Ch. 15 Dangerous Encounter

"How the fuck could we miss this!?!" Colton exclaims, Cass looking around him.

They look down the Main Street of Nipton. There, the houses are still standing. And lined down the street are crosses. On the crosses are men pinned to them. And some are still breathing.

At the end of the street is the Town Hall and just outside, on either side of the doors on the street are 2 more piles of something burning.

Colton just kinda stands there and processes it all and takes it in. Cass hadn't seen something like this firsthand before. But she's heard the horror stories of the Legion and what they do. This was just the Legion's casual Friday. No, more like they're coffee break. Since they do this very often, and sometimes this would look tame.

Colton moves to the first man on a cross. He inspects him and notices that he was beaten severely before being crucified. And that he'd been up there for a while, if the blood pooling beneath the cross proved anything. It wasn't much, but considering he was bleeding from the plugged holes of his hands and feet it was a decent amount.

And Colton recognized a few of the men were wearing what Oliver was. No shirt, pants, boots, but they had a sash of ammo or something. And others were wearing what looked like prison uniforms. Which must have been from the NCR Correctional Facility.

Cass is the first to speak. "Should we cut them down?". She didn't like the Powder Gangers, but having them suffer like this was a little much. But she was sure some if not most deserved this.

Colton looks up at the man in front of him. "No. If we try it would kill them. And even if we did, it would take time and resources we don't have. That's not including the fact they would most likely lose their hands and feet. They're too weak as it is. I doubt any can hear us or respond if they could"

Cass doesn't exactly feel pity, but that doesn't mean she's jumping for joy that they have to suffer like this. "What's your decision?"

Colton closes his eyes. "It's best not to waste bullets. We can use the melee weapons we got to end them. If you can't reach I'll do it"

Cass wanted to retort. But Colton was right. The people were decently high in the air and if she couldn't reach their head she would just make their suffering worse. "Fine by me" she says in a low tone.

"Let's check the rest of them. Who knows, maybe one is in a better condition" Colton says as he starts walking towards the Town Hall. He looks at each man strung up on a cross. A few were empty, but the blood on the cross and the ground would signify they were a goner.

And this isn't even talking about all the decapitated heads sitting on spikes everywhere either. Some had the spike coming out of their open mouth like the Legion was trying to make an art piece.

When Colton gets near the end of the street he sees a bunch of men pool out of the Town Hall. He jumps back and covers Cass but doesn't turn his back to them. They were all wearing similar styled armor. It looked very crude and handmade. It looked like what post-apocalyptic roman warriors would wear. They had various sports wear on as well. Like shoulder pads from football, or baseball helmets. But the one that stood out the most was the guy who seemed to be leading the group.

Colton knew who these guys were, they were Legion.

The man in red roman attire and Wolf fur on his head walks up to Colton. But he stays around 10-15 feet away. His sunglasses reflect the scene before him. Including Colton in the middle of the road.

The man sounds pleased. "Don't worry, I won't have you lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates. It's useful that you happened by. I want you to witness the fate of the town of Nipton, to memorize every detail. And then, when you move on? I want you to teach everyone you meet the lesson that Kal-zar's Legion taught here, especially any NCR troops you run across. You have my word as Vulpes Inculta of Kal-zar's Legion that you nor your woman will be hurt"

Colton looks at Vulpes and the dozens of men behind him. There's no way he would be able to fight all of them off. Even with Cass's help. The men behind Vulpes had various weapons. Most had melee weapons while some had a few guns. Guns ranging between pistols to rifles to shotguns. He'd be swiss cheese if he tried to attack. But he'd take a good chunk with him. His Vats could only do so much.

Colton stands up straight. Vulpes looked to be as tall or shorter than Cass. "What 'lessons' did you teach here?"

Colton couldn't afford to disobey this guy. But he would if he needed to. He could probably carry Cass and get between the houses. It would depend on how good of shots these Legion were.

Vulpes sounds like he's recounting a tale. "Where to begin? That you are weak, and we are strong? This much was known already"

Colton could tell Vulpes didn't mean Colton or Cass, but everyone outside the Legion as a whole.

The man wearing a dog continues with disgust in his voice. "But the depths of your moral sickness, your…". Some Legion fuck strikes a drum for dramatic effect. "…dissolution? Nipton serves as the perfect object lesson"

Colton could feel his heart pounding in his chest. This was the first time since arriving in this world that he felt like he truly couldn't overcome the challenge infront of him. And he hated it. He clenched his fists to not try and attack these people who did such atrocities. But he had to keep the man talking and act like he would do as he was told. He didn't want to be the reason Cass was taken by the Legion. "What exactly happened here? I can't tell people if I don't know"

Vulpes seems to nod. Like Colton had just passed a test he wasn't aware he was taking. The man continued in a neutral tone. "Nipton was a wicked place, debased and corrupt. It served all comers, so long as they paid. Profligate troops, Powder Gangers, men of the Legion such as myself - the people here didn't care. It was a town of whores. For a pittance, the town agreed to lead those it had sheltered into a trap. Only when I sprang it did they realize they were caught inside it, too"

Colton can understand some of what was implied. The town had set up the Powder Gangers or the NCR to be attacked by the Legion. But the Legion just took the town out all together. This was just a shot-show. But he didn't get the entire picture yet, it seemed bigger and deeper than he first thought. Another reason Colton hates politics.

"So you captured everyone?" Colton asks. Oliver did just leave town some time ago, and seemed to be released unharmed, physically that is.

Vulpes responds and holds his hands out. "Yes, and herded them to the center of town, where we are standing. I told them their sins, the foremost being disloyalty" he put his hands down and went to pull something out of a pocket. "Told them that when Legionaries are disloyal, some are punished, the others made to watch. And I announced the lottery". Inculta pulls out a lottery ticket like they found throughout the town. "Each clutched his ticket, hoping it would set him free. Each did nothing, even when" He continued while in a mocking tone "'loved ones' were dragged away to be killed"

Colton didn't like what he heard. "So you slaughtered them all? Man, woman, and child? All alike?" He said with some venom through his clenched teeth.

Vulpes shook his head. "No. We obviously didn't treat them all the same. The men were all dealt in various ways. You can't teach old dogs new tricks. The women were either used as toys here and were dealt with here while their family watched. Or they watched as their family was dealt with and then taken off to be used as breeders. I wish we could have taken all the women for such a purpose to increase our numbers, but some got a little feisty. And the kids. Well, the younger ones were taken to be trained and turned into warriors, or more incubators. Others were spared such a fate. We aren't 'that' cruel"

Colton saw red. He wanted to blow a hole through this piece of shot so badly. But he kept it in.

Vulpes continued. "They outnumbered us, yet not once did they try to resist. Besides the occasional outburst that we quieted. It was mostly the women trying to resist us, or their husbands or kids trying to stop what we did to them. Most were whores anyway, so we decided to use them like they were meant to be used. It was a great day for troop morale. They must be getting close to the river by now. Anyway, they stood and watched as their fellows were butchered, crucified, and burned, one by one. They stood and hoped their turn would not come. Each cared only for himself"

Colton looks down at the ground for a few seconds. Then he looks back to Vulpes. "I will do as you ask. As long as you promise not to go back on your word on not hurting us and letting us walk unharmed, together. Separately from any group affiliated with Nipton"

Vulpes smiles at Colton. "Ah, a clever one aren't you. I like you, you would make a good legionnaire. But I can see in your eyes that you won't become one….yet. You would need to be broken first, but when we build you back up you may very well be the best soldier we could have. It's a gut feeling. But that's for when we meet again. And when we do, I'll know you're name" He finishes mysteriously. "I bid you 'Vale' - until we meet again"

[Quest Added: [Cold, Cold Heart] ]

Colton didn't even want to look at what the quest wanted him to do. He didn't want the experience from it either. He wasn't that desperate to level up, but he suddenly had a lot more reasons to do so now.

Vulpes and his Legion troops start walking East out of town. Most look past Colton and defile Cass with their eyes. Colton covers Cass from their view, even if it wasn't possible.

Once all the Legion leave the town Colton doesn't turn around. "God damn it! I couldn't do a fucking thing!" He stomps the ground with his right foot to vent his anger and other emotions, there's a quiet *crack* sound beneath his foot. He looks over his shoulder to see Cass griping her shotgun tightly and a mix of emotions on her face. Colton knows that if he didn't do what he did at the end they would have done something terrible to her. And he would have been mostly powerless to stop them. Even with [Rambo Style] he would have been captured.

He takes a few breaths and watches the backs of the Legion as they match on.

Colton turns to Cass. "You should find a place to sit down. I'll take care of the crucified"

"Fuck no, I've gotta do something. I'm tired of just sitting around" Cass says through her gritted teeth.

Colton can see a fire in her eyes. And he fully understands it.

Colton give Cass a bat they got from one of the Gang members previously. Colton takes a tire iron. More of a solid hit, and he could stab if he wanted to. But he'd rather have something else if he were in combat.

They go down the street. Cass can take a few out. And when the men saw them coming they almost looked happy to die. But Colton knew they welcomed and embraced death instead of staying up on the crosses after what they went through.

After they took care of the men on the crosses they just turned around and looked down the street.

Cass knew that Colton had talked their way out of being taken by the Legion. And she was greatful. Even if they had to go along with what that Vulpes guy was saying. They at least found out what happened to the town. "Let's check the rest of the houses" she says, not wanting to spend more time in Nipton. The faster they search, the faster they leave the place that smells of burning flesh.

The first house they went to was one on the corner of the main street of Nipton. It had sandbags in a half circle around the door. Colton went inside and hear a generator going. And what drew his eyes immediately was a cage filled with small bark scorpions.

Colton walked in carefully and found a mine on the ground. He was able to disarm it before it went off. Cass came in and looked around.

"This place is booby trapped. You wanna help or move on to the next one?" Colton asks.

"I'll let you disarm everything and then I'll help search the place" Cass stands in the doorway.

Colton nods and goes through the living room. There was another mine and no way for him to open the cage of scorpions. He moves to the kitchen and deactivates a tripwire. He looks up and sees a shotgun that would have taken his head off his shoulders. Kinda like the Legion bastard that was on the floor. Colton deactivates another mine and walks into the kitchen with Cass staying back but looking in. More like watching the cage with her shotgun ready to blast the damn things. They were making a lot of noises that would make your skin crawl.

Colton unlocked a cabinet and the fridge. He took what was in there, besides the iguana on a stick, and moved to the next room. It was the bedroom and bathroom.

Colton makes sure not to mess with the tripwire and just cuts it with his sharp knife. Another shotgun was ready to go off but didn't. He took 2 more mines before moving to the bathroom. He saw a bunch of newspaper on the ground, but that didn't seem too off. But he did see a mine hidden beneath. When he went to take a step towards it to disarm it he heard a mechanism whir to life.

He whipped towards the direction of the cage and saw it opening.

*BANG* *BANG*

Cass killed two bark scorpions.

*bang*

Colton took care of the last one with his revolver.

"Thanks" Cass said while she was reloading. She wouldn't have made it in time, even if she drew the 10mm pistol.

"No problemo" Colton says, trying to get back into his usual grove after their encounter with the Legion.

He takes care of the mine and finds a safe, which he swiftly lockpick and finds a grenade rifle inside with ammo, along with a magazine that he found out was somewhat useful and would keep his eyes open for. Cass gave a sarcastic remark and he shot one back.

He unlocks a desk, 2 footlockers, and 2 cabinets. And didn't really find anything. He found another carton of cigarettes and other junk and junk clothes as well. But Cass wanted some of the clothes. He didn't argue and let her take them. There was some ammo that he put in his pack. And the most interesting thing besides the grenade rifle was a 'Declaration of Vital Importance'.

Colton and Cass read it. The owner of this house talked about the mayor walking into Nipton and making it grow. The guy that lived in this house was named Harry and he was very paranoid. He set up all the boobytraps around the house just to make sure nobody got his 'Vital Essence'. Or whatever that was. Colton and Cass were just ready to get out of the house. They didn't want to waste time searching for something that would likely be useless.

In the houses they found the usual. Bottle caps, prewar money, clothes, various food, ammo, and other junk. They bagged most of it and left the bags outside the houses so they could pick them up after searching.

Colton and Cass found the Nipton Hotel off to the side and kinda behind the Town Hall. Dead NCR soldiers were inside and not much else.

There was a house that had a Mr. Gutsy prototype. On a terminal the guy seemed to be trying to impress the ladies or something. Colton couldn't be bothered with the details after finding it unimportant. But Cass seemed to like it for some reason. Probably for the drama.

But Colton found a safe he couldn't open with his current lockpicking skills. And so, like the previous locks he couldn't pick. He just shot it open.

Inside was a large number of caps and prewar money, .357 rounds and energy cells, along with a laser pistol. A decent haul if he had to say so himself. There was also a large amount of scrap and items to make work on things. The guy apparently was a tinkerer. But Colton and Cass swept the place and bagged what they thought would be valuable.

After scavenging their last house they went to the Town Hall and stood outside the front doors.

Colton looked to Cass and they headed inside.