This is probably the longest project I've worked on. Those who are just reading story, it has been in the making since Fallout Tactics. It’s been re-written and revised several times since then.

As a note, it also incorporates the events of Fallout Tactics as cannon. I went through great lengths to explain some of the discrepancies.

Without further adieu, I present the story, Fallout: Rebirth.

The Wasteland, barren and deadly. Those that survive out here carve a life in the desolate, radioactive wastes.

Amongst the survivors lie an elite few, gifted with technology and safety since the coming of the bombs. They thrive in this world, sheltered from its harshness by tons of earth. Their technological advances give them strength over those already weakened by the world. This atomic aftermath spares few who try to face it.

Ninety years after the coming of destruction, on the west coast of North America, a hero arose, bringing hope back into the world. Known only as the Vault Dweller, he conquered those that threatened the life of the survivors, and protected his people of the vaults. By doing so, he was banished, left to live on his own, an outcast from most of his kind.

His kindness to those in need was not forgotten, and many took up step behind him, forming a little community called Brahman Wood. There once again, the people of the wasteland tried to live a life of peace, starting over what man had destroyed so long ago.

However, the wasteland is unforgiving, and never forgetting. Brahman Wood could only sustain itself for so long, before their time began to run out too. The coming of disease and famine forced a new hero, a descendant of the Vault Dweller, back out into the wasteland.

A new power had awoken, one bent on returning the world to its original glory. Determined to right the wrongs of their ancestors, they tried to eradicate all the new life that had adapted to their new world. While the Chosen One was off searching for the salvation of his people, the new power, called the Enclave, took everyone in his home and used them to further their goals of conquest.

But the savior moved faster than they could. He saved his people, restored his hometown, strengthened the protectors of the weak and destroyed the radical elements of the former US Military. He ensured his family name in the pages of Wasteland history.

Before the whole ordeal with the Enclave, a splinter group from the original US Army had formed a group known as the Brotherhood of Steel. When the Vault Dweller came forth from his home, he encountered the Brotherhood and introduced them to the local population. In exchange for food and raw materials, they protected the people from mutants, disease and raiders.

Using their vastly superior technology and training, they were able to gain influence and control up and down the former state of California. Over time, their bloodline grew thin, and new recruits were needed from the outside. Most of the brotherhood was unwilling to share their secrets with those whose intentions might not appear what they really are.

A large faction though, was intent on bringing in new blood. They were exiled into the mid-west, trying to find the remnants of the defeated mutant army. Disaster struck before they completed their trip, and most of their numbers landed in what was once known as Chicago.

The splinter faction of the Brotherhood of Steel traveled west, gaining new recruits and conquering new enemies. They recaptured Vault 0, lost to its own robotic servants.

The vault was supposed to be the basis for a new future, linking all of the vaults by communications net and constructing machines to clean out any undesirable mutations. Disaster struck, and its powerful machines became a curse. Once captured however, it became the new haven of the Brotherhood of Steel.

Driven out of their bases in California and Nevada, the original Brotherhood was forced to reconcile with the once exiled faction to survive. The reunited Brotherhood quickly consolidated into one unit, and began dispatching reconnaissance units further east and south.

Gradually, the Brotherhood of Steel expanded its borders towards the east coast. More and more frequently now, the Brotherhood is losing patrols in the north east. No word is ever heard from them again, and even now, rumors float of an old nemesis waking once more. The wasteland it seems, has struck again.

The Awakening

01 April 2287
Outskirts of New York City
Dust rolled up into the blue skies. Once more, rarely in these troubled parts, the sky was clear of all clouds. The sun burned down its rays upon the scorched earth, breaking through its depleted Ozone and heating up the arid land. Few survived for long out here, and even fewer enjoyed the cloudless days.

No rain is good out here, for the cleansing waters only bring more radiation from faraway places. The dry earth was a sponge for more radioactive materials, changed long ago by man's ambition and greed.

The dust cloud reached closer to the outskirts of what was once known as New York City. As it slowed down, old vehicles left its protective concealment. Eyes watched from nearby buildings. The familiar emblem of cogs crossed over by a wreathed sword alerted them to the identity of these intruders. They remembered what this group had done to their ranks.

Armored Soldiers left their vehicles, most coming from the tracked carrier in the middle, and fanned out in a defensive perimeter. After some time, a small, lightly armed man walked around the convoy, looking around as he did.

The defenders watched this man go about his tasks. He was a scribe, nothing more than a scientist with a military background. He was not a fighter though, and his purpose for being here was not to fight any raiders. It was to establish a new base for the Brotherhood of Steel.

Not many people would even dare interrupt this man. The ring of soldiers would fire with everything they had, killing almost anything in their paths. But the observers were not ordinary raiders.

This was their home, as had been the homes of hundreds of generations before them. When the scribe had finished his survey, they decided it was enough. No brotherhood scum would encroach on their land.

Explosions ripped through the air, destroying the convoy and stranding the soldiers in their circular perimeter. Before any of them could react, a hail of green blobs shot out from the east, black silhouettes leading the barrage, and coming in fast.

The Brotherhood soldiers had little time to react. They began firing towards the lasers, but realized the uselessness of the gesture. They wore black powered armor, its plates deflecting any bullets that struck them.

A small team of men formed together in the center; constructing a weapon that they each carried parts to. Once assembled, they began launching its deadly mortar rounds at the group, not only a few hundred meters away. It was a last attempt to even just slow the charging party enough for them to escape.

Each round that exploded did little to stop the aggressors. Within moments they were on top of the Brotherhood soldiers, slaughtering them with streams of lasers and plasma grenades. The inferior armor of the brotherhood stood little chance against their weapons. The battle was one sided and over in minutes. Not one from the convoy was alive.

01 April 2287
Outskirts of New York City
Out alone from the main group, the lone scout had watched the slaughter of her people in horror. She just lay there, and watched as they were cut down by laser and plasma fire. She wanted to jump up and go to their aid, but realized the futility of the act. She was a scout, not a warrior. Her job was just to watch, and now she had a duty to report it.

If she moved now though, more than likely these strange murderers would detect her. She had to wait for them to leave first. After an hour, a dust cloud moved in from the east, and very fast. By the size of the cloud, she could only guess it to be something larger than the tanks or APCs they had brought out here.

Trucks came into view shortly after. She had never seen working trucks, as the Brotherhood used APCs and Hummers for transport. She lifted up her binoculars to get a better look at these vehicles.

Each truck was large enough to carry a small tank. From her history lessons, she guessed them to be about the equivalent of a five-ton truck. Every one loaded up with bodies or Brotherhood vehicles. Soon after, they took off, headed back east, towards the city.

The scout focused her binoculars to get an even better view of the convoy. On the side of every truck were the freshly painted words "U.S. Military". This she had to report to the generals immediately. As the last truck drove off, the scout began her long hike back to base. The Enclave, it seems, has awoken once more.

01 April 2287
Liberty Bunker
Liberty Bunker, in the city once known as New York. This massive structure rests in the bedrock of Manhattan Island, protected by tons of earth, steel and concrete. The nuclear blasts that devastated the city above did absolutely no damage to the structure below. For over a hundred and fifty years the inhabitants lived in the safety of the bunker, oblivious to the changes happening above.

Their time to act came when Poseidon Base disappeared from their communications grid. Their last communication with the oilrig spoke of an outside humanoid variant sabotaging their nuclear reactor. No longer could the last remaining members of the United States Army sit around and live in their secluded shelter.

Soldiers marched out from Liberty Bunker for the first time since World War III. And they did so in squads, heavily armed and extremely well armored. They had the task securing the area all the way to Ground Control One in Ossining.

The United States Military was once again becoming a strong fighting force. Most of the other Military Bunkers had been destroyed by the Nuclear Weapons employed by the Chinese during and after the Great War.

Those few Vaults that survived and found were already under Martial Law. Since contact with Vault 0 had been lost during the war, there was no telling if any of the other vaults to the west had survived. Of those that had, they must already be establishing a new habitat outside the protective earthen covering. Fresh fruit ripe for the picking.

Staff Sergeant Gregory Wrath enjoyed his job. He had served with the Enclave for over ten years, all the time killing the mutant scum that infested his country. While “humans” were treated and reintegrated, some of the more dangerous beasts were a serious threat.

The ancients had created a tool to fight against their enemy, the Forced Evolutionary Virus. It accidentally turned the weak into unstoppable killing machines. It had just finished testing when the first of the nuclear bombs came.

Initially, the virus was viewed as a blessing; it was only until unleashed upon the radiation scorched earth that it turned into a curse.

The virus mutated at a rapid rate, and turned ordinary wildlife into rauaging beasts. Those few creatures lucky enough to be infected with an untainted strain turned into the beasts the Army had created, just without all of the training and loyalty drilled into them.

Of the three primary strains of the FEV, the WEST-TEC strain was by far the most fearful. The MEDTEC and VAULTEC strains were less concentrated.

It was Sergeant Wrath's job to cleanse the earth of these dark spawns. Other squads were charged with rounding up vault dwellers and hunting for lost technology. Fury Squad had the honor of killing the enemies of the United States, and every member enjoyed it.

Wrath wasn't too impressive of a man, but he had proven himself in battle many times as a private. His light build and small stature had been looked over by his Drill Sergeants in basic training, and he had been assigned into Division Light Technological Reconnaissance, or DILTER, to find the information banks of the Library of Congress.

His former squad, Ferret Squad, had found the archive to be in possession of the Brotherhood of Steel, an advance party that had been searching for the same thing as they. Ferret Squad was out-armored and out-gunned, but they still raided the enemy's encampment.

Wrath had led the battle when his squad leader had been killed, and retrieved the records from the former want-to-be soldiers clad in Power Armor. What had gained him respect was the fact that there was not one piece of Power Armor in Ferret Squad, and they had taken on an entire squad of armored knights.

After that, he was sent to an Infantry Squad, and there he remained. Numerous times, he engaged and destroyed entire platoons of Brotherhood soldiers. He had stolen enough technology from their corpses to learn more than anyone else could about their organization.

He thought about all of his battles as he rode in the back of his Stryker vehicle. They had just eliminated another advance party of Knights and Scribes, the fourth in two months. The Brotherhood was trying desperately to establish a foothold in the Enclave held East Coast. So far, every attempt had failed, that they knew of at least.

As they approached closer to the entrance to Liberty Bunker, Sergeant Wrath looked upon the ruins of the Great City. It had once been the greatest city in the world, now reduced to nothing but rusting skeletons of skyscraqers and rubble. The enhanced vision of his Power Armor granted him a grand view of New York City, much more than his eyes could.

The entrance to the bunker loomed ahead, carved out of the hills of the Hudson Valley. The entrance tunnel spanned for miles until reaching the core of Liberty Bunker. It had been designed as a final stand against any invading enemy. Pillboxes and machinegun nests lined both sides of the entrance and tunnel itself.

When a lucky Chinese Submarine had actually breached the defense net of New York Harbor and unleashed its deadly payload upon the city, the vault doors had been badly scorched and its defenses damaged.

A few years after that, an invading Canadian Army had assaulted the doors, only to be slaughtered by what few automated defenses still survived. Even when badly damaged, Liberty Bunker was still strong enough to withstand a concentrated assault. It had taken nearly eighty years to rebuild the damage the bombs had done, but now, not even the full force of the Brotherhood of Steel and Mutant Armies could so much as scratch it's surface.

It always filled Wrath with pride when he saw those massive vault doors. He had led men into battle against his deadliest enemies, slaughtered countless mutants and recovered age's worth of knowledge, all for the country that had built those doors to house the greatest men and women she had.

The convoy traveled through the defense network of the vault for hours until it reached the inner doors of the Vault. Once there, the men of Fury Squad disembarked as the drivers took their vehicles to the motor pool. They gathered up the bodies of the slain knights and scribe as they moved out.

Sergeant Wrath stood in front of his soldiers. "Fury Squad, your next hard time is 1800 hours, work uniform in the Freedom Briefing Room. Move out!"

Wrath stood for a moment longer, watching his men move out. Those that carried the Brotherhood bodies headed for the labs to deposit their prize before heading back to the barracks. He himself had done so many times, but now he had other responsibilities.

The Platoon office was on the other side of the bunker, and he headed for a transway to take him there. The ancient tunnel had been used by his ancestors to transverse the city above much faster, and it was used in the same manner almost two hundred years later. He set his destination, and waited for the trans-car to take him to his destination.

01 April 2287
Outskirts of New York City
The scorching sun of the wasteland was beginning to set on the horizon. The sky was lit in an array of colors, ranging from green to purple, thanks to all the increased radiation. Knight Valerie chose a spot to set up camp, and began to make a fire.

She was too far away from the Brotherhood's base camp to make a radio call, the radiation in the atmosphere made all but the most powerful radios useless over long distances. She had no way to report the identity of the enemy that had plagued them for so long.

The Brotherhood had been trying to reclaim the last part of this nation not under their control, the East Coast. Already the Brotherhood of Steel had installed governors in several parts of the Midwest, trying to rebuild a new world from the ruins of the old. Some force had been killing every team they sent this far eastward.

No party that ever traveled into any of the former New England states ever came back. She was the first person to actually see the enemy that scorched this area clean of life. Not even humans lived in this part of the country, although many village ruins had been found.

Now she knew the Enclave had arisen again. The soldiers of the United States had no compassion or respect for those that managed to survive in the unforgiving wastes their ancestors had brought about. They were intent on bringing back the ways of old in the purest form.

Although the Brotherhood had claimed much technology from Vault 0, and even researched new ones, they still could not keep pace with the weapons the Enclave possessed. Most of the United States' manufacturing and research facilities had been in the New England states, which gave the Enclave a huge advantage. Before the coming of the bombs, the government managed to build massive vaults for its military, focusing more on its soldiers and weapons than its own people.

As Valerie built her fire in a cluster of rocks, she thought of the heartlessness of her enemies' ancestors. Her own ancestors had broken away from the Army when the bombs fell. They had been appalled by the inhumanity that the soldiers brought against not only their enemies, but also their own people.

Billions had died in the war while those in power sat in reinforced bunkers and launched more missiles across the globe. They kept their soldiers, scientists and greatest minds sheltered while the nuclear flames cleansed those they felt were unworthy of survival. Those that managed to survive where then branded as mutants.

Valerie was proud to call herself a Knight. She had fought raiders and hunted remnants of the Mutant Army into submission. She destroyed the Robot Armies of the Calculator and saved countless lives. The Enclave sought to destroy everything she had accomplished in the name of the Brotherhood, all for those that still lived in the radiation deserts.

She knew her mission. She had to report everything she knew to the Paladins of the Brotherhood so they could mount an assault and slay the enemies of humanity. She only hoped that there were no Enclave Patrols out her way tonight.

01 April 2287
Liberty Bunker
The inside of the Platoon Office was almost empty. Sergeant Wrath had expected this, for the other three squads of the Slayers were out patrolling. They were not to be expected to be back for a few days still. His squad had been kept in reserve and launched as soon as one of the other squads spotted a Brotherhood unit moving into their territory.

Lieutenant Winters sat behind his desk, writing the report that Sergeant Wrath had just told him. The officer finally finished typing, much to Wrath's pleasure. He longed to get out of his armor and take a hot shower.

"Sergeant, once you are done briefing your men, I want a full report of any findings the lab rats make. Clear?"

The sergeant snapped to attention. "Yes Sir!"

Winters looked back to other work he had down on his desk. "Very well, dismissed."

Sergeant Wrath saluted sharply, and waited for the return before he left. He always hated reporting to the Platoon Leader after an operation. He couldn't wait until he made officer and have a platoon of his own. Until then, this program would continue.

He walked back to the Transway, this time his destination the barracks. When he got to his section, he moved stepped off the car and went to his quarters.

His room was not much, just a bed, desk and storage locker. He was lucky enough to have a bathroom/kitchenette in another part of his room as well. Not many people had that luxury, since space was starting to become a problem. The Engineers couldn't expand the bunker fast enough.

He stripped off his power armor, and stored it in his wall locker before taking a shower. The hot water eased his sore muscles and washed the stench of exertion off his body. He grabbed a bite to eat then checked his voice machine for any messages.

His girlfriend from the weapons lab had left a message about dining out soon, but that was all. He made a note to call her back, then got dressed in his work uniform and prepared for his briefing.

Once he had finished, he left his barracks room and walked down the tunnel towards the research laboratories. He hoped to see Mary before he spoke to his men.

Her lab was close to his barracks, which is how he was able to see her so often. She worked constantly, trying to unlock the secrets of technology for the benefit of the United States.

Wrath wasn't paying attention as he walked down the street, and almost bumped into her. She had just gotten off shift, and was heading to her own quarters to relax.

"Gregory! I didn't expect you back so soon!" She hugged his neck and kissed him passionately.

When she pulled away, Wrath only smiled. "So how about dinner later?"

Mary smiled back. "Only if you promise to behave tonight."

"I promise. But I have to go now babe, I have to attend a briefing. What time should I meet you?"

"Ten, make it my place. I'll cook us something nice."

Wrath only nodded. He kissed her once more before moving towards the Trans-way. He always liked going into the civilian district, as they lived much better than the soldiers. Every apartment had a kitchen, living room, bathroom and full size bedroom. It was a soldier's dream to get married and move into one of those.

The walk to the trans-car was short from the labs. Most of the car entryways had been placed near the main areas to hasten the movement of personnel and materials from section to section. Speed and efficiency were critical in Liberty Bunker. The survival of the human race depended on it.

It took only a few minutes to reach the intelligence section of the bunker where the briefing rooms were. Wrath walked into the one assigned to his squad and saw everyone waiting for him.

"Afternoon men. I'll try and make this quick so you can get back to R n' R."

Wrath walked over to the desk in front of the twenty chairs. His soldiers occupied only five. The room itself was a reflection of everything else in the bunker: plain, gray and devoid of all decoration. A Holograph projector sat next to the computer on the desk, rarely used nowadays because of the lack of advanced intelligence. Not many people bothered to write minor reports on Holodisk.

This time though, it would be used. Wrath activated the Holo-projector and selected the map around New York City.

"At Oh-Six-Hundred Falcon Squad reports Brotherhood elements vicinity Target Reference Point Kilo-Delta-Four-Four-Tree-Seven. Here." He pointed to a blue dot on the map. "We are dispatched and arrive on location at Oh-Six-Tree-Zero.

"Specialist Williams, what was the count?"

The small-framed specialist cycled through some notes on his Pip boy. "Sergeant, there were four Knights, three Paladins, eight Squires and only one Scribe. We believe there was a scout somewhere, as we found some extra recently used equipment with different names than the rest, but no one to go with it. I informed Falcon Squad already, Sergeant."

Wrath nodded. "Private Klein, any unusual weapons or equipment?"

Private Klein was the squad Technician. He hadn't spent much time outside, but Sergeant Wrath specifically asked for a Pencil-Neck for just this purpose. "Roger, Sergeant. We found a one-twenty mortar. Everything else was standard Brotherhood issue, mostly just surveying gear. Relatively few weapons, but they probably had weight restrictions due to the distance.

"Intel suggests that the Brotherhood is trying desperately to manage their dwindling fuel supply. Brass estimates another month or two before they are completely out."

Wrath always took notes when his men spoke. Each had their own task within the squad, and they were all good at it.

Specialist Williams was a former mechanic and armorer before he went to Shock Trooper School. Private Klein had been working as a technician in intelligence and research. Corporal Marks was the best demolitions guy in the platoon, and had once been the Battalion Sapper. When it came to electronics, Specialist Roberts had no equal. Doc Brown could patch up anyone or anything. Everyone was in his place, and Sergeant Wrath knew well enough to trust their opinions.

Wrath looked up from his Pip Boy. "Excellent. That means they need the petrol tanks in New Jersey. I'll suggest that to be our next ambush spot."

Marks stood up and walked towards the map. "Sarge, mind if I point something out?" Wrath nodded.

The Corporal pointed to the blue dot that Wrath had referenced earlier. He then punched a few keys on the computer the image zoomed in and changed colors. Around the dot it turned to a reddish-brown color. The area the spot was in became white.

"Sergeant, one of the reasons this Target Reference Point is here is because of the geological survey done by my boys a while back. It's the only suitable area for building outside the city." He circled his finger around the red-brown area. "The area here is either too rad-blasted or the rock is too dense to get down deep enough. Sarge, either the Brotherhood snuck a few teams in and managed to conduct two months of recon under our noses, or they got the information from us somehow."

Wrath stared at the young man for a while. It took him a little while to piece the information together and make a rational thought out of it. He didn't like what he was thinking.

The Brotherhood could have been just lucky. On the other hand, if they did get the survey from the Enclave archives, this "recon" could have been a message, or a way of getting rid of some dissenters. It wouldn't be the first time the brotherhood sent a group knowingly to their deaths.

Marks took his seat once more. He saw that Wrath would be a long time in thought. He made himself comfortable and waited for his leader's words.

"Williams, did they have any Geo-Scanners?" The specialist shook his head. That confirmed it; they had gotten the Intel somehow. "Alright, you men are dismissed. I need to talk to Intel."

Everyone left the room except for Wrath. He sat down on the desk and thought for a moment. There were only three ways to get the information from the Enclave. Hack into the computer mainframe (Which could be done from Vault Zero), torture an Enclave soldier, or plant a spy. Wrath doubted that any patrol that would be in a position to be captured would have any Geological Information handy.

There hadn't been any defections since the corrupt powerhouse on Poseidon Base had been destroyed. It was rumored that one of the defectors aided "The Chosen One" in destroying the base. There was either a hacker inside Vault Zero, or there was a spy in Liberty Bunker.

Wrath decided it was best for the Counter-Intel Pukes to do the thinking. He left immediately to send his report.

02 April 2287
Outskirts of New York City
Mountains in the wasteland can be deadly. Deathclaws and various other dangerous mutants make their homes in caves, not to mention the frequent landslides and earthquakes. Valerie knew this, but she had to climb them. No telling how much longer the river would hold her pursuers.

She had just dodged another Enclave Patrol, the third one since the incident earlier the day prior. They must have picked up her trail from the ambush site. She had been extremely careful in covering her tracks, but no matter how hard she tried, they appeared right behind her.

It was almost as if they were toying with her. They could have easily taken her out, as most of her combat gear had been in the convoy, but they never came close enough. She was almost certain that they saw her cross the river. No doubt there would be another patrol crossing her path ahead soon enough.

There was only one more obstacle to cross after the mountains, the Great Swamps. If she made it there it would be almost impossible for anything to track her. To get there she would have to climb several mountains. Undoubtedly there would be outposts or scout hides located in them, but what other choice did she have?

Sporadic gunfire came from behind her. It was a good distance away, but it reminded her of her fate should she be captured. With reluctance, she continued forward.

There were no trails for her to follow out here. All of the ancient roads would be trapped or monitored. No one came out this far into the wastes. The wasteland was no place for an inexperienced explorer, especially in the colony states.

The Northeast had received the heaviest of the nuclear strikes that scorched the world into the hellhole it is today. Almost all of the cities in the northeast had received direct nuclear strikes, leaving even more devastation that found in other parts of the country.

Valerie had been to California, where the Brotherhood of Steel was born. She had seen firsthand what wonderful creations they had brought to the radioactive wastes. But The Republic of California had received only a fraction of the attention the ancients had given here.

As she climbed the first mountain, Valerie glanced back to see if anyone was following. No one was, but at her height she could see the devastation of New York clearly.

She counted at least a twenty burst zones within the city, half on Manhattan Island alone. None of the buildings still stood, not even skeletons of one. One section looked almost untouched though. As she noticed this, she took out her binoculars to get a better view. The Elders would want every piece of information she could gather.

Through the magnification, she could see it was not unscathed, just rebuilt. The rubble had been cleared away and the roads repaired. Green plants flourished. New buildings had been erected out of forged metal, and old ones repaired. She could see movement, but could not make out what.

According to her map, the area was once known as Battery Park. One of the ancient missiles had exploded not too far from there. Other than the little utopia she had seen, everything else was destroyed. It had to be the work of the Enclave.

No one else possessed the technology to purify the contaminated ground for habitats, other than vaults. According to the remains of the Calculator in Vault Zero, there had been only one complete bunker in the city. Nothing was known about it, but it was assumed to be military. Vault Zero's database was closed only to those.

Remembering her situation, she made a note on her Pip Boy and continued on. Now that she had this vital information, it made her task of getting to safety all more important. She would not fail.

02 April 2287
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Sergeant Blight stood in the ruins of Fort Lee, just across from the George Washington Bridge. His squad had been searching the wastes for a lone scout, with no luck. From what he was hearing on the command net, the other squads were having just as much luck, if not worse.

Panther Squad had encountered a group of gangers, and had to exterminate them before continuing the search. No doubt, if the scout was out there, it had heard the gunfire. That would make the search that much harder.

It was a wasted effort. One person could hide in the ruins of this area for years and the entire division would not be able to find them, let alone three squads.

All of the Motion Sensors the soldiers carried were almost useless. The Purification Squads had not cleansed this area of mutations yet, so there were thousands of hits on the equipment. Most hits turned out to be a mutant of some sort, and even the occasional explorer. All were killed. No sign of the scout though.

No doubt the Brotherhood of Steel had sent an experienced scout and not some tribal recruit. They would not be found. There were too many places to disappear and not enough people in all of the military to search all of them.

It was frustrating. Falcon Squad would be out here anyway, searching for intruders, but if the enemy sent vehicles, which had a different signature on the sensors, there would still be false hits even considering the size and speed of a vehicle. A signal hit the squad received before the Brotherhood patrol came in turned out to be a massive mutant brown bear.

The bear had taken out his sniper. It took one hell of a beating from every gun in the squad, and none of them were small. The medic managed to save the sniper's life, but he had to be air evacuated back to base. No replacement had been received. The corpse of the mutant was taken as well, probably for research.

Now, Falcon Squad was in the wastes undermanned. Blight was just glad that brass had sent Fury Squad to deal with the Brotherhood soldiers, and not Falcon. He doubted that he could handle even a squad of Scribes with his limited ammunition supplies and manpower.

Most of his squad mates were fresh recruits. It wasn't unusual for a new squad leader to receive a green squad. Most of the time, when a soldier proved himself worthy of being a squad leader, so had everyone else in the squad. The squad was dismantled and a new one took its place. From a single squad of five soldiers and one squad leader, usually two squad leaders would emerge; the squad leader would either take a new squad or move to another position higher; and three would be assigned to other Enclave tasks.

His thoughts were interrupted by a data-flash on the command net. It was a recall notice, all units to return immediately. Blight wasted no time in following his orders.

02 April 2287
Liberty Bunker
Sergeant Wrath had only been through a real time alert once in his life. He had been only a child then. He and his mother fled to the bunker core while his father went to his guard post. It had scared the crap out of him. What force in this world could possibly scare everyone into the deep bowels of the largest, most protective fortification in the area?

It was more of a precaution than an emergency. Krakens were known to attack the surface from time to time, and the upper levels were needed for troop movement to combat the giant mutant squid.

But this time was different. The commo techs had finally reestablished satellite communication with other bunkers and even Space Command. With communications being up, so were the Spy Satellites. The Brotherhood of Steel was closer than expected. They were still outside of Enclave Territory, but the news had scared the brass into action.

The news came just as Wrath was finishing his follow up report to the Lieutenant. The alert came via data transfer through the implants installed in every soldier's brain. The civilians would receive an audio warning over the loud speakers.

Wrath had reached his barracks in little time, as during an alert all Trans cars are dedicated to military use only, and began donning his advanced powered armor. His Plasma Rifle was fully charged and ready to go for just this reason. Once the diagnostics on his suit were complete he grabbed the rest of his gear and headed for the main bunker entrance, his defense point.

Running through the halls while checking his gear was a task not unfamiliar to him. Test alerts were conducted on an irregular basis, more often since Poseidon Base was destroyed. His Laser Pistol was calibrated, EMP grenades secure and both ready to use at a moment’s notice.

The EMP Grenades were a new addition to his gear. Normally, Wrath preferred to carry only Plasma and Thermite Grenades, but with the loss of Vault Zero to the Brotherhood of Steel, they became standard issue for all soldiers. The Lab Techs were working on an EMP Rifle to issue to the Special Forces who would be hunting the Robots, but they were still a while away for any breakthroughs.

Wrath arrived at his station and found the rest of Fury Squad waiting for him. From a distance, everyone looked the same when clad in Advanced Powered Armor. It was only because of the IFF Transponders implanted in his soldiers that Wrath was able to tell who was standing there.

The Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) Transponders were one of the many enhancements installed in the Enclave Soldiers. The Transponder allowed all friendly units to know the identity of every soldier they chose, and to let everyone know that unlnown soldiers were friendly.

It also transmitted vital information such as body chemical levels, heart rate, organ activity and foreign substances in the body. Since most soldiers don't need to know everything about everyone, the information is only displayed to those that choose to read it. The only time this is overridden is if the soldier is in distress.

Sergeant Wrath could tell, by just a glance, that all of his soldiers were ready. Everyone was calm and none were intoxicated. He had expected them to hit the bars immediately after being released, but was glad they hadn't. More than likely, some officer would be making his rounds and checking everyone's status.

Once Wrath came to his station, he had some time to finish his major checks. Using his computer implants, he was able to run a full diagnostic on his implants, weapons and armor.

His Powered Armor Interface Control Implant had not been upgraded yet, but it was well within operational standards. Ocular Implants were good. Auditory Implants 100% operational. Stimulant Control Implant ready. Dernum and Phoenix insertions at full integrity. Computer Interface Control Implant inactive but functional. IFF Transponder transmitting proper data. Communications Implant on Command Net and ready to transmit/receive. Weapons running of suit power. Suit's Power Plant at 110% efficiency. Everything was working as it should have.

[All units report status] Came over the command net. Wrath listened to the status of every squad then reported his when it was his squad's turn. Everyone was still alive and making ready or already in place.

[All units, this is Command. Brotherhood of Steel forces spotted within 80 Kilometers of Base. Standby for further guidance.]

Wrath could hardly believe it. 80 Kilometers! The last reports stated they were well over 1000 Clicks away. Now 80?

[Blade Squad to Command. Contact positive. 76 Kilometers, 276 Degrees from base. SITREP to follow.]

[Blade Squad this is Command. Send SITREP.]

[Roger. Positive ID on 8 M113 APC's, 2 M60 Tanks, 10 M1161A7 HMMWV vehicles. At least 200 ground troops, most lightly armored. We only detect 10 suits of T51B Power Armor and 15 T45B. Request further guidance.]

[Wait One Blade.]

"Hey Sergeant, what's going on?"

Wrath had forgotten that the other squad members did not monitor company command, only the squad and platoon net. "Looks like the Brotherhood is closer than we thought. Seventy-Six Clicks west of here."

Even without the IFF Implants, Sergeant Wrath could tell his squad was excited. This was the showdown they had been waiting for, or leading up to it at least.

"Hey, does that mean?"

Wrath held up his hand for silence.

[Command this is Blade over!] The tension in the man's voice could be felt even through the radio. This did not bode well.

[Command, what's going on Blade?]

[Command, this is Blade! We've got Birds inbound! Range 10 Clicks and fast approaching! Vertibirds!]

This was the most disturbing information to ever come across the net. The Enclave used to control the skies unquestionably. No one else possessed the technology to fly, until now. Wrath relayed this to the rest of his squad.

[Blade, this is Sword. We're enroute to your location, two-fife PAX, seven victors. ETA 5 Mikes, prepare for extraction.]

[Roger, preparing for EXFIL.]

[Command this is Hawk One. We're setting up monitoring stations, time now.]

[Command this is Eagle Squad. We've got positive contact on fife PAX, 75 Clicks, 315 Degrees from Base.]

[This is Command. Roger Hawk One. Eagle Squad, can you eliminate?]

[Command, this is Eagle. Roger. PAX are not, I repeat, not identified as being Brotherhood. Suggest scouting first, over.]

[Eagle, this is command. Identify and assess.]

[Eagle, WILCO.]

There was a long period of silence over the net. Everyone waited patiently for someone to say something. The only thing that came over the net was the extraction of Blade Squad. Things were getting pretty tense in the bunker before Eagle Squad came back on.

[Command this is Eagle, over.]

[Command. Send it.]

[Command this is Eagle. Targets identified. Friendlies, over.]

[Eagle, say again?]

[Friendlies, over.]

[Eagle this is Command. Can you identify unit? Over.]

[Command, unit is Tenth Mountain Division.]

The 10th Mountain Division had been the only other full division not deployed to the Chinese front by the time the Great War started. When the Great Winter of 2130 came, they abandoned Fort Drum and moved south to West Point to get away from the glaciers forming up north. Since the migration, all communications had been lost and they were assumed missing.

[Fury Squad this is command, over]

"[Command this is Fury Squad.]" The only problem with the commo implants was the sender had to speak aloud. Even though the suit's voice speaker could be turned off, it still transmitted everything he said to the rest of his squad. They knew they were being called, but could only hear his side of the conversation.

[Fury, this is command. Mount up and prepare to link up with Eagle Squad. Transmit when ready, over.]

"[WILCO command.] Fury Squad, mount up!'

The five soldiers wasted no time in moving out to the motor pool, where their Stryker vehicle was already waiting, ready to go. All vehicle drivers monitored the command net so they could be ready when a Squad was called to action. When everyone was ready, Wrath transmitted just so.

Both he and the driver received the go signal. When the vehicle started to move, Williams wasted no time in turning on the music player the squad they kept in the back. There was no need for anyone to look outside; they knew the route was clear. The music helped to motivate the soldiers.

They listened to an ancient heavy metal band, one of the Squad's favorite. Wrath was particularly fond of the music created in the early 21st Century, long before the Great War took place. Heavy Metal set the mood of the soldier to kill, should it come to it. No one objected.

The driver knew the roads. She had been taking Fury Squad on mounted Patrols for over a year now. They had traveled deep into Long Island and as far north as Camp Smith, a former National Guard post just southeast of West Point. There were no more mutants on either route because of the Stryker Crew and Fury Squad.

Even though the Stryker vehicle was an old wheeled vehicle, dating almost as old as the music being played in it, it was extremely reliable. It could hold 8 unarmored soldiers, or 6 armored. The turret on the roof of the vehicle housed a 120mm Cannon and a 40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher. On the passenger's front window was a .50 Cal Machine Gun. It was one of the better accomplishments the US Military had made before the war.

The massive tires on the APC could float the chassis above water and propel it at the same time. As long as the hull stayed intact, it could cross any terrain found in the wasteland. Not that there were many rivers left to cross anyway. The occupants inside could even fight out the portholes on each side of the vehicle, even when fording.

The drive took an hour to reach the ruins of Camp Smith. Most of the roads away from the city were still intact, and had been cleared of old wreckage by engineers some months ago. The Stryker had passed through many small towns and cities on the trip north, but there was no sign of life, just as the Purification Squads had ensured.

Every Purification Squad set out with the grim task of killing every mutation they came across. They killed everything, regardless of species, race or age. Occasionally, a group of human survivors would be found and tested for contaminants. Those few that could be treated were taken back to base and reintegrated into society. Those that couldn't (or wouldn't) were killed to the last. Members of a Purification Squad were the hardest, toughest and meanest men the Enclave could muster. It took a sadistic mind to handle the task of genocide. All of them enjoyed their work.

As evil as it sounds, it was necessary. In order for the Cleanup Teams to move in and remove the contamination of an area, all life had to be purged of it first. The Cleanup teams took years working on a few square miles, and could have no interruptions while doing so. The teams were almost finished with New York City, and would then start heading north, towards the other bunkers.

Fury Squad and its vehicle passed through Camp Smith, and started heading west, towards the remains of the Hudson River. Camp Smith was the farthest North anyone had been. Eagle Squad had set their position along the Hudson River, monitoring water and ground traffic. It would only be a few minutes until they reached them, and the mysterious friendly patrol.

02 April 2287
Palisades Parkway, New Jersey
Valerie could see the Brotherhood camp from her location. She could also see the telltale black power armor of the Enclave soldiers watching down the ridge from her. If she made a move for the camp they would see her for certain.

Her supplies of Rad-X and Rad-Away were running low. Without them the radiation would kill her within a matter of hours. She had just enough to delay her flight back to camp by a day, and then she would be forced to make a run for it.

Valerie knew she had no hope of outrunning a soldier clad in Advanced Power Armor. It wouldn't matter if she was wearing her own Power Armor. The T51B Power Armor, which the Brotherhood used, was old and decrepit when compared to the advanced set the Enclave had developed. Even the improved models that the Brotherhood managed to manufacture were weak by comparison.

The T45B had been manufactured just after the Resource War had begun, and was initially issued to Powered Infantry soldiers. Just prior to the Great War, Powered Infantry soldiers were receiving T51B, and their support elements, the T45B. The Brotherhood had been formed from a security element left back in the states to guard research facilities. While the soldiers equipped with T51B Power Armor drove the Chinese out of Alaska and back into Beijing, the guard elements stood their ground and waited for the call.

No call ever came. The T51B proved to be too much for the Chinese Army to handle, and were swiftly driven back deep into their homeland. Then the bombs had come.

No one knew what happened to the United States Army after that. The History of the world was lost, as every living thing crawled into the deepest, darkest hole it could find. Only a few groups managed to survive on the surface during the coming of the bombs. Even fewer survived the years following. It was the Brotherhood's duty to protect and nurture those that had.

The soldiers she watched were trying hard to eliminate everything she fought for. They, unlike the Brotherhood of Steel, used their advanced technology to destroy or capture those few.

The Enclave in California had been even worse. They used the local populace as guinea pigs for vile experiments. They obtained resources by selling slaves and manufacturing addictive drugs and trading them for raw materials. From what she could tell of this group, they didn't bother taking slaves or dealing with the locals. They just killed them.

Every village she passed by had been burned to the ground, its inhabitants raised upon stakes for display. The smell was awful. She doubted that the images would ever leave her head. Even the livestock had been slaughtered. Not even the smallest insect had been left alive.

Valerie was determined to reach her brethren camped down the mountain on a little island of the Great Swamp. That was her sanctuary. She had not planned on them being there this long. It was certainly a great risk for anyone to be camped in the Great Swamp, island or not.

Not only were there the Enclave patrols to worry about, but fearsome mutations lurked in the polluted muck. The Swamps had been polluted even before the war, but now with the FEV on the loose and all the radiation, it was a breeding pond for darkness.

The locals on the western fringe had said it was the manifestation of all the evil in the world. Horrible mutants crept out of it often enough and took good people away to make the evil stronger. They had begged the Brotherhood not to go in there, for if they were lost the swamps would surely engulf their village and the evil would rule the world. It was amazing how true this was. The Brotherhood was the only thing stopping the Enclave from taking over the world, and the swamps were theirs.

One of the Enclave soldiers dove for cover under a rock formation and began shouting. Valerie could hear the distinct thumping of a Helicopter approaching. This was something the Enclave had not planned on.

Within minutes of the Helicopter's arrival, a convoy of vehicles left from a hidden base somewhere near her. She could see the dust cloud approaching the Enclave soldiers perched on the ridgeline.

They must have seen it too, for before the vehicles could be seen, they began running down the hillside to meet them. This was her chance to break for it. She started down the opposite slope when a thought occurred to her: The elders would want to know what kind of vehicles they had.

She pulled out her Pip Boy and attached her binoculars to it, to capture whatever image she chose to. It didn't take long for the vehicles to come within sight.

What she saw astounded her. There were no trucks or tracked vehicles as she had planned on. The vehicles were wheeled, and larger than the tanks the Brotherhood had. She watched as the six armor clad soldiers climbed into the back of one. The hatch closed easily behind them, and no one was left outside. There was a turret on top facing forward, and a mounted weapon facing rear behind the turret. It was something she had never seen before.

With her final task done, Valerie continued her trek back to the Brotherhood Camp. Nothing was left in her way now.

02 April 2287
Camp Smith, New York
The Stryker vehicle carrying Fury Squad pulled up to a concrete bunker on a cliff overlooking the river. The squad dismounted from the back and walked towards the fortification.

Another soldier in Power Armor came out to greet them. "Staff Sergeant Michaels, Eagle Squad" he spoke as he saw the other friendly squad approaching.

"Staff Sergeant Wrath, Fury Squad. Where's the patrol?"

Sergeant Michaels pointed to the north. "Follow the beacons. Our link up team left them for you guys. The Patrol is waiting for you guys."

Wrath nodded at the other squad leader and told his men to follow him. The beacons were easy to follow, and they had no trouble in reaching the patrol.

There were five men sitting in a small clearing of rocks. None of them were wearing Power Armor. Every one of them was wearing Combat Armor with a protective breather on. The 10th Mountain Division patch could clearly be seen on their left shoulder.

There was one man wearing Lieutenant's bars on his shoulders. When Wrath and Fury Squad came into view, he stood up and headed towards them.

"Second Lieutenant Carlos Cypher, Second Platoon, Bravo Company, Four Three-One Infantry, Second Brigade, Tenth Mountain Division."

"Yes Sir. Staff Sergeant Gregory Wrath, Fury Squad, Slayer Platoon, Apache Company, Wolf Pack Battalion, First Shock Troops, Thirty-Sixth Urban Combat Infantry Division. I am ordered to ask what you are doing this far from post."

The lieutenant folded his arms across his chest. "We've come to join our brethren in combat against the Mutant Threat." He paused for a moment to let that sink in. "We've lost contact with Poseidon Base."

"Understood, Sir. [Command this is Fury Squad, over]" Wrath turned his back to the Lieutenant and walked a few feet away. He didn't want anyone outside the squad to hear his transmission.

[Fury this is Command. What do you have to report?]

"[Command, we have fife PAX in Standard Issue Combat Armor with Protective Breather attachments and small arms. Patrol Leader goes by the name of Second Lieutenant Carlos Cypher. They are a detachment from Second Platoon, B Co, Four Tree One. Request Confirmation, Over.]"

[Roger, wait one.]

Wrath doubted brass would have any information on the 10th Mountain, but it was standard procedure. Anyone could have stumbled upon the remains of Fort Drum or West Point and laid claim to the weapon stores there.

It was not unusual to see them not in Power Armor. The 10th Mountain had been a light Infantry division before the war, specializing in mountain warfare. Every Infantryman in the division had to be able to climb cliffs and repel; a feat almost impossible in power armor.

Instead, they were issued Combat Armor. While not as protective as Power Armor, it could still stop almost any small arms round, and was considerably lighter and gave much more freedom of movement to the soldier. Since they were required to travel long distances by foot, no one was issued any energy weapons either. Power Cells for any energy weapon were much heavier and bulkier than small arms ammunition.

Normally, the Mountain Troops traveled in groups no smaller than nine soldiers. The lack of heavy firepower and protection forced them to rely more on numbers than strength. Wrath found it curious that there were only five soldiers present.

He turned to face the Lieutenant. "Sir, where is the rest of your Platoon?"

The officer's smile could be seen through the protective mask he wore. "Don't worry about them, they're safe."

"Sir, I hope you understand, we don't trust you, yet."

His smile faded. "Fair enough." He understood the threat clearly. Try anything and you die.

The officer marched over to one of the seated soldiers. "Marc, get on Platoon Net and have everyone assemble on my location."

The soldier nodded and did as he was told. Within a few minutes personnel started to appear out of the rocks and crevices around the clearing.

Wrath was impressed. Combat Armor shielded them from their motion sensors, but it took extraordinary skill to hide a platoon in the desert and not be detected.

There were forty soldiers total. Only two carried medium machine guns. Everyone else had a rifle, carbine or sub-machine gun. They all wore the same armor with the 10th Mountain Patch on the left arm. A few had the same patch mirrored on their right arm.

"[Command, this is Fury Squad, over.]"

[Fury this is Command. Still waiting on confirmation, over.] The command geeks always assumed the soldiers were impatient.

"[Understood Command. Change to earlier report. We now have Four Zero PAX, how copy over?]"

[Say again number of PAX?]

"[Four Zero, Over.]"

There was no reply. They were probably as shocked as he was. The art of stealth was long lost to the Heavy Infantry, especially Powered Infantry.

[Fury Squad this is Command]

"[Command, Fury.]"

[Roger. Identity Confirmed. Muleskinner is heading out to pick up all PAX. Return to base, over.]

"[WILCO]" Wrath turned to his men. "Mount up."

The Lieutenant became agitated. "What about us, Sergeant?"

"Sir, vehicles are in route to take you to our base. We have more serious matters to deal with, with all due respect, Sir. You'll be safe here until they arrive." He hadn't even bothered to turn around. He needed to get back and get ready for his date. The sun was already setting and he had no time to waste. Mary wouldn't be happy if he missed another date, alert or not.

02 April 2287
Brotherhood Encampment, New Jersey
There were sentries all around the camp. Valerie had expected as much. She had called ahead on her radio to alert them to her coming. Being killed by one of her Brothers in Arms was not the way she wanted to end her trip through the wastes.

As she approached two of them closed together and walked towards her. She held her right forearm up for them to see the mark tattooed on her skin while clenching her fist. The two guards recognized the sign and let her pass through.

She entered the camp and headed towards the circle of tents clustered in the middle. The Paladins would be there, and they would be the ones to take her report. Paladins of the Brotherhood serve as elders when none are present, since none of the old ones go into the wastes anymore.

As Valerie got closer to the tents, soft classical music filled her ears. Senior Paladin Garwin always brought his old disk player out and enjoyed some of the ancient musicians. His tent was one of the largest, housing not only him and his Squad, but also the command center and medical section.

The guards outside the tent were expecting her. No doubt the centuries on the perimeter called in her passing to them. Everyone in camp knew her, and her purpose. She would not be stopped again.

Inside the command tent stood the senior Paladins, waiting for her. They too wanted to hear everything she had to report. It would be a long night for all of them.

02 April 2287
Liberty Bunker
By the time the Stryker Vehicle returned to base, it was already after sunset. Wrath didn't like traveling at night, as powerful mutants tended to lurk in the dark. Some have been known to kill entire squads before the last rays of sun finally disappeared.

Wrath had no desire to die by the claws of a mutant, at least not when he had other plans for the night. He had to make sure he wasn't late, as he had already missed his last two dates. A third one would no boast well for their relationship.

Fury Squad dismounted the vehicle even before it had stopped. The driver had expected as much, since no Infantryman likes to sit around and wait for the vehicle-return procedures. During alert times, a single vehicle could wait for hours in the holding area just to get into decontamination. A foot soldier had practically no wait at all.

The command net had been rather quiet since their report. Scouts were dispatched to further assess the Brotherhood encampment, but they were still far from reaching their post.

Even though the art of stealth had been lost, the technology of cloaking had not. Every scout wore a standard issue Stealth Suit. While the Stealth Suit didn't completely cloak the user, as long as they stood still they could not be seen by the naked eye or even most detection systems.

"[Command this is Fury, over.]" Wrath wanted to get his men rested. No telling how long the next mission would be.

[Fury, this is Command. Go Ahead.]

"[Roger, request permission to Stand Down and begin rest plan, over.]"

[Fury, this is Command. Proceed with Rest Plan. Further guidance to be messaged at oh-six hundred. Nothing further.]

"[Roger Command. Fury out.] Men, get deconed and get some rack. Briefing at oh-six thirty, Freedom briefing room. Dismissed!"

The men were too tired to cheer. They just humbled along to the decontamination rooms. Wrath knew he would not see them until the next morning. Everyone had their own post-mission ritual to go through, and his involved Mary.

Once he had gotten the all clear from the decontamination team, he headed back to his apartment to shower and change. It was already nine-thirty, and he needed a few minutes to get ready for his date. If he made it in time, he might actually get lucky tonight. Only time would tell.

02 April 2287
Brotherhood Encamptment, New Jersey
"Knight Valerie, I must admit, this is an astonishing report." Senior Paladin Garwin always was always a strait forward person. He always spoke his mind and never left anyone in the dark. "Just these pictures are worth gold to the council. Let alone the knowledge of their weapons and equipment. For this we definitely need to bring Vault Zero back to full Operation."

Valerie nodded. "I agree Sir. Judging by the reaction I saw from the Enclave snoops when the Vertibird came in, they have no knowledge of the loss of Navarro Base."

Paladin Stormfield spoke up. "Agreed. When we took out Poseidon Base, we may have cut off the head, but remember this: the Enclave has survived for hundreds of years without a head. By cutting off the head that grew we have done nothing but anger them." He swept his hand across the maps lain out on the table. "Just look at the change in tactics. Instead of experimenting on everything, they slaughter it. And I must note, not one scout team has reported the sighting of even one Deathclaw or even Super Mutant since we entered this area."

"I agree." Paladin Matrhan was next. "My scout teams have scoured the surrounding area. We have found traces of the Overlord's Army, but not a single mutant or even ghoul to speak of. Intel suggests that there were at least a hundred Super Mutants that traveled here."

"True, and if the Capital Wasteland is anything to judge by, there should be even more of their brand of mutants here."

Valerie became even more disturbed as each member spoke. She knew where this meeting was going. In Colorado, the brotherhood managed to capture a few atomic weapons. The bombs would contaminate everything the Enclave had done to restore the land, and the council would agree some sacrifices would be necessary.

Garwin moved away from the table with his hands clasped behind his back. The tent became silent as he pondered his options. "As of eighteen hundred hours, I want this camp packed up. We will return to Bunker Omega in Denver and meet with the council there. They will determine what is best. Our mission is complete here. It was our purpose to identify what happened to the missing squads, and we have done so. Now the council will need to hear about it." He turned back around to face everyone at the meeting table. "I want no trace of us being here ever found. Dismissed."

03 April 2287
Liberty Bunker
Mornings underground seem like any other time of day. In Liberty Bunker, nothing ever slowed down because of night or even day. Everything is based on efficiency and routine. Civilians work one of three shifts a day, only stopping to change over. Only during Holidays do things ever slow down. Everything depends on it.

Soldiers on the other hand, do not work in shifts. There is no set schedule for a soldier other than required training events. It is one of the few luxuries bestowed upon the men and women who risk their lives for the survival of the species.

Gregory Wrath woke up in Mary's apartment. She was curled up on the bed in his arms. It had been a good night for them both, but now that moment was being ended by his automatic wakeup system. He had set if for five-thirty, just enough time to say good-bye and get ready for work.

Wrath woke her up with a gentle kiss. "Sorry babe. I gotta get to work." In her half-sleep she kissed him back and mumbled something. He made sure to tuck her in gently as he got dressed and then headed for the door.

It took him no time to get ready for work, and he was already in the briefing room when Command started to send him his briefing.


Priority: Routine
Subject: Warning Order: Operation Falling Star
Security Classification: SECRET
Situation: Enemy forces outside of New York are attempting to become mobile and return to base. Enemy will prevent any delays to schedule. Three squads, with aviation support, will stop enemy from withdrawing.
Mission: Destroy all enemy forces.
Execution: Fury Squad, Reaper Squad and Thunder Squad will paradive into enemy encampment and begin extermination. Aviation units will keep enemy helicopters from interfering. Mission will begin at 0400 hours. Target end time is 1300 hours.
Support: Attack Helicopter assets on call, Salvage Team standing by for equipment seizure. DART and PART Teams standing by as necessary.
Signal: Attack net.
End of Transmission.

This was it. The clash of the two "Big Dogs" on the block was about to begin. He only had two hours to prepare his squad for this battle, but he doubted they would need any. They were all born killers, and there was nothing better than going into battle outnumbered, and beginning your assault with a paradive.

03 April 2287
Brotherhood Encampment, New Jersey
Valerie had slept well. She normally didn't get too much rest when out in the field. Since most of her equipment had been lost to the Enclave, she had only a few things to pack. She made sure to stock up on supplies again. Even though the trip back wasn't as radiated, a scout never felt safe without a good supply of radiation medication or food and water stores.

The sun had risen a few minutes ago, so she decided to scout around the area some more. Even though the area had been scoured clean, you never knew what you could find in the wasteland. It would probably be the last time she would be able to see it.

03 April 2287
Vertibird over Brotherhood Encampment
The Vertibird Helicopter is capable of lifting over a hundred tons to over thirty thousand feet elevation. It can travel at a ground speed of over three hundred miles per hour, and can be fitted with any assortment of weapons imaginable. One helicopter would have no problem taking three squads to ten thousand feet and dropping them off.

Fury Squad jumped out of the stationary helicopter first. It was a ten thousand foot freefall to the middle of the Brotherhood base. The impact of a thousand plus pounds of armor crashing to the earth is enough of a shock to leave any enemy stunned for a while. There is nothing more exhilarating than that.

The shock-absorbers attached to the suit would prevent and damage coming to its occupant, but the suit itself would sustain minor structural failure. Paradives were conducted rarely because of this. If the diver failed to land properly, feet first, the reactor pack on the suit could be damaged. As a failsafe, if the power plant on the suit is compromised, it detonates. The occupant is unharmed, but inoperable until a Power Armor Rescue Team, or PART, can be dispatched. There was always one on stand-by when a unit did a paradive.

Wrath could see the Brotherhood's camp as he soared through the sky. The Brotherhood had chosen an easily defended location surrounded by water. Only one slit of land that could serve as an escape route.

Thunder Squad's landing area was right on that piece of land. Wrath had the honor of dropping in on the command tent, by far the largest tent in the camp. Reaper Squad had charge of taking out what Intel suggested was the sleeping tents.

As was planned, no one knew of the approaching enemy from above. The impact of each suit landing knocked down every tent standing. A few soldiers landed directly on top of vehicles, rendering any chance of them being salvaged beyond hope. Explosions were set off around the camp as pressure sensitive weapons went off and fuel tanks were ruptured. Not one of the Enclave soldiers failed to land properly.

The defenders on the other hand were caught completely off guard. Tents collapsed on top of unprepared soldiers who were busy getting their equipment ready to move out. When the Enclave soldiers struck, the impact shook the ground enough to knock everyone in the camp to the ground. They were without weapons, and already in a position to die. The Enclave soldiers took complete advantage of it.

There were a few sentries that had been far enough away from the camp not to be affected by the paradivers. They stormed the entrance of the camp only to find six Enclave soldiers waiting for them with their self-made craters as cover. They had little hope of breaking through.

03 April 2297
Palisades Parkway, New Jersey
Valerie saw all of this from the mountain she had decided to explore. She was carrying more equipment than the last time she saw this happen to her brethren, but she knew the futility of trying to stop them. She was one against eighteen, and she still did not have her power armor. It took the enclave soldiers less than ten minutes to kill everyone in the camp.

Once the attackers were done with their slaughter, two squads detached themselves and began sweeping the area for survivors. Valerie felt safer than before, as she decided to wear a set of combat armor and a Stealth-Boy before heading out this morning. It made her feel safer for some reason, and now she knew why. When in the home of your enemy, one can never be too secure. She rubbed the laser rifle to calm her nerves.

She felt herself lucky. This was the second slaughter she had witnessed, but not been involved in. She now had a new mission. The Council needed the information that she had, and nothing would stop her from delivering it.

03 April 2287
Brotherhood Encampment, New Jersey
"[Command this is Fury. All Clear. Send in the Repo-men.]"

Sergeant Wrath surveyed the battlefield. They Brotherhood hadn't even put up a good ten-minute fight. He had fought smaller packs of Mutants that had fought harder and longer. This wasn't a mission, it was an execution.

He felt no remorse though. Only the strong survive in the wasteland, and the Brotherhood of Steel was weak. They had proven that they were not meant to win this war.

The Vertibirds came in quickly, dispatching their recovery teams as soon as they touched ground. Not a second was wasted, and nor would any scrap. Everything the Brotherhood had owned now would be processed for raw materials and technological research. It was one way the Enclave always kept ahead of the Brotherhood, by stealing what they had and improving it against their own. By keeping their edge, nothing could stop them.

03 April 2287
Northern New Jersey
Valerie ran. She ran faster and farther than she had ever dared to. Speed in the Wasteland is deadly. No one could tell what dangers were in the desert, and anyone of them could sneak up on unsuspecting travelers. The pain of losing another group of her brethren urged her faster.

The brotherhood had suffered over the years; everything from the mutant army to the robots of Vault 0, and yes, even internal strife. But never had any enemy done such damage with so little effort. It seemed less than a training exercise to them. It was so methodical, so fast, and so … perfect.

That was one thought that she could not avoid. She hated giving credit to her enemies, even when due. But her respect for them was more than earned. It was stolen. The Enclave had killed an entire squad of knights and leveled a Paladin Camp.

The scenery continued to blur around her. Rocks, sand, mud, grass, it was all the same. As long as it didn't slow her down, it didn't matter. Tears streamed freely down her parched cheeks, striking the earth somewhere behind her. She had no time to mourn now. The pain would take her completely once she stopped, but she couldn't now.

Without warning a dust cloud began to envelope her. She started to slow down until the shadow of something large passed over her. She knew exactly what it was, even without turning around.
Vertibird. An elite helicopter developed by the Enclave and stolen by the Brotherhood. She stopped running and turned around to look in the face of her killers. She would die like the knight she was, will pride and honor.

The Wreathed Sword backed by Cogs surprised her. The Helicopter touched down fifty meters in front of her. As the loading ramp opened, she didn't even bother to wait for the crew chief to guide her in. When she was on board, the pilot took off at the command of the chief. In less time than it took the Enclave to eradicate her camp, she was safe.