[color=ed1c24][b]Titus Crassus, Quaestor of The Legion[/b][/color] [i]"Queastor", Martin said quietly as he handed the note to the younger man, "The Lord-Paladin sends his regards, and requested that I bring you this message. It is a message received from your front lines in Arizona. He feels the honor of delivering it to the convention is, by right, yours."[/i] With a curious expression, Titus took the note from the aged Brotherhood scribe, "Thank you," he replied simply and opened the note. He couldn't help but let a grin crawl across his face as he read the report. He gave another nod to Brother Martin and then stood up, "Honored delegates," he said, "If I might have the floor. I have just received news from the war in Arizona. The Legions of Caesar Lucius and his Legate have attacked and destroyed the NCR incursion force led by President Kimball. President Kimball Jr. of the NCR is confirmed to be among the dead." With that, Titus sat down, allowing the delegates to talk among themselves or simply contemplate this new development. ------ [color=ed1c24][b]Legion Camp of Legio I Arizona[/b][/color] [i]"This way, quickly!"[/i] The command of Legatus Aurelius was obeyed swiftly by the Praetorians carrying the stretcher which held the gravely wounded Caesar. They carried his body quickly through the camp and towards Caesar's grand tent at the center. The Legate and his Centurions had done their level best to keep the news of Caesar's injury a secret, but word had spread quickly through the camp. Legionaries had begun to tell each other stories of having seen Caesar himself riding towards the NCR President and skewering him with his own spear before falling. Silently, they sent up prayers to whatever God or gods they honored for the deliverance of their leader. As the Praetorians approached, the tent flap opened to reveal Caesar's wife, Hannah, waiting anxiously for her wounded husband's arrival. "Put him down gently on the bed," she told them. And carefully they lifted him off the stretcher and laid him down. Hannah rushed to his side. Caesar's armor had been removed, and his body bandaged as best the battlefield surgeons could to try and stabilize him, but he needed a real doctor: and a miracle no doubt. He was unconscious and Hannah took her husband's hand in her own. "He fell valiantly. As a Son of Mars should," The Legate offered, "With the blood of his enemy on his spear." Fighting back tears, Hannah turned back to the Aurelius, "He's not dead yet. Send for the doctor. Ask him to come to the tent at once." "The healers are already.." "Not your battlefield butchers or tribal wise-women," Hannah chided him, "A [i]real [/i]doctor. The New Canaanites in the camp...ask for Dr. Thomas to come at once." Aurelius raised an eyebrow but did nothing more than nod in reply. Years ago, perhaps he might have struck the woman for her insolence for daring to presume to order him. But things were different now. She was a Legion woman, and the wife of Caesar no less. He couldn't lay a finger on her. Instead, he exited the tent and ordered some of the Praetorians to go to the New Canaanite quarter in the camp and send for Dr. Thomas. The rest, he ordered to stay here and protect their Caesar with their life. Minutes ticked by as Hannah gripped Lucius's hand tightly and felt his labored breath as his chest heaved weakly up and down. She then heard the cloth of the tent being pulled back again and turned to find a thin mustached man wearing a well-worn black suit with spectacles and a pocket-watch chain dangling from his left-most jacket pocket. It was as if the man had stepped right out of the 19th century. In his right hand, he carried a bag with a cross stitched on the side. "Hannah?" He began, and then muttered "Oh...oh dear...." when he saw the wounded Caesar, "I'd heard the rumors but...I..." "Nevermind that now Thomas....please...you must help him." The doctor sat his bag down next to her and began pulling forth various medical instruments, "I'll do what I can Hannah, I promise..." He said. --------- Hours passed beside the Caesar's bed, and the doctor had begun packing his medical supplies up into his case. Caesar was still unconscious, but he'd been given a slew of medicines to help treat his condition. Even still, the prognosis was not looking good. As he stood up, Hannah reached out and grabbed his hand, "Will he live?" "I can't be sure. I've done all I can, but he's suffered grievous injuries. Medical science has done all it can for him. Its in the Lord's hands now." He said as he tried to comfort her, "I'll return in an hour or two and change his bandages. I need to return to grab some more supplies. Watch over him and send for me if anything changes." Hannah only nodded as the doctor exited the tent, "Please God, help him." She prayed silently, and placed a necklace with a small cross around Lucius's neck, "You have to live," She whispered to her husband, "For your child..." She then lay her head down on the bed and fell asleep, exhausted as she was.