Gaius cracks a half smile. The memory created no pain, and that was a rarity. Nero as a Tribunus was not tied to memories of loss -- just of work.

"Aye," he admits. "Putting him into command staff didn't make him any less an engineer. I'm sure he left notes and sketches everywhere. He'd get up in the middle of the night and put a design done before he forgot whatever it was he dreamed up."