[Mkguild] Roman story part 27

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

Here is the remainder of the scene with Gavrus. And Bitt & the Legate have an interesting conversation.
Chris
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   Bitt wound up waiting patiently outsidewhile the rest of his contubernium had marched off. The bull had collected hisweapons and left. Evidently reconsidering his employment and taking hisstrength and skills to someone else. A smart idea.    Eventually Gavrus came out and stormed pastwithout a second glance at anyone.    “Were you trying to insult Tiberius Gavrus,”Tribune Vitellius asked as he stepped through the door.    “He insults me and all my clan when hespeaks,” Bitt snarled. Showing more anger than he had intended. “Just seeinghow he treats his slaves is insulting.”    “Regardless,” the tribune countered. “He isa powerful person and not one to make an enemy of.”    Bitt shrugged. “My clan has been fightingenemies like him for a long time. We’ve outlasted them all. Besides. Someonelike him has lots of enemies. I’m just one of them.”    “True, but I am just worrying about you,”the tribune responded.    “I would never do anything to dishonor thelegion. I apologize if I’ve caused any problems,” Bitt said earnestly.    “You didn’t cause any further problems,” thetribune responded. “He is an annoyance we have to forebear because ofpolitics.”    “Back home his treatment of them would havehad him challenged to a duel long ago,” Bitt turned and looked in the directionof the mongoose but he had already vanished from sight. “If he wants to dosomething stupid I will happily kill him. I know a dozen in my clan who wouldcheerfully come all the way here just for the chance to slit his throat.”    “Don’t do it just yet,” the tribune saidlaconically. “It was complicate things.”    Bitt nodded his head slowly. “Eventuallysomeone will do it. Maybe one of those escaped slaves?”    “That would be appropriate,” the oryxcommented in an amused tone.    The fox laughed. “Did he at least accept anyof our advice?”    The tribune laughed. “He’s been ignoring itfor two years. Why would he change now?”    Bitt shook his head. “Some people are trulystupid.”    “Not stupid, stubborn,” the tribuneresponded.    “Doesn’t he understand that he is onlyheaded for more trouble?” Bitt asked. Confused. “This will end badly for himunless he changes.”    “Some people accept change and others fightit ferociously,” the tribune responded.    “And people wonder why the empire isfailing,” Bitt muttered. “Slavery is wrong.”    There was a moment of awkward silence.    “Those people you called The Lost. Did anyever come back?” Vitellius asked.    “A few. My great grandfather Alexanderearned his freedom and came home. To be sure of his status he had thecertificate confirming his freedom. Carried it with him at all times. He waseven buried with it. He had a bronze plate made. Had it prominently displayedin his home. It’s still an honored Clan possession.”    “If you spotted one of the escaped slaves,”the tribune asked. “What would you do? Arrest him?”    “No,” Bitt answered. “I’d give him somecoins and suggest how he could escape permanently.”    The Legate nodded. “An honest answer. Butone you should keep to yourself.  If Igave you a direct order to hunt down and bring in these escaped slaves. Wouldyou do it?”    “Would you give such an order?” The foxcountered in soft tones.    Vitellius laughed. “Answer the questionwithout any more evasions.”    “As a legionnaire,” Bitt explained in cleartones. “I am here to fight the enemies of the empire. A beaten, starved andenslaved person is not the empire’s enemy. Gavrus is. Him and all like him,enslaving, torturing, stealing.”    “His business has been declining steadilyfor many years,” the oryx explained. “People in the capital aren’t buying asmuch of his garum anymore.”    “The capital?” the fox asked.    “Cormundum itself,” the oryx responded. “Theemperor himself used to enjoy it.”    “Which emperor?”    “All of them.” was the reply.    “The population of Cormundum has been slowlydeclining over the last seventy-five years,” the fox said in a scholarly tone.“From a high of one point seven million. Last census was fifteen years ago andstated a population of one point four million. But most consider that a sham. Amore accurate number is probably half a million.”    “How do you know that?” The oryx asked,surprised.    “There are people in my family who keeptrack of such things,” the fox explained. “And make sure I stay informed ofevery problem whether real or imagined.”    “They are not happy about you being aLegionnaire?” The noble asked.    “There were harsh words and bad feelingsbetween me and some of my family when they discovered I had joined the legion,”Bitt commented sadly. “It’s one of the reasons the governor sent me here. Toallow time for tempers to cool down.”    “Old hatreds die hard,” the tribunecommented sadly. “This region is filled with people who do not forgive orforget. There always seems to be someone fighting someone else for reasons thatonly they understand.”    “We keep the peace,” Bitt added. “While thelegions are here everyone has to behave and stay at peace. The same as backhome. No more fighting and feuding among the clans. Some of my family just don’tunderstand that.”    “Few people really do understand that,” thetribune commented.    “Please do not send us backthere. Tempers will flare and something violent and nasty will happen that wewill all regret,” Bitt asked calmly. “Especially me.”    “It was decided to send one aunit from the Auxilia instead of the 76th,” the officer explained.    Bitt shook his head. “So spreadout the loathing and disgust for that fur among other people.”    The legate gave a humorlesslaugh. “He will no longer be our problem. And the governor is not happy aboutall of these troubles. So he will be watching Gavrus closely for a while.”    The fox leaned closer. “And sowill we?”    “Of course,” the legateresponded.    “Gavrus will always be ourproblem,” Bitt commented. “No matter what we do.”    “Are you loyal to the emperor?” The legateasked.    “Which one?” Bitt responded.    The legate laughed and shook his head.    “I am loyal to the empire,” Bittsaid. “You’d never need worry about that. But I refuse to allow fools likeGavrus to keep committing such evil. People like him are destroying what we inthe legion are fighting to protect.”    “Old and noble thinking,” Thelegate commented wistfully. “That seems to be all too rare these days.”    “I come from a line of old andnoble ancestors” Bitt responded.    The legate nodded.     “What chance is there that theywill be caught?” The fox asked.    “To be honest,” the legateanswered. “Little if they haven’t been caught by now. They are probably alreadyout of the province.”    “Good. Then they made it,” Bittmuttered happily    “One would think you had runinto one of those escaped slaves,” The legate commented.    “Are you directly asking me?”Bitt evaded.    The legate was silent for amoment. “No. No I’m not.”  Item 234976A.Uncovered in the 1988 season. Iron slave collar. Broken into many piecesand deliberately buried.On loan from the Muséed’histoire de Marseille, Marseille France. 
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