» Sun Mar 06, 2011 11:28 am The cramped Vertibird flew over the ruins of Baltimore, heading towards Washington DC. Six people occupied the flying machine. Henry, Johnson, Kreger, Moreno, Daisy and even Arcade Gannon. They were the remnant of Navarro who during the climatic battle of Hoover dam where they aided "Explain to me one more time why we flew all the way here." Arcade grumbled from the front seat next to Daisy. As the Vertibird sailed between the skeletal sky scrappers of downtown Baltimore.
"Because after that show at the Hoover dam the NCR would be looking for us. And I don't plan spending the rest of my days in an NCR prison" Called Henry from the back. The Vertibird made a hard left around the skeletal remains of a sky scrapper.
"And we don't get much further then Washington DC, don't think any of us will live long enough to see the NCR expand this far, except perhaps Arcade hear" Daisy said as the Vertibird swerved around one of the ruined buildings. "And its not like we have anywhere else to go. I'm kind of curious what became of those who went east. Do they even know Navarro fell?"
Arcade shook his head. "If the audio recordings from this eye bot ED-E are to be a judge, they haven't a clue, then again who knows how long it took that think to reach the Mojave."
The Vertibird contiuned its acrobatics through the ruins of Baltimore making the Remnant save for the pilot queesy. "Why can't you just fly higher to avoid them all together Daisy" Johnson grumbled when a hard right slammed him hard into his harness. Usually Enclave troopers wore there armor when they got strapped in, but wearing it constantly on such long flights was draining so they put all the power armor into storage.
"But where's the fun in that?" the old pilot smiled but never taking her eyes off the sky.
"I had to ask" Johnson laughed. Daisy loved to fly and had often taken the opportunity to jack knife around skyscrappers when they flew through a major city. The first time she did it Johnson he nearly got a concussion because he neglected to properly secure his harness. But Daisy was happy, happier then she had been in a long time having been able to fly again every day for the past couple weeks as the flew from one abandoned base to another to secure supplies and fuel.
"At least she's not buzzing along ten feet off the ground anymore” Arcade added glancing back to the passenger compartment. She stopped flying low after they nearlly collided with a very surprised deathclaw
Orion could only smile, "I wonder what Old Autumn has done sense he took the majority of the Enclave east, bet they have a whole American Country by now." Baltimore was only forty miles from Washington DC so it didn’t take lone to close the distance once they were clear of the Balitmore and Daisy was able to up the throttle. But before the ruins of the capital came into view, Daisy looked to the horizon and spotted two approaching Vertibird.
"Looks like they picked us up on there radar" Daisy said as the two aircraft pulled up along either side of theirs. "To bad ours isn't functioning, dam legion sniper and his anti-material rifle"
Orion smiled at the approaching craft "An Enclave welcoming party what a day" Arcade could swear the old man was getting younger the closer they got to Washington. He didn't sound like a tired bitter old man anymore. If he got anymore cheerful Arcade was sure he was going ot be sick.
Judah exited his harness and made his way to the radio in the cockpit. He fiddled with the dials before speaking into the transmitter. "This is captain Kreger thanks for the welcoming we could use a guide, we're not exactly sure where to land this thing." The radio remained silent for a few minutes before Kreger tried another frequency repeating his message.
"I don't like this" Arcade fidgeted nervously. "You don't think there going to shoot us down?"
"Relax Arcade there probably checking our registration for security purposes" Orion assured the young doctor.
"Attention Vertibird VEM-105-2193 you will lower you’re landing gear and proceed with us to Adam's Air Force base for debriefing." The voice coming through was cold, almost ruthless and certainly threatening. While it worried the young Arcade Gannon to the Judah and his squad it was comfortingly familiar.
"Guess you won't be able to drop Arcade and off early" Lamented old doctor Henry. The plan had been to fly to a settlement and let Henry and Arcade go, as neither doctor had any real desire to go back or into the Enclave ranks. Being a couple thousand miles from the NCR was good enough.
"Relax Henry, except for Arcade were all old enough to qualify for discharge from military service, and Arcade here is well above drafting age" Kreger assured them. It didn't take long to fly to Adam's Air Force base which was just north of the ruins of DC. The the sun shone brightly on the three Vertibirds flying through the sky. Daisy wondered if she'd ever fly again but the past few weeks had been magical.
"What’s that?" questioned Arcade pointing to the ruins of the mobile base crawler.
"No idea" Daisy responded, "What about you guys" The rest of the Remnant shook there heads as Daisy brought the Vertibird into a decent that put the crawler into view.
"We'll ask them later, I'm sure they'll be lots of questions on both sides" Orion said as started to undo his harness. He was eager to step outside and meet the current generation of the Enclave. The escorting crafted continued on after Daisy touched down and Remnant dislodged themselves from the seats and Kreger opened the hatch. As they climbed out one by one they were greeted by four soldiers in an especially massive suits of power armor they didn’t recognize. Two of the troopers wielded a Plasma Rifles, one a Gatling Laser, and another had a Tri-beam laser rifle. Among the soldiers was a tall young man with Red Hair and shades. He wore a black officers uniform with a white overcoat, he had a plasma rifle holstered on his back as well.
“Well this is unexpected” the officer spoke and in that instant Arcade noticed the Remnant had snapped to attention with a salute, he quickly followed suit. “A vertibird flies in out of the blue crewed… mostly by old folk." Kreger found this man intreging. He wore the uniform of a seasoned officer a Colonel from the insignia but he looked to be in his early to mid twenties. Despite the power armor Kreger could tell his men held a great respect and admiration for the man. He could also tell the troopers were itching to shoot at a moments notice. It made him nervous but then the Enclave never handled surprises well.
“My name is Colonel, Jack Cousland, if you follow me into one of the hangers we’ll begin your debriefing while a couple of my men secure your craft and equipment” The group simply nodded an affirmative and followed after the Col. Cousland. Two of the troopers went inside the old Vertibird and started hauling out the weapons and armor as they were escorted the way.
“Sir if I may ask what model power armor is that?" Orion asked gesturing to the silent troopers. Jack turned to Judah then looked to the power armored troopers. “It’s the newest model its called Hellfire power armor maybe you'll have the chance to try one on later” Orion smiled at the thought
Their escorts led them to an old hanger filled with various empty cages with energy shield doors. “They used to house the deathclaws here,” he said gesturing to one of the cages.
“You didn’t try engineering them to talk again did you?” Henry asked, that made the troopers stop along with Jack.
“Talking… deathclaws, I’m not sure I even want to know who thought taking one of the wastelands most deadly killing machine and making it smarter” Jack just shook his head at the thought of intelligent deathclaws. “But they did have control devices attached to there heads
“So we have your temporary accommodations prepared,” Jack gestured into one of the cages where a few bunk beds, chairs and a table had been hastily set up. “Until your debriefing is complete it’s the best we can do for security purposes you understand right?”
“Of course bunch of old guys fly in unannounced” beamed Orion. “You need to take precautions,” Arcade could tell that for Orion the man had come home he was among the Enclave again; he was among his America again.
The Remnant went inside and the force field went up, “I’ll be back shortly to begin the debriefing after my own report.” Jack explained, the two power armored guards who escorted them stayed behind.
Jack walked across to the opposite hanger where Sarah Lyon’s was waiting, leaning against the wall beside her father Elder Lyons. “So how did it go? He asked plainly.
“They bought it,” smiled Jack otherwise known as The Lone Wanderer.
