In the early morning hours, before the sun broke the horizon in two, Maximus marched through the pouring rain leading to the dam. Mud clung to her boots, threatening to suck her into the earth. She cursed the war drums announcing their arrival, though mostly dulled by the storm, it would have been the perfect cover for a surprise attack. It was the Legates pride that led them to what she knew would be a slaughter. As they crossed over a high ridge, she could see the dam faintly, almost blending in with the grey of the clouds and rain, only made visible by the lights shone upon it. The NCR would have been smart to black it out. She halted her men.

Taking time to observe the scene below her, she had only moments to decide a plan of action. Though she had orders from Lanius himself, she would rather die as the burned man had, than risk sacrificing her entire unit for a formation she had no faith in. But, sacrifices would have to be made. She continued the march.

Lanius would not join until the end of the attack, during the third wave. It wasn't questioned by anyone in his council and any argument Maximus made, was met with threats. It wasn't that she disagreed with the formation itself, it was the method in which he would execute it: send in the recruits, first. Maximus was given an entire army of inexperienced and untested soldiers that just skirted the line of being able to be called "men", both Legion and Great Khan's, alike. Lanius believed her to be unassuming of his plans, but she knew that this was a culling—a means of ridding himself of those he found weak, a means of fooling the NCR into a false sense of hope before being decimated by their true forces. He was foolish to place her at the front.

When she reached a break in her path which would lead them directly to the dam, she split her unit, sending the Khans ahead as an unknowing distraction as she rallied her men for the real fight. She knew the hypocrisy of her plan, but with so little time, the profligates of Red Rock would have to fall in her stead.

From his own vantage point in an NCR snipers nest, Vulpes watched the flash of gun fire break through the rain. The attack had begun. He peered down through his scope, the lenses of the ranger helmet he donned, helping him spot the differences of those warring below. The body of the ranger the gear belonged to laid bleeding at his side. He fired off a round, sinking an NCR soldier close enough to the battle to not raise suspicion. Every few moments, he would sweep his gaze across the warring parties searching for Maximus before firing and taking another life. By the time the second wave attacked, the Khans almost entirely eliminated, Vulpes wasn't sure if he should be relived or frightened by Maximus' absence. It was unlike her to cower, whether that be from his own experience with her or from the stories he's heard after her…departure from his ranks.

Dozens of Legionnaires flooded onto the field, pushing the front line to the middle of the dam, itself. From here, Vulpes was able to take more direct shots at higher ranking officers. If they pushed back any further, he would have a proper shot at General Oliver who was hiding behind rows of sandbags and his own men. As easy as it would have been to eliminate him, he couldn't risk giving up his location

Maximus sent her men out as soon as the second wave had begun, holding only a handful back to join in on the third wave. Though she felt a tinge of guilt at waiting to join, herself, she knew she would be a more use in the final attack. There was no need to sacrifice herself before she could guarantee Vulpes safety. He could kill her himself when this was all over, for all she cared, so long as he was alive.

The beat of the war drums increased, announcing the approach of the Legate. The sun had risen and just barely broke through the clouds, illuminating everything in a dull brownish gray as the rain began to dissipate. It was a sickly sight. As he approached the dam running, centered among his men, the Blade of the East swaying in his grasp, the sound of howitzers broke the air. Whistles followed by explosions on the NCR side of the dam ignited near the rock face, strategically aimed not to damage the dam, itself. Dirt and ash rose in clouds, masking the devastation that followed. With one final chance, Vulpes swept his scope across the battle and finally spotted Maximus, their spear deeply embedded in an NCR soldier as bodies littered the ground before her. With a sigh of relief, he quickly evacuated his post for fear of being bombed.

When he reached the ground, Vulpes ducked behind a pile of rubble and skirted along the walls of the dam, keeping an eye on the Legion, least they fire at him by mistake. He removed the ranger helmet, happy to be breathing fresh air, regardless of the dust he could taste as he controlled his breaths. The dam was nearly overrun, the remaining NCR fleeing further to their side. He pulled out his scoped .44 and began firing at those trying to retreat. One by one the bodies fell and as the Legion caught up to him, he shed the Ranger duster to reveal his Legion crimson. The howitzers fired again, raining down hell upon the opposing side. They were almost too close as the ground shook and sent several men to their knees to maintain balance. The large form of Lanius was unaffected as his powerful gait brought him to the front of the battle, his sword quickly dispatching any living enemies before him. As the dust began to settled once more, the retreating form of General Oliver froze at the sight of the Monster of the East. The gun he held clattered to ground, his shaking hands unable to hold it. All went silent and still, save for the groans of the dying. Those remaining behind the General dropped their weapons, taking his cowardice as a signal of surrender.

"Recognize" the booming voice of Lanius broke above the silence. "That on this day, Mars has blessed our forces and cleansed this land with the blood of our enemies. As the NCR have fallen, Caesar rises as the rightful ruler of the West." The pause that follows is heavy, the horror on the faces of the defeated becoming more prominently featured. "Bow, and accept your fate!" His voice boomed, causing those of either faction to flinch in fear. With one mighty swing, the body of Oliver was cleaved in two, from shoulder to hip. "Or meet his, instead!" Everyone remaining dropped to their knees. Lanius turned to his army, his sword held above him as he bellowed a victory cry, the men before him joined, their weapons too, rose above them. Until his mask turned in the direction of Vulpes. His sword slowly lowered to his side as the cries died down.

"Vulpes Inculta!" the déjà vu of having his name sung in malice was not a pleasant feeling. "New Vegas is slated next to fall, and still you stand before us as if your mission is complete." He stated as he stepped towards him.

"That is because it has already fallen." He stated simply, as Lanius stopped to stand before him. A confused whisper spread throughout the crowd but soon stopped as Lanius spoke, again.

"Lord Caesar did not want deviation from his plans. You went against his will—for the second time!"

"Lord Caesar succumbed to his sickness, days ago. The son of Mars has returned home. He did not want news of his death to sully a victory before it came to fruition. I stand before you, the new Caesar." He stated, evenly. The whispering began again, but only briefly as the men before him also dropped to their knees in recognition. Hundreds adorned in Legion colors, blended in with the blood stained ground creating an ocean of Crimson before him, stretching well past the dam. All but Lanius.

"You are no Caesar!" he stated boldly before grabbing Vulpes and lifting him by his throat. A gasp broke out among the masses. Some stood, while other remained shocked still, not knowing what to do. Vulpes grabbed onto Lanius' wrists at an attempt to lessen the stress on his throat, but his grip only tightened. He gritted his teeth and willed himself to calm down and save his breath, but he knew the loss of blood flow would incapacitate him sooner.

A spear broke through the crowd and glanced off of the golden mask, knocking it hard enough to remove it from the Legate's head. Vulpes took the opportunity to lift his body and kick Lanius in the face, causing him to lessen his grip and drop him to the ground. With no time to recover, Lanius was knocked off balance as the body of Maximus Leapt over Vulpes and onto his shoulders. They landed hard but Maximus controlled her fall into a roll before recovering on her feet. Unfortunately, she did not land near any weapons and could only reach for the knife in her boot before Lanius lumbered back to his full height, the Blade of the East, still clutched in his fist.

"You've made a grave mistake, boy." He said, as he raised his sword. "You were supposed to be dead, but I will soon rectify that, as well as this false god." He swung towards her, barely missing her, as she dodged to the side. His armor did not allow an opening so she slashed feebly at his exposed arm. Though, blood was drawn, he didn't react as he swung back with his other arm and knocked her to the ground. As she hit the mud, she did not allow her body to stop moving even as blinding pain tore down the right side of her body. It was only a glance from his blade, but the power he put behind the swing was enough to break her ribs where the flesh did not split. His sword became lodged into the mud and cement, giving Maximus enough time to recover and grab for her spear. She heard the moment his blade became dislodged and turned to block its swing but was caught off guard by a solid kick to her chest, as her spear was ripped from her hands. She stumbled back, the breath knocked out of her before she ever hit the ground. As she landed, her head knocked against something solid, sending blinding flashes across her vision. A single gunshot could be heard before she blacked out, entirely.

It took a moment for Maximus to realize the darkness was not the same that she had succumbed to. After a few moments of fumbling, she removed a wrap from around her eyes and took in her surroundings. She was in a small tent—no, a small room to a larger tent. It was night. Lanterns barely lit the room from what she assumed was the outer wall. The door however, was dark. As she sat up, she winced slightly but was surprised to not be in more pain. A small tray next to the bedroll she had occupied revealed why: chems. Several used stimpacks and a vial of medex lay discarded along with bloodied rags and gauze. She quickly looked down at her body and was mortified to see that someone had changed her tunic. Her breast band remained tightly wrapped, but she could feel the bruising of an injection point on her ribs below it. She ran her hands over her head and didn't even feel a scar from where she knew she had hit it. Were she not in a panic, she would be amazed. She stood up slowly and took in the rest of her surroundings but found nothing. Her boots, armor and weapon were missing. She crouched near the door and listened for a sign of movement but detected none. Slowly, she pulled the flap back and crawled out.

Once her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized she was in Caesar's command tent at the Fort. Every bit of furniture, save for the throne had been removed. The praetorian guard, including their hounds, were also missing. Slowly, she stood and made her way to the back room without a sound and peered through the open tent flap. Empty. Caesar was truly gone. An overwhelming sense of loss came over her, not for the man himself, but the barrier he represented that she could hide herself behind. A rustling of fabric broke her from her lamenting. Maximus turned to see the silhouette of a Vexillarius helm entering the tent just before she ducked down to hide behind the throne, hoping the darkness concealed her long enough not to be noticed.

She could hear footsteps heading towards the chamber she had woken up in and knew immediately that it was not Vulpes. He would never alert anyone to his presence, regardless of intention. After the flap to the room was pulled back, she heard a quick expel of breath before the footsteps grew closer to her. She held her breath, and shifted into a better position to either flee or defend herself in. The steps stopped on the other side of the throne. Silence filled the air for a few long moments until the throne creaked from the weight of someone sitting on it. Taking the opportunity, Maximus shot up and wrapped her arm across the person's throat, locking them in place. A startled squeal escaped before their breath was cut off, entirely. Their arms flailed, reaching down, but she was able to release one arm and grab for the gun at the strangers belt before they could get a grasp on it. With the gun now at their temple, they stopped moving entirely, frozen at the threat. They panted as their hands barely rose in surrender.

"I'm going to release my hold on you, but you are going to stay still and not make a sound." She hissed, darkly. A grunt of acknowledgement followed. Maximus quickly removed her arm from around the stranger's neck and made her way to the other side of the throne. She was momentarily surprised to see it was a woman, her wide, scared eyes appearing almost innocent. Almost.

"Who are you?" she said, not allowing their appearance to disarm her. The girl sat up straighter, her eyes no longer scared, but predatory.

"I am Tabellaria of Caesar's Legion. I serve my master as the greatest of his Frumentarii" she said with pride.

"Vulpes is the leader of the Frumentarii and even if he is Caesar, the position would have gone to Alerio."

"Alerio died in the battle of New Vegas." She stated simply. Though the news was unwelcomed, she resolved to grieve later.

"Even if his second fell, there were several in line as contingencies. I was within their ranks. Regardless of your gender, you were not there."

"An exception was made when Vulpes became Caesar. I served him from the moment I met him in Nipton. It was only natural that I be welcomed within the fold."

"So, you're the Courier, then?"

"Was" she said with a wink.

"Why are you here?" Maximus asked, lowering the gun, slowly.

"Vulpes stationed several guards outside of a tent that's supposed to be empty. I had to see what was being hidden."

"And now that you've found me?"

"I'm underwhelmed. You're just a Legionnaire." She raked her eyes down Maximus' body in a suggestive manner. "Or maybe not."

"Seduction will gain you no answers, from me"

"As I'm beginning to learn. It seems to work on most men in this camp. You'd be surprised to know what they share when trying to impress me." Six stated with a smirk. "Like how the man with the fox shaped scar came to fight the former Legate—which by the way, thank you, for that. He sounded like a terror." She said glancing at Maximus' exposed arm. "But, that raises more questions. Like, 'why would Vulpes keep him in a guarded tent?' or 'why isn't he being celebrated?', you can see why I'm confused, right?" Maximus only stared blankly at the girl. "Not even a hint? You're no fun."

"I think it's time for you to leave." She stated plainly, holding the gun out to her, only then noticing it's religious decor. Six stared at it for a moment before taking it. As she did so, Maximus stepped back, allowing her to stand and tuck it into her belt. She kept her features impassive as the girl gave her another sweeping look before making her way to the entrance of the great tent. She crouched down by the door and slipped out into the night.

The moment she was alone again, she regretted not keeping the gun. She didn't know why she was in the tent, but the girl had confirmed that she was being guarded, which didn't bode well. But, if the girl could manage to get in and out without detection, she clearly could, too. She had no weapons, and more importantly, no blade to cut the thick fabric of the tent walls to make an escape. She would also have to use the front entrance.

Crouched down by the door, she prepared to make her exit when the sound of footsteps met her ears. The hope of it being someone passing by escaped her as the number of people she could hear increased. She stood up and stepped back into the tent, ready to duck back behind the throne when the tent flap was abruptly pulled open. Several of the Praetorian Guard entered, their fists raised, already planning for a confrontation. With little time to think, Maximus kicked over one of the lighting fixtures, scattering the unlit tinder and ash to the ground as she pulled one of the wooden support rods from its base. She held it in front of her as if it were a spear.

"By Lord Vulpes Incultas' orders, you are being relocated." One spoke up among the tension. "Please, come peacefully" She counted nine of them, each equipped with a power fist and measured her odds. They were most likely transfers from the Lagate's camp, as she didn't recognize a single face. With a heavy sigh, she let her makeshift weapon fall, knowing it wasn't enough to contend with Caesar's—no, Vulpes' elite. They surrounded her in formation, two in front and at her sides, and three in a triangle behind her. She was marched out of the tent.

She was lead down the hill to the back of the camp, passing her formal personal tent, a light inside told her someone new was occupying it. Next to it, Vulpes' stood dark, most likely vacant since his ascension. As they continued past the tents of sleeping recruits, she realized they were taking her to the weather station, the only secure area in the entirety of the fort. When they opened the door, she did not protest, accepting that there was no longer any escape. As it closed behind her, she heard the grating metal of a lock sliding into place. She was alone in the artificially lit room. From the char marks on the floor, she knew the bunker below, even if unlocked, would not be a viable means of escape. She looked around for anything that would be a use, but not even a bobby pin presented itself. She placed her ear to the door, knowing it was futile as the building was practically soundproof from both sides. Walking back into the room, she ran her hands over her face before picking up a chair and slamming it into a wall with a great scream. The material didn't break, it barely bent and left no feeling of satisfaction, like she had intended. She leaned against the wall and allowed herself to sink to the floor in a panicked daze. She had no idea what to expect, going forward. She forced herself to control her breathing as her mind replayed her conversation with the courier. A woman was now welcomed into the ranks, but was it only because she was to be Vulpes wife? If she were at such a high station, why didn't she know about Maximus and her imprisonment? So much didn't make sense, so she focused on the facts: she was now a prisoner of Caesar's Legion. Caesar was dead. Vulpes was the new Caesar.