===================================================================================

THERMAE SALINUNTINAE, ROMAN ENCAMPMENT, JUST BEYOND WALLS OF PIRATE FORTRESS

===================================================================================

The smell of cooking fish and burning wood permeated the air inside the forming Roman encampment.  Legionaries were already lined up near the makeshift cooking area, awaiting food. 

Agrippa was instructing the legionaries assigned to cook duties just how to cook the fish.  "Take some sea water and sprinkle it onto the gutted and scaled fish and wrap it in these leaves.  Just before the fish is ready to eat it will feel like this."  Agrippa picked up a packet of fish that he had placed over the flame a little while earlier.  He opened the packet and pressed his index finger onto the surface of the fish.  The legionaries followed suite without question.  "See.  It is done.  Now do not make our men sick by feeding them undercooked fish.  Get to work as there are many hungry mouths to feed.  I will be watching you.", Agrippa said half-jokingly.  He took his packet of fish and one for Quadratus and took a seat on slightly elevated ground that gave him a vantage point of both the men and the walls of the pirate fortress.

Agrippa spotted Quadratus overseeing the men and making sure no fights broke out.  "Quadratus, veni!" 

Quadratus approached Agrippa who handed him a leaf-wrapped fish.  "Ede!  Worry about the men later.  Worry about yourself now as we have much work to do."

Quadratus accepted the fish and sat down on the slope beside Agrippa.  "Gratias, Quaestor Agrippa."

Agrippa picked through his fish rapidly yet carefully as he did not want to choke on a bone.  "I imagine the men will soon tire of fish.  Send out a hunting party tomorrow and see what animals can be brought back for dinner.  Also, I will need an interrogation expert and a Greek to translate.  We will start the interrogations once we are finished eating."

"Aye, sir.", Quadratus said through a mouthful.

* * *

Once they were done eating and after a brief respite, the legionaries set into work.  The sounds of gladii and other implements hacking into the flesh of the trees echoed against the hillside that bordered the encampment. 

Agrippa made his way to the prisoners that were bound and sitting on the ground.  Agrippa stood before each man in turn, searching the prisoner's eyes for the fear that would make this task a much simpler one.  Agrippa examined the prisoner at his feet and tilted his head ever so slightly to indicate that the prisoner met his personal criteria for interrogation. 

"Take this prisoner to the interrogation area.", Quadratus ordered the legionaries assisting with the task.  The young Greek was near tears when he realized that he was selected for a fate worse than death.

The interrogation area consisted of a large tree to which the prisoner was tied.  The tree was strategically chosen so that the other prisoners might watch and hear the proceedings.

Agrippa walked over to the interrogation area once the prisoner was properly secured.  Slowly, menacingly, Agrippa walked to the tree where the prisoner was tied.  "Quis est vestri nomen?"  The prisoner answered with a confused, scared look.  Agrippa looked toward the Greek that Quadratus had found to assist in the interrogation.  "Translate."

The Greek translated the question and the prisoner answered, "Darius."

He is but a boy, Agrippa thought sadly.  He could be my son.  Agrippa stiffened as he knew the fate of the boy and war allowed no time for sentiment.  "Ask him about his leader, what is his name and of his appearance."

"I do not not know!", was the boy's reply in Greek.

"Pull off a fingernail.", was Agrippa's reply.  The interrogator complied with Agrippa's order.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy!"

"Ask him again.  What is the name of his leader.  What is his appearance."

Again the boy could not answer the question.  "Continue.  Once he has no fingernails, pull off his toenails.  If he still has no answer, pull his teeth.  Still no answer, take his skin.  You know the routine.", Agrippa told the interrogator.  "If a man provides a piece of information, let him live.  Quadratus, come, we have much to discuss regarding tomorrow's attack."

Quadratus gladly followed Agrippa away from the interrogation area.

* * *

The interrogations and screams lasted well into the morning hours until the last prisoner was interrogated.  Despite the noise, Agrippa slept well that night.

Agrippa arose just before dawn and noticed the morning air was quiet.  He proceeded toward the interrogation area.  The prisoners were secured and most were sleeping and being guarded by about 10 alert legionaries selected personally by Quadratus.  Agrippa found the interrogator, the translator and Quadratus asleep on the ground on the other side of the interrogation tree.  Agrippa spoke loudly.  "So what information do you have for me?" 

Quadratus opened one eye, saw Agrippa and jumped immediately to his feet at saluted Agrippa.  "Sir, forgive me sir, we had only finished the interrogations a little while ago."  The interrogator and translator barely stirred in their sleep.

"Relax.  Tell me what you have found."

Quadratus, still groggy, started.  "Sir, we have learned that their leader is a man of Sicilian-Greek blood.  No one knows his name.  He is a tall man with one eye, his left eye is missing.  Strangely he has a picture of a scorpion here.", Quadratus pointed to the inner aspect of his left forearm. 

Agrippa was less than pleased with the information, but he knew that Quadratus was dependable and had done everything he could to extract the information from the prisoners.  "What else?"

"Sir, about one month ago, the man had guests.  A group of foreigners that appeared important."

"Guests?  What type of guests?  Important how?  What was their appearance?  What were their clothes?  What manner of speech?  What was the purpose?", Agrippa was losing his patience.

"Sir, the prisoners from which we gathered this information did not have direct knowledge of the visit.  It was told to them by others.  None of the prisoners had direct contact with Rex Piraticus."

"What else?", Agrippa knew that Quadratus had held the most displeasing information for the end of the exchange.

"Sir, eight of the prisoners died during their interrogation.", Quadratus looked to the ground for a fleeting moment and then looked straight ahead again.

Agrippa noticed the slight change in Quadratus' demeanor and placed his hand gently on Quadratus' shoulder.  "Quadratus, I thank you for your dedication to this task.  You have served Roma well."  Agrippa realized that torture was not an easy task for Quadratus or any upstanding Roman for that matter.  It was much easier to kill a man all at once in battle than to kill him piece by piece.  "Go back to sleep.  I will awake you before the sun is overhead."

"Thank you, sir."  Quadratus resumed his sleeping place on the ground with the interrogator and the translator.

TBC

Information obtained during the interrogation:

1.  Rex Piraticus is of Sicilian Greek origin.

2.  His name is unknown.

3.  He is tall, missing his left eye, and has a large tattoo of a scorpion on his left forearm.

4.  He was visited by a delegation of foreigners about a month ago.  No further information about the foreigners is known.

Prisoner count after the interrogation: