She kneels before Caesar, who looks upon her with disdain.
"Your behavior lately has been concerning," he says sternly. "With everything coming so close to an end, I don't need you fucking it all up!"
"Yes my Liege," Agnes says, bowing her head.
"I see that Vulpes has already pressed upon you the seriousness of the situation," Caesar says, noting the bruises that circle her neck.
"Yes my Liege, it is a lesson I will not soon forget."
"Very good," Caesar responds.
He studies Agnes as she remains kneeling before him.
"Vulpes has briefed me on the incident and while he is confident that you remain loyal to our cause, I am not one hundred percent convinced."
Agnes swallows audibly at his statement. Vulpes turns to his Master but is silenced by Caesar's raised hand.
"Don't worry Vulpes, I won't get rid of her just yet. She'll make a good wife one day. A bit head strong, nothing a firm hand couldn't fix."
Agnes ventures a glance at Vulpes and is disgusted by the lecherous grin on his face, curling her lip at him in response. A firm cuff to the back of her head almost knocks her on her face.
"Do not forget your place woman," Caesar growls as Lucius returns to his position beside the throne.
Agnes refocuses her gaze on the floor, gritting her teeth in frustration. She misses the brief scowl Vulpes shoots at Lucius over Caesar's head.
The room grows silent before Caesar speaks again.
"Despite her recent fuck up, Agnes here has done very well, no doubt due to Vulpes' tutelage. I especially find the fact that she has betrayed the NCR to be the cherry on top. As I have said before, I do not completely believe your devotion. Lucky for you, there is a way to show that you are hundred percent vested."
"Anything, my Liege," Agnes responds, looking up.
Caesar gives a feral grin that sends a shiver down her spine.
"Prove your allegiance," he says haughtily. "I want you to led the troops onto Hoover Dam."
Agnes pauses due to shock of hearing her death sentence. She is sure the emotion shows on her face as her eyes dart to Vulpes, her Mentor wears a carefully blank expression.
"As you wish, my Liege," she finally responds, glad that her voice is firm.
"Excellent," Caesar says. "I want to rub the fact that the Courier has sided with the Legion in their fucking faces. When the time comes, get with the Legate. He will instruct you."
...
The Fort swells in size as additional centuriae arrive from various parts of the Empire. Agnes wonders if her brothers are amongst the sea of crimson.
One rainy morning, Agnes receives a message from Vulpes.
"It flies, get ready."
Three days later, Agnes stands at the head of a column of young men, the first wave on the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. Caesar delivers a speech to inspire the young soldiers. Even Agnes feels a surge of pride listening to his honeyed words. She puts her fist over her chest and yells the oath along side the others.
"True to Caesar!"
Vulpes's gaze is hot upon her as he stands next to Caesar. They haven't spoken since she left his tent. What happened between them had reinforced the reason of why Agnes left the Legion, a reason that she needed to remember. She isn't going to end up like her Mother, dying at the hands of her Legion Husband. There is no love in the Legion, only purpose, she reminds herself.
...
Agnes' eyes water at the stench in the fearsome Legate's tent. Flies drone over the pile of corpses in the far corner.
"Is something distracting you, woman?"
"No, Legate."
"Good, I won't repeat myself."
Vulpes surprises her as she exits the Legate's camp.
"Walk with me," he commands.
The pair stroll down the path that leads them back to the main body of the Fort, stopping just before they enter the main camp.
"It is quite a honor that Caesar has bestowed upon you," he says.
More like a death sentence, Agnes thinks.
"They're children," she says in response. "My youngest brother is about their age."
Vulpes sighs beside her.
"I know. Most of them will die but those that don't will continue on, building a stronger Legion. Believe me, I am well aware of their struggles."
They stand in silence, looking at each other.
"I'm being sent to New Vegas, to oversee the assault on the Strip," Vulpes tells her.
Agnes finds herself frowning.
"Does that mean you will miss me?," he smirks, catching her expression.
"Unfortunately so," she says, feigning indifference before winking at him.
Vulpes smiles as he pulls her close, Agnes gives a giggle at his playful expression.
"I want you to have this," he says, presenting her with a golden ring on a leather cord.
He deftly pulls a leather cord from around his neck, showing the matching band. Her eyes go wide as she sees the golden band while her face grows warm as memories flood forth, causing her heart to flutter.
"For luck," Vulpes says with bright eyes as he slips the leather cord over her head before tenderly squeezing her hand.
"Mars willing, we'll make it thru this," he whispers.
Before she can second guess herself, Agnes grabs his lapels, pressing a kiss to his lips. Vulpes smiles before deepening the kiss to a burning intensity that about robs her of all sense. He smirks mightly while she smiles like an idiot.
"Make me proud, my lamb."
...
It's early, barely daybreak when the war drums begin to pound out an steady rhythm. The effect two fold: preparation of the ranks and psyching out of the awaiting entrenched NCR. The drums go on for hours as the sun breaks free of the horizon and begins its treks across the sky.
A messenger arrives at her tent, bearing Caesar's call for her presence. Agnes joins the other officers as they gather before their Master. Much to her surprise, Caesar calls her forward, placing her on his left with the monstrous Legate on his right. Slaves quickly pass out glasses of honey sweetened wine as Caesar gives a toast to the upcoming battle, wishing victory to the Legion and ruin to the NCR.
With her affairs in order, Agnes dons her armor and makes her way to the front. She is given wide berth by the young soldiers as she walks thru. The crimson bull shines brightly upon her breast plate for all to see.
Her armor, a PreWar relic and if the story that came with the gear could be believed, this set of armour was actually worn during the Sino - American War, the war that brought the end of humanity two hundred years ago. Agnes was assured by the merchant that it was the best armor that caps could buy in the Mojave.
Truly, it was the message scrawled on the helmet that sold the gear for her.
"Forgive me Mama."
Agnes didn't know how many of the soldiers could read but from the looks of the commanding officers, they understood just fine. Her appearance causes ripples through the ranks as she walks to her position at the head of the assault.
A wooden wall with a crudely cut door is all that separates the dam from the Legion. Agnes turns, surveying the young faces that stare back at her. The Decani, no older than the boys they command, circle the area keeping their men focused. A horn sounds three times, the drums stop and for a moment, all that can be heard is the wind. It sounds twice more, the effect immediate as every soldier gathered gives a mighty yell. With the taste of honeyed wine still on her lips, the wooden door opens and her trial by fire begins.
...
She wonders if Boone is watching through his scope as those around her are picked off. Agnes falls behind a hasty constructed sandbag wall, once again finding herself alone. She attempts to peer over the cover, only to have sand explode in her face as the round narrowly misses her. Agnes is thankful for her mask as she ducks down. Looking back, she spies movement as Decani move their men forward from cover to cover. Constant calls to move forward hang in the air. Her mind whirls, in order to move forward, the snipers need to be removed but how? Looking around, she spies a RPG Launcher peeking out from under a fresh body, just beyond the safety of her cover. The satchel of missiles fortunately lay at the edge of the sandbags. Emptying the bag, Agnes attempts to use the it to lasso the launcher. On the third try, it's successful and with great excitement, she pulls the launcher into her arms.
"Thank God for the Boomers," Agnes mutters as she loads a missile.
Taking a deep breath, she centers herself, focusing on what she wishes to accomplish. Exhaling, Agnes jumps up and fires the missile at the snipers nest atop the closest tower. Her hurried aim is good as the top of the tower explodes, expelling bodies in a fiery belch. Any exultation she feels is quickly tempered by the sight of the snipers as they plummet to their deaths. Four more stones are laid on her path to Hell.
With the path cleared of snipers, Agnes is quickly joined by a contubernium. The young soldiers stare at her in awe. A deep buzzing noise can be heard over the sounds of battle. Slowly, everything comes to a halt as the source of the noise is made apparent.
"What is that?," one of the soldiers ask in amazement.
"An airplane," Agnes smiles.
Soldiers from both sides stare upwards as the metal bird circles around and comes back over the Dam.
It's beautiful.
Another PreWar relic, this one resurrected from its' watery grave to fly and rain down fiery death. Its metal skin shines in the sunlight as it flies low over the Dam. Agnes notices a little door opening on its belly. The NCR become abuzz with activity as small caliber gunfire is directed at the aircraft. Agnes watches the plane head towards their entrenched howitzers, releasing its payload. The ground shakes under her feet as the howitzers, ammunition, and crew are blown sky high. She raises her arms in excitement, releasing a mighty yell. Agnes is certain that Caesar is watching from his perch at the Fort, smiling mightily at the victorious cry.
"Forward," Agnes yells, eager to take advantage of the confusion caused by the Boomers and their flying machine. The answering roar of her Legion brothers stirs her very soul and forward the crimson wave surges.
...
Upon entry into the Dam, Agnes finds herself in a world of noise and chaos, the smell of gunpowder and blood thick.
This must be Hell, she thinks, scanning the area.
Her Pip Boy beeps as her location is updated, her destination a glowing dot on the digital screen. Saying a prayer, she rushes into fray, following the glowing dot.
Her way is blocked by a group of young Legionaries, held off by an automated turret. Crouching, she makes it to the front, capturing the attention of their Decanus. He grins when shown the pulse grenade. Agnes lobs the grenade before diving against the wall. Blue sparks and a tingling sensation fill the air. When Agnes looks again, the turret is destroyed. The Decanus nods his thanks before motioning his men forward. As an afterthought, Agnes hands the man her satchel of grenades.
"Reek havoc, brother," she says.
The Decanus gives a feral grin upon seeing the contents of the satchel.
"I will do my best, brother, " he responds.
The fighting is more ferocious in the narrow confines of the hallway. As the warren of dimly lit corridors tumbles forth, Agnes is glad that she had the chance to visit the Dam before now. Her PipBoy takes her into the bowels of the Dam. She helps where she can but Agnes slips by unnoticed by most. Deeper and deeper into the Dam she goes, until she comes face to face with a surprised General Lee Oliver and his personal detail of fabled Veteran Rangers. They all stare at her in disbelief, at the Red Bull painted across her chest.
"You," Gen. Oliver growls.
"Surrender, general," Agnes greets. "The dam is almost taken."
"I would sooner spit on the grave of my dead mother than let some courier-walk-the-wasteland-fuck talk to me like that," Oliver seethes.
"I'm giving you the chance to leave. The chance to return home alive. There is no shame in wanting to see your families again. Your partners and children will be thankful of the opportunity I have given you. You just have to take it."
General Oliver sneers, "Pretty words from a Legion whore. Perhaps you should follow your own advise."
"Believe me General, I would love nothing more than the chance to go home. This doesn't have to end in bloodshed, general. Dying won't accomplish anything. "
"It will see that our orders are carried through to the end. That's what good soldiers do."
"And what about your duty to your men," Agnes challenges.
"My men and I are soldiers. We share an obligation to follow orders. I will never hand over this Dam!, " General Oliver states.
"I'm sorry General, we all have our orders," Agnes responds, pulling her pistol and firing on the General.
Even Agnes stares in amazement as General Oliver collapses, shot between the eyes. The fight over his body is fierce, especially in such tight quarters. There are several times where she thought herself a goner. The thought of coming so far only to die under tons of concrete stirs her blood, spurning her forward. After seemingly fighting for eternity, the final soldier collapses, shot through the throat. Agnes is thankful as she is beginning to tremble from overuse of Stimpacks.
It was over.
Agnes checks the bodies, giving each a sharp kick in the ribs before rifling thru pockets. Old habits die hard, she supposes. The shocked look on General Oliver's face is another image that will stay with her for the rest of her life.
"Should have left when you had the chance," she says, staring into his vacant eyes. "All these dead rest on your shoulders."
She finds herself awaiting a response before chuckling, the dead only know one thing. Using her knife, she takes a gruesome souvenir.
...
The hulking Legate escorts Agnes out of the bowels of the Dam, out of Hell and back to the Mortal realm. She is surprised to see Caesar standing on the Dam, proudly surveying his recent acquisition. The Praetorion Guard forms a living wall around their Master.
"I've been waiting years for this moment, " he grins at their approach.
"My Liege," Agnes says, kneeling before her Emperor.
With shaking hands, Agnes presents Gen. Lee Oliver's head to a smirking Caesar.
"Well done," he says, taking the head with gleeful joy.
She remains kneeling until he places a hand on her shoulder.
"Rise Courier," he says. "Rise and take your place beside your brothers."
Agnes stands, glad she kept her mask on. Her lips quiver as a torrent of emotions run through her. A flash of light catches her eye up on the hills. Suddenly, she is violently thrown backwards as if by an invisible hand. Landing heavily, her vision goes white. She can feel herself slide over the rough terrain but doesn't feel any discomfort. The white dims to darkness as she fades under.
Finally, she thinks.
It's finally over.