Republics of Dust | Fallout RP | Alt-Timeline | IC

[New Minahasa]

Fort Sill

"You're talking to him. I'm the guy in charge here. General Zacharias Dixon of the Concord of Stars. And who the hell is the Institute?," General Dixon asked the Courser. He didn't notice the man's emotionless state, but through thorough analysis some of the soldiers could. This guy had either balls made of steel, or was just completely insane. Although that didn't change the soldiers' stance on them, and they kept their weapons raised. The men had the superiority of numbers and the technology, and weren't afraid to use them against the stranger and his robot fellows.

---

Strathcona Refinery

The expedition arrived in the oil refinery not long after they were tasked with the mission. They brought with them a team of engineers to restore the place to working order. Alberta was a completely new environment for them. Even though Concord scouts and spies had trekked across the American wasteland for centuries, they hadn't had the chance to explore the Canadian soil. There were all sorts of weird, newly-encountered mutated critters plaguing the outskirts of the oil refinery. Clearing the place out proved to be an easy task for the Concord soldiers, and they hoped defending it would be as easy.

There were abandoned drums and gallons of oil in the exterior and interior of the refinery. These could help the Concord in the long run, but they still needed more. They collected all of the drums and gallons that contained oil, and moved them into their Vertibirds. The Vertibirds flew to deliver what they had collected to Hoover Dam, where the oil would be needed more. What's left of the men stayed inside the refinery, protecting the engineers as they studied the place and tried to restore it back to working order as fast as they could.

[Tysklandia]

Washington Pact
Washington DC
Smitsonian Museum

A detachment of the 1st Regiment "Washington" Had arrived to the smitsonian, more or less to halt the small horde of scavangers who had read the notes plastered around in every major city in the pact and deduced the strange riddled location to be the decript and ruined museum that had been left to rot for centuries. They cordoned off the building, to avoid outright looting. But they could not resist sending in a few men in themselves to check the place out. But for the life of them they could not find anything, atleast not immediatly.

Washington Pact
Washington DC
Georgetown - Office of General James smith

The ornate office of James Smith was something to behold. Pristine wood and timber lined the walls, floor and roof, decorated with ancient rescued paintings, flags of pre-war amerika, its commonwealths and even the ancient states that made out amerika before its reformation into its 13 commonwealths, rifles, hunting and miliary lined the walls, medals and framed letters depicting each and every signing of the pact treaty did aswel. The old man Smith sat behind his ornate oak desk, leaning back, with his boots leaning on the desk as he smoked a sigar and swirled a glass of whiskey. The room was dimly lit but the atmosphere seemed easy going.

"Interesting reports, sergeant. Taxmaspada is a threat we should indeed keep an eye on... I will have high command draft plans for when they reach OHIO. Your work is, as allways, invaluable to the pact..."

The young woman who sat across from James, in dirty and worn military fatigues, twirling a sigaret smiled. James had allways been like a father and his praise meant the world to her. To James, the old wardog, Erika looked mighty tired from her 3 month long treck through OHIO, mapping the territory and scouting the taxmaspada borderlands. But she looked happy atleast and that is what mattered to him.

"Waudman... I have some weird rumors taking over half the nation, some strange riddle that has been taking over the scavanger and traders who have gone in a half mad goldrush. I rather not lower the reputation of this nation by acting on such silly notions as this, but we need to placate the people for a while."

The man slid a flyer over to her and Erika started to read and analyse the little document. James puffed from his sigar and looked out of the window, dusk overwhelming the military campus of Georgetown. Erika crossed her legs and sat strangly in her chair, like a child would. James snickered, the girl had allways been strange and headstrong, but in this room, where she had ran about since she had been a small child, she could allways be herself.

"Smitsonian?"

James smiled and shrugged.

"That is what your brother thought, I am unsure to be honest. Reports say these folders are found all across the east coast, perhaps even further. I amused a thought about Rushmore, but it could be any number of places. I arranged to have you visit the pentagon tommorow. Get you CIA access. That will allow me to give you access to the CIA's arsenal and support teams. After that I am making this note and whoever made it your new priority. Find out what is up with this and report back to me. I can have the CIA drop you off somewhere with our new air-cavalry, but after that you are on your own."

Erika nodded, folding the note and placing it into her travel pack that rested at the foot of her chair. She looked up to see James looking at her directly with a rather serieus and intense look.

"What you see in the pentagon is... I am giving you full access to the CIA files... You know what that means, do you girl?"

Erika nodded, dragging from her sigaret.

"I won't let you down, sir"

[Tysklandia]

Washington Pact
Washington DC
Erika Waudman

Erika stood in front of the ruined husk of the washington DC monument, The eery silence of the washington DC she remembered long replaced by the buzz and traffic of a thousand soldiers who patrolled its stretches hourly these days. With the CIA security around the pentagon and the white house, the 1st Regiment was deployed to provide not only border security in maryland and deleware, but also patrol the ruins of Washington DC. The Area around the Washington monument was more calm, due to the lack of scavangers and looters in these stretches of the city, but patrols had been raised, due too the looters and scavangers going into a mad goldrush due to the pamflets spread througout the country.

As she stood on the ruins of what once was a great city, she saw the beginnings of a rebirth. Trucks buzzed by as she walked through the ruined grass meadows that had once stood in the wake of the great monument and she still was not used to the vertibirds blazing he american eagle of the Pact flying overhead as they did training missions out of Adams AFB. She had just left the smitsonian museum and recieved the report from the soldiers there, ensuring to triple check every last finding they reported.

As she walked through the ruined city, in the shadow of the great washington moniment, she tugged at her new fatigues, her worn out apparel had been replaced by newer gear, and clothing, a gift from her new CIA contacts. She had visited the development workshops built into the new refurbished wings of the pentagon, developing and analysing new weapons and old schematics. Resource and factory limitations forced them to develop new ideas and she had seen very interesting things in the hands of those USA remnants engineers...

She was cut loose after that. Left to her own devices. The CIA could not spare men and resources on such a wild goose chase, but just one experienced soldier with an mind set on travelling would be expenable enough to miss, she knew that was the only reason she recieved this assignment. She had cracked her head about the clues she had been left with, but it seemed interesting to spend her time in DC well before leaving to the other places now on her list.

There where many buildings in the shadow of this tower and it would not hurt to spend her time rummaging through the ruins of Jefferson and Maddison street.

The National museum of American history, the freer art gallery, the other smithosian campusses of Science, air and space, african history and the national gallery of art took days to rummage through. The nuke that had destroyed the capitol building had nearly flattened all the museums on the avenues and she had had to hire a handful of scavangers and engineers to help her dig through the rubble and ensure she didn't collapse a roof as she tried to reach terminals and exhibits she found interesting. Soon enough it became less about the quest and more about uncovering the history of the world, hidden under the rubble and rust of the great war. She spent days and nights in those ruined halls filled with ancient glory and history, marvels of science and engineering, long since destroyed and corrupted by nuclear war, centuries of ruin, looting and the horrid uncaring destroyer that is time itself.

As time past, she went from ruined hall to ruined hall, ending up in the famed national gallery of Art. The notebooks she carried was filled with notes, drawings and the fragments of her thoughts as she finished her investigation at the steps of the Lincon memorial. With sufficient rest, her new supplies and weapons, she prepared to travel into the wastes that awaited her beyond the borders of the Pact.

She met her old friend Jerico, with the small, yet unnamed eyebot trailing behind him, at the utmost stretches of the old washington suburban landscape. They nodded to eachother, both relishing in the calm understanding silence that often reigned between them. Erika checked the three horses they allways travelled with along with a fourth she had bought on her way out of georgetown, ensuring their supplies of food, water, amunition and whatever else was sufficient for a long trip. Her rifles where safely stored away, with only a shiny new Karlie rifle added to her repertoir and half a truckload of amunition spread across the 2 load-horses that trailed behind them as they prepared to leave on their quest. The great wasteland of america awaited them both.


~~Erika Waudman Departs on her "GRAND QUEST"~~

[Alinora]

"You're talking to him. I'm the guy in charge here. General Zacharias Dixon of the Concord of Stars. And who the hell is the Institute?," General Dixon asked the Courser. He didn't notice the man's emotionless state, but through thorough analysis some of the soldiers could. This guy had either balls made of steel, or was just completely insane. Although that didn't change the soldiers' stance on them, and they kept their weapons raised. The men had the superiority of numbers and the technology, and weren't afraid to use them against the stranger and his robot fellows.

"I am here on behalf of the Institute" X6-88 said firmly. "The Director feels that your organization, which you refer to as 'the Concord', would fare well in an agreement with us - and that is why I stand before you right now."

[Waztaskio]

---

Area 51

As CEP watched the battle progress, he noticed the troopers encircling themselves into the center and ordered his sentry bots to get closer and engage in a spin maneuver to avoid being easily targeted, but allowing effective firepower to engage the troops. As the Sentry Bots closed in, large beems of concentrated laser fire would fire into the cluster, obliterating the troops that it hit. With the dogs and turrents distracting them, the Sentry Bots and Assaulttrons were able to kill at least twenty of the soldiers, but have lost fifteen Sentry Bots and four Assaulttrons, in addition to their cyberdogs and some of their turrents. As the battle continued to rage, all CEP could do was sit within the confines of his programming and watch. And only to think, this was just the first wave.

[The Traansval]

Somewhere

In the deep dark depths of the world, hidden from public sight and away from government intervention, within the confines of rock and steel held something of immense value. A crate, or trove of a hidden cargo. Buried away for safety, and safe from the destruction of atomic war. Inside the confines of such a place, a monitor crept on, after so many years. "Loading...Quest.Bat, Protocol 79." The computer hummed, with sounds of clanking from it's internal parts and programming sounds screeching out from the black screen with green text appearing. "Personality Matrix, The Librarian. Loading voice module, Julie Evans." The computer continued to program, until the screen went completely black. A face soon appeared, smiling. It was the face of a human female, with black hair that stretched down the back. Her complexion was digitize, with scrambles of pixels appearing from various areas making it impossible to find any notable facial features. "Initiating Protocol 79." The computer began to talk in a cheery feminine voice, letting out a laugh right after. "This is going to be an adventure."

---

Every Nation in the RP

A strange courier would arrive within your borders, carrying a small pamphelet. The courier would not be noticed, but over time you would begin to notice weird signs and messages in various settlements across your territories. Signs like, "It's still alive," or "Knowledge can never die, merely preserved." Beside these markings would read a caption "Keepers of the Secrets," and a riddle would be transcribed reading ".At one time, I was alive, yet at no time did my heart beat. My words reside in all mankind, but ashes is now all I can keep. I am a concept, and a place, not far from the street. Washington shadows me, as I hold america's galleries" This is sure to lead to scavenger hunts...

Professor Jones of the Academy of New York found large interest in the mysterious signs left by a unknown man. He studied them hard. He hoped in the future he'd find more on this, but so far he couldn't figure it out. "My words reside in all mankind" "I am a concept" made it sound like it was Freedom, but Freedom is not a place. Also, what is shadowed by Washington, and what is Americas Galleries?

Jones sighed. He'd work on it later, right now he needed to get back to his real work. Actually, now that he thought about it, he needed sleep...

[Tysklandia]

Washington Pact
West-Virginia – Spencer outskirts, coal mine
6th and 7th Infantry Battalion under command of the 3rd regimental formation “Amerika”
Sniper team 3

Under the cover of night, the regimental command sent in multiple scout teams and sniper squads under the cover of several light raids on the perimiter as a distraction, the infiltration went smoothly and by the time the raids where recalled, multiple sniper and recconaissance teams had penetrated deep into the besieged settlement, setting up covert sniper and surveillance posts overlooking the settlement and major roads leading in and outside the settlement.

Sniper team 3 had managed a prime location, a low-hill overlooking the settlement, covered in rock, rubble and dirt. A position unguarded because it was easy to spot anyone attempting to scale it, but the night raid and the cover of darkness had allowed the team to get to a prime location, cover on all sides and perfect visibility in a full 360 degrees of any approaching patrols. They set up their guns, surveillance gear and radio's, awaiting morning...

When it finaly arived, they scoped the sprawling settlement, radio'ing in mustering points of weapons, defense hardpoints and other points of interest. One of these was a large stronghold in the center of the old Spencer city center, bearing flags and markings foreign to the rest of spencer ,it bore the mark of the virginian patriots... A band of malcontents, traitors and draft dodgers who banded together with a vague set of policies and goals. The nature of their recruits meant that many did deviate from these goals however, raiding, killing and murdering at their leisure. Pact high command knew the virginian patriots had ideas and goals of democracy and political revolution, but the nature of their more seedier members made it easy to demonize them across the wider population. And at this point their public support was at an all time high since the pact military purged several patriot cells that had turned to raiding and slaving for money and pleasure.

Why would they hold a fortress in the middle of spencer...? Binoculairs and sniper scopes allowed them to slowly observe the building across several days, giving them insight into the situation. Several elders and women where brought to the building in chains during the day and night hours, crying, being beaten and even shot in the street by the gun toting patriots. This must be extortion, mass slavery or god knows what else... Patriot camps where spread around the Spencer settlement, all covered with slaves, whores and drink, patriot men enjoying their horrid pleasures.

Regimental command was at a loss... If they assumed that the entire black-root tribe was under their heel, how could they liberate without exterminating the bulk of the black-root footsoldiers who would, no matter the situation, fight and die for their holy land. Another raid was planned, initially to distract the defenders from inserting teams to resupply the scout teams and otherwise to make captives... Another short raid ensured a handful of captives, who where patched up and questioned in the dark of night. A light beating ensured the truth and it all spilled out... The patriots had been spilling across the pact border for years, more and more everytime the Pact stepped up its raids on their sleeper cells. After a while they banded together and started slaving and raiding the black-root settlements and caravans. Before long, their weapons and tactics allowed them to force their way into spencer and kidnap multiple elders and civilians inside the spencer city hall, the holy church of the black-root tribe. Within weeks the entire tribe was under their oppressive influence, the black-roots too scared and weak to fight off their reinforced fortress in the middle of town, filled with almost a hundred hostages.

But ensuring the support of the black-roots to kick the patriots out would require liberating those hostages, the elders and the others, women and children...
The regimental command called in the Special forces, infiltrating the city by night was a job best left for professionals...

Washington Pact
West virginia
3rd regiment Amerika and 3rd company WSA SF

The 3rd regiment "Amerika continued their policing of the West-virginia region, reinforced by new recruits hailing from north carolina, they tightened their grip on the black root settlements in the area, wiping out several raiding parties and sieging settlements, forcing them to surrender to food and water shortages... But the settlement of spencer held out...

The 3rd company Red berret's had even barely arrived before they rushed into work, interrogating captives and writing detailed plans about the city, for days they prepared as they trickled into the city... One disguise after another was taken, crafted and carefully put together as the strike teams infiltrated the city, one night after another.

For a full week the 3rd regiment heard nothing as they prepared their final assault to pacify the black root rebellion, as they had coined it. Untill, on the eve before their assault, the city burst into choas. gunfire erupted all over town, people ran, scurried and trampled as explosion occured in a rithmic motion. the choas lasted deep into the night and at dawn, a black root elder walked to the 3rd regiments trenches to surrender the city to the pact...

The special forces brigade had placed explosives on several stockpiles of weapons, carefully controlled as to not cause secondary fires and destruction that could destroy the entire settlement. Using the explosions as a distraction, they stormed the fortress, releasing hundreds of captives, with the aid of the now freed elders, they rallied warriers to fight off the patriots that had enslaved them. Nearly two hundred men died that night, patriots and black roots alike, but the company has no losses, only wounded. So the pact considered the mission a sound success.

With the fall of Spencer, most settlements followed swiftly. Peace negotiations could finaly begin.
But no matter the treaty that would be signed or the conditions their off... west virginia was now properly under control of the pact...

[New Minahasa]

Area 51

"Lieutenant Kent, our forces are pinned in the middle! Hostiles are approaching fast! Requesting help!," shouted a Concord soldier in the radio, gunfires and men screaming could be heard in the background. Kent quickly mobilized his own team of men to help the pinned forces. The cyberdogs were quickly dealt with, and most of the Sentry bots and Assaultrons were focused on the pinned men, clearing the way out for Kent and his team. They managed to destroy a few more turrets while on the way. As they arrived, they quickly flanked the Sentry bots and Assaultrons, forcing them to fight in two fronts.

---

Fort Sill

General Dixon was intrigued when the stranger mentioned "an agreement" with them. Reports from the soldiers said that they had with them some sort of a "teleportation" technology, which explained how they could instantly arrive at the front gates of the base. If what they said is true, then this "Institute" could surely be an ally worth having. Dixon nodded to his men, and they opened the gates for them. "If you're looking to talk out an agreement, then you are certainly most welcomed here. But still, we need to talk more about this Institute of yours, and your "Director"," spoke Dixon to the Courser.

---

New Columbia-Soviet Borders, "Operation Red Gate"

A fleet of Vertibirds flew across the skies, inside power armoured troops all geared up for a battle. Operation Red Gate, it was called. The forces were tasked with the sole objective to destroy the border forts of the USSS, the "Red Gate", which comprised of two forts. Troops and Vertibirds were fetched from Fort Sill and Sierra Army to reinforce the Concord's forces for this mission alone. This wouldn't be an easy task for the men; the USSS's defences were formidable, and it would take some time before they could breach through. Luckily they could perform airdrops with their Vertibirds, effectively skipping unnecessary besiegement. Ten Peacekeepers and Sentry bots were brought along the mission, as to ensure efficiency and success of the operation.

The fleet were broken down into two. The first went to Fort Marx, and the second to Fort Lenin. "Objectives are on-sight. Activate weapons systems," radioed the pilots to each other as the Vertibirds' gatling lasers and rocket launchers were activated. The USSS forces manning the walls of the forts immediately spotted the incoming Vertibirds, and hurried to defensive positions. "Hostiles spotted on the walls. All pilots, engage," ordered the pilot leader. The Vertibirds released hell on the Soviet troops; missiles and lasers were rapidly fired at their positions. The walls were quickly secured from the hostile troops; detached limbs and innards were all that were left on the walls.

Approaching the courtyards, they could see crowds of civillians running for their lifes, and even more enemy troops forming up their defenses. The hostile soldiers weren't given enough time as they found themselves turned into piles of ash, or filled with big holes. "Troops, prepare to disembark," radioed the pilots as they neared the landing zone. Concord soldiers quickly disembarked from the Vertibirds as the courtyard was cleared, forming up squads of their own, accompanied with the occasional Concord's Peacekeeper Corps of super soldiers, and Sentry bots.

First, they secured the perimeter around the landing zone, picking off any resistance they could find. The squad leaders were all gathered up by Captain McCoy, the leader of the operation on Fort Marx. "Our mission is to secure this fort from all hostiles to allow the New Columbians a safe path across the borders. Destroy any resistance you found along the way. Don't worry; Captain Whitterson is leading his own attack in the other fort, and we won't be expecting any reinforcement from the enemy side anytime soon. But don't let your guard down. We have yet to know what the communists have in store for us. And for your sake, avoid any civillian casualties. We don't need more blood in our hands, but if they engage; neutralize," McCoy briefed the squad leaders. The men nodded, and departed in separate ways as they explored the rest of the fort.

[Tysklandia]

The America project
CIA top clearance required
TOP SECRET

With the secret pact signed with the American remnants, they were given Adams AFB as a staging ground, secured and guarded by CIA military elements. The pentagon became a shard project, American scientists and engineers working alongside the best and most loyal people the pact had managed to select and train.

According to the American… genealogy policies, the CIA was selected to be acceptable to their specific tastes and policies. Whilst not advertised as such, only those of European, causcican descent where selected to serve in the CIA and the newly formed Military police.

The military high command, the few aware of the secret treaty enabled policies that would allow them to slowly, over the course of months and years, to purge the military office corps of anyone who was now deemed ‘undesirable’.

Mutants, even people with slight mutations and ghouls, feral and not so, where evicted from the entire Pact territory and forbidden to return as the only true public policy as a result of the secret deal. This only garnered light protest from trade organizations as the public policy of the pact had been anti-mutant for decades, but they had been lenient. The ending of that leniency only resulted in minor annoyances for traders and caravans.


But the outside of the establishment of a military and scientific cooperation for the vast military secrets hidden in the pentagon, the America project was launched, with 4 different, distinct programs.

The Virginia plan
American remnant engineers and scientists joined the CIA undercover, their true identity only known by their fellow CIA agents and operatives.
They were deployed to the Arlington nuclear power plant, in the hope to garner the knowledge, manpower and materials necessary to reboot that building. Other engineers where sent to a separate factory in the Arlington Armory, which built power lines and fusion core-able power generators.
A last and the largest “civilian” team was sent to Richmond, to join the 200 large civilian worker team which had been working on the Richmond fusion core facility for years with little progress.

Washington, in discussion with USA remnant scientists had deemed the repair and usage of the Arlington nuclear power plant to be a long-term effort to power the reconstruction of Virginia. Even if the power plant was re-activated, drawing power lines to the other cities would be a monumental effort, if possible at all, the construction and delivery of fusion core generators seemed a more feasible plan on the mid-long term to power factories or even military installations on short notice.

Another plant in Lynchburg was deemed functional to produce diesel engines and generators, with the American remnant and pact military leadership deemed that the nuclear power plant and the fusion core plan was the primary economical objective, but access to the west-Virginian coal and coal liquefaction plants would give a reliable source of diesel fuel, which would be perfect to fill in gaps in usability or delays in either project.

The minuteman plan

Outside of dozens and dozens of remnant engineers coordinating the repair and construction of the most difficult, but most rewarding projects in the Washington pact territories, the military edge of the project was very promising. General Hamilton always deemed repairing and rebuilding the nation to be his primary concern. He was not happy enough to provide peace and stability. He despised the ruins of their nation and was ecstatic about his new cooperation with the American remnant, seeing himself and the nation he built as a vital cog in the reconstruction of America.

This enthusiasm and trust had convinced the American remnant to invest heavily in the Washington territory, even if only in secret. Many of their operatives joined in the CIA, sharing knowledge, information and skills whenever applicable (For as much as the remnants where willing to share).

Sections of Quantico and the Arlington Armory where given to CIA projects, developing weapons and vehicle workshops. The howitzer projects where re-evaluated as the remnant was doubtful that the howitzers produced at Arlington would be economical. Production was slowly shifted to a pre-war artillery plant in north-Carolina, where USA remnant and pact engineers could properly set up a production plan to produce howitzers at roughly pre-war quality, plans where drawn and prototypes constructed for Anti-aircraft and AT weaponry, these weapons, due to the issue with mass-production, would need to be mobile or redeployable. The concept of a direct-fire gun for explosive effect that had high enough barrel traverse for fire against aircraft was preferred as an economical option, but a more lightwheight infantry support gun was found useful, as a counterpart to the larger prototype with dual-functionality.

Vehicle workshops in Quantico and Arlington where expanded , with pre-war trucks refurbished and used as mechanical examples to train Washington pact engineers and mechanics. Plans were made to develop a military and civilian truck that could be produced with the goods and factories at the pact’s disposal, perhaps with the remnant supplying critical elements or engine parts that could not be produced by the pact itself.

The Remnant had gifted the Washington pact with a single verti-bird as a sign of trust and an opening gift of their alliance, but it would take a long time to properly train and qualify pilots to use the advanced aircraft in a functional manner. The vehicle and its CIA pilot crew where stationed in Adams AFB and CIA recruited mechanics and engineers to aid it understanding its mechanics and electronics, in preparation for future maintenance of a small verti-bird fleet which the USA remnant may provide them with.

The Washington plan

The USA remnant had expressed that one of their prime objectives was the reconstruction of Washington DC as a symbol and seat of power. But with the reinforcement of the pentagon and Adams Air force base, the Washington pact was strapped for economic resources. The Georgetown government offered incentives and promised access to resources and civil engineers for citizens who were willing to work and refurbish portions of Washington DC. Starting around the suburbs of Georgetown, construction and refurbishing projects starting increasing in number, but intensive efforts would have to wait for the completion of the pentagon and Adams AFB projects.

The Washington plan of refurbishing DC also included increasing defenses and checkpoints across the ruins, which were included in the pentagon security plans. The security and development of the pentagon site where paramount. The repair and development of the giant pre-war combat system “liberty-prime” was the center of the plan, but most work was done by remnant scientists and engineers, the pact lacking in qualified personnel and high-tech equipment to aid in its development and usage. But military high command and CIA HQ where adamant in the inclusion of its best scientists and engineers on the project even if only to keep an eye on its progress and as an opportunity to learn and understand the pinnacle of pre-war technology.

The Remembrance plan

The USA remnant had been adamant in their access of vault 87, vault 108, vault 92 and vault 112, the latter of which the pact was not even aware of. Vault 87 was cordoned off and limited if any CIA personnel was allowed near the black site, even the remnant being increasingly secretive about the vault and its purpose, all the pact knew that it had been the source of the super mutant infestation that had killed tens of thousands, if not more. The interest of the USA remnant into the vault was a point of concern for high-command, but the vast investment they had done in all other fields assured them that it would not be in their direct disadvantage.

Vault 112 was temporarily given over to the remnant and afterwards made into a shared CIA/USA site. Engineers of both sides worked to refurbish the vast simulation equipment found in the small research vault for military purposes. Plans were made to ship the simulation equipment to Adams AFB to aid in the training of verti-bird personnel.

The America project
CIA top clearance required
TOP SECRET

The months since the America project began have been busy and filled with progress and growth. The influx of experienced scientists and engineers from the USA enclave provided a massive boon to repairing factories, generators and all kinds of smaller facilities that allowed the economy to boom.

Investments and recruitment in the military has also been eratic during the Projects initial months, but not without results, with the influx of recruits from carolina and soon west virginia, it seems the growth of the armed forces is something the economy must struggle to cope with..

The Virginia plan

The arlington powerplant looked less decrepit by the day. The vast nuclear power plant and nuclear research facility stood just outside the outskirts of Arlington, within sight of the ruined spires of Washington DC, was home to hundreds of engineers and scientists daily, working to bring the powerplant back up to functionality. The US remenant provided the nuclear fuel to boot the powerplant and initial tests where very promising. But in order to use that powerplant beyond the extent of Washington DC, vast power cables would need to be laid down, that process had already been started as vast cables, both recycled pre-war and vast post war produces copper and steel cables that ran down the pre-war railroads down to the major settlements of the pact.

It would only take time before the Arlington nuclear powerplant would become alive again, basking the old Washington DC with light and powering its vast decrepit factories once more. The armories of Arlington and georgetown would soon be awash with surpluss power, allowing then to reactivate the vast machinery inside. But repairing said machinery would take time, but with the swift repair of the Nuclear facility, hope and morale amongst the workers was high. But that was not the only benifit of the vast nuclear facility. Specialised laboratories and machinery was present, where near the end of the war, power armor fusion-cores where produced for civilian and military use. Not only was a vast stockpile present and somewhat preserved in one of the lower levels, the machinery was somewhat recoverable with the aid of the USA scientists and engineers. With those fusion core's at their disposal, they could power and fund a vast amount of applications and generators across the pact, given time to rebuild and make the neccesary preperations.

Virginia was even beyond that power plant a treasure throve of highly advanced research and production facilities, many, if not all, damaged and decrepit. The pact had to pick and choose which facilities to invest in and rebuild first. The second primary option after the vast nuclear powerplant near Arlingtonthen became workshops and factories througout the state, particulair engines and generators, attempting to create a valuable source of power they could build, maintain and deploy themselves, allowing settlements to act independantly from jury rigged engines and generators.

With the annexation of West virginia and the repair project at its liquification plants, diesel would soon become in regulair supply across the pact. The lynchburg car and truck plants had already been partially refurbished to build diesel engines and generators, a prototype already being actively tested and fine-tuned. Even with the pacts primary focus on fusion core technology, diesel technology would allow the Pact to recylce vast amounts of pre-war vehicles. With the protoype ready, refurbashing of older fuel trucks and transport trucks was underway.



The minuteman plan

The switch of the Arlington Armory artillery workshop to north carolina delayed the projected by months. But the Carolina artillery workshop is slowly getting up to speed with a pair of american engineers aiding the dozens of pact engineerins overseeing the development of the vast artillery workshop that was etched out of a pre-war steel and concrete plant, filled with tools and machinery looted from a military hardware factory a few dozen kilometers down the road. Added to the pre-war howitzers already in use in the Quantico Armory and those pieces still in repair in its workshops, the first pact made artillery-gun was sent to quantico for testing. The WSA-Carolina-HISG, Heavy Indirect Suppor gun or, by its new nickname, The Carolina-Boomer. The factory workshop then continued their work on their other projects, expanding their factory floor and working on prototypes such as the WSA-Carolina-DSG or Direct Support Gun. A wheeled, tactically mobile heavy direct fire gun, primarily to use against entreched positions and enemy vehicles at long range, its construction was not that expensive, according to calculations and the addition of a heavy gun to an infantry company, would increase their chances if ever faced with enemy armor.

The secondary project of the newly minted CMF or Carolina Military Foundry, of great intrest to James Smith himself, was the WSA-Vir-88. An 88mm gun, that could be mounted on a fixed or mobile chassis, allowing the limited factory output of the pact to produce an as versitile as possible heavy gun to oppose prospected enemies, such as the concord or the taxmaspada horde to the west. This gun, according to military engineers, could then be loaded with a versitile set of amunitions, allowing its use against low-speed aircraft, infantry, entrenched positions and armor.

[Alinora]

General Dixon was intrigued when the stranger mentioned "an agreement" with them. Reports from the soldiers said that they had with them some sort of a "teleportation" technology, which explained how they could instantly arrive at the front gates of the base. If they true, then this "Institute" could surely be an ally worth having. Dixon nodded to his men, and they opened the gates for them. "If you're looking to talk out an agreement, then you are certainly most welcomed here. But still, we need to talk more about this Institute of yours, and your "Director"," spoke Dixon to the Courser.

X6-88 turned and looked back at the squad of Synths with him. "Remain here." He then turned back to the General and nodded. "If you will allow, I would like entry into your fort so that we may speak privately."

[Tysklandia]

Washington Pact
Grantville FOB
1st regiment, 1Oth Battalion detachment
5th Regiment 16th, 17th and 18th Infantry Battalion.

The small frontier settlement of grantsville had sprung up around the Grantsville FOB, a border security fort and barracks for detachments of the 1st regiment who ensured border security and response teams for the entire northern stretch of the pact. The small town regularly recieved refugees from the northern regions, who fled the warlords who reigned supreme in the region of Pennsylvania. But not even those warlords, with their guns and brutal raider bands never ventured too close to the border. The brutal skirmished that where commonplace on the border less than a decade ago became increasinly rare as the pact increased its forces in the region. But the pact never dared to send troops beyond the border, due to the enemy firepower and manpower that they could bring to bear.

But with west virginia and north carolina being pacified and relatively secure, including the influx of new recruits and resources from the region, They had operational capacity to spare. And high command was twitching to use it. Several projects had run aground on the sheer lack of metal, steel and foundry factories in the pact itself. Pennsylvania was a treasure throve of these industries, all relatively pristine and untouched by the war, excluding centuries of looting and neglect.

Beyond that, Pennsylvania was a personal goal for many of WSA High Command... The control vault deep in Pennsylvania had released their ancestors into the wild, decades ago. The warlords of pittsburgh had quickly enslaved them, for years their ancestors worked, died and bled for the brutish warlords of pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. Now, that would end. They, the descendants of those escaped vault dwellers, would enact revenge. The fifth regiment, filled with a new batch of recruits from georgetown and arlington, was outfitted with the best weapons carolina, arlington and quantico could offer and the training offered by the new programs drafted after the capture of the pentagon, the fifth regiment was the posterchild of what high command hoped to be the future of the WS Armed Forces.

The preperation of the operation was in full swing, with the entire Fifth regiment performing logistic duties in and around the now packed settlement of Grantville. More then a thousand men prepared their horses, carts and trucks for their trip. The front Battalion and select scouting companies prepared their rifles and gear, checked their body armor, travel gear and whatever else.
Mortars and heavy machineguns where loaded on the horse and cattle-carts and in the trucks, readied to move out at dawn.

The 4th and 3rd special forces company had already crossed the border a week ago, scouting and mapping proper routes for the Regiment to march. Prime locations to assault first, a proper route to pittsburgh, warlords to assasinate, strongholds to attack... The Special forces brigades paved the road for the fifth Regiment, once their initial push was succesful, the 1st artillery company was in transit from quantico, to be attached to the 1st regiment. But if neccesary it would be delegated to the fifth and its regimental command during the siege of pittsburgh.

The Fifth regiment was ready and the reign of the warlords of Pennsylvania was almost at an end.

[Tysklandia]

Boston Harbor
WSPS "Instance"
Zielbert Ackerman

The WSPS Instance was the pride of the east coast trading company, half of their decade's worth of profit went into its refit and it had re-earned its investment in only two year. in recent months, the refurbished pre-war cargo liner ran routes from carolina to DC, often under military contract to ship materials, steel, guns and amunition. But the ship was capable of much more then just sailing down the virginian coastline, and the company had a sheer thrist for profit.

When the news of the boston empire and the trade agreement minted with them reached the company, they rushed to make the Instance ready to depart. Coal and non-perishable foodstuffs, weapons, electronics from the workshops of arlington, the hold of the WSPS Instance was filled to the brim, a considerable investment. Zielbert was personally given command of the ship for the mission and he stocked up on guards, arms and extra hands to ensure the trip and trade went smoothly. Should all go according to plan, the profit of this trade run would set the marking point for many more trade runs to come.

...

Slow rumbling from the engine room has caused a small panic aboard the ship, even though the engineers guarenteed the issue was nothing. But when zielbert entered the engine room, warning sirens and steam blasted from control cabinets and the engine, with half a dozen sailors and engineers rushing about to fix things. The small nuclear power plant in its hold hummed and buzzed, the century old power plant struggling each day to continue its function, but the engineers aboard swore it would outlast them all and before long, the sirens stopped, the steam ceased to blast into the room and the engineers continued their work to repair the issue. This ship was old, but it would outlast them all they guarenteed...

So Ackerman continued back on deck to supervise the ship slowly drifting into dock.



A proper effort had been made to repaint the ship, but the bulk of the investment had went into the lower hull. Ensuring its sea worthyness. Rust patches and the scars of time where obviously present on the largely decrepit vessel, but it worked and they had brought their cargo to boston in record time, sailing beyond the sight of New York coastal settlements with relative ease.

Dozens of hands mucked about on deck, ensuring the straps on the century old containers where tight and steady, others fiddled with the massive anker and thick mooring ropes that they would need in a few minutes time. Zielbert was somewhat unshoven, his hair messy and his large overcoat wet and dripping from the trip. He had slept little, ensuring the trip was uneventful for both himself, his men and the ship. As he descended down the stairs, he met the chief engineer, who was running about, checking noted and yelling at sailors and other men to do a wide range of tasks.

"Gilbert, good afternoon. You and your men have done a fine job so far."

The young man nodded, snapping to attention, his hand almost shifting into a salute. The poor young man had only recently served his military service and left with a proper knoweldge of machinery and engineering. But it was hard for him to adjust back to a civilian lifestyle. The company had to offer him a large salary to persuade him not to re-enlist with the promise that his position as chief engineer aboard the WSPS Instance would allow him to enact military discipline amongst the men, to ensure order whilst on long voyages. The boy still struggled, but Zielbert often simply had to talk to the boy, share a few war stories and the boy would be set for a while.

"Thank you sir, I have my doubts if the engine can hold if we use the crane for too long, but it will be a good stress test on our refurbishing when we left port. It should do fine.'

Zielbert nodded, engaging in small talk as they walked across the deck, weaving through the handful of containers to inspect the crane. Company soldiers patrolled the deck and a pair of snipers rested on the roof, scouting the harbor of boston for potential hostiles, a common practice when entering non-pact ports.Not that the WSPS Instance had access to many of those...

But as the ship drifted into dock and sailors jumped on land to tie their ropes to the docking points, zielbert finally let out a sigh. They had made it, without issue, on time.
Now, to see if their was a welcoming party...?

[Tysklandia]

Erika Waudman
Questing
American wasteland - Tennesee

It had been weeks as Erika and her companions travelled at a brisk pace through the wasteland. Desert landscapes, scores of dead, ruined trees, apocalyptic scenes in every town and city they came across... Something everyone born in the post-great war era was perfectly used to. The issue was safety, food and water. Deep in these deadlands, where famine and thirst were common fears and ailments this far from civilisation, people often turned to thievery and murder, if only to save themselves. In time, some did nothing else then that and others still, learned to enjoy and relish in it. Those they call raiders, slavers and worse... If those did not make the wasteland dangerous enough, mutants did. Radiation did something horrible to some, turning them mad and changing them into something akin' to the walking dead... They hid in dark corners, tunnels and rubble, jumping out of ripping a man to schreds with its bear hands. Worse creatures still wandered theses wastes, results of radiation or worse...

All these horrors meant that most people stayed away from the ruins of great cities, fortifying themselves behind walls and natural fortifications, hunkered down in groups where one was safest. But those few brave or insanly stupid souls who earned their coin with trade, braved the road nearly daily against all these threats and more... These people where often amongst the most exentric and strange to be found, Traders, travellers, mercenaries... Those who did not turn to thievery, murder or worse, often had special characteristics indeed.

And after weeks on the road, het bones aching and her cloack and armor covered in dust and sand, Erika started to wonder if she was, in the end, just as mad as everyone else here in the wasteland. Those thoughts occupied her head as she was perched on a hill, her ghillie suit covered in branches and sand and her finger on the trigger of a one and a half meter long .50 caliber AMR bolt-action rifle. From even a few yards away, she and her rifle where entirely invisible. As she signed and her minds wandered further, her fingers tapped on the side of her rifle, itching to pull the trigger. Through the rifle scope, 450 meters away, she observed the ruins of interstate 40. In the middle of that road, her companion, the old mercenary Jerico, was negotiating with some passing caravan for food and supplies. Erika's eyebot, lately nicknamed "Spot", floated gently behind him. Caps exchanged hands and the old man haggled intensly, irritating the caravaniers to no end.

Erika had no nose for trade, let alone by using those inane bottle caps these savages deemed approriate to use for currency. This specific caravan looked very shady from a distance, hence why Erika proposed deploying an overwatch position. If something went wrong, Jerico could hop for cover. By the time they figured out where the sniperfire came from, they would have all been dead... But the trade went smoothly and the caraveniers where long gone before Erika climbed down from the hill and rejoined Jerico on the interstate.

"Seems I overreacted, they seemed rather normal, apologies old man."

Erika shrugged, assuming she had cauled fowl without proper reason, Jerico mounted his horse and grinned.

"Slavers, returning from taxmaspada. They where going to hunt for some new slaves to sell. I am too old and I ain't got no tits. So I tend not to have much issue with them."

As jerico continued on, erika was wide-eyed and pissy. As she kicked her horse into gear she cursed and yelled at the old man for not telling her beforehand. She had been itching for a proper excuse to shoot someone for days now. They moved onwards to their destination accompanied by the gruff laughter of old man Jerico.

[Fascist Republic Of Bermuda]

Raven Rock

Raven Rock

John Henry Eden had not been expecting the General to respond in such a hostile way. Certainly, the General should be . "Now, General, there is no need to be hasty. We are all true-blooded Americans here. I merely thought it would lift your men's spirits to wake them up to the music of true American patriots." He stopped the music just as The Stars and Stripes Forever faded into When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again. "I woke these brave souls up at 5 A.M. Eastern Standard Time on the dot, the time Reveille is supposed to be called in the United States Armed Forces." The General yelled down at his men to get a team of engineers, which the ZAX AI did not like one single bit. "Please, General, I can assure you, I am perfectly fine. There is no need to bother the engineers, they no doubt have far more important things to do. And General, my name is John Henry Eden."

[Pacific Brotherhood of Steel]

---

Bakersfield
New Columbia First Strike Force
USSS

---

General James Hsu

---

The attack on Bakersfield was going as well as it could. They had most definitely caught the communists by complete surprise and it showed. The Soviet troops were initially disorganized as they tried to make sense of what was happening. His troops made strides into the city and captured key locations that would disallow a counter-attack to be easy. Hsu had started to take full consideration of the parts of the city had taken and had fortified them as best they could. Makeshift barricades were put across roads with barbwire lining the front of them. Machine gun nests were built along these barricades to discourage attacks. Checkpoints were also made to make sure civilians were not aiding the enemy. Guns were taken as they were found as to keep a civilian uprising from happening.

Civilians were also aided as well. Food and water was brought in to them and many were being relocated in Columbian Bakersfield to keep civilian casualties from enemy artillery fire. These civilians were, of course, searched before being taken away from the city to safer locations as they didn't want them to pose a threat to their own civilians and their back line as well. Some did get belligerent and had to be detained but most were just looking to be away from the gunfire and eagerly accepted being taken away from the front lines.

The Rattlesnakes did what they did best and made scouting moves deeper into the city, bringing terror to the enemy. As the Soviets moved in troops that were outside of the city, squads of Rattlesnakes would booby trap streets with satchel charges blowing them as enemy troops passed over and fleeing before they could find the perpetrators of the these attacks. Sniper attacks on high ranking officers became common. Anything to disrupt command. This would occur across what was left of the enemy controlled parts of the city as the Rattlesnakes tried their damndest to put the hurt on the enemy as early and and quickly as possible.

The Enemy artillery fire came down hard and forced soldiers into cover more than a few times. It was then they became a high priority target for Concord hunter-killer teams and the Rattlesnakes alike. Teams were diverted from disrupting the enemy to hunting down the location of these artillery pieces. Noticing the arc of the artillery as it fell onto positions made it easy to realize where they were coming from and how close they were to the city. This would be relayed back to command who would then have the Concord search potential areas that the pieces would be located.

This would be repeated across all major fronts of war as the Columbian army continued to push into the other outlined major cities Yuma, Santa Maria, and Barstow. Though the war would be gruesome the USSR was caught completely off guard giving the Columbian military a major bonus in the early days of the war. Using every advantage they could get, this war would be swift.

---

Hopeville

Matthias sat in his office. It was early morning and they had just got a visitor from the UPVT. Some minister or another with documents that apparently of the most vital of importance. No matter the mans protesting Matthias had waved it off until this morning. The minister had arrived late in the night and he Matthias was just about to retire to bed when it was brought to his attention. He had already spent a long day talking to several representatives from different counties in the country and he had a radio communique with General Hsu about the battle in enemy occupied Bakersfield.

Now he finally got down to business and starting thumbing through these documents. He didn't expect this per say but he knew the UPVT was against the war nonetheless. He would agree to a a potential ceasefire to discuss the USSR's surrender but he wouldn't entertain anything else of the sort. The UVPT knew what Columbia was going to do and they willingly broke their alliance with the USSR. As far as Matthias was concerned, they were accomplices to Columbia. They were just as responsible as we were. Oh well though.

Matthias would pen a letter telling all of this to the Council of the UVPT and gave it to the man who had come so far to give him this. He would be resupplied of food, water, and ammo. He would be sent on his way back to make another delivery. Matthias was concerned nonetheless. He would have to contact the Concord government and let them know that Vault Protocol One might have to enacted.

Matthias would make a trip to Ashton after seeing the UVPT representative off. He had to send out the call to the Concord. Deep below the Rattlesnakes HQ was the massive supercomputer that controlled the facility before the war. It had been reprogrammed with Martin's codes long ago and now it was used to communicate with certain bases, cities, and, most importantly, the Concord. Matthias had a message sent to the Dam under the highest security the computer could muster. The message detailed what had happened with the UVPT rep. It told of their demands and what Matthias offered instead. He then told the Concord it was time to activate Vault Protocol One as a precautionary and to bring the package to Camp McCarran. No chances could be taken. Matthias sent the message off and made his way back to the radio room a few floors above. He had another meeting with Lt. General Haller who was in command of the northern forces of New Columbia.

[New Minahasa]

Fort Sill

"I've opened up the gate for you. Is that not enough of a welcoming sign?," spoke Dixon. "Yes, you may enter. I still don't trust who you are, though, so I'll call some of my men with me, in case you're up to something. Don't worry, they won't eavesdrop to our little conversation," he stated.

---

Raven Rock

"ZAX, or John Henry Eden, whatever. Do you know that the standard waking hour for the men is 6 A.M? Of course I would be hasty, dammit. This is still 5 fucking A.M. I still need an hour of my beauty sleep," shouted O'Brien, sighing. "Now, I didn't mean to go rough on you. We, the Concord of Stars, are all true-blooded Americans, yes, and the only ones remaining in this world. Wasn't that why you allowed us in here in the first place?," spoke O'Brien. He diverted his attention from ZAX momentarily. "Cancel that! We don't need no engineers. All good here!," he shouted downstairs. "Please, do NOT let that happen again. I'd allow you to blast some patriotic music, just don't wake us up before 6 A.M. Understood?," he stated.

---

Hoover Dam

President Cannon was alerted by the message from New Columbia. The message talked about the current state of diplomacy with the UPVT, and their ill-mannered "offer". Just as Cannon had expected; these vault dwellers were a bunch of communist sympathizers. They would gladly break their non-aggression pact with the New Columbia just over an unsigned treaty? "Imbeciles, they are," thought Cannon. The New Columbians were right; Vault Protocol One had to be initiated to keep the UPVT forces back. Even though the combined might of New Columbia and the Concord alone could repel the UPVT and USSS' forces simultaneously, they still didn't plan on separating their troops.

Vault Protocol One was an agreement made by President Warwick and President Cannon as a pre-caution if the UPVT forces had wanted to betray their pact. There were a few vaults within the Mojave aligned with the UPVT, that contained a significant amount of population. The vault doors would be a pain to crack, of course, but there was another way. The vault dwellers were resourceful down there, but they still needed oxygen to survive. There SHOULD be an air filteration somewhere near the vaults. Vault Protocol One intended to bust the vents open and fill them with the Cloud the Concord had garnered from the Sierra Madre.

Of course, this would only be done in an emergency like this. If the UPVT wasn't still intimidated by the bluffs, gassing one of the vaults should be able to back them down before their other vaults could be gassed. A Vertibird was sent delivering the cargo of Cloud-filled tanks. In a matter of hours, it would find itself arriving within Ashton, and brought to the New Columbians.

[Zepplien]

Vault 3
"We have been ordered to lock down, same as the other Vaults." a security agent of Vault 14, serving as defacto Commissar for Vault 3. He handed over a manual to the Overseer, and then dictated from it "Our access codes are to immediately be scrambled, and our all clear radios switched off. We are to seal the Vault door, and only open it on direct orders from Vault 14, with full authentication in place. Our security agents will post round the clock watches over the doorway. We are not expected to provide our tithe to war, and if all goes well the war will be over quickly. Until then we must turn back to pure isolation, from the overground, and from the traders. As I understand Vault 11, and Vault 21 were given the same order, in case of an attempt at Concord's retaliation against our Vault." the Overseer nodded slightly, signing paperwork as needed to give the orders that the UPVT so demanded of him. Another security officer leaned over the deck, resting her elbows on it as she asked the 14er "What about our vulnerabilities?" "They wouldn't dare attack a Vault full of civilians that has not taken up arms against the New Columbian government. Our only real item of note on the surface is our radioactive exhaust, but they can't get close to it without being thoroughly irradiated anyone. We are fully Vault Safe, and Vault Secure down here."

Vault 27
"We stand united, we stand together, our bodies as strong as our Vault Door!" cried the old woman, in her forties with scars persisting on her features that would have long been removed in any other Vault. The Over Group Leader of Vault 27 raised her rifle into the air. "We may not live to see sunrise, but our Vault shall live to see it, for our Vault is eternal." her terrified conscripts raided their arms in unison, united cries of "WANSUI!" repeated thrice over. She grimaced as she paced in front of her soldiers "Our actions shall be written into the history books as the greatest examples of Vault courage. Even the denizens of Vault 36, and the peacemongers of Vault 16 shall each speak of our fight as if it were their own, such will be how impressed they are." she lowered her rifle, continuing to pace in front of the many young women who looked at their commander as almost a matronly figure. "I have lived through many battles, and I will impart upon you the wisdom that I have learned. Do not expect to live, if you try to live you will never return alive. If you march, with the Vault at your heart, with your comrades at your shoulders, and knowing your place in our Vault, then you shall return." she cocked her rifle as the screech of sirens were heard, and the Vault door opened, blinding light flooding in as they made their way to the train station at the mouth of their Vault's cave. She stopped as she stood in front of the hissing beast, proclaiming "I will always be in front of you, I ask nothing of you I will not do myself. Vault Wansui!" her soldiers echoing, raising their arms in the air once more "VAULT WANSUI!"

Daily City Military Base
The soldiers of Nero Francisco, dressed in the blue and gold combat armour that so distinguished the armed forces of the UPVT. Each was issued a service rifle, ammunition, assault packs, and of course their canteens of water. Radio Operators, one out of every ten, were suited up with the back mounted packs that were precious relics of the pre war. Each squad commander was given a pip boy so that they could accurately call off coordinates to the local fire support from the artillery that would be with them. Monks, Priests, and Confessors said their holy words over the soldiers as they passed, some of the soldiers glancing over appreciatively, or crossing themselves to confirm their faith. They were not marching to war like the uplander nations of the world did, no they were far more advanced than that. They knew this as they climbed aboard the traincars, taking positions on my many benches of the train car. Behind the soldiers artillery was loaded aboard open topped cars, ten of their M198 Artillery guns with officers from the Vault 42 Ordinance Corp overseeing the Franciscans who loaded them. Further behind were two armoured cars, prepared with heavy machineguns welded with the top and slapdash armour plating protecting the engine. And then, the perfection itself, the Chimera Main Battle Tank, equipped with a Gatling laser and an incinerator the first on the 180 degree mount, and the later on a 90 degree mount. Those who maintained the tanks, clad in powered armour, locking down the screws to keep it on the train itself.

The train ride, from the farthest points of Neo Fransisco, to the edge of UPVT territory, a time that would take uplander army days even force marching was done in only a handful of hours. The thunder of troops being prepared echoed through the ruins of Sacramento, the sigh marking 'You are now exiting the territory of the United Protectorate of Vault Tec' only noted by the front line soldiers of Vault 53 as they followed a contingent of Mr. Gutsys, Protecttrons, a handful of sentry bots, and single ramshackle assultron. The sniveling conscripts of Vault 27 all but flinched with each glint of metal, most clutching their pistols tightly, while others eyes weapons held by their comrades from other Vaults, ready to go for anything better than a ten millimeter pistol. The Vaults would lead the invasion, just as the Vaults lead at home. Snipers from Vault 42, in the dozen, ran into ruined buildings, never properly taken apart in no man's land between the two nations. The Vaults had waited for this moment, this one perfect moment, the sun was behind their troops, and shadows cast over the land. It was end of day, their ultimatum had not been agreed to. Now it was time.

The shriek of the artillery guns opened up, followed not by typical explosions, but by White phosphorus smoke screens raining down over the New Columbian Boarder facilities. Soldiers from Vault Tec broke into a run, dashing into cover and ruins as robots moved up to cover their advance. One of the conscripts started crying, even as her commander shoved her into cover, haphazard fire from their attacking waves laying down what could be arguably called covering fire. It was the artillery that was doing the true actions here, laying down a withering barrage that the Field Marshals always claimed was purely for the smoke screen effects. Of course, the horrific burns that New Columbian soldiers would suffer would of course work wonders in the civilian support for the war. All of this ran through the head of Major Drush, sitting in the front seat of an armoured car. She picked up a radio and barked "Hold fire." flicking a duo of switches and projecting her voice across the no man's land, as wind whipped at the thick smoke.

"Attention Soldiers of New Columbia. We harbor no ill will against you, we harbor no ill will against your people, nor against your nation as a whole. You are not our enemy, your President Warwick however, for his brash actions is. I have been forced to lay down a smoke screen for my soldiers, but we have not begun firing our artillery guns with their high explosive rounds. We are planning to a few minutes, however we do not wish for bloodshed. We invite your surrender, you will not be harmed and will be treated with all due course as prisoners of war. Your wage shall be maintained, and you shall receive food, water, and medical care at a facility north of Santo Rosa. If you deny our offer, our artillery guns will bury you! There is no way for you to stop us here, no mater how bravely you fight, so I call upon you to see reason, and stand down, think of your parents, your siblings, your children. They would not want you to die uselessly!"

Airwaves of the Wasteland
"Attention people of the Wasteland, I am Field Marshal Kellog of the Vault Tec Armed Forces. As I speak our troops are marching on Sacramento and prepare for our long march on Hopevill. We do not seek to take your land most noble people of New Columbia, but instead to stop this shameful war that your warmongering President Warwick started." the radio stations boomed, the woman smiling as she spoke to the wasteland "We ask that resistance be minimal, and we will be following the rules of war as outlined in the Geneva Conventions as signed by the UPVT in 2100. We shall have copies available to those who ask for it, and both prisoners of war and civilians in occupied areas shall be treated with the utmost respect. We only ask the same in return. Thank you for your time citizens of the wasteland, we look forward to working with you to insure a smooth transition of power, and minimal disruption to your daily lives."

[New Minahasa]

Area 51

Lieutenant Kent and his forces managed to destroy the robots and get his pinned men out. "We need to find cover and ask for reinforcements. Follow me!," shouted Kent to his men. All of the men followed him, albeit some were holding off the incoming robots. They busted into an unknown building, where they encountered more robots. When the defenses were dealt with, the found out that it was actually the control room. In there, they were confronted by the facility's A.I, CEP. Without much talking, Lieutenant Kent just quickly pulled the plug from the machine and consequently activated the rest of the facility's security systems. From inside the control room, they could see anti-aircraft turrets rising on some parts of the place.

"Sergeant Lewis, come in. Sergeant Lewis," Kent tried to contact his subordinate outside the facility, in the camp they had previously set. "Roger, Lieutenant Kent. I can hear you loud and clear," spoke Lewis into the radio. "Copy, Sergeant Lewis. Our forces are holed up inside a building. We need back-up immediately. We've managed to shut off the A.I that controlled this facility, but I guess we just accidentally activated the rest of the defences," stated Kent. "Affirmative, Lieutenant Kent. I'll call in the reinforcements for you. Just hang in there for a while," spoke Lewis. "Thank you, sergeant. Lieutenant Kent, out," he shut off his radio.

The men stayed put inside the control room. An hour later, they could hear the sound of Vertibirds coming from the south. The men were relieved when their call for reinforcements were answered. Outside, they could hear the Anti-Aircraft turrets activating, and the sounds of Vertibirds exploding in the skies. It was worrying them for a moment, but not long after, the ground was shaken when missiles and mini-nukes were dropped from the sky, destroying the AA turrets and the outer defenses simultaneously. The men cheered when they were greeted by the reinforcements. The Concord government had decided to send in super soldiers and Starbots along as reinforcements. The President must've wanted to finish this operation once and for all. With help from the reinforcements, the troops had successfully managed to swipe through the rest of the facility's defences, destroying more robots and cyberdogs along the way.

After an hour of fighting, the battle was concluded. The facility had been taken over by the Concord. "Thank you for your help, Lieutenant Kent. This operation wouldn't be a successful one if not without the Concord's assistance," spoke Jameson as he shook hands with Kent. "It was an honour fighting alongside you, captain," replied Kent. The two men parted with each other. The next day, engineers and scientists from both New Columbia and Concord would arrive at the facility. There were a lot for them to uncover in this place. One of the teams managed to open a secret entrance deep beneath Hangar 2. Out of curiosity, they entered the place. The team was ambushed by the underground defences, but one of them managed to escape and warn the guards upstairs of the situation.

Lieutenant Kent was still in-charge of the place. He was shocked when he heard that there were another part of the facility; an underground one. He gathered all of the men in guarding the place, along with two squads of super soldiers and Starbots that had been given as reinforcements just a day ago. "Alright, fellas. We don't know what the heck is waiting for us downstairs, but what I damn know is that we'll wreck shit down there just like we did yesterday. Huurah?!," shouted Kent. "Huurah!," the men shouted back in unison. The men charged downstairs, with the super soldiers and Starbots in the frontline to protect the rest of the men in the back. The place was comprised of a series of tunnels, filled with all sorts of hostile robots and turrets. The forces were divided; one team would go through the eastern section of the tunnel, one through the northern, and one through the western.

The battle proved to be harder than yesterday, and bloodier. The enclosed space of the tunnels forced the men to fight face-to-face with robots and hostile cyberdogs, restraining the men from using cover and strategy. The battle lasted at least half an hour until all of the defences were destroyed. The casualties from the Concord's side numbered about 110 men, 4 of their Peacekeepers, and 10 Starbots. To top that off, Lieutenant Kent was gravely injured during the fight. He lost his left arm from an Assaultron laser beam, forcing him to retreat from the battlefield. A lot of good men died that day; but on the bright side, the Concord had successfully seized the secrets and technologies Area 51 had buried.

In the armoury, they discovered an arsenal of high-tech weapons, including but not limited to; plasma rifles, miniguns, and a dozen of experimental stealth suits. Inside the hangars, they found what they had assumed to be alien aircrafts. The US government named the planes "Recon Crafts"; there were three of them in total, and a larger one called the Flying Saucer; a pre-war term for a disc-like shaped alien plane. But what the Concord cherished the most was the Area 51's development of stealth technology, one if used properly could prove to be very useful for the Concord. There were already documents of stealth tech within the Area 51 which explained the presence of the stealth suits in the armoury. The documents and information were forwarded back to the Hoover Dam, where the Research and Development Division could efficiently work on.

---

Hoover Dam

It didn't take long for Doctor Liana and her partners to finish researching stealth technology. The documents and stealth suits from Area 51 were more than enough for them to successfully replicate new batches of stealth suits, called the "Stealth And Reconnaisance Armour 1.0", or "S.A.R.A" in short. President Cannon saw the potential of the stealth armours, and sought its use within the Concord military. A whole new division was created; the Special Homeland Agency and Division of Espionage (S.H.A.D.E). For his efforts, Lieutenant Kent was promoted as the Director of S.H.A.D.E. Under him, the agency was made its own force; the Stealth Tactics and Reconnaisance Force (STAR-Force).

S.H.A.D.E was comprised of the intelligent minds of the Concord, dedicated for the purpose of gathering intel and performing espionages on other nations, and it served as the supervisors and enforcers of the STAR-Force. The STAR-Force itself consisted of the best out of the best troops from the Concord. Veterans of the Concord military, marksmen, and the best scouts were incorporated into the branch. The STAR was an epitome of a highly elite and advanced pre-war, or in this case, post-war military force. These men would act as infiltrators, saboteurs, and assassins of the Concord. And with their capabilites, they were expected to do so with the most efficient way possible.

The testing of the Recon Crafts were also made. To their surprise, the alien crafts were equipped with their own stealth technology. It took the Concord pilots a few weeks before they could properly use the crafts, but through continuous studies and tests, they succeeded. The Recon Craft was the fastest aircraft they've seen in a very long time, capable of going at 8,000mph top speed. Unfortunately, the alien weapons were broken down and destroyed, and there were no means of repairing them due to lack of knowledge. Instead, they were replaced with gatling lasers and missile launchers. If used properly, the crafts could prove to be devastating in a battlefield.

[Tysklandia]

Erika Waudman
Mount rushmore
Some months since her departure from Washington DC

Erika had travelled through tennesee, Arkanses, Oklohama, kansas and nebraska on her way to dakota. They travelled light and swift. Only stopping for rest and resupply. Erika made her notes and maps on the road, buying, haggling and talking with travellers, farmers and caraveniers for Intelligence, information and rumors that she compiled in her now handful of notebooks scribbled full of deductions, rumors and interesting information. Her time in the pentagon had made her aware of the precursor nations of the US remenant and the Concord of starts, the existance of Taxmaspada, texas, new columbio, the two sun compact and the other east-coast nations. She had many men on the road hailing from those lands, talking and sharing bread and water with them to know more. Few, if any, pact citizens ever travelled this far and she might be the first proper officer that ever reached this far into the wasteland of america.

She had seen the walls of the Oklohoma city and talked to the settlers going their to "join" its guard and enjoy the safety of its walls. She had sketched its outskirts and its defenses from the small caravnier camps on its outskirts and moved on, her small party of two on horseback dissapearing across the hundreds who buzzed around the safety of the settlement. She had seen the borders of taxmaspada, its legions on the march, with their host of slaves in tow. They had ridden through the plains of Nebraska and the relative safety of its territory, its soldiers organised and keeping the peace.

Her trip was largely uneventful and the string of corpses in her wake, raiders, slavers, pushy traders and the like, was rather small compared to her other trips in the deep wasteland of amerika.
She arrived near mount rushmore in the morning, tired, but still enthousiastic. She had seen more in a few months then most did in their lifetime. Her notebooks where filled with drawings of towns, cities, animals and people that nobody had ever seen before back in the pact. Het dairies where filled with important information, intelligence and notes on life on the other side of the wasteland.

Even if unsuccesful, she would return home succesful and praised. She allways ensured she would be. She and her companions camped in the forests that where regrowing around the abandoned monument, seeminlgly abandoned for decades. Far away from the road, hidden and secure. Jerico kept the camp as Erika made to scout the grand rushmore pre-war monument and its surroundings. Calmly, she crept by cover, noting routes where people could arrive from, places to escape to and hide in, places where an ambush could occur... Only on the next day did she move in, shifting through the buildings around the monument and its surroundings.

[Alinora]

- THE INSTITUTE -

---

Fort Sill |Oklahoma Wastes
X6-88

The Courser would enter the fort - a massive base that was filled with people, more than he'd originally expected there to be. Whatever this "Concord" was, it was strong, or at least had significant abilities. His synths followed him inside, but stayed near the entrance - silent - while X6-88 and the General made themselves to a command room, where the rest of the personnel quickly vacated, and it was just he, and General Dixon. X6-88 seemed interested in his surroundings - looking around at the walls, and the panels. Though, after a few moments, he pulled his attention back to what was important.

"Well, I suppose you'd first like to know who we are. The Institute is an organization of the top minds in the world - dedicated to protecting Humanity's future, by all costs. You may not know it but... we are everywhere, that's how we learned about your "Concord" group, and it was the order of the Director that I come here and speak with you."

[Tysklandia]

Washington Pact
Pensylvania
1st regiment, 1Oth Battalion detachment
5th Regiment 16th, 17th and 18th Infantry Battalion.

The small frontier settlement of grantsville had sprung up around the Grantsville FOB, a border security fort and barracks for detachments of the 1st regiment who ensured border security and response teams for the entire northern stretch of the pact. The small town regularly recieved refugees from the northern regions, who fled the warlords who reigned supreme in the region of Pennsylvania. But not even those warlords, with their guns and brutal raider bands never ventured too close to the border. The brutal skirmished that where commonplace on the border less than a decade ago became increasinly rare as the pact increased its forces in the region. But the pact never dared to send troops beyond the border, due to the enemy firepower and manpower that they could bring to bear.

But with west virginia and north carolina being pacified and relatively secure, including the influx of new recruits and resources from the region, They had operational capacity to spare. And high command was twitching to use it. Several projects had run aground on the sheer lack of metal, steel and foundry factories in the pact itself. Pennsylvania was a treasure throve of these industries, all relatively pristine and untouched by the war, excluding centuries of looting and neglect.

Beyond that, Pennsylvania was a personal goal for many of WSA High Command... The control vault deep in Pennsylvania had released their ancestors into the wild, decades ago. The warlords of pittsburgh had quickly enslaved them, for years their ancestors worked, died and bled for the brutish warlords of pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. Now, that would end. They, the descendants of those escaped vault dwellers, would enact revenge. The fifth regiment, filled with a new batch of recruits from georgetown and arlington, was outfitted with the best weapons carolina, arlington and quantico could offer and the training offered by the new programs drafted after the capture of the pentagon, the fifth regiment was the posterchild of what high command hoped to be the future of the WS Armed Forces.

The preperation of the operation was in full swing, with the entire Fifth regiment performing logistic duties in and around the now packed settlement of Grantville. More then a thousand men prepared their horses, carts and trucks for their trip. The front Battalion and select scouting companies prepared their rifles and gear, checked their body armor, travel gear and whatever else.
Mortars and heavy machineguns where loaded on the horse and cattle-carts and in the trucks, readied to move out at dawn.

The 4th and 3rd special forces company had already crossed the border a week ago, scouting and mapping proper routes for the Regiment to march. Prime locations to assault first, a proper route to pittsburgh, warlords to assasinate, strongholds to attack... The Special forces brigades paved the road for the fifth Regiment, once their initial push was succesful, the 1st artillery company was in transit from quantico, to be attached to the 1st regiment. But if neccesary it would be delegated to the fifth and its regimental command during the siege of pittsburgh.

The Fifth regiment was ready and the reign of the warlords of Pennsylvania was almost at an end.

Minutes after dawn, a pair of vertibirds rushed into pensylvania from the FOB, using their radio's to provide reconaissance for the fifth regiment's march. The one thousand five hundred infantry men where cut into their battalions and companies and marched in sections, in order to ensure that transport trucks and amunition or supplies where never the first to meet resistance. Route 40, 43, 219 and 220 where filled with companies of the fifth regiment, marching onward, ignoring gawking traders and settlements. Slavers where shot on sight and their slaves released, a refugee camp quickly deployed by a 1st Regiment detachment in seven springs.

As the 16th Battalion edged closer to Pensylvania on the third day of the campaign, they met their first proper resistance in Henderson. The raider warlords had heard news of the fifth regiment and its slow and steady advance into their territory. A band of raiders and mercenaries where sent to halt them and they met the 16th Battalion just inside of Henderson. Their resistance was stiff, rifles, guns, even machineguns and laser rifles halted the battalion in its tracks. Only the usage of the 16th Battalion's Carolina-2 Heavy MG's, Arlington-2 LMG's and Arlington 4 Light mortar allowed the 16th Battalion to supress and bombard the mercenaries out of their cover. The ruins of Henderson where set ablaze in gunfire and mortar explosions and the trained soldiers of the Fifth Regiment pensylvania rushed forward under shifting covering fire, rolling mortar fire and the liberal use of AR-20A schrapnel grenades.

The hundreds of raiders and mercenaries who arrived in Henderson to halt them where forced to retreat and where delegated to fighting for their lives instead of halting the advance of the pact army on their doorstep. The pact continued slowly, ensuring overlapping fields of fire, mortar cover and every possible precaution taken to minimize their own risk. Even at the cost of losing valuable time and progress. High Command had given them that lenciency to ensure a minimal loss of manpower was the primary operational objective.

The events of Henderson where repeated on several other approaches to Pittsburgh as the warlords of the city sent out hordes of mercenaries and raiders to stop their advance. Wherever a company or battalion was pinned down and was unable to continue, vertibirds where called in to provide covering fire so the battalion could breach the stalemate.

in the end it took the Regiment 7 days to reach the outskirts of Pittsburgh, the soot covered ruins where the image of a hell. Its ruin covered outskirts and downtown offset by the mass of factories on its outskirts that still billowed out smoke and soot in the sky in a near continous fashion. Slaves and raiders lived in the city by the tens of thousands, producing metals, weapons of war and a host horrid tools and items that the raiders used and sold across the wasteland. The fifth regiment set up shop in the outskirt of pensylvania, building a handful of FOB's to protect supply caravans bringing in more amunition and supplies before delving deeper into the city, their they faced proper resistance. The warlords had hundreds, if not thousands of raiders, slavers and other people under their command that would not benifit from the vengeance of the Pact. Slaves where used as living shields, roads boobytrapped, snipers in the buildings, ambushes abound. After three days of losses and minimal progress, the fifth called for reinforcements...

The 1st Regiment "Washington" complied, and sent the 10th and 15th Battalion northbound, with the 1st Artillery Company attached. As soon as they arrived, the siege of pittsburgh would begin...

[Intermountain States]

"Howdy folks, I'm Ronald Gardner and this Lone Star Radio."

"After negotiations, our neighbor to the East, New Star, has agreed to join the Republic. President Robert Jackson marked this as one of his diplomatic victories. President Jackson also announced that due to the addition of vast territories, Texas would reorganize its legislative branch and their administrative powers. All I have to say is, welcome to Texas, new citizens."

"In domestic news, an initiation to resettle Super Mutant refugees in Socorro has been a relative success with a thriving community of Super Mutants living in relative peace. Still, I'd advise anyone from trying to start fights with some larger and stronger than you are."

"The preceding news segments are brought to you by Six Flags Over, not your average market."

"With all the good news going on in Texas, it's time we bring out a feel good song of the west for all of you listeners to dance to. It's the classic, Jingle Jangle Jingle."

NCR-held Bakersfield

"We're approaching the landing zone," the pilot said as five Vertibirds (four of them carrying supply crates) reached the NCR held Bakersfield. Captain Henry Hills looked to the passengers in his Vertibird, all of them were rangers.

"Alright, we're nearing Bakersfield," Hills began. "Remember, this place will be a conflicted zone during this conflict. We're to provide security for the various doctors and volunteers coming in three other Vertibirds. Unless we are under attack by Soviet forces, we are under direct orders to not instigate any conflict."

"We are to provide aid to the refugees of this war, when we step out of the birds, our uniform and our action represents the great nation of Texas. The last thing I want is to have murderers represent this great nation. Am I clear?"

"SIR, YES SIR!" the Rangers replied.

"We will be the first to land, when we land, we are to set down the crates from the other birds and we will help them build this camp," Hill added as the Vertibird descended down to the landing zone.

[Tysklandia]

Erika Waudman
Mount rushmore
Some months since her departure from Washington DC

Erika had travelled through tennesee, Arkanses, Oklohama, kansas and nebraska on her way to dakota. They travelled light and swift. Only stopping for rest and resupply. Erika made her notes and maps on the road, buying, haggling and talking with travellers, farmers and caraveniers for Intelligence, information and rumors that she compiled in her now handful of notebooks scribbled full of deductions, rumors and interesting information. Her time in the pentagon had made her aware of the precursor nations of the US remenant and the Concord of starts, the existance of Taxmaspada, texas, new columbio, the two sun compact and the other east-coast nations. She had many men on the road hailing from those lands, talking and sharing bread and water with them to know more. Few, if any, pact citizens ever travelled this far and she might be the first proper officer that ever reached this far into the wasteland of america.

She had seen the walls of the Oklohoma city and talked to the settlers going their to "join" its guard and enjoy the safety of its walls. She had sketched its outskirts and its defenses from the small caravnier camps on its outskirts and moved on, her small party of two on horseback dissapearing across the hundreds who buzzed around the safety of the settlement. She had seen the borders of taxmaspada, its legions on the march, with their host of slaves in tow. They had ridden through the plains of Nebraska and the relative safety of its territory, its soldiers organised and keeping the peace.

Her trip was largely uneventful and the string of corpses in her wake, raiders, slavers, pushy traders and the like, was rather small compared to her other trips in the deep wasteland of amerika.
She arrived near mount rushmore in the morning, tired, but still enthousiastic. She had seen more in a few months then most did in their lifetime. Her notebooks where filled with drawings of towns, cities, animals and people that nobody had ever seen before back in the pact. Het dairies where filled with important information, intelligence and notes on life on the other side of the wasteland.

Even if unsuccesful, she would return home succesful and praised. She allways ensured she would be. She and her companions camped in the forests that where regrowing around the abandoned monument, seeminlgly abandoned for decades. Far away from the road, hidden and secure. Jerico kept the camp as Erika made to scout the grand rushmore pre-war monument and its surroundings. Calmly, she crept by cover, noting routes where people could arrive from, places to escape to and hide in, places where an ambush could occur... Only on the next day did she move in, shifting through the buildings around the monument and its surroundings.

For days, erika and her party searched mount rushmore and the buildings nearby... She cursed and searched further, using makeshift explosives to break her way into basements and buildings, even resulting to fire to get to where she otherwise could not reach. She had lost her cool, her demeaner changed rapidly from calm and collected to ravenous for answers of any kind. This is why she left her brothers, her family. Her hatred for failure, for being a dissapointment, was ever present. And when presented with it, she loathed not only herself, but the world and everyone in it. Blaming the very fabric of existence for what she felt.

When Jerico, the old man, broke his silence and proposed they continue on, search somewhere else, Erika snapped... She rode her horse for hours and hours untill she came upon a hapless group of travelers, they where pulling a brahim, stocked with trade goods, chems, food and whatever else. When they greeted Erika as she approached, she snapped...

...
<I wanted to write something dark. Murder and mayhem below. No need to read>

By the time Erika came by from her haze of anger, her knife was knee deep in the young boy's skull that had accompanied the small caravan... The armed old man who had been dragging the brahim was shot between the eyes and lied in the middle of the road, his eyes wide and his face forever etched with suprise and shock. Two others lied nearby, shot in the chest and stabbed... The brahim was mangled in the ditch, next to the road, its head nearly removed by a crude, deep gash in its neck. Erika was breathing heavily as she calmed down with every breath. She could barely remember what had happened, but she was covered in blood, her face, her clothes... Her mind raced, thinking of explinations, reasons, something to make herself understand untill suddenly, she froze.

She was on her knees, sitting on the boy's chest, both her hands still gripped on the blade that was embedded in the boy's throat as blood pooled around it. Her eyes grew wider as a faint, maddening grin appeared on her face. As she pulled the blade out of the boy's throat in a single, swift motion, a small gush of blood erupting from the hole she had left behind, she knew.

As erika walked away from the carnage and the bodies, a smile was plastered on her face. She knew where to go next, or better yet, where to return to.
Still covered in blood, but in a ghastly pleasent mood, erika returned to the camp site, where Jerico was busy packing their gear. As she rode up, Jerico did not even look suprised. The old man had travelled with the girl for nearly 2 years now. This was not the first time, not would it be the last...

"Pack up old man, I know where to look next."

[Ulls]

Boston Harbor,
Capital of the Empire

The large freight was spotted on the horizon of the sea. Many ships that didn't that such a behemoth was coming and had to do hard turns just to get out of the waves it was making. When the ship came through to the docks. The people didn't know what to expect but then they saw Washington's flag and wandered what kind of ship was this. Only then the harbormaster and his attendees came to the captain that the people finally disperse.

" My name is Harbormaster Buck." The harbormaster said as he is flipping through a ledger.

" I guess we are expecting a trade vessel but not a freighter. Can I have a trade Manifesto of your ship and what your trying to bring into Boston?"

Rivet City,
Washington Pact

The trade boat made its dock to the ruined settlement of Rivet City. The Boston ship made its way to a ruined dock near the former aircraft carrier. The steam engine was running on silent as a woman went down stairs to the makeshift passenger cabin.

" Hey Allen, we're here." She said as he woke up the old man.

Allen grumbled as he slowly rose from the hammock. He dust himself off and grabbed his hat.

" Where did we land?" He asked her.

" Near a old aircraft carrier that has some people on it." She said.

Allen shook his hand as he checked his bag and wrapped his holdout pistol on his side.

" Guess we landed near Rivet City. Washington's own premier outcast settlement. Should have a good start to where I'm going to go." He said.

She walked with him outside to the top of the ship and onto the ruined concrete ground of D.C. She hand him a Pip-Boy and gave him a hand shake.

" The Pip-Boy should be able help you navigate wherever the hell your going. You sure you want go at this alone?" She said worryingly.

He just shrugged and put the Pip-Boy on. He checked everything again before he turned around and spoke.

" Of course, the Glass Watch needs to worry about infiltrating the place and breaking Institute network encryptions. I'll be fine." He said as he went to the Rivet City.

[Cesopium]

The Taxmaspada


Pushes continue into Michigan with forces slowly taking over areas of the state, reaching the outskirts of Detroit but not before coming into conflict with mutants and raiders and the savages that defend it.

Darius has commissioned dozens of 10 ft statues made of scrap to every end of the Taxmaspada to help further cement a national identity, especiallyin the states of Missouri and Wisconsin due to the tribes being absorbed within the expanse of the Taxmaspada.

Groups in Canada report siting of two headed deadly "Reigndeer" impaling anyone unfortunate enough to get close enough, troops flow in and out of the camp every few weeks.

Schooners to the south have dispatched 80-men sized outposts, with one within eastern Ohio, western Tennessee and eastern Mississippi to contact the locals and begin to play their part in local politics.