Chapter 12: The great campaign begins
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"Hey, McKinley! Get your fat ass over here right now," I said, entering the room where I had the CEO of the Executives confined.
"Screw you, asshole... Can't you see I'm watching this movie?" she responded, flipping me off.
"You sure got comfortable in your new accommodations... This place looks like a pigsty," I said as I took in the mess of the room.
"What's the point in keeping it tidy? You're the only one who can come in here. There's no point in keeping this place pristine. I'm just waiting for you to get bored of me, rape me, and throw me to your soldier dogs," McKinley said, scratching her stomach.
"Oh, you know very well I can be much worse than that, but I don't have a reason to take it out on you anymore, you filthy pig," I said as I approached the screen where she was watching her movie.
"So, why are you here, then? It's too early for you to feel lonely and need someone to talk to. If you're just here to see me, you might as well bring me something to eat," she said without moving.
I turned off the screen and walked up to her, grabbing her by the neck with one hand.
"I like your defiance... but don't push it too far, woman. Remember, Legate Lanius is still looking to crucify you, and that's a problem you don't want. Anyway, I have orders for you to carry out," I said, choking her for a moment before releasing her.
"Ha, orders... What do you want me to do? Dance or cook? What I do best is..." McKinley started.
"...is kill and profit for your old faction. Yeah, I know, you've told me that a million times. It's honestly surprising how weak you are for saying it so often," I replied, unimpressed.
McKinley rubbed her neck and smirked.
"Give me a power armor and I'll show you what I can do," she said, returning to her defiant tone.
"Oh... anyone with power armor becomes dangerous, McKinley. I'm talking about what you can do with your bare hands... Ah, shit, I sound like Legate Lanius talking about personal strength. First of all, take a shower. You smell like the Legion camp after a hard day's training, and then you'll get to work on something important," I told her as she continued to stare at me.
"And why should I obey you? I'm still trapped here against my will," she responded with some anger.
I placed my hand on her chin, lifting her head, and played with her lower lip.
"You're smart, McKinley. There's a reason you got so far so young, and you'll understand it's much better to stay on my good side than to have me back to being angry just by looking at you. You'll do as I say... and it means a lot more freedom if you obey," I told McKinley as she arched her back to push out her chest.
"Oh... let's say I accept. What do you want me to do... boss?" she responded.
"I have to march to the front again, and I'll probably be fighting with the Legion for months or even years to fulfill Caesar's will, while also looting more technology. But I need someone skilled, and that's where you come in. You'll manage a large group of slaves to carry out construction work with the Legion and potential expansions while I'm away. I can't trust anyone else, and robots aren't an option," I said, while still caressing the lower part of her face as I finished my offer.
She grabbed my hand and gave me a mocking grin.
"But according to what you've told me, in Legion society, I'd just be your breeding stock. I don't think anyone would listen to me... I thought you were smarter than that, Gaius... ha, ha," McKinley said sarcastically.
"Yeah, you're right. And that's why you'll wear power armor every time you're out, with a voice modulator that makes you sound like a man. That way, they'll obey you without question, and you'll handle negotiations and deals with the Legion," I explained my plan for her to do business with the Legion.
"So, I go from being your sex slave to your overseer for construction and deals..." McKinley said, looking thoughtful as she coldly stared into my eyes.
"Don't even think about it... You'll wear a slave collar while you're out, and I'll program a robot to monitor you at all times. If you try to betray me... boom, you lose your head. If you try to tell the Legion we're using robots... boom, no more head. Got it, McKinley? You'll have more freedom... but I never said you'd be completely free."
"Understood, boss... So I'm supposed to squeeze the slaves for every last drop," McKinley said, putting on her sinister smile.
"Don't overdo it. I need them alive because the Legion pays a lot for slaves, and the more that survive, the better for the next step in my plan," I said, getting ready to leave the room.
"And what would that plan be?" McKinley asked, interested.
"We have three G.E.C.K.s. I don't need to explain what we can do with that. Radiation-free food is worth its weight in gold, and people will pay a lot for it. Once we've gathered enough capital, we'll buy land in the Legion and start producing food on an industrial scale," I said as I left.
"Try not to get yourself killed... It would be a real shame to know that the boss died and left me in charge of everything," she said sarcastically.
I immediately set to work modifying a suit of power armor to leave a foreman behind and creating a voice modulator. It was challenging to complete in just two days, especially since I had to ensure the voice didn't sound robotic, as that would arouse even more suspicion than if she were simply a woman. The Legion's disdain for robots seemed widespread, viewing them as a symbol of human weakness. Without sacrifice and blood, humanity would never reclaim control of the wasteland, or so Caesar believed.
Since I had several spare suits of armor that Lanius had sent for training and equipping my men, leaving one behind wasn't a big deal. It meant I could have someone capable of managing everything without relying on a robot programmed for specific tasks.
Next, I focused on programming a robot to monitor McKinley through a camera, ready to remotely activate the explosive or electric shock in her slave collar if she showed any signs of betrayal or spoke more than she should.
With that, my dilemma was solved, and I could continue my duties as a Legionnaire, seeking out more technology to ensure I remained an indispensable cog in the Legion's machine.
When the day came for the Legion to march, McKinley was ready. She knew exactly what she had to do and wore her slave collar.
The force Lanius had assembled for his next campaign was enormous compared to the early days of his cohorts, with nearly fifteen thousand men under the bull's banner, all marching north.
I now understood why Lanius had requested my tribute early. This invasion force was massive. Between the slaves captured in conquests and the reinforcements arriving from the Legion, Lanius had probably gathered the largest army east of the river. The challenge was equipping them.
Even with all the weapons we had looted or manufactured, many Legionnaires had only their trusty machetes or javelins. Firearms were issued to the best soldiers, and the rest had to rely on luck to be given a gun.
A large convoy of bald-headed slaves carried the rations that would sustain us as we moved.
With everything ready for my departure, the hydroponic farms were running at full capacity, having been expanded multiple times to new levels we created by digging. The steelworks operated at full capacity, processing iron and coal into steel. The weapons factory processed the steel to produce bolt-action rifles for the Legion, with many workers assembling them to keep supplying the Legion. The factory we built to make engines was running at half capacity since workers were still being trained on the teaching machines. My army of slaves continued building the Legion's model city, producing bricks and cement to be laid according to the plans I had drawn up.
As everyone gathered, I began seeking the necessary information on where we were heading. There were two possible targets: a tribe called the Twin Mothers, who worshipped a fertility goddess and whose lands were said to be fertile.Vault 29 was in their territory, with a rather macabre experiment inside. The other was the Sundog tribe, who had defeated the previous envoy sent by Caesar to conquer the area.
Centurion Paullus had been sent on the same mission as the Legate, but he failed due to being too bold, focusing only on looting without fully conquering the tribes along the way. Almost all his equipment was seized by the Sundog tribe when he was ambushed and defeated. Caesar marked him as a traitor. Although the Sundogs were tribals with little technology, they had access to a large number of motorized carriages obtained by fighting the Centurion's cohorts.
This was why Lanius needed more motorized carriages. The Sundog tribe had enough members to challenge Lanius's cohorts in open battle. It would be the first time seeing the Legion fight in an open field rather than a siege.
With everything ready, we began the march north. My contubernium and I traveled in motorized carriages, still uncertain which tribe we would target first.
When we reached the lands previously ruled by the monks, who had put up little resistance, we set up camp and updated our platoon tactics. Now equipped with Vault-Tec power armor, which wasn't the best but could withstand any medium-caliber ammunition, we shouldn't be penetrated by anything short of an anti-materiel rifle.
We waited a few days for the rest of the army to catch up when messengers from the Twin Mothers arrived with a message for our Legate.
Tensions immediately rose for several reasons: the messenger arrived with an armed group, the armed group consisted of women, and there were robots among them. It was the perfect mix to provoke the Legion into a frontal attack, showing no mercy, as their very presence defied all of Caesar's teachings.
I stayed on the sidelines, waiting for Lanius to arrive with his forces and see how we would proceed. If we crushed this tribe, the technology in Vault 29 would be a great acquisition, especially the power plant.
The wait finally ended when the imposing presence of the Legate appeared, and he deigned to listen to the messengers.
What was discussed is known only to the Legate and the group of women, as no one was allowed to approach and overhear the conversation.
A brief meeting followed between all the high-ranking officers, and Lanius emerged from his tent, immediately seeking me out.
"Ave true to Caesar, Decanus Gaius. Your services will be needed. You and your contubernium will accompany me to an audience with a self-proclaimed goddess to discuss her surrender. Prepare your men," said the Legate as he boarded a carriage.
"A goddess… damn it… Legionnaires, to your carriages! We need to accompany the Legate and his escort," I muttered before addressing the group of men in power armor.
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CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
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