The entry hall was one of the most secured rooms in Enclave territory. It's finest defense systems made sure no one except personnel would pass through. Privates would take shifts to guard it from intruders on a daily basis. Two privates wearing power armor guarded the hallway with their high-tech weapons in hand, both have nothing to do but stand there like flag poles until their shift was over.
"So is it true?"
"What is?"
"That we aren't the only Enclave out there..."
"What?, of course we're not the only Enclave out there! Our members from the East Coast had reported in the main base since yesterday, where have you been?"
"Uh-sorry I- haven't really encountered them yet..." Once that one private's statement been made, he received a slight tap on his right shoulder by the same soldier he was talking to, signaling him to look in front.
The private looked to see a vast group marching through the hall, guns-in-arms with different power armor from the ones the privates were wearing. The one leading the group? Colonel Autumn...
"Well, looks like its your lucky day." The other private whispered out, both privates could only look in front to see Autumn's men entering the Oil Rig. Autumn's bland face gave the guards some first impressions that 'you shouldn't mess with him or its your life on the line' tone. Autumn's men passed through the privates, ignoring the looks the privates gave them.
In one final goodbye, the privates could only look as they see the group fade away from the far distance until the door closed.
"My god that was scary."
"Quit being a wuss, we still got guarding duty..."
The pack walked along the barracks to go to the Presidential Level. Many recruits, soldiers, and even citizens gave the group looks in wonder and awe as they simply ignored the stares they were given. Citizens talked about the new Enclave they've got in, spreading the word out, eventually the whole place. For a while, it took Autumn three levels to enter the Presidential area, outside the vice-president's door leading to the president's office.
"Until I have spoken with President Richardson you are to stay by my orders. Understood?"
"Yes, Colonel sir." The pack quickly reacted in response to Autumn's words. He nodded and proceeded forward. The room he had entered was a slight change of design, almost red and looked like a fancy hotel room except it was large in size.
The door leading to the president's office was in front of Autumn, Once he walked forward, the door automatically opened for the Colonel. Stepping inside, Autumn could see the president was waiting for him to arrive, his face was very stern as his eyes narrowed to the Colonel. Richardson's hands clasped, sitting in his desk.
"So, Eden's good friend, Colonel Autumn was it?"
"Yes, Mr President." Autumn answered, keeping his tone as it always was in his personality. Autumn from the looks on Richardson told him he was a serious man inside him. Unlike Eden, this man was completely human, not like a robot or anything else Autumn has seen.
Then the President suddenly laughed for seconds, the serious part was later scrapped as Richardson's stern face changed into a happy expression that surprised Autumn for a bit.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Sit, sit." Richardson said.
Autumn sat on the comfy chair made of leather, on impact it felt like he was finally relaxed. He positioned his arms on his knees, curious to hear what Richardson had to say that would interest the Colonel.
"So, I've heard you helped us bring in the weapon source we were trying to capture in Japan. You do have it right?" Richardson asked.
"Yes, the weapon source was bought in by my men Mr. President. Few of your men had been wounded in a vertibird crash, we had to take them in, do not worry, they're alive and well." The Colonel stated.
"That's a relief, I'm glad you arrived just in time, otherwise our mission would have failed without you. Now tell me, how did my soldiers from the Oil Rig tend to get injured from a crash?"
"That's a bit of a topic you would need to look into more, during our search for your troops, the land was rather... different in Japan. It may be hard to explain what I'm trying to tell you Mr. President." Like other Enclave individuals, Autumn was born and isolated in a bunker, he had never experienced life in the Pre-war days. His mind, occupied with his thoughts on Japan got him a conclusion that the Enclave may have traveled back in time, then again that thought was rather ridiculous over the levels to him.
"Is that so? Then perhaps you can tell me what did it look like in Japan." Richardson suggested.
Autumn went into thinking mode, the first that came to mind were the cities and buildings that crowded the whole continent. Their vast sizes and good conditions gave his eyes something that he would never forget, then the transports, the people, oh the people, they actually look like real human beings like them.
"Mr President, what if I had told you Japan looked like a safe haven, free of mutation, free of poverty and slavers. Something that were to be considered a 'utopia' compared to the Wasteland. Would that convince you that I'm not making this up?"
If the President was as gullible as Daniel Bird, the vice-president, he would have easily believed him; however Richardson was having a hard time.
'Is there really a place that acts as a safe haven for humans compared to the Wasteland?' Richardson thought. He tried to imagine what Autumn described. However he sighed and to no avail he had to answer with disappointment for Autumn...
"Sorry, that's... well just nonsense if you put it that way, I'm afraid I don't believe you in that."
Autumn understood how Richardson felt towards Japan not being nuked from the sky. It reminded of him at how he felt toward the Raven Rock base being in Australia, he hoped Richardson would see for himself outside the Oil Rig at what Japan looked like.
"However, I will allow you to take me to Japan."
Never mind.
The single Southern Colonel was astonished to hear the President willing to go to Japan, his words brought him hope that everyone in the Enclave will finally know they're in a different location out of America. Richardson got out of his chair and adjusted his red silky tie, clearing his throat.
"It's high time for me to meet the outside world once again..." The President said, the tone in his voice felt depressing yet it was something that had to be checked out.
"So, shall we look into the weapon cargo?" Richardson asked...
The Oil Platform was almost crowded with vertibirds, waiting to be fixed or waiting to be flown to the skies. Engineers worked daily to maintain the machines, others worked as assistants for labor. The enthusiastic President and The grumpy Colonel marched way for the weapon resources, both now in front of the large cargo. They both stared as it stood there aching to be opened by its captors.
"This is the weapon resource you brought in Colonel?" Richardson asked, turned to the colonel for an answer.
"Certainly." Autumn said.
"I ask you open it for me, I am dying to know what kind of technology the Enclave will find in there." Richardson begged, his eyes couldn't stop looking towards the giant steel box. Autumn then nodded in response, he called out the soldiers for any tools so they can open the container's sealed doors. Enclave soldiers gave a helping hand to the Colonel, finding the latches and bolts, maybe even a lever that can open the container.
Soon all sets of twistlocks on the doors were released, the steel doors began to unleash the riches of technology the Enclave will soon meet. The container following its opening, had smoke erupting from its cage. Personnel without helmets covered their mouths to avoid any substances the cloud of smoke contained, whether it was radiation can be debated.
Once all smoke had ascended to the blue sky, Autumn walked inside the container, careful not to activate anything that would get him killed.
Looking right or left caused him to not see what was in front of his face, seeing two huge feet, he stopped in his tracks to find a giant machine that was over five meters tall. The Colonel looked up, seeing an unexpected thing that were to cross paths with the Enclave.
Once the President followed pursuit, he did the same thing Autumn did. Stare at the glorious robot that stood upon them. The machine had been painted in matte black, it's limbs were shaped after feline and insect legs, hoping to prove it has flexibility and agility.
A pony-tail, colored in maize yellow had been in place at the back of the head. Only one eye in red. Extra stuff were packaged beside the humanoid robot, mainly in crates.
Soon everyone would see the colossal machine.
"I want everything inside this container brought into the storage area pronto! On the double Colonel!"
"Yes Mr. President!"
…
"The machine is obviously designed for war, we should at least bring it on the battlefield for testing." One official on the senate said, referring to the greatest discovery the Enclave found recently.
"Do we even know how it works? It could be designed for anything as far as scientists say. I say we should just scrap the damn thing and use it for other things we need." A female member suggested, slamming her fist on the table to get everyone's attention.
"Are you serious!? That thing shouldn't be harmed in no way ever! This is a big opportunity to study and research the machine. Why scrap the thing while we can make more? If we could reverse-engineer its secrets we'll make an army out of these!" A scientist said in the conference room.
"That's the problem, we don't have enough resources to make an army out of these! Do you even know how long the process of making one would take? Years!" A male official said.
Every member argued at what they should do with the humanoid. Use it? Study it? Or scrap it? Everyone was on sides, soon yelling started to become a problem. Richardson became frustrated with all the arguments. It had to be solved now.
"That's enough! All of you!" He yelled across the table, everything was a halt, members stopped and were silent, turning to Richardson, they waited for him to speak up on the topic.
"It's come to my decision that machine will be used as an asset to our military... However, to make sure that it is fully operational, I will allow scientists to study the machine." The President declared, the scientist before was very excited that he can get to experiment its wonders. Some were relieved, others not so much...
Once Richardson declared the meeting over, members left the room in frustration or satisfaction. Then the scientist ran straight to the storage, skipping along the hallways.
Autumn was also within the meeting, hearing all the member ramble about the wonder. It was only him and the President in the room. Waiting for Richardson to say his next order, Richardson turned to the Colonel, adjusting his tie once again and smiled.
"Well, I guess you'll be testing with the scientists Colonel. You'll be fine, consider yourself in charge of operations inside the Oil Rig while I'm gone."
"I assume you're leaving to Japan?" Autumn asked.
"Yes, don't worry, the Secret Service and I will take care of things just fine. Just fine indeed..."
(Well that can be rather short. I thank RoyalTwinFangs for the suggestions on the designs I will be giving for the Enclave. Next chapter will finally have Lelouch meeting with the Enclave and a rather giant soldier, plus eyebots roaming around Japan by yours truly John Henry Eden. Don't forget to check out my profile for updates!)
