Percy could hear the long mournful notes of the Signifers horn as he walked quickly towards their camps Field of Mars. Aero and Alexis following behind him closely, the sounds of a gathering Legion bouncing throughout the camp, ringing in the ears of every legionary.
Percy and the two Senior of his many Brothers and Sisters mounted the short stage that they used to inform the Legion of events, and decisions, just as the last Cohort attained their position in formation.
Percy began;
"Romans, shit has hit the fan, and the Senior Centurions and I feel that it is best to break camp under the cover of darkness, and move North, to an abandoned fort for protection. If we can get there, it will make resupply easier, then we can hold out through Winter, until Praetor's Jason and Reyna can arrive with the 12th to back up an attack on the Picts."
He shifted on the stage, suddenly very aware of the hundreds of pairs of eyes that were glued to his every movement, and the equally impressive number of ears that took in every word he said. He continued. "For now, pack your belongings. Bring only what is absolutely necessary, everything else will be left behind." He waited a minute before dismissing them, to let the info sink in.
Percy walked off the stage and towards the 8th Cohorts barracks, he had business with their Centurion.
The 8th Cohort had lost 61 legionaries, including it's Primus Pilus, and one of it's Centurion's in Diana's ambush, and then another 24 in the skirmish with the Picts about a week ago.
It was down to just 15 capable fighter's.
As he entered their barracks, they all came to attention, but Percy didn't waste a moment in putting them at ease.
Centurion Chance Bailey was their leader, a quiet kid from a Virginia Boarding School, a Son of Venus with an attitude that had gotten him into trouble several times despite his rank.
"Centurion Bailey?"Percy asked, looking around at the legionaries in the tent.
A young girl, maybe 14 and slim, with the mark of Ceres upon her arm, stepped forward. "He's in the back room Sir." She said, pointing towards a door in the back of the barracks.
Percy smiled at her and nodded his thanks. Before opening the door and entering the Son of Venus' 'Office', so to speak.
Technically, Centurions didn't get offices, they slept in the same bunks as the men underneath them, eat the same food as those underneath them, and wore the same armor. They did this for a reason, so the legionaries would grow attached to their Centurion's and respect them.
The demigod didn't look up from whatever documents he was reading. "Who said you could enter my office legionary? I'm busy, I don't have time to babysit you piss-pots."
Percy lunged forward, balling up the young legionaries shirt in his fists. "That is not how you talk to your legionaries, and that is certainly not how you talk to me. Do I make myself clear?" The Centurion was still stunned by the appearance of Percy in his 'Office', and even more so by his furious behavior, he failed to respond.
Percy threw him back against the wall and leaned down, his face inches from Chance's. "Do I make myself clear?" This time he said it slowly, dangerously, as if to a small child who had stolen a cookie from the cookie jar, and this time, the terrified boy answered. "Yes Sir!"
"Good, you are no longer a Centurion, you are a legionary pay grade one. Now get out of here." Percy ripped the Centurion's badges from his shoulders and let the deep red cape fall from the boy's shoulders, then he picked him up to his feet, and shoved him out the door.
Then he walked back out into the main room of the barracks, and past the crying ex-Centurion. And walking up to the girl who had assisted him when had initially entered the Barracks hut, he slung the cape around her shoulders and pressed the Centurion's badges into her small hands.
Then turned to the door, ignoring the confused looks of her and her comrades, then, stopping inside the doorway, he turned back to her. "I expect to see you in my office by 1900 hours tonight, Centurion."
The confused look on their faces faded as he left, and they began to understand exactly what had happened.
Percy returned to his tent, he had a letter to send.
The 12th Legion Fulminata has been on yellow alert for the last 3 days. Which basically means, all essential personnel must be ready to march within 30 minutes at all times.
Jason and Reyna had been personally sending scouting Eagles and resupply Eagles to the 15th over the last week. They would come back with personal letters from legionaries in the 15th to their families in New Rome. As well as letters containing combat readiness reports from Percy. Each day, his situation grows worse, and they both know it.
And now they had just received news that he was going to try to move his entire Legion past Picts who outnumber him 4:1 at best, to a mythical fortress in the middle of nowhere.
It had been hard enough as it was to keep the Senate from writing the Legion off as 'Destroyed' and ending their resupply and rescue mission without Percy's crazy plan, but now, it was going to be near impossible.
Most of the Senate leaned towards Octavian's point of view, but their Praetor's Veto's keep blocking their votes, but that only works if less than a 2/3 majority is reached.
Rome must be defended at all costs, and if that meant sacrificing the lives of 1,000 young Roman's, then that's what it costs.
Jason and Reyna both knew very well that it wasn't the Senate and People of Rome that Octavian was worried about, it was only Octavian that Octavian was worried about.
And somehow, he got it through his mind that a half strength Legion and some Evocati were going to defeat an army that a full strength Legion, with almost 1,000 demigods in it, couldn't.
And even if they did find a way to defeat these Picts, what of Perseus and the 15th? They couldn't possibly leave their fellow Roman's to be slaughtered while they thought only of themselves!
Percy would have to pull off a miracle, if Jason and her were going to convince the Senate to continue to support his Legion with food, water, and weapons at tomorrow's Senate meeting.