(in this fic there will be a lot of talk about army sizes. I'm estimating that Caesar's legion and the NCRA both have about fifteen thousand men each at the start of New Vegas)
Titas smiled down at little Chief who was cradled in his arms. The baby boy was fast asleep as Titas rocked him. Titas leaned back in the chair he sat in and closed his eyes. He could hear the followers as they worked with their patients as best they could.
Optimistic fools. Starved dog's description of the followers rang clear in his ears.
When they'd gotten off the raft they had followed Arcade to the Mormon fort. Titas and Reyes scrounged up several pairs of pre war clothes from abandoned buildings which they quickly changed into. When they had arrived Arcade had told his boss, a woman with a mohawk named Julie Farkas, what had happened. Arcade left out one key point, that he was legionary. The woman had welcomed all of them with open arms.
It had been months and no one had found out yet of his true identity. Reyes had reinlisted in the NCRA and Arcade went back to being a follower doctor. Titas worked as a guard for the followers and Siri as a nurse. Melody had stayed with the two of them.
Now here he was, a father with a baby boy in his arms and a smile on his face.
His quiet happiness was cut short by Melody.
"Titas!", she whisper yelled at him from the opening of the tent, "come quick!"
He knew it must have been an emergency. He got up as quickly as he could without waking Chief and put him in the crib before hurrying out the tent.
Melody lead him to the radio. Dozens of people huddled around it as they listened to the NCR radio host. Titas didn't usually bother with advanced technology like the radio; he may have left the legion, but the legion hadn't left him. He leaned in to listen none the less knowing it must be important news.
"-are being pushed back! The men and women of the NCR have once again held against the might of the legion!", The radio speaker said with great enthusiasm, "Between the death of the tyrant Edward Sallow, or as his legionaries called him 'Caesar', and this colossal defeat at the second battle of Hoover damn, there is no doubt the legion will soon fall apart!"
Titas tried his best to remain stone faced as the people around him cheered.
Melody looked up at him silently. The question that plagued her mind as well as his was clear. 'Is Starved dog okay?'
He didn't say anything to Melody. He was never very good at talking to the child; that had always been Siri's gift. He deperately looked around for his wife but with no success.
He knew she must still be treating the sick and wounded.
"You must be happy, huh?", A familiar female voice asked from behind him.
He turned to see Julie Farkas looking at him with a smirk.
"Well?", She asked, "How's it feel to know those men who enslaved you, Siri, and Melody lost?"
"I have to tell Siri!" He said slightly louder than necessary as he immediately ran off to do just that.
The question about Starved dog still lingered in his mind though.
...
Thousands of legionaries looked toward Legate Lanius as he gripped his massive sword in one hand.
"There is only one thing fit for cowards", the Legate said calmly, "death."
Centurion Vorenus was dragged forward by two praetorians. He was beaten and bloodied already as the forced him to his knees in front of the Legate.
"Your orders were to lead the assault atop the damn, Centurion", Lanius said as he gripped his sword tightly in both hands, "Instead of doing as you were told, you sounded the retreat."
"We were loosing too many men. I will not throw my men away to full fill your blood lust.", Vorenus spat as he looked up into the eye holes of the legate's mask.
Lanius said nothing as he decapitated the centurion in a single smooth swing with his sword.
He looked at the legionaries all around him and held up Vorenus's head, "This is the reward for cowardice."
In one of the front rows stood a decanus who had served under Vorenus. His cloth and goggles covered his face but underneath them the left side of his lower face and neck were covered with a horrible burn scar.
...
(Please comment and review. It is greatly appreciated)