Fallout RP- Systematic Annihilation
- Thread starter Trag
- Start date
The Enemy Within
(You can do character development at any point in the story, but I can help move the clock forward.)
The following morning, the contingent of ghouls from Gecko arrived. The Vault City guards guided them through the minefield and let them inside, where Harold assigned them to different tasks according to their skills. Lenny went to the medical lab on level 1 of the Vault, where Myron was busy at work. He looked up as the ghoul entered.
"Howdy, Dr. Myron," said Lenny. "It's been too long. I wish we could be working together under better circumstances."
"Thanks for coming, Lenny," said Myron. "I can use all the help I can get. There's going to be an awful lot of wounded coming in."
"No problem. Hey, it'll be just like old times. Remember when we rode together with the Chosen One the last time we fought the Enclave?"
"I'll never forget it. Going on that adventure showed me the world. I wouldn't be half the genius I am today if I hadn't had my horizons broadened."
<center>* * *</center>
In the command center on level 3, Harold walked back and forth among Vault City personnel, Eldon Storch, and the Brotherhood pilots, helping get everything ready for the battle ahead. After receiving a message on his radio, he spoke up: "Our scouts just reported that the leading edge of the infected army is closing in on Vault City from the south and west. It's 1100 hours now. They should be here in about an hour. This is the big one, folks. Captain, sound the alert sirens."
"Yes, First Citizen," said Valerie. She pushed a button. Security lights started flashing, and sirens blared throughout the Vault and the surrounding city. Anyone not in the militia who was still outside would know to flee to the Vault. Eldon and Harold both couldn't help recalling that terrible day almost two hundred years past and the nuclear nightmare that had left the world in ruins and had put them in their present state. And now a new nightmare was upon them.
The lights and computer monitors suddenly went out, plunging the Vault into darkness. A second later, they flickered dimly back into life and the computers began to reboot. "What the hell?" said Harold.
Valerie checked the Vault's systems on the control computer. "The primary generator just went off-line!" she said. "The backup generator here in the control center took over. It's enough to power the lights, computers, and elevator, but we don't have enough juice for the electric fence or to fire the laser turrets!"
"This couldn't have come at a worse time! I don't think it's a coincidence, either. Captain, you and Eldon go to the generator on level 2 and get it up and running post haste! If we can't fix it, we're sitting ducks."
Valerie and Eldon hurried to the elevator and rode it up. "I used to be in Maintenance," said Valerie, "and I'm very familiar with our generator."
"Between the two of us," said Eldon, "we should be able to get it operational again."
The elevator let them out on level 2, where the living quarters were. The civilians had moved back in here to take shelter, though none were in the halls. The two of them proceeded to the generator room and the door slid open. A bald man with glasses in civilian garb was smashing equipment repeatedly with a crowbar.
Valerie had her P-90 out in a blink, and Eldon drew his laser pistol. "Drop it!" she ordered the man. He did - only to take cover behind the generator and whip out a .44 revolver. He fired a wild shot which missed as Valerie and Eldon dived aside, putting the generator between them and the saboteur.
"Shoot carefully," Valerie whispered. "We don't want to cause any more damage in here. I'll flush him out, and you take him down. Alive, if possible." She rolled around the corner into a crouch and fired, taking care to use single shots only. The man returned fire twice, hitting her in the chest, and then made a break for the door. Eldon was ready when he did, firing his laser and burning a hole through his right hand. The man screamed in pain, dropping the pistol, then cried out again as Valerie tackled him from the rear, pinned his arms behind his back, and slapped a pair of handcuffs on him.
Two Vault City guards in metal armor arrived, responding to the sounds of gunfire. "Glad to see you guys," said Valerie, standing up. 'We caught us a saboteur. Take him to the medical lab. Dr. Myron can see to his wounds, and he might just have some chems that'll make him talk. Flag down a couple more guards on your way and send them here to stand watch. If there's one traitor, there could be more."
As the guards hauled the Enclave spy to his feet, he shouted: "I'll never talk! You're too late, anyway. You're all dead!"
"If we die, you'll die with us. Get him out of here!"
'Yes, Captain," said one of the guards. He and his partner dragged the man away.
"You okay?" asked Eldon.
"I'll be fine. My armor caught most of it, and the rest is just a flesh wound. I'll stop by the medical lab later. Right now it's more important to get this generator up and running again." She took out her radio, called Harold, and filled him in. "I recommend you place guards you can trust on all sensitive areas."
"Understood, Captain," came Harold's crackly reply. "How bad is the damage?"
Valerie and Eldon surveyed the generator. Eldon whistled. "Most of it looks superficial," he said, "but he took enough whacks at it with that crowbar to put it out of commission and then some. With the right spare parts and enough time we can get her operational."
Valerie nodded in agreement. "We can repair it, First Citizen," she said, "but I'll tell you one thing: it's going to take more than an hour."
(You can do character development at any point in the story, but I can help move the clock forward.)
The following morning, the contingent of ghouls from Gecko arrived. The Vault City guards guided them through the minefield and let them inside, where Harold assigned them to different tasks according to their skills. Lenny went to the medical lab on level 1 of the Vault, where Myron was busy at work. He looked up as the ghoul entered.
"Howdy, Dr. Myron," said Lenny. "It's been too long. I wish we could be working together under better circumstances."
"Thanks for coming, Lenny," said Myron. "I can use all the help I can get. There's going to be an awful lot of wounded coming in."
"No problem. Hey, it'll be just like old times. Remember when we rode together with the Chosen One the last time we fought the Enclave?"
"I'll never forget it. Going on that adventure showed me the world. I wouldn't be half the genius I am today if I hadn't had my horizons broadened."
<center>* * *</center>
In the command center on level 3, Harold walked back and forth among Vault City personnel, Eldon Storch, and the Brotherhood pilots, helping get everything ready for the battle ahead. After receiving a message on his radio, he spoke up: "Our scouts just reported that the leading edge of the infected army is closing in on Vault City from the south and west. It's 1100 hours now. They should be here in about an hour. This is the big one, folks. Captain, sound the alert sirens."
"Yes, First Citizen," said Valerie. She pushed a button. Security lights started flashing, and sirens blared throughout the Vault and the surrounding city. Anyone not in the militia who was still outside would know to flee to the Vault. Eldon and Harold both couldn't help recalling that terrible day almost two hundred years past and the nuclear nightmare that had left the world in ruins and had put them in their present state. And now a new nightmare was upon them.
The lights and computer monitors suddenly went out, plunging the Vault into darkness. A second later, they flickered dimly back into life and the computers began to reboot. "What the hell?" said Harold.
Valerie checked the Vault's systems on the control computer. "The primary generator just went off-line!" she said. "The backup generator here in the control center took over. It's enough to power the lights, computers, and elevator, but we don't have enough juice for the electric fence or to fire the laser turrets!"
"This couldn't have come at a worse time! I don't think it's a coincidence, either. Captain, you and Eldon go to the generator on level 2 and get it up and running post haste! If we can't fix it, we're sitting ducks."
Valerie and Eldon hurried to the elevator and rode it up. "I used to be in Maintenance," said Valerie, "and I'm very familiar with our generator."
"Between the two of us," said Eldon, "we should be able to get it operational again."
The elevator let them out on level 2, where the living quarters were. The civilians had moved back in here to take shelter, though none were in the halls. The two of them proceeded to the generator room and the door slid open. A bald man with glasses in civilian garb was smashing equipment repeatedly with a crowbar.
Valerie had her P-90 out in a blink, and Eldon drew his laser pistol. "Drop it!" she ordered the man. He did - only to take cover behind the generator and whip out a .44 revolver. He fired a wild shot which missed as Valerie and Eldon dived aside, putting the generator between them and the saboteur.
"Shoot carefully," Valerie whispered. "We don't want to cause any more damage in here. I'll flush him out, and you take him down. Alive, if possible." She rolled around the corner into a crouch and fired, taking care to use single shots only. The man returned fire twice, hitting her in the chest, and then made a break for the door. Eldon was ready when he did, firing his laser and burning a hole through his right hand. The man screamed in pain, dropping the pistol, then cried out again as Valerie tackled him from the rear, pinned his arms behind his back, and slapped a pair of handcuffs on him.
Two Vault City guards in metal armor arrived, responding to the sounds of gunfire. "Glad to see you guys," said Valerie, standing up. 'We caught us a saboteur. Take him to the medical lab. Dr. Myron can see to his wounds, and he might just have some chems that'll make him talk. Flag down a couple more guards on your way and send them here to stand watch. If there's one traitor, there could be more."
As the guards hauled the Enclave spy to his feet, he shouted: "I'll never talk! You're too late, anyway. You're all dead!"
"If we die, you'll die with us. Get him out of here!"
'Yes, Captain," said one of the guards. He and his partner dragged the man away.
"You okay?" asked Eldon.
"I'll be fine. My armor caught most of it, and the rest is just a flesh wound. I'll stop by the medical lab later. Right now it's more important to get this generator up and running again." She took out her radio, called Harold, and filled him in. "I recommend you place guards you can trust on all sensitive areas."
"Understood, Captain," came Harold's crackly reply. "How bad is the damage?"
Valerie and Eldon surveyed the generator. Eldon whistled. "Most of it looks superficial," he said, "but he took enough whacks at it with that crowbar to put it out of commission and then some. With the right spare parts and enough time we can get her operational."
Valerie nodded in agreement. "We can repair it, First Citizen," she said, "but I'll tell you one thing: it's going to take more than an hour."
"Tonight...We stand together! We die together!!"
The hour passed all too quickly, Eldon, Valerie and several tech and repair men scrambled to fix the generator as fast as they could. The people on the walls began going crazy, "They're HERE!! The Enclave is HERE!!" One man yelled hysterically.
On the horizon they approached, walking at first, walking almost casually toward the city's outer walls. There were thousands. A sea of infected, all approaching with an eerie silence. Behind the army born of the Enclave's greatest weapon hovered over 30 vertibirds, and under the air units rolled hundreds of large troop transports. They were heavily armored looked as if they could hold quite a few fully armored soldiers.
Valice stepped out of the truck that he had been riding in for days, his boredom was finally over, and his lust for chaos would soon be fed. The menacing 'man' walked through the 'Redemption' infested army and stood at the front line, he stood only meters away from the beginning of the minefield.
Amy gripped her rifle, she looked at him through her scope in horror. Would her bullets even hurt that thing she wondered.
Jack stood on the ground behind the main gates, he had an army with him, all carrying high powered guns and at his command a melee weapon for the oncoming swarm of infected that were sure to reach the inside.
Valice looked back at his army of slaves. "Look at it boys, is Vault City everything you hoped for?" They didn't answer, they couldn't. Valice took a deep breath and his voice blared loud enough to echo through the walls of the city.
"I smell your fear, Vault City!!" His demonic voice sent a chill through all that heard it. "I am what you fear, as you should!! Any sane individual should fear the man that gives them death. For behind me stands the incarnations of everything you work so hard to stop. The fruits of my loins, my future! Your future!! THE ONLY FUTURE!!" Valice raised his wicked blade in the air for all to see and then thrust it forward.
In the instant Valice made the gesture, the infected army charged at full speed toward the walls of the city. Running over landmines, explosions rang out into the air, bodies flew like rag dolls. But, they kept going.
The snipers on the walls began opening up with a hail of gunfire and explosives. when ten infected were destroyed, twenty more seemed to take their place. The infected had made it to the walls and were mercilessly trying to get in.
Valice signaled towards the cliff tops where ten 'Shinobi' squads waited. Each squad consisted of 15 highly trained Enclave soldiers.
Amy looked up from her gun and saw the men leap off of the cliffs and seem to take flight. A mass of armored knights glided quietly towards the top of the wall, the Fusion Power Armor seemed to have some kind of built in rockets Amy thought. But there was no fire, no sound. They just glided like ghosts toward the wall.
Amy fired at one of them, and the soldier seamlessly maneuvered away from the bullet.
"Troopers!! Heading towards the wall!!" She called out.
The other snipers near Amy were just as puzzled as she was, these men seemed to be floating!
Jack looked back to the men behind him, "Alright! This is it, this is the time to prove to your city that your worth a damn. Whatever happens remember the most important thing, without each other in the moments to come we can't survive this. Tonight... We stand together! We die together!!"
There was a cheer from the men and they each readied themselves, and just as they thought they were prepared... The wall burst open in a large explosion, that could have only been a missile from a vertibird.
The infected swarmed in like water from a collapsed dam, they trampled each other, they tumbled over and they charged like a train.
Jack wrenched out his blade and led the charge into the infected that seemed to spill in from the outside. The snipers above were trying to cover the soldiers on the ground as best they could.
Jack sliced left, right, and left again. The soldiers behind him were swinging wildly with axes, swords, bats, anything that they could find. Some men stood back and lit up the oncoming infected with gunfire, but those that did were quickly overtaken and forced into a close quarters battle.
If that wasn't bad enough, the 'Shinobi' units were now over the wall and were engaged in an urban firefight with city defenders. All hell was breaking loose. The war had not only started, in as short as ten minutes it had become one of the bloodiest battles the wasteland has seen in decades.
The fight was only beginning, the infected seemed to swarm in endlessly, Valice and the other Enclave soldiers had still not joined the fight. The Enclave Vertibirds began approaching the city. This would be the longest day in the people of Vault City's lives.
The hour passed all too quickly, Eldon, Valerie and several tech and repair men scrambled to fix the generator as fast as they could. The people on the walls began going crazy, "They're HERE!! The Enclave is HERE!!" One man yelled hysterically.
On the horizon they approached, walking at first, walking almost casually toward the city's outer walls. There were thousands. A sea of infected, all approaching with an eerie silence. Behind the army born of the Enclave's greatest weapon hovered over 30 vertibirds, and under the air units rolled hundreds of large troop transports. They were heavily armored looked as if they could hold quite a few fully armored soldiers.
Valice stepped out of the truck that he had been riding in for days, his boredom was finally over, and his lust for chaos would soon be fed. The menacing 'man' walked through the 'Redemption' infested army and stood at the front line, he stood only meters away from the beginning of the minefield.
Amy gripped her rifle, she looked at him through her scope in horror. Would her bullets even hurt that thing she wondered.
Jack stood on the ground behind the main gates, he had an army with him, all carrying high powered guns and at his command a melee weapon for the oncoming swarm of infected that were sure to reach the inside.
Valice looked back at his army of slaves. "Look at it boys, is Vault City everything you hoped for?" They didn't answer, they couldn't. Valice took a deep breath and his voice blared loud enough to echo through the walls of the city.
"I smell your fear, Vault City!!" His demonic voice sent a chill through all that heard it. "I am what you fear, as you should!! Any sane individual should fear the man that gives them death. For behind me stands the incarnations of everything you work so hard to stop. The fruits of my loins, my future! Your future!! THE ONLY FUTURE!!" Valice raised his wicked blade in the air for all to see and then thrust it forward.
In the instant Valice made the gesture, the infected army charged at full speed toward the walls of the city. Running over landmines, explosions rang out into the air, bodies flew like rag dolls. But, they kept going.
The snipers on the walls began opening up with a hail of gunfire and explosives. when ten infected were destroyed, twenty more seemed to take their place. The infected had made it to the walls and were mercilessly trying to get in.
Valice signaled towards the cliff tops where ten 'Shinobi' squads waited. Each squad consisted of 15 highly trained Enclave soldiers.
Amy looked up from her gun and saw the men leap off of the cliffs and seem to take flight. A mass of armored knights glided quietly towards the top of the wall, the Fusion Power Armor seemed to have some kind of built in rockets Amy thought. But there was no fire, no sound. They just glided like ghosts toward the wall.
Amy fired at one of them, and the soldier seamlessly maneuvered away from the bullet.
"Troopers!! Heading towards the wall!!" She called out.
The other snipers near Amy were just as puzzled as she was, these men seemed to be floating!
Jack looked back to the men behind him, "Alright! This is it, this is the time to prove to your city that your worth a damn. Whatever happens remember the most important thing, without each other in the moments to come we can't survive this. Tonight... We stand together! We die together!!"
There was a cheer from the men and they each readied themselves, and just as they thought they were prepared... The wall burst open in a large explosion, that could have only been a missile from a vertibird.
The infected swarmed in like water from a collapsed dam, they trampled each other, they tumbled over and they charged like a train.
Jack wrenched out his blade and led the charge into the infected that seemed to spill in from the outside. The snipers above were trying to cover the soldiers on the ground as best they could.
Jack sliced left, right, and left again. The soldiers behind him were swinging wildly with axes, swords, bats, anything that they could find. Some men stood back and lit up the oncoming infected with gunfire, but those that did were quickly overtaken and forced into a close quarters battle.
If that wasn't bad enough, the 'Shinobi' units were now over the wall and were engaged in an urban firefight with city defenders. All hell was breaking loose. The war had not only started, in as short as ten minutes it had become one of the bloodiest battles the wasteland has seen in decades.
The fight was only beginning, the infected seemed to swarm in endlessly, Valice and the other Enclave soldiers had still not joined the fight. The Enclave Vertibirds began approaching the city. This would be the longest day in the people of Vault City's lives.
OOC: I am not doing flashbacks.
IC
"Where the hell did you get that thing?" A mercenary sniper for the city asked Alex, staring at the impressive piece of hardware he was holding.
"I built this piece a long time ago. Lent it to someone, they got shot, and it wound up here," Alex said, lifting the Gauss Sniper Rifle. The magnetically-powered rifle was fifteen times better than the average Gauss Rifle, which menat Alex was only going to use it when necessary. By chance and chance alone he had found the thing while roaming around Gecko, thinking.
"Daaaamn. Can you biuild me one?"
"Probably could. I think I should, actually."
A Vertibird flew overhead. Alex fired the rifle and the Enclave machine exploded, crashing into a group of Redemption. He watched the pile of burning rubble and listened to the angry screams of the zombies. He turned in his sniper tower towards teh main battle and found a group of Enclave tearing a man apart with Plasma. Once shot, all three of the soldiers were ripped to shreds, along with a wall nearby. He kept firing the rifle, enjoying eac h and every hit. He fired more and more often, until the rifle overheated and the mercenary said,
"Hey! Calm down! It's just a rifle! It's not that cool!"
Alex looked at the rifle, breathing heavily. With one, quick movement, he snapped teh rifle in two and jumped off the makeshift tower, landing on a roof safely.
"That guy needs some help," teh mercenary said to himself. The man looked through his scope where an Enclave sniper was looking right back at him with a Plasma sniper rifle. And then the mercenary's head exploded.
IC
"Where the hell did you get that thing?" A mercenary sniper for the city asked Alex, staring at the impressive piece of hardware he was holding.
"I built this piece a long time ago. Lent it to someone, they got shot, and it wound up here," Alex said, lifting the Gauss Sniper Rifle. The magnetically-powered rifle was fifteen times better than the average Gauss Rifle, which menat Alex was only going to use it when necessary. By chance and chance alone he had found the thing while roaming around Gecko, thinking.
"Daaaamn. Can you biuild me one?"
"Probably could. I think I should, actually."
A Vertibird flew overhead. Alex fired the rifle and the Enclave machine exploded, crashing into a group of Redemption. He watched the pile of burning rubble and listened to the angry screams of the zombies. He turned in his sniper tower towards teh main battle and found a group of Enclave tearing a man apart with Plasma. Once shot, all three of the soldiers were ripped to shreds, along with a wall nearby. He kept firing the rifle, enjoying eac h and every hit. He fired more and more often, until the rifle overheated and the mercenary said,
"Hey! Calm down! It's just a rifle! It's not that cool!"
Alex looked at the rifle, breathing heavily. With one, quick movement, he snapped teh rifle in two and jumped off the makeshift tower, landing on a roof safely.
"That guy needs some help," teh mercenary said to himself. The man looked through his scope where an Enclave sniper was looking right back at him with a Plasma sniper rifle. And then the mercenary's head exploded.
Once in Love with Amy; Ride of the Vertibirds
Valerie's face went pale as she listened to the reports coming in on her radio. "They've breached the wall!" she exclaimed.
Eldon fiddled feverishly with the generator. "Almost got it! Only a few more minutes!" The help from Vault City's technical personnel and some of the ghouls from Gecko had shortened the repair time significantly, but not enough. He only hoped the defenders could hold the line long enough.
<center>* * *</center>
Amy Velasco picked off the infected from her sniper's nest on the walls, as did Rachel on the opposite side of the gate, but there were just too many of them and they just kept coming through holes they ripped in the fence towards the punctured city. Their terrifying leader stood out in the open, seemingly directing them. She knew the only way to stop them was to take him out. She didn't know if her needler rifle could do it, but she had to try.
Amy popped an AP needle into the chamber, sighted carefully at Valice's head through the scope, adjusted for windage and elevation, and fired. The needle struck him on the temple, but he barely flinched. Then he looked right at her, his icy gaze meeting hers. A chill ran down her spine as he pointed a crooked finger at her. A swarm of infected, as if acting under his direct command, made right for her.
The diseased troops soon closed the distance; the few Amy dropped didn't deplete their numbers significantly. They were so close she couldn't miss. She slung her rifle on her back and drew her Desert Eagles to get a better rate of fire. She expended both clips, sending bodies flying. Her ears rang with the gunshots as she reloaded and resumed firing. The infected had her position completely surrounded. She emptied her guns, reloaded yet again, and kept shooting into the crowd.
The heat of battle had so distracted Amy that she didn't see Clem climbing the wall. He pounced on her from the side and knocked her on her back, sending her pistols spinning from her hands and sliding across the wall. Amy looked in horror into his glowing orange eyes. Drool dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"NO!" she screamed, instinctively raising her left arm to fend him off. He bit into it just above her elbow. Then he wrenched her arms aside, wrapped his hands around her throat, and started to throttle her as he straddled her waist. Her rifle was pinned beneath her. Her Desert Eagles were only five feet away, but it may as well have been a mile. Clem was too far forward for her to use her switchblade boots. She kicked, punched, and scratched him, but he took no notice and appeared to feel no pain. She clawed desperately at his arms, but they were like steel rods. Her strength was beginning to desert her, and she was feeling lightheaded from lack of oxygen. She knew she was dying, and nobody could help her.
A bright flash filled the sky. At first Amy thought she had died, but she could still feel the agony of Clem strangling her. The electric fence surged with power. The infected who were in the process of pushing through the holes jerked crazily as the lethal voltage surged through them. Because they were packed so tight, the electricity jumped from one to another, electrocuting hundreds of them in an instant. The laser turrets suddenly came to life, sending deadly beams through the attacking hordes and turning the space between the fence and the wall into a killing field.
Amy's will to live resurfaced, and she felt adrenaline course through her. She reached back to her hat, pulled out the hatpin securing it to her hair, and rammed it with all her flagging might through Clem's orange eye and into his brain. Clem stiffened, his grip slackened, and he fell over dead. Amy sat bolt upright, screaming and clutching her throat with both hands.
Jack hacked his way towards Amy. With the help of the laser turrets, the invaders' ranks were thin enough that he was able to get underneath her position without much trouble. He gripped his weapon between his teeth and scaled the wall. When he hauled himself over the top, he retrieved the blade from his mouth and raced to Amy's side. "Amy!" he shouted. "Are you okay?"
She shook her head, hyperventilating and sobbing. Jack sat beside her and hugged her until she calmed down enough to speak. She turned her arm so he could see the bite marks. "I'm..." she wheezed, "infected now, aren't I?"
"Welcome to my world." Jack took out a hypo of glowing serum. "Hold still. This is going to hurt, but you'll have to get used to it." Amy gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. She whimpered as the sharp needle pierced her jugular vein. She could feel the liquid flowing through her bloodstream, imagining it fighting the infection.
When Jack finished, he discarded the empty needle and opened a first aid kit. He bandaged her injuries and helped her stand. "What's gonna happen to me?" she asked, her lips quivering. She wrapped her arms tightly around him.
Jack titled Amy's head up and looked her in the eyes. "We're going to beat this thing. I won't let Redemption take you, Amy. I promise you." Amy calmed down, feeling secure in his arms. She had always been so confident and sure of herself before. Jack had never seen her so vulnerable. "Hey, look on the bright side."
"There's a bright side?"
"Sure. Now I don't have to worry about infecting you any more." He brought his lips to hers and kissed her. She closed her eyes and melted against him. He broke it off sooner than they both would have liked. "That'll have to do for now. This battle's just getting started." Vault City's defenders had mopped up the infected who had made it inside the city, and the laser turrets and electrified fence were decimating the masses still outside. But the bulk of the Enclave's forces had yet to enter the fray.
<center>* * *</center>
Major Halle Richter grinned as she received the orders on her Vertibird's radio. "This is Reins," came the fell voice that rattled even her. "The enemy has somehow gotten the generator operational again. The laser turrets are your top priority targets. Begin your attack now. Don't worry about collateral damage to the Redemption Army. They are just cannon fodder."
"Yes, sir!" she replied with sheer glee. This was the moment she had waited for. She quickly did a systems check. "All primary systems check," she told her co-pilot. "Sound system check."
"Sound system?" he asked. "What do we need that for?" She handed him a holodisk, and he glanced at the label. "Opera music?! Oh, come on!"
"Trust me, you'll like this one. It's a little ditty by Wagner called 'Ride of the Valkyries.' It's...traditional." The co-pilot shrugged and slid the disk into the player. Richter switched the radio to her wing's frequency. "This is Valkyrie. Initiate attack pattern delta."
Richter swooped towards Vault City and pressed the button that activated the loudspeakers installed on her Vertibird. The crashing chords of Wagner ripped through the midday sky. "Da-da-da-DA-DA!" she sang in unison with the music. "Da-da-da-DA-DA!" She pressed a button on the control stick, and a missile streaked away from the Vertibird. It struck the nearest laser turret, reducing it to useless slag.
Richter banked to the right to line up her next target when two missiles struck the rightmost Vertibird in the formation, sending it spiraling to the earth where it exploded. "What idiot caused that blue on blue?!" she shrieked. "I'll have his balls!"
"It wasn't one of ours," said the co-pilot. "Since when does Vault City have aircraft?"
Richter looked at the radar screen and saw the red blip coming at the 28 remaining blue dots from 5 o'clock low. Several more red blips appeared on the screen, following it. "They don't. These must be Brotherhood!" She keyed the microphone. "This is Valkyrie. Engage enemy aircraft! Reserve your missiles for them alone. Cannons will be good enough for the laser turrets; they're stationary targets." The fight for the skies had begun.
Valerie's face went pale as she listened to the reports coming in on her radio. "They've breached the wall!" she exclaimed.
Eldon fiddled feverishly with the generator. "Almost got it! Only a few more minutes!" The help from Vault City's technical personnel and some of the ghouls from Gecko had shortened the repair time significantly, but not enough. He only hoped the defenders could hold the line long enough.
<center>* * *</center>
Amy Velasco picked off the infected from her sniper's nest on the walls, as did Rachel on the opposite side of the gate, but there were just too many of them and they just kept coming through holes they ripped in the fence towards the punctured city. Their terrifying leader stood out in the open, seemingly directing them. She knew the only way to stop them was to take him out. She didn't know if her needler rifle could do it, but she had to try.
Amy popped an AP needle into the chamber, sighted carefully at Valice's head through the scope, adjusted for windage and elevation, and fired. The needle struck him on the temple, but he barely flinched. Then he looked right at her, his icy gaze meeting hers. A chill ran down her spine as he pointed a crooked finger at her. A swarm of infected, as if acting under his direct command, made right for her.
The diseased troops soon closed the distance; the few Amy dropped didn't deplete their numbers significantly. They were so close she couldn't miss. She slung her rifle on her back and drew her Desert Eagles to get a better rate of fire. She expended both clips, sending bodies flying. Her ears rang with the gunshots as she reloaded and resumed firing. The infected had her position completely surrounded. She emptied her guns, reloaded yet again, and kept shooting into the crowd.
The heat of battle had so distracted Amy that she didn't see Clem climbing the wall. He pounced on her from the side and knocked her on her back, sending her pistols spinning from her hands and sliding across the wall. Amy looked in horror into his glowing orange eyes. Drool dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"NO!" she screamed, instinctively raising her left arm to fend him off. He bit into it just above her elbow. Then he wrenched her arms aside, wrapped his hands around her throat, and started to throttle her as he straddled her waist. Her rifle was pinned beneath her. Her Desert Eagles were only five feet away, but it may as well have been a mile. Clem was too far forward for her to use her switchblade boots. She kicked, punched, and scratched him, but he took no notice and appeared to feel no pain. She clawed desperately at his arms, but they were like steel rods. Her strength was beginning to desert her, and she was feeling lightheaded from lack of oxygen. She knew she was dying, and nobody could help her.
A bright flash filled the sky. At first Amy thought she had died, but she could still feel the agony of Clem strangling her. The electric fence surged with power. The infected who were in the process of pushing through the holes jerked crazily as the lethal voltage surged through them. Because they were packed so tight, the electricity jumped from one to another, electrocuting hundreds of them in an instant. The laser turrets suddenly came to life, sending deadly beams through the attacking hordes and turning the space between the fence and the wall into a killing field.
Amy's will to live resurfaced, and she felt adrenaline course through her. She reached back to her hat, pulled out the hatpin securing it to her hair, and rammed it with all her flagging might through Clem's orange eye and into his brain. Clem stiffened, his grip slackened, and he fell over dead. Amy sat bolt upright, screaming and clutching her throat with both hands.
Jack hacked his way towards Amy. With the help of the laser turrets, the invaders' ranks were thin enough that he was able to get underneath her position without much trouble. He gripped his weapon between his teeth and scaled the wall. When he hauled himself over the top, he retrieved the blade from his mouth and raced to Amy's side. "Amy!" he shouted. "Are you okay?"
She shook her head, hyperventilating and sobbing. Jack sat beside her and hugged her until she calmed down enough to speak. She turned her arm so he could see the bite marks. "I'm..." she wheezed, "infected now, aren't I?"
"Welcome to my world." Jack took out a hypo of glowing serum. "Hold still. This is going to hurt, but you'll have to get used to it." Amy gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. She whimpered as the sharp needle pierced her jugular vein. She could feel the liquid flowing through her bloodstream, imagining it fighting the infection.
When Jack finished, he discarded the empty needle and opened a first aid kit. He bandaged her injuries and helped her stand. "What's gonna happen to me?" she asked, her lips quivering. She wrapped her arms tightly around him.
Jack titled Amy's head up and looked her in the eyes. "We're going to beat this thing. I won't let Redemption take you, Amy. I promise you." Amy calmed down, feeling secure in his arms. She had always been so confident and sure of herself before. Jack had never seen her so vulnerable. "Hey, look on the bright side."
"There's a bright side?"
"Sure. Now I don't have to worry about infecting you any more." He brought his lips to hers and kissed her. She closed her eyes and melted against him. He broke it off sooner than they both would have liked. "That'll have to do for now. This battle's just getting started." Vault City's defenders had mopped up the infected who had made it inside the city, and the laser turrets and electrified fence were decimating the masses still outside. But the bulk of the Enclave's forces had yet to enter the fray.
<center>* * *</center>
Major Halle Richter grinned as she received the orders on her Vertibird's radio. "This is Reins," came the fell voice that rattled even her. "The enemy has somehow gotten the generator operational again. The laser turrets are your top priority targets. Begin your attack now. Don't worry about collateral damage to the Redemption Army. They are just cannon fodder."
"Yes, sir!" she replied with sheer glee. This was the moment she had waited for. She quickly did a systems check. "All primary systems check," she told her co-pilot. "Sound system check."
"Sound system?" he asked. "What do we need that for?" She handed him a holodisk, and he glanced at the label. "Opera music?! Oh, come on!"
"Trust me, you'll like this one. It's a little ditty by Wagner called 'Ride of the Valkyries.' It's...traditional." The co-pilot shrugged and slid the disk into the player. Richter switched the radio to her wing's frequency. "This is Valkyrie. Initiate attack pattern delta."
Richter swooped towards Vault City and pressed the button that activated the loudspeakers installed on her Vertibird. The crashing chords of Wagner ripped through the midday sky. "Da-da-da-DA-DA!" she sang in unison with the music. "Da-da-da-DA-DA!" She pressed a button on the control stick, and a missile streaked away from the Vertibird. It struck the nearest laser turret, reducing it to useless slag.
Richter banked to the right to line up her next target when two missiles struck the rightmost Vertibird in the formation, sending it spiraling to the earth where it exploded. "What idiot caused that blue on blue?!" she shrieked. "I'll have his balls!"
"It wasn't one of ours," said the co-pilot. "Since when does Vault City have aircraft?"
Richter looked at the radar screen and saw the red blip coming at the 28 remaining blue dots from 5 o'clock low. Several more red blips appeared on the screen, following it. "They don't. These must be Brotherhood!" She keyed the microphone. "This is Valkyrie. Engage enemy aircraft! Reserve your missiles for them alone. Cannons will be good enough for the laser turrets; they're stationary targets." The fight for the skies had begun.
Valice Reins and Easy Company join the fray!!
The Brotherhood Vertichicks and the Enclave Vertibirds clashed in an amazing and explosive dogfight above Vault City. The skies were consumed by fire, and the ground was consumed by the violent tearing of flesh. Men locked in battle with monsters like battles of old it was no longer just trading gunshots, it was a battlefield where men weilded axes and makeshift swords, chainsaw-like weapons and spiked gloves. The warriors of the wasteland were within arms reach of the imbodyment of 'Redemption'. Gargled screams and what can only be described as battle crys filled the air.
Valice watched the laser turrets quickly thinning the crowds of his infected army, and the electrified fences impeding a large amount of infected humans' advance.
"I think it's about time for the big boys to enter the fray." Valice said to himself.
There was a loud explosion and Valice looked to the source to see a Vertichick crash several yards away from him. He stood unflinchingly and could see from his vantage point that there in fact was no pilot inside.
"Smart!" Valice exclaimed realizing instantly that the aircraft must all be flying by remote control. "Very sneaky, very resourceful. My kind of enemy!"
Valice turned back to the large armored troop transports. If he were to send them in now the laser turrets still operational would be strong enough to destroy a few of them. He decided to wait until his air forces could destroy the remaining turrets.
Valice got on his radio and spoke, " Easy Company, move to my position. We are going in." Easy company was Valice's best 'Shinobi' unit. Trained by Valice personally, they were one of his most prized achievements. The twenty-five man crew named after one of the greatest military companies in World War II joined their revered master at his position. They were wearing upgraded Fusion Power Armor, tailored to each one individually to increase their performance on the field of battle.
Each carried new prototype lightweight precision 'Hammer' negative energy assault rifles finished just months before this day, they had been perfected over a period of five years and this would be their first field test.
The weapons fired bursts of concentrated negative energy, unlike plasma's superheated melting effect; a shot from one of these rifles would actually implode its unfortunate target almost instantly. It was found to be quite messy when used on live test subjects.
Valice and his men quickly charged to the main wall away from the electrified fences, He looked back at them, "Activate hover sequences and meet me at the top. When we enter we will split up into two groups, Alpha and Beta. Beta will re-enforce 'Shinobi' units, while my team, Alpha will head for the Vault." His men quietly nodded in acknowledgement and they began 'floating' to the top of the wall.
Valice Reins in a feat of seemingly super-human agility in one stunning leap landed at the top of the enormous wall. Armed with his sinister looking sword and a rocket launcher on his back he cut through several snipers that stood on the roof and leaped towards one of the many laser turrets.
With two hard strikes at the base of the turret, Valice disconnected it from the wall, it fell onto a crowd of infected who seemed to hardly notice what had happened.
Valice leaped off the wall and joined his Alpha team, on a quest to destroy the only safe haven in the city- The Vault!
The Brotherhood Vertichicks and the Enclave Vertibirds clashed in an amazing and explosive dogfight above Vault City. The skies were consumed by fire, and the ground was consumed by the violent tearing of flesh. Men locked in battle with monsters like battles of old it was no longer just trading gunshots, it was a battlefield where men weilded axes and makeshift swords, chainsaw-like weapons and spiked gloves. The warriors of the wasteland were within arms reach of the imbodyment of 'Redemption'. Gargled screams and what can only be described as battle crys filled the air.
Valice watched the laser turrets quickly thinning the crowds of his infected army, and the electrified fences impeding a large amount of infected humans' advance.
"I think it's about time for the big boys to enter the fray." Valice said to himself.
There was a loud explosion and Valice looked to the source to see a Vertichick crash several yards away from him. He stood unflinchingly and could see from his vantage point that there in fact was no pilot inside.
"Smart!" Valice exclaimed realizing instantly that the aircraft must all be flying by remote control. "Very sneaky, very resourceful. My kind of enemy!"
Valice turned back to the large armored troop transports. If he were to send them in now the laser turrets still operational would be strong enough to destroy a few of them. He decided to wait until his air forces could destroy the remaining turrets.
Valice got on his radio and spoke, " Easy Company, move to my position. We are going in." Easy company was Valice's best 'Shinobi' unit. Trained by Valice personally, they were one of his most prized achievements. The twenty-five man crew named after one of the greatest military companies in World War II joined their revered master at his position. They were wearing upgraded Fusion Power Armor, tailored to each one individually to increase their performance on the field of battle.
Each carried new prototype lightweight precision 'Hammer' negative energy assault rifles finished just months before this day, they had been perfected over a period of five years and this would be their first field test.
The weapons fired bursts of concentrated negative energy, unlike plasma's superheated melting effect; a shot from one of these rifles would actually implode its unfortunate target almost instantly. It was found to be quite messy when used on live test subjects.
Valice and his men quickly charged to the main wall away from the electrified fences, He looked back at them, "Activate hover sequences and meet me at the top. When we enter we will split up into two groups, Alpha and Beta. Beta will re-enforce 'Shinobi' units, while my team, Alpha will head for the Vault." His men quietly nodded in acknowledgement and they began 'floating' to the top of the wall.
Valice Reins in a feat of seemingly super-human agility in one stunning leap landed at the top of the enormous wall. Armed with his sinister looking sword and a rocket launcher on his back he cut through several snipers that stood on the roof and leaped towards one of the many laser turrets.
With two hard strikes at the base of the turret, Valice disconnected it from the wall, it fell onto a crowd of infected who seemed to hardly notice what had happened.
Valice leaped off the wall and joined his Alpha team, on a quest to destroy the only safe haven in the city- The Vault!
War in the Heavens; Desperate Measures
Rachel Wright sniped at the floating soldiers as the aerial battle raged overhead to the backdrop of Ride of the Valkyries. The whole situation seemed so surreal to her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind and just focused on aiming. The flying troops were very adept at dodging, but she still managed to hit them a few times, particularly when their attention was diverted from her. However, she had no idea if her rifle's rounds were even penetrating their armor.
One of the Shinobi stopped moving and hovered in midair for a second, and that was all the opportunity Rachel needed. She fired a shot right at his eye. The .223 bullet pierced the protective transparent covering on his helmet and snapped his head back. He was unmoving and clearly dead, but his body just hung in the air without falling.
Another Enclave warrior rocketed through the air towards Rachel, this one carrying an odd-looking rifle. When he aimed it in her direction, she flung herself aside. The blast hit the wall where she'd been crouching just a split second before, causing the top of it to crumble. Rachel slid off the wall and plunged to the street below.
<center>* * *</center>
Eldon returned to the command center, which was a busy hive of activity. He relieved a Vault City guard at a computer terminal used to control the laser turrets. He fired at the Vertibirds zipping past overhead and the ominous floating soldiers.
"I've got one on my tail!" shouted Ben from a nearby terminal, from which he was piloting a VertiChick.
"I'm on it," said Angus, who was at the terminal on his right. He spun his controller and pressed its buttons rapidly. "Got him!"
"Thanks, Initiate. Good job!"
Other Brotherhood pilots were not so lucky. One had his VertiChick shot down, and then another. As they did, they ran off to the elevator so they could join the fighting on the surface. Laser turrets were also being destroyed all too quickly. Eldon wondered how they could possibly hope to stop the relentless onslaught.
"They're getting dangerously close to the Vault," said Harold. "If the Brotherhood can't hold them off, we'll have to seal the door."
<center>* * *</center>
Halle Richter blasted a VertiChick with her plasma cannons, having long since expended her missiles. It exploded in a shower of sparks and flames. Both sides had shot off most of their missiles in the first few minutes of the battle. The initial ambush had taken out several Vertibirds, but the tide was clearly turning now. The laser turrets had helped the VertiChicks inflict heavy casualties on her wing, but she had steered the fighting out of their range while the VertiChicks had pursued. Then she had performed an Immelmann and come right back at them.
The VertiChicks had dodged and darted away with aggravating skill, but their numbers had dwindled. Now only one remained, though there were just nine Vertibirds left at this point. "That's their ace," she said. "He's personally taken out five of our birds, but this time he's met his match." Richter performed a barrel roll and came out heading right for it. "Target his weapons, Hicks!"
The co-pilot complied, and the Vertibird's plasma cannons fired at the VertiChick as it dodged and weaved, firing its turbolasers. Richter's Vertibird took a couple of hits as it passed overhead, but she managed to score a direct hit on its lasers. "He's defenseless now!" she exulted. The VertiChick swooped in a wide arc to the right as she gave chase with cannons blazing. Its pilot evaded with expert skill, and then came right towards her. "So he wants to play chicken, eh? Bring it on!"
Richter gunned the engine and kept firing as the two aircraft zoomed towards each other. She landed a couple of hits, but it didn't even slow down. It was close enough that she could see the pilot - except there wasn't one!
Richter swerved hard to the left. "There's no one fl-" started Hicks, interrupted by the VertiChick slamming into the Vertibird's side. Its wing ripped through the cockpit, shattering the glass.
Richter fought to control the Vertibird, but the controls responded sluggishly. "The starboard engine's out!" she cried. "We're going to have to set down for repairs, Hicks." She guided her crippled Vertibird back towards the Enclave lines, but there was no response from her co-pilot. "Hicks?" She tapped the motionless man on the shoulder, and his helmet slid off and fell to the floor, his head still inside it. The VertiChick's wing had decapitated him cleanly. She let out a primal bellow and slammed her hands down on the control panel. She was out of the fight, for now.
<center>* * *</center>
Valerie got off the elevator on level 1 of the Vault just as Sergeant Stark and a medic ran past carrying a stretcher with Rachel Wright lying on it. She followed them to the Emergency Medical Lab, where Myron and the medical staff were hard at work treating the wounded.
Rachel moaned as Stark placed her in an empty bed. "Relax," he said. "You're going to be just fine, Rachel."
She squeezed his hand. "I got one...just before I went down. They're not invincible. Aim for the eye covering...it's the weakest part of the armor."
"I'll pass the word, but we're lucky if we can hit them at all. Get well soon." Lenny arrived at Rachel's bed with stimpaks and painkillers. Stark and the medic raced back out to rejoin the battle.
Myron looked up as Valerie entered. "I'll have someone look at you as soon as they're available, Captain," he said.
"That can wait, Dr. Myron," she said. "I've waited this long. How's the interrogation going?" She glanced at the captured spy, who was lying in a cot, securely restrained.
Myron sighed. "It isn't. The guy is very resistant to chems, and he's been able to withstand everything I've tried."
"Isn't there anything you can do?"
"Well...I do have one idea. I didn't want to have to do it, but I guess I don't have a choice." He called a nurse over and whispered in her ear. She nodded and rushed off. She came back shortly with a syringe filled with orange liquid, which she handed to Myron. He walked over to the prisoner.
The man spat at him. "That won't do you any good," he said. "I told you, no drug can make me talk."
Myron gave him an evil grin. "Oh, this isn't a drug." He waited a few seconds while his captive puzzled over this. "How would you like to turn into one of those zombies we're slaughtering outside?" The man's eyes bulged. "That's right. As you know, I've been working on a cure for Redemption. This solution contains some of the infectious agent I've been using in my research."
"Dr. Myron, that's going too far!" protested Valerie.
"Back off!" Myron snarled, jabbing the needle in her direction.
Valerie hopped away and gaped at him. "The First Citizen will hear of this!"
"Let him! I don't care any more!"
Myron rounded on the Enclave agent, whose eyes darted around in panic. "He's a maniac!" he screamed. "Somebody stop him!"
"Look around you, scum! Vault City's blood is on your hands! These people are dead and wounded because of your treachery! Nobody in this room will lift a finger to help you." Myron pressed the needle against his neck. "Last chance."
"No, you're bluffing! You wouldn't! You couldn't!"
"Watch me." Myron injected the fluid into the man's neck as Valerie watched in horror, then discarded the empty hypo. "I can keep the infection at bay...if you cooperate."
"This will all be over before I transform, you sick freak!"
"You weren't infected in the normal manner. I just injected the distilled essence of Redemption directly into your bloodstream. You've got an hour, two tops."
The spy's teeth chattered. "That serum of yours would only buy me some time. Redemption will get me in the end anyway."
"I told you, I've been working on a cure. I recently completed an experimental version of it. It's got some side effects, but, hey, the alternative is worse. I'll give you a dose if you talk."
"All right! What do you want to know?"
Myron took out a recording device. "Everything. First off, the names of your fellow spies. Also, you must have been in contact with the Enclave. I want radio frequencies, encryption keys, whatever you've got. And don't hold anything back. The only way you'll come out of this in one piece is if we win." He pressed the record button.
The traitor rattled off a bunch of names of his confederates, then told him the radio frequencies and code keys he knew of. "I was recruited in New Reno," he said, "during a trip there a few months ago. Angel Mordino hired me and introduced me to these Enclave guys in scary armor. They paid me thousands of chips, but I didn't hear back from them until a few days ago. That's when they ordered me to sabotage the generator. They told me to wait until shortly before noon today. I'm not a Citizen, so I didn't know how I would get access to the Vault until they evacuated us inside. Once the alarms started going off, I made my move. I didn't have to worry about tripping the alarm at that point since it was already ringing."
When the spy finished his confession, Myron switched off the recorder, ejected the holodisk, and downloaded the data into the computer network. "Hey, what about my cure?" the man demanded.
"First I have to verify what you've told me," said Myron. He called Harold on the radio and told him that the spy had talked and where to find the information.
A minute later, Harold responded. "This is incredible!" he said. "We can eavesdrop on the Enclave's transmissions now. Most of the people he mentioned left with the people who fled the city, but a couple of them are still here. I've sent security teams to round them up. That could just be one cell, so there may still be others out there. Well done!"
"Come on, man!" said the spy. "Make with the cure already!"
"Oh, that," said Myron. "I made that part up. I haven't got one yet, but I'm getting closer."
The prisoner groaned. "The serum, then! Hurry!"
"No." Myron watched him squirm for a little before he continued. "You don't need it." He paused again. "Man, are you dumb! I never injected you with Redemption. That was just saline solution with orange dye." He slapped his knees and burst out laughing.
"Wow," said Valerie. "You know, you could have told me what you were planning."
"No, your reaction had to be genuine, or he might not have fallen for it. Still going to report this to the First Citizen?"
"Yeah. I'm going to tell him how brilliant you are."
"Thanks, but he already knows that."
Rachel Wright sniped at the floating soldiers as the aerial battle raged overhead to the backdrop of Ride of the Valkyries. The whole situation seemed so surreal to her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind and just focused on aiming. The flying troops were very adept at dodging, but she still managed to hit them a few times, particularly when their attention was diverted from her. However, she had no idea if her rifle's rounds were even penetrating their armor.
One of the Shinobi stopped moving and hovered in midair for a second, and that was all the opportunity Rachel needed. She fired a shot right at his eye. The .223 bullet pierced the protective transparent covering on his helmet and snapped his head back. He was unmoving and clearly dead, but his body just hung in the air without falling.
Another Enclave warrior rocketed through the air towards Rachel, this one carrying an odd-looking rifle. When he aimed it in her direction, she flung herself aside. The blast hit the wall where she'd been crouching just a split second before, causing the top of it to crumble. Rachel slid off the wall and plunged to the street below.
<center>* * *</center>
Eldon returned to the command center, which was a busy hive of activity. He relieved a Vault City guard at a computer terminal used to control the laser turrets. He fired at the Vertibirds zipping past overhead and the ominous floating soldiers.
"I've got one on my tail!" shouted Ben from a nearby terminal, from which he was piloting a VertiChick.
"I'm on it," said Angus, who was at the terminal on his right. He spun his controller and pressed its buttons rapidly. "Got him!"
"Thanks, Initiate. Good job!"
Other Brotherhood pilots were not so lucky. One had his VertiChick shot down, and then another. As they did, they ran off to the elevator so they could join the fighting on the surface. Laser turrets were also being destroyed all too quickly. Eldon wondered how they could possibly hope to stop the relentless onslaught.
"They're getting dangerously close to the Vault," said Harold. "If the Brotherhood can't hold them off, we'll have to seal the door."
<center>* * *</center>
Halle Richter blasted a VertiChick with her plasma cannons, having long since expended her missiles. It exploded in a shower of sparks and flames. Both sides had shot off most of their missiles in the first few minutes of the battle. The initial ambush had taken out several Vertibirds, but the tide was clearly turning now. The laser turrets had helped the VertiChicks inflict heavy casualties on her wing, but she had steered the fighting out of their range while the VertiChicks had pursued. Then she had performed an Immelmann and come right back at them.
The VertiChicks had dodged and darted away with aggravating skill, but their numbers had dwindled. Now only one remained, though there were just nine Vertibirds left at this point. "That's their ace," she said. "He's personally taken out five of our birds, but this time he's met his match." Richter performed a barrel roll and came out heading right for it. "Target his weapons, Hicks!"
The co-pilot complied, and the Vertibird's plasma cannons fired at the VertiChick as it dodged and weaved, firing its turbolasers. Richter's Vertibird took a couple of hits as it passed overhead, but she managed to score a direct hit on its lasers. "He's defenseless now!" she exulted. The VertiChick swooped in a wide arc to the right as she gave chase with cannons blazing. Its pilot evaded with expert skill, and then came right towards her. "So he wants to play chicken, eh? Bring it on!"
Richter gunned the engine and kept firing as the two aircraft zoomed towards each other. She landed a couple of hits, but it didn't even slow down. It was close enough that she could see the pilot - except there wasn't one!
Richter swerved hard to the left. "There's no one fl-" started Hicks, interrupted by the VertiChick slamming into the Vertibird's side. Its wing ripped through the cockpit, shattering the glass.
Richter fought to control the Vertibird, but the controls responded sluggishly. "The starboard engine's out!" she cried. "We're going to have to set down for repairs, Hicks." She guided her crippled Vertibird back towards the Enclave lines, but there was no response from her co-pilot. "Hicks?" She tapped the motionless man on the shoulder, and his helmet slid off and fell to the floor, his head still inside it. The VertiChick's wing had decapitated him cleanly. She let out a primal bellow and slammed her hands down on the control panel. She was out of the fight, for now.
<center>* * *</center>
Valerie got off the elevator on level 1 of the Vault just as Sergeant Stark and a medic ran past carrying a stretcher with Rachel Wright lying on it. She followed them to the Emergency Medical Lab, where Myron and the medical staff were hard at work treating the wounded.
Rachel moaned as Stark placed her in an empty bed. "Relax," he said. "You're going to be just fine, Rachel."
She squeezed his hand. "I got one...just before I went down. They're not invincible. Aim for the eye covering...it's the weakest part of the armor."
"I'll pass the word, but we're lucky if we can hit them at all. Get well soon." Lenny arrived at Rachel's bed with stimpaks and painkillers. Stark and the medic raced back out to rejoin the battle.
Myron looked up as Valerie entered. "I'll have someone look at you as soon as they're available, Captain," he said.
"That can wait, Dr. Myron," she said. "I've waited this long. How's the interrogation going?" She glanced at the captured spy, who was lying in a cot, securely restrained.
Myron sighed. "It isn't. The guy is very resistant to chems, and he's been able to withstand everything I've tried."
"Isn't there anything you can do?"
"Well...I do have one idea. I didn't want to have to do it, but I guess I don't have a choice." He called a nurse over and whispered in her ear. She nodded and rushed off. She came back shortly with a syringe filled with orange liquid, which she handed to Myron. He walked over to the prisoner.
The man spat at him. "That won't do you any good," he said. "I told you, no drug can make me talk."
Myron gave him an evil grin. "Oh, this isn't a drug." He waited a few seconds while his captive puzzled over this. "How would you like to turn into one of those zombies we're slaughtering outside?" The man's eyes bulged. "That's right. As you know, I've been working on a cure for Redemption. This solution contains some of the infectious agent I've been using in my research."
"Dr. Myron, that's going too far!" protested Valerie.
"Back off!" Myron snarled, jabbing the needle in her direction.
Valerie hopped away and gaped at him. "The First Citizen will hear of this!"
"Let him! I don't care any more!"
Myron rounded on the Enclave agent, whose eyes darted around in panic. "He's a maniac!" he screamed. "Somebody stop him!"
"Look around you, scum! Vault City's blood is on your hands! These people are dead and wounded because of your treachery! Nobody in this room will lift a finger to help you." Myron pressed the needle against his neck. "Last chance."
"No, you're bluffing! You wouldn't! You couldn't!"
"Watch me." Myron injected the fluid into the man's neck as Valerie watched in horror, then discarded the empty hypo. "I can keep the infection at bay...if you cooperate."
"This will all be over before I transform, you sick freak!"
"You weren't infected in the normal manner. I just injected the distilled essence of Redemption directly into your bloodstream. You've got an hour, two tops."
The spy's teeth chattered. "That serum of yours would only buy me some time. Redemption will get me in the end anyway."
"I told you, I've been working on a cure. I recently completed an experimental version of it. It's got some side effects, but, hey, the alternative is worse. I'll give you a dose if you talk."
"All right! What do you want to know?"
Myron took out a recording device. "Everything. First off, the names of your fellow spies. Also, you must have been in contact with the Enclave. I want radio frequencies, encryption keys, whatever you've got. And don't hold anything back. The only way you'll come out of this in one piece is if we win." He pressed the record button.
The traitor rattled off a bunch of names of his confederates, then told him the radio frequencies and code keys he knew of. "I was recruited in New Reno," he said, "during a trip there a few months ago. Angel Mordino hired me and introduced me to these Enclave guys in scary armor. They paid me thousands of chips, but I didn't hear back from them until a few days ago. That's when they ordered me to sabotage the generator. They told me to wait until shortly before noon today. I'm not a Citizen, so I didn't know how I would get access to the Vault until they evacuated us inside. Once the alarms started going off, I made my move. I didn't have to worry about tripping the alarm at that point since it was already ringing."
When the spy finished his confession, Myron switched off the recorder, ejected the holodisk, and downloaded the data into the computer network. "Hey, what about my cure?" the man demanded.
"First I have to verify what you've told me," said Myron. He called Harold on the radio and told him that the spy had talked and where to find the information.
A minute later, Harold responded. "This is incredible!" he said. "We can eavesdrop on the Enclave's transmissions now. Most of the people he mentioned left with the people who fled the city, but a couple of them are still here. I've sent security teams to round them up. That could just be one cell, so there may still be others out there. Well done!"
"Come on, man!" said the spy. "Make with the cure already!"
"Oh, that," said Myron. "I made that part up. I haven't got one yet, but I'm getting closer."
The prisoner groaned. "The serum, then! Hurry!"
"No." Myron watched him squirm for a little before he continued. "You don't need it." He paused again. "Man, are you dumb! I never injected you with Redemption. That was just saline solution with orange dye." He slapped his knees and burst out laughing.
"Wow," said Valerie. "You know, you could have told me what you were planning."
"No, your reaction had to be genuine, or he might not have fallen for it. Still going to report this to the First Citizen?"
"Yeah. I'm going to tell him how brilliant you are."
"Thanks, but he already knows that."
The infected thin out, Battle of the Titans...
Jack and Amy ran across the courtyard ducking fire from 'Shinobi' units and in turn returning fire. They both took cover behind a building that sat in shambles from stray missiles of the aerial battle.
"How many bullets you got left?" Jack asked.
Amy examined her weapons, her Needler rifle was dry and her Desert Eagles had about two clips remaining including the clips she was currently using.
"I'm almost out, you?"
Jack looked down at his sub-machine gun, "On my last magazine... This sword won't do a thing to that armor."
Amy took a deep breath, she wasn't used to the serum, her veins still burned from the injection.
"We should head to the Vault, they got supplies of all kinds there. Plus, I'm sure they wouldn't mind a little crowd control." Jack said.
Amy smiled, "Lead on."
****
Valice cut a swath through Vault City soldiers and infected alike, the members of Alpha team at times wondered what side their master was really on. The truth was, Valice didn't care who he killed, as long as he was spilling blood.
His Easy company on the other hand were firing their 'Hammer' rifles with skilled precision. When they fired a shot it was well placed and hit its mark, their skill was amazing.
Leading the charge through the thinning melee fighters, Valice reached a point where he stopped dead in his tracks.
A familiar individual with a large mutated arm stood in his path, amidst hundreds of men and infected fighting around them, they stood and stared at each other for a long moment.
"Alpha team, proceed on mission." Valice ordered. His men looked back and forth at each other puzzled but complied with their master's order. They walked around Alex who's eyes were locked with Valice's haunting glare.
"Hello, Frankie!" Alex said.
Valice shook his head, "How many times must I remind you not to call me that!"
"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot. Your Frank, but your not..." Alex said dryly.
Valice smiled under his bone helmet, "Thats right, Frank is dead remember."
There was a long pause, screams coupled with the sound of battle filled the air around them.
"It's been a long time." Alex said changing the subject.
"Long time, indeed." Valice replied.
"I see you finally did what you wanted, control 'Redemption'. Congrats, but I'm surprised you can control yourself." Alex observed.
"Good genes..." was the monster's response.
"So, Frankie. Shall we begin?"
"Frank is DEAD!!" Valice yelled coming in with a swing of his sinister sword.
Alex easily ducked under it and counter attacked with a punch to Valice's stomach with his mutated arm. Valice smiled.
"I always wanted to fight you, Alex. But your father, he always stood in the way." Valice confessed.
"He no longer impedes your chance, Frankie." Alex came in quickly with his mutated arm and Valice parried the attack, knocking it aside with his blade.
The two battled swiftly and relentlessly, each blow shook the ground for a hundred yards. The two old rivals fought in the streets, a battle they had both longed for, for over twenty years...
Jack and Amy ran across the courtyard ducking fire from 'Shinobi' units and in turn returning fire. They both took cover behind a building that sat in shambles from stray missiles of the aerial battle.
"How many bullets you got left?" Jack asked.
Amy examined her weapons, her Needler rifle was dry and her Desert Eagles had about two clips remaining including the clips she was currently using.
"I'm almost out, you?"
Jack looked down at his sub-machine gun, "On my last magazine... This sword won't do a thing to that armor."
Amy took a deep breath, she wasn't used to the serum, her veins still burned from the injection.
"We should head to the Vault, they got supplies of all kinds there. Plus, I'm sure they wouldn't mind a little crowd control." Jack said.
Amy smiled, "Lead on."
****
Valice cut a swath through Vault City soldiers and infected alike, the members of Alpha team at times wondered what side their master was really on. The truth was, Valice didn't care who he killed, as long as he was spilling blood.
His Easy company on the other hand were firing their 'Hammer' rifles with skilled precision. When they fired a shot it was well placed and hit its mark, their skill was amazing.
Leading the charge through the thinning melee fighters, Valice reached a point where he stopped dead in his tracks.
A familiar individual with a large mutated arm stood in his path, amidst hundreds of men and infected fighting around them, they stood and stared at each other for a long moment.
"Alpha team, proceed on mission." Valice ordered. His men looked back and forth at each other puzzled but complied with their master's order. They walked around Alex who's eyes were locked with Valice's haunting glare.
"Hello, Frankie!" Alex said.
Valice shook his head, "How many times must I remind you not to call me that!"
"Oh, I'm sorry I forgot. Your Frank, but your not..." Alex said dryly.
Valice smiled under his bone helmet, "Thats right, Frank is dead remember."
There was a long pause, screams coupled with the sound of battle filled the air around them.
"It's been a long time." Alex said changing the subject.
"Long time, indeed." Valice replied.
"I see you finally did what you wanted, control 'Redemption'. Congrats, but I'm surprised you can control yourself." Alex observed.
"Good genes..." was the monster's response.
"So, Frankie. Shall we begin?"
"Frank is DEAD!!" Valice yelled coming in with a swing of his sinister sword.
Alex easily ducked under it and counter attacked with a punch to Valice's stomach with his mutated arm. Valice smiled.
"I always wanted to fight you, Alex. But your father, he always stood in the way." Valice confessed.
"He no longer impedes your chance, Frankie." Alex came in quickly with his mutated arm and Valice parried the attack, knocking it aside with his blade.
The two battled swiftly and relentlessly, each blow shook the ground for a hundred yards. The two old rivals fought in the streets, a battle they had both longed for, for over twenty years...
"Come on, Frankie, you rusted after these last fifteen years? My fight with Dad has kept me nice and sharp," Alex said, laying another punch on the freak.
"I've got plenty of fight left in me, mutie!" Valice sneereed. Alex just laughed as he grabbed Valice's arm from a swing and flipped him on his back.
"And by the way, the only reason Dad stood in my way from ripping your ugly head off was because he didn't want me to hurt his precious test subject," Laex laughed. Valice lurched his head up and chomped right onto Alex's mutated arm. Alex laughed harder.
"Did I mention that I've grown immune? Mutated genes create teh antibody naturallyto the mutegen. Seems that FEV doesn't like other mutating viruses." Valice scowled and held his jaws harder, causing Alex to feel the pain. Alex responded with a hard punch to Valice's head, which dazed him long enough for Alex to get his arm free. Placing one foot on Valice's neck and the other on teh man's right lung, Alex pulled out a Gauss Pistol.
"The last of the Enclave ends with you, Frankie."
"I've got plenty of fight left in me, mutie!" Valice sneereed. Alex just laughed as he grabbed Valice's arm from a swing and flipped him on his back.
"And by the way, the only reason Dad stood in my way from ripping your ugly head off was because he didn't want me to hurt his precious test subject," Laex laughed. Valice lurched his head up and chomped right onto Alex's mutated arm. Alex laughed harder.
"Did I mention that I've grown immune? Mutated genes create teh antibody naturallyto the mutegen. Seems that FEV doesn't like other mutating viruses." Valice scowled and held his jaws harder, causing Alex to feel the pain. Alex responded with a hard punch to Valice's head, which dazed him long enough for Alex to get his arm free. Placing one foot on Valice's neck and the other on teh man's right lung, Alex pulled out a Gauss Pistol.
"The last of the Enclave ends with you, Frankie."
Scorched Earth; The Fog of War
As Jack and Amy raced for the safety of the Vault, they caught sight of Valice and Alex battling. Amy shuddered, clutching Jack's arm. "What in the world is that thing, anyway?" she asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," said Jack. "Alex would know more, but he's rather busy at the moment."
"He saw me, Jack. I got his attention when I shot him. That look he gave me...I've never been so frightened in my life."
"Hang on, we're almost there." They came up on the defensive line, an irregular and ever-shrinking semicircle centered on the Vault entrance. The Steel Knights were in front, and behind them Valerie and Sergeant Stark led the Vault City militia. The Shinobi whizzed back and forth overhead, shooting as they passed. The nearby buildings lay in ruins. Though the defenders had inflicted some casualties, they had taken some as well and were still badly outnumbered.
"Hold the line!" ordered Valerie. "We can't let them reach the Vault!"
"Vault City prevails!" shouted Stark, blasting a flying Enclave soldier with his plasma rifle. The shot spun him around and knocked him off into the distance.
"It's Hammer time!" yelled one of the members of Easy Company as he fired his negative-energy assault rifle. He hit one of the Knights, who was crushed to a pulp inside his Power Armor.
Jack and Amy ran through the lines and into the hole in the mountain that led to the Vault.
<center>* * *</center>
Eldon cursed as his laser turret got blown out from under him by one of the seven remaining Vertibirds. Since Angus had lost his VertiChick and headed off for the elevator, the only defense they'd had were the laser turrets and a handful of people armed with rocket launchers, and they'd done little good, only having downed one Vertibird.
"We've got to do something about those Vertibirds," said Eldon. "Once the turrets are all gone, they'll really be able to ream us. Hmm...I think I've got an idea! Let's see if the Enclave is sloppy enough to reuse their encryption keys." He opened up a new window and started typing madly. "There!" he said a bit later. "I've hacked into the Vertibirds' computers!"
"Excellent," said Harold. "What can you do to them?"
"Let's start by messing with their friend-foe recognition. I'll make each of them think that half of the other Vertibirds are enemy aircraft. That should be fun."
<center>* * *</center>
Major Halle Richter set down her crippled Vertibird in the Enclave's staging area and hopped out. Mechanics ran up and looked it over.
"How long will it take to get her back up?" she asked.
The head mechanic frowned. "A few hours, maybe," he said.
"Screw it, I can't wait that long! I'd miss being in on the kill! Have her ready to fly when I get back. Looks like I'm in the airborne infantry for now." Richter activated the rockets on the back of her Fusion Power Armor and zoomed off towards Vault City. As she flew, she spotted the Vertibirds shooting at each other. "What do those morons think they're doing?!"
As Jack and Amy raced for the safety of the Vault, they caught sight of Valice and Alex battling. Amy shuddered, clutching Jack's arm. "What in the world is that thing, anyway?" she asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," said Jack. "Alex would know more, but he's rather busy at the moment."
"He saw me, Jack. I got his attention when I shot him. That look he gave me...I've never been so frightened in my life."
"Hang on, we're almost there." They came up on the defensive line, an irregular and ever-shrinking semicircle centered on the Vault entrance. The Steel Knights were in front, and behind them Valerie and Sergeant Stark led the Vault City militia. The Shinobi whizzed back and forth overhead, shooting as they passed. The nearby buildings lay in ruins. Though the defenders had inflicted some casualties, they had taken some as well and were still badly outnumbered.
"Hold the line!" ordered Valerie. "We can't let them reach the Vault!"
"Vault City prevails!" shouted Stark, blasting a flying Enclave soldier with his plasma rifle. The shot spun him around and knocked him off into the distance.
"It's Hammer time!" yelled one of the members of Easy Company as he fired his negative-energy assault rifle. He hit one of the Knights, who was crushed to a pulp inside his Power Armor.
Jack and Amy ran through the lines and into the hole in the mountain that led to the Vault.
<center>* * *</center>
Eldon cursed as his laser turret got blown out from under him by one of the seven remaining Vertibirds. Since Angus had lost his VertiChick and headed off for the elevator, the only defense they'd had were the laser turrets and a handful of people armed with rocket launchers, and they'd done little good, only having downed one Vertibird.
"We've got to do something about those Vertibirds," said Eldon. "Once the turrets are all gone, they'll really be able to ream us. Hmm...I think I've got an idea! Let's see if the Enclave is sloppy enough to reuse their encryption keys." He opened up a new window and started typing madly. "There!" he said a bit later. "I've hacked into the Vertibirds' computers!"
"Excellent," said Harold. "What can you do to them?"
"Let's start by messing with their friend-foe recognition. I'll make each of them think that half of the other Vertibirds are enemy aircraft. That should be fun."
<center>* * *</center>
Major Halle Richter set down her crippled Vertibird in the Enclave's staging area and hopped out. Mechanics ran up and looked it over.
"How long will it take to get her back up?" she asked.
The head mechanic frowned. "A few hours, maybe," he said.
"Screw it, I can't wait that long! I'd miss being in on the kill! Have her ready to fly when I get back. Looks like I'm in the airborne infantry for now." Richter activated the rockets on the back of her Fusion Power Armor and zoomed off towards Vault City. As she flew, she spotted the Vertibirds shooting at each other. "What do those morons think they're doing?!"
The Enclave's finest. You got a rocket launcher?
Valice batted the Gauss rifle away just as the barrel spewed its ammunition. The shot hit the ground next to his head and sent chips of concrete exploding into the air. Valice forced Alex's arm away with all his might and barely gained enough leeway to roll out from under.
"You speak the truth. You have gotten' stronger." Valice tapped his foot on the ground as if he were bored. "But that strength lies only in that arm of yours."
Valice came in with an overhead strike which was easily knocked away by Alex's powered arm. The two battled furiously across an area of a football field, their strength and speed was inhuman. They batted away those unfortunates that were near them without even noticing. The battle seemed like two Titans dueling, it was an awesome and terrifying sight for all those that could behold it.
*****
Jack looked to one of the men holding a rocket launcher. He looked at Stark who was yelling obscenities at the 'Shinobi' troops.
"Hey!" Jack said getting Stark's attention.
"WHAT!!" Stark yelled.
"You got a rocket launcher?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, over there... What for?" Stark asked.
Jack ran over about twenty yards away behind a pile of sandbags, "I've got an idea!" Jack exclaimed.
(Sorry this post was so short, I will post more tomorrow. Later guys.)
Valice batted the Gauss rifle away just as the barrel spewed its ammunition. The shot hit the ground next to his head and sent chips of concrete exploding into the air. Valice forced Alex's arm away with all his might and barely gained enough leeway to roll out from under.
"You speak the truth. You have gotten' stronger." Valice tapped his foot on the ground as if he were bored. "But that strength lies only in that arm of yours."
Valice came in with an overhead strike which was easily knocked away by Alex's powered arm. The two battled furiously across an area of a football field, their strength and speed was inhuman. They batted away those unfortunates that were near them without even noticing. The battle seemed like two Titans dueling, it was an awesome and terrifying sight for all those that could behold it.
*****
Jack looked to one of the men holding a rocket launcher. He looked at Stark who was yelling obscenities at the 'Shinobi' troops.
"Hey!" Jack said getting Stark's attention.
"WHAT!!" Stark yelled.
"You got a rocket launcher?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, over there... What for?" Stark asked.
Jack ran over about twenty yards away behind a pile of sandbags, "I've got an idea!" Jack exclaimed.
(Sorry this post was so short, I will post more tomorrow. Later guys.)
Have rocket will travel...
Jack threw the rocket launcher over his back with the leather strap that was connected to one side for ease of personal transportation. He ran quickly in the opposite direction of the Vault seeing a small building in which he could climb and get a better shot.
The building's roof was low enough to the ground that Jack could jump and grab hold of the top. He did. He hoisted himself up, straining under the weight of the rocket launcher on his back. Jack finally reaching the top surveyed his surroundings. He could see that the vertibirds seemed to be executing some form of attack pattern. He watched them closely, studying their movements.
The ex-hitman realized that the vertibirds were attacking in pairs, one flying ahead while the other followed on the leader's wing and gave cover fire.
Jack smiled, if he could time the launch of this rocket just right, he hoped that he could kill two birds with one stone as the saying goes.
Jack heaved the launcher onto his shoulder and focused the aiming scope. He waited through two of the vertibirds' attack passes before firing.
The rocket shot out from the launcher propelled at high speeds by its propulsion. The rocket hit the second vertibird dead on in the left side. The ship's left router was ripped from the hull causing the ship to careen uncontrollably into the vertibird leading the attack's tail end. The birds were killed by one stone, just as Jack had hoped.
The vertibirds crashed in one mighty explosion almost too close for comfort to those defending the vault.
Stark turned his gaze to Jack who tossed the launcher off the roof, Jack looked back to him realizing his surprise and shrugged his shoulders in acknowledgement.
Jack threw the rocket launcher over his back with the leather strap that was connected to one side for ease of personal transportation. He ran quickly in the opposite direction of the Vault seeing a small building in which he could climb and get a better shot.
The building's roof was low enough to the ground that Jack could jump and grab hold of the top. He did. He hoisted himself up, straining under the weight of the rocket launcher on his back. Jack finally reaching the top surveyed his surroundings. He could see that the vertibirds seemed to be executing some form of attack pattern. He watched them closely, studying their movements.
The ex-hitman realized that the vertibirds were attacking in pairs, one flying ahead while the other followed on the leader's wing and gave cover fire.
Jack smiled, if he could time the launch of this rocket just right, he hoped that he could kill two birds with one stone as the saying goes.
Jack heaved the launcher onto his shoulder and focused the aiming scope. He waited through two of the vertibirds' attack passes before firing.
The rocket shot out from the launcher propelled at high speeds by its propulsion. The rocket hit the second vertibird dead on in the left side. The ship's left router was ripped from the hull causing the ship to careen uncontrollably into the vertibird leading the attack's tail end. The birds were killed by one stone, just as Jack had hoped.
The vertibirds crashed in one mighty explosion almost too close for comfort to those defending the vault.
Stark turned his gaze to Jack who tossed the launcher off the roof, Jack looked back to him realizing his surprise and shrugged his shoulders in acknowledgement.
Crash and Burn
Halle Richter watched in alarm as the rocket took out two Vertibirds at once, and the other five were busily firing on each other while also taking fire from the remaining laser turrets. Two Vertibirds went down in flames, smashing into the city and causing further damage.
Infuriated, Richter opened a channel to the Vertibirds as she closed in on Vault City. "This is Valkyrie!" she said. "Cease firing immediately! You're firing on your own wingmates!"
"Major," came a response, "my radar shows them as hostile, and they shot at me first!"
"I repeat, cease firing! There's something wrong with your radar. There are NO enemy craft left, only friendlies. All your targets are on the ground. Now take out those turrets!"
<center>* * *</center>
Harold listened in on the transmissions to and from the Vertibirds. "They just saw through your IFF reprogramming," he told Eldon. "There are three bogeys left. Got any other ideas?"
"I'm only getting warmed up," said Eldon. "Now it's time to play with their Artificial Horizon." He tapped some keys. "There. Now they'll think the ground's 100 feet lower than it really is. Heh. This should be good."
<center>* * *</center>
The three surviving Vertibirds broke off, then turned around and began their descent to strafe the laser turrets. Richter saw them while she was half a mile from the courtyard and noticed that their dive was rather steep. "This is Valkyrie again," she said to the pilots. "Pull up! You're coming in too low!"
"What are you talking about, ma'am?" asked a pilot. "My instruments show I've got another 150 feet, easily."
Another glitch with the instruments. Richter knew this couldn't be a coincidence. "Look out your window, you fool!"
"Aaaaaagh!" One of the Vertibirds attempted to pull up, but it had too much momentum. It plowed into the ground and exploded. At the same time another one crashed into the Council Hall, and the last one smashed right into the laser turret it was shooting at, destroying both in a massive ball of flame.
"No, no, NO!" Richter gripped her Turbo Plasma Rifle and joined the Shinobi assaulting Vault City. Someone was going to pay.
Halle Richter watched in alarm as the rocket took out two Vertibirds at once, and the other five were busily firing on each other while also taking fire from the remaining laser turrets. Two Vertibirds went down in flames, smashing into the city and causing further damage.
Infuriated, Richter opened a channel to the Vertibirds as she closed in on Vault City. "This is Valkyrie!" she said. "Cease firing immediately! You're firing on your own wingmates!"
"Major," came a response, "my radar shows them as hostile, and they shot at me first!"
"I repeat, cease firing! There's something wrong with your radar. There are NO enemy craft left, only friendlies. All your targets are on the ground. Now take out those turrets!"
<center>* * *</center>
Harold listened in on the transmissions to and from the Vertibirds. "They just saw through your IFF reprogramming," he told Eldon. "There are three bogeys left. Got any other ideas?"
"I'm only getting warmed up," said Eldon. "Now it's time to play with their Artificial Horizon." He tapped some keys. "There. Now they'll think the ground's 100 feet lower than it really is. Heh. This should be good."
<center>* * *</center>
The three surviving Vertibirds broke off, then turned around and began their descent to strafe the laser turrets. Richter saw them while she was half a mile from the courtyard and noticed that their dive was rather steep. "This is Valkyrie again," she said to the pilots. "Pull up! You're coming in too low!"
"What are you talking about, ma'am?" asked a pilot. "My instruments show I've got another 150 feet, easily."
Another glitch with the instruments. Richter knew this couldn't be a coincidence. "Look out your window, you fool!"
"Aaaaaagh!" One of the Vertibirds attempted to pull up, but it had too much momentum. It plowed into the ground and exploded. At the same time another one crashed into the Council Hall, and the last one smashed right into the laser turret it was shooting at, destroying both in a massive ball of flame.
"No, no, NO!" Richter gripped her Turbo Plasma Rifle and joined the Shinobi assaulting Vault City. Someone was going to pay.
The rage consumes...
His sword strikes were swift and vicious. Alex knew that it was no normal sword, enhanced somehow at the atomic level. He couldn't know what effects it would have on his body without examining it closely. But, he wouldn't have time for that now.
Alex ducked under one strike and lept over another, he parried one thrust with his arm and countered with a hard hook. Valice looked as if his anger was boiling. Under the pressure of Redemption Alex knew it was only a matter of time before Valice lost his hold over the emotions that were beginning to run rampant. How much Redemption had he been exposed to? Alex wondered.
Valice attacked with an overhead strike, Alex sidestepped it. The force of the attack sent the sword hard into the ground cutting through the manufactured road.
Alex saw his chance, he came in with a hard well placed punch putting all of his strength behind it as Valice struggled to rip his sword from the ground.
The punch sent a strong enough 'shockwave' through the ground that units at least 200 feet away were knocked off their feet.
Valice was sent hurtling into a stone building a few hundred feet from Alex, the building crumbled on top of him and when the dust settled there was no movement.
Outside the walls of Vault city, Rex was monitoring Valice's vitals.
"Whats happening, sir?" The Enclave trooper sitting across from him asked.
Rex looked up from his screen and smiled under his helmet, "During his fight with that mutant he has constantly been loosing his mental functioning stability. He 'ain't dead, the Redemption that he got himself dipped in back in the day has the tendency to make you a more potent killer when your angry. Just like them pathetic infected people we use."
"Yeah, but-" The trooper was cut off as Rex continued.
"Valice has had some 20 years to gain control of his emotions under Redemption. Also, you DO know who he is right?"
"I heard he was the only surviving clone of Mr. Horri-"
"You got it son, he's got good genes, as a matter of fact better than you or I. Now all we do is watch and wait for his signal. Then we move in." Rex finished, his smile grew even wider under his specially made super mutant sized Fusion Power Armor.
His sword strikes were swift and vicious. Alex knew that it was no normal sword, enhanced somehow at the atomic level. He couldn't know what effects it would have on his body without examining it closely. But, he wouldn't have time for that now.
Alex ducked under one strike and lept over another, he parried one thrust with his arm and countered with a hard hook. Valice looked as if his anger was boiling. Under the pressure of Redemption Alex knew it was only a matter of time before Valice lost his hold over the emotions that were beginning to run rampant. How much Redemption had he been exposed to? Alex wondered.
Valice attacked with an overhead strike, Alex sidestepped it. The force of the attack sent the sword hard into the ground cutting through the manufactured road.
Alex saw his chance, he came in with a hard well placed punch putting all of his strength behind it as Valice struggled to rip his sword from the ground.
The punch sent a strong enough 'shockwave' through the ground that units at least 200 feet away were knocked off their feet.
Valice was sent hurtling into a stone building a few hundred feet from Alex, the building crumbled on top of him and when the dust settled there was no movement.
Outside the walls of Vault city, Rex was monitoring Valice's vitals.
"Whats happening, sir?" The Enclave trooper sitting across from him asked.
Rex looked up from his screen and smiled under his helmet, "During his fight with that mutant he has constantly been loosing his mental functioning stability. He 'ain't dead, the Redemption that he got himself dipped in back in the day has the tendency to make you a more potent killer when your angry. Just like them pathetic infected people we use."
"Yeah, but-" The trooper was cut off as Rex continued.
"Valice has had some 20 years to gain control of his emotions under Redemption. Also, you DO know who he is right?"
"I heard he was the only surviving clone of Mr. Horri-"
"You got it son, he's got good genes, as a matter of fact better than you or I. Now all we do is watch and wait for his signal. Then we move in." Rex finished, his smile grew even wider under his specially made super mutant sized Fusion Power Armor.
Redding; Oh Redding / To the NCR we go
(Sry guys - another rugby clinic - We're gonna pwn this season- XD Damn - VC is already being attacked. Wanted to jump in on that - Oh well -to little, to late. )
Gabe, the child, and the ranger reached the top of the hill. Gabe looked to the town. "My...My god" Gabe said; His eyes wide. He could see the mangled corpses, of the victems that werent assimilated laying lifeless in the street - he could smell the already decaying flesh, blowing eastward in the wind. The mutant was overcome by the sight before him. He tore his eyes away from the gore- his read wretched- he found his gaze on the eyes of the boy. His eyes were wide- a silent tear ran down the side of his face. "R...Ranger" Gabe said "Take the kid.... ou...t of here.... I want you to lay chilly in widdows p...pass" Gabes sticcado speach was evadence of the shock that the mutie had felt "If... If Im not at Widdows pass... In one houer... y...you and charley go to klamath f...falls. "
Without awaiting a responce from the ranger; or even allowing him a chance to respond, the mutie began down the other side of the hill. His shakey walk became a swift stumble- and then a full barreling sprint. The muties mouth was closed, lips clentched tight. His eyes were squinted tightly, as the smell of decaying flesh became stronger. In the mutants left hand, the wattz - 2000 laser rifle- and his right hand was clentched tightly into a ball. The morning sun beat down on the mountanous desert - a bead of sweat ran down the muties fore-head. he barreled into the out-skirts of the town - as he did, one of the redemption charged from a tint. Gabe extended his hand forward, as to stiff the attacking infected, though - he pushed the infectee forward, but then sling his elbow at the redemption's head, snaping its frail neck. Another ablidged, and fallowed the first of the redemption's path - though he met the same fate; Death. Gabe stopped- To the sound of a loud rumbeling. That of a machine. He looked to the south-east - to see a black dot in the sky . He turned quickly- and continued into the town.
~~~~~~~~
Mean While, Outside of the NCR
Ryan, and the small contengency of Broken hills Caverneers reached the outer rings of the NCR. Dulton spoke
"We...Grow close "
Ryan responded
"Yeah... Sure do"
Dulton then spoke
"So... You wanna know about me?"
Ryan looked to Dulton
"I...I suppose"
Dulton chuckled
"Well... I am a freelance... as of three years ago."
Ryan responded
"Why?"
Dulton chuckled again
"You may know of an organization known as the brotherhood of steel"
Ryan was stunned - he tried to respond- but dulton cut him off.
"I was a paladin. We were stationed at BOS bunker 0. an old vault."
Ryan responded
"A Vault? Which one?"
"Vault Zero."
"Zero?!"
"Yes... Vault Zero"
"But... Thats in-"
He was cut off
"Yeah.... Thats in kansas"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Sry guys - another rugby clinic - We're gonna pwn this season- XD Damn - VC is already being attacked. Wanted to jump in on that - Oh well -to little, to late. )
Gabe, the child, and the ranger reached the top of the hill. Gabe looked to the town. "My...My god" Gabe said; His eyes wide. He could see the mangled corpses, of the victems that werent assimilated laying lifeless in the street - he could smell the already decaying flesh, blowing eastward in the wind. The mutant was overcome by the sight before him. He tore his eyes away from the gore- his read wretched- he found his gaze on the eyes of the boy. His eyes were wide- a silent tear ran down the side of his face. "R...Ranger" Gabe said "Take the kid.... ou...t of here.... I want you to lay chilly in widdows p...pass" Gabes sticcado speach was evadence of the shock that the mutie had felt "If... If Im not at Widdows pass... In one houer... y...you and charley go to klamath f...falls. "
Without awaiting a responce from the ranger; or even allowing him a chance to respond, the mutie began down the other side of the hill. His shakey walk became a swift stumble- and then a full barreling sprint. The muties mouth was closed, lips clentched tight. His eyes were squinted tightly, as the smell of decaying flesh became stronger. In the mutants left hand, the wattz - 2000 laser rifle- and his right hand was clentched tightly into a ball. The morning sun beat down on the mountanous desert - a bead of sweat ran down the muties fore-head. he barreled into the out-skirts of the town - as he did, one of the redemption charged from a tint. Gabe extended his hand forward, as to stiff the attacking infected, though - he pushed the infectee forward, but then sling his elbow at the redemption's head, snaping its frail neck. Another ablidged, and fallowed the first of the redemption's path - though he met the same fate; Death. Gabe stopped- To the sound of a loud rumbeling. That of a machine. He looked to the south-east - to see a black dot in the sky . He turned quickly- and continued into the town.
~~~~~~~~
Mean While, Outside of the NCR
Ryan, and the small contengency of Broken hills Caverneers reached the outer rings of the NCR. Dulton spoke
"We...Grow close "
Ryan responded
"Yeah... Sure do"
Dulton then spoke
"So... You wanna know about me?"
Ryan looked to Dulton
"I...I suppose"
Dulton chuckled
"Well... I am a freelance... as of three years ago."
Ryan responded
"Why?"
Dulton chuckled again
"You may know of an organization known as the brotherhood of steel"
Ryan was stunned - he tried to respond- but dulton cut him off.
"I was a paladin. We were stationed at BOS bunker 0. an old vault."
Ryan responded
"A Vault? Which one?"
"Vault Zero."
"Zero?!"
"Yes... Vault Zero"
"But... Thats in-"
He was cut off
"Yeah.... Thats in kansas"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Brotherhood at War; The Brotherhood at Peace
Benjamin Kent fired his Gauss rifle at the flying Enclave soldiers. Sometimes he hit one, and on rare occasions he took one out. The advice to aim for the eyes had proved helpful, though they were extremely hard to hit. Major Richter soared overhead, blasting away with her Turbo Plasma rifle at an incredible rate of fire. One of the shots struck Ben on the side and knocked him over.
"Sir!" cried Angus. He raced from his position in the rear towards the fallen Knight, firing his laser rifle into the swarm of Shinobi as he ran in a crouch.
"Stay back, Angus!" called Ben. "I'll be okay." He tried to stand, but couldn't. The wound was bad, but it would have been a lot worse, possibly even fatal, had he not been wearing Power Armor. Angus continued heading for his mentor, kneeling beside him and laying down covering fire. "I told you to stay back!"
"You can court-martial me later, sir!" Angus looped Ben's arm over his shoulders and helped him up. Then the two of them hastened back into the tunnel leading to the Vault while the other Knights covered them.
<center>* * *</center>
Vice President Considine sat at the head of the table in the conference room of NCR's Hall of Congress. On his right sat the High Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel, Yogi Maxson, who had come to help mediate at the peace conference. The wrinkled old man was very short, wearing a suit of Power Armor custom-built to fit someone of his small stature, though he had taken the helmet off. In spite of his size, he could be quite fearsome in battle. His wisdom was also unmatched, which was rather appropriate considering he was supposed to have been named after an esteemed 20th century philosopher.
To the Vice President's left sat Lord Paladin Jackson. The bald, brown-skinned man in his forties also had removed his helmet. The Lord Paladin was the Brotherhood's most skilled warrior and brilliant strategist, but he had come here to help prevent a war rather than direct one.
"Any news of President Tandi?" asked Yogi.
"None of it good, I'm afraid," said Considine. "She grows worse by the day, and the doctors hold out little hope. It is a miracle she has lasted as long as she has. In the end, though, none of us can live forever."
The door opened, and in strode a tall man in his fifties wearing Power Armor painted black and carrying his helmet under his arm. He had short silver hair and a pointed beard, and his eyes seemed bottomless. He sat down at the far end of the table, facing the Vice President. "Good afternoon, Mr. Vice President," he said. "How is President Tandi doing?"
"Not well, unfortunately, Mr. Drake."
"That is too bad." Earl Drake turned to the High Elder. "High Elder. It has been a long time."
"Indeed it has, my old Initiate," said Yogi.
"You should not have left the Brotherhood," said Jackson. "Getting mixed up in politics is a bad idea."
"I burned my bridges a long time ago," said Drake. "I will not return, though I shall always respect you."
"Shall we get down to business?" asked Considine. "As Vice President, I have been authorized by President Tandi to negotiate on her behalf."
"I have also been authorized by the appropriate parties to negotiate. Let us get this conference underway."
Benjamin Kent fired his Gauss rifle at the flying Enclave soldiers. Sometimes he hit one, and on rare occasions he took one out. The advice to aim for the eyes had proved helpful, though they were extremely hard to hit. Major Richter soared overhead, blasting away with her Turbo Plasma rifle at an incredible rate of fire. One of the shots struck Ben on the side and knocked him over.
"Sir!" cried Angus. He raced from his position in the rear towards the fallen Knight, firing his laser rifle into the swarm of Shinobi as he ran in a crouch.
"Stay back, Angus!" called Ben. "I'll be okay." He tried to stand, but couldn't. The wound was bad, but it would have been a lot worse, possibly even fatal, had he not been wearing Power Armor. Angus continued heading for his mentor, kneeling beside him and laying down covering fire. "I told you to stay back!"
"You can court-martial me later, sir!" Angus looped Ben's arm over his shoulders and helped him up. Then the two of them hastened back into the tunnel leading to the Vault while the other Knights covered them.
<center>* * *</center>
Vice President Considine sat at the head of the table in the conference room of NCR's Hall of Congress. On his right sat the High Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel, Yogi Maxson, who had come to help mediate at the peace conference. The wrinkled old man was very short, wearing a suit of Power Armor custom-built to fit someone of his small stature, though he had taken the helmet off. In spite of his size, he could be quite fearsome in battle. His wisdom was also unmatched, which was rather appropriate considering he was supposed to have been named after an esteemed 20th century philosopher.
To the Vice President's left sat Lord Paladin Jackson. The bald, brown-skinned man in his forties also had removed his helmet. The Lord Paladin was the Brotherhood's most skilled warrior and brilliant strategist, but he had come here to help prevent a war rather than direct one.
"Any news of President Tandi?" asked Yogi.
"None of it good, I'm afraid," said Considine. "She grows worse by the day, and the doctors hold out little hope. It is a miracle she has lasted as long as she has. In the end, though, none of us can live forever."
The door opened, and in strode a tall man in his fifties wearing Power Armor painted black and carrying his helmet under his arm. He had short silver hair and a pointed beard, and his eyes seemed bottomless. He sat down at the far end of the table, facing the Vice President. "Good afternoon, Mr. Vice President," he said. "How is President Tandi doing?"
"Not well, unfortunately, Mr. Drake."
"That is too bad." Earl Drake turned to the High Elder. "High Elder. It has been a long time."
"Indeed it has, my old Initiate," said Yogi.
"You should not have left the Brotherhood," said Jackson. "Getting mixed up in politics is a bad idea."
"I burned my bridges a long time ago," said Drake. "I will not return, though I shall always respect you."
"Shall we get down to business?" asked Considine. "As Vice President, I have been authorized by President Tandi to negotiate on her behalf."
"I have also been authorized by the appropriate parties to negotiate. Let us get this conference underway."
NCR / Redding oh Redding / Team Scimitar
the Vice President of the NCR began to shuffle through the thick report- His face was still pale, his eyes heavy. Dark times had fallen apon the waistes. This was notable - Each member of the counsels faces.
"High elder Maxon... Did the brotherhood have any idea of the Redemption Virus's existance?"
Considine asked
"Of-cource not; sadly... Containment would have saved... countless lives."
Responded Yogi
"Yes; Containment of this menace would have been wonderful... but We must look forward- bechause throwing "What if's" on the table dose not help the current situation."
"Very true considine. I fear for the small towns, west of vault city."
Yogi stated
"What of vault city?"
asked Considine
"Vault city... well - Last report indicated retreat into the vault."
Yogi stated grimly
"I see."
Stated Considine
"Yes... Grim times.."
said yogi
"Do you have any solutions to the redding problem?"
asked Considine
"Well... I sent a Scouting party from San Fransisco; They sould be ariving very soon"
"Mode of transportation?"
"Virti-Bird."
~~~~~~~
Gabe's attention was fixed on the streets; Though he paied attention to the approaching air-craft. He slung the laser-rifle over his shoulder- He then used his free hand, to grasp the 4.5 Vindicator minigun, and then, approached a derilict Highway-men - grasping the bumper- ripping the aluminum / Magnizium bumber off of its risted ancoring - he then continued thru the town, the blunt object in one hand, the 4.5 minigun in the other, the safty remained off.
~~~
Abourd the Verti-bird, Senior Knight Faith (sarge) Kagle, a short, thin female, of the age of 28. She was roughly 5,1' - and she had the face of an angel; Though she was the greatest markswoman on the west coast. She stood 5,11 in her Brotherhood issue Advanced PowerArmor, she did not wear the helmat, bechause of the HUD. She stood behind the pilot David "Schryke" Evens.
Evens was also a small framed BOS Junior Knight. He has only belonged to the brotherhood for four years- though; he rose through the ranks quickly, learning to pilot a vertibird in a very short ammount of time. He sat in Combat armor, on his hip, was a .44 Desert Eagle XIX. He was shaven bald, on the back of his neck, was the BOS Symbol, and a Symetricagram read across the back of his neck "Brotherhood". In the Troop cabin sat three troops. two initiates, and a junior Squire. One of the initiates was quiet - His name was Leo. He was simply known as leo. Leo was a large man, 6,2 223lbs; in the weapon rack, over his head, rested a Bazaar, HMG. Leo was clad in Combat armor, with short blond hair.
Next to leo, sat Stephan Jerra. He, was a smart child, at the age of 17; he was only 5'8; and he was known as the squad's Smart ass. he only weighed 122lbs, over his head, in the weapons rack, was a 4.5 G11.
Across from Stephan, sat another; this one, a junior squire. His name, Xi. Simply known as Xi. He held no personal attachments, much was expected of him, and he intended to deliver. He was also, clad in combat armor. Over his head, swing an Avenger Mini-gun, Xi was tall, and strong. Though, suprisingly nimble
"Hey! Sarge... How did we get stuck with this bullshit assaignment?"
questioned Stephan
"Hey... Stephan - How about you show some fucking respect!"
said Schrike
"Stephen... Redding- Is gone."
said Kagel, quietly
"so - We risk our asses, to play dammage controll?"
said stephan
"Yes. We risk our asses, to play dammage controll."
stated kagel
"Hell - Im looking forward to kicking ass"
said schrike
"Kicking Ass, and Chewing bubblegum."
Xi stated emotionlessly, as though reading off of the palm of his hand - causing Stephan to chuckle
"Stow it, Soldier. Alright boys... Lock and load. Schrike - Prepare to go in hot"
the Vice President of the NCR began to shuffle through the thick report- His face was still pale, his eyes heavy. Dark times had fallen apon the waistes. This was notable - Each member of the counsels faces.
"High elder Maxon... Did the brotherhood have any idea of the Redemption Virus's existance?"
Considine asked
"Of-cource not; sadly... Containment would have saved... countless lives."
Responded Yogi
"Yes; Containment of this menace would have been wonderful... but We must look forward- bechause throwing "What if's" on the table dose not help the current situation."
"Very true considine. I fear for the small towns, west of vault city."
Yogi stated
"What of vault city?"
asked Considine
"Vault city... well - Last report indicated retreat into the vault."
Yogi stated grimly
"I see."
Stated Considine
"Yes... Grim times.."
said yogi
"Do you have any solutions to the redding problem?"
asked Considine
"Well... I sent a Scouting party from San Fransisco; They sould be ariving very soon"
"Mode of transportation?"
"Virti-Bird."
~~~~~~~
Gabe's attention was fixed on the streets; Though he paied attention to the approaching air-craft. He slung the laser-rifle over his shoulder- He then used his free hand, to grasp the 4.5 Vindicator minigun, and then, approached a derilict Highway-men - grasping the bumper- ripping the aluminum / Magnizium bumber off of its risted ancoring - he then continued thru the town, the blunt object in one hand, the 4.5 minigun in the other, the safty remained off.
~~~
Abourd the Verti-bird, Senior Knight Faith (sarge) Kagle, a short, thin female, of the age of 28. She was roughly 5,1' - and she had the face of an angel; Though she was the greatest markswoman on the west coast. She stood 5,11 in her Brotherhood issue Advanced PowerArmor, she did not wear the helmat, bechause of the HUD. She stood behind the pilot David "Schryke" Evens.
Evens was also a small framed BOS Junior Knight. He has only belonged to the brotherhood for four years- though; he rose through the ranks quickly, learning to pilot a vertibird in a very short ammount of time. He sat in Combat armor, on his hip, was a .44 Desert Eagle XIX. He was shaven bald, on the back of his neck, was the BOS Symbol, and a Symetricagram read across the back of his neck "Brotherhood". In the Troop cabin sat three troops. two initiates, and a junior Squire. One of the initiates was quiet - His name was Leo. He was simply known as leo. Leo was a large man, 6,2 223lbs; in the weapon rack, over his head, rested a Bazaar, HMG. Leo was clad in Combat armor, with short blond hair.
Next to leo, sat Stephan Jerra. He, was a smart child, at the age of 17; he was only 5'8; and he was known as the squad's Smart ass. he only weighed 122lbs, over his head, in the weapons rack, was a 4.5 G11.
Across from Stephan, sat another; this one, a junior squire. His name, Xi. Simply known as Xi. He held no personal attachments, much was expected of him, and he intended to deliver. He was also, clad in combat armor. Over his head, swing an Avenger Mini-gun, Xi was tall, and strong. Though, suprisingly nimble
"Hey! Sarge... How did we get stuck with this bullshit assaignment?"
questioned Stephan
"Hey... Stephan - How about you show some fucking respect!"
said Schrike
"Stephen... Redding- Is gone."
said Kagel, quietly
"so - We risk our asses, to play dammage controll?"
said stephan
"Yes. We risk our asses, to play dammage controll."
stated kagel
"Hell - Im looking forward to kicking ass"
said schrike
"Kicking Ass, and Chewing bubblegum."
Xi stated emotionlessly, as though reading off of the palm of his hand - causing Stephan to chuckle
"Stow it, Soldier. Alright boys... Lock and load. Schrike - Prepare to go in hot"
Stalled Diplomacy; Medic!
"Redemption has been a severe problem in the NCR's southern states," said Earl Drake. "It is not yet as bad as in Redding and Vault City, but it is far worse than it is here in the northern states. The states I represent need more resources to combat the plague."
"President Tandi and I understand your needs," said Vice President Considine. "We have been quite willing to share our resources, but they are being stretched thin. We've had to make do with less here in the north as well."
"Perhaps, but the problem is more extreme down at our end. Thus, we should receive a greater share of serum, other medical supplies, and funding."
"You raise a valid point. I'm sure we can come to an agreement that would be satisfactory to all. Likewise, most of the south's other issues can be resolved. The Republic must remain united, especially now. With Redemption running rampant and the Enclave wreaking havoc, we cannot afford division."
"It is the NCR that causes this division. Our demands are reasonable, and if they are met we shall remain united. Our economy has been crippled by the high taxes we pay to the NCR and the tariffs imposed on trade with the eastern lands to which Redemption has not yet spread. The cost of doing business is too high. The risk is greater than ever, and the reward smaller. Our merchants cannot endure for much longer under these conditions."
"Again, there is room for compromise on this issue. The economy is in trouble throughout the NCR, though I can see how some areas are affected worse than others. A reduction in taxes and tariffs would eat into our budget in the short term, but if reinvested into the economy we may see greater benefits in the future. It will be difficult, but I believe I can persuade my allies in Congress to lighten the burden a bit."
"And what of the sovereignty issues? They are the real heart of the matter."
"You want more money and resources from the NCR, but decry what you call federal 'interference.' You cannot have it both ways. If a state receives funding from the central government, it must cooperate to earn that funding."
"This is nothing short of extortion, Mr. Vice President!"
"Nobody is forcing any state to receive federal funds. States have certain rights, but they have chosen to waive some of those rights in exchange for direct assistance. It is a symbiotic relationship. We need each other, especially in this time of emergency."
"The emergency powers the NCR has assumed are being abused and infringe upon the rights of the states. And now I hear you wish to raise an army!"
"The purpose of the army would be to defend the Republic against the Enclave and the infected, not to threaten the states you represent. The militias we use now simply are not up to the task. You said yourself that Redemption was overrunning the southern states."
"But to put the army under federal command? We cannot tolerate federal troops on our soil!"
"The Army Creation Act hasn't even been presented in Congress yet, and won't be for a while. When it is, there will be opportunities to debate and amend it. Opportunities that would be lost to any state that rashly secedes from the Republic prior to the vote. I've read your proposals, and though there is common ground, there are some things that are simply non-negotiable. What you have in mind would require the Constitution to be amended, which I feel would be a mistake at this point."
Drake rose. "Then we have nothing further to discuss. Good day, gentlemen." He turned and swept from the room, his cape flowing behind him.
"Well, that didn't go so well," said the Lord Paladin.
"Oh, don't worry," said Considine. "This is a standard negotiating ploy of Drake's. He's done it before. He's just waiting to see if we'll cave. If we stand fast, he will return to the table eventually."
"True this is," said the High Elder. "Well do I know his style."
"Still," said Jackson, "I can't help but feel that the last chance for peace has slipped through our fingers."
"Don't give up hope, Sam," said Yogi Maxson. "Remember: over it ain't until over it is."
<center>* * *</center>
"You're doing much better," said Lenny to Rachel Wright as she sat up in her bed in the medical lab. "You took a nasty fall, but your reflexes and armor saved your life."
"Thanks, doc," she said. Then they both turned as Ben Kent and Angus hobbled in. Angus set Ben down on one of the few empty beds. "You'd better go see to him now. You've done everything you need to for me, and Kent is much more useful in the battle than I am."
Lenny nodded and walked over to Ben's bed. "Fortunately," he said, "the plasma has cauterized the wound already, so there is no external bleeding. I'll have to make sure there's no internal bleeding either." He injected Ben with a Super Stimpak. "This may cause a little damage later, but right now it will help a lot. Those plasma burns are bad, but they could have been much worse."
"They would have been," said Ben, "if a certain Initiate hadn't pulled my bacon out of the fire."
"You're not mad at me then, sir?" asked Angus.
"You did disobey a direct order. Angus, you have to learn that winning the battle is more important than the fate of any one soldier. Don't let your emotions interfere with your duty."
"I'm sorry, sir. I'll try harder."
"That's okay. You did save my life, and I am grateful. You're still learning, as an Initiate is supposed to do. As long as you learn this lesson, I'm willing to overlook your disobedience." Ben grinned at him. "Now get back out there and give the Enclave a pounding for me!"
"Yes, sir!" Angus saluted and ran out.
"Redemption has been a severe problem in the NCR's southern states," said Earl Drake. "It is not yet as bad as in Redding and Vault City, but it is far worse than it is here in the northern states. The states I represent need more resources to combat the plague."
"President Tandi and I understand your needs," said Vice President Considine. "We have been quite willing to share our resources, but they are being stretched thin. We've had to make do with less here in the north as well."
"Perhaps, but the problem is more extreme down at our end. Thus, we should receive a greater share of serum, other medical supplies, and funding."
"You raise a valid point. I'm sure we can come to an agreement that would be satisfactory to all. Likewise, most of the south's other issues can be resolved. The Republic must remain united, especially now. With Redemption running rampant and the Enclave wreaking havoc, we cannot afford division."
"It is the NCR that causes this division. Our demands are reasonable, and if they are met we shall remain united. Our economy has been crippled by the high taxes we pay to the NCR and the tariffs imposed on trade with the eastern lands to which Redemption has not yet spread. The cost of doing business is too high. The risk is greater than ever, and the reward smaller. Our merchants cannot endure for much longer under these conditions."
"Again, there is room for compromise on this issue. The economy is in trouble throughout the NCR, though I can see how some areas are affected worse than others. A reduction in taxes and tariffs would eat into our budget in the short term, but if reinvested into the economy we may see greater benefits in the future. It will be difficult, but I believe I can persuade my allies in Congress to lighten the burden a bit."
"And what of the sovereignty issues? They are the real heart of the matter."
"You want more money and resources from the NCR, but decry what you call federal 'interference.' You cannot have it both ways. If a state receives funding from the central government, it must cooperate to earn that funding."
"This is nothing short of extortion, Mr. Vice President!"
"Nobody is forcing any state to receive federal funds. States have certain rights, but they have chosen to waive some of those rights in exchange for direct assistance. It is a symbiotic relationship. We need each other, especially in this time of emergency."
"The emergency powers the NCR has assumed are being abused and infringe upon the rights of the states. And now I hear you wish to raise an army!"
"The purpose of the army would be to defend the Republic against the Enclave and the infected, not to threaten the states you represent. The militias we use now simply are not up to the task. You said yourself that Redemption was overrunning the southern states."
"But to put the army under federal command? We cannot tolerate federal troops on our soil!"
"The Army Creation Act hasn't even been presented in Congress yet, and won't be for a while. When it is, there will be opportunities to debate and amend it. Opportunities that would be lost to any state that rashly secedes from the Republic prior to the vote. I've read your proposals, and though there is common ground, there are some things that are simply non-negotiable. What you have in mind would require the Constitution to be amended, which I feel would be a mistake at this point."
Drake rose. "Then we have nothing further to discuss. Good day, gentlemen." He turned and swept from the room, his cape flowing behind him.
"Well, that didn't go so well," said the Lord Paladin.
"Oh, don't worry," said Considine. "This is a standard negotiating ploy of Drake's. He's done it before. He's just waiting to see if we'll cave. If we stand fast, he will return to the table eventually."
"True this is," said the High Elder. "Well do I know his style."
"Still," said Jackson, "I can't help but feel that the last chance for peace has slipped through our fingers."
"Don't give up hope, Sam," said Yogi Maxson. "Remember: over it ain't until over it is."
<center>* * *</center>
"You're doing much better," said Lenny to Rachel Wright as she sat up in her bed in the medical lab. "You took a nasty fall, but your reflexes and armor saved your life."
"Thanks, doc," she said. Then they both turned as Ben Kent and Angus hobbled in. Angus set Ben down on one of the few empty beds. "You'd better go see to him now. You've done everything you need to for me, and Kent is much more useful in the battle than I am."
Lenny nodded and walked over to Ben's bed. "Fortunately," he said, "the plasma has cauterized the wound already, so there is no external bleeding. I'll have to make sure there's no internal bleeding either." He injected Ben with a Super Stimpak. "This may cause a little damage later, but right now it will help a lot. Those plasma burns are bad, but they could have been much worse."
"They would have been," said Ben, "if a certain Initiate hadn't pulled my bacon out of the fire."
"You're not mad at me then, sir?" asked Angus.
"You did disobey a direct order. Angus, you have to learn that winning the battle is more important than the fate of any one soldier. Don't let your emotions interfere with your duty."
"I'm sorry, sir. I'll try harder."
"That's okay. You did save my life, and I am grateful. You're still learning, as an Initiate is supposed to do. As long as you learn this lesson, I'm willing to overlook your disobedience." Ben grinned at him. "Now get back out there and give the Enclave a pounding for me!"
"Yes, sir!" Angus saluted and ran out.
Team Scimitar, Redding, Oh Redding
Schrike watched the altimiter, watching the slow, steady desent
He then questioned Senior Knight Kagel
"What kind of insertion?
Kagel took a moment to observe the streets of redding
"We Drop in"
Schrike's facial expression changed, he was suprised
"In power armor? Is... Is that a good idea?"
"Don't question me"
said kagel
"Ok..."
Kagel then turned, grasping the hand rail of the vertibird- crossing into the troop comparment. Kagel walked to her respective spot, standing, gripped to the hand bar.
"Listen up. Were' Dropping in. Schrike's going to clear the way with a straifing run, and we ropell in. Our assignment, is recon. The LZ Will be hot. Remember. Their are more foes, than you have bullets, so If you can avoid conflict, Do it. Schrike will be on call, for evac, or fire-missions. Any Questions?"
Stephan raised his hand. and spoke "What if we find survivors?"
Kagel responded "Than we evacuate the survivor."
Leo then spoke "What are the LZs?"
Kagel than spoke "We have a primary, Secondary, and Tershieary. The Primary, in the streets, the eastern interance of redding, in-between the malimute, and the sherif's office. The secondary, is the western mine interance. and the Third, landing - evac site, is 2.3 KM Due-East of redding, on an old farm, The road leads thru it - cant miss it."
Xi then spoke "What about Munitions?"
Kagel than responded "You use what you have."
Schrike than questioned Kagel
"Do you want continuous straifing?"
Kagle than responded
"We will know when we hit."
Stephan than rose his hand again
"So... What happens when primary, secondary, and tersiary LZ's get over-run?"
Kagel looked to stephen
"Well, Initiate, Unless you want to find out; We won't let that happen."
Schrike than exclaimed "Thirty Seconds!"
Kagel than reached above her head, freeing her firearm. A Modified DSK Sniper-rifle. The magazine had been extended to 15 rounds, and the Bolt had been overhauled to a Gass operating mechanism. The free-floating barrel had been cut down, by 5 inches, and the stock had been replaced with a folding, carbon fiber stock. The trigger had been loveingly grooved, and maticuliously modified to fit the shooter's likeing. The scope had been removed, and replaced with a brotherhood manufactured 1.5x, 3.5x, 5.0x, Tri-Spectrum optical scope.
She then reached, grabbing her Aux weapon - a Mp-9 10mm SMG. The weapon had a 5 in' barrel extintion, and a folding stock, and the controlled burst had been re-worked to 3- rnd, and Automatic, as most 20th century tactical SMG's. she clipped the SMG to the harness hanging from the leging of the power armor. She then pulled the bolt back on the "Sniper-Rifle" (Carbine), loading a .223 round into the chamber.
"Lets Lock and load!"
~~~~~~~~~~
Gabe barreled thru the streets- one of the redemption charged from an allie-way - though was quickly liquidated, Via Bumper.
as he stopmped the creature- he then continued. The mini-gun attatched to one arm - the bumper clentched tightly. Whilst he did so - his mind became clouded with past memories. Memories of the brotherhood's frantic persuite- chesing him, and his kind across the mountains- and when desperation hit- required their services. Now, once more- He was fighting for humanity. Suddenly- Three of the redemption jumped at gabe- though he smashed thru them - turning - the mini-gun winding. He perferated the infected. they lay on the ground, filled with lead.
Schrike watched the altimiter, watching the slow, steady desent
He then questioned Senior Knight Kagel
"What kind of insertion?
Kagel took a moment to observe the streets of redding
"We Drop in"
Schrike's facial expression changed, he was suprised
"In power armor? Is... Is that a good idea?"
"Don't question me"
said kagel
"Ok..."
Kagel then turned, grasping the hand rail of the vertibird- crossing into the troop comparment. Kagel walked to her respective spot, standing, gripped to the hand bar.
"Listen up. Were' Dropping in. Schrike's going to clear the way with a straifing run, and we ropell in. Our assignment, is recon. The LZ Will be hot. Remember. Their are more foes, than you have bullets, so If you can avoid conflict, Do it. Schrike will be on call, for evac, or fire-missions. Any Questions?"
Stephan raised his hand. and spoke "What if we find survivors?"
Kagel responded "Than we evacuate the survivor."
Leo then spoke "What are the LZs?"
Kagel than spoke "We have a primary, Secondary, and Tershieary. The Primary, in the streets, the eastern interance of redding, in-between the malimute, and the sherif's office. The secondary, is the western mine interance. and the Third, landing - evac site, is 2.3 KM Due-East of redding, on an old farm, The road leads thru it - cant miss it."
Xi then spoke "What about Munitions?"
Kagel than responded "You use what you have."
Schrike than questioned Kagel
"Do you want continuous straifing?"
Kagle than responded
"We will know when we hit."
Stephan than rose his hand again
"So... What happens when primary, secondary, and tersiary LZ's get over-run?"
Kagel looked to stephen
"Well, Initiate, Unless you want to find out; We won't let that happen."
Schrike than exclaimed "Thirty Seconds!"
Kagel than reached above her head, freeing her firearm. A Modified DSK Sniper-rifle. The magazine had been extended to 15 rounds, and the Bolt had been overhauled to a Gass operating mechanism. The free-floating barrel had been cut down, by 5 inches, and the stock had been replaced with a folding, carbon fiber stock. The trigger had been loveingly grooved, and maticuliously modified to fit the shooter's likeing. The scope had been removed, and replaced with a brotherhood manufactured 1.5x, 3.5x, 5.0x, Tri-Spectrum optical scope.
She then reached, grabbing her Aux weapon - a Mp-9 10mm SMG. The weapon had a 5 in' barrel extintion, and a folding stock, and the controlled burst had been re-worked to 3- rnd, and Automatic, as most 20th century tactical SMG's. she clipped the SMG to the harness hanging from the leging of the power armor. She then pulled the bolt back on the "Sniper-Rifle" (Carbine), loading a .223 round into the chamber.
"Lets Lock and load!"
~~~~~~~~~~
Gabe barreled thru the streets- one of the redemption charged from an allie-way - though was quickly liquidated, Via Bumper.
as he stopmped the creature- he then continued. The mini-gun attatched to one arm - the bumper clentched tightly. Whilst he did so - his mind became clouded with past memories. Memories of the brotherhood's frantic persuite- chesing him, and his kind across the mountains- and when desperation hit- required their services. Now, once more- He was fighting for humanity. Suddenly- Three of the redemption jumped at gabe- though he smashed thru them - turning - the mini-gun winding. He perferated the infected. they lay on the ground, filled with lead.
Presidential Briefing; Rage of Battle
Vice President Considine sat at Tandi's bedside, having just informed her of the events at the peace conference and the terrible news from Redding and Vault City. The President was very wrinkled and frail, being nearly 130 years old, a feat unheard of among non-mutants. Though she was clearly on her last legs, she still possessed an inner strength and a will to see her job through. The news, while shocking, did not cause her physical condition to worsen, at least no more than it would have anyway.
"I fear for the Republic," she croaked.
"You need not fear, Madame President," said Considine. "The Republic is in excellent hands. The peace talks will continue once Earl Drake comes to his senses, and the Brotherhood of Steel will provide all the help they can. I will do everything in my power to keep the NCR whole."
"I know I can depend on you. I am confident the NCR will be well cared for after I am gone. But will it be enough?"
"After this crisis is over, the NCR will be stronger than it has ever been. After our darkest hour will come the dawn of our Golden Age!"
Tandi smiled. "That's not just a morale-building politician's speech; you really believe that, I can tell."
"Indeed I do, ma'am."
"Then that is enough. I believe it too."
<center>* * *</center>
Amy and Jack reached level 3 of the Vault and walked to the armory, which was guarded by Vault City sentries in metal armor to protect against Enclave spies.
"How's it going up there?" asked one of them.
"Not well, I'm afraid," said Jack, "but still better than I would have expected a few days ago. We need to restock on ammo."
The guard nodded, unlocked the armory door, and let them pass. "We're starting to run low, but take what you need. Just share it with the other defenders up there."
"Thanks." The two of them went inside and started rummaging through the footlockers. Jack loaded up on 10mm clips for his SMG and energy cells for his plasma pistols, while Amy grabbed some .44 bullets for her Desert Eagles and the remaining supply of HN needles. Not many people used the latter, as needler weapons were fairly rare here. The only one Amy knew of was Myron, who carried a needler pistol.
Amy loaded her rifle with armor-piercing needles, which had the best chance of punching through the Enclave's armor. Then they returned back to the elevator and rode it up. Amy leaned against the wall and shut her eyes, her pulse racing and sweat pouring down her face.
Jack squeezed her shoulder. "Hang in there, Amy," he said. "You're going to be fine. What you're going through is just a normal reaction to your first dose of the serum. Later doses aren't so bad."
"If I live long enough to take another dose...I'm so scared, Jack." Amy's knees quaked.
Jack held her tight and gave her a quick kiss. "So am I," he admitted.
"That doesn't make me feel better. I was hoping you had some kind of superhuman courage."
"Everybody gets scared. Courage isn't being fearless. It's doing what you have to do in spite of being afraid."
The elevator arrived on the surface. Amy opened her eyes and took Jack's hand. "Then let's go." They ran through the Vault entrance and down the tunnel leading outside. They took up their positions and engaged the enemy.
Something stirred from the building Valice Reins lay buried under. A clenched fist shot up through the rubble. Amy watched in terror as Valice stood, his eyes blazing a brighter orange than ever. His howl of rage echoed across the ruined battlefield.
Vice President Considine sat at Tandi's bedside, having just informed her of the events at the peace conference and the terrible news from Redding and Vault City. The President was very wrinkled and frail, being nearly 130 years old, a feat unheard of among non-mutants. Though she was clearly on her last legs, she still possessed an inner strength and a will to see her job through. The news, while shocking, did not cause her physical condition to worsen, at least no more than it would have anyway.
"I fear for the Republic," she croaked.
"You need not fear, Madame President," said Considine. "The Republic is in excellent hands. The peace talks will continue once Earl Drake comes to his senses, and the Brotherhood of Steel will provide all the help they can. I will do everything in my power to keep the NCR whole."
"I know I can depend on you. I am confident the NCR will be well cared for after I am gone. But will it be enough?"
"After this crisis is over, the NCR will be stronger than it has ever been. After our darkest hour will come the dawn of our Golden Age!"
Tandi smiled. "That's not just a morale-building politician's speech; you really believe that, I can tell."
"Indeed I do, ma'am."
"Then that is enough. I believe it too."
<center>* * *</center>
Amy and Jack reached level 3 of the Vault and walked to the armory, which was guarded by Vault City sentries in metal armor to protect against Enclave spies.
"How's it going up there?" asked one of them.
"Not well, I'm afraid," said Jack, "but still better than I would have expected a few days ago. We need to restock on ammo."
The guard nodded, unlocked the armory door, and let them pass. "We're starting to run low, but take what you need. Just share it with the other defenders up there."
"Thanks." The two of them went inside and started rummaging through the footlockers. Jack loaded up on 10mm clips for his SMG and energy cells for his plasma pistols, while Amy grabbed some .44 bullets for her Desert Eagles and the remaining supply of HN needles. Not many people used the latter, as needler weapons were fairly rare here. The only one Amy knew of was Myron, who carried a needler pistol.
Amy loaded her rifle with armor-piercing needles, which had the best chance of punching through the Enclave's armor. Then they returned back to the elevator and rode it up. Amy leaned against the wall and shut her eyes, her pulse racing and sweat pouring down her face.
Jack squeezed her shoulder. "Hang in there, Amy," he said. "You're going to be fine. What you're going through is just a normal reaction to your first dose of the serum. Later doses aren't so bad."
"If I live long enough to take another dose...I'm so scared, Jack." Amy's knees quaked.
Jack held her tight and gave her a quick kiss. "So am I," he admitted.
"That doesn't make me feel better. I was hoping you had some kind of superhuman courage."
"Everybody gets scared. Courage isn't being fearless. It's doing what you have to do in spite of being afraid."
The elevator arrived on the surface. Amy opened her eyes and took Jack's hand. "Then let's go." They ran through the Vault entrance and down the tunnel leading outside. They took up their positions and engaged the enemy.
Something stirred from the building Valice Reins lay buried under. A clenched fist shot up through the rubble. Amy watched in terror as Valice stood, his eyes blazing a brighter orange than ever. His howl of rage echoed across the ruined battlefield.