text: As the barbarians came into range, we threw our pila. The last time we had fought these enemies my pilum and those of my legion had performed as designed. The iron tips penetrated their shields and the soft metal attaching the points to the wooden hafts bent, making their shields unwieldy and forcing them to be dropped. This time their front lines carried shields that were somehow face hardened, and very few of our javelins got their barbs through. I found myself wondering what previous battle I was thinking of. As far as I knew, we had never fought this tribe before. The barbarian charge continued with little disruption. The legion formed a shield wall and awaited impact. I was in the third rank and I pushed against my second, who held the first. When the enemy struck our shields the line barely moved. After that the battle was typical. The front line kept shield discipline while reaching around and stabbing as the opportunity arose. When they fatigued, the centurion would blow the signal to regroup, and the legionnaires in front would shuffle back between the lines behind them, the second line becoming the first, et cetera. I had rotated through the cycle several times, and was getting tired. I became careless and made a mistake, too slow in moving my shield and letting a hooked barbarian dagger around it. It entered my stomach between segmentata plates and the man holding it ripped upward even as he died, stabbed through the neck by Lucius on my left. I fell backwards, clasping my midsection to keep my guts inside as the lines separated to receive me. The optio grabbed my shoulder plates and pulled me behind the lines, my entrails dragged behind me and stepped upon, pulling them out. The pain was indescribable and I thought, "Oh gods, not again." This was one of the worst ways to die. As I lay there impatient for death, I wondered what my life would have been had I not joined the legion. Would I have carried on with ... what? I could remember nothing from before this battle. Except death. Hundreds and thousands of deaths. As I expired my last feeling was relief. At least it's over now. I've escaped this horrible world and its cruel gods. *In another place a being with a function best described as "technician" spoke in a language never used by humans. "The construct I referenced before is still exhibiting memory leak. Should I reset to initial state?"* *The "supervisor" responded. "That is your prerogative. Are you prepared to reintegrate the cohort? The task will be yours alone. I intend to return home to my family (brood?)"* *The technician considered. "I too would like to spend time with my family. The memory leak has very little effect, after all."* *The supervisor approved. "It will perform anyway, leak or no. And regardless, it is only a simulation. A thin simulation at that. Load the next scenario and let it run while we attend to our reproductive responsibilities.* The carthaginians had already formed battle squares on the plain before the legion arrived. We deployed and prepared to fight.