[Mkguild] Roman Story part 26

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

Another part of the ongoing story. We return to an ugly topic.


 Some values anddesires change but others are eternal.    Item 147953. Bronze tablet. .6 meters tallby .2 meters wide. Made of solid bronze. 6th century AD. Itcertified the manumission of Alexander Ragheallach. After helping save hismaster’s life in a fire.    The item has an interesting history. Stolenfrom the museum in 1940. It was used by a female to beat an SS officerunconscious in 1944. After escaping she kept the item. Later she met and marrieda Canadian soldier and immigrated to Canada. They subsequently donated it backto us in 1997. We were quite delighted when Clan Brachaid came forward and explained who Alexander was. As for the 53year old dent clearly visible in the 1400-year-old plate. A descendant of hisexplained. “Alex would have been delighted in how the dent got there. He wouldhave told her to hit him again!”     Bitt and his entire contubernium wereordered to report to the Principia. They found Tribune Vitellius waiting forthem.    “Good morning!” The oryx said calmly. “Thisis about Mozta.”    The entire group moaned.    “Not that place again,” Vinius complained.“Now what?”    “I still haven’t really gotten the smell outof my tunic,” someone grumbled.    “It seems Tiberius Ulpius Gavrus didsurvive,” the tribune explained. “And now he has questions.”    “Meaning,” Rolozius commented. “He’sscreaming and complaining how we destroyed his garum business.”    “He’s the one who deserved to wind up facedown in that vat,” Bitt muttered coldly.    The tribune nodded his head. “During themeeting keep quiet and let the Commander and me speak. We’ve dealt with Gavrusbefore. Understand?”    They all nodded. “Yes sir.”    As a group with the tribune at their headthey marched across the courtyard and into a doorway. The room beyond wasfairly large but seemed larger as it was mostly empty. There was only a singlechair in the room and that was reserved for the Legio Legatus – the legioncommander.    “Reporting as ordered,” Tribune Vitelliussaluted the commander.      Besides themselves and the commander was atall, heavily muscled bull wearing the armor of a legionnaire but carrying nolegion shield. He was standing next to the one person Bitt had hoped to neversee again; Tiberius Ulpius Gavrus. The mongoose was as lavishly dressed as thelast time. If not more so. If he thought all that lavish clothing and jewelrywould impress them, he was wrong.    Bitt had to resist the temptation to drawhis sword and run the overstuffed mongoose through.    “When we arrived, it was deserted. Themansion was aflame and the supervisor already dead,” Vitellus explained.    “And the raiders?” The commander asked.    “None,” Vitellius answered. “I believe therewere no raiders. The slaves became tired of their poor treatment and revolted.Not really hard. The supposed guards were hardly a threat. I noted the slavesconditions and attitudes on several visits. Even the Legionnaires saw it.Reported it to me.”    “I want the truth,” the mongoose screamed.“Stop lying. Your incompetence destroyed my property.”    Bitt’s anger got the better of him. “Hisname was Gallio,” the fox responded in clipped tones. “He’s dead and you don’teven care. All you care about is your property.”    The mongoose glared at Bitt. “No one saidyou could speak. So keep quiet.”    “Don’t give orders to my soldiers.” TheLegatus ordered in clipped tones.    Gavrus turned back to the commander. “Youincompetent fools ruined my business.”    “Why is it our fault that he doesn’t knowhow to lead people,” Bitt asked.    The mongoose snarled and bared his teeth. Heseemed ready to attack.    Bitt stood there calmly and with his lefthand reached behind his back.    “ENOUGH!” Tironacus ordered. He pointed to Bitt. “Keep quiet.”    The fox saluted and nodded hishead but didn’t speak. But he kept his left hand behind his back. His handwrapped around the hilt of his seax.    Vinius who was standing next tohim reached over and placed his hand on Bitt’s wrist. “Easy Bitt.”    Satisfied. The Legio Legatusturned to Gavrus. “The Legionnaire speaks rudely but it’s nothing I haven’talready told you. We are here to protect against the Parthians and otherbarbarians, Not handle your petty workers disputes.”    “PETTY?” Gavrus screamed. “Youfailed to stop the raiders.”    “Don’t start that again,” thelegatus said interrupting. “This has nothing to with raiders.”    “May I leave sir?” Bitt asked calmly. “I amdue on sentry duty shortly.”    “NO,” The mongoose shouted.    The Legatus nodded.    Bitt turned and stepped towards the door.The bull stepped in front of him and grabbed his arm.    “Remove your arm or,” the fox started towarn but stopped. “To hell with it.” He kicked the bovine in the groin. Hard.The bovine let out a moan and fell to the floor clutching his crotch.    Bitt pulled the bovine’s sword from it’ssheath and tossed it across the floor. “You’ll get that back when you learn toplay nice.” Next he took the guard’s dagger. He examined it for a moment.“That’s really nice. Who did you steal it from?” The dagger was tossed to restwith the sword. The fox started to walk away.    The bovine started to stand up. “You littlefluff ball,” he snarled.    The legionnaire fox spun around in aninstant with his hand clasping the hilt of his sword. He partially drew theblade.    The bull held both hands out with his palmsflat and facing forward. Showing more common sense than his employer.    “I think we all need a break,” the commandersaid. “Before tempers flare again and things get worse.”    Gavrus nodded in agreement. “I could use anice cup off wine.”    The Commander pointed to Bitt and thebodyguard. “Wait outside. Can you two do that without trying to kill eachother?” He asked sarcastically.    “Yes sir,” Bitt answered.    The bovine stood up and shuffled through thedoor, walking a bit oddly.    The Legatus turned back to the mongoose. “Acceptthis advice from me. Treat your people like people. The next time you mightwind up floating in the garum like Gallio.”    Bitt stopped at the door with his back tothe others. “We call them An Caillte; The Lost,” he said simply. Speaking to noone and everyone at the same time. “When the empire came my ancestors foughtthem. And lost. One quarter of my ancestors died defending their rights to befree people. They died free.” He turned and stared at the mongoose fiercely.    “They died for freedom. One quarter weretaken off as slaves. Most never came back. I know that their descendants arestill out there. Somewhere. You look at a slave and just see something to beused. I see kin and possible cousins. Family. I see people.” And with thosewords Bitt turned and left the room before the mongoose could say anythingelse.  *************
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