He picked his way through the still busy streets, unsurprised at the activity even though it was now deep into the long shadows of evening. Ever cautious, he took a circuitous route away from Caesar's palace, heading south east to pick up the Via Triumphalis before turning north west past the Circus Maximus, once he was sure he wasn't being followed, ending up in the Forum Boarium and then taking the street that headed west down to the docks where Nebula's ship awaited him.

By the time he made it to 'Wave Dancer' it was fully dark and he was completely satisfied that no one had tailed him there. Still being cautious, he slipped through the darkest shadows around the docks, avoiding any of Caesar's watchers that were still in place looking for him after his part in Xena's abortive escape attempt. He had decided that the best way to slip onto the ship would be to shin up one of the mooring ropes and enter through the hawser hole.

Checking carefully for hidden observers, he finally contented his innate caution and scurried quickly out of the shadows and across the open space of the dock, expertly shining up the rope, his added weight pulling on the slack in it causing the ship to move sluggishly in it's berth and bump softly against the stone of the dock. Within moments he was safely aboard the vessel and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, when cold metal pressed tight to his neck making him freeze in place.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" growled an unfriendly voice.

Patroclese, having made his decision set about organising his own personal rebellion against what he saw as Caesar's excess'. Moving swiftly through the extensive building he returned first to his own rooms and collected a well used looking stave before he gathered together all the slaves under the age of sixteen summers, not just the eight that had suffered punishments to keep Xena in line. When he finally had them all together he had fifteen children: seven boys, including Mattin from the kitchens, and eight girls, including Nicolette from Pompeia's suite.

He had often made use of the children before when he had need to collect supplies from various merchants around the city. He liked to get them out of the palace when he could to give them a chance to experience the world beyond their master's walls, and to get them away from harsh overseers. This excursion would appear a little unusual .. he had far more helpers than was normal, and it was a little late to be venturing into the city on a 'shopping' trip, but no one at the palace had any reason to be suspicious of his intentions and he was a highly trusted member of the Caesar's staff.

He had resolved to tell the children nothing of his plans, believing that if they knew about what he had in mind they would show too much excitement or fear. He had therefore explained to them, as he did to any guard interested enough to ask, that he had received word of a shipment of medical supplies that had arrived down at the docks and needed to be picked up.

When one overly inquisitive soldier had asked, "Why do you need so many brats for the job?" he had been ready with a glib reply.

"It's a large shipment and since all of our adult slaves have their appointed tasks, it's easier for me to take the children than it is for me to chase down overseers to find one willing to release their strong workers."

"What do you need the stick for?" growled the soldier pointing to the staff with his chin.

"There's a large box that's got to be collected. Two of the lads can carry it back between them if they sling it on this pole," Patroclese explained.

The reply had been a grunt and an admonishment not to be too late in getting back, "It'll be dark very soon and shepherding those brats in the city won't be an easy task. Do you want a couple of guards to go with you?"

Patroclese had smiled easily although his heart beat had suddenly felt like a hammer in his chest, "I doubt that any of you fellows will be happy traipsing around the city at this time, at least not with a bunch of slave kids .. no, I thank you for the thought, but the slaves are used to doing this task for me and I've never had a problem with any of them."

"Suit yourself," replied the guard in a bored tone, "Just don't come whining to me if you lose one of them."

The healer forced a natural sounding laugh at the prospect and waved a farewell, ushering the children before him encouraging them with, "Come on, the quicker we get to that merchant ship, the quicker we can get back to our chores here," and received a chorus of good natured groans in return.

Once away from the imposing palace, the children allowed their exuberance to come to the fore. All of them loved the chance to do work for Patroclese. The healer was never stern or harsh with them and frequently allowed extra time on outings, such as this, for the young slaves to let off steam and enjoy the tenuous feel of freedom from their bondage. On many occasions he had used his own coin to buy sweetmeats as a rare treat for them and had earned their trust, respect and love as no one else in Caesar's household could.

With the youngest of the slave children laughing and singing as they skipped along under the more watchful eyes of the older members of the group, Patroclese patiently ushered his charges down to the docks where he was fully aware that the ship, that the Amazons had arrived on, lay berthed.

He took a far more direct route than the one Autolycus had selected .. after all his business was legitimate, but due to the length of time it had taken to gather his 'helpers' and because he had no wish to hurry them and make this seem like anything other than a normal, if late, trip out, it was in fact well after darkness had fallen that they finally reached the ship he sought.

After his initial fright at the rather pointed greeting he had received, Autolycus realised he recognised the voice that went with the knife at his throat and responded with only a slight shakiness to his words, "Cut that out .. it's me, Nebula."

"Tempting proposition," came the reply and the knife seemed to tighten at his exposed throat, "Especially as I'm Nebula, so you can't be .. that makes you, along with being a liar, either a stowaway, a Roman spy ... or a thief."

Autolycus knew that she had deliberately misunderstood his previous words so as to prolong her fun at his expense, "C'mon Nebula we don't really have time for silly games," he entreated, swallowing hard as the knife continued to press against him and wondering how Iolaus ever managed to put up with the woman's harassment.

"Oh, I don't know about that, lover," she breathed huskily into his ear, "it's going to be some while before the others get here, and I'm certain I can have some fun with my captured Roman spy."

The King of Thieves resisted the temptation to squeak as he answered, "I'm not a Roman."

"Well that must mean you're a stowaway," she retorted with a chuckle and I have very special ways of dealing with those."

"Damn it Nebula!" he swore, beginning to lose his temper despite the close proximity of the knife. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable on his knees before her, and just knew there were a bevy of Amazons close by who were probably stuffing fists down their throats to stop themselves howling with laughter at his predicament.

"So if you're not a stowaway .. and you're not a spy," she said slowly as she drew the sharp blade over his exposed flesh, making him close his eyes and pray she had a steady hand, "that must mean you're a thief!" she growled, "and I hang thieves on principle!"

"Sheesh, Nebula! Cut me some slack here. I've just finished retrieving some goods from Caesar's palace .. at no little danger to myself, I might point out .. so I can do without the warlord/captive routine. Now are you going to let me up?"

"I just knew you were a thief," laughed the pirate captain, "Condemned from your own mouth and bound to swing from my yardarm."

"Nebula!" complained Autolycus in mortification as the Amazons finally couldn't hold in their laughter any longer.

"Oh, c'mon Autolycus," grinned Nebula as she finally let the thief up, "It was only a bit of fun."

"For you maybe," grumbled the butt of her joke. "But you weren't the one with a knife at your throat," he grimaced running a hand over his offended flesh in an unconscious act to check if it was still whole.

The pirate's grin just widened as she slapped him on the shoulder and demanded, "So just what have you been up to you thief?"

"Well I just went and collected some things that Xe..." he began but was interrupted by a shout from shore just as he registered the babble of childish voices.

"Hello the deck," called a voice that Autolycus thought he recognised, but wasn't sure just from where."

Nebula stepped over to the rails and called down, "Yes? What can I do for you?"

Patroclese glanced cautiously around him, knowing full well that there was likely to be at least one observer in the area, "Can we come aboard? I'd appreciate speaking to the captain without having to shout myself hoarse."

Nebula thought carefully about the situation. The man obviously didn't want to shout his message so that just anyone could hear what he had to say, and he hardly looked threatening, - At least not with a bunch of kids with him, he doesn't, - she decided, "Alright .. you can come ahead .. but leave the kids down there. I don't need my decks messed up by them." What she really didn't want was to have to keep track of a bunch of inquisitive children.

Patroclese nodded and gave a few quiet instructions to Mattin. As he watched, Autolycus finally remembered that the young man he was watching was the same one that had accosted him in Caesar's palace earlier that evening. As he watched the young man quickly scrambling up the gangplank, he leaned over to Nebula and whispered, "He was in Caesar's palace earlier. He wanted to know what I was doing there."

"What did you tell him," she asked quietly.

"That I was delivering a message," he answered, and in truth he had been. Just not one that Caesar would have wanted.

"Lets see what he has to say," the captain, suggested as the blonde man was conducted towards her by an Amazon escort, "That can't do any harm." She turned her attention to the visitor, "I'm the captain of 'Wave Dancer'. What can I do for you?"

"My name is Patroclese," he began and saw the immediate stiffening of Nebula's posture, and saw the Amazons reaching for their weapons, why they hadn't recognised him he didn't know. He presumed it was bad light, or maybe no one had taken much notice of him at Themiscyra, "I see you've heard of me," he commented with wry self-deprecation.

"We have," growled a belligerent Autolycus, from behind the pirate captain's shoulder.

"Ah yes," the healer quirked a grim smile, "I'm sorry we didn't introduce ourselves earlier, Autolycus. Is the lovely captain the girlfriend you were referring to earlier?" He asked politely, seeing an amused look appear on Nebula's face and a chagrined one on the thief's. He hefted the staff in his and a little before passing it to the thief, "You forgot this when you collected Xena's possessions," he informed him, "It's Gabrielle's."

"Just what is it you want here?" demanded Nebula.

Taking a quick look around at the scowling Amazon crew members who were scattered close by watching proceedings with interest, Patroclese took a deep breath and told her, "I know what you're planning. I know you intend to break Xena loose tonight."

He was met by a cold silence, "Just what makes you THINK that?" questioned the dark sailor with quiet menace.

"Because I know the ties that she has to the Amazons .. through Gabrielle being Queen and Ephiny and many others being her friends," he told them, aware that he was in real danger, especially as he recognised the threatening movements from the lurking Amazons, the tenseness of the ship's captain and the King of Thieves. "I never told Caesar what I knew," he hurriedly put in, "but with Autolycus taking Xena's things tonight, and there was a strange feeling of .. expectation," he tried to explain what he had sensed, "around Xena. I knew that you would try to take her from Rome tonight."

"Why should we believe anything you say?" insisted Nebula coldly, "everyone here knows that you've already betrayed our friends once. how do we know that you're not playing your master's game again," she almost spat the words out with contempt.

"Because there'd be a legion swarming this area. Do you honestly think that Caesar would risk any of you getting away if he was aware of what was going on?" the healer asked plaintively, "All other considerations aside, he would have made certain that there was no ship ready and waiting to get Xena out of Rome should she manage to get away from his guards."

"He has a point there," muttered Autolycus.

Nebula considered for a moment, "Do you think you could slip off the ship and scout the around to see if any soldiers have slipped into the area behind you?" she asked the thief.

"Please!" he answered, a note of disgust in his tone.

"Don't get caught," the pirate admonished as she watched Autolycus retrace his steps and exit the way he had come aboard earlier. She noted that he didn't even bother to respond to her quip .. unless you could call an outraged groan a response. Grinning to herself, Nebula turned back to the healer, "What's with all the kids?" she nodded her head to the slave children waiting patiently on the docks.

"I found out that Caesar had ordered that many of them would be crucified if Xena should successfully escape at any time. He's been having them flogged for any transgressions in Xena's behaviour and I know he'll kill them, purely because he knows it will hurt her."

"Does Xena know about this?" asked the seawoman, her tone hard.

"I told her a few days ago." Patroclese swallowed, his throat tense and dry, "Look, I can't stand by and watch innocent children die a horrible death. You've got to take them with you when you leave or Caesar will kill them."

"When did your stomach develop this tendency towards delicateness? It seems to me you weren't so compassionate when you were involved in the capture of the warrior and the bard," snarled Nebula.

The healer drew a deep breath, "Look," he said, "I was wrong. All I knew were the harrowing tales of a demon in the form of a woman who was hungry to slaughter anyone who stood in her path. At the time it seemed that I was doing the world a favour. I thought that removing one more blood thirsty warrior was a good thing."

"How did you justify the bard to yourself?" asked the pirate her voice laced with heavy sarcasm, "Let me guess. Gabrielle was Xena's friend so she must have been as tainted by blood as the warlord?"

"Essentially yes," agreed Patroclese. "But when I met them and began to get to know them I started having doubts."

"Not enough to abandon your master's plan, though," sneered Nebula.

"No," agreed the young man honestly. "I have served Caesar all my life. I have never before even thought about going against his orders."

"So why now? Just because of a bunch of slave children?"

"They are a big part of it," he conceded. "They have done nothing to deserve such a grisly fate other than being slaves. Xena on the other hand has earned her execution many times over, and even Gabrielle .. for collaborating with the Warrior Princess, could justly be considered to have earned being crucified under Roman law." He paused before saying, "But ...." and drifting into uneasy silence.

"But?" prompted the captain.

Shaking his head slightly Patroclese continued, "But both Xena and Gabrielle have earned my admiration and respect .. particularly Xena who I have spent a lot of time with over the past three moons. I have tried hard not to think this, but I can't help believing that both of them deserve better than what Caesar has planned for them."

"So you're turning traitor?"

He gave the barest nod and confirmed softly, "I suppose that is what I am doing .. yes." A rather haunted look appeared in his eyes as he looked down at the children, "Just take them with you. I know Xena won't leave without them .. she wouldn't abandon innocents to suffer in her place. I'll return to my lord's palace and await my just punishment."

Nebula frowned at the young man ready to sacrifice himself for his ideals. She began to speak, but stilled her voice when she recognised the thief's return once more, "Well?" she demanded curtly.

"Unless Caesar's soldiers have learnt how to make themselves totally invisible, he's telling the truth."

Nodding as if it was no more than she expected, she turned back to Patroclese and told him, "Bring them on board, but don't you go anywhere. I want to see what the others say before I let you run back to your master." She flicked her eyes at a couple of the Amazons to accompany him, not yet willing to trust the healer. "What do you think?" she asked Autolycus as they watched him move down to the dock and gather together the band of slave children.

"Gabrielle thinks he has a good heart," responded the thief.

Nebula gave him a long look, "That's not what I asked."

Autolycus gave the healer an appraising look before allowing his eyes to sweep over the kids as they scrambled up the gangplank, "I think that if Caesar has indeed threatened the lives of some or all of those children, nothing will make Xena leave Rome without them." He sighed, "All we can do is keep them here until the others arrive. If we get them below and feed them, the Amazons can keep an eye on them." He thought for a moment, "We could also send a message to Ephiny to let her know about this turn of events."

The pirate nodded her agreement, "That matches my thinking on it .. so you're not just a pretty face," she smiled assessingly.

Autolycus returned her predatory look with a roguish grin, "As Xena would say .. I have many skills."