Flagstaff, Arizona, the capital of Caesar's Legion, buzzed with activity from merchants and customers trading with one another in its vast market. Brahmin mooed as they passed through the streets with heavy loads upon their backs alongside tired slaves. Legionaries watched from atop of ruined buildings with spears in hand, scanning the crowds for trouble while groups of two patrolled the busy, dusty streets.
Chain gangs worked about under strict supervision in the repair of buildings with whatever material they could gather. Slaves followed their masters under the hot Arizona sun to an auction that was happening that day.
While people tended to their business, a group of tired legionaries passed through the city. With them were Vulpes and Lucius. They were going to attend a meeting with other leaders of the Legion, mainly centurions stationed in Arizona who did not get to see the war in the west. Vulpes had heard that even consul Marcus Licinius Crassus, the head of the Offices of Servitude, which deal in the selling of slaves, would be attending the meeting. Vulpes could understand why for the Legion's leaderless state poses trouble for everyone. He found it wise of Marcus.
Eventually the two warriors arrived to a place that formerly was Northern Arizona University. Many tents were erected around the campus, and legionaries patrolled the area with mongrels at their side. Banners depicting the golden bull of the Legion hung from the side of the buildings on campus while the wind blew by. It was the heart of the Legion, though without the mind behind it who knows if it would continue to be.
While Vulpes and Lucius moved through the campus, legionaries stationed there whispered among themselves. The presence of the two men that directly served Caesar confirmed even more of the grand failure that occurred for the conquest of the west.
Vulpes and Lucius along with their personal legionaries eventually found themselves outside of what was once the Cline Library of the university. Two guards were stationed outside at the entrance while a banner hung above them from the building. One of the guards greeted both Vulpes and Lucius as they proceeded to go inside the old building.
"Ave. Welcome back, my lords." The guard said with a small bow. He was quickly ignored.
The interior of the library was neat and organized. It still obviously looked like it went through a nuclear apocalypse but the Legion did what they could to restore the building. They removed rumble from caved-in hallways along with the skeletons of people long gone. A few feral ghouls once lurked in the basement level but they were easily dealt with.
A few legionaries were present in the inside. Some were seated or wandered the building. Vulpes and Lucius paid no attention to any of them but assume they were the soldiers of the centurions and consuls that were to be attending the meeting.
They then traversed the building and passed by many rooms. One room they passed had a priestess with seven young boys. The priestess was teaching the children how to speak Latin. Another room had Legion currency being manufactured and processed. And another room was where an instructor slept after a long day of teaching a new generation of legionaries. What Vulpes and Lucius were looking for was the assembly room.
Soon, Lucius and Vulpes came upon a set of doors in a corridor guarded by two large men dressed in salvaged power armor. Their faces were obscured by typical power armor helmets that had brahmin horns attached to the sides. On the chest piece, the Legion's symbol was painted on but it was a bit faded around the edges. They were armed with super sledges and daggers. Among the Legion, they were called Bruti, individually referred to as a Brutus. They were a rare sight due to the requirements Caesar had in place for someone to be one, but they were most intimidating when they were encountered. Praetorian guards sometime had the honor to fight along side them.
The Bruti silently turned their heads simultaneously to see the two leaders approach them. They said nothing and allowed Vulpes and Lucius to pass through the doors.
The assembly room was large, as one would expect. Consuls and centurions stood about the room, mingling with one another. There were five recruit legionary acting as guards. Vulpes immediately spotted Marcus Crassus, confirming the rumors. As soon as the two were in the room, everyone looked at the tired warriors. One can see resentment in some of the faces of the centurions.
Then, someone spoke by greeting the two.
"Ave!" A short, hunched man in a suit approached in front of Vulpes and Lucius with a smile. Lucius silently scowled while Vulpes responded.
"Ave." Vulpes replied in an unenthusiastic tone with his arms crossed.
In the middle of the room were tables placed together. Everyone then proceeded to sit around it to begin the meeting. The first to speak was a consul.
"So Caesar is gone. What happens now? We have no Legate to carry on his will, and we've spent lots of resources in the war effort for the west. You two are left." The consul said coldly toward Vulpes and Lucius. Vulpes could tell Lucius was considering getting up, and punching the consul in the face with his power fist, splattering his head all over the floor. Although, Lucius still maintained patience.
"Yes, the fall of Caesar and Legate Lanius leaves the future uncertain for the Legion. We no doubt will look weak to those in the east!" Another consul said.
Everyone in the room began to argue among themselves. A few of them in the room quickly realized how foolish it was for Caesar to not establish a proper order of succession. Of course, they wisely kept the thought to themselves otherwise a physical fight would break out, especially with the centurions. Still, in the back of everyone's minds, there was a feeling of terror for the Legion's future that couldn't be denied.
"Everyone, shut up!" Yelled Lucius as he slammed his fists onto the table. Everyone became silent and looked at the old leader of the Praetorian guard.
"Anyone that threaten the Legion will face our fury if they see us as weak! Our enemies in the east are few and will cower away." Lucius continued.
"What about what occurred west? The new threat?" A centurion responded.
"What new threat? Isn't it only the NCR out west? Aren't they weak?" Another centurion interjected.
"You haven't heard? We lost to an army of machines at Hoover Dam." A consul condescendingly answered. The room was then briefly silent and waited for Lucius' response.
"We were winning. If we were prepared, we could've taken the dam!" Lucius finally said.
"I'm sorry but who exactly did we lose to?" A silent consul spoke.
"A Courier." Vulpes finally contributed to the discussion.
"Who are they?" Another consul said. The consuls tend to not be concerned with enemies of the Legion since most have been tribes, and hardly posed much of a threat. The only one recently worth acknowledging was the NCR.
"A man. I heard stories of this Courier being the one to kill Caesar." A centurion answered the consul with a hint of rage. The thought of someone striking down their mighty leader was tragic.
"I heard slaves spreading rumors about him. Some were inspired to disobey orders before I had their blood spilled. Hopefully this isn't going to be a problem." A centurion commented. The consul Marcus looked on with fear. A slave revolt coming from the Courier's actions was going to be bad for him.
"Is that it? Are you telling me we lost the dam and got pushed back by a mailman? That is ridiculous!" A centurion whose face was covered in scars responded rudely. A few other centurions agreed with him. It sounded unbelievable that one person was responsible for their defeat.
"Don't underestimate. He killed Legate Lanius and he was one of our most fearsome warriors. He didn't became chosen by Caesar to be Legate for nothing." Vulpes replied.
"Anyway, what are we going to do? Without Caesar to hold things together, the Legion may crumble apart!" A consul asked to return to the original subject of the meeting.
"We'll maintain order as usual. Vulpes and I will see that no one will separate from us. Caesar lives on in the banners of the Legion!" Said Lucius with pride.
"Are you saying you are in charge?" A centurion responded to Lucius curiously.
"Yes since I been the closest to Caesar and know how to keep order." Lucius replied without hesitation.
"No, you are old and weak to be the new Caesar!" Another centurion yelled as they furiously rose from their seat. Lucius balled his hands into fist in anticipation of a fight. Vulpes quickly responded to deescalate the situation. He knew fighting was going to happen among fellow legionaries but he didn't expect it so soon.
"He does not mean it like that. It is temporary until we can come up with a resolution to our lack of supreme leadership." Vulpes calmly said. Lucius turned and shot an angry glare at the Frumentarius. Vulpes paid no mind to it since it wasn't the first time he was given that face.
"Why not have the strongest lead? It is what we always done. It's what Caesar taught us!" A centurion declared.
"Yes, I believe we should have a grand battle with all fellow centurions for the role of Caesar! You two must also fight to keep your place!" Another centurion declared. Everyone seemed to agree with him except for the consuls. They never were fond of the mentality warriors possessed, and remained skeptical because a foolish brute could rule over them. It was one of their fears about Legate Lanius but good thing he perished back west. Still, Lanius' death was only postponing the inevitable.
Lucius grumbled to himself as Vulpes replied to everyone.
"Let's not be too hasty. We must keep our numbers and regrow before such an event could take place. We still have enemies and soldiers to lead."
Everyone proceeded to agree with Vulpes. Some were reluctant due to their strong dislike for Vulpes since his existence in the Legion contradicted their values of honorable combat. Regardless, they will just have to tolerate Vulpes a while longer since they will have their chance to fight him. In their ideal Legion, the use of treachery will never be relied upon.
"Yes... Though know that you will be challenged, Vulpes!" A centurion said with a smile to Vulpes while flaunting off a bowie knife he pulled out, which he proceeded to stab into the table. Vulpes was unfazed by the threat.
"No doubt I will." Replied Vulpes with a blank stare. If it came to it, Vulpes wasn't going to allow himself get slaughtered. Him and his Frumentarii would easily fend off the mindless brutes. There was a reason Caesar handpicked only the best to be among the Frumentarii.
"So are we finished here? I have matters to attend to. Your little squabbles bore me." A consul said with a bored face.
"So do I." A centurion followed up.
"Then it is decided. The Legion must heal first before we find who will be worthy to lead." Declared Vulpes while Lucius watched him with a scowl. Lucius didn't like how Vulpes took charge of the whole conversation and felt like striking him.
"No, I rather get things over with!" A centurion barked out as they rose from his seat and approached Vulpes. The centurion had a shaved head and drew out his machete. Vulpes remained unfazed and observed the centurion as he slowly risen from his own chair. The recruit legionary that stood nearby as guards did not move for they were unsure how to respond. Both were their superiors and they worried if they interfered that they would be punished by one of them. They had no choice but to watch the situation resolve itself.
"I don't know what Caesar saw in you but you are nothing but dishonor!" The centurion proclaimed as he got closer. Everyone watched Vulpes to his response. Soon the centurion was six steps away from Vulpes. One can easily sense the immense cockiness radiating from the centurion.
"Well, if that is-" Vulpes said before pulling out a knife and slashed at the throat of the centurion, who was not prepared for the sudden strike. He was briefly caught up in what Vulpes had to say before he killed him. Unfortunately, it was him that perished instead for he fell to the floor, clutching at his throat to stop the blood from pouring out. Everyone looked on with mostly blank faces as Vulpes looked at his bloodied knife before he placed it on the table. A few of the consuls were shaken by the swift act of violence.
No one came to assist the dying centurion. The recruit legionaries simply came to drag his body out of the room through a nearby door.
"What a mess. I believe we are done here. A message to all centurions will need to be sent, and until we all can gather we'll maintain order. Farewell." A centurion said before sighing. Everyone then got up and headed toward the exits.
Lucius was the first to leave. He didn't say a word to Vulpes who stayed behind in the hall. Vulpes briefly watched the old Praetorian walk away before following. He still felt unsure on how things were going to play out for the Legion. It wouldn't be long before ambition rend Caesar's grand empire apart.
Vulpes sighed and proceeded down the hall. Him and Lucius were to return to their forces they had lead back home from the Mojave.
In the southern roads leading to Flagstaff, an elderly merchant travelled along with his pack brahmin and legionary escorts. The merchant swiped off sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his jumpsuit.
Curse the sun... Thought the merchant as he looked up at the clear sky. The pack brahmin then mooed, mostly indifferent to the heat it had grown to be used to for all its life.
As they travelled closer toward the capital, they heard a sound in the distance. They turned to look southwest, and they saw the approaching silhouette of legionaries jogging. The merchant squinted to see who was approaching.
He saw a large figure resembling a centurion but their armor was vastly different. It wasn't colored red. Furthermore, the merchant observed that the others that were following were primarily decani.
The merchant and his escorts stood there, watching the approaching group. They had a good look at the centurion. His armor was of heavy gauge steel and looked much more impressive compared to what centurions commonly wore. It had a light green and yellow tint with the symbol of the golden bull of Caesar's Legion painted on the chest. The centurion also wore a typical helmet of the same style that suited the armor and his rank. Notably, he had his face obscured by a bandana. All one could see was his eyes. As he got closer, one could see something off with the skin around the eyes. It was like a rotten look but not quite. It was difficult to tell from afar.
The legionaries with the merchant then quickly stood at attention for they soon realized who they were looking at in particular. That armor was forged in Flagstaff for one person as a reward from Caesar. It was a gift for conquering the 87th tribe for the Legion. It was a warrior named Gaius Magnus, and it was thought he perished at what was once called Dry Wells where fire rained from the sky supposedly. Perhaps Mars, the god of war, had more planned for him. It was the only thing the legionaries with the merchant could conclude to explain the man they were seeing who was seemingly alive.
Soon the approaching group passed by the merchant and his escorts. The legionaries greeted the arriving warriors but they were ignored. They were in a rush. They had to meet up with Vulpes and Lucius for Magnus had something important in mind.