Tiberius Gallus half listened as the Princeps Senatus berated a back bencher for some breach of parlimentary etiquette. Taking advantage of the lull, he turned once more to his colleague, Vitulus. "Quintus Flaminius, I noticed that you signed up for the defense in that wrongful crucifixion case. I noticed the similarities in the name...is he a client of yours? I've sent my man Casca down to sign me up for the prosecution. Didn't think you'd mind another chance to bump heads in court."
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Meanwhile, down at the Praetor's office...
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The clerk was annoyed. The clerk was in a foul mood. This came as a surprise to nobody in the office, of course, but the his mood was even fouler than usual. Damn purple striped togas! He was an officer of the court, after all, and deserved some respect.

He looked up to see a scruffy brute of a man standing before him, arms crossed. A low-bred ruffian by the looks of him. Well, this fellow was certainly no senator! The clerk was determined to restore his personal sense of dignity by being brusque with this nobody.

"Well? What on earth do you want? If you can manage to put together a rational sentence in passable Latin, state your business, and make it snappy!"

The man said nothing as he continued to regard the clerk, but a smile spread gradually across the stranger's face.

"Look, you! I haven't got all day! What?! Well, you miserable brute..? OUT WITH IT, MAN!!"

"Well, now, Sunshine! Ain't we all high an' mighty, lookin down our nose at the customers today? I thinks this interview would go better if we was talkin' face-to-face, like."

The clerk had never seen a man move as swiftly as Pullio Casca did that afternoon. With one fluid movement, the centurion moved to the clerk's side of the table and with two fingers hooked under his jaw, easily hoisted the clerk to a standing position. The clerk had no choice; the pain was exquisite, and he had to stand to relieve the unbearable pressure under his chin. His face was now just inches away from the horrible visage staring at him, still smiling.

"Ah, now, inn't that better? All man-to-man an' civil-like! I understands there be a case where a slave wert nailed up by a man what weren't his owner, issat true?"

The terrified clerk tried to reply in the affirmative, but all he could manage was an articulated gurgle.

"Now we're gettin' somewhere!" Casca replied, beaming. He relaxed his grip on the clerk a little, and with his free hand, slid the clerk's wax tablet and stylus over to him. "Now, my good fellow, wouldya be so kind as to puts down the name o' Tiberius Gallus fer the prosekyooshun in this 'ere case? Turns out tha' he and the defense advocate is both Tribunes-like...they're even chums of a sort, so they are! They likes to spar with words, so they likes to try cases against each o' the other. Now me, on the other hand," Casca now took the steel stylus and traced a delicate line down the left side of the clerk's face. "Me, on the other hand, I kinda likes to do my sparrin' with a good piece o' Roman steel. Words is too...gentle fer a man o' my particular persuasions. Does ya' takes my meanin', kind sir?"

Casca released the terrified clerk, who appeared to get his meaning only too well. Still maintaining his pleasant smile, Casca looked over the clerk's shoulder as he took down the information. "Tha's Gallus with a 'G.' There we go, logged in all pretty an' proper, like."

Pullio Casca took a step backward, and bowed with a flourish. "A true pleasure doin' business wi' ya, my good fellow. I'll stop by and see you agin...real soon, alright Sunshine?"

The clerk managed a weak nod.
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Tiberius Gallus signs up as Advocate for the Prosecution in the wrongful crucifixion case of Balbus v. Vitulus