» Thu May 31, 2012 7:09 am
Ishmael Ashur
2000 Feet above Washington DC
“We’re crossing over Washington now”, the pilot’s voice crackled in Ashur’s headset. “Beginning my descent now, ETA five minutes.”
As the Vertibird began to bank for it’s approach to Adams AFB, Ishmael Ashur looked out the window of the Vertibird at the city he’d set out for a lifetime ago and never dreamed he’d live to see. He could make out the National Mall, bookended between the imposing bulk of the US Capital to the West, and the Lincoln Memorial to the East, with the Washington monument in between. The Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capital was a maze of trenches and fortifications. Tiny black dots swarmed West towards the Capital building, then flashes and puffs of smoke began to erupt amongst them.
“Ants”, said Ashur wryly. “It’s like a war between two anthills.”
The Enclave officer sitting with him, Captain Williams, turned and looked for himself.
“Ah, yes”, said Williams. “Looks like the mutants are trying to take the Capital from Talon Company again. An ant war is a very apt metaphor, sir…you have two groups fighting for reasons they do not understand. County? Strategic advantage? No…merely because they are compelled to do so by instinct, and forces over which they have not control. Ants.”
Williams pointed at an object further North. Even though it was ruined, it’s shape made its identity obvious to a informed observer. Ashur’s eyes narrowed.
My God, Ewoyn, how could it come to this? All the years and lives we spent to get here just for you to end up losing everything to a Old World leftover.
“If you look there, you’ll see the Pentagon”, Williams continued, not noticing Ashur was lost in thought. “Elder Lyons and his followers had appropriated it as their base…they called it the ‘Citadel’. Regrettably, we were forced to destroy it to end the War…they simply refused to negotiate.”
“Out here”, Ashur said slowly, “things often don’t go as you’d like.”
“Erm….yeah, right”, Williams replied quizzically. The light above the cockpit suddenly changed from green to red, indicating passengers were to take their seats and belt up. Williams sat, and put his seat belt on.
Later
The jeep pulled up to the entrance of the Mobile crawler. As Ashur and the Pitt Raider he brought along as an aide, got out of the jeep the Enclave troopers guarding the entrance snapped to attention. Both Ashur and the aide wore Raider Iconoclast armor, Ashur carried his trusty .44 revolver, the aide carried a Infiltrator and a holo-recorder. After instructing the Sergeant of the Guard to inform the Colonel that Ashur had arrived, he led them inside the massive vehicle to the briefing area. Walking inside, Ashur took in his surroundings and noticed the colonel and several of the delegates had already arrived.
Glad I didn’t bring my power suit…though Sandra will need it more than I will if this is a trap of some kind, anyway.
After greeting the Colonel, and the other delegates present, and ordering a drink from one of the orderlies, Ashur took his seat and the aide stood behind him and turned on the recorder.
“In case you don’t know me”, said Ashur, “I am Ashur, Lord of the Pitt. I have come in response to the generous invitation of Colonel Autumn to discuss the future of the Capital Wasteland and it’s surrounding regions.”
A Enclave orderly brought Ashur his whiskey on the rocks. Noting with pleasure it was a quality brand…probably came from Ronto, he thought…he sipped at his drink and waited to see what the first topic of discussion would be.
