The horns announcing the beginning of the triumph were heard through the city as huge crowds, some forced to come from the surrounding areas but most were loyal and willing citizens of the Imperium, gathered on the streets as most of the Legion stationed in New Vegas marched down the new road straight to the Strip. Many gave cheers, some false others true knowing that they were the lucky ones, a few cried but a remaining few were wondering what this truly meant for them and the world. Gaius marched with three of his cohorts first down the road to New Vegas wearing a new wolf helmet although the fur is that of a coyote he is called the Wolf of the West now by all. Lanius followed with his forces and Lucius walked in front of Caesar with the Praetorians. Caesar was on a machine many were shocked by. It was designed like a chariot but had an engine and a pilot moved it down the street while he in his red and fur attire waved to the masses. There was no man besides him to tell him that he was mortal, Caesar felt as though he truly was the Avatar of Mars. The people were afraid of the vehicle as well as the man on it, they had seen the broken husk of cars before but never saw one actual move. The people cheered and many came from Arizona and Colorado and had known the face of Caesar for years on coins but rarely saw him in person. Now this son of Mars stood in front of them many cried tears of joy.

They stopped when they reached a stage with several officers and enemy of the Legion knelling with guards surrounding them. Caesar dismounted his chariot and stood in front of them and the crowd and shouted "People of the Mojave we came as conquerors but I no longer want you to see us as that, we will become your army, your police, your people, accept us like you did not with the NCR and we will make these lands great again. But first we must end the resistance of our enemies here and now. These are the last remnants of a failed government and groups that tried to stand against us. None can stand against us for we shall bring peace through fire, our legion is setting up new forts and settlements through the Mojave and our other lands which you are now free to journey to for trade or adventure. Now to the defeated."

He stepped forward and spoke quietly to Hsu "You have witnessed the death throes of your nation, now how do you feel about that?" Hsu said nothing save "Death to tyrants." Gaius was impressed by his strength of will but that did nothing for him as his head rolled down the steps and was picked up by a legionary soldier who held it high with pride in his leader. The head was placed with the hundred or so others collected by Gaius and the legion since the invasion and put outside of the Lucky 38. Few other officers survived Gaius' raids on resistance outpost and the siege of Jacobstown and their heads were already on spikes. They did not deserve such a ceremony and the only honor was for the selected Legionaries who took their heads.

Next came the Super Mutant Marcus who had given up any hope for freedom. Gaius looked him in the eyes and Marcus met his gaze. Not with hate or disgust but pity. Gaius was the first to look away. He could have broken his chains and escaped but all of his friends were killed by Gaius and his forces and Jacobstown was taken by the Legion. He had nothing to live for anymore and he lowered his head and gave a small smile "The die is already cast." Caesar nodded and spoke quietly "It will be painless Gaius asked for that and I understand why." He raised his sword high in the air and with a swing Marcus, one of the last of the First Generation of Super Mutants was killed. After several more minutes of executions Caesar was finished. He took several breaths and wiped away the sweat and shouted "People of the newly created Imperium the Legion is no longer a band of soldiers, we are an Empire and I am the Imperator."

One of the priests of Mars stepped forward with a golden wreath. Caesar knelt down and after the priest chanted and placed the crown on his head the crowd cheered. "People of the Imperium hear me, the Van Graffs now control the Tops, each Province will have to finance and raise a legion starting here with the First Mojave and First Nevada as its stationed force. New crops will be spread across the Imperium thanks to our Legate Gaius who has discovered new crops that will thrive. We will prosper. Ave Imperium." He raised his right hand like in the days of Rome and so too did the crowd. Those that felt fear before forgot it, those that despaired stopped their wailing. Caesar had won.

Gaius stood at his side filled with pride in the Imperium and himself, in the last few months every threat to the Imperium in the Mojave has been dealt with and now he can claim his rewards. But there was one more thing he had to do before he could lay down his arms and rest.

Gaius leaned over to Caesar while he waved to the crowd "May I be excused for an hour or so there is something I need to do." He turned his head but still waved "Yes you have my permission go do what you need to do just get back for your own wedding ceremony." After the triumph march and before the weddings began Gaius went to the cell where Boone was left broken and bleeding after his interrogation. "Hello Boone." He did not move but spoke "Hello Judas so a legion and state are your thirty pieces of silver?"

"I am surprised you know the Bible, a stupid NCR soldier like you I thought you only read picture books if even that." Boone stood up and raced to the bars trying to grab Gaius. Gaius casually stepped backwards with a smile "Ah this all went so perfectly, I am so glad I did not kill you at Bitter Springs."

"What was there to gain from me living you wasted your legions lives against me?" Gaius smiled "Well you were the only person left that could unite squabbling factions, honestly if you were a Courier like me you could have changed the world the way the Lone Wanderer did in the Capital Wastelands or the Vault Dweller and his grandchild in California. You're living and hatred of the legion was a blessing from Mars himself. It was easier to have someone gather up the remnants of all of our enemies together so we could kill them all in one fell swoop."

Boone did not want to think of the Siege and asked one final request "You never told me how you know so much about the Capital Wasteland by the way I think I deserve that at least." Gaius nodded "Indeed well I was actually born in Minnesota, hence the accent. Beautiful place even with all of the nuclear radiation that created an even harsher nuclear winter. I was born in one of the Northern tribes outside the City of Dead River, probably never heard of it. We survived by fleeing deeper into the wilderness and forest. My father wanted to name me William but my mother found a picture of her great great grandfather had with his family and the people he saved from the End of the World and found out he was also named Gaius and she wanted to name me after him since it was because of his actions that the entire Tribe was even around because he saved a huge group of people by moving them into his personal vault in the forest."

"I had no idea you were from Minnesota but how does that connect with the Capital Wasteland." Gaius sighed "If you want me to tell you my life story you are going to have to be patient." They both laughed for several seconds before they returned to the harsh reality of the world "I was raised as a tribal and could hunt and kill small things before I was seven. The Brotherhood had a small outpost nearby since the Midwest was full of their chapters and they were convinced we had technology, ironically our tech was probably equal with the eighteen hundreds, I learned how to shoot with a gun I swear was from the Civil War. What we truly had was a library of books, a fountain of knowledge few in the wastelands will ever have. They came in the name of progress we did not ask for nor need and I watched as they tore my father apart with laser rifles." Gaius pointed to a scar on his arm "My father's radius bone blew apart and a piece of it stabbed into my arm. My mother was a beautiful woman and for men who have been fighting for most of their lives she seemed a fine prize. These "paladins" forced themselves on her and I watched as they raped and killed her. You can see how the slaughter of my family and friends may have caused a certain level of trauma to my mind and a fondness for violence as well. The Brotherhood there was much less noble then other places like the Mojave and California many being other tribals not raised in Vaults or Brotherhood strongholds. They killed almost everyone and took the children to train as Brotherhood soldiers because clearly that would work. During my time there they enhanced us all, their doctors mutated me in minor ways and added different technological advantages to me hence me..."

"Getting shot in the head and then killing the guy who shot you?" Boone said and Gaius could see his eyebrow raised above his sunglasses which Gaius was kind enough to let him keep. "Indeed, again mental trauma, I was awake the entire time they did the surgeries. After becoming more then human in a way I knew I had the chance to flee." Gaius clenched his fist thinking of all of the pain the Brotherhood had done to him, and how much he has done to the world. He could have just stopped.

Gaius blinked his thoughts away and continued"For three years I went through grueling training but I escaped that hell hole but not without mental or physical scars.I fled back to the wilds and fought a war against brotherhood soldiers. I killed my first man when I was twelve, A Brotherhood scout that found me. I can still remember his face I used a 9mm pistol, coincidentally, I found and shot him in the chest and then the left eye. If I could kill a giant rat with a varmint rifle I could certainly kill him with a better gun. I continued to fight them for close to a year until I decided to move on. After that I went east I heard that the Enclave needed soldiers. My father constantly talked about them before he died he loved the Enclave with their power armor and ideals, although it had done nothing for him. He told me how they would recreate America and make everything better again and the fool I was believed him. I went through the entire east and somehow survived. I had to hunt, steal, kill, and many other nasty activities to survive but I endured. Also being by yourself you had to learn to do everything and I found dozens of good medical books at one of the old universities and I honed those skills with the raiders I worked with who would give me shelter and food. Once I was almost eaten by a tribe of cannibals but I grabbed my knife and cut out one of their livers knowing exactly where it was and ate it. They accepted me and helped me on my way." Gaius pointed to a tattoo of a bleeding skull on his ribs "Gave me this too. I finally made it to the Capital Wastelands and hooked up with a tribe of raiders at Evergreen Mills and for a while we fought everyone, including Super Mutants."

"That is probably not who you were expecting to side with." Gaius shook his head "Indeed, I was expecting the Capital Wastelands to actually be a paradise surrounded by death with the Enclave controlling everything. I…was sorely disappointed and by this time I was twenty one when a kid from the Vault 101 destroyed the Enclave and the Brotherhood took control of the Capital Wasteland. Now me, with my obvious Brotherhood bias did not want to stay in that shithole. I convinced the raiders to attack one of the Brotherhood bases in a last do or die mission because they would have nowhere else to go. I was important and powerful enough that my plan worked, in a manner. They all died as I expected and I scavenged their supplies and headed North West. I met up with the Commonwealth and they hired me as a Courier and went past Illinois into Nebraska and Colorado. I walked across America for four years and I was hired by the Mojave Express last year and you know the rest."

Boone nodded and asked "So what happens now?" Gaius smiled and put down his wolf helm "I will tell you why you were important, remember Captain Curtis?" Boone was shocked he knew who he was "Yeah why?" Gaius laughed and lifted up his hand "You are going to love this, he works for me he is a frumentarius and I convinced his master Vulpes to use him so you would work for us." Boone put his hands to his head "But I killed legion."

"Not my legion though very big difference in reality, every base you attacked and wasted lives on were commanded by Lanius you attacked the First Colorado while my Legion the First Mojave was comfortably down south cleaning up any enemies there before we went North. You targeted allies of Lanius, I know a Civil War will happen in the future with Lanius siding against me and you took out men who could become great commanders before they had the chance. I always knew you were at Jacobstown from the Battle of Hoover Dam a message went through telling me a resistance was there and I watched you for several months biding my time. Your very infrequent attacks while gathering only made you look weaker in Caesar's eyes. Thank you by the by for taking care of many of my enemies and lowering the amount of soldiers you had as well and I give you one gift in gratitude." Boone raised his eyebrow "And what would that be?"

"Tell me what your wife looked like, close your eyes if it helps picture her." Boone stood up straight and spoke "She had dark blond hair with bangs that constantly fell over her eyes, I always said she looked beautiful with it because it made her brown eyes more mysterious you know and I loved moving her hair away. Whenever I did something she did not like I tried to convince her to forgive me. She did and even when she was disappointed she lifted her right side of her red lips up in a half smile. I loved…"

A shot rang out and Boone fell dead to the floor. Gaius put away his pistol "I hope you died in peace Boone Mars knows I won't find any." He left and turned to the Decanus in command of the cell block "Have all of the prisoners killed I need to return to the Triumph." Many of them may have heard his plans and he could not have any loose ends. Had the soldier not have been of the First Mojave he may have had to kill him too.

The Decanus nodded and he sent his soldiers in the cells and quickly executed the unlucky men and women left alive from the Battle of Jacobstown. Gaius returned to the Lucky 38 where the crowd gathered and he saw Lanius stand with the beautiful and tough Madison, Gloria and Vulpes were already a happy couple and were doting over each other. It was odd to see the man who burns and crucified so many to have a gleam in his eyes around her. It was unbecoming of a Legion officer but no one cared and Caesar turned and saw Gaius "Ah your wife has arrived you finally get to see her, this is Natalie." A woman wearing a red dress stepped forward. She was stunning and Gaius was taken aback by her beauty. She had bright blond hair and blue eyes in contrast with his black hair and beaten and broken face. She gave a soft smile showing whitened teeth and dimples. However for all of her beauty she still seemed strong and hardened by the Apocalyptic world "So you are Gaius, I am impressed indeed, you have the support of Darwin now let's get married." Oddly enough that was not even the weirdest introduction he ever had, he nodded and took her arm as a Priest of Mars spoke the word and the ceremony passed in what felt like moments as he watched his bride. He heard she was beautiful from the ambassador but words truly could not describe her. A lingering guilt over Cass was beginning to fade every time she smiled. Gaius saw that Caesar and his wife were already holding hands. She was a woman from Illinois whose people were actively fighting the Brotherhood there and needed Legion support. Normally Gaius would enjoy such power plays especially if he would help in their deaths but he could only fixate on his new wife.

"By the Power of Mars and the Will of Caesar these two strong souls will be united together until the end of days." Gaius held her and kissed her deeply while the crowd cheered for them. Gaius turned with her hand in his to gaze upon their lands.

After he was married Caesar raised his arms "These women will be the next step in our society. For so long others claimed we had no respect for women, I will prove that false, Gloria is the head of economics in the Mojave, and my wife will be Empress sharing my power." A woman in her mid-thirties stepped up upon the dais. She had brown hair that was curled and tied in an elegant knot. She touched her soon to be husband's hands and they had a ceremony of their own. All together Gaius thought it was a very lovely day.

Cass had already left New Vegas a week before the Triumph. She did not want to be there to see the cheering of a people who do not even realize they have shackles on. And Gaius moved on and she felt that Gaius would have no place for her anymore. She and her new caravan of willing exiles were staying in the Crimson Caravan compound before the Triumph and went on their way and hopefully would be safe in the NCR before anything happened to her.

Cass and her caravan walked slowly under the heat of the Mojave sun. She felt whole again walking the roads as they passed the Quarry Junction where she helped Gaius clear out the Death claws, one of the more terrifying moments of her life she thought to herself. The caravan stopped however when they saw a man standing between them and the opening of the ravine. "I am Centurion Brutus commander of the First Spear of the Mighty Lanius' Legion the First Colorado." Cass folded her arms and quipped at him "Good for you what does that mean to me, Caesar gave me the mark and I can leave now."

He shook his head and suddenly one hundred legionaries appeared from the Quarry and the small mining town. "I am afraid that does not matter, Legatus Lanius is an enemy of all NCR and now that you are away from your lover we can deal with you." She pulled out her rifle and fired at him killing him with a shot to the heart but that did not stop the Legion her caravan was overrun. She was shot in the arm and leg and fell to the ground. His Decanus stepped over his lifeless body and leaned down with a snarl "I heard how you fuck every soldier you see, I would like to see that." Cass would not be a slave or this bastard's toy and quickly reached for her pistol and placed it to her head. "Fuck the Legion."