Tuditanus held the junior consul’s gaze. He were warned via Scipio to anticipate the query, the senior consul realizing that during a camp the dimensions of Fiumicino there will be few secrets and techniques, and positively none that will break out Duilius. ‘I see,’ Duilius acknowledged ultimately. He stood up. ‘Senators,’ he introduced, ‘I humbly ask the senior consul, on your presence, to permit me to take the fleet to sea as soon as it's prepared. ’ a mild applause the submission. Scipio rose to answer. ‘The junior consul may well in my view take the fleet to sea in six days,’ Scipio acknowledged, his phrases smartly heading off the catch that Duilius had set. extra applause used to be heard and Duilius nodded a thank-you at Scipio, either males understanding that the gesture was once now not considered one of gratitude. Duilius retook his seat. His spies had instructed him 3 days, 4 on the such a lot, and the galleys will be able to sail. He was once conscious about the chance that may be afforded the 1st guy to command the fleet to sea, no matter if the adventure used to be from the development web site to the castrum in Ostia. It used to be a chance to stamp their command of the fleet within the minds of fellows, a chance that may negate any contract made within the Senate. the rule of thumb of Rome used to be the rule of thumb of the mob. If the folk selected Scipio because the fleet’s chief, there has been little Duilius may perhaps do to show the joint management contract. The mob may purely take into accout one identify. Duilius had to have the opportunity of creating yes that identify will be his. Atticus marvelled on the sparkling hulls of the twenty triremes beached simply above the high-water mark of the seashore. He and Septimus had arrived again in Fiumicino days sooner than and had instantly recommenced their education exercises, even supposing Septimus now spent all his time within the camp of the Fourth. Anger flared up inside of Atticus as he recalled their surprising argument at the trip again from Rome and Septimus’s call for to stick clear of Hadria, and he consciously swept the reminiscence from his brain, concentrating in its place at the Aquila because the galley slipped her mooring and the order used to be given to get below approach. education the recent recruits on find out how to ram while all his cause demanded he should still teach them for boarding had pissed off Atticus, yet a minimum of in this day he knew he will be instructing them a lesson that used to be very important, whatever the galley’s approach to assault. all the trainees below his tutelage have been already expert sailors, and so in lots of instances it used to be easily a question of adapting their abilities, instructing them how top to manoeuvre a galley whereas settling on the main acceptable oar-stroke. Today’s lesson might pay attention to that moment aspect. The Aquila moved clear of the seashore at knots, steering velocity. Her velocity was once now not dictated by way of the closest of the sea-lanes working perpendicular to her path, as Gaius may possibly simply negotiate the difficult passage at typical velocity, yet by means of the necessity to preserve the power of the rowers for the lesson forward, a lesson that might be learnt at their rate. Atticus had saved this lesson till final, realizing it to be crucial for any command team of a galley.