Legio XVII: Battle of the Danube by Thomas A. Timmes

running straight for him.  He turned and ran for the back door with his two body guards right behind him.  Before he could pull it open, his pursuers burst into the hut.  He jerked open the door and ran outside.  He was aiming for the stables.
    His body guards turned to face their attackers and drew their swords.  They stood half in and half out the door.  The Leader of the Assault Team saw the Chief disappear out the back door and sent all but five men around the two side of the hut to continue the pursuit.  The five men still inside the hut rushed the two body guards and began thrusting with their swords.  The top of the door frame prevented overhead blows.  The two men fought back and blocked the thrusts.
    As the bulk of the Assault Team rounded the hut, they could see the Chief and continued racing after him.  Three of the men who came around the hut saw the fight going on at the doorway and moved in to help.  As they approached the body guards from the right side, one guard turned to block a sword blow as it arched down ward for his head.  He held his sword up and turned it sideways to catch the blade.  As he did so, another sword thrust into his ribs and lung.  He stood frozen, staring at nothing as another overhead blow split his skull.  The other guard turned to run, but was stabbed in the side and chopped in the back of the neck as he was falling.
    The Chief realized his pursuers were too close and turned away from the stables; he ran for the woods.  His younger pursuers ran him down.  He spun around before they could strike him and swung his sword in a wide circle.  Fifteen young warriors now stood around him.  The other five quickly joined the circle.  The leader of the Assault Team stepped inside the circle and approached the Chief.  He asked him, “Where is out hostage?”  The Chief pointed to a hut.  Two men ran to the hut; broke down the door and emerged with the man.  He appeared unharmed.
    When the Leader saw the hostage, he stepped closer to the Chief who raised his sword; ready to strike.  The Leader swung his sword at the Chief’s sword with such force, he knocked it out of his hand.  “Kneel,” commanded the Leader.  The Chief began begging for his life as he knelt down.  “Tie his hands,” ordered the Leader and a man stepped forward with rope and bound the Chief.  Knowing the inevitable, the Chief bowed his head in submission.
    Minutes later his head was atop a 10 foot pole set up in the middle of the village.  His body lay at the foot of the pole.  The Strike Force paused to allow the men to urinate on it as a final humiliation.
    The team along with the freed hostage walked back to their horses and rode with the good news back to Timur and the columns.
     
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    Timur was overjoyed at the victory his troops had won, but deeply saddened that so many civilians had been killed.  The hostage had been isolated, but not injured and he was extremely happy to be back with his family and fellow soldiers.  He thought that he would be killed.  Timur immediately called for a meeting of his key military and civilian leaders to plan the next few days.
    Timur said that he wanted the wagons to move out tomorrow morning, but not before they completed burying their dead, which numbered about 650.  He also directed that the Semnones’ weapons be gathered up from the battlefield and distributed to the men in the four columns.  The people had to take more responsibility for their own defense.
    Timur noted that the terrain was becoming more open with rolling hills and grassy meadows, but that the number of small streams seemed to be increasing.  He said that the wagons could easily ford these streams, but the access and egress routes to and from them would become rutted, muddier, and soon impassable.  He directed his Army commanders to be prepared to construct short corduroy roads on each side of the crossing sites for the four columns.
    Timur went on, “For this