Before the Legion would descend on the Mojave, Gaius and other agents of Caesar wanted to eliminate any enemies possible before they cross the Colorado. Most of Caesar's frumentarii killed a lone ranger or burned a small farm but Gaius had larger plans in store for the Legion. He would not make do with such small acts of war. He communicated on a radio to inform Caesar of a new plan that was being formed but first he needed an army.
Gaius strode into the blood red tent of Caesar on Fortification Hill wearing his battle armor. He wore a uniform of a Legion explorer coupled with a jacket he earned in the Divide. As he walked the heads of many of the NCR profligates were slung on his belt and bounced with every step. Caesar was now cured of his tumor and sat up straight with pride and relief from the pain "What is it you want Gaius?"
"He bowed low and spoke with his odd accent that sounded strange and varied with every word he spoke "My lord Caesar with the Legion building up for Hoover Dam I believe that if we break more NCR positions before the battle, Hoover Dam will be all alone with no support cut off from their forces that have no hope. Not to overuse the symbol but they will be a bleeding bear that lost one of its heads. I and two contubernium of my explorers already took care of Camp Golf and many of the Rangers stationed there, hence Hanlon's head on my belt." He pointed to the head of the old warrior who Caesar respected and had Gaius not killed may have let him live. But it was no matter and Caesar leaned forward as the black fur of the Yao gaui pelt brushed against his neck "What did you have in mind surely McCarran is too fortified even for you. You may have burned Forlorn Hope but McCarran is their second most fortified base."
Gaius leaned his head down and laughed "That is the exact location I was thinking of. It is now more isolated with the destruction of Forlorn Hope by my forces, the Great Khans have burned the western roads and Bitter Springs is ours. We have more stable outpost in the Mojave then the NCR does and once we rid ourselves of McCarran we will surely have paved the way to victory at the Dam." Gaius would take any opportunity available to win the war using any ally that would side with them including profligates and degenerates. If a weapon was there why not use it.
"Thank you I appreciate your understanding of our views I have given you three contubernium of Legionaries and I see somehow you also have two contubernium of my explorers to command and another honor is to be bestowed upon you, because of your victories I give you the title of Military Tribune, a title I created recently since there are too many centurions and too few Legates and nothing in between those ranks. Anyway Tribune I give you one full Cohort coupled with a force of one hundred white legs who have come down before the rest of Canaan is occupied to show their support and since the Great Khans are your tribe you can command them as you wish. What is your plan?"
"Apologies Mighty Caesar but even with all of these trusted men here I wish to keep my plans secret until they are unleashed I do not want to ruin the surprise." Caesar became slightly annoyed, anyone else may have been flogged but the man who was becoming his greatest soldier and symbol would stay unharmed. "Very well I want a Holodisk of the battle as least. I will give you this because of the many feats you have achieved for us. You already proven yourself as a military commander, Legatus Lanius is the hammer to smash the NCR but you are the tip of our javelin thrust into the stomach of the Mojave and you will make them bleed as Lanius crushes their skull. Now go and may Mars protect you."
"Gaius bowed his head and Lucius came forward with something under a red cloak. "As Tribune you will be given a new helmet and medals along with more power and responsibilities." He pulled away the cloth and showed a former NCR ranger helmet that was painted red and gold with the symbol of the Legion on it. "Use the symbol of NCR control against them Amicus and wear this symbol with pride." Lucius gave an encouraging smile to his friend and fellow warrior as he gave him a medal idolized with a bear pelt on it and spoke "In memory of your victories at Forlorn Hope, Camp Golf, and several of the Ranger Stations we give you this."
Gaius was honored and bowed his head "Thank you Lucius, Caesar I will not fail you." Caesar pointed his finger as his soldier "See that you don't the Legion does not tolerate failure as you are well aware." Both looked at his pistol that came from Zion and Gaius nodded again as he pulled down the explorer hood and placed the Ranger helmet on his head. "True to Caesar." He walked out of the Fort back to the Great Khan village in Red Rock Canyon. The road would be long to return but by the time of his return he would have the full plan ready.
He stood at the gates of Fortification Hill and waited for his cohort. As the sun set and several boats were put into the docks he turned and saw a force of Legionaries of all three main ranks led by eight Decanii and a man he recognized at its front. Dead Sea rushed forward and saluted, he was wearing heavy Centurion armor and did not seem pleased with the weight "Even though the mighty Cesar gave me the rank of Centurion to fight for you I am not yet comfortable fighting in it." Gaius could understand and preferred to be light on his feet without the loud clanking of Dead Sea's armor.
"I am glad you are here Amicus." They both put out their hands and shook. "I will speak to the soldiers before we leave." Dead Sea nodded and Gaius stepped forward "Soldiers I am sure many of you know me, of those who do not I am Gaius, I am the weapon of Caesar in the Mojave, we are about to plan the most ambitious attack since the First Battle of the Hoover Dam and this time we will not fail." His soldiers cheered and they embarked on the dozens of boats that crossed the Colorado close to Dead Sea's old encampment of Nelson. Lucullus led the raft Gaius was on and he spoke "It is odd to think that I only saw you as a profligate when I first met you now you are more of an influence in the Legion than some who were raised in it."
"Once we win Lucullus I want us to make a Navy you can lead." Lucullus leaned on his oar and smiled like a child "That would be nice I heard of giant iron hulks that can destroy cities with their firepower."
As the boats floated silently across the river Gaius smiled to himself knowing that even if he did not have Caesar's approval he would have gone ahead with the plan and had been gathering the forces at the village for a week before he was authorized but this time he had an entire cohort with him and comrades ready to fight and die with him. Dead Sea was a trusted friend and ally since the Battle of Forlorn Hope and he would repay his friend Gaius for not fighting in the raid. Dead Sea was actually joking when he told Gaius to take Forlorn Hope but later that day when he came back with a dozen Ranger and Officer heads he was awestruck. Papa Khan for his loyalty and ferocity was given the honor of commanding the Tenth contubernium and several other Legion and Khans being given command.
"Before they reached the village Gaius stopped the legionaries who were not even tired from their long march across the Mojave that took two days under a burning sun "Soldiers of Caesar I understand that you see all others as profligates. DO not think that with the Great Khans and the White Legs who are coming they stood against the NCR by themselves for decades and even after a massacre at Bitter Springs still stand, they are as dangerous and willing to fight and die for the cause as you are. The White Legs and I took New Canaan and Zion Valley. Respect them or you will lose mine."
Dead Sea stepped forward in his new metal armor that clanked "I have seen them fight before, a group of three Khans with repeaters took one a platoon of nine NCR soldiers with carbines and killed them all. They are brave men."
"And women" They turned and saw Melissa one of the best warriors the Great Khans had to offer. She was wearing the traditional vest of the Khans and carried a hunting rifle on her back. Her wild hair shot out on both sides of her head and to the conservative haircuts of the Legion save a few Mohawks it seemed to be from an entirely different culture. Gaius did not tell her about how her father died only that Deathclaws made it further down the highway and he would not see her again. He still felt guilty for not realizing that a pack of Deathclaws were outside the Quarry when he Cass, Ed-e and a squad of mercenaries attacked them. Of course the mercenaries were bait but Chomps was not supposed to be there with a grenade launcher and firing it at the Alpha. His daughter clearly took his courage and held her head high.
"Gaius smiled "Indeed and women are fighters too, is Papa here?" She nodded "He has gathered the war party for the attack but he is concerned how long it is taking, he wants to kill them all now." Gaius smiled sharing the same hate for the NCR "Understandable his nephew was killed at Bitter Springs." Melissa spat on the ground "The NCR will pay for that."
"Agreed, I am all too happy to create a pile of NCR heads for the lost children that day." Both Gaius and Melissa were surprised by a legionary showed such opinions of sympathy, perhaps shown in an odd way, nevertheless Melissa quickly took a liking to the man. Gaius did not have time for this sudden budding romance "Legion set up your tents and get to know your brothers and sisters in arms Dead Sea come with me I need all of the leaders in Papa Khans longhouse."
"Do not forget us Ouslander." Gaius smiled as one hundred White Legs came running into the Valley. They made up for their lack of technology and clothing with ferocity and dedication only matched by the Khans and Legion. Their leader Foot-On-Throat knelt before the mighty warrior that killed the Burned Man "We are here to serve the Legion and you mighty warrior." Gaius folded his arms and approved of them "Come with me Foot-On-Throat we need to discuss our plans for war.
The legion quickly marched into the canyon and put up their tents in minutes and began to interact with the Khans and White Legs while Gaius, Dead Sea, and Foot-Upon-Throat went to the longhouse. Before they entered all three turned and watched the sun set and illuminate the canyon. Dead Sea marveled at the beautiful red rocks "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" Gaius nodded "Yes Zion Valley where the white legs have come down from, beautiful place once this war is over you should go there." Foot-On-Throat agreed wholeheartedly about his new homeland.
"Perhaps Melissa would want to see it?" Gaius turned to him "You do realize you just met her right?" Dead Sea shrugged "In the legion sometimes when women and men marry they do not even get such an introduction. Anyway we have a war to fight." Gaius showed his teeth behind his helmet in annoyance "Indeed we do, come on." He knew that his relationship with Cass would soon be condemned and was annoyed when others were happy.
"The opened the door and saw Papa Khan laughing and drinking "Ah my heir you have returned to us how soon will we kill the NCR dogs." Dead Sea was disgusted by alcohol it made one weak and lose purpose same as with chems but said nothing out of respect. Foot-On-Throat on the other hand was already reaching for a bottle while Gaius hugged his surrogate father "Papa this is Dead Sea, a man of the legion and my cohort. Foot-On-Throat is another Tribal like you, you would like his people they have the same spirit you do. Have the other leaders arrived yet?"
"He nodded and pointed to a door "They are discussing plans behind that door. GET OUT HERE EVERYONE, GAIUS IS HERE." Gaius was surprised by the shouting and put his hands to his ears as he saw Regis ready for war instead of talking. Raquel ventured out from her safe base for this fight and was excited about being in the outside world and blowing it up.
"Where are the fiends?" Gaius turned to Papa Khan in annoyance and he replied "They sent an emissary and said they did not want to go this far away from their vault but they are ready for the battle." Gaius became irritated but continued forward "Very well Dead Sea do you have the map? Yes? Good thank you everyone sit down."
"They complied and Dead Sea laid a map of New Vegas and McCarran in particular on the table. Gaius began his plan "There is a bridge to the west which practically divides Fiend territory from NCR. Without the First Recon the fiends do not need to be as concerned with as precise of sniper fire and I am sending a force of fifty fiends onto the bridge to attack the barricades. Fifty more will pour out from two stairwells and encircle the barricades. In correct NCR military strategy they will send more soldiers to the walls and other barricades as well as send one to three squads to help relieve the attacked forces. That is when the boomers come in. Raquel how many Boomers are with you now?" She counted in her head "We have thirty here all with missile launchers and our artillery ready to fire." Gaius grinned and grabbed a pen and circled areas of the map. "Good thank you for helping us by the way, I want the artillery to fire at these locations once the battle is joined." He circled the communication tower and several key areas of the walls of the base. "The boomers here will stay on the other side of the bridge and after the artillery is fired rain fire down onto the camp inside the walls. Precise targets do not matter I want it to burn and I have a supply of more advanced missile launchers ready as well, no fat boys we need to move into the base after the war and I do not want it irradiated. After the walls fall and the camp is burning the fiends will continue their advance and after they are either slaughtered or secure the gate and any openings the Great Khans, White Legs and Legion will move in. I want explorers placed on the Del Rey motel and other buildings with a clear site of the camp and after the artillery strike find any soldier and shoot them. I will lead our forces into the fray. I want officers captured once we enter the facility. I need to use the radio."
"They all agreed to their part of the plan and Gaius went to a small room with a HAM radio and called. "Snake in the Grass this is Lobo. Curtis are you there?" A voice echoed on the other side "Yes Gaius I am here are the plans ready?" Gaius grinned ear to ear "Yes how did the sabotage go?"
"Good it is taking a much longer time to send NCR forces to the camp even after they repaired the monorail and with my information fiend packs have attacked several squads and they are more careful now. All together over one hundred soldiers have been killed in the explosion and the attacks and a few paid thugs attacking any that went into Freeside."
"Excellent news, I need you to request a transfer to the NCR Embassy in New Vegas immediately however. The Legion has no more need for espionage in the base anymore, we are going to burn it down." Curtis was silent for several seconds "But this is their largest base besides Hoover Dam how are we going to take it I thought we were just going to strike at it and weaken it?"
""We have friends and the NCR does not. We have numbers and weapons they do not. I am not fully expecting us to kill everyone in the base from what you have said the railway is back up and they will undoubtedly send their most important people back to New Vegas with you going as well. This is the biggest strike of the war save Hoover Dam. They will know we will not fail this time."
"Mars protect us all." Curtis hung up the radio and walked away to prepare for the coming battle