Preparations
"So first, tell me more about the Lone Wanderer. I've heard the rumors, but they can't all be true." Joseph said.
"From what our scouts and spies have gathered, he came from a Vault, but we all know that. He is mentally unstable and can be set into a rage by mentioning how he couldn't save his father, or mentioning his childhood friend, Amata." Randall said.
"Why does he snap if you mention her?" Joseph asked.
"This is where his story gets a little fucked up, after his dad died he returned to his Vault's entrance. When he got there, he picked up an emergency distress signal from the Vault and got re-entered the Vault. When he got inside he met with the Overseer and the meeting didn't exactly end well." Randall explained.
"What happened?" Joseph asked.
"The conversation turned violent and he killed the Overseer. He then went to talk to Amata, expecting her to be excited as she would be the new Overseer, but she wasn't too happy. She told him that he was a threat and that he needed to leave… forever." Randall went on.
"So he hates her for kicking him out?" Joseph asked, not getting why she was a sore spot.
"No, he hates himself for killing her and the rest of the Vault in a rage." Randall explained.
"You're shitting me." Joseph said excitedly.
"I kid you not; he snapped and shot everyone in the Vault." Randall said.
"So about the war, you mentioned that his army used power armor, are they Brotherhood of Steel? Because he doesn't sound like someone they would support." Joseph pointed out.
"This is another weird story, he killed their former Elder. Now he claims it was in self-defense, but a good portion of the Brotherhood didn't believe him. Those people are called the Splinter, and they along with the Outcasts are currently raging a three-way war with Jackson." Randall said, explaining the situation in the Capital Wasteland.
"That sound good though, have you tried to ally with the other two factions?" Joseph asked, hoping that his friend would at least have one other ally out East.
"We have tried to form an alliance with them, but since they don't agree with each other, we can't ally with one without making ourselves an enemy of the other." Randall said, explaining his predicament.
"Ah I see, so what you are saying is that we are going in there alone against three other factions. Eh, we've been through worse." Joseph said.
"Always confident, one day that will be your downfall Joseph. Also, I was hoping to set up an agreement were if we supply you with the ability to make stealth boys last forever as well as giving your schematics to Chinese Rifles, you would show us how to make power armor and energy weapons." Randall said, proposing a weapons swap.
"No problem, we have two factories that we restored out in Arizona, and we already produce Energy Weapons and Power Armor there. But can you really make stealth boys everlasting?" Joseph asked.
"Yes, we tinkered with the ones that we lifted off of dead U.S soldiers and managed to create a stealth field similar to the field created by Stealth Armor." Randall explained.
"I will have to ask you to help me out with the Separatists out on the Frontier however." Joseph said.
"Frontier?" Randall asked, having never heard of the place.
"It's an area in Arizona that we haven't sent Securitrons to yet. They started out as nothing more than a few men with varmint rifles, but somehow they've gotten their hands on Multiplas Rifles and Fully Modified Hunting Rifles." Joseph said.
"But didn't you upgrade the Securitrons to Mark II? You should be able to just send a few of them to handle it." Randall said.
"I would, but there's a glitch in the Mark II software that makes them unable to get too far from the Lucky 38." Joseph explained.
"Okay, we'll help. It shouldn't be a problem; our soldiers should be able to handle them. I say we get some food, I'm starving." said. And with that, the two old friends buzzed food up to the meeting room and caught up on time missed.
"Gerald, you're going to want to see this!" Sarah Lyons yelled.
"What is it; I'm trying to clean my guns here!" Gerald Jackson, the Lone Wanderer yelled back.
"Our advance scouts in Chicago have reported seeing Vertibirds with Chinese markings flying westbound towards the Mojave, possibly seeking aid from the NNR." Sarah said, showing Jackson the latest scouting report.
"What?! How recent is this report?" Jackson said, ripping the report out of her hand.
"This report was sent over yesterday and received today." Sarah said.
"This makes no sense, our spies in the Chinese government should have known about this." Jackson said.
"Unfortunately our spies are in the Emperor's inner circle, but he doesn't call any shots." Sarah said.
"Then get them around whoever does!" Jackson yelled in anger.
"We would, but the man who does control China doesn't tell anyone about his plans, except for two of his longtime companions." Sarah responded.
"So what should we do about this?" Jackson asked.
"I say we wait it out and contact the Mojave Brotherhood and ask if they have heard anything." Sarah responded.
"Fine, but if we hear that they are getting aid from the NNR then we need to prepare for war, and we can't lose." Jackson said wondering if the war's momentum was changing out of his favor.
A/N Well, finally got this chatper typed. I'm going to try and churn these out monthly, but that probably won't happen. Anyways, please review, any feedback, whether you liked it or not would be helpful, and flames will be extinguished.