All were merry in Red Rock Canyon. They had spent the last few days celebrating their victory over the NCR. Half the Khans were still badly hung over and just lying about the camp. After years of misfortune and being beaten down, it seemed that the Khans' fortune was finally on the rise. None of them could have known just how much their lives would change that day.
It was just past noon in that blistering canyon. When the lookouts reported that a large Legion force had been spotted making their way towards them, Papa wasn't sure what to make of it. Believing them to be allies, none panicked. Papa gathered his advisors to meet the force in the valley of the canyon. Karl, the frumentarius, was there too, thinking he was the only one who knew what was about to happen. He did not. The battalion of Legion troops was led by a Centurion marching right out in front.
"Sure are a lot of them," said Diane, looking nervous.
"Yeah, dozens," said Melissa. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She didn't like this at all.
"Keep calm," said Papa. "Karl has assured me no harm will come to us."
The small army was upon them within moments, but just waiting for them in the baking hot sun made it feel like hours. The Centurion stepped forward, his entire face hidden behind a black mask.
"Awe, true to Caesar," he said, as is the standard greeting. "I am Centurion Severus. I assume you are the one called Papa Khan?"
"I am," answered the large, bearish man.
It was then Karl stepped out from his place with the Khans and crossed over to the other side. He turned around and stared back at the tribals, standing at the side of the Decanus.
"Karl, what is this?" asked Papa, looking the slightest bit concerned.
"It's time for your reward, for your loyal service to the Legion," said Karl with the hint of a smile. He leaned in towards the Decanus to whisper in his ear. "Most of these savages will likely have to be slaughtered, but some of the women are quite beautiful, particularly the blond one. I'd like her for myself. They could make very good concubines."
The Decanus did not turn to look at him. "Sorry to disappoint you, but Caesar Augusta has other plans for the Khans."
"What?" Karl blinked. "Caesar who? I don't understand."
"I suppose you haven't heard. Caesar passed away from his ailment. His cousin has succeeded him."
"His cousin? You mean the girl?"
"Yes," said Severus with a slight nod.
"But, she's a woman," said an incredulous Karl.
At that, Severus turned to face him. "Yes, she is. Is that a problem?" asked the Centurion with his deep, unmoving voice.
Karl took a step back, feeling a trace of malice. "N-no, of course not. It's just, I assumed it would be Lanius to take Caesar's place."
"Lanius is a traitor. He has proclaimed himself Caesar and turned against us."
"What?" asked Karl again, looking even more shocked.
"We can speak of this later," said Severus, turning back to face the Khans. "For now, the task at hand." He stepped away from the dumbfounded frumentarius. "Great Khans, Caesar Augusta thanks you for your loyal service. For your reward, your tribe will now be integrated into the ranks of the Legion."
The Centurion's words gave the Khans great alarm. Gasps and angered voices could be heard as Severus continued.
"All able-bodied men and women will accompany us to the Fort to be trained as Legionnaires. Those who cannot fight will be shipped across the river. Fear not, no harm will come to any of your people."
"Now hold on," said Papa Khan, stepping out from his people's side. "I was assured we would remain independent."
"You think the Legion can allow a group of raiding drug peddlers to just roam about and cause trouble in out territory? No, that is not going to happen," said Severus with a firm shake of the head. "The Great Khans are no more. You are now Legion. Your soldiers are now our soldiers. You should be grateful, normally the old and sick would be killed and the women enslaved, but under Caesar Augusta, our policies have gone through significant changes."
"Women? Being trained as Legionnaires? That's preposterous!" said Karl, marching up to Severus. "Females are not fit to be warriors of the Legion. They are fit only to birth children and keep the home."
Melissa's eyes flared. "What? But you said I had all the makings of a speculatore!"
"I lied, you dumb whore," said Karl without a thought.
"You motherfucker!" Melissa surged forward, having to be restrained by her fellow Khans from attacking the man.
"Like I said, policies have changed," said Severus to Karl. "If a woman can survive the training, they will be permitted to serve just as any man. Besides, we have a civil war on our hands. We need all the bodies we can get."
Upon hearing this, Melissa calmed a bit, though she was still staring daggers at Karl.
"Well, this is ridiculous! You just let a damn woman take over and start changing everything? Have you all gone mad?" he then turned to face the rest of the army. "Have you all lost your balls? Letting a feeble woman order you around? It's disgraceful!"
Severus unsheathed his blade and plunged it through Karl's back. Karl let out a gasp, desperate for breath he would never find. His eyes were stretched wide as can be. The Decanus withdrew his sword from Karl's body, then promptly cleaved his head from his shoulders. The Khans stood, mouths agape, as Karl's limp body crumpled to the sand. His severed head, locked in a permanent expression of shock and pain, came to a rolling stop just a few feet from the rest of the troops.
"Words of disloyalty and disrespect to Caesar Augusta will not be tolerated!" belted Severus to his men. "Let that be a lesson to all of you!" After a brief period of silence, Severus turned back to race the Khans. "Now, where were we."
Despite the show of strength, Papa stood firm. "You can't expect me to-."
"I expect you to not be foolish about this decision. Make no mistake, we are bestowing upon you the highest honor the Legion can give. You have an opportunity to be part of the greatest army this land has ever seen."
"And if I refuse?"
"You already know what happens," said Severus, marching up to face Papa.
Regis eyed the Centurion, ready to draw his knife at any moment to defend Papa.
"Your men will be slaughtered, your women will be enslaved, and this shantytown of tents and shacks gets burned to the ground with all your sick and old still inside them. Is that what you want?"
Papa said nothing. Words failed him.
"Would you rather your people become part of our Legion and serve mighty Caesar, or let this canyon be your people's grave? Well?"
All eyes were on Papa. He knew they would all fight to the death if he asked them to. There were only two ways this was going to end. Either way, the history of the Great Khans ended here and now, it was just a matter of whether it's people would too.
"Lay down your weapons," Papa ordered.
"Are you sure?" asked Regis.
"Yes, I'm sure," he then turned to look at his advisor, a great sadness in his eyes. "It's over, Regis. It's over."
A wave of silence fell over the Khans. For some, reality set in sooner than others. Their tribe was dead.
"A wise decision," said Severus, stepping back. He then looked over the whole crowd. "Grab whatever belongings you can carry and be back at this spot in no less than fifteen minutes. Say your goodbyes to this place if you wish, for you're likely never coming back here."
Many of the Khans dispersed. Melissa, being a scout and always ready to move, had nothing to prepare. Instead she approached Severus.
"Centurion?"
"Yes? State your concern."
"I, I have a father in the settlement of Sloan, east of here. His name is Lewis. He mined for the NCR."
"I know of the place. When the settlement was captured we enslaved its inhabitants," said Severus plainly.
Melissa's heart nearly stopped in place. "What? No! You can't enslave my father!"
"Calm yourself, woman. If what you say is true, we'll have him picked out from the rest. A Legionnaire's father shall never be a slave. Lewis you said his name was?"
Relief washed over the young woman. "Christ, thank you. Thank you."
"Think nothing of it. I just hope your tribe is worthy of Caesar's mercy."
Melissa then backed away, not wanting to irritate the warrior. She took one final look over Red Rock Canyon before they left forever. The place may have been a blistering hot hellhole, but it had been her home for the past few years. Now everything was changing again. Karl had put dreams of being a warrior of the Legion in her head, even if he didn't believe them himself. Now was her chance to make it a reality.
A few days later at Camp McCarran, Melissa was still hanging on. Legion training had been hell so far, and there was no end in sight. She had been spit at, punched, kicked, and even stabbed more times than she could count. Being female just made it harder for her and the other women. Many of her superiors were resentful, determined to make sure no women would join their ranks. Melissa was far too stubborn to let them discourage her.
Days later at the Fort, Melissa was still hanging on. Legion training had been hell so far, and there was no end in sight. She had been spit at, punched, kicked, and even stabbed more times than she could count. Being female just made it harder for her and the other women. Many of her superiors were resentful, determined to make sure no women would join their ranks. Melissa was far too stubborn to let them discourage her. Every day she went to bed in pain and woke up to more drills and more beatings.
The trainees slept on the cold hard ground. Only Legionnaires got to sleep in beds. They hadn't earned the right. They were fed mush and gruel so revolting it could hardly be called food. The only reason they could keep it down was because the other option was starving to death. Still, some did.
Not all the other Khans were faring as well as her. They hadn't all made the cut. He was always high, and with the Legion's ban on drugs, he couldn't use anymore. The withdrawal symptoms were too much. He was too weak. He fell behind one too many times during drills. They beat him so bad. It made the initiation to the Khans look like a pillow fight.
He died that night.
Diane was inconsolable. She had lost her best friend. Melissa helped as best she could, but she was barely managing on her own. The first day all Diane did was cry. So they beat the shit out of her.
Melissa was sure she would die that night just as Jack did, but she made it through. Somehow. After that she didn't cry anymore. Something had changed in Diane. She was angry. Angrier than Melissa had ever seen her. Melissa couldn't tell if they had broken Diane or made her stronger. Maybe they were the same thing. She had no idea anymore.
For more than a month, this was Melissa's life. The Legion had forged her and the others into perfect killing machines, or killed them trying. In the end, despite their best efforts to keep her out, she had made it to the end. Diane too, or what was left of her. Whatever they had made her into. She had come out the most different. Most of her friends had made it. Regis, Papa, Anders, Jessop. They were Khans no longer.
They were Legion.
