Optio

After the failed attempt to secure a British bridgehead, Quintus and the survivors carry valuable intelligence back towards the continent. They must escape the island, find the scattered remnants of their cohort and convince Roman commanders that their mission produced something worth preserving. The long journey tests the cohesion of men already exhausted by captivity, storm and defeat.

Quintus is promoted to optio and ordered to help lead operations against rebellious Germanic tribes. The prospect of success offers a route towards restored status and eventual return to Rome, but unfamiliar alliances and another military disaster place the cohort in danger of destruction. Quintus must preserve both the men and the legion’s honour when formal command no longer provides a safe answer.