The United States Of America, once this place was United, now a number of nations emerged from this dead one. It all started will scarcity, How could the golden age of technology strive? Oil. Oil, for all its glorious uses was always running out. This was realized early on, but to late. After wars that the world couldn't really recover from ended, only a barren wasteland remained. This wasteland was not the end. No humanity can't end that easily.
In the southeast area of the former United States a new nation was born, the Confederate States of America. Modeled after the ancient CSA around 2144 by a group known as the Rangers of Delta. Slavery is none existent, bandits and dangerous wildlife are only found on the frontier lands, and civilized life is something taken for granted now. The nation has its strong borders from the tip of the Florida Swamp to the mountains of Tennessee, and as far east as Mississippi. Led under the corrupt President Knox, a man who earned his support from leading the final charge against the Klan, a group who controlled Mississippi and had taken many confederates as slaves. He has built up his Army, a force that includes a huge navy and a modest air force. However for what purpose these improvements serve is lost on almost all under the CSA's banner.
Mississippi Frontier Lands, 2297
Sergeant Mack Hoss trudged through the Louisiana swamp with hate. Not hate for the swamp, but that damned General Knox Jr! Him and his imperialistic father, they were the reason his squad was here. As he surveyed the swampland in front of him he thought, no he knew he saw, a flash of black power armour. Quickly he put up a fist, and motioned for his men to fan out on both sides. His two Corporals came to both his sides.
The first one, Corporal Verdun, turned her head to the Sergeant, "I don't see anything, Sir. Should we send two of Corporal Redfords snipers to scout ahead?"
Sergeant Hoss turned to the other Corporal. A silent yet deadly man, Corporal Redfords was tall, even Sergeant Hoss, a short man by no means, still stood several inches shorter.
Corporal Redfords looked over to his fellow Corporal and shook his head, only pointing to the swamp. Following his finger the Sergeant and Corporal found a flag fluttering in the wind, "There is no need for scouts for what you can see" said the large man who motioned for his men to fall back into formation. This led to Corporal Verdun doing the same, but also slightly embarrassed for her mistake. She was always in direct competition with the other Corporal, even if he wasn't.
Sergeant Hoss trekked onward to the flag and found a base teeming with defenses. Looking at pile to the left of the camp he saw dozens of ghouls, all dead and soon to be burnt. It was unsettling to him because ghouls weren't supposed to be this far out. He then looked at the front of the base to find out just who these people were, they certainly weren't Klan. They have been dead for many years and never seen with power armor. No these people were different, just by looking at their concrete walls and large steel gate, you could tell they were different. One didn't need to look at the power armored soldiers mounting miniguns on top of the walls to see these folk were either a new threat or ally. They only needed to see the two flags flying high on a metal pole, one of the United States and one underneath, the Confederate flag.
These people knew we were coming, thought Hoss. As he and his squad made it to the opening gate a man stepped out. Not inside a power armor shell, but wearing a proper military uniform.
As the man approached Hoss got a good look at him. Average height, not muscular, but toned, short dark black hair and a set of cold calculating eyes. He came to a halt a few feet infront of Hoss and addressed the group, "You I am sure, are scouts from the Confederation to survey these lands, Yes?" His tone was authoritative, yet somehow also curious.
The Sergeant thought for a moment, had his CO said anything of meeting a new force? No, he didn't. He was too busy flirting with his Corporal. Adjusting his helmet Hoss stuck out his hand, "Sergeant Mike Hoss, 332nd Frontier Infantry, I wasn't told of any outpost out here, but it's good to see civilized life beyond our borders" the Sergeant replied while shaking the man's hand.
The man looked surprised, but quickly recovered, "Why where are my manners, I didn't introduce myself proper. Lieutenant Forge, 45th Recovery and Search, of the Texas Enclave. It is a pleasure to meet you," he said. The soldiers relaxed at the word enclave. The Governor of Florida was former Enclave, but in truth no one knew just who the enclave was. "You all must be tired from your long march. Why don't you all settle in. After my guards disarm you of course"
Sergeant Hoss might not be one of those fancy battlefield commanders, controlling hundreds of troops, but he knew when to risk men and when not to. "How about this Lieutenant Forge, my men set up camp a mile away and we talk there?" the Sergeant said noticing the Lieutenant's face growing slightly alarmed.
As the Sergeant went about deciding the meeting place with the LT, Corporal Redfords disappeared into the forest. To find a vantage point and see what this outpost is made of.
He found a large cluster of boulders two, maybe two and a half, hundred yards from the base. He put down his pack and pulled out a leather blanket to shield his body from the jutting rocks. As he laid on the ground he looked onwards through the scope of his highly upgraded .308 sniper rifle. The rifle itself was standard issue to all troops capable of earning it, but it's huge scope and suppressor were bought with many weeks pay.
Looking through said scope he saw the tall concrete walls and, to his surprise, a nearly empty base. A few men were working on an ancient Huey helicopter in the middle of the base, it looked like it was being fixed by parts taken off a destroyed vertibird. Looking over to front gate he counted the soldiers. Ten armed with power armor on the walls, five officers including the Lieutenant, and another fifteen troops wearing combat armor.
As he watched the base with an eagle eye his thoughts were interrupted by a static voice, "Redfords! The Sarge has decided to stay in the base, get your ass over here!" corporal Verdun said and he could see her waving him towards, but she had her back to him. So with a grin he sneaked back towards the gate.
Back at the base Sergeant Hoss gathered his men inside, minus their weapons. He thought the base would be teeming with soldiers, but to his count they had maybe thirty men total.
Corporal Redfords appeared beside him a few minutes after the gate shut, "Sir, there appears to be a lack of soldiers here, and I also spotted a Huey in the middle of the base being repaired, Sir" he reported while never breaking his gaze from his Sergeant's.
"A Huey? How the fuck did they find one of those?" the Sergeant replied surprised.
"I don't know, Sir and I also don't know who these people are."
"I am going to need you to find out then, don't care how though."
"Understood, Sir" and with that he vanished back into the shadows.
Sergeant Hoss went to go find this Enclave lieutenant, he needed answers and he needed them now.
The Sergeant found him inside what seemed a command tent, hunched over a map of the entire continental United States. "Well hello," the lieutenant said putting up the map, "I suppose you want to know who I am and why I expected you?"
Hoss took a seat opposite of the table and leaned forward, "Yeah, let's start off with just who the hell is the enclave."
Hoss could see the man's eyes light up with pride at this question, "Ah the enclave, we are what remains of it in the United States. Holding the former Republic of Texas, we have let civilized life grow and returned it to what it was."
"The last in the US? Then what happened?"
At this question he no longer held pride, but defeat, "Our original home on the west coast was destroyed, as was our main bases in almost every major city. The last lost was in D.C. but even though these defeats set us back from uniting the whole country we still have saved the land of Texas and will forever help it grow."
"What about Atlanta, or Miami, hell even Memphis? None of your bases were found there" Hoss interrogated. He intended to find out all about this Enclave.
"Yes, we had those assets pulled after your nation conquered those lands. Quite an exceptional job you all did too. Atlanta is beautiful."
Now Hoss was truly surprised, "You've been to Atlanta?"
"Not exactly, our recon planes-" he was cut off by a large power armored soldier opening the flap of the tent.
His eyes were like an insect's, and his helmet had what seemed to be horns on either side, "Sir, there are hundreds of ghouls coming out of the swamp!" he yelled through his speakers.
The lieutenant was already up and grabbing his gun, "Sergeant I suggest your men help defend the gates. We won't be able to hold them off this time!"
As the lieutenant charged outside the tent Sergeant Hoss followed and ran to find his Corporals.
On the wall of the base Corporal Redfords and his sniper teams were laying waste to the ghouls, but for every one brought down five would come out of the swamps. On his left miniguns sprayed the tree line and cut through dozens of the creatures.
For a minute he thought the fight was nearly over. His hope was dashed by Corporal Verdun's voice in his ear, "The south wall is under attack! Ghoulies are pouring out like ants over here!"
Redfords turned to tell one of his men to go relieve the other wall, but he wasn't there. He wondered if the man already went but he knew his fate as he watched one of the Enclave soldiers get grabbed by a ghoul climbing the wall and pulled down.
The ghouls had reached the wall and were now piling themselves on top of one another to reach the humans above.
Sergeant Hoss stumbled up the wall and let loose a barrage of rounds that tore apart a ghoul who had made it onto the wall. He fought he way to Redfords, who had opted to use his pistol since the ghouls had come so close. "Redfords get down to the center of the base we are gonna hold there!" he yelled over the gunfire and screams of the dying.
Redfords watched as the Sergeant was then pulled down from the wall by a ghoul and vanish under the horde. He quickly made his way to the center of the base to join up with the surviving members of his squad.
Corporal Verdun made her way towards him, she looked wounded as her arm was wrapped up tight in duct tape. "Where is the Sergeant? He was supposed to lead this last stand, now that Forge is dead."
Corporal Redfords looked at her, "He went over the wall, probably dead. You lead the stand I'll see if we can't use that helio to escape!" he had to yell over the sound of crumbling walls. The ghouls were in now.
He looked at the circle of defenders, seven enclave personnel all being no power armor, ten of Verdun's men and four of his. His eyes caught a lone power armored soldier on the last of the wall. He held a minigun and was killing a large number of ghouls all around him. To the point where the ghouls had to climb over one their dead just to get shot down.
The corporal then made his way to the Huey which had one mechanic panicking beside it. "Where the fuck does this go? How does this even fucking work!" the mechanic yelled throwing down a wrench.
Redfords came up to man and slapped him across the face, "How about you talk and yell less. And. Fix. The. Helicopter."
Regaining his composure the man stood firm, "Maybe I could if we had fuel and FUCKING helicopter blades!" Corporal Redfords looked up from the fuming man and sure enough there were no blades.
Seeing as the man was no good here he grabbed him and dragged him to the frontlines. He then grabbed a rifle and thrust it into his hands, "Hold the line and don't die" the Corporal said while turning to go find Verdun.
He spotted her on the other side of the circle crouched down and propping her gun against a concrete block. He crouched beside her and let fire a few shots with his rifle, killing three.
Verdun reloaded her gun and tossed her head towards Redfords, "Any way of escaping?" she asked before returning to kill ghouls.
Redfords waited until she went to reload again before telling her the bad news, "Choppers grounded and there is no other way of escaping. Looks like we gotta fight our way through." The situation was grim, but morale took a plunge when the armored man ran out of bullets on the wall. He was quickly surrounded and the last sight of him went up in a green flash.
He did a quick scan of the desperate defenders counting ten total men, "Tighten the circle boys! And light up those assholes!" he heard Corporal Verdun yell. She really was a field commander and better at leading than he was, he was just really good at sniping and staying hidden. He let that thought roll out of his head, no way he could abandon his men like this. He would rather go down fighting.
As the group tightened a roar shook the ground and off to the east a huge mutant came into view. It was throwing and crushing the ghouls in its path, the thing had to be at least twelve feet high and was made of what appeared to be ghouls fused together.
The mutated ghouls was now a hundred yards from their circle and all rifles were pounding it with lead. The thing just shrug them off and kept charging, until a missile hit it's left shoulder and destroyed the creature.
The troops looked up to where the lone soldier was to see Sergeant Hoss holding a missile launcher on his shoulder, it's barrel pouring smoke. The defenders found renewed strength and drove back the ghouls, who were currently numbering in just a few dozen.
Sergeant Hoss made his way down to his men, more importantly his Corporals. Who he found together arguing about whether to stay here for the night or begin home.
As the Sergeant came within a few feet the Corporals turned, with Redfords in salute and Verdun slack jawed.
"How... How the hell did you survive that horde, find a rocket launcher, and kill that mutant?!" she asked flabbergasted.
Hoss chuckled, "Well soldier when you're as badass as I am you will figure it out" he went to fish a cigarette out of his pocket to emphasize his point, but all his cigs were crushed or bent. "Anyways I need an update who is still alive?" his tone turned darker. He knew not a lot were left.
Redfords was the first to answer, "Sir, I am down to two men, Privates Root and Smith. Everyone else is dead. "
Verdun looked back at her men gathered over a collection of helmets, "I have four left, Sir. Current casualties are sixteen. Recruit Private Dun is also KIA. "
Hoss shook his head, "Fuck I liked Dun he was a terrible card player. Alright then, we won't make it back home with this amount of men, but I'm scared if we stay another horde will appear."
At that the last enclave officer approached the group. He seemed nervous, and pretty young, "Sir, I believe Samuel Regal wants you" he said looking at Corporal Redfords.
The Corporal looked down at the young man, "Who?"
"The mechanic he says he has the helicopter blades."
"Oh." And with that Corporal Redfords left to talk with said mechanic.
Sergeant Hoss looked over to his Corporal, "I think you need to gather all the Enclave soldiers and help them bury their dead."
Verdun sighed and walked off to help bury her brothers in arms. Sergeant Hoss walked over to the command tent, or what was left of it, and searched it's large oak desk. Opening the bottom drawer he found what he was looking for. The map.
