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.I took them with me on long marches, in the worst weather I could, and I went on foot.But you, Talaos, don't have that much time, and your men are themselves irregulars.""Then what do you suggest?"Lurios reflected for some time, he looked down as he thought, noticed a smudge on his breastplate, polished it with a scrap of cloth from a pouch at his belt, and then replied, "You could try sparring, something like the initiation matches, but in groups.Get them to work together trying to beat each other up.There might be some scratches and bruises, but they'll have earned them as a team, and you'll get a better sense of what they can do.""I think that's a good start," answered Talaos, "and we'll see what else there's time for.""If the enemy gives us time," Lurios replied, as he looked at the massing clouds over the sea.~"They won't be ready in time," bluntly replied Theron, chief siege engineer for the army.He was a short, stocky, gruff man with graying hair, wearing a plain brown tunic.Around him were tools of varying kinds, a table holding drawings and lists of supplies, and open-faced tents full of men working."The catapults and ballistae were," said Talaos."They are easier, and they were partly pre-constructed," answered Theron."Artillery are useful for other things, but siege towers are only for those rare times when you're assaulting a walled city on flat ground.You can't transport 'em.They get custom built almost every time.""If we have to assault this one, I'll still need to get on top of that gate fortress.""We've got lots of ladders," said Theron sarcastically, in a manner that suggested Talaos had a lot to learn."Which are too short," replied Talaos lightly, ignoring the sarcasm."So, come up with something."Theron scowled, scratched his stubble-coated chin for a while, then said, "Well.how afraid are you of something risky?"Talaos laughed.~"They're a hard looking lot," said Larogwan, as they reviewed the volunteers."They don't have a soft job," replied Talaos, as the volunteers formed up for sparring.Larogwan was certainly right, thought Talaos, the traits he'd selected for made for a group of grim-looking killers.The volunteers were bigger, stronger men than the average of troops in the army, yet moved with more agility.They tended to be a bit older, and a good deal more scarred than most.Except for being older, they were much like their leader."All right men," began Talaos, speaking to them in his clear, deep voice, "you've all done initiation sparring at some point.This is going to be a bit like that, but each decurion's squad will fight as a team.That field there will serve in place of the usual ring."A little distance to his right was a rectangular field marked with the same shallow outer trench as a sparring ring.The volunteers eyed it with interest.Talaos continued, "The rules are the same, you're out if you get a tap or leave the field by any means.I'll have men standing by on the sides to watch for cheating, but I'm expecting you to put some heart into it."Black grins passed among the volunteers.Soldiers in each squad gave those in the others coldly appraising looks."All right, First and Sixth squads, form up and face each other.Fight to the finish."They needed no further encouragement.Once the signal was given, they tore into each other like wolves.Halmir, nearby, watched them with grim approval.He turned to Talaos solemnly."This is good.They follow your spirit."~"Welcome, Tribune, and thank you for coming," said General Sanctari, with a kind of warm formality.Talaos nodded and stepped from the looming night into the glow of the commander's lamp lit tent.He took a brief look around.It was simply furnished, for a man of such rank, with well made and well used chests, a folding wooden table with four chairs and a narrow cot.There was a big, battered old rug for a floor.An item of unusual note, however, was an open cabinet with several shelves, all piled with books in sturdy, metal fitted covers."You may feel free to sit," said Sanctari, gesturing to the chairs around the little table.He himself took one, as one of his bodyguards poured them both some wine, then left.Talaos took another of the chairs.Sanctari took a sip of wine, paused with a small shrug, then spoke."Talaos, do you understand the danger and difficulty you've put yourself in?""I'll be ready for the assault," replied Talaos, firmly."That is actually what concerns me less," answered the old general."I have more confidence in your ability to survive a battle than anyone in this army.You know why.You should have died, there at the pass.""People keep telling me that," said Talaos, sipping his wine."They're right, Talaos.And, you shouldn't have been able to move, let alone ride, with the wounds you had, and those wounds shouldn't be anything close to healed now.Yet they have, and here you are."Talaos listened intently and with interest.He had a sense that something was coming, something he hadn't expected from 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