CHAPTER THREE
BORN DOWN IN A DEAD MAN'S TOWN
To say that Vulpes despised the city of New Vegas wouldn't necessarily be the truth. The debauchery and sin that he surrounded himself with while undercover was sickening. His skin feeling clammy and unclean, even when he simply sat and watched NCR soldiers and citizens drink themselves into a stupor and bet away all their money before falling asleep in the gutter in the street. He didn't even like to think about the times he would take part in several of the vices that gripped the city, all to protect his cover as a civilian. It looked suspicious if he didn't drink.
And yet he couldn't bring himself to hate the place, despite it's downfalls. There was something almost hypnotic about it. The lights. The music. No one could truly hate a place with so much Old World wonder. Even Caesar, who had brought his Legion to Nevada take control of the Dam had become enraptured, wanting it as his own palace. His Rome.
But in the end Vegas was the Legion's antithesis, corrupt and dissolute while the Legion was righteous and unrelenting. In the end it would be theirs. Vulpes was sure of it.
The guard who stood at the gate of the Fort crossed his arm over his chest and bowed in way of greeting as Vulpes approached. It was the usual ritual, one he was familiar with. He saw more of the Mojave than many Legion troops, the Fort more alien to him than the Vegas Strip after his lengthy ventures. Vulpes returned the action and made his way up the hill to Caesar, passing the slaves acting like pack brahmin and the trader whose name escaped him. The bitter stench of blood and rotting flesh burnt at his nostrils, the bodies on the crucifixes now starting the decompose and attract flies. They wouldn't be disposed of until only their skeletons remained. A warning to any NCR troops looking over from the Dam. What happens to those who defy Caesar.
Two small boys ran passed him breathing heavily and sweating on their run down the stairs. They looked no older than ten. The same age Vulpes had been when Caesar had decimated his tribe.
"Keep going! You aren't allowed to stop until I say!" an instructor shouted from the gates above. The boys groaned but kept moving, muttering under their breath and pushing each other in an attempt to knock the other over. The instructor smiled wide and gave a mocking bow as Vulpes approached.
"Vulpes Inculta. Finally decided to grace us with your presence?" he said.
"What can I say Decimus? I missed you ugly face." The instructor snorted.
"Charming as ever. Although I guess you need it with a face like yours."
"Copying my insult doesn't make it clever."
"Bullshit." Decimus sniffed. "Didn't see you write a rule book."
"I did...in my head." Decimus rolled his eyes behind the dark sun glass and looked back to the two boys, now making their way back up the hill.
"How is the training going?" Vulpes asked.
"Which one do you mean? These kids or the even bigger ones in there." he motioned to the gate behind them with his thumb.
Vulpes raised an eyebrow. "Bigger kids?"
"Here I thought, like an idiot, that people got smarter as they got older but the new batch of legionaries are the biggest bunch of fuck ups I've ever seen. Just when I thought they'd improved in their melee, I give them a frag mine to disarm and one genius goes and jumps on it. Three recruits dead within a week."
Vulpes pursed his lips, subduing a laugh.
"Laugh it up all you want Fox." Decimus said. "I'll be the one laughing when it's your turn to train those idiots."
"I happen to be in the middle of an important mission from Caesar that will take me away from the Fort again for several weeks. Therefore," he slapped Decimus on the back. "Good luck with those recruits."
"I'll get you to do it some day wolf head!" he called after him. Vulpes shook his head and laughed.
Decimus had always been one of the more eccentric of the Legions instructors. Though he took his position seriously, that didn't stop him from teasing lower ranks and even higher ranking praetorians. Made people tougher and gave them a sharper mind in his eyes. Vulpes couldn't help but agree with him, after all he'd learnt everything he knew from the man, like most of the successful legionaries he knew.
A prime legionary stood sharpening his blade when he entered Caesar's main camp, the sound of metal against the stone and the sparks shooting away already feeling right compared to the overly happy tunes on the Strip. Even with the lack of bright lights and music it still held something more to him than the Strip. Here there was order and rules. No dissolute. No profligates. Only those who deserved the life they had and appreciated it. "Inculta!" Vulpes stopped at the sound of his name being called and Alerio running towards him.
"Alerio." he acknowledged.
The young Frumentarii stopped before him, and gave a small bow of respect before continuing. "Caesar wants your report."
"I thought as much. Is he free now?"
"He wanted to see you as soon as you arrived back."
"Then I will not keep him waiting. Vale." Alerio crossed his arm over his chest and bowed before heading towards the training area.
The praetorian outside Caesar's tent nodded when he past, allowing him to enter. Then he understood why Caesar wanted to see him so quickly.
He sat in his throne with his head in his hands, flinching as if being electrocuted every couple of seconds.
"Ave, true to Caesar." Vulpes said, bowing low and crossing his arm over his chest.
"Skip the theatrics Vulpes." Caesar grumbled, dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "I just want your report so I can lay down."
"Of course my lord." He clasped his wrist behind his back and stood straight, blinking coldly as he focused his thoughts. "The leaders of the casino Gomorrah have agreed to our terms and have started making arrangements. If they continue to support us then they should be ready in time to start a riot on the Strip once the attack on Hoover Dam starts."
Caesar nodded slowly, flinching when he did. "Good. Make plans to check up on them twice a month. I don't want them getting cocky and fucking everything up."
"Very well Lord Caesar."
"What about the Tops and Ultra Lux? Have you got anything we can use on them?"
"The Ultra Lux was once a tribe of cannibals and recently several members have been vying for a return to, as they call it, the 'Old Ways'. This could be the perfect chance to...convince them of our morals."
"And the Tops?"
Vulpes pursed his lips. "The Chairman are very true to Mr House making them harder to convince. However, their leader, Benny Gecko, recently left the Strip and hired a group of Great Khan thugs to escort him to a small town to the west of here called Goodsprings. According to my reports he intercepted a Courier there and stole their package after shooting them in the head."
That got Caesar's attention. "Was it one of ours?"
"No. None of my Frumentarii have a mission in that area. Although, "he drawled, "I did hear a report that Ulysses was spotted in the area however he disappeared soon afterwards."
"What's he doing back in Nevada? He's supposed to be up in Utah."
"As of right now the information is scarce, but I have sent out the message to my Frumentarii to keep and eye out for the man."
Caesar breathed out and massaged his temple. "Who is this other courier if not one of ours?"
"Freelance I believe, but all we truly know at the moment is that they survived the attack and is currently recovering in the town of Goodsprings. The extent of the damage in unknown but it wouldn't look good for the casino if it came out that it's leader shot an innocent Courier."
Caesar nodded, brow furrowed. "Leave that idea for now. Better wait and see if this Courier makes a full recovery or comes out a retarded child. The last one we can work with otherwise we'll need a different plan of attack for the Tops." he looked up at Vulpes. "If that is all to your report then you are free to return to your initial mission. Are you prepared for the attack on Nipton?"
"Three of my men are currently stationed there and have begun the preparation for the raid. Do you have any orders before it begins?"
Caesar stood with clumsy steps, wincing at every move his head made. With a grunt he stood straight and looked Vulpes directly in the eyes.
"Make sure the message is loud enough Vulpes. The New Vegas population are amongst the worst profligates we've come into contact with and a simple raid won't faze them. Give them something to be scared of. Show them what my Legion is capable of."
"Of course my lord. I have it all planned out."
"Don't disappoint me Vulpes. I would hate to make Alerio the new leader for my Frumentarii."
Saoirse woke at five am on the morning she left Goodsprings. When she asked Sunny about the road to Primm she'd put the journey at five to six hours on foot depending on how fast you moved. The idea of travelling in the midday sun of the Mojave wasn't appealing to her so she chose early morning, even if it was a horrible time to wake up. Doc Mitchell had filled her backpack with enough medical supplies to keep her going for two days at the most, all he could afford to give away. With a final thank you and a promise to return his kindness, Saoirse stepped out into the Mojave and made her way to Primm.
She regretted leaving Goodsprings the second she got close enough to Primm.
"Motherfu-" she groaned, ducking behind a pillar as a convict shot at her. She reached for her 10mm but stopped when she heard someone calling over the sound of gunshots.
A soldier stood beside a sandbag wall and waved her over. Taking a chance she ran for the crumbling town, thankful that the convict didn't try and take another shot.
"What the hell were you doing?" the soldier shouted once they were in the safe zone. "You could have gotten yourself shot!"
"How was I supposed to know people would be shooting at me?" she replied, "It's not as if there was a sign."
The soldier let out an exasperated sigh. "A warning was issued to all the neighbouring towns weeksago. No one was to come near Primm until the situation was dealt with."
"What situation?"
"The whole town has gone to hell that's the situation. You should head up back to where ever you came from. You won't find anything here."
"I need to get in. I have a delivery that needs signed for." She was surprised at how easily the lie had slipped in but was able to keep a lid on it. She didn't need to ruin it by acting like she'd said something wrong.
"Too bad. A bunch of convicts from NCRCF have taken over the place. No one goes in or out. Lieutenant's orders. If you care that much take it up with him."
With that the soldier went back to his post. She opened her mouth to make a bitter remark but thought against it and closed it. It wouldn't help if she went around shouting at people.
She glanced at the bridge leading into the town and hitched her backpack up her shoulder. It would be better for her to just make a run for it rather than ask the Lieutenant's permission only to be refused.
Then she saw the mines. Sunny had warned her about them before Saoirse had left. With Powder Gangers running around Sunny thought it would be important for her to know even a little about explosives. Even though Sunny's knowledge on the subject was limited, her teaching had taught Saoirse one thing. Don't touch the metal disks unless you wanted catapulted into the stratosphere.
With careful steps she avoided the disks, making sure she wouldn't make them beep. Beeping was bad.
"Hey!" the officer from before shouted. "Get back here!"
"I won't be long!" she replied, backing up into the town.
The entire place smelt of smoke and metal and several small fires were lit in barrels scattered around the town. She slipped the pair of goggles Sunny had given her over her eyes and readied her 10mm.
No one came from the buildings or shot at her, and she couldn't see anyone. She kept quiet, trying to hear every footstep and the crunch of gravel around her. The town was deadly quiet, the only sounds coming from the birds that would caw, and scratch at the ground in search of food.
Then she heard the voices. Two men arguing. Keeping her footsteps as quiet as she could manage she tiptoed closer to the sources, just outside the doors of a place with the name Vikki & Vance Casio. They were kicking and shooting at the door while hurling insults at each other.
"Try blowing the door off!"
"With what? A coffee cup?" the other replied, words laced with sarcasm. "You used up all out dynamite like a fucking idiot."
"Who you calling an idiot fuck head."
Saoirse raised her gun to man closest to her, aiming for his head and pulled the trigger.
The sound of the shot made her head pound but she ignored it and pulled the trigger again and again until the man went down. His friend turned to her and pulled out a large knife from his belt.
"You wanna piece of this!" he shouted, lunging forward. She stumbled back, losing her aim for a moment.
"Come on you piece of shit!" she dodged his attacks the best she could, stumbling backwards. One of her knees buckled and the blade skimmed across her arm leaving a nasty cut. Once the shock of the attack wore off she re-aimed and placed the barrel of the gun right against his head and pulled the trigger.
She flinched at the sound the bullet made and the sticky blood splattering on her hand and arm. Swallowing, she averted her eyes from either body and stepped over them to the casino.
"Hello?" she called through the door, knocking on the hard wood. "Can you open up please?" She heard a faint shuffling from behind the door and a muttering before a female voice called out to her.
"Who are you?"
"I'm a courier. I-" she cut off, frowning. She couldn't just go in, get the information and leave. She'd be condemning theses people to death. "I'm here to help."
The other side of the door was silent then the door opened.
"Hurry up before anyone sees you." the woman hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her in.
She tripped over her feet at the suddenness and took while to get her bearings back.
"You've picked a bad time to come to Primm kid." the woman said. "Don't know how you think you can help."
"I'm still thinking about that." she said, glancing around the room. The gash on her arm burned, the blood seeping into the blue jumpsuit. She'd need to wrap it up when she got a chance. "You wouldn't happen to know who owns the Mojave Express out there?" she asked, gripping her arm to stop the bleeding. "I need help locating something."
"Hoi! Nash. Kid here's looking for you." A dark elderly man snubbed out a cigarette under his boot and walked towards them. The lack of hair on his head only highlighted the deep wrinkles and lines on his face, his skin like dark leather.
"Hey there youngster." he said. "Bad time to visiting Primm."
"It's more a business call than anything else. I'm here about a package I was supposed to deliver. It got stolen."
"Yeah," he said, his voice rough and low, "I remember you. Courier number six right? Some oversized poker chip."
"Yes! You remember me?"
"I remember most faces that come through Primm. Makes it easier to spot the no gooders." his eyes narrowed. "Strange you wouldn't remember this place though."
"I was...injured during the delivery. I can remember before waking up three days ago. Anything you can tell me would be appreciated."
"Sure thing. I'm Johnson Nash seeing as you need reminding. Do you have the delivery order on you?"
"Um...yeah. Wait." she slipped off her backpack and pulled out the delivery order. He took his without a word, his brow furrowing.
"Well first thing I can tell you is that this package had strange written all over it."
"What do you mean?"
"Well first off, it was a robot that had us hired you lot. Six couriers all carrying different items. Chess piece, pair of dice that kind of stuff. The payments for all the others went through seems that yours is the only one that didn't make it. Seems like lady luck has it out for you. You weren't even supposed to take this job. The first deadbeat we hired to do the job cancelled. Hope a storm from the Divide skins him alive. Well, that's where you came it. A last minute call."
"Some cancelled? Why?"
"No idea. He did get this funny look on his face when he saw your name next on the list of couriers though. He asked me if your name was for real and I told him, sure as lack of rain you were still kicking. Then he turned down the job, the money was good so I asked him if he was sure. Let 'Courier Six' carry the package he said. Like the Mojave'd sort you out or somethin'. Then he just up and walked out. Haven't heard from him since."
"Do you know who he was? Where he went?"
"No clue. Sounded like there was some history between you two for him to act like that. Maybe he saw trouble in that package of yours or you name was bad luck. Not for me to say."
"Thanks for that Mr Nash. Every piece of the puzzle helps."
"Your welcome youngster. Anything else you wanted to know."
"N- Actually yes. Did you see some guy in a checkered suit come by here? They took the chip and I plan on getting it back."
"Hmm...now that I think about it some townies out scavenging for supplies noticed some fella in daisy suit come through with a bunch of those Great Khan misfits. Said they were talking about some chip."
"One of those men took the chip. I need to know the best way to get to them."
"Sorry. I don't know much other than that. Although Deputy Beagle may be obliging. He'd been taken notes on them since they strided into town. You find Beagle and you may get your answers.""
"Where is he?"
"Last time I saw him he was slinkin' around the Bison Steve when you pretty boy friend came through. Those convicts outside will have caught him by now. He's got a good heart but he can be as stupid as a super mutant and cowardly times. Don't be expecting any help from him if you break him out. Second his life is in danger you won't see him for dust."
"I'll keep that in mind."
The smell of dynamite and smoke was stronger when she left the casino, her nose wrinkling at the bitterness. She could only assume that it meant more of the convicts had ventured from the Bison Steve. She pulled out her gun and prepared herself for an attack. It was better to err on the side of caution rather than get another bullet to the head.
The town seemed empty, but then she saw the body. It was a man slumped against the Mojave Express with blood staining his clothes.
"Check him."her doppelganger said, appearing beside her. "He doesn't need it."
"But it's wrong."
"This is the Wasteland sweet cheeks. Everything is wrong here."
The only thing in his pockets was a delivery order. Number four, containing a pair of oversized fuzzy dice.
"Daniel Wyand." Saoirse muttered. "That was his name."
"I don't rightly care missy."
Saoirse ignored herself and entered the Mojave Express building. The air was damp and musty, strange and unnerving compared to the heat outside. It was obvious enough that the building was Nash's home, with the bed in the back with the refrigerator but apart from that there was only one thing of interest in the room.
A small round robot sat on the counter. An eyebot. Images flickered through her mind, round flying robots playing music and shooting at wasteland critters. The model before her looked rather advanced, with a reinforced frame but well weathered for previous action it must have been in.
She dropped her backpack to the floor and pulled out a screwdriver. Apart from the wear and tear from wasteland elements and the occasional bullet, the eyebot was it good shape, little in the way of serious damage. Rolling it over she checked the electronics and found that some of the primary systems were still functional, along with the redundant systems. If she bypassed some of the primary systems the secondary systems would compensate and make the repairs easier. Quickly running the bypass the gycopes on the robot began to spin.
Saoirse smiled. This would make it easier to fix.
She grabbed the Fixin' Things magazine from Johnson Nash's beside and got reading, following the examples word by word.
As soon as she wired the final component, the, little bot sprung to life. It hovered above her, facing her as if waiting for a command.
"Umm..." she flicked through the magazine."Companion Protocol Begin."
The robot beeped in reply, spinning around as if the idea of following her made it happy.
"Hello..." she leaned to the side to read the nameplate on the back. "ED-E?"
The robot beeped.
"ED-E then. Well at least I know your name now. Come one. We've got Powder Gangers to get rid of."
She collapsed against a wall, her arm burning from a close call with the leader's flame thrower.
"Come out you little bitch!" he cried, switching on the flame thrower again and scorching the wall she was hiding behind. "I know you're there!"
Her 10mm was empty, all her bullets wasted on the goons that came before him. ED-E had helped her until he ran off somewhere, she had been too busy trying to not get shot to notice where that was.
"You have to come out sooner or later bi-What the fu-!" the leader screamed and there was a clattering of metal against the floor. Saoirse peaked out of her hiding spot and saw the convict leader crumpled on the ground like a discarded piece of clothing. ED-E beeped from behind him, sounding like he was happy.
"You did that?" she asked walking up to the small eyebot. ED-E moved up and down, what she assumed was the robot equivalent of nodding.
"You are the coolest thing ever!" she said, hugging the small robot. It beeped again, sounding similar to a purr. "Lets go an find Beagle. He must be round here somewhere."
"Mhmmh Uhg!" a grumble came from the kitchen. Saoirse looked at ED-E and frowned. She'd best be careful.
A blonde man was tied up in the corner of the room, kneeling on a dirty mattress amongst broken bottles and empty packs of sugar bombs. He was struggling against the ropes and his voice was muffled by the gag.
She ran over to him and pulled the gag from his mouth.
"You must be Deputy Beagle." she said with a small smile. The deputy coughed and spluttered, spitting out pieces of fluff a dirt.
"Why, yes I am. It's a pleasure to meet you." He pulled at the roped around his hands and sighed. "I'm in a bit a predicament here. I'd be most appreciative if you'd set me free."
"I heard that you may have some information on some Khans that came through here with a guy in a checkered suit."
"My good lady, I believe I may have some information that may prove useful. If you would just untie my hands I'd be more than happy than to share that information with you."
Saoirse pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. Figured.
"I got myself shot at and burnt with a flamethrower to save you. You tell me what I need to know or you rot in here. Your choice."
He looked her up and a down, then gulped. He knew from experience it was a bad idea to annoy a broad with a 10mm strapped to her hip.
"Well you look to be the trustworthy sort. Okay, I'll tell you what I know."
"I overheard them saying they were heading to Novac. If you wanna follow them I strongly suggest you take the route through Nipton. There are a lot of dangerous things out there in the desert, and you won't have me there with you to protect you, as I need to stay here and keep Primm safe."
Gritting her teeth she kneeled down and untied his hands. "Go on then. The convicts are dealt with anyway."
"Really?" his face lit up. "Well. That was quite an adventure then wasn't it? We taught those convicts a thing or two, didn't we? Breaking myself out of a hostage situation - not to diminish your role in it, of course - but it was all quite thrilling."
"Lets just get out of here." Saoirse wrapped her arms around herself. "The blood is making me feel sick."
"Problem is there's still no law in Primm. What's there to stop more convicts and the like putting us in the same situation?"
A billow of smoke escaped Nash's nose and he shook his head. "That's your job now SheriffBeagle."
"Oh no! I'm just a deputy. And I can't be a deputy without a sheriff. It's the called the chain of command!"
They had been arguing since she'd arrived back at the casino with Beagle, going back and forth without any sign of a solution. Nothing was going to get done if they kept arguing like that.
"You're too much of a bleeding heart kid."her doppelganger said, blowing out smoke from her cigarette. "No wonder that pretty boy got you."
"I could help." Saoirse offered while she tried to block out the voice in her head and image beside her. "Couldn't in good conscience leave this place without protection."
Beagle lit up."You will? That's just marvellous!"
"You got any leads on where to find someone one?" she asked, hulking her backpack over her shoulders.
Both Beagle and Nash were quiet for a moment. "There's always that fella up at NCRCF. Ex-sheriff I believe." Nash said, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"And the NCR across the bridge." Offered Beagle. "But livin' under martial law don't sound so fun."
"NCRCF? That's Powder Ganger turf right?"
"Yeah. As long as you don't look conspicuous they should let you in. Try pretend you an ex-con as well if you're so inclined."
"I'm a girl." she stated. "I doubt they would believe they by passed seeing a woman incarcerated in a maleprison."
"You could always use that to your advantage. Seduce them or something."
Saoirse shook her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose to dull the pain blooming behind her eyes.
"I don't think that would be a good idea." she said softly. "They might get the wrong idea."
Deputy Beagle nodded. "That's a good point. After all you won't have me there to protect you. I'll go and get the interview questions ready for when you get back."
Saoirse watched as he left, heading towards the back of the casino. Nash snickered, smoke coming out of his nose and mouth in small clouds.
"He's a bit nutty but he means well." Nash pointed to ED-E with his cigarette.
"I see you got that robot up and running again. How's it working out for you?
"He's an amazing little guy." she admitted. "Don't think I would have survived Bison Steve without him."
"You can keep him if you want. Not mine to give away really. How'd you get him running again?"
"Ran a bypass through his secondary systems. Made the repair a bit easier." she scratched the back of her head and avoided his gaze. "I used one of your magazines for it though. I can pay for a new one-"
Nash waved her offer away. "Consider him payment for offerin' to get us a new sheriff. He'll do you more good than me anyways."
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. If anything I should be thanking you. But I'll save all that for when you return. Don't want to count my eggs before they hatch."
Saoirse brought up the map on her Pip-Boy. "I should be back by tomorrow. NCRCF isn't far off. Primm should be okay for the time being, right?"
"Please." her copy scoffed behind her. "They couldn't even stop a bunch of dick head convicts."
Nash speaking broke her out of her mind. "We'll keep hauled up in here until law is returned. Easier that way. Hope you make it Miss Song."
"So do I."