Chapter X
Ryder stared out at Steelport. They had arrived at the end of Winter and now it was nearing the end of Spring in the month of May. Two months they had spent at Steelport fortifying it. Now as he looked out at it he saw a fortress. The steel wall extended across the entirety of the perimeter. The buildings that were present upon their arrival had been fortified. A new building for the scribes had been constructed. The command center had been fortified with increased defenses and living quarters. The Brotherhood had even managed to restore the Radar system. More importantly the Brotherhood had begun an expansionary campaign into the surrounding wasteland. The Raider Gangs near Springfield had been annihilated by their initial assault and the nearby settlements vassalized. Nuka-World had effectively been pacified and a trade route had been established between it and Steelport. Ryder was proud of how quickly they asserted control over the local area. Their mission was going well so far. However he knew two things that had to happen. The Army that he was building would need a direction to march in and the brotherhood would need something greater than Steelport. So he set Procter Carter to work searching records that the research patrols brought back. Her goal was to find a base suitable for the Brotherhood.
Overall the Brotherhood was doing very well considering it was the aftermath of Boston. Now they weren't strong enough to challenge the Institute. Not yet. They needed to expand more. Take more vassals and expand their empire before going back over the mountains into Boston again. The only advantage they had currently were the Vertibirds but he didn't want to deploy them across the mountains. For now they acted in a support capacity. Providing Recon, fire support and troop transportation. It was mostly because of them that they had destroyed the Raider Gangs so easily. It was amusing to rain fire down on the savages from above and watch as they helplessly fell before them. The Brotherhood was going to become the masters of the Commonwealth.
Most of Ryder's days consisted of directing operations. He hadn't taken part in an assault since Nuka-World. Something he wished he didn't do but Riker advised him to not take the field unless absolutely. Little did he know that he would soon be forced to. "Sir I have an urgent radio message coming through sir"
"Patch it through"
"Steelport-" gunfire was erupting in the background "this is Knight Sarah Ashton were north of Springfield and under heavy fire. Gunner force ambushed us during our patrol."
"Knight what are you talking about the Gunners aren't based outside of Boston-"
"Get down" an explosion ripped through the radio channel before it faded to static.
"Sir I lost her"
"Could you trace it?"
"Negative"
"Damn it!" Ryder yelled as he slammed his fists down. Somewhere out there a group of Brotherhood soldiers were being massacred by Gunners and their call for help could only be unanswered.
"Sir what should we do?"
"Dispatch a Vertibird, combat patrol try to find Knight Ashton and her team"
"Yes sir. What about you?"
"I'll be going too"
Ryder and a group of two Power Armored Knights stood on a ridge. They had searched for two hours before picking up their trail. Below the ridge was a battlefield. Corpses and spent ammunition littered the blood soaked field. The Gunners had given them hell. There weren't any survivors that he could see. Just five brotherhood bodies to the gunners 15. A 3-1 kill ratio, something to be proud of.
"Sir what should we do?"
"Begin area sweep Knight. If you pick up any tracks follow them if not then we'll report back to Steelport"
"By your Command Elder"
The two Knights began expecting the bodies for anything useful as Ryder walked the perimeter. It hadn't been a firefight it had been a battle. Blood soaked the ground in a number of different areas away from the bodies suggesting that the wounded didn't go down as easily as they should have.
"Elder! Found a blood trail!" Shouted a Knight
"Where does it lead!?"
"North sir!"
"Alright radio it in and let's follow it!" He commanded.
They followed the trail for an hour and now stood outside a Gunner FOB. It was small and only protected by wooden walls suggesting it nothing more than a patrol camp. The blood trail suggested either captives or wounded. Didn't matter either way. They had assaulted a Brotherhood patrol and were about to pay for it. Ryder stared down the sights of his Laser Rifle and picked up a Gunner walking around the wall. Taking aim he fired a clean shot through the Gunner's skull frying it.
"What the fuck was that!" Yelled one or his friends. Two contacts rounded the corner. Ryder lead them with his laser fire downing both of them. Then he raised his hand forward giving the signal to the Knights to move into the FOB. A Gunner popped up from the wall only to have his face melted off by a Laser Rifle.
Ryder charges forward and using the force and inertia of his Power Armor he busted right through the front gate. "Oh shit!" Ryder blasted the Gunner who had screamed in fear before moving into his friend. A third jumped up from behind some ammunition boxes. Ryder blasted him right back into the pile. He turned on his rear to see a couple of tents but that was all. "Sir area is secure."
"Blood trail?"
"No significant trace here sir. Based on its lightness probably stopped bleeding before they got here."
"Very well. Let's head home."
Back at the Steelport Ryder had assembled his inner circle in the command center. They gathered around their little private meeting room in the command center. "Well we lost a patrol today. The reason why this concerns me the way it does is due to the fact that we lost them to the Gunners. A force that as far as we knew" he said turning to Riker "was only based on Boston"
"Elder. I was only a part of them for a couple weeks. As far as we knew we were told that we were the only detachment"
"Did you ever question this?"
"No sir. Gunners don't question they do as there told"
"And neither do Brotherhood soldiers. I lost a patrol out there. A patrol that called for help. For all we know there more of them out there and I am not going to let our empire be chipped away by a bunch of mercenaries."
"Understood Elder"
"Do you?"
"Yes Elder!" Ryder could tell he was nervous. Was he a traitor? Probably.
"Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?"
"We could increase Vertibird Air Assault Operations and long range patrols"
"While we're at it I can compile a list of locations that should be investigated"
"Elder please. Let me assemble an Assault Company and hunt for the Gunners main base"
"In due time. I will not be sending you out to hunt for your former friends!"
"Elder!"
"That Is Enough!" He yelled "If I hear you ask one more time"
"Sir let me prove my loyalty"
"Then tell me where they are"
"Elder I don't know"
"You were a Gunner Captain so don't bullshit me. Understand?"
"Elder I am not-"
Ryder nodded his head and a pair of Star Paladins arrested Riker. It was a good thing he wasn't wearing his Power Armor.
"Interrogate him. Riker if you provide anything that is useful then I will consider a lesser punishment. The Star Paladins dragged him away. "I'm not a traitor!" He yelled as he tried wrestling out of their control. Procter Carter and Wilkerson looked to their Elder for orders. "Sir we don't have a Sentinel"
"I know that Procter!"
"Elder who is to replace him?"
"I haven't found a replacement yet but it will be on the Star Paladins."
"They are only seven of them."
"Well one of them is to get a promotion. From here on out we are going to start forming Battle Squads made up of our our Knights and Paladins supported by the Inatiats, scribes and Levies which will be grouped into larger Brigades that operate on a theater level and led by a Star Paladin. 1st Brigade will be based out of here while the 2nd Brigade will be based out of Nuka-World. 3rd Brigade will operate out of the former National Guard Armory north of Springfield"
"Yes sir!"
"Good now Lancer-Commander leave us i would like to talk with the Procter in private" Wilkerson did as he was told and quietly left the command room.
"Procter I understand that you have a thing for structural engineering do you not?"
"Yes Elder I do. Is there something you would like me to build?"
"Yes there is. For the entirety of the Brotherhood history we have operated out of heavily fortified bunkers. We didn't have any in the Commonwealth but now that we have the Steelport I feel it's time to build our Bunker."
"Sir you want to construct a Bunker underneath the Airbase?"
"Yes I do. While the Airbase has been slightly built up I worry about it against an attack especially now that we have a threat. Originally I had hoped we would be able to fortify it to be like the old pre-war Fortress but time has proven that a force dug in underground rather than above ground is more likely to hold out. When you combine the two you create a holdout that may be able to hold anything."
"What of the Steelport though?"
"Secondary focus we can use it as base for our air fleet. It's not even that large in the first place. Other task for it would the centers for our unlucky slaves and subjects who come to trade and pay tribute. Basically the base stays the same role as it was already. A support base and hub of operations while the actual command center and home of the Brotherhood exists underground"
"Good sir. I will set the scribes to designing it and gathering the resources and slaves for its construction"
"Good Procter. I knew I could count on you after all you have always been loyal"
She blushed a little bit and smiled "Your proven yourself of being worthy of loyalty."
Ryder was a bit taken by that. "I uh thank you Procter-"
"Please sir call me Ashley"
"Very well you may call me Ryder as well. Thank you for your loyalty. I know I may have been born an outsider and I have dedicated my life to the Brotherhood. I'm glad that some of the more hardliners have come to see and understand that"
"I understand sir. It's not easy considering most of us were at some point Outcasts. It took a lot to earn our respect but you did it."
"Yeah I guess I have."
"No guessing, you did do it."
"Ashley I would like to apologize for being so hostile towards you lately. You have not deserved it. In fact you've deserved the opposite"
"Your apologies are accepted Ryder."
"Thank you. You know your not that bad in fact you seem to be a wonderful person once someone gets to know you"
"Thank you sir. That means a lot coming from you. Not just on a professional level"
Ryder understood what she meant.
"So you have feelings?" She blushed and started fluttering.
"Sir I-I never said that-"
"It's ok Ashley the feeling is mutual" she blushed even more and smiled at him with a look in her eye. "I. Ryder do you think we could start a relationship here between the two of us"
"Yes we can. Now to be clear do you mean romantically or sexually"
"Romantically sir but they leads to sex so both I guess"
"Hmmm. Would you like to get started now?" Asked Ryder with a wink. Ashley blushed when she understood what he ment. "Yes sir I would"
She walked over to him and kissed him on the lips. They started undressing each other as they made out. Their hands explored the skin of each other's bodies as it became more accessible until nothing was hidden from each other. He lifted her up and laid her on the table and climbed on top of her as he put his manhood inside of her womanhood. He started thrusting lightly as they kept kissing. They weren't fucking they were making love.
She moaned softly as he entered her. Her hands were wrapped firmly around his neck as she broke the kiss to breath.
"Oh yes baby. Yes baby keep doing it like that. Please baby please" she begged as he started thrusting harder. Her moans rose in volume as her legs wrapped around his back and he fucked her missionary style on the table. It vibrated and bounced with every thrust he made.
He started kissing her neck as he thrusted working his way down to her nipples and around her C cup breasts. The way he sucked on those nipples brought out a certain joy from her and she started shaking having her orgasam and spazzing all over the table as he thrusted into her only making it even better for her to enjoy. "Aha Ah Ah yes! I'm cumming baby I'm cummimg!" She screamed with pleasure. Her first squirts spurting out from her pussy and soaking his cock. Lubricating it and allowing for him to get deeper inside of her.
He pulled her up to him and sat himself on the table as she rode him in his lap. Their lovers embrace still going strong as his cock worked its way up inside her. She started pushing forwards towards him. Humping her breasts across him pushing him down onto the table. Then she started riding him making sure she rocked in every direction as he thrusted upwards into her juicy love tunnel. She laid on him and started running her tongue across his chest as she moaned with the pleasure she was receiving. She licked his nipples like he had sucked hers nearly bringing him to orgasam. Then she brought her lips up to his and kissed him deeply and passionately. The passion in her kiss and the realization that he actually loved her brought him to orgasam.
He grunted as he released his seed deep inside of her wet and welcoming love tunnel. The juices flowing up inside of her as she laid on top of him breaking the kiss and resting her head in his chest.
"I'll get to work on the bunker right after this but for future reference. Can we do this on an actual bed next time please"
"Yes we can baby. Yes we can"
"Good" she said with a smile and a laugh. "Thank you by the way" she said softly "for feeling the same way"
"Hey babe. We don't control how we feel but we control how we express it" with that she smiled and they kissed each other in a lovers embrace. Bright days were ahead for both Ryder, Ashley and the Brotherhood...