Seichus is directing us to take the lead, again, sir,” the signalman on the Psyche of Bellona informed Centurion Kimo.

“First Principale, increase our pace, and navigate us around the flock,” the warship’s commander instructed. He added in a clipped manner. “Thus, is the burden of a flagship.”

“But Centurion, we aren’t the flagship,” the ship’s first officer pointed out.

“Not yet,” Kimo acknowledged. “And if the Gods are with us, we never will be. No offence intended, Senior Tribune.”

As they had done since launch, Navy Tribune Seichus kept either Alerio’s or his quinquereme in front of the transports and the other at the rear. Inspection of the transports and the preservation of a senior staff officer in case of an attack drove the logic. But the extra rowing irritated the crews.

While the other sixty-two warships sailed in an easy manner, the two five-bankers with senior officers rowed around opposite ends of the merchant vessels while switching places.

“No offense taken, Centurion,” Alerio noted to Kimo. “However, there is one benefit to the rotation.”

“I can’t wait to hear this, Senior Tribune,” the ship’s officer commented.

“Unlike the other warships in our squadrons, we get a change of scenery,” Alerio proposed. “From staring at the butt ends of two hundred and sixty commercial vessels, we have a view of a pristine horizon and a beautiful empty sky.”

“Spoken like a true land officer. You think the lack of hills and trees gives you an advantage,” the ship’s Centurion remarked. “To our front should be the Consul’s ship and the tips of the Corvus ramps on our heavies. We’ve fallen so far behind that the rest of the fleet has lost sight of us. And us of them.”

“From your anxiety, I take it you’re worried about losing the protection of the center,” Alerio questioned. “But isn’t north the direction we expect the attack to come from?”

“It is sir. But sailors know threats come in many forms and from all directions while at sea,” Kimo explained.

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