Alana was doing everything she could to make Kaila miserable without drawing her husband's attention. He would be very angry which wouldn't bode well for her. She couldn't know Kaila didn't mind being made to carry heavy loads. It helped her keep her strength. On the sixth day Kaila gauged her time so she would be carrying a heavy load of canned goods to the apartment when Aurelius was leaving his office.

"Kaila!", his rich voice said sternly behind her as she started up the stairs, struggling with the heavy carton. "What are you doing?"

"Taking supplies up for dinner, master.", she answered meekly.

"Why are you carrying such a heavy load? Didn't Alana assign you a slave for that?", he demanded. She didn't answer, her head bowed, her shoulders hunched beneath his harsh voice.

"Here, you.", he called, pointing at a nearby slave. "Take this carton to my apartment. Kaila, come with me." She relinquished the carton to the young man and, head down, followed him toward the cabins.

They walked into the cabin unannounced. Alana was sitting in a chair sewing on a garment. She looked up in alarm at the look on Aurelius' face.

"Alana, did you assign Kaila a slave?", he asked sternly.

"Yes, husband.", she said, casting a warning glance at Kaila.

"Did she?", he asked Kaila. He hadn't missed the glance. Kaila risked a furtive glance at Alana then looked quickly down.

"Yes, master.", she said in a voice barely more than a whisper. She had made sure Aurelius had not missed that glance either.

"Which slave?", he asked astutely.

"I..I don't remember, master.", Kaila responded.

"The one called Mouse, husband.", Alana answered triumphantly. "The girl must have forgotten."

Aurelius looked suspiciously between wife and concubine. He was a Centurion, with hardened men at his command. He didn't need this kind of aggravation from his women! He growled at Alana, "Make sure this Mouse knows he is to be Kaila's slave. Do you understand?"

"Yes, husband.", Alana said, her face growing red. Behind his back Kaila was smirking at the woman, but she didn't dare say anything. Kaila would look the perfect slave when her husband looked in her direction. Aurelius left without any further comments, taking Kaila with him.

Aurelius visited Alana in her cabin only twice in the next month. He hadn't had her in his own bed, where Kaila was required to sleep every night. She had discovered he had never had her in his bed but had always visited her in the cabin and never stayed the night. Kaila considered the implications.

In order to stay in shape Kaila practiced her moves when Aurelius wasn't around. But then he came home early one day. He moved silently, not out of a desire to catch Kaila at anything, but because it was his habit. He stopped in the doorway and stared at her. Kaila wove about the room, eyes closed, avoiding furniture and obstacles by memory, swaying, dipping, bending, moving with an elegance and grace he had never observed before. Suddenly she stopped as though sensing his presence. Her eyes flew open and she stared at him with a sudden, frightened expression, her eyes wide. "Master", she exclaimed, hands together, head quickly bowed, her breathing still elevated from the exertion.

"What are you doing, my pet?", he asked, coming into the room.

"Dancing, master.", she answered in a small voice.

"There's no music.", he observed.

"I remember it, master.", she said meekly.

"I see. Why do you dance? Does it make you happy?", he asked.

"It keeps me in shape, master. I will become fat and dowdy if I don't use my muscles. I need to stay strong for you." Aurelius felt a frisson of satisfaction. She wanted to stay beautiful for him.

"Would you like music to dance to?", he asked.

She glanced up briefly before lowering her eyes again. "I would like that very much.", she answered. He walked over to his desk and unlocked it. He pulled out a device and handed it to her.

"Can you make this work?", he asked. Kaila looked at the device and for a moment her heart froze, her breath stopped. A Pip-boy! He was holding out a Pip-boy! She took the device and held it gingerly. Her breath relaxed. It wasn't Milo's. It was an older model, but if it was still functioning, it could be invaluable to her.

"I don't know how to make this work.", she answered truthfully. She could figure it out in short order though if she got a chance. " Does it play music?", she asked in a puzzled tone. He took the item from her.

"I have no idea. I thought it might be worth a try. I'll see what I can do about finding you some music. You dance beautifully, my pet. I want you to dance for me tonight before we go to bed.", he said.

"I've news for you Milo.", Kaila said. She was standing on the deck, looking out over the water at the mountains, her face blank. The soldiers had become used to her doing this and paid her no attention. The late afternoon sun blazed across her bared skin, leaving a sheen of sweat the mild wind brushed across. "Are you alone?"

Milo felt the distinctive buzz of Kaila's line. He was sighting along his sniper rifle at a raider on the top of the building across the broken highway. It was the raider's lucky day. He lowered his rifle and flipped open the Pip-boy. "I'm alone, Babe.", he said.

"I found out who attacked Searchlight.", she said, her mind voice tight. " Aurelius sent Vulpes Inculus. He wasn't pleased with the results. He knew he needed to kill the soldiers but the town has been rendered useless now. They didn't get any supplies and even the women and children were killed. He felt it was a waste of resources. I don't think he'll use that weapon again. But listen, Vulpes was here tonight and they are planning another raid tomorrow night on Nipton."

"I'm near West Side right now.", Milo said. "I'll get word to the NCR. Maybe they can evacuate the town. I'm pretty sure they don't have enough troops left at Searchlight or Primm to take on that kind of force. You need to be very careful, Babe. If Aurelius suspects what you're doing you know what will happen to you."

"I'm aware, luv. Don't worry about me. Have you any word of Ian?", she asked, but her voice didn't hold much hope, even coming over the Pip-boy.

"No, not yet. I have others looking too. We'll find him, I promise.", Milo said fervently. Kaila's line closed abruptly.

"What are you looking at out there, my pet?" Aurelius' voice asked from beside her. She had caught a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye, coming up the stairs, but had not stirred. She turned a blank look on him, then dropped her eyes, her expression meek.

"I wonder what is past the mountains to the East. Do you know? Didn't you come from there?", she asked.

"We came up from the south east. There is nothing out there for you. I saw you standing here and just came up to tell you I have much to do. Bring my dinner to my office tonight.", he said.

"Yes, master.", she said, turning to go into their apartment.

Alana had continued to try to undermine Kaila when she had a chance. Aurelius suspected she started the rumor that Kaila was stealing from the stores when he wasn't about. It aggravated him that he couldn't pin it down. She had meekly denied everything and he hadn't found any indication of truth in it. He couldn't know Kaila herself had started the rumor being careful to make it appear Alana's doing.

Vulpes returned from the raid bursting with the pride of the truly cruel at the inhumane things he had done. He brought most of the women and children. Kaila stood on the landing and watched as the children were taken from their grieving mothers. One child, crippled and too weak to be of use, was hacked to death in front of his screaming mother. She was then severely beaten until the screaming stopped and she lay whimpering in a bloody mass in the dirt, allowed to clutch her butchered child while the soldiers laughed at her. Kaila's chest burned and her mind flared with pain as she fought to keep the emotions at bay, until finally she locked them in a frozen part of her being and went into the apartment. She sat staring blankly at the wall.

"Milo, Vulpes has returned and brought women and children. The raid was successful then?" Kaila's mind voice held no emotion other than a mild curiosity.

"I got there too late, Babe", he said, his voice constrained. "The NCR is concentrating their forces in the north and didn't have enough troops in the area. What NCR were there were slaughtered with the townspeople. Vulpes was still there when we got there so I left Veronica in the mountains with a sniper rifle to watch my back and went in alone. I only found two women among the dead. Some of the men were left hanging on crosses and the mayor was burning on a pile of tires. I've never seen such cruelty."

"He was still there? He didn't try to take you? He probably recognized you from your visit to the cove. It's hard to mistake you with that robot of yours.", Kaila said.

"You may be right. He told me I was in no danger and could serve as messenger to the Mojave about what he had done. I intend to do that all right. Everyone needs to know what atrocities he's capable of. He was only too happy to give me the details of how he tortured the townspeople. He's a dangerous man, Kaila. Watch yourself in there, Babe.", he said fervently.

"Oh, I'm always careful. Aurelius will be in conference with Vulpes most of the evening I expect. I think I'd better fix them some dinner. He usually lets me stay and serve them and then doesn't seem to notice when I don't leave. He thinks I'm stupid and even if I wasn't what would I do with any information I got?" Milo wasn't happy at the game Kaila was playing. It could easily get her killed.

Kaila had been at the encampment for 9 weeks when she caught Alana in the position she had been waiting for. She knew Alana had not had a period for 6 weeks. Slaves did talk and she knew how to garner information. She approached the woman meekly, as though she had been summoned. They were far enough from any others that no one could hear what was said, and Kaila maneuvered so that her back was to the Decanus that was watching them, so he couldn't see her expression.

"Alana", she said, coming up to the wife. She glowered at Kaila.

"You are to address me as mistress!", she snarled. Kaila gave her a smug look.

"Sure, mistress", she said, emphasizing the title. "Not for long though I expect.", she smirked.

"What do you mean?", Alana asked, alarmed.

"Look at you. What do you have to offer Aurelius besides your father's name? Your bloodline? Does he even come to you? Is it you who makes his blood boil and his loins ache? Who do you think he loves then, mistress?", she asked, imbuing the word with as much contempt as she could muster.

"I'll have you split open and fed to the rats for this!", Alana growled. Kaila laughed, a low ugly sound that ground on Alana.

"Really? Who is going to believe you? Aurelius? I bed him every night. When's the last time he came to your bed? As far as that goes when did he ever have your fat ass in his bed?", she goaded, knowing full well Aurelius had never spent an entire night with his well fed wife. He went to her cabin only to do his duty to produce a son.

Alana's face went red with fury. She swung her fist out, connecting with the side of Kaila's jaw. Kaila crumpled to the ground.

"Mistress. Don't. Please. What did I do?" she cried loudly as Alana kicked at her. She rolled into a ball, not attempting to fight back. She heard the stir, the running feet, the roar of the Decanus as he pulled the wife off the whimpering form of his Centurion's concubine. Hard hands pulled her roughly to her feet and then the women were being shoved toward the office.

"What's the meaning of this?" The women had been left alone with their master in his office and were shifting nervously beneath his angry gaze. "Alana, why were you beating Kaila?"

"She was baiting me, husband.", she whined. He looked at her in astonishment.

"Baiting you? How?", he asked.

"She said hurtful things about you, my husband.", she finally said hesitantly. He shifted his gaze to his quiet, vacant concubine. He didn't believe she had it in her to bait his wife.

"I should have you both whipped", he growled in vexation.

"Kaila, come here." She slunk over to him.

He took her face in his hands and studied the bruise forming along her jaw. One side of her cheek was scraped and she was dirty and bedraggled from being on the ground.

"This better not scar, woman.", he said to Alana. "She's got hardly a scar on her, and she better not get one from my wife. Do you understand? If this scars I'll have you beaten." Alana quailed, whimpering.

"Please, master, don't.", Kaila begged, as though alarmed. "She didn't mean it. She's just afraid."

"Afraid?", he asked. "Of what? Of me?" Kaila lowered her eyes.

"This place is for soldiers, master. There is no doctor here for a woman. Bearing a child is dangerous and there is no help here.", she said meekly.

"A child?", he asked. "Is this true, Alana? Are you pregnant?" She looked wide eyed from Kaila to Aurelius. How had the bitch known?

"I was going to tell you as soon as I was sure, my husband. I've only missed my bleed by 2 weeks.", she explained.

"And this is why you attacked Kaila?", he asked, mystified. "Never mind. I don't care. I will settle this right now. Kaila is right, this post is dangerous. I don't want to risk my child. Tomorrow you will travel to the Fort and go under the protection of Caesar's court."

"Husband! No, please, let me stay.", Alana cried.

"I've made up my mind. Now get out of my sight. Go pack your things. Kaila, stay.", he said. Alana gave Kaila a look of pure hate, then, her shoulders slumped in defeat, left the room. Kaila stood meekly, waiting for Aurelius.

He sighed. Alana had always been jealous of him. It had been an arranged marriage to further the blood lines. He had never cared much for her. Now he would be free of her clingy presence and could enjoy his concubine unfettered.

"Go clean up.", he told Kaila. "and take care of that scrape. Maybe you can keep it from scarring."

"Milo."

"Hey, Kaila, what is it?", he asked. She sounded downright gleeful.

"I am alone. Aurelius is in the field. What are you doing now, luv?", she asked lightly.

"We're in the mountains northeast of Vegas. I'm just exploring, Babe. Found a couple of cabins, but nothing of any particular interest. Did you have something you needed to tell me?", he asked, curious at her light tone.

"Not really. I don't have any more tactical info right now. I did get rid of the wife though." He thought he detected a certain smugness in her mind voice.

"Really? How did you manage that?", he asked mildly.

"Oh, don't worry, I didn't hurt her.", she chuckled. "I got her banished to the Fort. It wasn't that hard, she was really jealous of Aurelius. I couldn't risk her snooping and prying and her clumsy attempts to discredit me. It was very distracting."

They chatted for a while longer about mundane things before Kaila told him good night and closed the line. Milo felt she was lonely. This was a good sign. She was still experiencing emotions, even if she wouldn't allow the stronger ones in. As long as she could feel he could reach her.

Word spread quickly throughout the camp that Aurelius had sent his wife away to protect his child. This led to the fatal lapse of judgment by the young slave girl hoping to make her life easier. Kaila was quietly cleaning when the girl was brought in to where Aurelius was working on his books. She was obviously pregnant, though not far enough along to be near delivering. Perhaps six months Kaila judged, wondering why she had been brought in. She couldn't be more than 14 or 15 she thought.

"This slave has been claiming she carries your child.", the soldier said grimly, holding the girl by an arm. Aurelius considered the skinny, bedraggled figure.

"Is that so?", he said. "Slave, answer me. Do you claim the fetus in you is my child?"

"Yes, master.", she answered meekly.

"What makes you make such a claim?", he asked in a soft voice. Too soft. No, Kaila thought, don't child, don't say it.

"No other has had me since you, master.", the girl answered. Aurelius rose and went over to the girl.

"You are sure?", he asked.

"Yes, master." Aurelius drew back his fist and punched the girl as hard as he could in the abdomen. She flew back, landing on the floor with a scream of pain.

"Please", she cried. "Please don't" as he drew back a booted foot and kicked her.

Kaila stared, wide eyed. Her father's voice seemed to echo in her mind. She was nine years old. "What's wrong, Kaila?", he asked. "You seem upset. Why is that?"

Kaila looked at him with troubled eyes. "There's a new girl at school. She seems so scared, Dad. The other girls were being mean to her so I was mean, too. I didn't want to be but they said she was different, she didn't belong."

"I see.", he said thoughtfully. "And you wanted to go along with them to be part of the group. That's a very human thing, honey, but that doesn't make it right. What will you do now?" Kaila thought hard.

"I will be nice to her.", she decided firmly. Mary had become her best friend that year.

Kaila rose and flung herself over the girl as his foot landed, catching Kaila in the ribs and knocking both women over. She didn't loosen her grip.

"What are you doing, Kaila? Leave her. No slave can bear a child of mine.", he said angrily.

"Please", Kaila begged. "She will die. Let me have her."

"If she dies then the child dies too. If she lives and the child is born it would have to be killed anyway. What do you want with this wretch?", he demanded.

Kaila hugged the girl tightly, her body between them.

"Can I have her?", she asked again, looking up at him with pleading eyes. Aurelius sighed.

"Fine. Get her out of here. But make sure the baby does not live, do you understand?", he said firmly.

"Yes, master.", Kaila said, looking down. She rose and pulled the crying girl to her feet. "I will just take her to the slave tents if that is all right, master."

"Yes, fine, go. I have work to do.", he said.

Vulpes had come in to confer with Aurelius. He watched them leave. "You spoil that concubine of yours, Centurion. You should just beat her.", he said. Aurelius turned a grim look on him.

"She is the finest dam in this land. She will not be scarred." His voice held a warning Vulpes would be a fool to ignore. He was no fool.

Kaila lay beside Aurelius. He could tell she was disturbed. He turned over and put his arm around her. "What's wrong, my pet?", he asked.

"The slave girl. She was so young and you made her pregnant, then you beat her for it. She will live though the baby is gone. But it doesn't bother you to kill your child?", she asked hesitantly.

"It's our way. I can take any slave I want whenever I want but I will never allow a child of mine to be born to a slave. If I claimed it, it would dilute my bloodline. If I didn't claim it and allowed it to live it would be a slave and that is not acceptable. It's better for it to die. If she had not insisted the child was mine it would never have become an issue as it could belong to anyone. Don't worry so, pet. You'll learn our ways soon enough.", he said gently.

"I understand.", Kaila said, and Aurelius was pleased, not realizing understanding doesn't mean accepting.

Milo snapped open his Pip-boy as he felt the buzz of Kaila's signal. "Hey, Babe, I haven't heard from you in a while. Are you all right?", asked.

"I'm doing well, luv.", she said. " I've news for you. Vulpes has been conferring with Aurelius. They're planning on raiding the mines near Searchlight."

"I see. I wonder if they know most of the miners lived in Searchlight. There's not many left to work the mines and no one wants to take the chance of working there with all the Legion raids in the area.", he said.

"I think they're aware. That's why they've been conducting so many raids and taking slaves instead of killing the young men. They're planning on working them in the mines. They need the resources.", she explained.

"I'll warn what men are left there but that's about all I can do.", he said. " The NCR isn't going to guard the mines."

"Okay. I want to ask you about something, luv." Kaila told him about the incident with the slave girl. "Did I do right, my friend? Is it right to interfere in their ways?", she asked. She sounded like the little girl she had once been.

"That is a hard question, Babe. Do we have the right to interfere in other cultures? I don't know but I do know you have been my friend a long time, and you are aware I have tried to influence other cultures. Didn't I save that young writer at the Great Kahn's and hopefully influence the way they looked at the arts? I think we have to be true to our own beliefs, Babe. I don't think we can tolerate cruelty and inhumanity no matter how clothed in cultural beliefs it may be.", he said thoughtfully.

"Thank you, luv. I feel better now.", she sighed. Milo frowned worriedly at his silent Pip-boy. How much would she be influenced by her lover?