Stan's POV
Morning came too soon, bringing with it the weight of everything that had happened the previous day. I rose from my bunk, stretching my arms as I went through the mission report on my holotablet. We had taken heavy losses, but the battle against the slavers had at least led to something worthwhile. Republic was a formidable ally, and their military strength far exceeded what I had initially expected.
After gearing up and checking in with my surviving knights, I made my way to the briefing room where Billy and his officers were waiting. The air was thick with tension, though not in an aggressive way more like the calm before a storm. The decisions made today would shape what came next.
Billy leaned forward over the table, fingers interlaced. "Before you leave, there's something you should see." He gestured toward the holographic display in the center of the table. It flickered to life, revealing several locations marked on the map.
"We sent out recon teams early this morning to investigate the military sites we found in the bunker's database," U-12 explained, standing beside the console. "So far, three teams have checked in."
The map zoomed in on the first marker—a checkpoint located north of Republic. The image changed to drone footage, showing a small but well-fortified outpost hidden in the forest. The walls were reinforced with scrap metal and concrete, and several automated turrets still seemed operational.
"The first checkpoint was a former NCR Ranger outpost. It's been abandoned for years but still has some defenses online. We're in the process of securing it."
The next marker was the communications bunker. The footage showed a massive steel door, partially buried by debris, with Brotherhood insignia still faintly visible beneath layers of grime.
"This one's interesting," Billy said. "It was a Brotherhood installation. Looks like it housed a pre-war satellite link and long-range comms network. If we can get it working again, we might be able to tap into encrypted military frequencies."
I raised an eyebrow. "That could give us a major strategic advantage. My own scribe teams might be able to help with that."
Billy nodded. "We'll talk more about that later."
The final location was the airbase. The footage showed a heavily overgrown runway, with a large hangar still standing in the distance. The drone zoomed in, revealing a group of scavengers moving around the area.
"We've got some company there," U-12 noted. "They don't seem to be slavers, but we don't know if they're hostile. Our team is keeping its distance for now."
I studied the image. The scavengers were well-equipped armor, rifles, even some makeshift fortifications near the hangar entrance. Not just some random drifters. "They're dug in. If they're not hostile, we might be able to strike a deal. If they are, we'll have to clear them out."
Billy smirked. "I was thinking the same thing."
The meeting continued for another thirty minutes, going over logistics, potential threats, and plans for the next steps. By the end of it, I was convinced Republic was going to be a valuable ally, but they had their own problems to deal with first. The Enclave would have to wait.
A few hours later, we were on the move again. The Republic had provided us with two armored trucks, enough supplies for the road, and a spare suit of power armor for one of our knights. We would be heading northwest, making contact with other settlements before looping back to pick up Ordin Will.
As we drove through the wasteland, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. The road ahead was cracked and broken, lined with the remains of pre-war vehicles, but something felt… off.
"Eyes up," I said into my helmet's comm. "Something doesn't feel right."
The convoy slowed. Our scout, Knight Hendricks, climbed onto the roof of the truck, scanning the area with binoculars. A moment later, he tapped the side of his helmet.
"Contact. North ridge. Two figures, maybe more."
I followed his gaze. Sure enough, there were figures in the distance, barely visible among the rocks. They weren't moving aggressively, just watching.
Billy had mentioned that slaver activity was rising. These could be scouts, raiders, or something worse. I tapped my radio.
"All units, stay alert. We're moving, but be ready to engage if they make a move."
The vehicles rumbled forward, leaving the watchers behind. Still, I kept my rifle within reach. Something told me we hadn't seen the last of them.
Billy's POV Unfinished Business
Back in Republic, things were moving fast. The teams sent to the military sites were reporting in, and new opportunities and threats were emerging.
I sat in my office, going over the latest intel when John walked in, a grim look on his face. "We just got a distress call from the southern perimeter. Looks like a slaver warband is moving in."
I frowned. "How many?"
"At least fifty, maybe more. They've got vehicles and some kind of heavy weaponry. If they reach the town, we're in trouble."
I stood, grabbing my coat. "Get the defenses ready. And send word to our forces at the checkpoints I want them back here now."
John nodded and left. I exhaled sharply. We had survived the last battle, but this one was going to be different.
This time, the Republic was the target
Billy's POV
The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over Republic's walls as we made final preparations. The slaver warband was closing in fast. The last UAV feed showed their force less than thirty minutes away two technicals with mounted machine guns, an old APC, and around sixty slavers on foot.
John stood beside me, his face hardened by years of experience. "We don't have the numbers to hold them in a straight fight. We need to hit them before they reach the walls."
I nodded. "We've got RPGs and a couple of mortars. If we take out their vehicles early, they'll lose their momentum."
U-12's robotic voice crackled through my earpiece. "The best opportunity for an ambush is at the southern pass. The terrain narrows, forcing them into a bottleneck. A well-placed strike there will maximize casualties."
"That's our best shot," I said, turning to my officers. "We deploy a strike team to hit them at the pass. The rest of our forces hold the walls in case they get through."
John grinned, checking his rifle. "I'll lead the strike team."
I clapped him on the shoulder. "Be careful. We can't afford to lose you."
He nodded and jogged off to assemble the ambush team.
John's POV ~ The Ambush
We moved quickly through the craggy terrain south of Republic, setting up explosives along the narrowest part of the pass. My team of twelve soldiers spread out, finding positions on the rocky cliffs overlooking the road.
"Hold fire until the first technical is in the kill zone," I whispered into my radio.
Minutes later, the slavers appeared. Their vehicles rumbled down the path, kicking up dust as they approached. The lead technical a rusted pickup with a makeshift armor plating rolled right over the buried explosives.
I pressed the detonator.
The explosion sent fire and debris into the air, flipping the truck onto its side. Slavers screamed as flames engulfed their comrades.
"Open fire!" I ordered.
Our rifles lit up the canyon, cutting down slavers caught in the blast's chaos. The second technical tried to swerve away, but one of our RPG gunners fired, hitting it dead-on. The truck erupted in a fireball, sending burning wreckage flying.
The slavers scrambled for cover, returning fire. Bullets ricocheted off the rocks around us. One of my men took a shot to the shoulder, but kept fighting.
"Keep the pressure on!" I shouted.
The APC's turret swiveled toward our position. Before it could fire, a missile streaked from the cliffs, slamming into its side. The vehicle rocked violently but didn't explode.
"Damn it, it's still moving!" someone yelled.
I switched to the command channel. "Republic, we need artillery support on the pass!"
Billy's voice came through. "Stand by."
Seconds later, a mortar shell whistled through the air and struck the APC. The impact tore through the hull, and a second shell landed right after, finishing the job. The slavers who hadn't been killed were in full retreat, running for the open desert.
I exhaled, lowering my weapon. "That's it. The pass is secure."
I switched my radio to Billy's frequency. "Ambush successful. What's the situation at the town?"
His response was grim. "The rest of them didn't stop. They're at the gates."
Billy's POV
I stood atop Republic's walls, rifle in hand, as the remaining slavers charged. Despite losing their vehicles, they still had numbers on their side. A dozen or so had makeshift shields, trying to block our gunfire as they advanced.
"Hold your fire until they're in range!" I ordered.
When they were close enough, I gave the signal. "Light 'em up!"
Gunfire erupted from the walls. Our snipers took down the shield-bearers first, while machine guns tore into the charging mass. Grenades were lobbed over the walls, sending bodies flying.
But they kept coming.
A group of slavers reached the base of the wall and set up a breaching charge.
"Mortars, take them out!" I yelled.
A shell landed right on top of them, reducing the group to a smear of blood and metal.
A rocket streaked past me, hitting the guard tower to my left. Wood and steel splintered as the tower collapsed. Two of our gunners went down with it.
"Shit," I muttered.
Another group of slavers broke off, heading toward the eastern gate.
"U-12, do we have any reinforcements inbound?"
The AI's voice responded. "Knight Stan and his team have received our distress call. They are en route."
That was good news, but they wouldn't get here in time.
I turned to Sheila, who was coordinating from behind the walls. "Get our power armor troops to the eastern gate. If they breach it, we hit them with everything we've got."
She nodded and relayed the command.
The slavers were desperate now. With their forces dwindling, they made one final push. A few of them managed to throw grappling hooks over the wall, trying to climb up.
I switched to my shotgun, stepping up to the edge. As one slaver peeked over the top, I pulled the trigger, blasting him off the wall.
A second made it up and swung a machete at me. I ducked, grabbed his wrist, and twisted breaking his arm before shoving him back over the edge.
The remaining slavers realized it was over. They turned and ran, scattering into the wasteland.
"Cease fire!" I ordered.
The battle was won, Bbt the cost was high.
The battlefield outside Republic was a graveyard of bodies and burning wreckage. We lost fifteen good people, and another twenty were wounded.
As we tended to the injured, the sound of approaching vehicles echoed in the distance.
Knight Stan's convoy rolled into town. He jumped out, scanning the scene.
"You held the line," he said, nodding in approval.
I exhaled. "Barely."
He looked at the battlefield, then back at me. "We need to talk. This war is only getting started."
I nodded. He was right. The slavers were just the beginning.
The real fight was still ahead.