In the NCR the new President John Delever gathered his staff in Shady Sands which fortunately for them was not attacked by the missiles. "I will not lie to you, the NCR is in bad shape, we lost the war and several tactical nuclear missiles hit our lands, the Hub is broken but some survived, the Boneyard however is destroyed again. We still have hundreds of veterans returning from the Mojave and many do not know what to do, we need allies in this struggle. I have heard that there are rebels in the North in Washington that now have allied with the Legion. We need a new force to help return order and then we send another force down south into Mexico."
His chief of treasury Amy York inquired "How will we pay for this we were struggling with the war in the Mojave and we lost?" Delever smiled "Not to fear I have a plan our rangers in Baja have found the former government of Mexico's gold deposit. We can finance two wars in the Mojave and all of our other needs with what we have found so far and that was not their only bank from what we have found. I have sent the reports to the Bank of California today which is why I brought you here. The Mojave expedition is already a third of the way paid back. Also our Secretary of Tribals have found close to a dozen tribes operating in Idaho and Wyoming so far that would be willing to fight with us. The 88's and a group of smaller tribes that created a small kingdom called Thule that is spreading in the North are willing to fight along with us. I do not like this but we need the Brotherhood and there are still chapters here as well as in the Midwest. I am offering them amnesty if they gather their forces and join us. House had the best technology from before the war and I am sure they will be willing to fight for it. The NCR will not die like a bleeding animal. We will fight until the end. The Legion forces are estimated to number over sixty thousand through their lands, with ours forces arriving from the Mojave disbanding if they wish we have twenty five thousand through all of our lands. I want those numbers to double by the end of next year, I want us to fight against the Legion in three years. The Brotherhood numbers two thousand through all of our lands and in the East altogether twenty thousand. The 88's and Thule have given us their estimates of their forces and combined have five thousand but the 88's have vehicles that the rest of us do not nearly have in such high numbers. Other smaller tribes that we want to give citizenship to number close to three thousand. The scientist that survived the Mojave have been sent to the airports and military facilities that still stand and they say they may be able to repurpose many of the vehicles as well which we should have done when Kimball was in office. We also have one more card. We discovered an Enclave factory recently that produces robots that we will need for the war and it already is pumping out ten units each day."
They all nodded and began scheming on how they would become rich from this venture and began to plan the new war against the Legion with Delever speaking one more time "We will win this war or the NCR will no longer be in existence." Delever was an idealist and while he supported the war he thought that Kimball was fighting it all wrong and now he would finally have his say.
Gaius sat in his office planning out several new fortifications and supply runs when he heard a knock on the door. Without looking up from his work he spoke "Come in." A Praetorian Guard came in "Legatus one of the former prisoners has come to speak with you." Gaius looked up and saw Pacer in a ragged and torn Kings uniform standing in the door way "Mind if I come in man?" Gaius gave a gruff acceptance and Pacer sat in a chair comfortably "I said you could come in not sit down, thank you Praetorian."
Pacer continued to sit "I know."
"Well that comes as a surprise," Gaius said not fully understanding his statement. "I know about Caesar, the Legion and Rome." Gaius' eyes lit up when he heard the city name "I know you are just a copy of that old empire, so what would you give me if I did not tell everyone that Caesar was not the Avatar of Mars, and was just a crazy old man trying to restart an empire two thousand years old?" Gaius concentrated "Perhaps we will need to speak with the Mighty Caesar himself about this."
"I would rather-"
"Not a request Pacer come on or I will just kill you." Pacer laughed "Yu see that is another problem I and the survivors of the dozen or so suicide mission you sent us on have gathered in Freeside, I told them, all three hundred of them, to start rioting and killing any legion we find if I do not come back in three hours."
"Very well we will still speak to Caesar though." They stood up and marched to the Penthouse.
Caesar was sitting with his wife at a small table eating Gecko steaks when he saw his chosen champion "Ah Gaius who is this?" Gaius looked at Pacer with annoyance "Caesar we need to have words, I apologize Empress this is just us." Chloe nodded and walked away, Pacer watched her walk away and Gaius punched him in the face and pulled out his pistol "Say the word Caesar and I will shoot him right now."
Caesar raised his hand "No I want to hear what this profligate has to say." Pacer stood up wiping the blood off his face "You are so high and mighty, but I know the truth that few of the Legion or "Imperium" do about your…inspiration." Caesar glared at him "What do you want?"
"I want to regain control of Freeside from the Legion, I will remake the Kings and you cannot oppose us or I will tell the world about this." Caesar stood up and grabbed his shoulder "Walk with me, you show the canny and daring of my best officers what if instead you joined the Legion?" They walked towards the balcony and Gaius walked behind them in annoyance.
"No sir, I want to be a King again." Caesar stepped back "A king, there are no kings here we killed the kings there is only the Imperator." In a moment of strength that Pacer nor Gaius expected Caesar grabbed Pacer and flipped him over the railings of the Lucky 38 and he fell into the hard pavement destroying his body.
"Kill any of his allies left Gaius we must never let others try to extort us. We are Legion show them the meaning of that." Gaius bowed and turned to prepare for the slaughter.
After it was over Gaius decided that the crosses would be best placed on the walls of Freeside.