Prologue:

Paladin Lord Drake stood over the bodies of General Barnakey's bodyguards, and removed his helmet. Setting it on the war room command console he walked over to the body of Barnakey, twisted metal that lay motionless. Kneeling beside it he spoke.

"It had to come to this, my Lord. You are an abomination, and I will succeed where you failed."

Readying his super sledge he stood, and with a furious shout, brought the maul down upon the dome protecting Barnakey's brain, shattering it and splattering the lobes into a paste of goo. Again and again he hammered the remains, small bits of brain launching and sticking to his face.

Dropping the sledge and wiping his face clean, he turned to face the paladins.

"Report."

"Sir, Inquisitor Praxx and Paladin Lord Willhelm have fled. We have planted explosives throughout the base as ordered and await your command."

"And Traven?"

"Our spies report the expedition he was a part of has returned to the west, in the city of New Arroyo."

Drake thought for a moment and turned to his men.

"Give me your ripper, soldier."

A trooper stepped forward, and handed Drake his ripper.

Drake knelt beside the corpse of Barnakey's head of security, Paladin Flynn. Removing the helmet of the dead soldier, he began to cut and speak.

"Send an assassin to greet Traven in New Arroyo. Success or death, this is the way. Traven must be killed, and I want his head as a trophy."

Removing the head of Flynn, Drake stood, holding the head by the hair. "Fetch one of the savage slaves. He can take this head in a sack to Traven. I want him to know his Lord is dead before our assassin kills him."

Drake handed the bloody ripper back to the Paladin, along with the head of Flynn.

"Inquisitor Odin should be marching on the town of Rest Stop with the rest of or forces. You have your orders. Move."


New Arroyo:

The surviving members of the Eastern Expedition arrived in the city of New Arroyo as heroes. NCR and Brotherhood representatives met them with joy, the plague stopped, the Creator killed. The citizens of New Arroyo welcomed them into their community, and after a week long festival, life, it seemed had returned to normal. Elder Horatio Duke awarded them all with medals in a private ceremony, naming Burns and Jenna Duke high protectors of the Brotherhood of Steel.

Jenna Duke stayed in the Followers infirmary. Physically and mentally drained from the mission, for a month she did little but sleep. Dr. Swift was troubled by the behavior of the warrior she had come to know and trust.

Yet as the heroes rested and explored the city of New Arroyo, they had no idea of the storm of steel coming for them.