Ambiorix is now the one grinning as he begins to exit the camp.  His escort soon follows when he’s safely out of the Roman camp.  The gate doors are promptly sealed behind the Gauls, but several Gauls have stayed behind.  The lead Gaul, VERTICO, approaches Silanus slowly, his arms raised to show that he is unarmed.  

                                                SILANUS

You have remained behind, Gaul.  Speak your name and the reason you have ostensibly deserted your countrymen.  And do not waste my time; I’m not in the mood for any poorly designed tricks from you Gauls.

                                                VERTICO

My name is Vertico, Legate Silanus.  I feel that this cause is destined for failure and will only result in the death of many of my fellow Gauls, and I am not ready for the end quite yet.  I am a sturdy warrior, but that is not the best thing I offer to you Romans. 

Silanus smiles and nods in the direction of the other Gauls.

                                                SILANUS

So, Vertico, you offer to have your slaves take news of our dire situation to Caesar in exchange for your life and protection?

The Gaul nods.

                                                VERTICO

Just one of my slaves will find greater success in taking your message to the great Caesar than a hundred of your best legionnaires.  It is still dangerous for my slaves if they are caught, but if they succeed they will have earned their freedom, so to them the reward is quite worth the risk.

                                                SILANUS

Very well.  I will make up letters for your slaves to transport to Caesar during the night.  After that you will be confined to one of the legionnaire’s hut.  If you make any trouble, you will be killed.  Understand?

                                                VERTICO

I understand perfectly, Legate Silanus.  I will be no trouble.

                   SILANUS

Let us hope not.  Sextius!

The centurion steps to Silanus’ side at his superior’s call.

                                                SILANUS (CONT’D)

Centurion Sextius.  Bury the… remains… of Centurion Gaius Antistius Reginus, who died bravely serving the Republic.  Everyone should remember that, as we fight this day!

There are solemn acknowledgements from those gathered.  Silanus heads towards his quarters, motioning for a centurion and several legionnaires to bring Vertico and his slaves along.

                                                PULLO

                                      (sober tone)

Well… I guess now we know why those savages have Roman siege engines.

                   VORENUS

          (also sober)

Yes.  Yes we do.

The two centurions watch as Titus Sextius collects Reginus head and leaves to bury it somewhere more private. 

                                                VORENUS

                             Those Gauls will pay.

                                                PULLO

With their blood.  Try not to die before it happens, though, Vorenus.  I’d hate to have to avenge you as well. 

                                                VORENUS

Come along.  We have more important things to do than listen to you try to convince yourself that you are the greatest thing since Caesar himself.  I’m betting the Gauls will attack soon.

CUT TO an hour later as the battle has resumed, the Gauls encircling the camp.  The Gauls now have a good position to fire arrows and throw spears at the Romans with relative safety to themselves in the completed rampart, which reaches five feet into the air.  And while the Romans still have the higher position and thus the advantage, fewer Gauls are dying thanks to the rampart. 

The stolen battering ram is still at work, smashing the iron rams head into the powerful doors of Cicero.  Some of the Romans fire arrows at the battering ram, but the hides above the heads of the Gauls operating it are breached by neither arrow, javelin, nor heavy rocks.  There are also still the protective sheds with many Gauls under them, doing something that cannot be seen but is most almost certainly not good for the Romans.

CUT TO:

EXT. OUTSIDE OF CAMP CICERO – AFTERNOON

The stolen Roman ballistas and catapults fire off a shower of missiles at the enemy camp.  They impact with the wall, a small portion of it cracking apart and falling down, raining heavy boulders on protective sheds and crushing them. 

CUT TO:

INT. CAMP CICERO – AFTERNOON

A boulder from one of the catapults makes it over Cicero’s rampart, coming down and smashing one of the thatch huts and still rolls, plowing over another one.  It comes to a halt as it hits one of the Centurion cabins, demolishing in its side but not toppling it completely.  There are a few shattered bodies sticking out of the broken huts, but the camera does not stay on them for long.

CUT TO:

EXT. NORTHEASTERN GAUL, FOREST – NIGHT

The only view the camera shows is a ground level view of the forest floor, partly obstructed by foliage.  A twig SNAPS as a foot steps on it just in front of the camera’s view.  The camera PULLS OUT to show us a Gaul, and he can be recognized as a SLAVE of Vertico’s.  He moves fast and cautiously, while at the same time trying to not look like he’s slinking around.  He looks around with a watchful glance, and holds his breath and stops in his tracks as he sees TWO GAULS WITH SWORDS walking towards him.  They spot him, are about to draw their swords, but realize that he is a fellow Gaul. 

The two Gallic swordsmen walk past the slave, leaving him to let out a sigh of relief and continue on.  Still agitated by what he thought was certain death, the slave is even more cautious than before as he makes his way south towards Italy.

CUT TO:

INT. CAMP CICERO, CATWALK – NIGHT

Lucius Vorenus, Titus Pullo, and Titus Sextius sit, leaning against the wall as legionnaires and centurions walk by them.  Each has a goblet of wine they are drinking from and some large pieces of bread.  It is by no means a royal banquet, but it will suffice for these warriors.

They begin talking in between bites of bread and sips of wine.

                                                VORENUS

So Sextius, I heard you were injured earlier in the day.

                   SEXTIUS

Yes, but nothing too bad, thankfully.  Just a lucky arrow grazing my arm after I killed one of the Gauls.

                   PULLO

You’re lucky it didn’t get deeper, or…

Pullo stops as he takes a swig of wine. 

                                                PULLO (CONT’D)

…or you might’ve had to have the arm amputated.

                                                SEXTIUS

                             Wouldn’t have mattered anyway.  I don’t need two arms to swing a sword.                                                                 

                   VORENUS
That is very true.  Have either of you seen the gate lately?  Each time the Gauls manage to do more damage to it.

                   PULLO

                             That, Vorenus, shouldn’t bother you.  If anything, you should be bothered by the catapults and ballistas.  They’ll demolish the walls before they manage to ram the gates down.

                                                SEXTIUS
No doubt.  Then they could come through the hole in the wall full force.  We could stand against them.

                                                PULLO

                             No, we couldn’t.  Not for long, at least.  But we would send many of them to the Infernus before we died. 

                                                VORENUS

                             You killing the most, of course.

Pullo grins.

                                                PULLO

But of course, Vorenus.  And you, as usually, would come in second.

                   SEXTIUS

What about me, eh?

                   PULLO

          (joking tone)

You, Sextius?  Why, you’d probably be one of the first to die on our side if we engaged them in close quarters combat.

                   VORENUS
Oh, so Titus Pullo The Great would not be there to save lowly Titus Sextius?

                   PULLO

Of course not. I hate Sextius almost as much as I hate you, Vorenus!

The trio laughs at Pullo’s comment before making a toast to the success of the Republic and finishing their short break from the work of repairing as much of Cicero as possible before daybreak.

CUT TO:

INT. CITY OF ROME, FORUM – DAY

Two days after the slave had left Cicero with the message for Julius Caesar, he reached the capital of the Republic, Rome.  In the Forum, a grand structure in Rome where the Roman Senate meets to decide the course of the Republic, is a private room belonging the commander-and-chief of the Roman legions in Gaul.  And sitting at a desk is none other than JULIUS CAESAR himself in a flowing toga decorated with golden stitching.  He is reviewing a map of the known world that is laid out on the table when A ROMAN IN A TOGA enters the room.  He is GAIUS CASSIUS.

CAESAR
Greetings, Cassius.  What news do you bring?

CASSIUS

Greetings, Caesar.  As you ordered, messengers have been dispatched to Crassus and Labienus instructing them to meet you at Cicero to repel the Gallic siege.   

                                                CAESAR

What of the troops I requested?

                                                CASSIUS

A legion has been assembled for you, Caesar.  They are ready to march at a moment’s notice.  Also, Caesar, the Gallic cavalryman you requested is here and ready to take your letter to Cicero.

                   CAESAR

Excellent, Cassius.  You have done well.  In two days I can get to Cicero where Crassus and Labienus will be waiting with a legion each and we will crush this little uprising.  Inform the legion that we will march in an hour’s time.

Cassius nods and does a slight bow before leaving Caesar’s presence. 

Julius Caesar goes back to his map, focusing on the area of Gaul.

CUT TO:

INT. CAMP CICERO, SILANUS’ QUARTERS – NOON

Two days later and the seventh day of the siege.  In Legate Marcus Silanus’ quarters the centurions and military tribunes are gathered once again. 

                                                SILANUS

As you all know the Gauls have set up protective sheds against the camp walls.  We do not know for sure what they are doing as our visibility of them is blocked by the roof hides of the protective shed.  But it is safe to assume that Roman prisoners have told the Gauls of the tactic of digging under the walls of a stronghold, making tunnels that will allow troops to enter Cicero, most likely at night when we would not be expecting it.  We must of course deal with this threat before they finish, and since our missiles cannot penetrate the protective sheds, there is only one option available.

                                                VORENUS

So we will assault the sheds and set fire to them?

                                                SILANUS

Exactly, Centurion Vorenus.  It will be risky, but that is exactly why we will have the advantage of surprise on our side.  Those of you who will be taking part of this mission will gather your legionnaires near the gates.  As for the rest of you centurions, I will not keep you from being with your troops.  You are—

A LEGIONNAIRE bursts into room interrupting Legate Silanus, looking very worried.

                                                LEGIONNAIRE

                                      (troubled)

Legate Silanus!  Excuse me for the interruption, sir, but a strong wind has picked up and the Gauls are firing incendiary darts upon us!

The centurions in the room begin MURMURING.

                                                SILANUS

The legionnaires’ huts will be the first things to burn down.

                   LEGIONNAIRE

And the Gallic archers are hiding behind their protective screens and the rampart they built, so our archers are having great difficulty in hitting any of the enemy, sir.

CUT TO:

EXT.  OUTSIDE CAMP CICERO – NOON

Ambiorix watches from a safe distance near some of the stolen catapults and ballistas.  He’s close to the forest his forces ambushed the Romans in, with an escort of Gallic cavalry as a hail of flaming arrows are shot into the air, sailing over Cicero’s ramparts, large arrow bolts and boulders fired at the walls following shortly after.

                                                AMBIORIX

The Romans believe they are safe in their fortress, that they are invincible as they hide in security like the cowards they truly are.  Very well.  Then we shall burn their fortress, with them still inside.  Those who manage to make it out alive will find our forces gladly waiting to finish them off.

CUT TO:

INT. CAMP CICERO – NOON

The camera follows several dozen arrows in their flight, reaching above the camp walls and descending downward, some harmlessly landing the ground while others hit the huts and quickly set them ablaze.  The fire spreads quickly, fed by the highly flammable thatch huts, and already most of them are in blazes, the possessions of the legionnaires going up in smoke.  As a minute passes by the camera view CUTS TO some of the centurions’ cabins, the flames now engulfing them as well.

CUT TO:

An AERIAL VIEW OF CAMP CICERO.  Great, thick plumes of black smoke rise from the burning huts and cabins.  It seems the only things not burning in the camp are the walls and the stone structure in the center of Cicero.