Due to study problems I will stop uploading chapters but I still have about fifteen chapters half finished so I will finish uploading those chapters.
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We left the complex with the armored vehicles packed to the limit, filled with weaponry, power armor pieces, and any useful technology we had managed to extract. As we moved toward the area where the ghouls were still working, the feeling that we had made a crucial discovery in our campaign became more apparent. Hours had passed, but the ghouls continued their tireless labor, extracting valuable parts and machinery, while my legionaries carefully stored everything.
The day was coming to an end, and although we knew there were still areas to explore, I decided that it was enough for now. I paid the ghouls, ensuring them that the work would continue the next day. The amount of recovered technology was vast, but with patience and the right equipment, each piece would be of great use to the Legion.
On the way back to the legate's camp, we witnessed an astonishing sight: an endless line of slaves marching south. The column stretched so far that it could be seen for miles.
I entered the legate's tent, and to my surprise, Lanius greeted me with an unusual calm. It was as if the weight of the campaign had lifted from his shoulders. His gaze, always piercing, seemed less severe, and for the first time in a long while, his posture was not laden with tension.
"Dog City is ours... a hard campaign, but it is finally ours," Lanius said with a tranquility he rarely displayed. His relaxed tone contrasted with the man I had always seen, the one who seemed to live for battle.
"What now, legate?" I asked, curious about his vision now that such an important victory had been secured.
Lanius looked at me for a moment before answering. "With Dog City under control, we will consolidate our dominion here. The slaves you've seen are just the beginning; the resources of this city and its surroundings will be exploited for the glory of the Legion. But now we need to reorganize, repair our lines, and prepare our men for the next phase."
Lanius continued, his voice filled with unwavering conviction. "As I told you before, I wanted time to pacify the territories of the Legion. The raiders could have presented a serious setback, but it seems our campaign has been blessed by Mars."
He paused for a moment, observing the map in front of him, his eyes tracing the routes leading south. "Now, with tens of thousands of slaves marching to our lands, the gears of the Legion will be ready. This effort has strengthened our lines, and soon, Caesar will be able to direct his forces against the NCR."
It was clear that the campaign had exceeded his expectations. The constant flow of slaves and resources from Dog City ensured that the Legion's war machine would not stop.
"And what will we do?" I asked, seeking to understand the next step in Lanius' mind.
"We will hold the east and continue conquering," he replied calmly, his gaze fixed on the map. "Lord Caesar gave me until the year 2280 to conquer Dog City, but here we are, far ahead of schedule."
His tone became more reflective as he spoke. "I would like to march north, surrounding the NCR and forcing it to confront its own weakness. Moreover, we could unite all the tribes it has oppressed against them. We would ignite a fire on their flanks so great that their forces would fragment before they could reorganize."
Lanius paused, pointing to other areas on the map. "The other option would be to head into the lands they call Texas. It's a vast territory, relatively unexplored by the Legion. And then there's the southern campaign, the one Caesar desires so much. The frumentarii have given us detailed reports of the great cities in that area, filled with thousands of profligates. With enough pressure, those cities could kneel before Caesar, and their riches would be ours."
"But for now, we must finish what we started," Lanius said firmly. "We need to secure all the remaining Hangdog territories. Even without their leader, some may resist, and we need to pacify these lands completely to ensure trade can resume safely."
His eyes locked onto mine, and he continued. "You, Gaius, must continue with your production duties. Soon, thousands of legionaries will join our ranks. The Hangdogs have proven to be excellent dog trainers, and their warriors, large and resilient fighters. Many will fill our ranks, but with so many new recruits, the Legion's equipment will soon be scarce again."
I nodded respectfully at Lanius' words. "I'll return to my tribe's territory and organize everything we've acquired here. I will continue with the production of weapons and armor, legate," I responded with determination.
Lanius observed me in silence for a moment before nodding. "You have your orders, centurion. Keep watch over the valley and ensure nothing disrupts the Legion's food production. You have until the end of this year. After that, we will start a new campaign, somewhere," he said, his tone firm, with the certainty that his words were law.
Lanius gestured toward the exit of his tent, and without another word, I obeyed. As I left, my mind was already organizing the next steps.
I stayed in Dog City for a few more days, supervising the final efforts to recover all the valuable machinery and objects that remained hidden. There were several parts of the city that, for some reason, had not been looted by either scavengers or legionaries, and my duty was to ensure nothing was left behind.
The most intriguing finds were the caches of police and military weapons that were still intact. No one had managed to open them, as the access codes remained a mystery to many. However, with the knowledge I had acquired and the security systems I had learned to manipulate, I knew I had an advantage.
Each day, my men and I diligently worked to open these depots. They did not only contain conventional weapons but also high-tech equipment, grenade launchers, and advanced ammunition that would be of great use for the Legion's future campaigns. With each cache we opened, our armament capacity increased, and with it, the Legion's advantage in the battles to come, despite some weapons being in deplorable condition.
During those days in the city, my men continued clearing the streets of any remaining resistance while the slaves and new recruits began consolidating control over Dog City. Although the initial chaos had passed, the task of stabilizing everything remained.
We returned to the Vault 0 area with our new armored vehicles. Upon arrival, I met with the men I had left behind, who had completed their task with precision. Everything of value from the ancient vault had been extracted: machinery, tools, and construction equipment. Nothing was left behind. They had worked tirelessly to strip the place of anything useful. The effort had been considerable, but it was well worth it. The recovered technology, especially the automated production systems and high-performance tools, would be an invaluable treasure for the Legion—and, of course, my own fortune.
However, my most delicate task was yet to begin: the careful deactivation of the cold fusion generator. This was no ordinary power source; it was a key piece of technology capable of powering an entire settlement for centuries. If anything went wrong, the resulting explosion could cause a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.
With the help of the most skilled technicians I could gather, I proceeded with calm and precision. Every step was checked two or three times, ensuring there were no errors. Sweat ran down my forehead as I disconnected the main systems, isolating the power to prevent any overloads. Finally, after hours of careful work, the generator was safely deactivated.
"Done," I said, as my men sighed in relief. The generator was no longer a risk, and now we could transport it south.
We began the process of loading the generator and all the equipment into our armored vehicles.
With everything ready, the convoy set off southward, loaded with the generator and the looted equipment from the vault, heading back to our southern lands.
The campaign, though relatively short, spanned two intense months. The real obstacle had been the siege of Denver, where the Legion suffered its greatest losses. Despite being outnumbered in the previous battles, especially when we repelled the Hangdogs' attacks, our casualties were minimal in comparison. However, in Denver, the urban environment played against our forces.
The city's ruins, with their towering skyscrapers and narrow streets, gave the enemy numerous opportunities to ambush and wear down our troops. Urban combat presented a constant challenge; each building was a fortress, and every street crossing a death trap. The Hangdogs, with their ability to coordinate surprise attacks with their packs of dogs, forced the Legion to fight for every inch of the city.
With all the equipment loaded onto the vehicles, I boarded my Vertibird and began the journey back to my settlement. Two months away had been enough to show a noticeable change in the place I had left behind. As we approached, I could see how the size of the city had grown. The first skyscrapers rose on the horizon, a reflection of the effort put into expanding the infrastructure to accommodate the growing population of slaves and migrants arriving from all over the territory.
The settlement was no longer just a small agricultural or industrial refuge but a hive of activity. Factories were in full operation, hydroponic farms were producing food in large quantities, and the demand for weapons and equipment continued to increase. Merchants and caravans were beginning to turn the settlement into an important trade hub within the Legion's network.
The demographic growth was also evident. Slaves, purchased and brought here, were sent to work in the factories and fields, while free people saw the settlement as an opportunity to settle in a safe, productive, and expanding area. The streets had become busier, full of movement and life.
McKinley updated me on everything that had happened during my absence, and the situation was more complicated than I had imagined. Lord Caesar, having noticed the quality of my weapons, had sent us a massive order. The Legion was preparing for something big, and our factories were at the center of that preparation.
With the gold we had accumulated over the course of the campaigns, I finally managed to purchase the entire valley directly from Lord Caesar. The most fertile and radiation-free lands in all the Legion's territory were now under my control. This meant I not only owned the best lands but also the future of the crops that would grow from them. The entire valley was being cultivated, with acres dedicated to grain, corn, and vegetables, ensuring an abundance that would not only feed the Legion but also secure me immense influence within the internal politics.
The sight of slaves and workers laboring the fields from sunrise to sunset gave me the assurance that we were on the path to unquestionable economic stability. With the hydroponic farms and advanced technology I had brought from the vault facilities, agricultural production had skyrocketed.
With full control of the valley and the rapid growth of my settlement, it was inevitable that I would start attracting the attention of other tribes serving Lord Caesar. The abundance of fertile land and the constant flow of subjects migrating to my domains only increased the greed and desire of some tribal leaders who saw in this place an opportunity to take a share of what I had built. I knew that some of them would be willing to do anything to claim a piece of my lands.
McKinley had been preparing for such situations. Under my direction, she began equipping the most loyal slaves with Vault-Tec power armor, just as I had done with her, creating an elite force known as the "Overseers." These supervisors not only ensured order was maintained but also guaranteed that productivity in the lands would never be compromised. Armed with powerful armor, they moved through the fields and factories, ensuring every slave fulfilled their role and that the flow of resources never stopped.
Controlling the slaves was relatively simple thanks to the explosive collars they wore. With the press of a button, I could send an electric shock that would bring them to their knees or, in extreme cases, detonate the explosive, eliminating any threat of rebellion. However, the real challenge didn't lie with the slaves but with the free people who were starting to settle in my territory, coming from other tribes that saw the valley as an opportunity to prosper. Here, I couldn't apply the same methods, and the growing tension between the free people and the slaves needed to be managed with tact.
I decided to take McKinley's "Overseers" and turn them into a local police force, tasked with maintaining order among both the free and the slaves. With the Vault-Tec power armor and the assembly technology we had recovered from the Brotherhood of Steel, building more armor became an efficient and quick process. Now I had a well-equipped security force patrolling the settlement, ensuring that any attempts at subversion or rebellion were crushed before they could even begin.
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I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.