A golden bull on a red field. Red symbolizing the blood the Legion had spilled for its Caesar. The thousands that had died for the glory of seeing Mars. And yet the Frumentarii was still not satisfied. Vulpes wanted her to make sure the Powder Gangers pay for what they did to the Legion. Killing Caesar's legionnaires was a crime punishable by death. And the Frumentarii intended for the prisoners to pay for every legionnaire that had been killed by the Powder Gangers.
Sometimes Juno wondered why it had taken so long for Caesar to send her and three of her most trusted men to the prison. Now she saw why. The prison was well fortified, with armed Gangers that stood vigilant at night and day. Guards shifted every day at dawn and sunrise, with more Powder Gangers in the yard and patrolling the fences. Armed with varmint rifles and cowboy repeaters, they were dangerous for the lightly armored and lightly armed legionnaires. With most of their strength concentrated on terrorizing the NCR on the river, it was going to prove difficult to take over the prison and put the populace to the sword.
The spotlights of the prison sometimes passed to the hills where Juno and her men were staying, but they never found them. Hidden in a cave, any Powder Ganger stupid or brave enough to enter the cave were gunned down or were executed. The night was dark as Juno put away her binoculars and headed up the hill to where her men were camped for the night. Juno trusted her men not to take advantage; plus they already had learned. When Juno first became a Frumentarii and started to lead missions some men had tried to rape her; those men were now hanging on the road to the Cove. The daughter of the Son of Mars did not take it to lightly that she would be raped by the men that were pledged to her father.
A slight glow was seen as she ascended up the hill. Two men in Legion garb, red and black sports gear that had interwoven Kevlar fibers in the gaps, with the black striped skirts that descended down to their knees. Football pads reinforced with leather covered the arms and knees, while a football helmet with sunglasses covered their head. A black face mask covered their mouth and nose, allowing for a fearsome sight. Armed with machetes and hunting rifles, the Veterans were an imposing sight and guarded their princess and leader well. The Juno Guard were some of the fiercest and deadly fighters in the Legion; only surpassed by the Praetorians and maybe the legendary Centurions.
"Lady Juno, we have awaited your return," one of them said before bowing. The other stood as still as a statue, scanning for any threats.
"Have you found anything interesting of the prison my lady?" asked the other Veteran, after bowing. The Veterans were stuck to their custom, so the Princess and Frumentarii Agent allowed it.
"No Marcus. The prison is the same. Spotlights and guard towers, sharpshooters and other dangers. We will never destroy the Powder Gangers unless my father allows more legionnaires to past west, but he will never do that. Unless we can recruit some locals to help us, we will have to wait and see," Juno said. Her black hair was tied in a ponytail, while her light explorer armor was starting to become heavy. She had been awake for the last twenty hours, trying to find a weak spot in the prison. She couldn't find one.
"Have faith Lady Juno. We will find a way," the other said. Juno nodded before turning to Marcus.
"Have you seen Crassus?" she asked curtly and the legionnaire shook his head.
"He said he was going hunting three hours ago. He has not returned and dawn will soon approach. Do you want us to go looking for him?" Marcus asked.
"No. Nero, follow me. Marcus, stay and look after the camp. If anyone comes that is not me, Nero, or Crassus, kill them," Juno said sharply. Marcus nodded before returning to his post besides the camp. Juno and Nero departed from the camp. Where are you Crassus?
In truth she liked Crassus. He was one of the ones that had trained her when she had willed to do so when she was younger. He never went easy on her, beating her like he did the rest of the legionnaires that were in training. At first she had complained to her father, what seven year didn't, but he paid her no heed. As the training became harder and she progressed farther, he pushed her the hardest. He broke her and remolded her into the warrior princess she was. The heir to the throne of Caesar. The Empress of what was going to be the rebirth of the Roman Empire, as was willed by the Gods. He had stuck by her side through the entire time, always pushing her.
The road that they followed lead to the town of Primm and of Goodsprings. Primm was under control of the Powder Gangers and was being watched by the New California Republic, which of course, hadn't done anything about it. Dawn was two hours away, and even so, the night was becoming lighter and lighter with each passing minute. The lights of New Vegas shined brightly to the north, while the constant howling of wildlife made Juno slightly uncomfortable.
Juno let the soft desert air play through her hair as she and Nero continued to walk north. Geckos avoided the woman and her guard while other animals kept a wary distance. Juno had a natural talent for animals, and most of them treated her as a friend or just left her alone. Her scarlet eyes scanned the rising horizon as she saw a hill. A water tower was there and she saw the little crosses that dotted the hill. A graveyard. For the dead. How many have I killed? She was approaching and she then saw the town of Goodsprings. No guards, just people. Ordinary people trying to make a living. And once father spreads his banner over the land, they will be subjects of Caesar.
The town was divided into two parts, the ruins and the actual town. Several water pumps and wells were seen on the outskirts of town, and she walked by them. Several Bighorners were in a pen and the soft desert plants swayed with the slight wind. Farmers were seen but they had their heads down. As they passed by a bright lighted saloon, they ascended up the hill. A lantern was swaying on the water tower, and the two legionnaires were soon at the top, looking for Crassus. The hill offered a good vantage point to look over the surrounding area that was Goodsprings.
Juno saw the little white crosses of the graves and then her eyes watered. Blood. Fresh blood. Someone had been shot recently. She then saw a grave that still had fresh overturned dirt. A white cross and several cigarette butts were seen, the butts still smoking. Whoever was there had bugged out quickly.
"Halt! In the name of Caesar I order you to surrender!" yelled a raspy and fierce voice. Juno looked to see who had made the threat, her pistol already out of her holster before she saw who it was. Crassus the Ghoul legionnaire. One of Caesar's first followers since the very beginning.
"Crassus we have looking for you," Juno said bitterly. Crassus laughed, wheezing and raspy.
"Of course. Gone for four hours. But this poor soul in the grave just died. He never stood a chance," the ghoul rasped and the Frumentarii whipped her head at him.
"Poor soul? What do you mean?" she asked and the ghoul pointed to the grave she had seen.
"Man was shot point blank in the head. Left his gear and stash in the next grave. We can dig him out and give him a proper burning. He was defiant to the last," the ghoul said, and the woman legionnaire looked flabbergasted.
"What were you hunting?" she asked. The ghoul gave another raspy laugh.
"Chairmen. Benny to be exact. A messenger came from Nipton to inform you that as soon as the business with the Powder Gangers is done, to meet Vulpes in New Vegas. All will be explained there he said," the ghoul replied.
"Benny? What in Saturn is he doing here?" she asked curiously.
"Hunting this poor fellow here. The man was a courier. Almost took down a deathclaw. Shotgun blast to the head scared him off, plus his mate was calling for him."
As the two were about to continue their conversation, Nero shooed for them to be quiet. Juno looked at him with anger before she heard the sound too.
The sound of breathing. Slow, shallow breathing.
"What is that?" she asked quietly. Crassus pointed to the grave.
"It's coming from the grave. Quick, Nero, help me start to dig the poor man out," and the legionnaire obeyed without question. The ghoul and the human legionnaire quickly dug the man out, the soft dirt no match for the rough hands of Caesar's finest. Soon a human, armored in a vault suit, was in Crassus's arms.
"What should we do with him Juno?" Crassus asked softly. Juno couldn't decide. She could leave him to die, as she had done many times to people. or she could help him survive.
"Follow me. We bring him into town," and the two legionnaires nodded. They quickly followed behind their leader. Marching down the hill quickly, she approached the saloon. Though the Legion was all fearing and all conquering, and had a reputation for cruelty that was known from Shady Sands to Denver, she needed medical help for the poor stranger.
The lights of the saloon shone brightly in the face of Juno, who was still dressed in her legionnaire garb. She didn't care what happened to her,she just needed the man to be alright. She didn't know why, but she just needed him to be alright.
Opening the door with vigor, she almost tore it off its hinges, but she was in a hurry and would worry about doors later. The saloon was dimly light, and a lone woman dressed in a dress and jacket was wiping dirty glasses clean while a man in a cowboy hat and cowboy like dress was drinking a bottle of whiskey.
"How can I help you-" and the woman froze when she saw the three legionnaires. Nero with his fearsome mask, Juno in her red armor, and a ghoul dressed like a Centurion. She was most likely frozen in fear, Juno knew, because the red armor of the Legion was known to all.
"What can I do for you people," the bartender finally sputtered. Juno was not in the mood for women to be weak. This was why the men of the Legion looked down at her gender.
"I need a doctor, and I need one now. This man is dying," she said sharply and bluntly. Juno always was down to the point with people that weren't her friends or family.
"Doc Mitchell is up the road. His house is the one with the flag hoisted up," the woman said, though she had said it with an edge.
"Thank you," and with that the came a bag of legion gold. Two dozen of Caesar's image in the hands of the woman. She looked at Juno with disbelief before taking the coins. Juno then turned to head out when she heard-
"Legionnaire scum. Coming into this town," muttered the man with whiskey. Stopping, Juno turned around. Her face was white with fury.
"Say that again profligate," she ordered and the man looked with fear. The woman was built like a tiger, slender and sleek, with the temper of a bull.
"Nothing mam," the man quickly stuttered. Juno looked at him with contempt before turning away. It was going to have to wait.
Leaving the saloon through another door, she quickly went up the road to where the flag house was. A gas station was more up the road and the cracked words of 'Poseidon Energy' were barely visible in the low light. Passing through the fence, she looked at the house before knocking on the centuries old door. A few moments pass, and she, with her impatience, she slammed her fist on the door five more times. She heard muttering as footsteps echoed through the house. A man, with a handle-bar mustache came to open the door, dressed in a pair of sweats and a white t-shirt. He looked at her with tired eyes before asking what she needed.
"A man has been shot. In the head. We need you to treat him," and the doctor immediately snapped awake.
"Shot in the head?" he asked sternly. Juno nodded." Bring him inside the house. Turn a right and put him on the bed. Quickly but gently. We need to hurry up. He doesn't have a lot of time."
Rushing into the house, Juno and her legionnaires moved into the house, gently moving aside the doctor.
"Put him on this bed. There you go. Now, tell me, how long ago was the man shot?" he asked and Crassus answered him.
"About an hour ago," the ghoul rasped. The doctor nodded.
"Good, we still have enough time. Now, young lady and her stalwart companions, please leave the room. I need to operate on the man," he said gently. Juno looked at him with surprise.
"How come you are not afraid?" she asked. The doctor looked at her with amusement.
"I too, once served the Legion," and he pulled up his shirt sleeve. SPQR. The mark of the Praetorians. An eagle with the bar lines.
"Praetorian?" she asked quietly, and the doctor nodded. Legend told of a man that emerged from a vault with a wife and had worn a Pip-Boy. He was a relic of the old world, and yet made great strides in the new one. The one who guarded the Caesar with his life and a laser pistol. A broken man when his wife died.
"Yes. The very same. Caesar permitted to live outside the boundaries of the Legion. But let us not visit the past. The man will be saved," the Doctor said with conviction.
"Thank you Praetorian Gaius," she said sweetly.
The man that she had saved was going to be fine. When she left the Doctor's house, she wondered: Why had she saved the life a dissolute? The doubt still was with her when she left the town, heading back to the hills surrounding the prison. As she did so, the dawn was breaking, and a new day started in the Mojave.