Handed a golden opportunity, Augustus Autumn seizes the chance to build a fleeting group into the forgers of a new era.
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Fallout: Non Sibi, Sed Patriae
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Chapter 1: An Augustus Rises
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
12:00, Raven Rock, December 29th, 2277
Janet Neeson, Lone Wanderer and exile from Vault 101, awoke to find herself locked behind a seemingly impenetrable force-field with a figure staring back at her. The same one who was harassing her father before his sacrifice, the sacrifice that guaranteed her safety and aid the Brotherhood of Steel, that was, until now. Wearing a beige overcoat with what seemed to be armored plating clad underneath, he stood proudly, with his arms folded behind him. Before she could analyze him any further however, he began to speak.
"So, you're awake.", Janet noted his thick southern drawl, the exact same accent from the man at the purifier, further solidifying her previous thoughts.
"Let's keep this nice and simple. You're going to tell me the code for that Purifier, and you're going to tell me now." demanded the figure.
Janet pondered for a moment, she thought about lying, perhaps it would buy her enough time to think of something else. Maybe playing stupid could work, pretending to not know could also possibly go in her favor. Part of her even thought about just saying "fuck you!" to his face. Hundreds of thoughts flooded through her mind, with her deep thinking only being shattered by a deep cough by the man, obviously an attempt to get her to finally make a decision.
After a deep breath, Janet would reply "The code is 2-1-6." named after her mother's favorite revelation from the Holy Bible, or so her father had told her. Janet had never really cared about the verse, or even the whole purification project to begin with, usually choosing to spend time with Butch or the men in Megaton, partaking in all sorts of debauchery, instead of helping dear old Dad. Her apathy towards his noble goal might have been the reason she told the man - who despite being one of the causes of her own father's death - the code, being an attempt to save her own skin.
"Let's just make sure you're telling the truth."
He then swaggered over to the intercom.
"This is Colonel Autumn. Are your men in place, soldier?"
The intercom remained silent for a second, before crackling to life with a response.
"Affirmative Sir, standing by for code transmission."
"Your code is 2-1-6. Repeat, 2-1-6. Confirm and enter."
"Copy 2-1-6. Standby sir, entering code now."
"Confirmed, that's the correct code. Systems coming online now sir, I'll have a full report shortly."
Seemingly happy with the result, Autumn then walked back across the room to where Janet was facing.
"Thank you for cooperating. I'm afraid we no longer have need of your services."
Disabling the force-field, Janet thought for a split-second that she would be let go, reunited with Butch and allowed out of wherever she was, continuing her days high out of her mind in one of the rooms at Moriarty's Saloon. Those dreams were shattered as soon as Autumn pulled out his trusty N99 10MM Pistol, the engravings shining in the artificial light. The last thing she would ever see would be Autumn raising the pistol and a bright flash aimed directly at her forehead.
Autumn lowered the pistol and sighed, one loose end was tied up, now onto the others. Leaving the room, Autumn moved onto the Cell directly across from Janet's, currently occupied by one Butch DeLoria.
Entering the Cell, Autumn aimed his pistol directly at Butch.
"Boy, you have 10 seconds to give me a reason to not let you end up like your partner in crime."
Butch had heard the gunshot from the other room, realizing what this meant he quickly dropped onto the floor, begging Autumn to spare him, offering to serve in the Military and give up 'valuable secrets'. With the most interesting one being his apparent knowledge of the Purifier.
"Now what do you know about the Purifier?"
"All sorts of stuff! The broad's dad was a talker when it came to his high and mighty Purifier."
"And your relationship with the Lone Wanderer?"
"She was just a fling, a one time thing! She forced me to come with her after she destroyed my Vault! I had no choice!"
Butch didn't like lying through his teeth, not one bit, but he had to make sure his safety was secured. In reality, Butch convinced her to destroy the filtration systems, riding on her anger at Amata trying to kick her out and the chance to get with him, forcing those able to leave the confines of Vault 101.
"You better not be twisting my chain boy."
Signaling to an Enclave officer nearby, he instructed the man to take him to a more comfortable area for questioning and to "riddle him with bullets" if he tried anything.
Almost groveling at Autumn's feet, DeLoria continually thanked the man, promising to not to let him down and to fight for America.
With those two out of the picture, one permanently and the other subservient, for now at least, he could finally move on to the biggest moment of the day. Perhaps even his entire life.
Signaling his two most loyal bodyguards to his side, he weaved his way through the maze that was Raven Rock to the room of John Henry Eden, President of the United States and head of the Enclave. On Paper, Eden was a hard-working family man, who enjoyed recreational activities like baseball and loved his nation, working valiantly to ensure it's survival in this trying time. In reality, John Henry Eden was a ruse, a title a ZAX AI software had taken, made up of combined U.S Presidential personalities like Washington, Adams, Reagan and Rumsfeld. After the destruction of Control Station Enclave, the increasingly self-aware AI in charge of Raven Rock, assumed control of the Enclave and the role of President. Concealing his true identity and intentions to genocide the wasteland of the "impure" using a modified FEV strain in the water supply, he had waited in secrecy, only confining in Autumn, with the two beginning to butt heads over the Purifier and ideology of the Enclave.
Entering into his office, which was more of a computer storeroom than an office, Autumn set his plans into motion.
Walking up the staircase to converse with Eden, his loyal bodyguards moved to key areas, including the power supply and cooling tanks for the AI.
"How did you get on?"
"The Lone Wanderer is dead, her faithful companion is being interrogated as we speak."
"Good Good, make sure you squeeze him for all the information you can."
"Of course, though I think he would be a good conscript afterward, he's pure you know."
"What of the purifier?"
"Fully online and functioning, we will be able to purify the water soon enough."
Pausing for a moment, Autumn would steel himself, as what he would say next would change the fate of the Enclave and Wasteland forever.
"That brings me to your retirement, John."
"Retirement? Why would I retire? Ever?"
"You're not fit to serve, in fact, I know of your plans to genocide all those people."
"You think those savages are people?! What has happened to you?!"
"I saw you for what you are."
Before the computer could react, Autumn signaled for his men to begin disabling the power and coolant systems along with whatever else they could. Though Eden protested, his systems had begun to fail, his connection to the PA system cut and the doors sealed. He tried to activate the self-destruct even, but before the protocol could be unlocked, he went offline for good. Power would temporarily go offline as a result, but would be restored as a result of Eden's power supply being put towards the entire base instead.
For 2 days, all would be quiet, until the quietly inaugurated President Autumn would make an announcement on the radio and PA systems.
"My fellow Americans, we regret to announce the death of our beloved President John Henry Eden. Serving America valiantly since the near-destruction of our Government many years ago, he remained steadfast in his ideals for a united America, where no citizen would go hungry, thirsty or be threatened by savage raiders or mutants. Eden would pass away, surrounded by his family, after battling an illness which we suspect was brought on by Brotherhood poisoning. Despite their best attempts to break us however, we have come back stronger than ever, like a soaring Eagle, we have risen! We will crush the Brotherhood terrorists, we will bring stability and we will help those who desperately need it, for America will return! God Bless every American and God Bless the United States of America! This is President Augustus Autumn, signing off."
Janet Neeson, Lone Wanderer and exile from Vault 101, awoke to find herself locked behind a seemingly impenetrable force-field with a figure staring back at her. The same one who was harassing her father before his sacrifice, the sacrifice that guaranteed her safety and aid the Brotherhood of Steel, that was, until now. Wearing a beige overcoat with what seemed to be armored plating clad underneath, he stood proudly, with his arms folded behind him. Before she could analyze him any further however, he began to speak.
"So, you're awake.", Janet noted his thick southern drawl, the exact same accent from the man at the purifier, further solidifying her previous thoughts.
"Let's keep this nice and simple. You're going to tell me the code for that Purifier, and you're going to tell me now." demanded the figure.
Janet pondered for a moment, she thought about lying, perhaps it would buy her enough time to think of something else. Maybe playing stupid could work, pretending to not know could also possibly go in her favor. Part of her even thought about just saying "fuck you!" to his face. Hundreds of thoughts flooded through her mind, with her deep thinking only being shattered by a deep cough by the man, obviously an attempt to get her to finally make a decision.
After a deep breath, Janet would reply "The code is 2-1-6." named after her mother's favorite revelation from the Holy Bible, or so her father had told her. Janet had never really cared about the verse, or even the whole purification project to begin with, usually choosing to spend time with Butch or the men in Megaton, partaking in all sorts of debauchery, instead of helping dear old Dad. Her apathy towards his noble goal might have been the reason she told the man - who despite being one of the causes of her own father's death - the code, being an attempt to save her own skin.
"Let's just make sure you're telling the truth."
He then swaggered over to the intercom.
"This is Colonel Autumn. Are your men in place, soldier?"
The intercom remained silent for a second, before crackling to life with a response.
"Affirmative Sir, standing by for code transmission."
"Your code is 2-1-6. Repeat, 2-1-6. Confirm and enter."
"Copy 2-1-6. Standby sir, entering code now."
"Confirmed, that's the correct code. Systems coming online now sir, I'll have a full report shortly."
Seemingly happy with the result, Autumn then walked back across the room to where Janet was facing.
"Thank you for cooperating. I'm afraid we no longer have need of your services."
Disabling the force-field, Janet thought for a split-second that she would be let go, reunited with Butch and allowed out of wherever she was, continuing her days high out of her mind in one of the rooms at Moriarty's Saloon. Those dreams were shattered as soon as Autumn pulled out his trusty N99 10MM Pistol, the engravings shining in the artificial light. The last thing she would ever see would be Autumn raising the pistol and a bright flash aimed directly at her forehead.
Autumn lowered the pistol and sighed, one loose end was tied up, now onto the others. Leaving the room, Autumn moved onto the Cell directly across from Janet's, currently occupied by one Butch DeLoria.
Entering the Cell, Autumn aimed his pistol directly at Butch.
"Boy, you have 10 seconds to give me a reason to not let you end up like your partner in crime."
Butch had heard the gunshot from the other room, realizing what this meant he quickly dropped onto the floor, begging Autumn to spare him, offering to serve in the Military and give up 'valuable secrets'. With the most interesting one being his apparent knowledge of the Purifier.
"Now what do you know about the Purifier?"
"All sorts of stuff! The broad's dad was a talker when it came to his high and mighty Purifier."
"And your relationship with the Lone Wanderer?"
"She was just a fling, a one time thing! She forced me to come with her after she destroyed my Vault! I had no choice!"
Butch didn't like lying through his teeth, not one bit, but he had to make sure his safety was secured. In reality, Butch convinced her to destroy the filtration systems, riding on her anger at Amata trying to kick her out and the chance to get with him, forcing those able to leave the confines of Vault 101.
"You better not be twisting my chain boy."
Signaling to an Enclave officer nearby, he instructed the man to take him to a more comfortable area for questioning and to "riddle him with bullets" if he tried anything.
Almost groveling at Autumn's feet, DeLoria continually thanked the man, promising to not to let him down and to fight for America.
With those two out of the picture, one permanently and the other subservient, for now at least, he could finally move on to the biggest moment of the day. Perhaps even his entire life.
Signaling his two most loyal bodyguards to his side, he weaved his way through the maze that was Raven Rock to the room of John Henry Eden, President of the United States and head of the Enclave. On Paper, Eden was a hard-working family man, who enjoyed recreational activities like baseball and loved his nation, working valiantly to ensure it's survival in this trying time. In reality, John Henry Eden was a ruse, a title a ZAX AI software had taken, made up of combined U.S Presidential personalities like Washington, Adams, Reagan and Rumsfeld. After the destruction of Control Station Enclave, the increasingly self-aware AI in charge of Raven Rock, assumed control of the Enclave and the role of President. Concealing his true identity and intentions to genocide the wasteland of the "impure" using a modified FEV strain in the water supply, he had waited in secrecy, only confining in Autumn, with the two beginning to butt heads over the Purifier and ideology of the Enclave.
Entering into his office, which was more of a computer storeroom than an office, Autumn set his plans into motion.
Walking up the staircase to converse with Eden, his loyal bodyguards moved to key areas, including the power supply and cooling tanks for the AI.
"How did you get on?"
"The Lone Wanderer is dead, her faithful companion is being interrogated as we speak."
"Good Good, make sure you squeeze him for all the information you can."
"Of course, though I think he would be a good conscript afterward, he's pure you know."
"What of the purifier?"
"Fully online and functioning, we will be able to purify the water soon enough."
Pausing for a moment, Autumn would steel himself, as what he would say next would change the fate of the Enclave and Wasteland forever.
"That brings me to your retirement, John."
"Retirement? Why would I retire? Ever?"
"You're not fit to serve, in fact, I know of your plans to genocide all those people."
"You think those savages are people?! What has happened to you?!"
"I saw you for what you are."
Before the computer could react, Autumn signaled for his men to begin disabling the power and coolant systems along with whatever else they could. Though Eden protested, his systems had begun to fail, his connection to the PA system cut and the doors sealed. He tried to activate the self-destruct even, but before the protocol could be unlocked, he went offline for good. Power would temporarily go offline as a result, but would be restored as a result of Eden's power supply being put towards the entire base instead.
For 2 days, all would be quiet, until the quietly inaugurated President Autumn would make an announcement on the radio and PA systems.
"My fellow Americans, we regret to announce the death of our beloved President John Henry Eden. Serving America valiantly since the near-destruction of our Government many years ago, he remained steadfast in his ideals for a united America, where no citizen would go hungry, thirsty or be threatened by savage raiders or mutants. Eden would pass away, surrounded by his family, after battling an illness which we suspect was brought on by Brotherhood poisoning. Despite their best attempts to break us however, we have come back stronger than ever, like a soaring Eagle, we have risen! We will crush the Brotherhood terrorists, we will bring stability and we will help those who desperately need it, for America will return! God Bless every American and God Bless the United States of America! This is President Augustus Autumn, signing off."
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Chapter 2: Securing the Future
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
00:00, The Citadel, January 3rd, 2278
It had been a week since the announcement of Eden's death had rang out across the Capital Wasteland. Though the Brotherhood would be nominally jubilant, it was becoming apparent that Eden's death was the catalyst for something larger.
The 'Great Hall' was one of the finer looking places in The Citadel. Though much of the Brotherhood headquarters was looking dated, worn and even destroyed in some parts, the Great Hall looked like something of Arthurian Legend. An intrinsically detailed wooden round table sat as the centerpiece, with chairs of equal quality placed around it. It is at this location where the East Coast Brotherhood would convene their council to discuss issues, events or situations. It is one of these situations that would cause Elder Lyons to convene the council once more.
The room was packed with all the grandees of the Brotherhood, with even members guarding other locations or carrying out operations being recalled back on orders of the Elder himself. Paladin's Bael, Vargas, Gunny, Glade, Kodiak and Tristian sat on one side of the table, sitting opposite to Knight Captain's Colvin, Dusk, Durga and Gallows. Sentinel Sarah Lyons and Star Paladin Cross sat near the head of the table, occupied by the Elder. Several scribes and even some initiates were peppered throughout the rest of the room. Squire Maxon was also present, serving various drinks on a tray to the attendants.
Small amounts of bickering had taken place before a voice, though thinned and weakened by time, remained certain enough to quell any tension.
"I adjourned this meeting not to argue, but to discuss the ongoing issue with the Enclave." announced the Elder.
"It has been almost a week since the apparent death of the Enclave's leader, John Henry Eden, can we confirm this?"
"We believe we can, though we don't have any sources, it seems like the Enclave have gotten themselves a new leader, apparent by every Enclave outlet referring to someone named Augustus Autumn." replied Scribe Bowditch, leaning forward to hear Lyons' response.
"What do we actually know about this Autumn?"
"We know he was at the Purifier during the attack, Li and the others present at the time validated this due to his accent. Other than that, nothing else?"
"Are the claims of Eden being poisoned substantial in any way?"
"Obviously it wasn't us, unless Janet somehow got to the President after being captured."
"Have we heard about Janet at all since her capture?"
Sarah Lyons would pitch in. "I'm afraid not Elder, she and her companion she was travelling to Vault 87 with went dark completely."
"I fear the worse then."
After a small moment of muttering amongst each other, the Elder would continue.
"Have they gotten the Purifier working yet?"
"Not yet Elder, but our scouts can indicate a breakthrough is imminent, something we cannot let happen." said Bowditch, his face becoming more tense as his statement finished.
"What are our choices?"
"Full-out Assault on the Jefferson Mem-"
"You absolute Madman!" came thundering across the room, with Knight Artemis standing up and pointing directly at Bowditch. As a result the room would freeze completely, Bowditch's brow tensed, Sentinel Lyons was taken aback, the little Maxson would go crimson with fear while Elder Lyons looked on pragmatically.
"What the hell is your problem?" Paladin Kodiak would ask the Knight, confused and angered at his sudden outburst.
"Well, let's see. For years, we've been draining our resources defending the ungrateful residents of this no man's land. Most of my best friends have either been ripped apart by Super Mutants or left to join the Outcasts. And now an enemy we faced more than thirty years ago has resurfaced, and their tech is still better than ours!"
"That's more than enough Artemis!" shouted the Sentinel. "How dare you, in a time of crisis, speak such heresy?!"
"How dare I? How dare you think sending more of us to die in a battle we won't win is a good idea?!" Artemis would pause for a moment, surveying the room around him before staring back at Sentinel Lyons. "Why you have a say here is beyond me, you only have this liberty because Daddy promoted you to the job with the most glamorous role under his own."
The room was left in total shock after this statement, gasping was heard all around, but the battle lines were drawn. Several Knights, a few Paladins and most Initiates actually agreed with Artemis. Both Sentinel Lyons and Scribe Bowditch both looked ready to pummel Artemis. Squire Maxon was hurried out of the room, sobbing the whole time while some eyes were directed at Owyn, awaiting a response.
The old man finally stood up and made his verdict known. First turning to Knight Artemis.
"Knight Artemis, for your defamatory statements made here during a council meeting against several high-ranking members of the Brotherhood, you are hereby stripped of all previous titles and banished. Any one who agrees with his statements can also take their leave, receiving the same treatment." Both Lyons sat back down satisfied, while Artemis and his newfound supporters looked furious.
"Fine, when all of you are killed by the Enclave, maybe then you'll see. Follow me if you want to live!"
Three of the Knight Captains, two Scribes, one Paladin and a dozen Initiates would follow Artemis out of the room, leaving the Citadel right after. Their destination remained unknown however, with several of Artemis' followers not wanting to join the Outcasts.
Silence would befall the Great Hall until Elder Lyons would speak once again.
"I give my blessing to go ahead with the Operation. See to it that it is completed." Everyone still present would close their books and rise, heading off to fulfil their role in the upcoming battle.
Before Lyons would leave, Bowditch would quickly grab his attention.
"Elder, it's about Liberty Prime."
"What's the matter with the Robot now?"
"Nothing more than the usual, but we still can't crack the power supply issue, we might have to go into battle at the Memorial without it."
"We won't need to rely on a single Robot to win against a foe we helped beat decades ago. Continue if we are unable to power it."
"Very well Elder."
06:05, Raven Rock, The same day, 2278
President Autumn sat at his desk in his office, preferring to use it even after becoming President. The room was immaculately clean, with portraits of his five favorite Presidents hanging on the wall, those being Washington, MacArthur, McNamara, Rumsfeld and Sidell, above an extremely detailed digital map of the D.C Area, with regions under Enclave control marked in blue while others were marked in red. Other than that and the beautiful Resolute desk, which survived nuclear destruction, with framed pictures of his family on it and an ashtray for his cigars, it was empty. Across from him sat three people, General Arch Dornan III, Anna Holt and Butch DeLoria. Arch Dornan III was a very domineering man, standing at a startling 6'8 and weighing 150 Kilograms. He not only had physical strength, but mental strength as well, being a very skilled tactician and trainee for the troops. Named in honor of his ancestor at Navarro, who was famous in the Enclave for his no-nonsense attitude to put it lightly, which has remained in the family ever since, brushing off onto his grandson. Next to him was Holt, who seemed extremely eager to work with the Enclave, even if she worked with Li and the others. Her reasons were being that that she believed the Enclave had the technology to fix and help the Wasteland. She had already proven her new loyalties, telling Autumn and the other scientists how the Purifier works and what it needs, earning the trust of the new President. Off to the side sat Butch DeLoria, who had been bought on to help Holt with the Purifier, even after her protests that he "could not help in the slightest". It seemed Butch's gambit had paid off, that was until Autumn announced he would join the military to guard the Purifier and aid Holt, putting him in a precarious position. With that settled, Autumn could move onto more pressing issues.
"General, how are the defenses at the Purifier?"
"Sir, the force-field has worked without a hitch, those techno-loving fucks can't even get within 20 miles of the Purifier itself!"
"That's what I like to hear, a contingency force will move to the Memorial to back you folks up soon. Now Anna, about the progre-"
Suddenly, an officer rushed in unannounced and just as Dornan III was about to give him the dressing down of his life, he blurted out the fateful news.
"Sir, the Jefferson Memorial is under attack by the Brotherhood of Steel, a full assault by them is underway as we speak."
"I see, son, get yourself on the next Vertibird out of here and into the fight, I'll announce it to everyone."
Just as the Officer hurried out, Autumn grabbed the PA system and would give an announcement to the entire base.
"Attention all American forces, The Jefferson Memorial is under attack, all military personnel are to head to their stations immediately, we cannot let those terrorists ruin our efforts and desecrate President Eden's memory. I wish you all luck in the upcoming fight, god bless you all."
After his speech was completed, Autumn would grab his coat, rifle and sidearm before heading to join his men on the battlefield.
"Sir, are you sure you should head to the battle?" asked the General while they hurried to the Vertibird landing zone.
Autumn would reply coolly, "what kind of Commander-In-Chief would I be if I didn't fight alongside my men?
"Very well Sir."
Autumn wasn't going to give up the Memorial so easily, he had come this far and by god he wasn't going to let some techno-cult take it from him. He would stop them, by any means necessary.
It had been a week since the announcement of Eden's death had rang out across the Capital Wasteland. Though the Brotherhood would be nominally jubilant, it was becoming apparent that Eden's death was the catalyst for something larger.
The 'Great Hall' was one of the finer looking places in The Citadel. Though much of the Brotherhood headquarters was looking dated, worn and even destroyed in some parts, the Great Hall looked like something of Arthurian Legend. An intrinsically detailed wooden round table sat as the centerpiece, with chairs of equal quality placed around it. It is at this location where the East Coast Brotherhood would convene their council to discuss issues, events or situations. It is one of these situations that would cause Elder Lyons to convene the council once more.
The room was packed with all the grandees of the Brotherhood, with even members guarding other locations or carrying out operations being recalled back on orders of the Elder himself. Paladin's Bael, Vargas, Gunny, Glade, Kodiak and Tristian sat on one side of the table, sitting opposite to Knight Captain's Colvin, Dusk, Durga and Gallows. Sentinel Sarah Lyons and Star Paladin Cross sat near the head of the table, occupied by the Elder. Several scribes and even some initiates were peppered throughout the rest of the room. Squire Maxon was also present, serving various drinks on a tray to the attendants.
Small amounts of bickering had taken place before a voice, though thinned and weakened by time, remained certain enough to quell any tension.
"I adjourned this meeting not to argue, but to discuss the ongoing issue with the Enclave." announced the Elder.
"It has been almost a week since the apparent death of the Enclave's leader, John Henry Eden, can we confirm this?"
"We believe we can, though we don't have any sources, it seems like the Enclave have gotten themselves a new leader, apparent by every Enclave outlet referring to someone named Augustus Autumn." replied Scribe Bowditch, leaning forward to hear Lyons' response.
"What do we actually know about this Autumn?"
"We know he was at the Purifier during the attack, Li and the others present at the time validated this due to his accent. Other than that, nothing else?"
"Are the claims of Eden being poisoned substantial in any way?"
"Obviously it wasn't us, unless Janet somehow got to the President after being captured."
"Have we heard about Janet at all since her capture?"
Sarah Lyons would pitch in. "I'm afraid not Elder, she and her companion she was travelling to Vault 87 with went dark completely."
"I fear the worse then."
After a small moment of muttering amongst each other, the Elder would continue.
"Have they gotten the Purifier working yet?"
"Not yet Elder, but our scouts can indicate a breakthrough is imminent, something we cannot let happen." said Bowditch, his face becoming more tense as his statement finished.
"What are our choices?"
"Full-out Assault on the Jefferson Mem-"
"You absolute Madman!" came thundering across the room, with Knight Artemis standing up and pointing directly at Bowditch. As a result the room would freeze completely, Bowditch's brow tensed, Sentinel Lyons was taken aback, the little Maxson would go crimson with fear while Elder Lyons looked on pragmatically.
"What the hell is your problem?" Paladin Kodiak would ask the Knight, confused and angered at his sudden outburst.
"Well, let's see. For years, we've been draining our resources defending the ungrateful residents of this no man's land. Most of my best friends have either been ripped apart by Super Mutants or left to join the Outcasts. And now an enemy we faced more than thirty years ago has resurfaced, and their tech is still better than ours!"
"That's more than enough Artemis!" shouted the Sentinel. "How dare you, in a time of crisis, speak such heresy?!"
"How dare I? How dare you think sending more of us to die in a battle we won't win is a good idea?!" Artemis would pause for a moment, surveying the room around him before staring back at Sentinel Lyons. "Why you have a say here is beyond me, you only have this liberty because Daddy promoted you to the job with the most glamorous role under his own."
The room was left in total shock after this statement, gasping was heard all around, but the battle lines were drawn. Several Knights, a few Paladins and most Initiates actually agreed with Artemis. Both Sentinel Lyons and Scribe Bowditch both looked ready to pummel Artemis. Squire Maxon was hurried out of the room, sobbing the whole time while some eyes were directed at Owyn, awaiting a response.
The old man finally stood up and made his verdict known. First turning to Knight Artemis.
"Knight Artemis, for your defamatory statements made here during a council meeting against several high-ranking members of the Brotherhood, you are hereby stripped of all previous titles and banished. Any one who agrees with his statements can also take their leave, receiving the same treatment." Both Lyons sat back down satisfied, while Artemis and his newfound supporters looked furious.
"Fine, when all of you are killed by the Enclave, maybe then you'll see. Follow me if you want to live!"
Three of the Knight Captains, two Scribes, one Paladin and a dozen Initiates would follow Artemis out of the room, leaving the Citadel right after. Their destination remained unknown however, with several of Artemis' followers not wanting to join the Outcasts.
Silence would befall the Great Hall until Elder Lyons would speak once again.
"I give my blessing to go ahead with the Operation. See to it that it is completed." Everyone still present would close their books and rise, heading off to fulfil their role in the upcoming battle.
Before Lyons would leave, Bowditch would quickly grab his attention.
"Elder, it's about Liberty Prime."
"What's the matter with the Robot now?"
"Nothing more than the usual, but we still can't crack the power supply issue, we might have to go into battle at the Memorial without it."
"We won't need to rely on a single Robot to win against a foe we helped beat decades ago. Continue if we are unable to power it."
"Very well Elder."
--=====--
06:05, Raven Rock, The same day, 2278
President Autumn sat at his desk in his office, preferring to use it even after becoming President. The room was immaculately clean, with portraits of his five favorite Presidents hanging on the wall, those being Washington, MacArthur, McNamara, Rumsfeld and Sidell, above an extremely detailed digital map of the D.C Area, with regions under Enclave control marked in blue while others were marked in red. Other than that and the beautiful Resolute desk, which survived nuclear destruction, with framed pictures of his family on it and an ashtray for his cigars, it was empty. Across from him sat three people, General Arch Dornan III, Anna Holt and Butch DeLoria. Arch Dornan III was a very domineering man, standing at a startling 6'8 and weighing 150 Kilograms. He not only had physical strength, but mental strength as well, being a very skilled tactician and trainee for the troops. Named in honor of his ancestor at Navarro, who was famous in the Enclave for his no-nonsense attitude to put it lightly, which has remained in the family ever since, brushing off onto his grandson. Next to him was Holt, who seemed extremely eager to work with the Enclave, even if she worked with Li and the others. Her reasons were being that that she believed the Enclave had the technology to fix and help the Wasteland. She had already proven her new loyalties, telling Autumn and the other scientists how the Purifier works and what it needs, earning the trust of the new President. Off to the side sat Butch DeLoria, who had been bought on to help Holt with the Purifier, even after her protests that he "could not help in the slightest". It seemed Butch's gambit had paid off, that was until Autumn announced he would join the military to guard the Purifier and aid Holt, putting him in a precarious position. With that settled, Autumn could move onto more pressing issues.
"General, how are the defenses at the Purifier?"
"Sir, the force-field has worked without a hitch, those techno-loving fucks can't even get within 20 miles of the Purifier itself!"
"That's what I like to hear, a contingency force will move to the Memorial to back you folks up soon. Now Anna, about the progre-"
Suddenly, an officer rushed in unannounced and just as Dornan III was about to give him the dressing down of his life, he blurted out the fateful news.
"Sir, the Jefferson Memorial is under attack by the Brotherhood of Steel, a full assault by them is underway as we speak."
"I see, son, get yourself on the next Vertibird out of here and into the fight, I'll announce it to everyone."
Just as the Officer hurried out, Autumn grabbed the PA system and would give an announcement to the entire base.
"Attention all American forces, The Jefferson Memorial is under attack, all military personnel are to head to their stations immediately, we cannot let those terrorists ruin our efforts and desecrate President Eden's memory. I wish you all luck in the upcoming fight, god bless you all."
After his speech was completed, Autumn would grab his coat, rifle and sidearm before heading to join his men on the battlefield.
"Sir, are you sure you should head to the battle?" asked the General while they hurried to the Vertibird landing zone.
Autumn would reply coolly, "what kind of Commander-In-Chief would I be if I didn't fight alongside my men?
"Very well Sir."
Autumn wasn't going to give up the Memorial so easily, he had come this far and by god he wasn't going to let some techno-cult take it from him. He would stop them, by any means necessary.
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Chapter 3: Anything Goes
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
06:00, Jefferson Memorial, January 3rd, 2278
Private First Class Brian Richter was, to put it bluntly, extremely tired. He had been given the night watch role after the previous holder was promoted to Corporal. Which among the other perks such as more authority, allowed the man to get a good night's sleep, something Brian envied greatly. It could be worse though. he thought to himself, at least he had a carton of smokes he bought from a trader who came by. Even if the Enclave discouraged smoking, it wasn't outright banned. The radio also provided some comfort, with some new gal with one of the smoothest voices in the entire Capital taking over from Eden after he croaked. 'Morale boosting' was the term coined by the new President, which included an overhaul to the Enclave Radio, or as it's called now, 'Radio America - Washington D.C'. Richter couldn't help but agree that the makeover was better, especially since those annoying 'inspirational quotes' were finally gone and replaced with a sultry voice along with some good tunes. It seemed the Radio had also expanded their catalogue too, with music other than marches being played over the soundwaves, which had made shifts like these much easier. As he popped another smoke, the DJ would come on to announce the daily report.
"Good Morning Washington! I'm your host Jordan Jay Black bringing you the morning report of the American Government's noble mission to restore the soul of America. Yesterday afternoon President Autumn would make a speech on this very radio outlining his intentions to adhere to the legacy of the late great President Eden and restore clean drinking water to every citizen, with rollouts of 'Aqua Pura' commencing shortly. If you didn't catch that yesterday, somehow, here's an excerpt from the proclamation."
"...And we will not only restore freedom and democracy to this great nation, but the capabilities for clean drinking water and food to be on every table. I promise each and every one of you, we will roll out bottles of fresh 'Aqua Pura' to each and any American citizen in need..."
"How dazzling of our great President to dedicate his efforts to providing something as vital as clean water to the American people, am I right? Anyway, here's some more music, A classic from 1934, it's Anything Goes by Cole Porter. Good luck out there today folks, and God Bless America."
"Times have changed
And we've often rewound the clock
Since the Puritans got a shock
When they landed on Plymouth Rock.
If today
Any shock they should try to stem
'Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock,
Plymouth Rock would land on them."
"In olden days, a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking.
But now, God knows,
Anything goes.
Good authors too who once knew better words
Now only use four-letter words
Writing prose.
Anything goes."
"If driving fast cars you like,
If low bars you like,
If old hymns you like,
If bare limbs you like,
If Mae West you like,
Or me undressed you like,
Why, nobody will oppose.
When ev'ry night the set that's smart is in-
Truding in nudist parties in
Studios.
Anything goes."
Brian was actively surprised by this song coming on the radio, he would have expected it on something like Galaxy News Radio, but getting caught listening to that was treason. Not that he did it anyway, or so he says.
"When Missus Ned McLean (God Bless Her)
Can get Russian reds to "yes" her,
Then I suppose
Anything goes.
When Rockefeller still can hoard en-ough money to let Max Gordon
Produce his shows,
Anything goes.
The world has gone mad today
And good's bad today,
And black's white today,
And day's night today,
And that gent today
You gave a cent today
Once had several chateaux.
When folks who still can ride in jitneys
Find out Vanderbilts and Whitneys
Lack baby clo'es,
Anything goes."
Though produced in 1934 and having faded into obscurity for many decades, the song would explode in popularity after the Whitney Scandal. The scandal, which followed President Gerald Whitney (2070-2074) for 2 years, detailed a massive chronicle of affairs he had been having daily. From the White House to foreign dinners to even in the Capitol itself. All in all, the amount tallied to around 350 Women he had slept with in his 4 year stay, a record to be sure. It would leave his political career effectively dead however, with the Populist Party and John Sidell sweeping the popular vote and the electoral college in 2074.
While humming along to the tune, Richter would see a figure on the horizon as the sun was rising, clad in power armor. Before Richter could react, a flare was fired into the air and not 5 seconds later, Mini-Nukes, Missiles, any ordinance really, hit all along the Memorial. Richter would duck for cover, quickly reaching for the alarm signal, which would release a shrill heard all across the Memorial and temporary military setup. Since their takeover of the Memorial, the Enclave has slowed in constructing a military setup there. Sure there are some outposts and a force-field, but the Brotherhood would be able to disable it with enough elbow grease. Richter would then put on his Power Armor helmet, the systems booting up while he reached for his plasma rifle.
"If Sam Goldwyn can with great conviction
Instruct Anna Sten in diction,
Then Anna shows
Anything goes.
When you hear that Lady Mendl standing up
Now turns a handspring landing up-
On her toes,
Anything goes."
Rising from the cover, Richter would begin firing at the encroaching horde of Brotherhood troops.
"Just think of those shocks you've got"
A Brotherhood Knight is shot in the head with a Plasma rifle, reducing his skull to a green goo.
"And those knocks you've got"
Richter turns to a Brotherhood Initiate, rapid firing 3 rounds into his chest, going straight through and melting most of his internal organs.
"And those blues you've got"
He reloads his plasma rifle.
"From that news you've got"
Finally, the rest of the Contingency Force stationed at the Memorial arrives, backing up Richter.
"And those pains you've got"
The Brotherhood make it to the force-field and begin an attempt at disabling it.
"(If any brains you've got)"
The forces from the other stations make it to the battlefield.
"From those little radios."
The battle becomes a stalemate for both sides, with the Brotherhood fortifying their position outside the Memorial.
"So Missus R., with all her trimmin's,"
Richter runs out of ammo for his Rifle, so he heads to a static plasma caster.
"Can broadcast a bed from Simmons"
He loads the caster just as a Brotherhood battle cry is heard, proning them to charge the line.
"'Cause Franklin knows"
Richter and the rest of the remaining forces left near the Memorial begin firing their weapons blindly into the oncoming attack.
"Anything goes."
President Autumn sat in the Vertibird, choosing to use the same carrier as his men who were going into battle, he was pretty cramped. The troops were amazed to see their Commander-In-Chief alongside them, nonetheless, he still had his Secret Service with him. Choosing to wear Power Armor instead of his coat, he blended in pretty well with the rest of the men in the carrier. Before going into battle, he would call his soldiers to partake in a prayer. The prayer would ask the Lord for the strength to win the battle, and for Almighty God to watch over them as they fight. Just as he had finished the prayer, the Vertibird landed and the green light came on to drop. Autumn and the oncoming reinforcements would move quickly, setting up defensive positions across the Memorial grounds, finally giving backup to the overwhelmed original force. Autumn and General Dornan III being present on the battlefield would inspire great confidence in the American troops, giving them the morale to push onward.
Across the river, Former-Knight Artemis and his small band of banished forces would watch on. Choosing to camp there for the night, they had debated what to do now that their lives were turned upside down and they were exiled. Some thought about joining the Outcasts, others wanted to just pack up and head their separate ways, but Artemis was no fool. He would sit up all night laying out his plans and with the battle over at the Memorial solidifying his thoughts, he knew what to do. Gathering his group of twenty-five former Knights, Scribes, Paladins and Initiates, he would begin trekking to the battlefield.
Suddenly, as the force-field begun to tear apart, the soldiers fighting on both sides would hear a blood-curdling yell before the banished began charging into the Brotherhood line, effectively flanking them from the back. What then occurred was extremely close quarters combat and an Enclave counter-attack, leading to a push onto the Brotherhood. A massacre then took place, with Brotherhood forces being gunned down in the dozens, forcing them to do a shoddy retreat, with some even jumping into the river to escape. The escapes would be fruitless however, as Hellfire troops would begin gunning them down as they fled, as well as executing the captured, leaving no survivors.
President Autumn would come face-to-face with Artemis, who was wounded in battle and holding his right arm. As both Autumn and Artemis would lower their arms on both sides as a side of gratitude, the Banished Knight would begin to speak.
"Mr. President, we would like to help you in your effort to destroy the Brotherhood and reunite America."
Autumn would pause for a moment, considering his options. Sure they were former Brotherhood, but their knowledge of the 'Citadel's defenses were invaluable, and they had proved their loyalty by attacking their former allies.
"Very well, you shall be integrated into the United States Department of the Army, we will talk details later, get you and your soldiers to the medical clinic for first aid."
"Thank you, Mr. President."
Before leaving for the Medical bay, Artemis would salute Autumn, although shoddily due to his wounds, to which Autumn would return the favor, saluting a former Brotherhood operative.
Autumn would also meet with Private First Class Richter, hearing of his defense of the base while everyone got ready. Richter would receive several laser burns, including one to the face, permanently disfiguring the young man's left cheek. But as a result of his bravery, he would get a promotion to Corporal and even a Medal of Honor later down the line.
Richter's official Medal of Honor Citation:
'The President of the United States in the name of The Federal Government takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to Brian, Richter M. Rank and Organization: Corporal. Place and Date: Jefferson Memorial, Washington D.C, 15 January, 2278.'
'For undoubtable gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while guarding the Jefferson Memorial. Cprl. Richter would defend the area singlehandedly from a Brotherhood onslaught numbering in the hundreds for 5 minutes, Richter would also defend the President himself and several other soldiers, continuing to attack when his armor and weapons became damaged. Cprl. Richter would sustain several dangerous wounds and would suffer internal bleeding for the following week, pulling through nonetheless. Cprl. Richter's valiant defense and extraordinary courage during a hostile onslaught sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S Military.'
Richter would be the first recipient of the medal in an extremely long time, with the Enclave becoming less caring about the little awards and whatnot, a change Autumn wanted to revoke.
After the pleasantries were done, Autumn would take to the front of the Memorial to give a speech.
"My fellow Americans, I commend you on your actions today. Not only have you denied the Brotherhood terrorists another area to occupy, but have given us the capabilities to aid the people of this once great city. But as much as it pains me to say, we must continue on, for the Brotherhood will be licking their wounds at this very moment, waiting for another chance to attack. Fear not my fellow countrymen, for we will crush the terrorists and their grasp on the people of the Capital! As heirs to the Founding Fathers, it now rests upon us to bring about the rebuilding of this great nation, a mission we will succeed in! Onwards we march to Victory!"
After his speech was completed, the soldiers would whoop and cheer, seemingly prepared for the advance on the 'Citadel.'
As they marched towards the Brotherhood headquarters, they would begin to sing in unison a song that had not been heard by many in over 200 years.
"Bring the good old bugle boys, we'll sing another song!
Sing it with the spirit that will start the world along!
Sing it as we used to sing it, 50,000 strong!
While we were marching through Georgia!"
"Hurrah! Hurrah! We bring the jubilee!
Hurrah! Hurrah! The flag that makes you free!
So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to the sea!
While we were marching through Georgia!"
"There were many Union men who wept with joyful tears!
When they saw the honored flag they had not seen for years!
Hardly could they be restrained from breaking forth in cheers!
While we were marching through Georgia!"
"So we made a thoroughfare for Freedom and her train!
Sixty miles in latitude, three hundred to the Maine!
Treason fled before us for resistance was in vain!
While we were marching through Georgia!"
Private First Class Brian Richter was, to put it bluntly, extremely tired. He had been given the night watch role after the previous holder was promoted to Corporal. Which among the other perks such as more authority, allowed the man to get a good night's sleep, something Brian envied greatly. It could be worse though. he thought to himself, at least he had a carton of smokes he bought from a trader who came by. Even if the Enclave discouraged smoking, it wasn't outright banned. The radio also provided some comfort, with some new gal with one of the smoothest voices in the entire Capital taking over from Eden after he croaked. 'Morale boosting' was the term coined by the new President, which included an overhaul to the Enclave Radio, or as it's called now, 'Radio America - Washington D.C'. Richter couldn't help but agree that the makeover was better, especially since those annoying 'inspirational quotes' were finally gone and replaced with a sultry voice along with some good tunes. It seemed the Radio had also expanded their catalogue too, with music other than marches being played over the soundwaves, which had made shifts like these much easier. As he popped another smoke, the DJ would come on to announce the daily report.
"Good Morning Washington! I'm your host Jordan Jay Black bringing you the morning report of the American Government's noble mission to restore the soul of America. Yesterday afternoon President Autumn would make a speech on this very radio outlining his intentions to adhere to the legacy of the late great President Eden and restore clean drinking water to every citizen, with rollouts of 'Aqua Pura' commencing shortly. If you didn't catch that yesterday, somehow, here's an excerpt from the proclamation."
"...And we will not only restore freedom and democracy to this great nation, but the capabilities for clean drinking water and food to be on every table. I promise each and every one of you, we will roll out bottles of fresh 'Aqua Pura' to each and any American citizen in need..."
"How dazzling of our great President to dedicate his efforts to providing something as vital as clean water to the American people, am I right? Anyway, here's some more music, A classic from 1934, it's Anything Goes by Cole Porter. Good luck out there today folks, and God Bless America."
"Times have changed
And we've often rewound the clock
Since the Puritans got a shock
When they landed on Plymouth Rock.
If today
Any shock they should try to stem
'Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock,
Plymouth Rock would land on them."
"In olden days, a glimpse of stocking
Was looked on as something shocking.
But now, God knows,
Anything goes.
Good authors too who once knew better words
Now only use four-letter words
Writing prose.
Anything goes."
"If driving fast cars you like,
If low bars you like,
If old hymns you like,
If bare limbs you like,
If Mae West you like,
Or me undressed you like,
Why, nobody will oppose.
When ev'ry night the set that's smart is in-
Truding in nudist parties in
Studios.
Anything goes."
Brian was actively surprised by this song coming on the radio, he would have expected it on something like Galaxy News Radio, but getting caught listening to that was treason. Not that he did it anyway, or so he says.
"When Missus Ned McLean (God Bless Her)
Can get Russian reds to "yes" her,
Then I suppose
Anything goes.
When Rockefeller still can hoard en-ough money to let Max Gordon
Produce his shows,
Anything goes.
The world has gone mad today
And good's bad today,
And black's white today,
And day's night today,
And that gent today
You gave a cent today
Once had several chateaux.
When folks who still can ride in jitneys
Find out Vanderbilts and Whitneys
Lack baby clo'es,
Anything goes."
Though produced in 1934 and having faded into obscurity for many decades, the song would explode in popularity after the Whitney Scandal. The scandal, which followed President Gerald Whitney (2070-2074) for 2 years, detailed a massive chronicle of affairs he had been having daily. From the White House to foreign dinners to even in the Capitol itself. All in all, the amount tallied to around 350 Women he had slept with in his 4 year stay, a record to be sure. It would leave his political career effectively dead however, with the Populist Party and John Sidell sweeping the popular vote and the electoral college in 2074.
While humming along to the tune, Richter would see a figure on the horizon as the sun was rising, clad in power armor. Before Richter could react, a flare was fired into the air and not 5 seconds later, Mini-Nukes, Missiles, any ordinance really, hit all along the Memorial. Richter would duck for cover, quickly reaching for the alarm signal, which would release a shrill heard all across the Memorial and temporary military setup. Since their takeover of the Memorial, the Enclave has slowed in constructing a military setup there. Sure there are some outposts and a force-field, but the Brotherhood would be able to disable it with enough elbow grease. Richter would then put on his Power Armor helmet, the systems booting up while he reached for his plasma rifle.
"If Sam Goldwyn can with great conviction
Instruct Anna Sten in diction,
Then Anna shows
Anything goes.
When you hear that Lady Mendl standing up
Now turns a handspring landing up-
On her toes,
Anything goes."
Rising from the cover, Richter would begin firing at the encroaching horde of Brotherhood troops.
"Just think of those shocks you've got"
A Brotherhood Knight is shot in the head with a Plasma rifle, reducing his skull to a green goo.
"And those knocks you've got"
Richter turns to a Brotherhood Initiate, rapid firing 3 rounds into his chest, going straight through and melting most of his internal organs.
"And those blues you've got"
He reloads his plasma rifle.
"From that news you've got"
Finally, the rest of the Contingency Force stationed at the Memorial arrives, backing up Richter.
"And those pains you've got"
The Brotherhood make it to the force-field and begin an attempt at disabling it.
"(If any brains you've got)"
The forces from the other stations make it to the battlefield.
"From those little radios."
The battle becomes a stalemate for both sides, with the Brotherhood fortifying their position outside the Memorial.
"So Missus R., with all her trimmin's,"
Richter runs out of ammo for his Rifle, so he heads to a static plasma caster.
"Can broadcast a bed from Simmons"
He loads the caster just as a Brotherhood battle cry is heard, proning them to charge the line.
"'Cause Franklin knows"
Richter and the rest of the remaining forces left near the Memorial begin firing their weapons blindly into the oncoming attack.
"Anything goes."
--=====--
06:25, Jefferson Memorial, January 3rd, 2278President Autumn sat in the Vertibird, choosing to use the same carrier as his men who were going into battle, he was pretty cramped. The troops were amazed to see their Commander-In-Chief alongside them, nonetheless, he still had his Secret Service with him. Choosing to wear Power Armor instead of his coat, he blended in pretty well with the rest of the men in the carrier. Before going into battle, he would call his soldiers to partake in a prayer. The prayer would ask the Lord for the strength to win the battle, and for Almighty God to watch over them as they fight. Just as he had finished the prayer, the Vertibird landed and the green light came on to drop. Autumn and the oncoming reinforcements would move quickly, setting up defensive positions across the Memorial grounds, finally giving backup to the overwhelmed original force. Autumn and General Dornan III being present on the battlefield would inspire great confidence in the American troops, giving them the morale to push onward.
Across the river, Former-Knight Artemis and his small band of banished forces would watch on. Choosing to camp there for the night, they had debated what to do now that their lives were turned upside down and they were exiled. Some thought about joining the Outcasts, others wanted to just pack up and head their separate ways, but Artemis was no fool. He would sit up all night laying out his plans and with the battle over at the Memorial solidifying his thoughts, he knew what to do. Gathering his group of twenty-five former Knights, Scribes, Paladins and Initiates, he would begin trekking to the battlefield.
Suddenly, as the force-field begun to tear apart, the soldiers fighting on both sides would hear a blood-curdling yell before the banished began charging into the Brotherhood line, effectively flanking them from the back. What then occurred was extremely close quarters combat and an Enclave counter-attack, leading to a push onto the Brotherhood. A massacre then took place, with Brotherhood forces being gunned down in the dozens, forcing them to do a shoddy retreat, with some even jumping into the river to escape. The escapes would be fruitless however, as Hellfire troops would begin gunning them down as they fled, as well as executing the captured, leaving no survivors.
President Autumn would come face-to-face with Artemis, who was wounded in battle and holding his right arm. As both Autumn and Artemis would lower their arms on both sides as a side of gratitude, the Banished Knight would begin to speak.
"Mr. President, we would like to help you in your effort to destroy the Brotherhood and reunite America."
Autumn would pause for a moment, considering his options. Sure they were former Brotherhood, but their knowledge of the 'Citadel's defenses were invaluable, and they had proved their loyalty by attacking their former allies.
"Very well, you shall be integrated into the United States Department of the Army, we will talk details later, get you and your soldiers to the medical clinic for first aid."
"Thank you, Mr. President."
Before leaving for the Medical bay, Artemis would salute Autumn, although shoddily due to his wounds, to which Autumn would return the favor, saluting a former Brotherhood operative.
Autumn would also meet with Private First Class Richter, hearing of his defense of the base while everyone got ready. Richter would receive several laser burns, including one to the face, permanently disfiguring the young man's left cheek. But as a result of his bravery, he would get a promotion to Corporal and even a Medal of Honor later down the line.
Richter's official Medal of Honor Citation:
'The President of the United States in the name of The Federal Government takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to Brian, Richter M. Rank and Organization: Corporal. Place and Date: Jefferson Memorial, Washington D.C, 15 January, 2278.'
'For undoubtable gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while guarding the Jefferson Memorial. Cprl. Richter would defend the area singlehandedly from a Brotherhood onslaught numbering in the hundreds for 5 minutes, Richter would also defend the President himself and several other soldiers, continuing to attack when his armor and weapons became damaged. Cprl. Richter would sustain several dangerous wounds and would suffer internal bleeding for the following week, pulling through nonetheless. Cprl. Richter's valiant defense and extraordinary courage during a hostile onslaught sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S Military.'
Richter would be the first recipient of the medal in an extremely long time, with the Enclave becoming less caring about the little awards and whatnot, a change Autumn wanted to revoke.
After the pleasantries were done, Autumn would take to the front of the Memorial to give a speech.
"My fellow Americans, I commend you on your actions today. Not only have you denied the Brotherhood terrorists another area to occupy, but have given us the capabilities to aid the people of this once great city. But as much as it pains me to say, we must continue on, for the Brotherhood will be licking their wounds at this very moment, waiting for another chance to attack. Fear not my fellow countrymen, for we will crush the terrorists and their grasp on the people of the Capital! As heirs to the Founding Fathers, it now rests upon us to bring about the rebuilding of this great nation, a mission we will succeed in! Onwards we march to Victory!"
After his speech was completed, the soldiers would whoop and cheer, seemingly prepared for the advance on the 'Citadel.'
As they marched towards the Brotherhood headquarters, they would begin to sing in unison a song that had not been heard by many in over 200 years.
"Bring the good old bugle boys, we'll sing another song!
Sing it with the spirit that will start the world along!
Sing it as we used to sing it, 50,000 strong!
While we were marching through Georgia!"
"Hurrah! Hurrah! We bring the jubilee!
Hurrah! Hurrah! The flag that makes you free!
So we sang the chorus from Atlanta to the sea!
While we were marching through Georgia!"
"There were many Union men who wept with joyful tears!
When they saw the honored flag they had not seen for years!
Hardly could they be restrained from breaking forth in cheers!
While we were marching through Georgia!"
"So we made a thoroughfare for Freedom and her train!
Sixty miles in latitude, three hundred to the Maine!
Treason fled before us for resistance was in vain!
While we were marching through Georgia!"
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Chapter 4: Soaring Forevermore
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
8:00, January 4th, 2278, The Citadel
Elder Lyons' mind was racing as he paced up and down the corridors of Ring A, thinking of a strategic plan. The Enclave had not only repelled the Brotherhood assault, but that fool Artemis and his lackeys had also defected to their side, boosting their forces with knowledge of their strategies and headquarters itself. He had ordered the remaining Brotherhood personnel at their respective locations to hunker down 'until the Enclave foe had been dealt with' and to 'attack any Enclave forces', but part of him knew it was futile. If only that damn robot got working, if only Janet didn't get herself killed, if only Artemis didn't defect out of some deluded notions, that was all in the past though, nothing could be done. Realizing what must happen, Lyons' would head to Sarah, Brotherhood personnel rushing past him to make a last ditch effort holdout and to burn any important documents while the explosions got closer. Pulling her aside as she was placing sandbags down to be used as cover, as to not have anyone else hear, the Elder would lay out his proposition.
"Sarah." he would brace himself for a few seconds, before continuing to speak. "You need to evacuate the Citadel."
Her eyes would widen with each word. "You can't be serious, after all we did to combat the Enclave?!"
"It's the only way Sarah, I need you to gather the women, children and those who are invalua-"
"We can't just abandon everything! What have we spent the last few decades fighting for then? where would we even g-"
"Please Sarah, as your Elder I order you to evacuate, it's the only way to ensure the existence of the Brotherhood."
Sarah would pause for a moment, before replying "Yes Elder."
The two would solemnly embrace, as this would be the last time they would see each other. With tears swelling in her eyes, she would tell her father that she loved him before steeling herself and heading off to undertake the Elder's request.
With the Brotherhood's existence secured, at least temporarily, the Elder would gather those willing to stay, to make a final stand against the Enclave.
Li could see which way the wind was blowing. She along with Garza, Agincourt and Dargon, would prepare to flee the Citadel. Gathering her papers and the required items for the journey, (weapons, medicine, etc) she and her team would leave the Citadel out the front door just after Sarah and her evacuees. Hearing of a group up north in Boston made up of scientists, she would need to first head to Rivet City to make contact with an emissary by the name of Doctor Zimmerman, the same one who continually pestered her team about some Android. Sarah did not ask where they were going nor did she particularly care, Li failed to help power Liberty Prime and continually whined about nothing in her eyes. All Sarah cared about was getting her people to safety, away from the Enclave.
President Autumn stood at the front of the 'Citadel', looking at the gate. After carving their way to their headquarters, Dornan would ask why they didn't just "blow the sumbitches to kingdom come" with the stockpile of orbital missiles directed from Adams AFB. But Autumn knew something the hotheaded general didn't, the Brotherhood obviously had important information, tech and other goodies locked away in their HQ, which could aid them, especially if it isn't turned into ash and molten slag. Autumn knew he had to act quickly however, as he knew that anything of worth in there was either being evacuated out or on the bad end of a shredder. Knowing he would be wasting valuable time by trying to break their massive gate, which was several inches thick at least, Autumn would hatch a more cunning plan. Utilizing the Hellfire troops at his disposal, which would be lead into battle by the infamous Squad Sigma, the men would be dropped into the outer courtyard of the complex, before opening the gate and taking the complex.
Soon after the call went out, three Vertibirds would refuel at Adams before heading out for their target. On board two of them would be average Hellfire troops, equipped with Heavy Incinerators and plasma weapons, as well as some Enclave Officers, who would provide cover and secure any important documents. On the third Vertibird was Squad Sigma, made up of Six highly trained and dangerous individuals, including that of their leader, Alikai Feldspar. A cunning and stupendously intelligent individual, Feldspar has known the Enclave all his life, being one of the first generations to serve post the destruction of the west coast Enclave, being in the womb of his mother as she made her way west. It is said that when Squad Sigma is nearby, it is because whatever their mission is, it's seen as imperative to the Enclave cause, this is one of those times.
Feldspar held his Incinerator tightly, looking out the front of the Vertibird as they descended from the clouds, with the Citadel coming into sight. Feldspar and Squad Sigma were not present at the 'Memorial Defense' as the radio put it, instead being stationed at the AFB in case the Brotherhood tried anything, which didn't come to pass thankfully. Feldspar would have liked the opportunity to roast some Brotherhood terrorists though, but his bloodlust would be sated soon enough, finally getting the chance to unleash hellfire on those damn techno-fetish freaks.
The two-way built-in Radio would come to life just as the Vertibirds got into position, with Autumn personally laying out the order of operation and how it would commence. After the plan was set, the Pilot would give the go-ahead.
"Commence drop in 3...2....1, DROP!"
As they leapt out of the Vertibird, the Brotherhood stationed in the Courtyard would look up in fear, with some beginning to even try to flee as they landed. What then commenced was a flurry of hellfire and plasma as the Brotherhood outside were cut down in the dozens, being reduced to charred or half goo-ified corpses. As the Brotherhood raised their sirens, the gate would be opened, with Enclave forces then flooding into the Citadel. From there it was just a case of cleaning house, with any resistance being futile as the Hellfire troops went room to room, executing anyone they saw. Elder Lyons' saw the writing on the wall as he heard the gunfire get closer, trying to deny those bastards from getting the chance to kill him, he would raise his laser pistol to the bottom of his neck. But just as he closed his eyes and thought of Sarah, Feldspar barged into the room, grabbing Lyons' laser pistol and crushing it in his hands, before picking up the Elder and bringing him outside.
Looking up at his nemesis, Elder Lyons would not speak, just staring in disgust at the so-called 'President of the United States'. Autumn would return the gesture, both of them locked in an intense staring contest. Even as Autumn began to speak, the lock between their eyes would not cease.
"Owyn Lyons, you are charged with Mutiny, Insurrection, acts of Terrorism, hoarding dangerous weaponry and undermining the government in a time of crisis, how do you plead?"
"Go to hell you Tyrant."
"By the power invested in my official title as the head of state, I hereby sentence you to execution, may God have Mercy on your soul, though I do not think he will be so merciful."
As Autumn raised his pistol to the dome of the Elder, his last thoughts would be of Sarah, hoping for her survival. It would be the last thought he would ever have.
Watching from across the river, Sarah would see her father executed before her very eyes. Tears would be shed, but she would compose herself, knowing she had to leave right now to guarantee the survival of herself and her group.
Cheers would roar as Autumn lowered his pistol, the old fool was finally dead, the biggest enemy of the Enclave in shambles and the Eagle soaring higher than ever. While Dornan would light cigars for the both of them, Autumn would send a call to Adams AFB to send out orbital strikes to two locations, Galaxy News Radio and Fort Independence. Galaxy News Radio because it was not inherently vital to the Enclave and was run by a DJ who Autumn found to be particularly annoying, destroying it would cripple their morale even further. Fort Independence was chosen as well due to the fact of it serving as the Outcast's headquarters, a potential successor to the old East Coast Brotherhood, being even more radical in ideology than who they originated from. As the call was complete, Autumn would take the cigar from Dornan, the both of them chuckling as they looked out over the river.
Three Dog could not believe the reports he was getting, not only had the Enclave secured themselves at the purifier but they had taken the Citadel in one fell swoop. The next report almost broke him, Elder Lyons was dead, the man who had begun lifting the Capital Wasteland up from it's ruin, the man who had dedicated so much of his life to the people, was killed by another tyrant. Turning off the broadcasting system and heading outside to compose himself, he would see something in the sky heading towards the building.
"A plane?" He thought. "No...a missile!"
Rushing back inside, he would tell the Brotherhood still stationed there, who themselves still reeling from the events from the past few days, to quickly get as far as they could from the building. He himself bolted out the back, but it was too late. Three Dog had just gotten outside as the Missile hit the building, reducing it to rubble, himself being thrown several tens of feet onto the street below. He would wake up ten minutes later, his ribcage and right arm broken while he suffered from bleeding and cuts all across his body. First crawling, then limping away, Three Dog would look back on the GNR building as it burned and reminisce about all the years he had spent cooped up in there, fighting the good fight. But the good fight had been lost, and his future remained unknown.
Henry Casdin would not be so lucky, holding a personal celebration in his quarters upon hearing that the old man had got what he deserved. He wouldn't even see the Missile, or feel it hit as he was vaporized on impact. So ended the story of the Brotherhood Outcasts, with the group decapitated and most members dead, the organization would be unofficially disbanded with the remaining members preferring to live quieter lives.
In one sweep, Autumn had just secured his grip on power, destroyed his biggest foes and ensured the survival of the Enclave. All within a week of becoming President nonetheless.
Now that Autumn had the chance, he could finally begin sweeping reforms and changes.
First and Foremost, Autumn would decree that the name 'Enclave' would begin to be phased out, being replaced with the title 'Government of American Restoration', as the term 'Enclave' was seen as dated by the President. This change also meant that the 'E' symbol would be replaced with the Stars and Stripes, "a fitting replacement" Autumn thought.
Secondly, The United States Department of the Army, Chemical Corps and Peacekeeping and Recovery force would be merged into the 'United States Continental Armed Forces' (USCAF), which would serve as the High Command for the merged groups, which would become subsets of the USCAF themselves. The mostly gutted Department of Agriculture would also receive an overhaul, becoming the United States Department of Essential Services (USDES) which would serve as the sole authority on the distribution of goods, food, water and other essential human needs. The head of the Department would be Anna Holt, who's knowledge of the purifier was seen as vital enough for Autumn to bestow her the title.
Thirdly, Wasteland recruitment would be opened, Ghouls would be given lip-service and also receive recruitment opportunities, even if they were second-class citizens. They would also begin to defend settlements from Raider and Mutant attacks, improving their image with the people of the region.
Finally, a massive expansion into terraforming, technological development and industrial buildup would take place, as to begin rebuilding D.C. Scouting teams would be sent out to recover anything that could aid the Government in these fields, going as far as Pittsburgh and outer Maryland. Autumn would also champion the reconstruction of old world terminal software on a massive scale, which would allow the Government to deliver messages quickly and electronically once again. Though they had the capabilities to send rudimentary messages, these were often slow to send/receive and took hours to load, causing headaches for the president. Autumn would also want to branch out into other fields of weaponry, with things such as tanks and transport vehicles being of keen interest to the President.
Satisfied with his declarations, Autumn would light a cigar, watching from his office window as the men and women serving America worked valiantly to restore it's previous greatness.
Elder Lyons' mind was racing as he paced up and down the corridors of Ring A, thinking of a strategic plan. The Enclave had not only repelled the Brotherhood assault, but that fool Artemis and his lackeys had also defected to their side, boosting their forces with knowledge of their strategies and headquarters itself. He had ordered the remaining Brotherhood personnel at their respective locations to hunker down 'until the Enclave foe had been dealt with' and to 'attack any Enclave forces', but part of him knew it was futile. If only that damn robot got working, if only Janet didn't get herself killed, if only Artemis didn't defect out of some deluded notions, that was all in the past though, nothing could be done. Realizing what must happen, Lyons' would head to Sarah, Brotherhood personnel rushing past him to make a last ditch effort holdout and to burn any important documents while the explosions got closer. Pulling her aside as she was placing sandbags down to be used as cover, as to not have anyone else hear, the Elder would lay out his proposition.
"Sarah." he would brace himself for a few seconds, before continuing to speak. "You need to evacuate the Citadel."
Her eyes would widen with each word. "You can't be serious, after all we did to combat the Enclave?!"
"It's the only way Sarah, I need you to gather the women, children and those who are invalua-"
"We can't just abandon everything! What have we spent the last few decades fighting for then? where would we even g-"
"Please Sarah, as your Elder I order you to evacuate, it's the only way to ensure the existence of the Brotherhood."
Sarah would pause for a moment, before replying "Yes Elder."
The two would solemnly embrace, as this would be the last time they would see each other. With tears swelling in her eyes, she would tell her father that she loved him before steeling herself and heading off to undertake the Elder's request.
With the Brotherhood's existence secured, at least temporarily, the Elder would gather those willing to stay, to make a final stand against the Enclave.
Li could see which way the wind was blowing. She along with Garza, Agincourt and Dargon, would prepare to flee the Citadel. Gathering her papers and the required items for the journey, (weapons, medicine, etc) she and her team would leave the Citadel out the front door just after Sarah and her evacuees. Hearing of a group up north in Boston made up of scientists, she would need to first head to Rivet City to make contact with an emissary by the name of Doctor Zimmerman, the same one who continually pestered her team about some Android. Sarah did not ask where they were going nor did she particularly care, Li failed to help power Liberty Prime and continually whined about nothing in her eyes. All Sarah cared about was getting her people to safety, away from the Enclave.
--=====--
President Autumn stood at the front of the 'Citadel', looking at the gate. After carving their way to their headquarters, Dornan would ask why they didn't just "blow the sumbitches to kingdom come" with the stockpile of orbital missiles directed from Adams AFB. But Autumn knew something the hotheaded general didn't, the Brotherhood obviously had important information, tech and other goodies locked away in their HQ, which could aid them, especially if it isn't turned into ash and molten slag. Autumn knew he had to act quickly however, as he knew that anything of worth in there was either being evacuated out or on the bad end of a shredder. Knowing he would be wasting valuable time by trying to break their massive gate, which was several inches thick at least, Autumn would hatch a more cunning plan. Utilizing the Hellfire troops at his disposal, which would be lead into battle by the infamous Squad Sigma, the men would be dropped into the outer courtyard of the complex, before opening the gate and taking the complex.
Soon after the call went out, three Vertibirds would refuel at Adams before heading out for their target. On board two of them would be average Hellfire troops, equipped with Heavy Incinerators and plasma weapons, as well as some Enclave Officers, who would provide cover and secure any important documents. On the third Vertibird was Squad Sigma, made up of Six highly trained and dangerous individuals, including that of their leader, Alikai Feldspar. A cunning and stupendously intelligent individual, Feldspar has known the Enclave all his life, being one of the first generations to serve post the destruction of the west coast Enclave, being in the womb of his mother as she made her way west. It is said that when Squad Sigma is nearby, it is because whatever their mission is, it's seen as imperative to the Enclave cause, this is one of those times.
Feldspar held his Incinerator tightly, looking out the front of the Vertibird as they descended from the clouds, with the Citadel coming into sight. Feldspar and Squad Sigma were not present at the 'Memorial Defense' as the radio put it, instead being stationed at the AFB in case the Brotherhood tried anything, which didn't come to pass thankfully. Feldspar would have liked the opportunity to roast some Brotherhood terrorists though, but his bloodlust would be sated soon enough, finally getting the chance to unleash hellfire on those damn techno-fetish freaks.
The two-way built-in Radio would come to life just as the Vertibirds got into position, with Autumn personally laying out the order of operation and how it would commence. After the plan was set, the Pilot would give the go-ahead.
"Commence drop in 3...2....1, DROP!"
As they leapt out of the Vertibird, the Brotherhood stationed in the Courtyard would look up in fear, with some beginning to even try to flee as they landed. What then commenced was a flurry of hellfire and plasma as the Brotherhood outside were cut down in the dozens, being reduced to charred or half goo-ified corpses. As the Brotherhood raised their sirens, the gate would be opened, with Enclave forces then flooding into the Citadel. From there it was just a case of cleaning house, with any resistance being futile as the Hellfire troops went room to room, executing anyone they saw. Elder Lyons' saw the writing on the wall as he heard the gunfire get closer, trying to deny those bastards from getting the chance to kill him, he would raise his laser pistol to the bottom of his neck. But just as he closed his eyes and thought of Sarah, Feldspar barged into the room, grabbing Lyons' laser pistol and crushing it in his hands, before picking up the Elder and bringing him outside.
Looking up at his nemesis, Elder Lyons would not speak, just staring in disgust at the so-called 'President of the United States'. Autumn would return the gesture, both of them locked in an intense staring contest. Even as Autumn began to speak, the lock between their eyes would not cease.
"Owyn Lyons, you are charged with Mutiny, Insurrection, acts of Terrorism, hoarding dangerous weaponry and undermining the government in a time of crisis, how do you plead?"
"Go to hell you Tyrant."
"By the power invested in my official title as the head of state, I hereby sentence you to execution, may God have Mercy on your soul, though I do not think he will be so merciful."
As Autumn raised his pistol to the dome of the Elder, his last thoughts would be of Sarah, hoping for her survival. It would be the last thought he would ever have.
Watching from across the river, Sarah would see her father executed before her very eyes. Tears would be shed, but she would compose herself, knowing she had to leave right now to guarantee the survival of herself and her group.
Cheers would roar as Autumn lowered his pistol, the old fool was finally dead, the biggest enemy of the Enclave in shambles and the Eagle soaring higher than ever. While Dornan would light cigars for the both of them, Autumn would send a call to Adams AFB to send out orbital strikes to two locations, Galaxy News Radio and Fort Independence. Galaxy News Radio because it was not inherently vital to the Enclave and was run by a DJ who Autumn found to be particularly annoying, destroying it would cripple their morale even further. Fort Independence was chosen as well due to the fact of it serving as the Outcast's headquarters, a potential successor to the old East Coast Brotherhood, being even more radical in ideology than who they originated from. As the call was complete, Autumn would take the cigar from Dornan, the both of them chuckling as they looked out over the river.
--=====--
Three Dog could not believe the reports he was getting, not only had the Enclave secured themselves at the purifier but they had taken the Citadel in one fell swoop. The next report almost broke him, Elder Lyons was dead, the man who had begun lifting the Capital Wasteland up from it's ruin, the man who had dedicated so much of his life to the people, was killed by another tyrant. Turning off the broadcasting system and heading outside to compose himself, he would see something in the sky heading towards the building.
"A plane?" He thought. "No...a missile!"
Rushing back inside, he would tell the Brotherhood still stationed there, who themselves still reeling from the events from the past few days, to quickly get as far as they could from the building. He himself bolted out the back, but it was too late. Three Dog had just gotten outside as the Missile hit the building, reducing it to rubble, himself being thrown several tens of feet onto the street below. He would wake up ten minutes later, his ribcage and right arm broken while he suffered from bleeding and cuts all across his body. First crawling, then limping away, Three Dog would look back on the GNR building as it burned and reminisce about all the years he had spent cooped up in there, fighting the good fight. But the good fight had been lost, and his future remained unknown.
Henry Casdin would not be so lucky, holding a personal celebration in his quarters upon hearing that the old man had got what he deserved. He wouldn't even see the Missile, or feel it hit as he was vaporized on impact. So ended the story of the Brotherhood Outcasts, with the group decapitated and most members dead, the organization would be unofficially disbanded with the remaining members preferring to live quieter lives.
In one sweep, Autumn had just secured his grip on power, destroyed his biggest foes and ensured the survival of the Enclave. All within a week of becoming President nonetheless.
--=====--
8:00, January 11th, 2278, Raven RockNow that Autumn had the chance, he could finally begin sweeping reforms and changes.
First and Foremost, Autumn would decree that the name 'Enclave' would begin to be phased out, being replaced with the title 'Government of American Restoration', as the term 'Enclave' was seen as dated by the President. This change also meant that the 'E' symbol would be replaced with the Stars and Stripes, "a fitting replacement" Autumn thought.
Secondly, The United States Department of the Army, Chemical Corps and Peacekeeping and Recovery force would be merged into the 'United States Continental Armed Forces' (USCAF), which would serve as the High Command for the merged groups, which would become subsets of the USCAF themselves. The mostly gutted Department of Agriculture would also receive an overhaul, becoming the United States Department of Essential Services (USDES) which would serve as the sole authority on the distribution of goods, food, water and other essential human needs. The head of the Department would be Anna Holt, who's knowledge of the purifier was seen as vital enough for Autumn to bestow her the title.
Thirdly, Wasteland recruitment would be opened, Ghouls would be given lip-service and also receive recruitment opportunities, even if they were second-class citizens. They would also begin to defend settlements from Raider and Mutant attacks, improving their image with the people of the region.
Finally, a massive expansion into terraforming, technological development and industrial buildup would take place, as to begin rebuilding D.C. Scouting teams would be sent out to recover anything that could aid the Government in these fields, going as far as Pittsburgh and outer Maryland. Autumn would also champion the reconstruction of old world terminal software on a massive scale, which would allow the Government to deliver messages quickly and electronically once again. Though they had the capabilities to send rudimentary messages, these were often slow to send/receive and took hours to load, causing headaches for the president. Autumn would also want to branch out into other fields of weaponry, with things such as tanks and transport vehicles being of keen interest to the President.
Satisfied with his declarations, Autumn would light a cigar, watching from his office window as the men and women serving America worked valiantly to restore it's previous greatness.
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Bonus Chapter: Mandate of Heaven
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
(I wrote this while working on the next chapter, I might do more bonus chapters depending on the subject)
The Emperor's Gardens, Forbidden City, Year 170
Two gardeners sit in the shade of a Katsura tree, it's large branches providing the men shade after a day of hard labor tending to the Gardens. Though Beijing had been hit with a nuclear warhead, much of the Forbidden City had been spared, leading to the new Government declaring their official capital as such. The two men, after eating a meager but filling meal of rice noodles and tea, began to converse to one another.
"They're apparently close to finishing the full reclamation of Beijing, even if the Jiangshi are giving them trouble."
"I don't believe it, the Emperor would make a statement on it, and he's said nothing."
"You need to remember, the Emperor hasn't said anything for years, other than his plans to end the gwailou of course."
"Apparently according to the Consorts, he's becoming more rabid, even biting one of the girls."
"You mean like one of the Jiangshi?"
"Maybe, they say his skin is coming off in chunks."
No one really knows where the Emperor came from, other than that he was a popular general during the Sino-American war and the subsequent nuclear aftermath. After the war, he set himself up as a warlord, taking the ruined former capital for himself and declaring his Mandate of Heaven to be true. He had the support of the people however, as his 'New Imperial Guard' cleaned up several provinces and established a relative safety for his subjects. As the years went on however, he began to seclude himself, only talking with his most trusted associates. Then about thirty or so years ago, he began to declare his intentions to build and fire another warhead at America, though no one has heard anything from across the Pacific in centuries.
The only Americans present in China were soldiers during the campaigns in the south, which molded into the local population soon after the exchange, with the "Republic of Fujian" being a bastardized merger of the US Constitution and the Three Principles. As a result of the American settlements, a new culture has emerged, one different to the land they stand on and the one some of their ancestors came from. The Republic has been in a major conflict for quite some time with a guerrilla movement of New Age religious fundamentalists known as the 'Triumphant Followers of the Thunder-Prophet'. The group, which has it's history based in an explosion of 20th century spiritualism, spent many years exiled from China due to their cult-like behavior, returning just before the Great War. Led by their leader-prophet Huangdi, they are fully dedicated to the 'spiritual cleansing' of China and their plans to form a new state based on their religious beliefs.
The rest of China is made up of warlords too similar to name, a cult-like society dedicated to the 'Great Chairman' in the western rural provinces, which is currently in conflict with a Unified Tibetan Kingdom, while several city states dot across the former People's Republic. Southern Manchuria remains under the boot of the Korean Kim Dynasty, with Mongol hordes from Ulaanbaatar raid the northmost regions. The aforementioned city states only rank in the dozens however, as many cities in China were glassed to hell by nuclear fire, with cities like Shanghai and Tianjin becoming uninhabitable due to the radiation and the million-strong hordes of Jiangshi wandering among the twisted husks of skyscrapers. All in all, despite the Emperor's delusions, his 'Empire' is one of the most prosperous to rise out of the chaos, with goods flowing in from all corners of Asia and many cities becoming reclaimed from the Jiangshi.
The conversation would shift from the state of the Empire to a conversation about family, harvests and work. Afterward, one of them would turn on the radio and adjust it to a frequency. The Empire had it's own station and so did some of the other states, even the Mongol warband up north had a station which broadcasted throat singing. But the station they would end up choosing would be Radio Vladivostok, broadcasted from the Capital of the Primorye Free State and one of the only stations that played what the two men found to be Good Music. Sure the Empire had music, but listening to the same shoddily performed imperial anthems becomes draining after almost a century of it.
The Free State, which is one of the biggest traders of the seas surrounding it, has been turning profits for decades, all under the valiant eye of 'Vozhd' Rumyanetsev. Nicknamed the 'Vozhd of the heart' by locals for his personable demeanor, Rumyanetsev ensures that the profits continue no matter what, with the port city flourishing as goods and cash flows in and rare materials flow out. Smugglers from Kamchatka and Korea ship anything from guns to spices into the city every day, and Rumyanetsev's wealth grows from the riches. The Vozhd spends most of his time partying with the finest imports and elites of the state, drinking fine alcohols and fondling anything with a skirt. Not to say he isn't smart though, as behind all the parties and drinking, sits a terrifyingly cunning intelligent mind. For many years, the Empire has been the biggest trading partner of the Free State, even using the navy that has changed hands so many times to fight in it's wars. Nothing is off limits if the pay is good enough in Primorye, even soldiers. Nonetheless, as shady as the place is, it still has some of the best living conditions in the region.
After the song finished, the two men would finish their drinks, before going their separate ways to continue their work. The concubines moving past them to calm down the Emperor from another one of his episodes. Such was becoming a common occurrence in the Forbidden City, leaving the future of the Empire in the question. One thing is for certain however, the future of China will not be paved with peace, but built in blood.
The Emperor's Gardens, Forbidden City, Year 170
Two gardeners sit in the shade of a Katsura tree, it's large branches providing the men shade after a day of hard labor tending to the Gardens. Though Beijing had been hit with a nuclear warhead, much of the Forbidden City had been spared, leading to the new Government declaring their official capital as such. The two men, after eating a meager but filling meal of rice noodles and tea, began to converse to one another.
"They're apparently close to finishing the full reclamation of Beijing, even if the Jiangshi are giving them trouble."
"I don't believe it, the Emperor would make a statement on it, and he's said nothing."
"You need to remember, the Emperor hasn't said anything for years, other than his plans to end the gwailou of course."
"Apparently according to the Consorts, he's becoming more rabid, even biting one of the girls."
"You mean like one of the Jiangshi?"
"Maybe, they say his skin is coming off in chunks."
No one really knows where the Emperor came from, other than that he was a popular general during the Sino-American war and the subsequent nuclear aftermath. After the war, he set himself up as a warlord, taking the ruined former capital for himself and declaring his Mandate of Heaven to be true. He had the support of the people however, as his 'New Imperial Guard' cleaned up several provinces and established a relative safety for his subjects. As the years went on however, he began to seclude himself, only talking with his most trusted associates. Then about thirty or so years ago, he began to declare his intentions to build and fire another warhead at America, though no one has heard anything from across the Pacific in centuries.
The only Americans present in China were soldiers during the campaigns in the south, which molded into the local population soon after the exchange, with the "Republic of Fujian" being a bastardized merger of the US Constitution and the Three Principles. As a result of the American settlements, a new culture has emerged, one different to the land they stand on and the one some of their ancestors came from. The Republic has been in a major conflict for quite some time with a guerrilla movement of New Age religious fundamentalists known as the 'Triumphant Followers of the Thunder-Prophet'. The group, which has it's history based in an explosion of 20th century spiritualism, spent many years exiled from China due to their cult-like behavior, returning just before the Great War. Led by their leader-prophet Huangdi, they are fully dedicated to the 'spiritual cleansing' of China and their plans to form a new state based on their religious beliefs.
The rest of China is made up of warlords too similar to name, a cult-like society dedicated to the 'Great Chairman' in the western rural provinces, which is currently in conflict with a Unified Tibetan Kingdom, while several city states dot across the former People's Republic. Southern Manchuria remains under the boot of the Korean Kim Dynasty, with Mongol hordes from Ulaanbaatar raid the northmost regions. The aforementioned city states only rank in the dozens however, as many cities in China were glassed to hell by nuclear fire, with cities like Shanghai and Tianjin becoming uninhabitable due to the radiation and the million-strong hordes of Jiangshi wandering among the twisted husks of skyscrapers. All in all, despite the Emperor's delusions, his 'Empire' is one of the most prosperous to rise out of the chaos, with goods flowing in from all corners of Asia and many cities becoming reclaimed from the Jiangshi.
The conversation would shift from the state of the Empire to a conversation about family, harvests and work. Afterward, one of them would turn on the radio and adjust it to a frequency. The Empire had it's own station and so did some of the other states, even the Mongol warband up north had a station which broadcasted throat singing. But the station they would end up choosing would be Radio Vladivostok, broadcasted from the Capital of the Primorye Free State and one of the only stations that played what the two men found to be Good Music. Sure the Empire had music, but listening to the same shoddily performed imperial anthems becomes draining after almost a century of it.
The Free State, which is one of the biggest traders of the seas surrounding it, has been turning profits for decades, all under the valiant eye of 'Vozhd' Rumyanetsev. Nicknamed the 'Vozhd of the heart' by locals for his personable demeanor, Rumyanetsev ensures that the profits continue no matter what, with the port city flourishing as goods and cash flows in and rare materials flow out. Smugglers from Kamchatka and Korea ship anything from guns to spices into the city every day, and Rumyanetsev's wealth grows from the riches. The Vozhd spends most of his time partying with the finest imports and elites of the state, drinking fine alcohols and fondling anything with a skirt. Not to say he isn't smart though, as behind all the parties and drinking, sits a terrifyingly cunning intelligent mind. For many years, the Empire has been the biggest trading partner of the Free State, even using the navy that has changed hands so many times to fight in it's wars. Nothing is off limits if the pay is good enough in Primorye, even soldiers. Nonetheless, as shady as the place is, it still has some of the best living conditions in the region.
After the song finished, the two men would finish their drinks, before going their separate ways to continue their work. The concubines moving past them to calm down the Emperor from another one of his episodes. Such was becoming a common occurrence in the Forbidden City, leaving the future of the Empire in the question. One thing is for certain however, the future of China will not be paved with peace, but built in blood.
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Chapter 5: Olive Branches
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
10:30, Raven Rock, February 9th, 2278
As President Autumn worked silently in his office, two technicians would install a terminal on the Resolute desk. Though Autumn initially objected to the installation of something he saw as sort of frivolous, Dr.'s Whitley and Grant would finally convince him otherwise. After about 2 hours of silent bickering between the technicians, the Terminal would finally boot online. Originally based upon the E-601 Business model, The usual clunky green case of the terminal had been swapped out for a thinner greyish blue case, with a Presidential Insignia painstakingly engraved on the side. As it booted up, the screen would flicker and go through the initial setup process.
INITIAL BOOTUP SEQUENCE...
Starting memory discovery...
Copyright 2075 Apricot Systems
Property of the United States Federal Government
Loader v2.4.0
256k Ram System
Load ROM(1) UNIFIED OPERATING SYSTEM (UOS)
INITIATING...
As the initiation finished, the computer would spring to life, with a message at the top reading: "Welcome, Mr. President" which would be flanked by insignias of the US Federal Government and the Presidential Seal respectively. The desktop of the Terminal, which had also had it's green hue swapped out for a deep blue one, would display five interactable tabs.
Messages
Holotape reader
Files
Calendar
PoseidoNet
Being instructed to click on the Messages tab by the technicians, Autumn would use the scroller to open it up. Finding two more tabs which read 'Inbox' and 'Compose Message', with the Inbox having a (1) next to it, indicating he had received a message. Opening the Inbox, he would find a message from Dr. Whitley which would read as follows.
To: President Augustus Autumn
From: Dr. Alan Whitley
Your New Terminal
I'm glad you decided to agree to upgrading to a terminal for your current setup. You'll find that your Terminal is currently one of the best that my Department has to offer, with it being top of it's range. Your current model is expected to be manufactured on a major scale quite shortly, we're finally going to have tech that isn't 200 years old! I'd also like to take the time to thank you for allowing me to continue my experiments and allowing me to become the head of the Department of Technology, I can assure you a breakthrough is eminent. Anyhow, please enjoy the Terminal, hopefully we'll be upgrading it to include a Video-call program soon.
Signed: Dr. A. Whitley
Autumn would begin writing a response, though the keyboard would need getting used to. He was a military man, not some desk jockey who types on one of these all day. After about 10 minutes, with the technician's input, Autumn would send a message back.
To: Dr. Alan Whitley
From: President Augustus Autumn
RE: Your New Terminal
Thank you Dr. Whitley.
Signed: President Autumn
Sitting back in his chair proudly, Autumn would light one of his personal 'Libertas' cigars, solely commissioned for the President, while the Technicians would silently snicker about his lack of computer knowledge. His smugness would soon turn to dread as another message flew in, this time from General Dornan III.
To: President Augustus Autumn
From: Gen. Arch Dornan III
Report on the Capital's Settlements and other Areas
Megaton (Pop. Approx. 1,100): Settlement built out of scrap around an undetonated nuclear warhead. Run by Sherriff/Mayor Lucas Simms, seemingly mostly amiable. Removal of bomb then resettlement in nearby
Springvale. Offer title of Mayor to Simms and aid as levy if need be.
Tenpenny Tower (Pop. 650): Run by British man named Allistar Tenpenny, the tower is immaculately clean and heavily guarded. Suffering from issues with Homo Sapiens Taphos (Ghouls) who keep demanding entry to the tower. Recommended extermination of Homo Sapiens Taphos to win over Tenpenny's favor and reintegration.
Little Lamplight (Pop. around 300): Entirely populated by Children, the settlement is run by someone called Macready, who has trained the children to defend themselves. Current removal and fostering of children in progress, Macready currently undergoing Program AK: ALPHA (TOP SECRET).
Big Town: (Pop. 70): Ran by exiles from Little Lamplight, the town has suffered massively from mutant attacks, 4th Battalion has been assigned to aid the settlement. Reintegration is almost certainly guaranteed.
Canterbury Commons: (Pop. 125): Currently suffering from a battle between two roleplaying characters known as the 'Mechanist' and 'AntAgonizer'. Capture of these two individuals could prove useful as both are extremely capable in their fields, with the 'Mechanist' being able to salvage robots and the 'AntAgonizer' able to control the mutated ants. Reintegration guaranteed afterward. Reconstruction and resettlement into a model town recommended.
Temple of the Union: (Pop. A few dozen): Made up of former slaves who revere the Great Abraham Lincoln, they are run by Hannibal Hamlin. Hamlin has actually reached out to us, offering his assistance, reintegration effectively completed. Hamlin is extremely capable as a military commander, a position in the Continental Army should be in order.
Evergreen Mills: (Pop. Unknown): Pre-war foundry taken over by massive raider party, considered extremely dangerous and armed. Vertibird bombing run and subsequent sweep-and-clean recommended.
Vault 101: (Pop. 0): Intended to never open, the Vault had been once inhabited by both James and Janet Neeson. Currently uninhabited due to oxygen error caused by Janet Neeson. Rebuilding and refurbishment as American Outpost recommended.
Oasis: (Pop. Unknown): Extremely lush and green settlement made up of peaceful monks dedicated to worshipping some kind of tree god. Reintegration is vital for regrowth experimentation. Tolerance of their religion recommended.
Underworld: (Pop. 200): Ran by Homo Sapiens Taphos in former Museum of History building, mostly peaceful. Resettlement of Taphos into nearby segregated settlements and eventual reestablishing of original purpose in order.
Downtown Washington: (Pop. Unknown): Hellish warzone between raiders, Brotherhood remnants and Homo Brutus. Suggested firebombing and then reconstruction of the entire area. Curling-13 deployment in Metro network already underway.
Andale: (Fmr. Pop. 9): On the surface it seems like a good American town, but further investigation found cannibalism and inbreeding to be rampant. All 9 individuals were tried and executed by American Personnel. Resettlement in progress.
'Republic' of Dave: (Pop. 40): Run by Treasonous leader Dave. Recommended sweep-and-clean of the 'nation' and Dave to be tried in a court of law.
Paradise Falls: (Pop. Est. 120): Slaver settlement in pre-war strip mall. Capture of Slavers and execution as a show of force recommended. Slaves to be resettled in Andale with the support of Hamlin.
Grayditch: (Pop. 0): Former settlement overrun by mutated ants. Purging in process, reformation into a settlement with army outpost to occur afterward.
Rivet City: (Pop. 1,150): Settlement on Aircraft Carrier, reintegration vital to reestablishment of the U.S. Navy. Resettlement of nearby areas once Homo Brutus is exterminated. Rebuilding of the vessel expected to take >4 years.
Arefu: (Pop. 25): Built on a highway, made up of scrap shanty towns. Resettlement and reconstruction of the highway to maximize travel capabilities for our forces recommended.
After reading the message, Autumn would take a puff of his cigar, before begrudgingly writing a response. Typing was going to take some getting used to, but if it was what he had to do, then he'd make sure he was up to the task.
--=====--
01:16, Megaton, February 17th, 2278
Nathaniel Vargas was happy to be back in Megaton, but even happier to be able to serve his country. Though his belief and resolve had been slightly shaken after the Government had bagged him, after meeting with the President himself and becoming the official 'American Ambassador to Megaton', he was more jubilant than ever. He had an official residence at Raven Rock - his worn clothes were swapped with tailored suits, that whispy hair of his was finely combed over and his moustache had been nicely trimmed. In fact when he arrived back in town, Lucas Simms barely recognized the man as he was wearing one of those fine suits with a gleaming American flag lapel pin on the side, while flanked by two guards. The two would arrange a meeting in Lucas' house, with the guards waiting outside while the men talked.
"I come with an offer Lucas, one that will guarantee the safety of every single Megaton resident."
"That so? How will you and the Enclave guarantee that?"
"The term is actually the Government of American Restoration" Nathaniel would flash a smile, while Simms would groan.
"Whatever, how will the 'Government of American Restoration' guarantee that?"
"By removing the bomb in the center of town and then resettling everyone in Springvale. You can even keep your official roles if you'd like."
Simms thought about it for a while, this deal seemed to good to be true, even with all the Aqua Pura coming in. He was never one to get involved in Wasteland politics, but the Brotherhood warned him of the Enclave, but then again it seemed like they were also making a difference. If Nathaniel was telling the truth, then perhaps he could guarantee the safety of the people he watched over. It seemed America was coming back, but should it? After going it over in his head a few times, Simms would allow the Government to have jurisdiction under two prerequisites. The first being that he is to remain as Mayor of the town and the second being that he is allowed to enforce the law as he pleases. Nathaniel and the Government could live with those terms. It would be smiles all around from there, with the official document being signed that very moment turning over Megaton and it's citizens to the United States Government of American Restoration.
Almost like clockwork, soldiers would flood in and begin setting up temporary defenses around the area, while wastelanders would be recruited to rebuild the nearby town. The only inhabitants, being those of the 'Apostles of the Eternal Light' were either forced to integrate or be exiled, but any opposition was met with the receiving end of a Plasma Rifle. The wastelanders would not receive pay in caps however, but in U.S Dollars, which would be backed, at least for the time being, by a Labor and Military standard. These dollars could then be spent at the stores that were springing up across key areas in the Wasteland. The same would happen in other areas around the same time, with Big Town and Greyditch also being rebuilt using the same program.
Watching from afar as Springvale was rebuilt, Nathaniel would shed a tear silently, proudly watching as America was rebuilt piece by piece.
As President Autumn worked silently in his office, two technicians would install a terminal on the Resolute desk. Though Autumn initially objected to the installation of something he saw as sort of frivolous, Dr.'s Whitley and Grant would finally convince him otherwise. After about 2 hours of silent bickering between the technicians, the Terminal would finally boot online. Originally based upon the E-601 Business model, The usual clunky green case of the terminal had been swapped out for a thinner greyish blue case, with a Presidential Insignia painstakingly engraved on the side. As it booted up, the screen would flicker and go through the initial setup process.
INITIAL BOOTUP SEQUENCE...
Starting memory discovery...
Copyright 2075 Apricot Systems
Property of the United States Federal Government
Loader v2.4.0
256k Ram System
Load ROM(1) UNIFIED OPERATING SYSTEM (UOS)
INITIATING...
As the initiation finished, the computer would spring to life, with a message at the top reading: "Welcome, Mr. President" which would be flanked by insignias of the US Federal Government and the Presidential Seal respectively. The desktop of the Terminal, which had also had it's green hue swapped out for a deep blue one, would display five interactable tabs.
Messages
Holotape reader
Files
Calendar
PoseidoNet
Being instructed to click on the Messages tab by the technicians, Autumn would use the scroller to open it up. Finding two more tabs which read 'Inbox' and 'Compose Message', with the Inbox having a (1) next to it, indicating he had received a message. Opening the Inbox, he would find a message from Dr. Whitley which would read as follows.
To: President Augustus Autumn
From: Dr. Alan Whitley
Your New Terminal
I'm glad you decided to agree to upgrading to a terminal for your current setup. You'll find that your Terminal is currently one of the best that my Department has to offer, with it being top of it's range. Your current model is expected to be manufactured on a major scale quite shortly, we're finally going to have tech that isn't 200 years old! I'd also like to take the time to thank you for allowing me to continue my experiments and allowing me to become the head of the Department of Technology, I can assure you a breakthrough is eminent. Anyhow, please enjoy the Terminal, hopefully we'll be upgrading it to include a Video-call program soon.
Signed: Dr. A. Whitley
Autumn would begin writing a response, though the keyboard would need getting used to. He was a military man, not some desk jockey who types on one of these all day. After about 10 minutes, with the technician's input, Autumn would send a message back.
To: Dr. Alan Whitley
From: President Augustus Autumn
RE: Your New Terminal
Thank you Dr. Whitley.
Signed: President Autumn
Sitting back in his chair proudly, Autumn would light one of his personal 'Libertas' cigars, solely commissioned for the President, while the Technicians would silently snicker about his lack of computer knowledge. His smugness would soon turn to dread as another message flew in, this time from General Dornan III.
To: President Augustus Autumn
From: Gen. Arch Dornan III
Report on the Capital's Settlements and other Areas
Megaton (Pop. Approx. 1,100): Settlement built out of scrap around an undetonated nuclear warhead. Run by Sherriff/Mayor Lucas Simms, seemingly mostly amiable. Removal of bomb then resettlement in nearby
Springvale. Offer title of Mayor to Simms and aid as levy if need be.
Tenpenny Tower (Pop. 650): Run by British man named Allistar Tenpenny, the tower is immaculately clean and heavily guarded. Suffering from issues with Homo Sapiens Taphos (Ghouls) who keep demanding entry to the tower. Recommended extermination of Homo Sapiens Taphos to win over Tenpenny's favor and reintegration.
Little Lamplight (Pop. around 300): Entirely populated by Children, the settlement is run by someone called Macready, who has trained the children to defend themselves. Current removal and fostering of children in progress, Macready currently undergoing Program AK: ALPHA (TOP SECRET).
Big Town: (Pop. 70): Ran by exiles from Little Lamplight, the town has suffered massively from mutant attacks, 4th Battalion has been assigned to aid the settlement. Reintegration is almost certainly guaranteed.
Canterbury Commons: (Pop. 125): Currently suffering from a battle between two roleplaying characters known as the 'Mechanist' and 'AntAgonizer'. Capture of these two individuals could prove useful as both are extremely capable in their fields, with the 'Mechanist' being able to salvage robots and the 'AntAgonizer' able to control the mutated ants. Reintegration guaranteed afterward. Reconstruction and resettlement into a model town recommended.
Temple of the Union: (Pop. A few dozen): Made up of former slaves who revere the Great Abraham Lincoln, they are run by Hannibal Hamlin. Hamlin has actually reached out to us, offering his assistance, reintegration effectively completed. Hamlin is extremely capable as a military commander, a position in the Continental Army should be in order.
Evergreen Mills: (Pop. Unknown): Pre-war foundry taken over by massive raider party, considered extremely dangerous and armed. Vertibird bombing run and subsequent sweep-and-clean recommended.
Vault 101: (Pop. 0): Intended to never open, the Vault had been once inhabited by both James and Janet Neeson. Currently uninhabited due to oxygen error caused by Janet Neeson. Rebuilding and refurbishment as American Outpost recommended.
Oasis: (Pop. Unknown): Extremely lush and green settlement made up of peaceful monks dedicated to worshipping some kind of tree god. Reintegration is vital for regrowth experimentation. Tolerance of their religion recommended.
Underworld: (Pop. 200): Ran by Homo Sapiens Taphos in former Museum of History building, mostly peaceful. Resettlement of Taphos into nearby segregated settlements and eventual reestablishing of original purpose in order.
Downtown Washington: (Pop. Unknown): Hellish warzone between raiders, Brotherhood remnants and Homo Brutus. Suggested firebombing and then reconstruction of the entire area. Curling-13 deployment in Metro network already underway.
Andale: (Fmr. Pop. 9): On the surface it seems like a good American town, but further investigation found cannibalism and inbreeding to be rampant. All 9 individuals were tried and executed by American Personnel. Resettlement in progress.
'Republic' of Dave: (Pop. 40): Run by Treasonous leader Dave. Recommended sweep-and-clean of the 'nation' and Dave to be tried in a court of law.
Paradise Falls: (Pop. Est. 120): Slaver settlement in pre-war strip mall. Capture of Slavers and execution as a show of force recommended. Slaves to be resettled in Andale with the support of Hamlin.
Grayditch: (Pop. 0): Former settlement overrun by mutated ants. Purging in process, reformation into a settlement with army outpost to occur afterward.
Rivet City: (Pop. 1,150): Settlement on Aircraft Carrier, reintegration vital to reestablishment of the U.S. Navy. Resettlement of nearby areas once Homo Brutus is exterminated. Rebuilding of the vessel expected to take >4 years.
Arefu: (Pop. 25): Built on a highway, made up of scrap shanty towns. Resettlement and reconstruction of the highway to maximize travel capabilities for our forces recommended.
After reading the message, Autumn would take a puff of his cigar, before begrudgingly writing a response. Typing was going to take some getting used to, but if it was what he had to do, then he'd make sure he was up to the task.
--=====--
Nathaniel Vargas was happy to be back in Megaton, but even happier to be able to serve his country. Though his belief and resolve had been slightly shaken after the Government had bagged him, after meeting with the President himself and becoming the official 'American Ambassador to Megaton', he was more jubilant than ever. He had an official residence at Raven Rock - his worn clothes were swapped with tailored suits, that whispy hair of his was finely combed over and his moustache had been nicely trimmed. In fact when he arrived back in town, Lucas Simms barely recognized the man as he was wearing one of those fine suits with a gleaming American flag lapel pin on the side, while flanked by two guards. The two would arrange a meeting in Lucas' house, with the guards waiting outside while the men talked.
"I come with an offer Lucas, one that will guarantee the safety of every single Megaton resident."
"That so? How will you and the Enclave guarantee that?"
"The term is actually the Government of American Restoration" Nathaniel would flash a smile, while Simms would groan.
"Whatever, how will the 'Government of American Restoration' guarantee that?"
"By removing the bomb in the center of town and then resettling everyone in Springvale. You can even keep your official roles if you'd like."
Simms thought about it for a while, this deal seemed to good to be true, even with all the Aqua Pura coming in. He was never one to get involved in Wasteland politics, but the Brotherhood warned him of the Enclave, but then again it seemed like they were also making a difference. If Nathaniel was telling the truth, then perhaps he could guarantee the safety of the people he watched over. It seemed America was coming back, but should it? After going it over in his head a few times, Simms would allow the Government to have jurisdiction under two prerequisites. The first being that he is to remain as Mayor of the town and the second being that he is allowed to enforce the law as he pleases. Nathaniel and the Government could live with those terms. It would be smiles all around from there, with the official document being signed that very moment turning over Megaton and it's citizens to the United States Government of American Restoration.
Almost like clockwork, soldiers would flood in and begin setting up temporary defenses around the area, while wastelanders would be recruited to rebuild the nearby town. The only inhabitants, being those of the 'Apostles of the Eternal Light' were either forced to integrate or be exiled, but any opposition was met with the receiving end of a Plasma Rifle. The wastelanders would not receive pay in caps however, but in U.S Dollars, which would be backed, at least for the time being, by a Labor and Military standard. These dollars could then be spent at the stores that were springing up across key areas in the Wasteland. The same would happen in other areas around the same time, with Big Town and Greyditch also being rebuilt using the same program.
Watching from afar as Springvale was rebuilt, Nathaniel would shed a tear silently, proudly watching as America was rebuilt piece by piece.
Last edited:
Cybandeath
Lord Darkness, and Representative of Mad Science
- Location
- The United States of America
I see a Career in the Cabinet for Nathanial in the future, if anyone is a good "token" but also loyal potential wastelander cabinet member it would be them.
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
The Enclave is gonna need all the help they can get, Nathaniel definitely fills the shoes of a loyal wastelander turned collaborator which is sorta essential at the moment.
Chapter 6: Anchors Aweigh
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
07:00, Rivet City, March 3rd, 2278
Harkness sat on the side of the Carrier he called home, smoking a cigarette while looking out across the ruined wrecks of D.C. Still coming to terms with his memories, he had begun to suffer mentally as a result. But before that girl who told him everything could deal with Zimmerman, she up and vanished, then Zimmerman did himself, along with Doctor Li. That last part confused him, if he didn't remember how Li had argued with him on several occasions, he would think she was working with him. Before he could continue mulling it over, the Presidential Vertibird landed on the deck.
Autumn exited the Vertibird, smelling the Potomac air as he walked towards the Rivet Council - reminding him of his younger years on the Oil Rig back west, while flanked by Feldspar and the Secret Service. Autumn noted in his mind the aircraft still sitting on the carrier. Most of the T-12 Bluejay Jets were still in good condition, and wouldn't take too much effort to get working. The rest of them could be stripped down for parts if need be. Also noting the carrier was split in two - with half of the ship submerged in the sea, he knew that a gargantuan amount of steel and labor would be required to get her seaworthy. He had heard during the meeting with members of the Chiefs of Staff that the boat was in half, but never this bad. But they would find a way, "we always do" he thought.
Autumn would be greeted by the Rivet City Council, who were missing one of their most esteemed members, a certain doctor Li, the same one from the Purifier and aiding the Brotherhood. Realizing this, Autumn would keep it secret that he was the one to scare Li away, for the sake of securing the reintegration of the ship. As he shook hands with each member of the Council, they would head inside the ship to a tucked away room to discuss the situation.
The room was a makeshift meeting room, really only having a worn desk and a few chairs, while the rotting interior creaked and strained under it's own weight. As the council and Autumn took their seats, Harkness would be the first to speak.
"We have received your diplomatic overtures, but before we make a decision we wanted to talk to the leader of the 'Government'."
"How come?" Autumn would reply, perplexed. "We've already told you what you'd receive if you accept reintegration."
The Government had promised Rivet City a lot of things similar to what other settlements had been promised, but also had been promised weaponry seized from the Brotherhood for their security teams. Which would be aided in clearing the nearby area, securing new areas to settle as well as a route to the aptly named 'Fort Jefferson' and the almost finished Water Purification Factory.
"We just aren't sure about the resettlement program, Rivet City is our home." Bannon would pipe up while the others nodded. He sat directly across from Autumn, wearing a meticulously pressed and cleaned suit for the occasion, a contrast to the scrappy armor and rags the others wore.
"I can assure you that the program will not only allow you retain your location, but improve the quality of life greatly, as for moving, the Department of Adjustment will aid any of your-"
"This isn't about the 'quality of life'. Bannon would interrupt. "Its about our home being taken from us."
Autumn's faced tensed, he disliked being interrupted immensely, his poker face quickly turned into anger as he began to reply.
"Listen here you uppity piece of shit, if you do not accept my terms you will feel the full force of the entire United States Military and I will personally see to it that your head is on a pike by sundown! Don't you dare think I'm going to take this from you because I haven't been sitting my ass on a rotting ship collecting every disease known to man for my whole life! Now accept the goddamn terms or you'll be branded a traitor and be eviscerated!" Autumn was standing up now, lurched over the table staring directly into Bannon's soul, causing the man to recoil into his chair.
Realizing the weight of the situation, Harkness finally stood up himself and began to speak.
"Now that we have heard the choices, we will accept reintegration into the United States and begin the resettlement program as soon as the area is habitable."
Harkness was no fool, sure he didn't know if he could trust these people, but he had thought about it in the long term, especially knowing of the threat from up north. Now that the Brotherhood is gone, these people might be the only ones capable of saving others from them.
Hearing his response, Autumn's face of anger changed into a smile as the two shook hands, to Bannon's silent disgust.
"Thank you for your time Mr. President."
As Autumn left and the door closed, Harkness and Bannon would argue.
"You just signed over our freedoms!"
"I just saved every single person in this place, did you really think we would have lasted long against them?!"
Bannon would pipe down after this, accepting defeat while Harkness went to deliver the news.
While the meeting was going on, Captain Artemis led a group of 4 into the submerged bow, hearing of a man living in there who could possibly help them with his knowledge of the ship. After making their way into the submerged area and battling mirelurks, traps and the water itself, they would find an elderly man sitting in a makeshift home in the deepest depths of the bow. Artemis would convince the man to lower his gun and the two would sit to speak.
"This is the part where you tell me what the hell you're doing bothering an old man who obviously wants to be left alone.... get on with it already!"
"We're here to ask for your help, due to your knowledge of the ship, we're with the American Government."
"You mean those Enclave folks? I knew you people were going to pester Rivet City sometime, what do you even want to do with it anyway?"
"We want to make her seaworthy again, while settling those who inhabit the place in the nearby area." Artemis would lean in before saying his next point.
"We would like to know if you would like to be her Admiral." Pinkerton's eyes would glitter with glee as Artemis finished his sentence. America he could take or leave, but seeing this boat seaworthy again was a dream of his, ruined by that snooty bitch Li.
"Would I? Of course I damn well want to!"
Artemis and the old man shared a chuckle together. He would then gather what he needed and exited with the squad, seeing the military already beginning to set up near Rivet City and Wastelanders beginning to clear the rubble of the area. He would then meet with President Autumn, where the two discussed the ship and how exactly to get it seaworthy, the most pressing issue being that of steel and other metals. Sure they had a drive where Wastelanders could turn in precious metals for U.S Dollars, but obviously not enough metal had been received. He had deployed scouts to head out of D.C. into areas like Baltimore and Pittsburgh, while sending a regiment to secure Evergreen Mills, which was believed to have a large deposit of materials needed by the Government.
Corporal Richter sat in the Vertibird as it flew through the night towards Evergreen Mills. Yesterday they had gone through the plan to secure the building with minimal damage to the deposits or the machinery stationed there. Three Vertibirds would fly in during the night and deploy napalm into the canyon leading up to the place before landing and clearing out the rest of the occupants. While they flew, the radio would play.
".....and in other news, the Rivet City resettlement program has begun, with homes built by the Government or those deemed structurally stable receiving new occupants from the carrier. Department of Adjustment Director Williams would give a statement to Radio America, calling it a 'Triumph for the people'. To celebrate our reclamation of a vessel which the President promises to make seaworthy once again, we have a Classic for those at home. This is your host signing off for the night. Goodnight and God bless America."
"Oh, we'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
And we'll all hang on behind..."
"And we'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along!
We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along!
We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along!
And we'll all hang on behind!"
"Oh, we'd be alright if we make it round The Horn
We'd be alright if we make it round The Horn
We'd be alright if we make it round The Horn
And we'll all hang on behind..."
Before Richter could listen any further, the Vertibirds descended in formation towards the raider stronghold, beginning to deploy napalm while flying through above the canyon, totally catching the raiders off guard. Richter then opened the side doors of the Vertibird and began firing his stationary minigun into the canyon, which resembled more a sea of flame than an actual canyon. The Vertibirds then flew to an open area near the factory itself, with the signal coming on to drop shortly afterward. As the troops landed they would swiftly execute any raider stragglers, which were celebrating around a fire with drinks and women just before they had arrived. Before they could react however, one of the raiders shot a generator, which had supplied an electrified fence around a super mutant behemoth, preventing it from escaping until now. As it smashed through the fence, it began heading for the soldiers, who directed all their fire at the monster. Richter aimed his minigun up high, firing directly at the beast, causing it to go for him. As his team looked on, Richter was picked up and thrashed around by the behemoth. He would have surely perished if not for his X-02 Power Armor, which kept him safe. A Vertibird would begin firing on the super mutant, causing it to throw Richter directly into the factory, where the remnants of the raiders hid, watching the troops fight the behemoth. As Richter gathered himself, he would be fired upon by them, but their bullets did nothing to his Power Armor. He would wipe the rest out singlehandedly, moving through the factory until he reached the entrance to a bazaar inside a cave complex. He would blow the entrance shut to prevent any other surviving raiders from escaping before returning to aid his fellow soldiers, who had damaged the mutant greatly. The monster would fall just as Richter got outside, where he would brief the rest on the situation and move to secure the place. They would free any slaves inside before securing the perimeter, finding it to be clear. It would decided to fill the cave complex with concrete, so that production would not be halted by structural issues, also eliminating any raiders still alive.
One week later, the foundry would spring back to life, producing steel and providing stable employment to several wastelanders. They would still need more to rebuild the Capital however, but for now, it'd do just fine.
Private Matthew Scott was finding it harder to continue on. He had been chosen to be apart of a scout detachment to Pittsburgh by the higher-ups, leaving his sweetheart and cushy job behind. For days they had trekked through the ever-increasingly tougher terrain, sleeping only a few hours before continuing their march. The only thing keeping them from collapsing of fatigue was a cocktail of drugs, which helped with the tiredness that they would have definitely all felt. As the got closer, the sky became darker and colored with an orange tinge, while the air became thick and soupy. As he climbed up a cliff in his power armor, complaining in his mind the whole time, he began to see smoke rising in the sky. Climbing over onto the other side was when he saw it, a hellish looking metropolis dominated by twisted skyscrapers and smokestacks pillowing out toxic smoke into the sky. Using his scanner to survey his surrounding while his CO radioed back to D.C., he would see a message on an old highway sign.
Welcome to the Pitt
Enjoy your stay
Harkness sat on the side of the Carrier he called home, smoking a cigarette while looking out across the ruined wrecks of D.C. Still coming to terms with his memories, he had begun to suffer mentally as a result. But before that girl who told him everything could deal with Zimmerman, she up and vanished, then Zimmerman did himself, along with Doctor Li. That last part confused him, if he didn't remember how Li had argued with him on several occasions, he would think she was working with him. Before he could continue mulling it over, the Presidential Vertibird landed on the deck.
Autumn exited the Vertibird, smelling the Potomac air as he walked towards the Rivet Council - reminding him of his younger years on the Oil Rig back west, while flanked by Feldspar and the Secret Service. Autumn noted in his mind the aircraft still sitting on the carrier. Most of the T-12 Bluejay Jets were still in good condition, and wouldn't take too much effort to get working. The rest of them could be stripped down for parts if need be. Also noting the carrier was split in two - with half of the ship submerged in the sea, he knew that a gargantuan amount of steel and labor would be required to get her seaworthy. He had heard during the meeting with members of the Chiefs of Staff that the boat was in half, but never this bad. But they would find a way, "we always do" he thought.
Autumn would be greeted by the Rivet City Council, who were missing one of their most esteemed members, a certain doctor Li, the same one from the Purifier and aiding the Brotherhood. Realizing this, Autumn would keep it secret that he was the one to scare Li away, for the sake of securing the reintegration of the ship. As he shook hands with each member of the Council, they would head inside the ship to a tucked away room to discuss the situation.
The room was a makeshift meeting room, really only having a worn desk and a few chairs, while the rotting interior creaked and strained under it's own weight. As the council and Autumn took their seats, Harkness would be the first to speak.
"We have received your diplomatic overtures, but before we make a decision we wanted to talk to the leader of the 'Government'."
"How come?" Autumn would reply, perplexed. "We've already told you what you'd receive if you accept reintegration."
The Government had promised Rivet City a lot of things similar to what other settlements had been promised, but also had been promised weaponry seized from the Brotherhood for their security teams. Which would be aided in clearing the nearby area, securing new areas to settle as well as a route to the aptly named 'Fort Jefferson' and the almost finished Water Purification Factory.
"We just aren't sure about the resettlement program, Rivet City is our home." Bannon would pipe up while the others nodded. He sat directly across from Autumn, wearing a meticulously pressed and cleaned suit for the occasion, a contrast to the scrappy armor and rags the others wore.
"I can assure you that the program will not only allow you retain your location, but improve the quality of life greatly, as for moving, the Department of Adjustment will aid any of your-"
"This isn't about the 'quality of life'. Bannon would interrupt. "Its about our home being taken from us."
Autumn's faced tensed, he disliked being interrupted immensely, his poker face quickly turned into anger as he began to reply.
"Listen here you uppity piece of shit, if you do not accept my terms you will feel the full force of the entire United States Military and I will personally see to it that your head is on a pike by sundown! Don't you dare think I'm going to take this from you because I haven't been sitting my ass on a rotting ship collecting every disease known to man for my whole life! Now accept the goddamn terms or you'll be branded a traitor and be eviscerated!" Autumn was standing up now, lurched over the table staring directly into Bannon's soul, causing the man to recoil into his chair.
Realizing the weight of the situation, Harkness finally stood up himself and began to speak.
"Now that we have heard the choices, we will accept reintegration into the United States and begin the resettlement program as soon as the area is habitable."
Harkness was no fool, sure he didn't know if he could trust these people, but he had thought about it in the long term, especially knowing of the threat from up north. Now that the Brotherhood is gone, these people might be the only ones capable of saving others from them.
Hearing his response, Autumn's face of anger changed into a smile as the two shook hands, to Bannon's silent disgust.
"Thank you for your time Mr. President."
As Autumn left and the door closed, Harkness and Bannon would argue.
"You just signed over our freedoms!"
"I just saved every single person in this place, did you really think we would have lasted long against them?!"
Bannon would pipe down after this, accepting defeat while Harkness went to deliver the news.
While the meeting was going on, Captain Artemis led a group of 4 into the submerged bow, hearing of a man living in there who could possibly help them with his knowledge of the ship. After making their way into the submerged area and battling mirelurks, traps and the water itself, they would find an elderly man sitting in a makeshift home in the deepest depths of the bow. Artemis would convince the man to lower his gun and the two would sit to speak.
"This is the part where you tell me what the hell you're doing bothering an old man who obviously wants to be left alone.... get on with it already!"
"We're here to ask for your help, due to your knowledge of the ship, we're with the American Government."
"You mean those Enclave folks? I knew you people were going to pester Rivet City sometime, what do you even want to do with it anyway?"
"We want to make her seaworthy again, while settling those who inhabit the place in the nearby area." Artemis would lean in before saying his next point.
"We would like to know if you would like to be her Admiral." Pinkerton's eyes would glitter with glee as Artemis finished his sentence. America he could take or leave, but seeing this boat seaworthy again was a dream of his, ruined by that snooty bitch Li.
"Would I? Of course I damn well want to!"
Artemis and the old man shared a chuckle together. He would then gather what he needed and exited with the squad, seeing the military already beginning to set up near Rivet City and Wastelanders beginning to clear the rubble of the area. He would then meet with President Autumn, where the two discussed the ship and how exactly to get it seaworthy, the most pressing issue being that of steel and other metals. Sure they had a drive where Wastelanders could turn in precious metals for U.S Dollars, but obviously not enough metal had been received. He had deployed scouts to head out of D.C. into areas like Baltimore and Pittsburgh, while sending a regiment to secure Evergreen Mills, which was believed to have a large deposit of materials needed by the Government.
--=====--
09:50, Evergreen Mills, March 10th, 2278Corporal Richter sat in the Vertibird as it flew through the night towards Evergreen Mills. Yesterday they had gone through the plan to secure the building with minimal damage to the deposits or the machinery stationed there. Three Vertibirds would fly in during the night and deploy napalm into the canyon leading up to the place before landing and clearing out the rest of the occupants. While they flew, the radio would play.
".....and in other news, the Rivet City resettlement program has begun, with homes built by the Government or those deemed structurally stable receiving new occupants from the carrier. Department of Adjustment Director Williams would give a statement to Radio America, calling it a 'Triumph for the people'. To celebrate our reclamation of a vessel which the President promises to make seaworthy once again, we have a Classic for those at home. This is your host signing off for the night. Goodnight and God bless America."
"Oh, we'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails
And we'll all hang on behind..."
"And we'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along!
We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along!
We'll ro-o-oll the old chariot along!
And we'll all hang on behind!"
"Oh, we'd be alright if we make it round The Horn
We'd be alright if we make it round The Horn
We'd be alright if we make it round The Horn
And we'll all hang on behind..."
Before Richter could listen any further, the Vertibirds descended in formation towards the raider stronghold, beginning to deploy napalm while flying through above the canyon, totally catching the raiders off guard. Richter then opened the side doors of the Vertibird and began firing his stationary minigun into the canyon, which resembled more a sea of flame than an actual canyon. The Vertibirds then flew to an open area near the factory itself, with the signal coming on to drop shortly afterward. As the troops landed they would swiftly execute any raider stragglers, which were celebrating around a fire with drinks and women just before they had arrived. Before they could react however, one of the raiders shot a generator, which had supplied an electrified fence around a super mutant behemoth, preventing it from escaping until now. As it smashed through the fence, it began heading for the soldiers, who directed all their fire at the monster. Richter aimed his minigun up high, firing directly at the beast, causing it to go for him. As his team looked on, Richter was picked up and thrashed around by the behemoth. He would have surely perished if not for his X-02 Power Armor, which kept him safe. A Vertibird would begin firing on the super mutant, causing it to throw Richter directly into the factory, where the remnants of the raiders hid, watching the troops fight the behemoth. As Richter gathered himself, he would be fired upon by them, but their bullets did nothing to his Power Armor. He would wipe the rest out singlehandedly, moving through the factory until he reached the entrance to a bazaar inside a cave complex. He would blow the entrance shut to prevent any other surviving raiders from escaping before returning to aid his fellow soldiers, who had damaged the mutant greatly. The monster would fall just as Richter got outside, where he would brief the rest on the situation and move to secure the place. They would free any slaves inside before securing the perimeter, finding it to be clear. It would decided to fill the cave complex with concrete, so that production would not be halted by structural issues, also eliminating any raiders still alive.
One week later, the foundry would spring back to life, producing steel and providing stable employment to several wastelanders. They would still need more to rebuild the Capital however, but for now, it'd do just fine.
--=====--
07:12, Pittsburgh, April 2nd, 2278Private Matthew Scott was finding it harder to continue on. He had been chosen to be apart of a scout detachment to Pittsburgh by the higher-ups, leaving his sweetheart and cushy job behind. For days they had trekked through the ever-increasingly tougher terrain, sleeping only a few hours before continuing their march. The only thing keeping them from collapsing of fatigue was a cocktail of drugs, which helped with the tiredness that they would have definitely all felt. As the got closer, the sky became darker and colored with an orange tinge, while the air became thick and soupy. As he climbed up a cliff in his power armor, complaining in his mind the whole time, he began to see smoke rising in the sky. Climbing over onto the other side was when he saw it, a hellish looking metropolis dominated by twisted skyscrapers and smokestacks pillowing out toxic smoke into the sky. Using his scanner to survey his surrounding while his CO radioed back to D.C., he would see a message on an old highway sign.
Welcome to the Pitt
Enjoy your stay
Chapter 7: Into the Pitt
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
05:35, Raven Rock, April 9th, 2278
President Autumn took a puff of his cigar as the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff huddled into the room. These few individuals were those in charge of advising the President on the status of America's mission to restore order. Before the war they had resided in the Pentagon, but whilst the building underwent construction, they would meet here. The Chairman of the JCS, General Dornan III, who was also Chief of the Continental Armed Forces, acted as the senior advisor of sorts to the President, officially and unofficially. The other people present were USAAF (United States Army Air Force) Chief Rutherford Warren and the newly-inducted USCN (United States Continental Navy) Chief Hoarce Pinkerton, who would serve as the head of the reconstruction effort of the vessel which once housed Rivet City. The last person present, who was not officially a member of the JCS but held the title of the Secretary of Defense, took at his seat at the table, lighting a cigarette in the process. Lucius Cornelius Ironhewer, despite his name, was an incredibly unassuming man. Named by his parents after a great Roman commander as one of them found a book on the Empire while out and about in the wastes, as a result, he has earned the nickname 'Lucy' from his compatriots. None of that mattered right now however, as all of them had gathered to discuss the situation in Pittsburgh.
Opening a dossier and sliding the contents towards the President, General Dornan III would be the first to speak.
"Our scouting missions have located what was once Pittsburgh, being referred to as the Pitt by locals." Taking a hit of his cigar, Dornan then stood up and turned on a projector, which would show the images to the rest of the people present.
"The area is a toxic hell Mr. President, the whole region is caked in a thick orange hue whilst raiders and hostile mutants are everywhere. That brings me onto the next point." Signalling to Ironhewer, who would adjust his glasses and jump up to take the lead while Dornan III took his seat. Everyone noted how calm the General was, though he could remain calm and collected, he usually let his anger get the better of him. He must have finally been taking his prescribed medication. Pacing across the room, the cigarette hanging from his mouth as it crumbled apart, Ironhewer would grab the remote and begin to speak.
"After arriving in Pittsburgh a few days ago, our teams have found that the area suffers attacks from a special kind of mutant, aptly named 'Trogs'." He then changed slides, revealing both an image of a dead Trog and one of an autopsy of said Trog.
"These creatures suffer from what is called the "Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion disease", which is made up of extremely concentrated radiation combined with the toxic environment. Symptoms include massive lesions and blisters on the skin, which are treatable, but also mental degradation and eventual mutation into a feral beast, not unlike the feral ghouls we have here." Autumn looked on with slight disgust at these creatures, but he wasn't the only one in the room who knew that they were going to need to find a cure to clean up the area and ensure steady integration. Almost as if Ironhewer read his mind, he would change the slide and begin talking about the political situation of 'The Pitt'
"The city itself is mostly under the control of the 'Lord of the Pitt' by the name of Ishmael Arthur, which our records over at the Pentagon confirm to be a former Brotherhood-initiate turned Warlord. Ishmael rules as a brutal despot, who keeps promising peace and stability, as well as an eventual cure. He seems different from the rest of the warlords however, as he is trying to muster up enough strength to actually expand his state into an Empire, something we cannot allow to happen." After finishing his statement, Ironhewer sat took his seat while Dornan stood back up once more, this time to tell Autumn about how they would take the Pitt.
First bringing up an old pre-war map of the city, which had been edited with the new knowledge relayed in from the scout teams, he would begin to then outline his plans.
"Firstly, we cannot use Curling-13 to clear the city, as the wind patterns of the area would blow it across several other nearby regions, causing damage and unneeded deaths. Secondly, there is only one way into the city itself, which is across the Wabash Bridge, as every other entry point is blocked or destroyed. The Bridge itself is covered in rubble, mines and enemies if we try to assault it head on, we will need to dig-in and enforce ourselves before advancing. Finally, it is imperative we begin our attack soon, it is almost certain that our crushing victory at Paradise Falls was relayed back to them." Dornan was right in that aspect, as word did reach Lord Ashur in the Pitt, but the man remained uninterested in doing anything about it, preferring to focus on his previous goals.
"Now onto how we are going to take the city, using the Sixth Infantry and the Third Armored Cavalry Divisions, we will be able to secure a stronghold on the outskirts of the city. It is believed that there are crude anti-air systems in the form of Fat Mans and Missile launchers throughout the skyscrapers, but if we get Artillery backup placed in the same area, we will have a shelling distance of most of the area. After the skies are clear, the aforementioned divisions can move in to secure the inner city with support from the 11th Airborne division. We are of the belief that 'Lord' Ashur's forces are made up of untrained raiders using only scrap weapons, as well as sick and weak slave forces. Obviously no match for our superior military!" Seemingly self satisfied, Dornan would sit down with a grin on his face and eagerly awaited Autumn's response.
"Well gentlemen, I commend you all on your efforts, please see to it that the Operation goes ahead smoothly."
Just as everyone prepared to leave, Ironhewer would pipe up once again, getting the attention of everyone, but most importantly, President Autumn.
"Mr. President, we have reason to believe that Ashur holds the cure or at least the key to it, I believe it would be of effort to try and secure his headquarters, if not the man himself."
Everyone was in agreeance with this statement, as they could then at least make an example of the man if anything. Hands were shook, smiles were exchanged and everyone left shortly afterward.
Elliott Tercorien could not believe what he was seeing. It was just last year that he and others had been unfrozen by a girl named Janet, where they had been for two centuries. They then found themselves on a spaceship, which they took over and destroyed another one using their advanced weapons. Janet disappeared shortly after and after a month of waiting with supplies onboard running low, they attempted to land the spacecraft, only for it to malfunction or something. They were only able to escape just as the ship headed for the Earth, with Sally stating it was going to crash somewhere "northwest". Though they had some ups and downs, the group of five which was made up of a Samurai named Toshiro, a Cowboy named Paulson, himself, a young wasteland girl and a former wasteland slave, had stuck together, sticking out like sore thumbs in the process. Hearing of a settlement south where it was extremely safe and defended, they tagged along with a family of farmers from some place on top of a highway or something. Upon reaching the town, which had suffered an ant problem until a few months back, Tercorien saw the American flag waving proudly, with armored soldiers in high-tech gear such as power armor, which looked even better than what they had in Anchorage, guarding the place valiantly. Though they had a hiccup where the guards had mistaken Toshiro's Japanese for Chinese, it was soon cleared when Sally explained the language...and what a Japan was. All of them were ushered into a waiting room, which was sterile and immaculately clean. One by one, they were all taken in for interviews, with the people in charge soon realising these people were not your average wastelanders. Especially when they had to use a terminal translator for Toshiro, realising that the man had genuinely been from the 'Azuchi-Momoyama' period, as stated by the records soon after. After about three hours of waiting, it was finally Tercorien's turn.
As he took his seat, a young woman dressed in a finely pressed pantsuit sat across from him with a clipboard - a set of questions he couldn't see on them.
"Name?"
"Elliot Tercorien ma'am"
"Date of Birth?"
"August 13th, 2046."
"2046? You can't possibly mean from the pre-war times."
"I do indeed ma'am, served in Anchorage with the 108th." if she did not just have to deal with a cowboy and samurai, she would have laughed in his face and ordered him to be detained, but instead she chose to check the records. What she found was astounding, his story matched up and so did his blood tests afterward. He was still sent through the same program of entry, getting his photo taken and being medically tested, even getting the pamphlet that read "The process of Reintegrating - From the Department of Adjustment." which he would decide to read while waiting for further testing by the government. They also analyzed his weaponry, which was leagues ahead of the best American energy weaponry by ages, in both power, damage output and overall quality. Because of their power and the intrigue from the Government, the 'Atomizer' and 'Disintegrator' which were in his possession were taken for further inspection by the Government's tech and weaponry departments, compensating Tercorien in the process.
After all the tests were completed, Tercorien became a celebrity overnight, with everyone from the Disk Jockey at Radio America to President Autumn meeting the 'Man from the Past'. The others were also treated lavishly by the Government, but reintegration would be harder for some of them more than the others. Somah, Sally and Tercorien would end up moving in together in Grayditch, being given one of the newest apartments built in the bustling town. Soon enough, Somah and Tercorien started mingling and Sally was eventually adopted by the couple. Though he had a family now, with a baby soon on the way, Tercorien still saw it as his duty to serve, writing a letter to Autumn himself asking to join the continental armed forces, which was soon granted.
Lord Ashur looked out across the twisted husk that was the Pitt from his tower, trying not to breathe in the toxic fumes as he analyzed the land he lorded over. His wife was inside their home, working valiantly to make sure that baby Marie was still in good health while running some tests on her. He commended her efforts to cure the afflicted peoples of his realm, "One day" he thought. It was during this moment of ponder when Krenshaw came bolting in, handing Ashur a pair of binoculars while he gathered his breath. That was when he saw it, a massive force moving into the Pitt outskirts. Quickly getting inside as the gunfire began, he sent out the call for his men to begin mobilising in droves. The Pitt was his realm, and he wasn't going to hand it over to these people.
President Autumn took a puff of his cigar as the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff huddled into the room. These few individuals were those in charge of advising the President on the status of America's mission to restore order. Before the war they had resided in the Pentagon, but whilst the building underwent construction, they would meet here. The Chairman of the JCS, General Dornan III, who was also Chief of the Continental Armed Forces, acted as the senior advisor of sorts to the President, officially and unofficially. The other people present were USAAF (United States Army Air Force) Chief Rutherford Warren and the newly-inducted USCN (United States Continental Navy) Chief Hoarce Pinkerton, who would serve as the head of the reconstruction effort of the vessel which once housed Rivet City. The last person present, who was not officially a member of the JCS but held the title of the Secretary of Defense, took at his seat at the table, lighting a cigarette in the process. Lucius Cornelius Ironhewer, despite his name, was an incredibly unassuming man. Named by his parents after a great Roman commander as one of them found a book on the Empire while out and about in the wastes, as a result, he has earned the nickname 'Lucy' from his compatriots. None of that mattered right now however, as all of them had gathered to discuss the situation in Pittsburgh.
Opening a dossier and sliding the contents towards the President, General Dornan III would be the first to speak.
"Our scouting missions have located what was once Pittsburgh, being referred to as the Pitt by locals." Taking a hit of his cigar, Dornan then stood up and turned on a projector, which would show the images to the rest of the people present.
"The area is a toxic hell Mr. President, the whole region is caked in a thick orange hue whilst raiders and hostile mutants are everywhere. That brings me onto the next point." Signalling to Ironhewer, who would adjust his glasses and jump up to take the lead while Dornan III took his seat. Everyone noted how calm the General was, though he could remain calm and collected, he usually let his anger get the better of him. He must have finally been taking his prescribed medication. Pacing across the room, the cigarette hanging from his mouth as it crumbled apart, Ironhewer would grab the remote and begin to speak.
"After arriving in Pittsburgh a few days ago, our teams have found that the area suffers attacks from a special kind of mutant, aptly named 'Trogs'." He then changed slides, revealing both an image of a dead Trog and one of an autopsy of said Trog.
"These creatures suffer from what is called the "Troglodyte Degeneration Contagion disease", which is made up of extremely concentrated radiation combined with the toxic environment. Symptoms include massive lesions and blisters on the skin, which are treatable, but also mental degradation and eventual mutation into a feral beast, not unlike the feral ghouls we have here." Autumn looked on with slight disgust at these creatures, but he wasn't the only one in the room who knew that they were going to need to find a cure to clean up the area and ensure steady integration. Almost as if Ironhewer read his mind, he would change the slide and begin talking about the political situation of 'The Pitt'
"The city itself is mostly under the control of the 'Lord of the Pitt' by the name of Ishmael Arthur, which our records over at the Pentagon confirm to be a former Brotherhood-initiate turned Warlord. Ishmael rules as a brutal despot, who keeps promising peace and stability, as well as an eventual cure. He seems different from the rest of the warlords however, as he is trying to muster up enough strength to actually expand his state into an Empire, something we cannot allow to happen." After finishing his statement, Ironhewer sat took his seat while Dornan stood back up once more, this time to tell Autumn about how they would take the Pitt.
First bringing up an old pre-war map of the city, which had been edited with the new knowledge relayed in from the scout teams, he would begin to then outline his plans.
"Firstly, we cannot use Curling-13 to clear the city, as the wind patterns of the area would blow it across several other nearby regions, causing damage and unneeded deaths. Secondly, there is only one way into the city itself, which is across the Wabash Bridge, as every other entry point is blocked or destroyed. The Bridge itself is covered in rubble, mines and enemies if we try to assault it head on, we will need to dig-in and enforce ourselves before advancing. Finally, it is imperative we begin our attack soon, it is almost certain that our crushing victory at Paradise Falls was relayed back to them." Dornan was right in that aspect, as word did reach Lord Ashur in the Pitt, but the man remained uninterested in doing anything about it, preferring to focus on his previous goals.
"Now onto how we are going to take the city, using the Sixth Infantry and the Third Armored Cavalry Divisions, we will be able to secure a stronghold on the outskirts of the city. It is believed that there are crude anti-air systems in the form of Fat Mans and Missile launchers throughout the skyscrapers, but if we get Artillery backup placed in the same area, we will have a shelling distance of most of the area. After the skies are clear, the aforementioned divisions can move in to secure the inner city with support from the 11th Airborne division. We are of the belief that 'Lord' Ashur's forces are made up of untrained raiders using only scrap weapons, as well as sick and weak slave forces. Obviously no match for our superior military!" Seemingly self satisfied, Dornan would sit down with a grin on his face and eagerly awaited Autumn's response.
"Well gentlemen, I commend you all on your efforts, please see to it that the Operation goes ahead smoothly."
Just as everyone prepared to leave, Ironhewer would pipe up once again, getting the attention of everyone, but most importantly, President Autumn.
"Mr. President, we have reason to believe that Ashur holds the cure or at least the key to it, I believe it would be of effort to try and secure his headquarters, if not the man himself."
Everyone was in agreeance with this statement, as they could then at least make an example of the man if anything. Hands were shook, smiles were exchanged and everyone left shortly afterward.
--=====--
Grayditch, 2278Elliott Tercorien could not believe what he was seeing. It was just last year that he and others had been unfrozen by a girl named Janet, where they had been for two centuries. They then found themselves on a spaceship, which they took over and destroyed another one using their advanced weapons. Janet disappeared shortly after and after a month of waiting with supplies onboard running low, they attempted to land the spacecraft, only for it to malfunction or something. They were only able to escape just as the ship headed for the Earth, with Sally stating it was going to crash somewhere "northwest". Though they had some ups and downs, the group of five which was made up of a Samurai named Toshiro, a Cowboy named Paulson, himself, a young wasteland girl and a former wasteland slave, had stuck together, sticking out like sore thumbs in the process. Hearing of a settlement south where it was extremely safe and defended, they tagged along with a family of farmers from some place on top of a highway or something. Upon reaching the town, which had suffered an ant problem until a few months back, Tercorien saw the American flag waving proudly, with armored soldiers in high-tech gear such as power armor, which looked even better than what they had in Anchorage, guarding the place valiantly. Though they had a hiccup where the guards had mistaken Toshiro's Japanese for Chinese, it was soon cleared when Sally explained the language...and what a Japan was. All of them were ushered into a waiting room, which was sterile and immaculately clean. One by one, they were all taken in for interviews, with the people in charge soon realising these people were not your average wastelanders. Especially when they had to use a terminal translator for Toshiro, realising that the man had genuinely been from the 'Azuchi-Momoyama' period, as stated by the records soon after. After about three hours of waiting, it was finally Tercorien's turn.
As he took his seat, a young woman dressed in a finely pressed pantsuit sat across from him with a clipboard - a set of questions he couldn't see on them.
"Name?"
"Elliot Tercorien ma'am"
"Date of Birth?"
"August 13th, 2046."
"2046? You can't possibly mean from the pre-war times."
"I do indeed ma'am, served in Anchorage with the 108th." if she did not just have to deal with a cowboy and samurai, she would have laughed in his face and ordered him to be detained, but instead she chose to check the records. What she found was astounding, his story matched up and so did his blood tests afterward. He was still sent through the same program of entry, getting his photo taken and being medically tested, even getting the pamphlet that read "The process of Reintegrating - From the Department of Adjustment." which he would decide to read while waiting for further testing by the government. They also analyzed his weaponry, which was leagues ahead of the best American energy weaponry by ages, in both power, damage output and overall quality. Because of their power and the intrigue from the Government, the 'Atomizer' and 'Disintegrator' which were in his possession were taken for further inspection by the Government's tech and weaponry departments, compensating Tercorien in the process.
After all the tests were completed, Tercorien became a celebrity overnight, with everyone from the Disk Jockey at Radio America to President Autumn meeting the 'Man from the Past'. The others were also treated lavishly by the Government, but reintegration would be harder for some of them more than the others. Somah, Sally and Tercorien would end up moving in together in Grayditch, being given one of the newest apartments built in the bustling town. Soon enough, Somah and Tercorien started mingling and Sally was eventually adopted by the couple. Though he had a family now, with a baby soon on the way, Tercorien still saw it as his duty to serve, writing a letter to Autumn himself asking to join the continental armed forces, which was soon granted.
--=====--
08:39, The Pitt, June 4th, 2278Lord Ashur looked out across the twisted husk that was the Pitt from his tower, trying not to breathe in the toxic fumes as he analyzed the land he lorded over. His wife was inside their home, working valiantly to make sure that baby Marie was still in good health while running some tests on her. He commended her efforts to cure the afflicted peoples of his realm, "One day" he thought. It was during this moment of ponder when Krenshaw came bolting in, handing Ashur a pair of binoculars while he gathered his breath. That was when he saw it, a massive force moving into the Pitt outskirts. Quickly getting inside as the gunfire began, he sent out the call for his men to begin mobilising in droves. The Pitt was his realm, and he wasn't going to hand it over to these people.
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Chapter 8: Fire and Brimstone
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
05:12, June 13th, Pittsburgh, 2278
Captain Artemis watched as the Artillery began another volley of fire into the Pitt's defenses, the crackling of distant explosions rattling his eardrums. The PT-12 Rocket Howitzer (nicknamed 'Pussy Thumper' and 'Propelled Terror' by the troops) is the main Artillery piece used by the USCAF, being stored in Raven Rock until the victory over the Brotherhood. The piece itself is a combination of the Howitzers of old whilst also boasting computer technologies that are capable of marking and tactically firing Rocket Artillery shells up to 90 kilometers from it's current location. Capable of firing up to 10 missiles in five minutes, it is a powerful piece of weaponry in the American arsenal. It was these missiles that were rocking the Pitt's defenses, which were beginning to crack under the pressure of constant attacks. The clearing of the Wabash Bridge was taking longer than expected however, as the Soldiers of the Pitt would harass those trying to clear a path for the APCs and Infantry attempting to cross. A contingency plan would be formed to ensure the crossing of the bridge to go ahead - one involving the United States Marine Corps. The USMC itself was apart of the bigger USCAF, but would be given a massive amount of autonomy in most operations. The contingency force was led by the most capable soldiers that were available to the Continental Army stationed in Pittsburgh - including that of Elliot Tercorien and Brian Richter, who were fast becoming friends during their deployment in Pittsburgh.
The operation would be as follows. They would cross at the river night during a napalm strike by the newly rebuilt Bluejay Jets - courtesy of the Rivet City reintegration. Then they would clear any stragglers from around the Wabash, guaranteeing the crossing of American Forces. Before they crossed the river, each of them synchronized their Continental Watches - an Army Issue watch given to every soldier. The synchronization was to ensure that they would strike at the right time. Just after 7 PM, they began to cross. Reaching the other side of the River twenty minutes later, they waited approximately one hour in the water for the aircraft to arrive. Just as Richter and Tercorien began to question the USAAF, they heard the planes. Screaming like a banshee as they lined up for their sorties, the planes began to drop their payloads. Suddenly, the entire enemy line and entire area of defense for Ashur's fiefdom went up in a flame not seen since the days of the Great War. Whoops and cheers on the American side could be heard as the fire consumed all it touched - while screams of agony reverberated throughout the air on the side of the enemy. It is at this moment that the Marines struck, moving up from the river whilst equipped with R95K Automatic Rifles - straight from the US Army's finest at Raven Rock, it is an improved version of the R91, featuring a solid carbon stock, along with a better rate of fire and iron sights. These models, specifically made for this mission, were also equipped with extremely durable suppressors to ensure their stealth. Though that stealth is unneeded at the moment, as the sounds of the attack were deafening. Any stragglers still alive were swiftly executed with ease, finally giving the Americans the key to the city itself.
Tercorien, with a smirk, radioed their victory back to the men across the line and was preparing to set up a defensive area when he heard a roar from around the corner. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of slaves, charging at their line with a ferocity unseen in any of the enemies fought here beforehand. As a result of diminishing troops, Ashur finally relented and sent out the order for slaves to be used as canon fodder and sent in droves towards the enemy. Most slaves didn't have weapons, others used their Auto-axes which were intended to salvage iron for their industry of death while others used pieces of scraps like piping or wooden planks to attack. Signaling his men to fall back, they began a mad dash across the Wabash bridge back to their line. Dodging mines, debris and holes in the bridge, they began to make their way across while the slaves chased them to no end. Artemis would see them running back, ordering his men to hold their fire as a result. Just as the men made it back across, the soldiers began firing into the wave of slaves coming towards them. The slaves fell in massive numbers, failing miserably to break the line that was reinforced with the best weaponry the United States Continental Army had to offer. Some turned around to run back into the city, being executed by the slavers in the process. After the battle was over, the city's defenses were shattered, the Army could now advance unopposed while the Rocket Howitzers shelled their targets.
Secretary of Defense Ironhewer marched across the halls of the Pentagon, the clack of his shoes echoing across the building as he reached his destination. After the American Government had taken back the Pentagon from the Brotherhood, they found the building to be in horrible shape. Since they had occupied the building, they had made no effort to keep it's structural integrity or rebuild it. As a result of their apathy, the building was in massive disarray, but the Americans would rebuild her to her former glory. The only thing of worth the Brotherhood had was a massive pre-war robot - which was of keen interest to Dr. Whitley, who has taken the robot into the ownership of the Department of Technology for further study. Study on the robot was not of a major priority however, as they were focused on the weapons given to them by one Elliot Tercorien and plans to create a plasma model of the weapon were underway. Other than that, the Brotherhood left little to the Americans, except for records on their members and their weapons - which were of little use. One of the first things rebuilt in the Pentagon was the National Military Command Center (NMMC), which is where Ironhewer was heading. The complex itself was similar to the NMMC of old, but fitted to come with the needs of the new era - holoscreens were dotted around while metallic desks fitted with built-in state of the art terminals were in the center. The operating systems were directly lifted from Raven Rock - transportation was easy with the eradication of most raider groups in the Capital - and placed in the rebuilt command center. Ironhewer continued through the center towards the Joint War Room, the teeming officials rushing past him to fulfill duties while phones blared and terminals hummed with energy. As he reached the War Room, already on his fourth cigarette in three hours and tired from going through a mountain of documents in his office, he took the time to admire the paintings of Presidents before Autumn. Taken from Raven Rock's private collection of art, the portraits of President Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, MacArthur, Nixon, Rumsfeld, Sidell, Richardson Sr. and Jr. watched over the war room, silently looking on as the men got to business. The room was dominated by a massive mahogany table with leather swivel chairs all across, with an American flag representing the thirteen commonwealths placed on the middle wall, along with the aforementioned portraits. Just as he entered, Autumn finished his discussion on plans to reform the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and form a Police Force to safely govern their new lands. The plans included merging the FBI, ATF and several other bureaus to be subdivisions of the DIA, making it the sole Intelligence body within the American Government. The US Marshals would also be given more authority in law enforcement, which Autumn saw as vital to holding their occupied territories. This was no concern of Ironhewer's however, as he had come to relay something else.
"Mr. President, I take it you are up to date on the situation on Pittsburgh?"
"Of course Lucius, if General Dornan is to believed, we might be controlling the city by the end of this month."
"I think I know of a way we can secure it quicker." Ironhewer then slid the President a file on the slave situation, lighting another smoke as the President read it.
"The slaves are close to open revolt Sir, if we can just stoke those flames a bit longer, we can ensure a swift victory and the public to be on our side before we've even taken the place."
"And how would we do that?"
"I'll tell you how." A smirk rose on his face. "It all starts with one man."
Wernher sat on the cliff as he watched the battle in Pittsburgh continue. He had desperately wanted to help the slaves and nothing else, but he could never find help for his plan. All he needed was a push and he could have prevented all of this, he could have lead the slaves into prosperity. So what if he didn't have a plan for after he won? he would've figured it out. Before he could continue musing to himself, a Vertibird landed before him and before he knew it, Squad Sigma was staring him down. As one of the men clad in power armor approached him, he took off his mask and asked the man if he was 'the' Wehrner, to which he confirmed he was. It was at this point the man would ask him a fateful question.
"So, Mr. Wernher, how would you like to help free the slaves?"
Captain Artemis watched as the Artillery began another volley of fire into the Pitt's defenses, the crackling of distant explosions rattling his eardrums. The PT-12 Rocket Howitzer (nicknamed 'Pussy Thumper' and 'Propelled Terror' by the troops) is the main Artillery piece used by the USCAF, being stored in Raven Rock until the victory over the Brotherhood. The piece itself is a combination of the Howitzers of old whilst also boasting computer technologies that are capable of marking and tactically firing Rocket Artillery shells up to 90 kilometers from it's current location. Capable of firing up to 10 missiles in five minutes, it is a powerful piece of weaponry in the American arsenal. It was these missiles that were rocking the Pitt's defenses, which were beginning to crack under the pressure of constant attacks. The clearing of the Wabash Bridge was taking longer than expected however, as the Soldiers of the Pitt would harass those trying to clear a path for the APCs and Infantry attempting to cross. A contingency plan would be formed to ensure the crossing of the bridge to go ahead - one involving the United States Marine Corps. The USMC itself was apart of the bigger USCAF, but would be given a massive amount of autonomy in most operations. The contingency force was led by the most capable soldiers that were available to the Continental Army stationed in Pittsburgh - including that of Elliot Tercorien and Brian Richter, who were fast becoming friends during their deployment in Pittsburgh.
The operation would be as follows. They would cross at the river night during a napalm strike by the newly rebuilt Bluejay Jets - courtesy of the Rivet City reintegration. Then they would clear any stragglers from around the Wabash, guaranteeing the crossing of American Forces. Before they crossed the river, each of them synchronized their Continental Watches - an Army Issue watch given to every soldier. The synchronization was to ensure that they would strike at the right time. Just after 7 PM, they began to cross. Reaching the other side of the River twenty minutes later, they waited approximately one hour in the water for the aircraft to arrive. Just as Richter and Tercorien began to question the USAAF, they heard the planes. Screaming like a banshee as they lined up for their sorties, the planes began to drop their payloads. Suddenly, the entire enemy line and entire area of defense for Ashur's fiefdom went up in a flame not seen since the days of the Great War. Whoops and cheers on the American side could be heard as the fire consumed all it touched - while screams of agony reverberated throughout the air on the side of the enemy. It is at this moment that the Marines struck, moving up from the river whilst equipped with R95K Automatic Rifles - straight from the US Army's finest at Raven Rock, it is an improved version of the R91, featuring a solid carbon stock, along with a better rate of fire and iron sights. These models, specifically made for this mission, were also equipped with extremely durable suppressors to ensure their stealth. Though that stealth is unneeded at the moment, as the sounds of the attack were deafening. Any stragglers still alive were swiftly executed with ease, finally giving the Americans the key to the city itself.
Tercorien, with a smirk, radioed their victory back to the men across the line and was preparing to set up a defensive area when he heard a roar from around the corner. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of slaves, charging at their line with a ferocity unseen in any of the enemies fought here beforehand. As a result of diminishing troops, Ashur finally relented and sent out the order for slaves to be used as canon fodder and sent in droves towards the enemy. Most slaves didn't have weapons, others used their Auto-axes which were intended to salvage iron for their industry of death while others used pieces of scraps like piping or wooden planks to attack. Signaling his men to fall back, they began a mad dash across the Wabash bridge back to their line. Dodging mines, debris and holes in the bridge, they began to make their way across while the slaves chased them to no end. Artemis would see them running back, ordering his men to hold their fire as a result. Just as the men made it back across, the soldiers began firing into the wave of slaves coming towards them. The slaves fell in massive numbers, failing miserably to break the line that was reinforced with the best weaponry the United States Continental Army had to offer. Some turned around to run back into the city, being executed by the slavers in the process. After the battle was over, the city's defenses were shattered, the Army could now advance unopposed while the Rocket Howitzers shelled their targets.
--=====--
June 17th, The Pentagon, 2278Secretary of Defense Ironhewer marched across the halls of the Pentagon, the clack of his shoes echoing across the building as he reached his destination. After the American Government had taken back the Pentagon from the Brotherhood, they found the building to be in horrible shape. Since they had occupied the building, they had made no effort to keep it's structural integrity or rebuild it. As a result of their apathy, the building was in massive disarray, but the Americans would rebuild her to her former glory. The only thing of worth the Brotherhood had was a massive pre-war robot - which was of keen interest to Dr. Whitley, who has taken the robot into the ownership of the Department of Technology for further study. Study on the robot was not of a major priority however, as they were focused on the weapons given to them by one Elliot Tercorien and plans to create a plasma model of the weapon were underway. Other than that, the Brotherhood left little to the Americans, except for records on their members and their weapons - which were of little use. One of the first things rebuilt in the Pentagon was the National Military Command Center (NMMC), which is where Ironhewer was heading. The complex itself was similar to the NMMC of old, but fitted to come with the needs of the new era - holoscreens were dotted around while metallic desks fitted with built-in state of the art terminals were in the center. The operating systems were directly lifted from Raven Rock - transportation was easy with the eradication of most raider groups in the Capital - and placed in the rebuilt command center. Ironhewer continued through the center towards the Joint War Room, the teeming officials rushing past him to fulfill duties while phones blared and terminals hummed with energy. As he reached the War Room, already on his fourth cigarette in three hours and tired from going through a mountain of documents in his office, he took the time to admire the paintings of Presidents before Autumn. Taken from Raven Rock's private collection of art, the portraits of President Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, MacArthur, Nixon, Rumsfeld, Sidell, Richardson Sr. and Jr. watched over the war room, silently looking on as the men got to business. The room was dominated by a massive mahogany table with leather swivel chairs all across, with an American flag representing the thirteen commonwealths placed on the middle wall, along with the aforementioned portraits. Just as he entered, Autumn finished his discussion on plans to reform the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and form a Police Force to safely govern their new lands. The plans included merging the FBI, ATF and several other bureaus to be subdivisions of the DIA, making it the sole Intelligence body within the American Government. The US Marshals would also be given more authority in law enforcement, which Autumn saw as vital to holding their occupied territories. This was no concern of Ironhewer's however, as he had come to relay something else.
"Mr. President, I take it you are up to date on the situation on Pittsburgh?"
"Of course Lucius, if General Dornan is to believed, we might be controlling the city by the end of this month."
"I think I know of a way we can secure it quicker." Ironhewer then slid the President a file on the slave situation, lighting another smoke as the President read it.
"The slaves are close to open revolt Sir, if we can just stoke those flames a bit longer, we can ensure a swift victory and the public to be on our side before we've even taken the place."
"And how would we do that?"
"I'll tell you how." A smirk rose on his face. "It all starts with one man."
--=====--
June 20th, Pitt Outskirts, 2278Wernher sat on the cliff as he watched the battle in Pittsburgh continue. He had desperately wanted to help the slaves and nothing else, but he could never find help for his plan. All he needed was a push and he could have prevented all of this, he could have lead the slaves into prosperity. So what if he didn't have a plan for after he won? he would've figured it out. Before he could continue musing to himself, a Vertibird landed before him and before he knew it, Squad Sigma was staring him down. As one of the men clad in power armor approached him, he took off his mask and asked the man if he was 'the' Wehrner, to which he confirmed he was. It was at this point the man would ask him a fateful question.
"So, Mr. Wernher, how would you like to help free the slaves?"
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Chapter 9: Just Peachy
Claudius
Not Economically Viable
June 30th, D.C Outskirts, 2278
Ken Ewers and the rest of the workers headed to the eatery as soon as they heard the bell - it's shrill letting them know that it was break time. The Ewers' had lived in Arefu for a long time, before the times of tragedy that struck the community and before the Government had moved in. After the U.S Government had offered them homes in Grayditch and food as compensation, they packed up their bags with the rest of those who were left and headed west. Grayditch had expanded greatly since the times of the ant infestation and rolling in of American Forces, with the one-street settlement expanding into a multi-block town of sorts, becoming the front for the reclamation efforts of the inner parts of Washington. Three Vertiports were now active, a large barracks and hospital were also installed, giving the residents food and medicine. New homes were propping up and those deemed structurally stable were refurbished almost entirely, giving those who inhabited the town a place to stay. The two people originally from Grayditch who were still alive - an eight year old boy named Bryan Wilkis and a scientist named Weston Lesko both remain in the area. Bryan has been reunited with his aunty Vera Weatherly who has moved to Grayditch after the Rivet City eviction a few months prior. Lesko was found by the Government weeks after they had moved in - unaware of their presence or the ant infestation that massacred everyone above. Eventually deeming the ant plague to be the result of Lesko's experiments, he was imprisoned and forced to hand over his experiments, only being kept around due to his knowledge of the local flora and wasteland creatures.
Upon first arriving to Grayditch the residents all underwent examinations by American officials, which showed signs of psychological abuse from Ken towards his wife Brailee. Brought on by paranoia of attacks from 'The Family' - Which turned out to be a group of 'Vampires' that perished when the Curling-13 deployments occured in the Metro tunnels. If the birthrates weren't such a concern for the Government, they would have probably done more, but they were limited to giving Ken a dressing down and Brailee would receive treatment for her delirium. Brailee would later join the Continental Army Auxiliary Force (CAAF), which was dedicated to the production of goods and products for the military and homefront during the reclamation efforts. Though women could serve side by side with their male counterparts in any field, men and women deemed unable to serve on the frontlines were enlisted to work for the CAAF to ensure maximum production from everyone. Ian West and Karen Schenzy were both enlisted into the Continental Army but ended up sticking around the D.C area as the war in Pittsburgh was beginning to draw to a close, instead being sent on routine raider and mutant extermination patrols. Evan King also joined the Americans, instead serving as a member of the newly reformed police force, which would begin to patrol the newly occupied territories in the capitol wasteland area. His skills with a rifle and knowledge of the area were seen as vital by the force during their recruiting efforts. Ken was given a job as a construction worker - but for now that meant he was clearing rubble from downtown D.C. The pay was good however - so were the hot meals on the table every day as well as guaranteed defense. If the words from the men in the giant armor were to be believed, they were close to clearing out the feral ghoul and mutant infestation from the entire area, ensuring American control.
Entering the bar just as happy hour began, Ewers could not help but feel the jubilance wash over him - the Continental Army had just wiped out a massive super mutant stronghold. As soldier and worker alike danced to the jukebox and cheers echoed throughout the makeshift bar, Ewers made his way to an empty stool and ordered a beer, receiving a bottle of stout from the bartender. The stout was nothing to write home about, but the board above boldly advertised it as "AMERICA'S FAVORITE DRINK!" - which was enough to sell him on it. Handing man some of that green money everyone now used, he took a large swig before casually taking in the locale, one man was detailing a story about how he had brutally killed a super mutant on his own, much to the delight of his listeners, while the Radio talked about the latest victories in Pittsburgh.
"...And with one shot of my trusty plasma rifle I blew that mutie freak straight to Hades!"
"....In other news, our remarkable President Autumn has announced a 'swift victory' in sight for the reclamation of Pittsburgh, with Baltimore also receiving it's first major army deployment. Our troops also won a grand victory in downtown Washington today, with a major mutant stronghold succumbing to the might of our gallant military within three hours." Upon hearing the report, the bar erupted into an uproar of joy, celebrating their victory. A soldier patted Ken on the back, causing Ken to look up at the man. He was younger then him, but seemed much more hardened, seeing much during his tenure in the military. As they both smiled at each other, the man would declare that "one day, we won't have to worry about the muties!". After all that Ken had suffered at the hand of The Family, it was not hard to see why he would sympathize with this statement. Ken would reply with a plain, "I hope so."
From: Gen. Arch Dornan III
Report on our Operations
PITTSBURGH: We have naturally been able to make great gains in Pittsburgh against the raider empire, I can assure you that we will be marching through the city within two weeks. The only major issue now is the rubble itself preventing our larger divisions from advancing. The slaves are now in open revolt however, thanks to our contact on the inside. We also have total air superiority across the entire region. Once we actually take the city however, we will need to hold off on production until we have cleared the toxicity and hopefully cured the 'Trog' disease. Integration will be swift once the disease and Ashur are dealt with.
BALTIMORE: Despite our proximity to the city, we have been slow in our advance to retake it, something that has ended with the 104th now holding a military base in the region. Contacts with the locals have shown that the area is controlled by a missionary Christian group known as the 'Abbey of the Road'. The group is anarchic in nature, but have worked to ensure goodwill in the area and seem to be a positive, hopefully we can broker a deal with them and ensure reintegration is smooth.
AK ALPHA: AK ALPHA continues without any error. Though the inclusion of some younger wastelanders did irk the chief scientists, the new results have shown that the program is bearing fruit. Soon enough we will have soldiers who we can effectively use to work self-sufficiently on missions of great importance. It is vital this Operation continues without a hitch, I will ensure that it does.
Signed: General Arch Dornan III
Dr. Whitley looked on and surveyed as the refurbished Alien Destabilizer rifle fired at the targets with a rapid pace. The rifle had been analyzed in great detail by the top scientists in both the Departments of Technology and Army, both agreeing that it should be remade with Plasma to ensure a clear edge on the battlefield. He then signaled for the tester to use the Plasma version. This version differed quite a bit from the Alien one - with the rifle being in all black made from carbon, the more alien parts removed and a longer, streamlined model to ensure comfort for the human users. It also featured a trigger guard, iron sights and a slimmer rectangular center, as opposed to the oval shaped metallic alien model. As he picked up the rifle, he aimed down the sights before unleashing a volley of molten plasma on the targets. Whitley noted that the rifle itself was much slower than it's alien counterpart, but it remained quicker and easier to use as opposed to the current Plasma rifle in use. After a board meeting with everyone in agreeance, the Winchester P99 'Destabilizer' Plasma Rifle would begin to phase out the bulkier P95, giving the military a better rifle to use.
Ken Ewers and the rest of the workers headed to the eatery as soon as they heard the bell - it's shrill letting them know that it was break time. The Ewers' had lived in Arefu for a long time, before the times of tragedy that struck the community and before the Government had moved in. After the U.S Government had offered them homes in Grayditch and food as compensation, they packed up their bags with the rest of those who were left and headed west. Grayditch had expanded greatly since the times of the ant infestation and rolling in of American Forces, with the one-street settlement expanding into a multi-block town of sorts, becoming the front for the reclamation efforts of the inner parts of Washington. Three Vertiports were now active, a large barracks and hospital were also installed, giving the residents food and medicine. New homes were propping up and those deemed structurally stable were refurbished almost entirely, giving those who inhabited the town a place to stay. The two people originally from Grayditch who were still alive - an eight year old boy named Bryan Wilkis and a scientist named Weston Lesko both remain in the area. Bryan has been reunited with his aunty Vera Weatherly who has moved to Grayditch after the Rivet City eviction a few months prior. Lesko was found by the Government weeks after they had moved in - unaware of their presence or the ant infestation that massacred everyone above. Eventually deeming the ant plague to be the result of Lesko's experiments, he was imprisoned and forced to hand over his experiments, only being kept around due to his knowledge of the local flora and wasteland creatures.
Upon first arriving to Grayditch the residents all underwent examinations by American officials, which showed signs of psychological abuse from Ken towards his wife Brailee. Brought on by paranoia of attacks from 'The Family' - Which turned out to be a group of 'Vampires' that perished when the Curling-13 deployments occured in the Metro tunnels. If the birthrates weren't such a concern for the Government, they would have probably done more, but they were limited to giving Ken a dressing down and Brailee would receive treatment for her delirium. Brailee would later join the Continental Army Auxiliary Force (CAAF), which was dedicated to the production of goods and products for the military and homefront during the reclamation efforts. Though women could serve side by side with their male counterparts in any field, men and women deemed unable to serve on the frontlines were enlisted to work for the CAAF to ensure maximum production from everyone. Ian West and Karen Schenzy were both enlisted into the Continental Army but ended up sticking around the D.C area as the war in Pittsburgh was beginning to draw to a close, instead being sent on routine raider and mutant extermination patrols. Evan King also joined the Americans, instead serving as a member of the newly reformed police force, which would begin to patrol the newly occupied territories in the capitol wasteland area. His skills with a rifle and knowledge of the area were seen as vital by the force during their recruiting efforts. Ken was given a job as a construction worker - but for now that meant he was clearing rubble from downtown D.C. The pay was good however - so were the hot meals on the table every day as well as guaranteed defense. If the words from the men in the giant armor were to be believed, they were close to clearing out the feral ghoul and mutant infestation from the entire area, ensuring American control.
Entering the bar just as happy hour began, Ewers could not help but feel the jubilance wash over him - the Continental Army had just wiped out a massive super mutant stronghold. As soldier and worker alike danced to the jukebox and cheers echoed throughout the makeshift bar, Ewers made his way to an empty stool and ordered a beer, receiving a bottle of stout from the bartender. The stout was nothing to write home about, but the board above boldly advertised it as "AMERICA'S FAVORITE DRINK!" - which was enough to sell him on it. Handing man some of that green money everyone now used, he took a large swig before casually taking in the locale, one man was detailing a story about how he had brutally killed a super mutant on his own, much to the delight of his listeners, while the Radio talked about the latest victories in Pittsburgh.
"...And with one shot of my trusty plasma rifle I blew that mutie freak straight to Hades!"
"....In other news, our remarkable President Autumn has announced a 'swift victory' in sight for the reclamation of Pittsburgh, with Baltimore also receiving it's first major army deployment. Our troops also won a grand victory in downtown Washington today, with a major mutant stronghold succumbing to the might of our gallant military within three hours." Upon hearing the report, the bar erupted into an uproar of joy, celebrating their victory. A soldier patted Ken on the back, causing Ken to look up at the man. He was younger then him, but seemed much more hardened, seeing much during his tenure in the military. As they both smiled at each other, the man would declare that "one day, we won't have to worry about the muties!". After all that Ken had suffered at the hand of The Family, it was not hard to see why he would sympathize with this statement. Ken would reply with a plain, "I hope so."
--=====--
To: President Augustus AutumnFrom: Gen. Arch Dornan III
Report on our Operations
PITTSBURGH: We have naturally been able to make great gains in Pittsburgh against the raider empire, I can assure you that we will be marching through the city within two weeks. The only major issue now is the rubble itself preventing our larger divisions from advancing. The slaves are now in open revolt however, thanks to our contact on the inside. We also have total air superiority across the entire region. Once we actually take the city however, we will need to hold off on production until we have cleared the toxicity and hopefully cured the 'Trog' disease. Integration will be swift once the disease and Ashur are dealt with.
BALTIMORE: Despite our proximity to the city, we have been slow in our advance to retake it, something that has ended with the 104th now holding a military base in the region. Contacts with the locals have shown that the area is controlled by a missionary Christian group known as the 'Abbey of the Road'. The group is anarchic in nature, but have worked to ensure goodwill in the area and seem to be a positive, hopefully we can broker a deal with them and ensure reintegration is smooth.
AK ALPHA: AK ALPHA continues without any error. Though the inclusion of some younger wastelanders did irk the chief scientists, the new results have shown that the program is bearing fruit. Soon enough we will have soldiers who we can effectively use to work self-sufficiently on missions of great importance. It is vital this Operation continues without a hitch, I will ensure that it does.
Signed: General Arch Dornan III
--=====--
June 31st, Raven Rock Military Testing Area, 2278Dr. Whitley looked on and surveyed as the refurbished Alien Destabilizer rifle fired at the targets with a rapid pace. The rifle had been analyzed in great detail by the top scientists in both the Departments of Technology and Army, both agreeing that it should be remade with Plasma to ensure a clear edge on the battlefield. He then signaled for the tester to use the Plasma version. This version differed quite a bit from the Alien one - with the rifle being in all black made from carbon, the more alien parts removed and a longer, streamlined model to ensure comfort for the human users. It also featured a trigger guard, iron sights and a slimmer rectangular center, as opposed to the oval shaped metallic alien model. As he picked up the rifle, he aimed down the sights before unleashing a volley of molten plasma on the targets. Whitley noted that the rifle itself was much slower than it's alien counterpart, but it remained quicker and easier to use as opposed to the current Plasma rifle in use. After a board meeting with everyone in agreeance, the Winchester P99 'Destabilizer' Plasma Rifle would begin to phase out the bulkier P95, giving the military a better rifle to use.
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