The day had finally come when the Battle of Hoover Dam would commence. Alejandro and his allies met up in the office of General Oliver, who assigned them to different specific areas around the Dam. It wasn't long however before the Legion began their assault on the power plants. Al and his allies got to work.
Cass was stationed just outside to hold the bridge with the rest of the snipers. Picking off Legion with ease. But slowly and surely. They'd taken the center point of the Dam. And advanced even slower. Inch by inch they managed to take and hold ground. Since most of the troops were in the heart of the facility. They were stuck with what they had. It was definitely hard fought. Both sides took substantial losses on both fronts. But down in the power plant, the NCR were beginning to turn the tide and win. While up top, they were losing.
Up on top, Cassandra, along with Cassidy, Boone, and ED-E acted as sniper support for the surface of the Dam. As soon as the Legion was quelled from inside, Alejandro and the rest of his group headed to assist the troops and repel the invasion above.
Alejandro, who took centerpoint, was all decked out in Custom Power Armor and carried a minigun dubbed 'The Avenger', which mowed down any Legionnaires in its path. Meanwhile in the front lines, Paladins of the Brotherhood of Steel acted as a shield wall for the NCR troops. Raul, wearing fireproof metal armor, carried a Flame Launcher to repel the enemy. Gannon adorned some electrified Tesla Power Armor and used a plasma rifle which could literally melt its targets. Following Al's six, Lily wielded a devastating grenade launcher named 'Peacemaker', while Veronica carried the missile launcher Annabelle for long ranged strikes. Trailing them, Cassidy followed with her Sniper Rifle along with ED-E and Rex.
The Courier and The Vegas Vigilantes were starting to turn the tide.
Cass and Boone would move up ahead a bit further. Though both would soon be rendered unconscious by Frumentarrii, their bodies hauled away to underground tunnels and right into the Legion Camp after a bit of a hike over some mountains. With the chaos, it was impossible to tell what became of them. All that was known was that they were missing in action.
The bomber flew overhead and dropped a payload of bombs into the Legion forces, killing much of their defense and their barricades. Securitrons, NCR, and misc forces, would all push up and into the first checkpoint on the dam, resupplying where needed. The next stretch included many veteran legionnaires, centurions, as well as elite assassin squads equipped with high powered high cost equipment.
The allies cheered as the bomber flew overhead and dropped the payload onto the Legion before flying off in a glorious spectacle. In the next stretch,once their ammo ran dry, Lily Bowen used her sledgehammer, 'Oh Baby!' to clear a path as Veronica used her Zapper Fist named, 'Paladin Toaster', to do the same. Meanwhile, Rex tore any stray Legionnaire he could find limb from limb as the Courier took center point just beside Raul. They neared the Legion Camp where the Legate was stationed at, in a place formerly known as Spooky Canyon. The Securitrons from Fortification Hill came around and ambushed the Legion's forces from behind, virtually surrounding them.
All that stood in the way of The Courier from the Legion Camp was an immense thick door made of welded scrap, of which he blew open like Alexander the Great slicing the Gordian Knot. Upon first glance, Al could tell something was amiss; it was too quiet. He glanced behind and noticed Cass and Boone were MIA. Suspecting a trap, he ordered Cassidy to take a Stealth Boy and find a vantage point. Up on the slopes of the camp, a figure stood waiting for Alejandro; Legate Lanius, the man from his nightmares. Little did he know that within the camp, two familiar hostages would be presented to Alejandro. He would have to make a choice, or find a way as he came face to face with the Monster of the East.
"And who are you to come before me, Courier? You carry the insignia of the Bear, yet you do not wear it as a soldier of the West."
As Lanius had finished his sentence, the two would be presented to the group, blindfolded, and seemingly slightly tortured. There wasn't much time in between being kidnapped and Al arriving into the camp. One legion assassin each, held the two in place by their arm, while their other hand was firmly gripping a machete. Which was digging into both their throats, enough to cause a bit of blood to run down.
NCR snipers from 1st Recon took to the mountains quietly. They recognized the two hostages as their own, and would hesitate to shoot, giving Al time. Though they wouldn't compromise the mission on such a high value target for just 2 hostages. Several dozen Praetorians emerged and stood by Lanius' side, ready to strike.
Alejandro couldn't believe what he was seeing, the very woman he loved and his closest comrade were both taken as hostages right under his nose. He had to think fast. He laid his empty minigun down and slowly presented himself to Lanius seemingly weaponless. "Taking orders from a dead man, El Verdugo?" He asked.
"Caesar's will is the will of the Legion. All beneath the flag of the Great Bear exist to test our strength. The west shall fall as the east fell. All the tribes that stretch to the setting sun shall bear the mark of the Bull."
"Persist…and learn what Joshua Graham learned at the Dam, and Boulder City."
"You dare speak that name to me? Comparing him to any man of Caesar will only earn you a slow death."
"If you wish my death so badly, then face me, and leave my companions out of this. Only cowards take hostages."
"We shall see how brave you are when nailed to the walls of the Dam; your body facing west so you may watch your world die, just as your family did by my hand, 'El Segador'."
"Sharon!" Alejandro yelled. That was the signal. Cassidy, camouflaged from a vantage point, fired her silenced sniper rifle, taking out the two assassins. Enraged, Lanius grabbed his weapon; The Blade of the East, while Lily tossed Alejandro his chainsaw. Lanius would've chopped off the head of Cassandra had Al not blocked his strike.
Cass and Boone would both wince as bullets whizzed by their heads. The praetorians would charge the armies and fight them, all while being shot at by 1st recon. Cass groaned softly with pain and collapsed onto her face. Boone freed himself, grabbed a nearby rifle and began to spray down Praetorians while Cass would be helped to the backlines to be medically treated. It wasn't easy, but both hostages were safe for now. Even if Lanius died here, Caesar had other generals, ones who would likely seek revenge. Not to mention the other Courier, who was loyal to Caesar. He may seek answers more than revenge...or perhaps both at the same time.
The two armored titans; Bear vs Bull; Reaper vs Executor, clashed. Al's Chainsaw and Lanius's Blade struck against each other, sending sparks flying across the battlefield.
"Your words have done nothing but delay the inevitable! Now, see what my hounds and my blade will bring to you!" Lanius roared angrily.
"Your days of slaughtering people like cattle are over! I'll claim your mask as a trophy when I'm through Malparido!" Alejandro shouted back.
Allies tried to step in to assist but were ultimately kept occupied by the Praetorian Guards. The bullets themselves seemed to deflect off of Lanius's armor. "What's this guy made out of?!" Arcade asked as he kept firing. Unfortunately, he made a misstep as a Legion spear struck his torso. One of his plasma shots accidentally hit Alejandro, blindsiding him, which allowed him to be exposed. The Blade of the East struck his mask, toppling him to the ground. Lanius raised his sword and struck the killing blow. The blade however didn't go through Alejandro; but rather Lily Bowen, who made the ultimate sacrifice as Lanius cut deep into her torso. She soon breathed her last and fell lifeless upon the desert ground. "Lily!" Alejandro yelled before he picked up his chainsaw and combated the monster in a fury.
Cass watched from afar as they performed CPR on her. Her vision was blurry. She saw a figure go down and she would feel a tear go down her cheek before she went unconscious. Her heart hurt badly, she thought Al was dead. Her vitals were all over the place. She thought this is where the bear died; where the NCR died.
The Praetorians put up a good fight, but they were losing. Especially with the snipers raining fire on them.
Alejandro swung his chainsaw at the Monster of the East repeatedly. In one such strike, the handle of The Blade of the East broke, and Al thrust his chainsaw against Lanius' chest, the spinning chain ripping the armor to shreds bit by bit before slicing open his skin. Lanius too, much like Lily, dropped to the desert ground. He was a brutal warrior, and died like one as well.
Alejandro looked to see the Securitrons, under command of Yes Man taking out the rest of retreating Legionaries until they were out of sight. It was finally over. The battle had been won, but it was at a cost; Lily Bowen.
General Oliver stepped forth to congratulate The Courier and 'The Vegas Vigilantes' on their accomplishments.
Cass was unconscious if or when Oliver checked up on her, being constantly checked and adjusted by the medics. They seemed to find and treat new wounds on her every time they came back. The Legion was good at that stuff; hiding enough wounds to make it fatal, or near fatal as there were dozens of micro-abrasions everywhere, some of which were deep enough to cause internal bleeding. But luckily she was saved by an inch or two. The NCR soldiers turned their attention to the Securitrons and Al, awaiting the verdict on who will run New Vegas.
"Ok, what is this Brahmin shit? I have a feeling we're not about to sing kumbaya here." Asked General Oliver, suspicious.
"Not exactly. The NCR has my full support General. But technically speaking, I'm still House's right hand." The Courier replied.
"Look, I know you're riding high and mighty right now, but you're not just pissing on me, you're pissing on the bear. So if you think I'm going to bend over, grab my ankles, and take it like the Legion, think again."
"Hold your horses General. I don't intend to leave you empty handed."
"Looking to make a deal then? Let's hear it."
"The NCR fought hard and shed blood for Hoover Dam, so I think it'd only be fair for them to keep it. By that same ideology, wouldn't you agree that it's only fair for Mr. House to keep New Vegas? Assuming you're aware of current events, I've now got him on a leash. But he's got his own ideas for New Vegas, and I intend to help make them a reality."
"Listen, we didn't come all this way to be ordered around by an eccentric old man's employee of the month. We set out to make New Vegas the sixth state of the NCR, lost good men to claim the Mojave, and I'd rather spit on the grave of my dead mother than surrender it."
"You drive a hard bargain General, I'll give you that. So here's my final offer; The NCR can occupy New Vegas, but Mr. House will remain its sole proprietor."
The Courier, playing his cards carefully, used false flattery as a bluff. "I was hoping we could settle this like war heroes, and bury the hatchet." He said as he extended his right hand. An eerie silence befell the desert wasteland.
Hardheaded as he was, Oliver conceded and shook his hand. "Sometimes you mess with the bull, you get the horns." The deal was struck, and a new chapter in the Mojave began.
Alejandro and Cassandra met up just outside Hoover Dam to begin their own new chapter in life. She was dressed in NCR Veteran Ranger gear, an Anti-Material rifle on her back, and a new Ranger Sequoia at her side; engraved and golden. She called it "Vigilante Justice." Thanks to further medical treatment, she was able to fully speak, but had grown accustomed to being quiet. Underneath her cold steel frame was a tenderhearted core, one only Al had seen.
She sighed softly and gently put a hand on his shoulder. Holding her helmet by her side. She wore her 1st recon beret and some peach colored aviators. "We did it...you did good hon. I think we should stay to celebrate…but I know you're eager to chase down that other courier we keep seeing everywhere. We could start by looking at that weird broadcast from the drive-in. Or... nevermind..."
"Let's savor the time we have. We've got plenty of reasons to celebrate." He said as he hugged her. "We did indeed, Cass. It's over." He liked her new looks.
Later, in Boulder City, a ceremony was held for the fallen soldiers of the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. A cannon salute was issued and bodies were carried to be dug into proper graves. In those days, Boulder City had earned the nickname the G.I. Graveyard, in memory of those who gave their lives to defend the dam. Alejandro was honored by the NCR for his deeds and presented a gold-plated star as an officer's commission. The Courier, fair and even-handed, made sure the rest of The Vegas Vigilantes were also commemorated; their name and legend engraved onto a second war memorial.
That night, they had themselves a great feast in the Lucky 38 to celebrate their victory. Veronica, Cassidy, and Arcade decided to cook dinner that night, which consisted of rare Roasted Brahmin Wellingtons, Desert Salad with Cactus Fruits, Potato Stew, and Atomic Cocktails.
Cass helped with her extensive knowledge of herbs and spices, making the food that much better. Once the feast was over, Cass sighed softly. To think the letter she'd received earlier was...now reversed. This thought made her smile. She wasn't really the social type, and so once the feast was over and everyone began talking, she went upstairs to the balcony and leaned forward on the railing. Looking out at Vegas below, she saw plenty of soldiers and civilians partying and drinking. It reminded her of...younger days, back before she was even 20; just a Private with no hopes or ambitions, living paycheck to paycheck and blowing the rest on alcohol.
Now lay a different future ahead of them, for them both. The feast had made Alejandro's belly full that night, as everyone else's. After a nice warm shower, Alejandro dressed into his exotic cougar themed night clothes and joined Cass on the balcony. "How is the view?" He asked as he witnessed the partying in the streets down below.
"Better with you here." She smiles a little at her own stupidity, before slowly turning around and giving Al a gentle hug. "I never did thank you for…everything. I know I'm a handful. I get reminded daily. So...yeah...I'm bad at this stuff."
"It's alright now." Alejandro slightly chuckled as he returned the gentle hug. He figured this was her way of thanking him. "You saved President Kimball and possibly the future of the Mojave."
"There's no one else I'd rather be with right now. I love you Cass." He said just as he heard a familiar sound in the distance; thunder. It didn't take long for a couple of raindrops to fall from the sky onto the shoulders of the duo. "Looks like the Mojave's gonna have plenty to drink tonight. Hallelujah." He said.
She giggles softly at his words, slowly pressing herself into his chest tighter. The cold rain and hot air clashing on her soft skin made her cling tighter to the one she loved. "I'll Amen to that one. And...I love you too Al. More than you'll ever know."
She slowly pressed her head into his shoulder wantingly. She craved his affection after being apart for several weeks.