Ulysses Flagg
Exodus Blockade 3, The Narrows, Aurora Region
March 22nd, 2289 // Summer
He started hearing footsteps ten minutes ago, he started prepping everyone for another group of weary travelers nine minutes ago. Now he was sitting on a lawn chair behind about a foot of sandbags, on either side of him wood, dirt, and stone created a veritable wall, the dirt ramps leading up to it allowed their trap to fall into place. The Narrows were not a prime position to be for anyone coming up from the south, but it was the only path that wasn't covered in a collapsed mountain or two kilometers of mines. So called The Narrows because it was, at best a hundred meters wide before dropping down a gully into a river. As well as two mountains on either side going up nearly 800 feet in some places, 1600 in others. More than fifty snipers were stationed up there, more than a few counter-snipers and spotters as well. All from the most perceptive of the Abbot, Vault Dwellers, and Fraserites. Between the blockade and the rounded corner of the pathway in front of them was nearly 500 meters of cleared space, no rocks, bushes, trees, or jersey barriers, it was as flat as the Saskatchewan plains.
Behind him was nearly a company of normal troopers, stationed here for the time being, either not fit enough for the meatgrinders of the raider warmachine, or the Tribal's ambushes. Their wounds either still healing or the poisons still working their way out, all of them were pretty much walking wounded.
Engines behind him started up, the meaty chugging of a vehicle he once loved the sound of replaced by the whir of nuclear powered turbines. The Modified engines of the M60A1 Pattons to his flanks picked up a whine as they pushed dozens of tons of armor and guns up the dirt paths before settling upon their raised platforms beside him, infantry taking spots beside them. The metallic sheen of the forged armor and T-45 the Abbot had their forces in was similar to that of the Fraserites tanks, though a contrast to their simple clothes and scavenged armor. The Vault Dwellers lined up as well, also in an array of clothes and scavenged armor pieces, though all had a portion of the modified blue vault suit of theirs showing. All were armed with some form of ballistic weapon, melee in this situation would just make things more complex, most of the Abbot using spare rifles from Vault 119's armories. While the Fraserites used more varied (and more stressing logistically) weapons, from old AKs to a few 10mm SMGs to a Fat-Man.
They were armed for bear, from simple refugees to a shit ton of muties, they would be at the shit end of a very smelly stick.
Those who the man had heard stomping from around the bend finally came into view out of the wooded area.more than enough either didn't clue in immediately, or didn't register what they were looking at, more than a few did register and stopped dead.
Ulysses reached down to the Ham radio to his left, inside his little bunker he stared out at the collection of fleeing people, every race, creed, age, and color seemed to be represented, he even spotted a few kids. The valley echoed with the sound of a loud speaker squeaking on. "If you want to live, drop your weapons and packs, and lay on the ground with your limbs as spread out as you can make them. If a single one of you raises your weapon, you all die, men, women, children. All of you. And if you think you can run, we have over two dozen sharpshooters in the canyon walls, watching, and waiting for a reason to kill you. You have thirty seconds to comply." the loudspeaker squeaked off. and those at the blockade waited, fingers at the ready to fill the air with lead and tracers.
Big Bear 1, Damian Rivers
Southern Mountain, The Narrows, Aurora Region
March 22nd, 2289 // Summer
Big Bear was a three man trailing team, well, two man, one woman. Two Rangers and a member of First Recon were tasked with trailing some folks north to give a better picture of what the situation was like. Sergeants Klutz and Harrison and Corporal Polaski were Big Bear 2, and 4 respectively, Rivers himself had tasked 2 and 3 with being the sniper spotter pair, as 4 was on the ground not too far from the mountain keeping their exfil route secured. Rivers himself took position higher up the mountain with the fifty cal. Yet all four of them could see what was happening, despite not knowing moments prior what the point of such a barricade was. He recognized those tanks, served alongside a few in the early stages of the war as a member of the Alaskan National Guard. But that was so goddamn long ago it was literally another life.
He called over the radio to the others, in a low tone his deep rasp came out loud and clear, "2, 3, 4. Do not engage, nothing we have can take out the big guns there, and they have a range of more than two kilometers. Do not let anyone know we're here."
His last warning was unnecessary. Though none of the NCR scouts knew it, they'd already been compromised.
