{Legate Varo}
It has been 2 weeks of travel and fuck I can't stand it. These slave are testing me, I have never gone so long without putting a slave in her place but these 7, it's as if they want me to take them. They watch me constantly as if they are judging me. If they didn't belong to the Cult of Mars I would have made them mine 13 days ago. No they belong to mars I can't think this way. By Mars this is hard every day desire stirs and it is delicious whatever my test is this trip is teaching me much, perhaps abstinence is more delicious than taking what I want when I want it. If I could use this in Mexico. Tease one of the tribes as these slaves tease me then they would become excited and slip up allowing me to take them with less effort and if I could perfect this technique then I could take more tribes at once with the same amount of troops. God I have been thinking more about strategy on this trip than I think I ever have before.
Oh for Mar's sake.
"Are you ok slave?" "No my L-Legate. I believe I have twisted my ankle."
They are really trying my patience. But this slave she has actually twisted her ankle. She won't be able to walk the rest of the trip and the others are to weak to carry her. Usually she would be forced to walk or executed but I cannot risk the eir of the Cult of Mars. I remove my chestplate and hand it to one of the slaves. I hoist her onto my back and undo my belt reattaching it around my chest so she can hold on to it.
"How long until flagstaff slave?" "Half a day my Legate." "Then let's get on with it.
I stop when we are just out of sight of flagstaff. I put the slave down and put my chestplate back on. She winces as she puts weight on her ankle.
"You help her."
One of the slaves supports her as we approach Flagstaff. The walls are wood secured into a concrete base. Dogs and Legionaries patrol the ground around the wall. As we approach the gate two veterans step forward raising rifles.
"State name, rank and business."
I don't remember security being so tight last time.
"I am Legate Varo, I was summoned by Kaiser himself. Who are you to question me?" "By Kaisar's will we are to guard the gate, we are ordered to ensure the identity of anyone entering. Who are the slaves."
I am about to answer when the oldest slave steps forward and bows her head.
"I did not ask you slave."
The Veteran next to him leant over and whispers in his ear. He nods then says.
"You may enter my Legate I apologise for the questions."
I stride past guards and into flagstaff. It seems to have changed a bit. We walk past a field where two prime legionaries stride between rows of men dressed in rags who are doing pushups. A recruit Decanus stands at the front shouting orders. As we continue down the road to our left is a kiln where members of the Cult Vulcan are firing bricks on mass. We reach the centre of the city and their are members of the cult Vulcan constructing 4 large metal hooves. Finally we approach Kaiser's villa and two veteran legionaries approach.
"The mighty Kaiser awaits you inside my legate."
I nod and we pass through the gate and into the garden which is cast into shade by rows of fig trees which are being carefully tended to by slaves. Finally we enter the foyer of the villa and a slave leads us into the dining room. The slaves that accompany me line up facing a side door. I'm not sure what to do when the door is pushed open and two praetorians walk through they inspect the slaves one by one having them strip finally they have inspected every one and vanish back through the door. A minute later the door opens again and Kaiser enters.
"He has not laid a hand upon you?" "No mighty Kaiser." "What if your ankle girl?" "I twisted it half a day ago. The legate carried me upon his back until we were almost within sight of the gates." "Very well. You are dismissed."
The slaves grab their rags and walk out into the foyer and then left through a door out of sight.
"I assume you surmised that this was a test Varo. You have passed. I hope you have learned much from the experience." "Yes my Kaiser."
I have learned much indeed.
"Very well. I have decided that since we will be facing new threats the legion must adapt as such I have reformed our military structure. The Cult Vulcan will explain it in more depth but you will enact these reforms and prepare your forces for the new equipment. You will also provide 15% of your forces to assist the Cult Vulcan in constructing their new production facilities." "Yes my Kaiser." "I am pleased you passed the test as a reward you are permitted to design your new armour discuss it with the Cult of Vulcan once they are done explaining the reforms."
He stands smiles then exits his Praetorians following him. I release the breath I was holding, I passed and Kaiser rewarded me personally. It's such an honour and something I will earn again.
A man in brown robes enters.
"Legate Varo?" "Speak." "We are ready to explain the reform."
I follow him into a large room, it is slanted with tiered seating and a large patch of white on the wall the seating is facing. More people in brown robes approach an array of white boards and papers and gesture me over, once I am in place they start talking.
They have been speaking for 3 hours, my head is killing me.
"My legate I believe you have been granted the honour of designing your new armour set?"
Finally.
"Yes. I have not been informed of what this armour will be made of."
Someone rolls out a set of Combat armour.
"So this will be the base, next we will layer segments of steel over this. We will enhance the pauldrons and neck area to prevent blows from penetrating it. We are thinking on a steel strip skirt to protect the legs. Do you have any specifications or pieces of armour you wish to include in your armour?" "I want to look like a bull." "My legate?" "The helmet I wish for my helmet to be that of the bull."
{Legate Augusta}
Why, why did I collect so many Trophies. I have 3 bags of trophies and every step all I can think about is how breakable they are. Fuck, my punishment for defying Kaiser is to feel the weight of my sins in every step. I suppose it is beautiful in a way, I wonder if he will have me destroy them. A tear falls at my feet. He left me nothing of my past and he will destroy what I have claimed as he claimed me. 3 months I held out against the advance of the legion and I fell upon my own hubris. No I cannot think on it, I have spent a decade burying the Makani. I have purged their reminants wherever I found them, I burned my former wife when I found her. I am no longer King Thamas More. NO I am Legate Augusta entrusted with the subjugation and elimination of tribal identity, none may stand where I walk all who are not the legion will kneel. That is my purpose, I will not lose it all now If I must burn these then I will because If I don't then what was the point of surrendering.
"State, Name, Rank and Business." "What."
I look up through the sweat stinging my eyes. I hadn't noticed that I had arrived. I force myself as straight as I can under their weight of my trophies.
"I am Legate Augusta, my rank is Legate and I have been summoned by Kaiser. You would do well to be more understanding of your rank when addressing your superiors." "My apologies my Legate you may pass."
I continue my staggering trek through flagstaff passing 4 hooved legs in the town square and finally approaching Kaiser's villa they let me through the gates and finally into shade. I was let into the foyer and into the dining room where I carefully set my bags down and slumped into a chair hastily pulled out by a slave. Just as I am finally resting, a door opens and Caesar enters. I leap to my feet, as he walks across the room and sits, he then holds out a hand and a Frumentari who has been hiding in the shadows steps forward and hands him a skull which he places on the table.
"I told you to bring All your trophies so why was this left behind."
I stare at the skull, I can see the missing tooth and crack from where I stuck her as she hung on the cross. I can see the crack in the eye socket and the depression in the skull.
"I do not consider that a trophy my Kaiser." "You don't?"
He stares at me blankly.
"You do not consider the skull of your daughter a trophy? Why I seem to remember that it was reported to me that you hung her on a cross carved symbols into her skin and questioned her hitting her when she didn't tell you."
He runs his finger over the damage.
"Now why would you prepare her body in a ritualistic manner if not to keep as a trophy." "Funerary Rite." "Pardon." "I was performing a funerary rite until she started calling me a coward then I struck her."
He contemplates the skull.
"Destroy it." "Huh" "Destroy the skull and I will forgive you not bringing it."
He stands and carries the skull over to me.
"For 10 years you have worked to destroy your past. Yes I knew, I trusted you to complete your work and you have. But the man you once were is dead. You are Legate Augusta, favoured by Kaiser. This skull is all that remains of your past so set yourself free."
He is correct. He killed killed King More over a decade ago and with this my past will be gone. I take the skull and hold it. I look into Kaisers calm eyes as I crush the skull. It shatters and as the wreckage of it falls to the ground my blood drips onto it. Kaiser smiles, it doesn't reach his eyes.
"The past is gone Augusta. Your reward for carrying all your trophies to me is this."
A member of the Cult of Vulcan enters slowly in his hands is a long bundle. He reverently lays it on the table before Kaiser and slips back out the room. Kaiser unpeels the bundle to reveal a sword. It's long and blocky with Latin inscription along it. The edge is like that of a chainsaw inset in a shiny black boarder.
"I had the Cult Vulcan tear apart several Rippers to make this. It's a legion steel case on a ripper mechanism with obsidian edge. Set it slow for wounding, fast for killing and off if you want it to hurt. The obsidian is segmented so you can easily replace them when they chip. The inscription says, 'Legate Augusta the King who impressed Kaiser'"
I reach out and grasp the handle. It's heavy and unbalanced. I grip the trigger and the saw bursts to life. I lay it back down and throw myself to my knees the ruins of the skull digging into my knees but no pain comes.
"Thank you my kaiser I am unworthy of such a gift."
He grasps my chin and forces my face up.
"You are my Legate, chosen by me to subjugate the tribes of Mexico if you weren't worthy of my favour then you aren't worthy of your position and I do not make mistakes." "Yes mighty Kaiser." "You are to speak with the Cult of Vulcan about the military reforms and then you will be sled how you wish your new armour to appear. You have my permission to wear your trophies upon your armour as long as they do not show a former tribe." "Thank you my Kaiser."
{Legate Lanius}
I have found it finally. The beast has been elusive, it's as if it knows that it is being hunted. I have never personally hunted one before but I have lost enough men to that they are« not to be underestimated. I never thought I would enjoy the hunt so much and planning this has been such fun. Finally it is in place. I grasp the spear of rebar and throw it. It crashes into the weakened supports and the floor collapses beneath it. I grasp two more spears of rebar and run to the hole. It is dazed lay in the rubble. I jump my spears held parallel to me. It manages to swipe at me but I put my force behind a spear and thrust. It pierces the beasts skin between the scales and stabs into its elbow. The creatures clawed fit host me sending me crashing into a different support. I skit across the floor the horns on my shoulders digging into the concrete slowing me to a stop. It bursts to its feet and tears the rebar from its elbow blood dripping. That arm is damaged causing a slight delay to movement but that will be compensated for by its fighting will. I firm my grasp on the other spear, which had landed near me, and hurl it at the beast. It moves its hand to intercept but roars as the sharpened point digs between its scales. It flings it free and charges. I dive sideways and slip through a hole into the level below. I catch some rebar and swing myself to land on my feet, I roll as it roars and runs round to the ramp to descend. I stalk sideways to a car that has wheels. And as it approaches the bottom of the ramp I kick the car leaps forward and straight into its knees causing it to fall. I grab the spear I left next to the car and rush it I manage to slam the spear into its neck and as I dive backwards it rips the spear out the barbed head ripping the flesh and allowing a spray of blood. I run as it runs after me. I am just about to reach the hole I need to get to the next level when it's swipe catches me and it grasps me. One arm is trapped between its fingers and the other is trapped at my side. As it raises me to its face, big mistake I slam my head into its snout. The blade cuts into the unprotected skin causing it to scream. I tear the blade from my helmet and shove it into its mouth, it splutters as the blade digs into its mouth. I slam my fist into its face and shove my fingers into its eyes popping them. It releases me, I fall over a metre and fall to one side my ankle giving out. I limp over to the hole and stare through. Below is the next trap I had prepared, I dislike having to pick at it but even I cannot fight it one to one.
"No, NO!"
I stand tearing my chest plate off it lunges at my voice using my chest plate to absorb the force of its claws. As I cast it aside I swing catching it in the side of the head. It screeches, its left eye reforming.
"Ha, you just made this more fun. I headbut it again it swings but it's tired, it's claw is still fast but not nearly as fast. I kick down on its claw and flip over its head landing on its shoulder. I reach round and pull the blade from its mouth. I stab it again and again into its back before it jumps trying to slam me into the ceiling. I dive to the side and land badly the blade slicing across my side. I've survived worse. It turns it's elbow has healed. I can't beat it bare handed, not as Kaiser asked of me but I will beat it with only what he has provided to me. I remove my helmet, his gift to me will be my weapon. I launch forward meeting its charge, I hook its shoulder and drive my helmet into its face. A pull back and slam the horn into its ruined eye. It hits me sending me slamming into the ceiling and snapping my helmet off at the base of the horn. I slam down on my stomach. I look up at it. It's in clear pain, it's massive claws unable to pick the horn from its eye. If I can just hit the horn in further it will die. I stand and it's remaining eye locks on me. I pick my helmet up and place it back in my head. It rears fully up and roars. We both charge at each other at once. I duck its first swipe and use its second to launch myself I grab its face and slam my fist into its throat pulling it free just before it could bite down. As it chokes I slam my fist into the back of my horn driving it deep into its skull. I was thrown free as it spasmed. I landed hard again my pain quickly fading as it always did. As I approached it I felt my flesh knit back together the claw marks across my back sealing as I finally had time to let myself heal. It drags itself towards me its strength fading as the horn worked its way deeper with each spasm. I place my boot on its head and push it to the floor.
"I AM DONE. LOAD THE BODY I MAKE FOR FLAGSTAFF!"
My legionaries rush into the structure dragging a wheeled cart. They force the body onto the cart and drag it out of the structure I pick up my ruined chestplate and examine the damage. I walk out to see my waiting chariot. The cart is attached to it, I climb aboard and grasp the reins with a twist of a dial and a quick rev I take off.
It takes me only 3 days to reach Flagstaff. As I approach two veterans step forward, pause and rush to open the gate. My chariot clips the gate as it passes through and rushes towards the centre of the city. I quickly pass what appears to be a steel headless bull. Finally I approach Kaiser's villa and pull to a stop. I kick the beast's corpse from the cart and grab its arm. I am just dragging it towards the gate when I look up to see Praetorians approaching. The gate fully opens to reveal Kaiser. He slowly walks towards me and examines me.
"You took a beating Lanius." "I did my Kaiser."
He circles me and the corpse. He crouches and examines its ruined eye.
"You killed it with the horn of your helmet?" "Yes my Kaiser. I wore it down with minor wounds and then fought it hand to hand when the fight was more manageable." "You wounded it? With what?" "Several lengths of rebar and the blade and horn of my helmet." "Good. I am pleased by your performance Lanius. In fact I have something for you."
He approaches me and raises an eyebrow. I drop to my knees and he stares into my eyes. Then he leans close.
"I said unarmed."
There is a thump and I am thrown backward crashing into my chariot. He lets the fist encased in the displacer gauntlet drop as he approaches.
"Get up."
I pull myself from the wreckage of my chariot and walk towards him. He grabs the beard of my helmet and uses it to pull me low enough to get a grip on my remaining horn and then forces me into an awkward bowing position.
"I am impressed you killed a deathclaw however so I will not punish you for your use of rebar spears. Now kneel."
I drop to my knees again as he stares at me coldly.
"You pr armour is destroyed. I will have a new set forged, after what you did to your helmet it will need to be repaired. Since you used your horns to kill a deathclaw I will have them replaced with the horns of the deathclaw."
He walks around me and picks at my cape.
"Ruined. You shall have a new cape." "What off my Kaiser."
He smirks at me.
"The skin of that which you slayed my legate. May it protect you better than it did its owner."
I look at the corpse then back to him.
"You are to meet with the Cult of Vulcan they will explain the military reforms with you."
I nod and rise.
"Lanius." "Yes my Kaiser." "I approve of your ingenuity when fighting the deathclaw. May it serve you well."
{The Malpais Legate}
"I did not expect it to be so difficult." "That's why I gave it to you. Tell me what you did to punish those rebels without breaking the rules?" "I had the rebels place those marked for death hunt their marked comrades down and kill them to earn forgiveness. Any who failed to kill a marked individual was branded as a traitor." "And when their families turned against you for your cruelty?" "I distributed the wealth seized from the marked." "Did it help?" "No. They were still angry."
He leans back and sips his drink, he calls it a hot chocolate, I'm not sure if it's some pre war drink he found or if he came up with it himself.
"So you were exceedingly cruel to the population and they pushed back?" "Yes." "How did you fix it?" "I remembered how Augusta breaks tribals. He has them work, they work and work and work until they are to tired to think, to tired to hate and to tired to resist." "What did you have them do?" "I had the docks restored and restored the industrial district. I hired everyone available to work, I set long hours and had my legionaries assist them, for weeks they worked and quickly the resistance faded." "I was wondering why our coffers were looking a bit lite."
I glare at him.
"By the time the time limit was over there was no resistance in Pheonix and there production has been expanded." "So you not only completed my task but also relieved the pressure on the forges. Impressive."
He sips his drink.
"I wish for you to begin the Mojave campaign. Once the foothold is assured you will move north. I wish for you to conquer New Canaan before a different faction burns it to the ground. The Mojave campaign will begin in 3 years. We need time to enact the reforms and let them settle once they have settled we will be ready to begin."
I look at him. It has always been my goal to return to New Canaan with the legion and finally bring a force capable of protecting it.
"Thank you."
He reaches onto a chair and pulls out a book and slides it over to me. I pick it up. It's a bible, I never had a pre war bible, I only had the transcribed copy given to my by Father Harold.
"Scouts found it in a church in Texas. It was going to be burned but I had it brought to me by a Fruemtari." "Thank you Edward."