I love working for the great bear,

Shows me just who I am.

One, Two, Three, Four, NCR Rangers!

Four, Three, Two, One, I love the Rangers!

Screw those slavers SOB!

A bullet in the head is what they need!

I don't know but I have been told,

Ranger pins are made of gold.

Makes the girls lose control,

Another reason to always stay strong!

- NCR Rangers Barracks March

Chapter 2

NCR City, New California Republic, Central California

March, 2252

1:00 am

The three-man team of police officers quietly patrols the area just outside the Hall of Congress. The streets are very quiet for such a heavily populated city. Despite it having been decades since the NCR was founded, the concept of nightlife is still a very new thing for the people living in the NCR's capital. After all, it was just a few generations ago that the very idea of three full meals a day or having clean running water was thought of as the height of luxury. The city's attitude exists for business and government, not for vacations and relaxation (They left that for New Reno and the Den). Accept for occasional crimes, the police force doesn't usually have much to do on day-to-day bases. However, standard police equipment still includes an assault rifle, occasionally sometimes they were even given military-grade Gauss Rifle in the event that things go wrong. But with them being in one of the most secure settlements in the wasteland, they have little to no reason to worry.

Before the officers could wonder what was making that sound coming up behind them, all three of them were quickly slain by a gunshot to the head each.

Wearing his lightweight recon armor, Lyons reloaded his silencedSMG and wave for this squad to move on. Personally Lyons prefer his own power armor, his is so used to the protection and strength enhancement that the power armor offers that he feels kind of… naked without it. But he understands that it is necessary for the recon armor due to the stealthy nature of this mission.

'Paladin Lyons, your target is just up ahead.' Said Rothschild over the encrypted radio earpiece. The squad silently moves towards the back entrance of the building and set their explosives package under the desk in one of the offices. The squad exited the building without being noticed by the other security guards.

They continued on to their other targets. The Rangers headquarters and central power plants were surprisingly under-protected. Apparently the NCR is under the impression that none of their citizens would be crazy enough to try and steal from the rangers or blow up the power plant. Therefore they decided to cut budget and rejected the request of stationing guards outside these buildings. 'Unprofessional.' Lyons said under his breath.

After the packages were planted in all the targets, Rothschild spoke again 'It seems like you managed to achieve all of your primary objectives ahead of plan. If you wise, you can go after the secondary targets. But remember that you must not be detected.'

Quietly moving though the city's stress, they managed to move to the downtown area and achieved their targets quickly, occasionally gunning down police officers standing in their way.

'Mission accomplished. We are returning to base.' Said Lyons to the radio.

Then just as quickly as they came, they returned to the Brotherhood embassy undetected.

7 hours later.

Vice president Gunther, sits in his office gong though the notes that his aid has prepared for him. Despite being one of the oldest serving member in the NCR government (Starting all the way back when he was just president Tandi's personal assistance), he still didn't have any experience of dealing with the Brotherhood of Steel. Although the BOS was one of the more important organizations in California and helped founded the NCR, there is about as many available information about them as the information about the Shi Emperor. So when the Brotherhood's ambassador demanded an audience with him, everyone was surprised.

'Perhaps they finally come to their senses and decided that they should join our government.' Thought Gunther.

'Mr. vice president, the Brotherhood ambassador, Elder Elijah has arrived.' Said his assistance though the intercom on his desk. 'Let them in.' he replied.

Elder Elijah stepped into the office and the two man shook hands. 'I apologizes that President Tibbett couldn't see you personally since she is away on a diplomatic visit. So what does the Brotherhood wants to discuss today?

'I have a statement from the High Elders for your government.' Elijah said in calm voice and handed over a sealed envelope. Gunther opened it and read its content.

By the order of the high elders, in response of the irresponsible use and distribution of advance technology together with numerous violation of the Brotherhood codex by the NCR government, Brotherhood of Steel will withdraw from the NCR/BOS Treaty of Friendship. The Brotherhood of Steel shall also hereby formally declared war against the New California Republic and all its associated allies. All Brotherhood members are hereby authorized to employ all resources to carry on war against the NCR government to bring the conflict to a successful termination.

Slowly lowering the document with his hands shaking, vice president Gunther spoken. 'In all my years as a politician, I have never been more disgusted and repulsed by a document that is so hypocritical and insane. What I am reading here is the will of a madman that is willing to repeat the mistakes of the old world and destroy all the progress and achievement that has been made for so many years. If this is what the Brotherhood wants, then so be it. But you will find that the republic is no easy prey.'

Without saying a word, Elder Elijah left the room.

1 hour later.

'Hurry! The NCR military police has surrounded the building!' said Lyons as the last Brotherhood member got into the escape tunnel prepared earlier. With war now officially declared, the NCR's first responds was to arrest the staff at the BOS embassy. Lyon himself got in and locked the door right before the MPs tore down the door and rushes in.

On the other side of the tunnel was a small hill outside the city limits overlooking the city. Ones everyone was outside, Elijah handed over a detonator to Lyons. 'Here, take this brother. You have earned the honor of striking the first blow for the Brotherhood.'

Taking the detonator in his hand, Lyon pressed it without hesitation.

Chief engineer Dorothy was sitting at her workstation monitoring the energy output of the city's power gird as the explosion consumed her and everyone in the power plant. Killing them all instantly.

Most of the NCR Rangers stationed in the city was in their headquarters at the time, radioing and sending warning to the various NCR military that the Brotherhood has declared war against them. Most of the settlements and bases never received their warnings as the massive explosions destroyed building and killing all the rangers in it.

Numerous other explosions ripe thought the downtown and congress area. Due to the way in which the city is densely populated, it resulted in large number of civilian casualties.

Watching smoke columns rises all over NCR City, Lyons didn't need to say anything to his troops. They all know what they just did.

The Brotherhood War has began.

Ones again, I apologies in advance that this chapter is much shorter then the others and the section on the sabotage is very brief. But that is because the main ideas that I have about this fanfic is about what happens after the war has been officially declared and the full scale battles between the NCR and BOS. I was just trying to get to that part quickly. I promised the following chapter will be much better.

I am very busy in real life right now due to exams and university applications. So it might be sometime before I can find time to update this story. At the mean time, please leave comments, suggestions and reviews!