Almost every Legion officer priveliged enough to be given a slave uses them as a release for their carnal urges. Almost every slave can be expected to be used at least once, be they man, woman, black, white, or child - it is a judgement from which there is no appeal and a punishment from which there is no escape.
Vulpes finds the useage of the children unsettling. He fully accepts and even supports the rape of older slaves (helps break the spirit) but taking someone so innocent and foolish offputs him: the children are often so young they likely can not comprehend the horrors being inflicted on them, and then, what is the point?
But the time for Vulpes' ruminating is over. The slaves are all being assigned to their cages, the sun is making good on its promise of a descent and the time is fast aproaching for Vulpes' daily report to Caesar himself. The frumentarii wipes his brow, turns, and enters the dictator's tent.
Today's report is light and is finished in under half an hour. In these quickly-becoming-common occurences (the stalemate with the NCR reaching a new level of inaction on both sides) the two often make casual conversation for a time. Today they talk of possible allegiences being made with the Great Khans ("Interesting," Caesar says, "I'll send a representative over next week, see how they take to him.") and the plausability of assassinating Colonel James Hsu, leader of Camp McCarran while General Oliver is away: they agree to have their mole in Camp McCarra poison his food.
The sun has now completely finished its daily death and it is time for Vulpes to take his leave.
Before he can leave, though, Caesar calls out to him:
"Oh, wait! I nearly forgot. That batch of slaves that just came in today - I'm assigning one to you."
Vulpes is not too surprised, the slaves get handed out like cheap treats whenever a new load arrives. It's not long until they're used up, anyway.
Vulpes nods and says in reply, "Thank you, my lord. A most grateful gift of you. Can I ask who this slave is?" Vulpes likes to know his captives.
"Oh, some NCR girl we picked up from Forlorn Hope. Actually, I think we got both of her parents as well. One of them was even a ranger. Anyway: she's a pretty thing, doesn't seem to feisty, easy to hold down. Thought it'd do you good to get your rocks off - you deserve it, at least."
Now Vulpes is surprised (only a twitch of the eyebrows reaches his face, though): "Parents? My lord... how old is this girl?"
"15? Or 14. That general area. Anyway, come on, get out. I need to talk some things over with Lucius."
Vulpes delivers another curt nod and leaves briskly.
"Damn," Vulpes is thinking to himself as he walks to his tent. That young? Must be hell for a kid to be taken away from their parents. Being a slave of your greatest enemies can't help much, either. He is stuck in a loop: She's just a child, she doesn't deserve this - She is a profligate, and NCR at that, she deserves all the horrors that can be thought of - She's just a child, she doesn't deserve this and so on. He decides to just stay away from her and in the morning see if he can search out her mother, maybe work out a trade.
She is waiting for him. Her leg has been chained to the table and a note left on the table besides her. The girl regards Vulpes sullenly, but still fearfully, as he enters. He shoots her a quick glance (to which she shivers away) and takes the note. It reads: "Vulpes, had to leave early to meet Cassius so I left the girl chained up. Key to the lock's under your bedding. Didn't touch her, honest. -Claudio".
They key is indeed under the covers. It is grey, rusty.
The girl is still staring at Vulpes. She doesn't know for certain but has a good idea of what will happen next. She is wrong.
Vulpes doesn't even speak to her. He commands her, in a rough voice, to turn and sit, facing away from him. He then undresses (leaving the key in a pocket out of her reach) and enters his bed. He is tired but instead of sleeping, only pretends to fall into slumber: seeing what the girl will do.
Vulpes is not surprised when she tries to reach the key. Upon failing, she tries to worm out of her chains, to no avail. Then she kneels behind Vulpes for a while, quiet. He is sure she is trying to work up the courage to try and kill him. She does not though and then curls in a corner of the tent and falls asleep. Vulpes soon follows.
The next morning Vulpes leaves before she wakes up, but trades a blade for a bouw of cold soup and another bowl of water from the fort's resident trader.
He makes a half-hearted attempt at his job for an hour - his usual work consisting of planning and collecting data from informants - before beginning to leave his post. As he does so, though, a friend of his, Cassius walks up. He is strictly speaking of a lower rank than Vulpes but his great skill makes him an equal in Vulpes' eyes.
Cassius initiate conversation: "Inculta."
"Dedart."
"How're you?"
"In high spirits, as always. And you?" "The same."
"I hear you have a new slave girl: how is she?"
"Seems to be in fine health."
"Don't play the fool, you know what I mean. Claudio said he enjoyed fucking her, what about you?"
"I... haven't had the time to do that, yet."
"O.K., then... I need to get going. See you."
When Cassius has left Vulpes is fuming with anger. Claudio, that utter fucking bastard! The liar! He ought to have him killed, heaven knows he could... but that would waste time. He has to get this slave girl out of his house and the sooner the better. He begins searching for the owner of the girl's mother.
Vulpes finds him only a short while afterwords. Nuncio has the mother, and the father. In a lucky co-incidence, he too is looking to trade - he hates the NCR with such a passion even having a slave that was a former member leaves him fuming. A deal is set up quickly and Vulpes is all ready to accept, but, then, something strange happens. He says: "Nuncio. I have changed my mind. You can simply have the girl. No trade. Bring the family together." and leaves without a word. Nuncio is surprised but soon gets over it: Vulpes is known for being that kind of man. Hours later the girl is escorted from Vulpes tent and into the waiting arms of her mother.
Vulpes i standing in his standard position, outside Caesar's tent, thinking. Although that girl will still have to endure great hardships here, she deserves to be with her parents. He is placed firmly into an unshakeable good mood for the rest of the day. Slaves go unwhipped, backtalk unpunished and the report to Caesar at the day's end is the most positive it has ever been.