Empire Under Siege Read Online Free PDF Page A

of the hill tribes that had threatened to engulf the Empire in civil war. Ten years later he published his first book on military tactics and within a few short years of his seminal work, Martius, with the assistance of Turbis, had transformed the imperial army into the greatest military force on earth.
    It had not all been plain sailing, Turbis remembered, but Martius had an uncanny ability for getting out of difficult situations. He had once heard a senator state that Martius could fall into a sewer and come out smelling of roses. The senator didn’t know the half of it. Turbis was convinced Martius led a charmed life.
    Seeing Martius now, racing ahead to battle, Turbis wondered what would have happened that fateful day if he had not hesitated. Would the Empire even exist if Martius had not survived?  
    They had made good time across the field. No longer on high ground, it was difficult to determine the state of the battle, but Turbis was certain that the legions had not all broken. It looked as if the new eastern front had formed, with pockets of resistance from the three legions that were cut off diverting the invaders’ attention. It seemed even the savages knew they could not leave an enemy at their rear.
    The eastern front could only have formed if the flag system had worked. A miracle of modern science. It amused Turbis that Martius did not seem to approve; so unlike him not to embrace progress, but Turbis wondered if Martius’s feelings for his nephew had clouded his judgement. Turbis smiled - Martius did not realise how similar he and Metrotis were.
    The legion cavalry group had gathered as ordered, some distance behind the Eastern front. As the command group neared the cavalry, Martius stood in his stirrups, arms raised in a masterful display of horsemanship, his horse still cantering forward. “We ride north-east! Then south, single line and charge the bastards. Do you remember how it’s done my boys?” His voice projected over the din of battle.
    Many men exchanged glances, others nodded. “Yes, sir!” a few called.
    Martius reined his horse in, turning in a tight circle.  
    We are not prepared for battle , Turbis thought as he struggled to bring his own steed to a halt. We are boys and old men . The legion bodyguards before him, on the other hand, looked magnificent soldiers, but they had not been drilled in large scale cavalry manoeuvres since they were at the academy. The charge could end in disaster, but what other option? Turbis prayed to the gods that Martius’s luck held one more time.
    Martius scowled, standing in his stirrups again. Lifting his sword from its scabbard, he pointed it at the cavalry group. “DO YOU REMEMBER HOW TO FIGHT?” His roar was so loud that many horses, trained for battle as they were, shied away.
    “Yes,” came a lonely reply. But many nodded, whilst others straightened in their saddles as if remembering who addressed them. A few even glanced at Turbis, who, assuming what he hoped was a confident demeanour, nodded solemnly in their direction.
    One man, barely into adulthood, sweat glistening on his brow above eyes that were unnaturally intense, leaned forward in his saddle “Yes, sir!”
    Martius wheeled his mount north-east. Looking over his shoulder, he fixed his gaze on the boy. “Good! I’ll take the centre. Follow me!” And with that he kicked his horse into a gallop, clods of earth flying up in his wake.
    Turbis followed suit, feeling the strain on his thighs as he tried to keep up. Behind, the cavalry followed at speed, but with no semblance of order, many whooping and braying for the battle to come. Turbis was momentarily irritated by the lack of discipline but realised that, in the end, it didn’t matter. The charge was a forlorn hope; the most they could do was buy time for the legions to combine, form square and make a fighting retreat. Even then, surrounded by the horde, the army could not last.
    Soon Turbis was wheeling south with Martius. The