The mood in the war-room at the Citadel was bad too say it atleast. For Elder Lyons and his daughter it was depressing. For TLW and Reilly who represented the ordinary army it was worse. They had realised that they had done exactly the same mistake as many of the former empires before the war had did. They had overstreched their territory. When they figured their cencus they realised they had not enough manpower to start a campaign against a 10.000 soldier strong army. If they garrisoned both the Mall and some other settlements to the minimun they could march around 1000 men to the Pit. The problem was not defending the Mall. It was a fortress that could repeal a size of twice the army that were now marching against the Pit. But the Mall was protected by a minimum 4 meter high wall that need tons of well placed dynamite just to make a scratch or dent in it. And the one trying to do it would be shot down by one of the many guards standing at the guard towers with sniper rifles. No, the problem was to actually move and command an army. The Pit was a friendly settlement after the events the TLW had gone trough and made a slave named Wernher in charge. But it was an industry settlement with only enough security to provide a form of stability, and not enough too stop an army of that size. Too march 1000 men into an unknown city with weak defence and a ruthless enemy would be fatal.
So what could they do?
First of all they thought about their advantages. They had air superiority. The Vertibirds could bomb them, but then again the enemy forces could have ground too air missiles at their disposal. It was not unlikely if they controlled the main of the midwest areas. What about the Steels?
Elder Lyons rebuffed that immediately. The trained knights now counted 80 people and they did not have more Power armors left. They were needed and could not be a force of their own. If the little of intelligence that they had picked up was true, this was an army capable of destroying the Brotherhood of Steel easily. It was a tricky situation.
" We need to see the reality here. The Pit is not a part of our influence sphere and even though its industrial capabilites is important, its not lifethreatning. With time we can replace their production capablilites." One of the scribes said.
"So we let the Pit fall, and then what? We have a bastion of the Legion at our doorstep. Just waiting for rest of their army so 30.000 could march against our walls." Sarah Lyons made a vital point in the discussion.
"But how can we be sure that they will even allow our forces to garrison there. You know after the Scourge." It was Reilly that asked the question about the subject no one would talk about.
The scourge was the term for the brotherhood military operation several years ago that almost wiped out the entire population of The Pit. Many of the intiaties was taken from there and trained up in the Citadel.
"Its a different time now. Wehrner is in charge now and he has managed to put up a good production ratio and improved the quality of life there." TLW defended Lyons.
"So i heard. They are not called slaves now but season workers and the cure for the plauge has wiped it out. But still a high ratio of workers die working there and Werhner have problems with maintaing order. And not to mention that the man who established order there, Ishamel was one of your guys." Silence came over the room.
"And what about the guns you sold and the people you trained up here the last year. Was that part of the deal? Making sure that Wernher holds on his city?" The question from Reilly was hard hitting but true.
The Mall had gone trough many compromises to start traiding with The Pit. First of all they needed stability. So while Wehrners personal guards were being trained at the Mall with Reilly, both ordinary soldiers and Steels guarded the area. After what TLW heard they also eridicated some gangs and the mutants. In the future a water pipe between the two cities would be build, but for now they recieved huge amount of water and food i exchange for building materials.
"Listen up Reilly, Wernher is an inteligent man, he knows whats on stake and he would not let his city fall. I suggest we send an envoy there too let him understand the seriousness of the situation." Lyons turned around his head against TLW.
" I need you too go there, and take with you Reilly, some soldiers and an engineer there."
"Why an engineer?"
"Because we need to know the status of their fortifications and see what we could do."
TLW had to agree on this. The key to sucess was to avoid open combat. They needed to fatigue the enemies by making a strong defence. Not more than a hour later the Vertibird took off in direction west. Inside it were Reilly, an engineer named Ferell and three Steels that acted like security. And of course TLW who would again visit the place he promised himself he would never return too. He took a deep breath and leaned back on the seat. It was an hour and a half with top speed so he could afford little bit rest. He sat down gently and feel asleep. Just to discover that Reilly pocked him a second later. They had landed.
It was a different Pitt that meet him. Still it was dirty and dark, but something had changed. The open place the Vertibird had landed on was placed in the downtown area. But it has also changed. The former slaves went around the area and watched with curiosity the new arrivals. They also had used the building materials to improve their buildings, but it was not done with the same degree of coordination and effort as at the Mall. There were different colors and many places quick solutions had been implemented. Infront of them two armed men was waiting. Both wearing the R91 assault rifle. But they did not wear the same uniform. One had an improved raider armor on him, while the other one was just wearing a caravan outfit but had a helmet and googles on him.
"Are you the company from The Mall?" one of them asked.
"Thats correct" Reilly spoke and made herself the spokesperson of the group.
"Then please follow us, Mister Wernher and Miss Midea is waiting for you at Haven."
"Then lead the way." TLW smiled.
They went past Uptown that was now in a different shape. Still the more wealthy of the citizen lived here, but it was no longer an exclusive place for slave masters. The guards at the entrance of the Haven immediately moved aside when they saw the entourage and opened the doors. The first thing that TLW noticed were that the awful statue of the straw man was removed, and therefore also the tradition of burning the man inside. Good, things were looking better now. The engineer named Ferrell looked at everything with a curiosity that only engineers had. They went up the steps into the third floor and the central room that were used for meetings. TLW noticed them both from distance. The redish hair and the eyepatch and his diry face. It was Wernher. And besides him were an middle-aged woman that looked exactly like thousand other womans. Midea. They noticed TLW at the same time and pleasantries and introductions were quickly done. Then they sat down. Ferrell was actually the first one to talk.
"Excuse me, but if i could look at the fortificiations here soon, the quicker i would be done."
"Sure thing. Carl, can you make sure that this fellow gets to take a look at our perimeter?" Wernher poitned at one of the guards that quickly nooded and soon both he and Ferrell was gone from the room. It was just Reilly and TLW. The steels had been with the Vertibird, fearing more for its safety than the TLW and his groups.
"So, hows life treating you?" TLW asked to start the conversation.
" Good, we had a rough patch after the uprising. But thanks to the help from the Mall we have enough manpower to keep some form of society here. We have operational capacity at about 75%, but we definatly lack the manpower too maintain all the factories." Wernher offered them some wine, both Reilly and TLW thanked no to it.
"What about the trade. Except the Mall. how many other costumers do you have?" TLW asked again, making sure too remeber the answer for Second Link.
"Well, we have some private clients. You know the ones that only have a ruin and a few mercenaries to create a settlement here and there. But since you guys starting pacifing the area almost all of the products goes too the capital Wasteland."
" And Marie?" TLW realised that just after asking the question that it was a sensitive topic. It was Midea that started the conversation.
"She grows for each day. Now that we have a cure for the disease, she can grow up as a normal girl." Midea said with a distain in her voice. TLW knew that Midea did not care about the girl since she was the offspring of her slavemaster, but she was also an innocent baby. TLW had killed both her mom and dad in self-defence and felt some remorse. Thats why he had brought with him some toys. "I brought her some things that she.."
"She is not here." Midea interrupted TLW sentence.
"She was adopted by a child less couple in the downtown area and she lives with them now."
TLW decided to change the topic before things got more weird. It was Reilly that saved him and let the discussion to something more interesting.
"So Wernher, how does it go with the men i trained up? Happy?"
"Oh yes. They operate efficient and good. There has been no major incident for 6 months now. I was actually hoping to talk too you guys about training more men so i can meet the challenges that will come when it comes to security."
" About that." TLW interupted.
" Yes i know about them. The ones you called Legion right. An envoy of them has stayed here since yesterday:" Wernher finished his glass of wine. TLW almost spitted out his glass of water.
" Can you bring the envoy from the legion here?" Wernher asked the other security guard who followed order.
"You cant be serious. There are over 10.000 of them marching this way now." TLW looked Wernher in the eye.
"Well, are you sure about that. They said that they have about 1000 men, but was only for securing a new settlements in the area. Too make sure that they were not attacked by some raiders.
"Thats bullshit." Reilly shouted.
"You know i have the greatest respect for you" Wernher refered to TLW, "but the Brotherhood and the affiliates should not talk lightly about threats too the Pit. May i reminder that Ashtur was one of your guys and the Pit slaves would maybe be free if it had not been for your actions?"
"First of all, i am not a brotherhood of steel and my affiliation is for the thousands of people now living in safety at the Capital wasteland. Second of all, The Pitt was a breeding ground for all kind of human waste before, and for the third the Legion i as grusome organization that will put you all back in the chains you recently broke out off." Reilly stood up and went out of the room. "I need some air." she said while going out of the room.
"She is spicy that one" Wernher said with a smile.
"She is just concerend, if you fall the road is open to the Mall."
" i can understand your concern, but you have to remember the sentiment against the Brotherhood is still strong. People are stilling saying to me that i should pressure The Mall to give back what Elder Lyons stoleunder The scrouge."
"And what would that be?" TLW asked.
"I have no idea, it was before my time and i never ask. It really pisses off the older generation here."
The discussion was ended when the door into the room was opened. And in came the representative for the Legion.
A well dressed man dressed in pre-war buisness clothes. He was nothing like TLW had imagined. But then again TLW had no idea what they looked like. Wernher stood up and greeted the clean, well shaved man.
"Ahh, how are you the room Karl, sleept well?" Wernher asked while shaking the Dark skinned man.
"Thank you Wernher, i slept like a baby." Karl said smiling back.
"You have to meet someone Karl, this is the guy they called The Lone Wanderer. The hero of Wasteland."
"You are the famous man we hear words from all the way back in Flagstaff." Karl stretched out his arm. TLW did not greet him back. But he would remember the name Flagstaff.
An awkward situation was quickly solved with Midea offering some wine, wich Karl gratefully accepted.
"So Wernher, have you thought about our proposal yet?" Karl took a sip off the wine.
"What offer?" did the TLW ask.
They ignored him.
"Yes i have Karl, but the thought of having a bastion of Legion soldier stationed in the Pit is not something we can take lightly."
"Its for the protection of the goods we will be paying for." Karl replied.
"Are you fucking kiddin me?" TLW said.
"Are you letting those bastards into your city voluntary?" TLW was shocked. "They are nothing but slavers and brutes wanting to bend the world to their will."
"Thats not a nice thing too say. I dont share your view on our organization. The Legion is a stability factor that has ensured peace and prosperity. Our intention is nothing but pure." Karl had finished his glass of wine.
"I have people that has been enslaved that proves different." TLW said with a cold voice. Wernher listen to the conversation.
" I dont have to listen to these false accusations. I will talk to you when this nuisance has gone." Karl stood up and went out off the room.
"You just make friends with everyone, dont you?" Wernher said.
"Enough of the bullshit! Why are they here?"
" They are like you expanding into the area. For around four months ago our caravans reported of increasing sights of red dressed soldiers. At the same time the reports of increasing caravans attacks drop to almost zero. The wasteland have never been more safe."
"At the expense of freedom and liberty. Do you know they treat women as cattle and kill everyone that shows signs of weakness."
"Have you seen this yourself?" Midea asked.
" No but Sarah Lyons was captured and was herself a slave." TLW finished his water. Wernher had never meet Sarah Lyons, but he knew well about her reputation. It surely affected him. Midea was also confused. As a woman and a former slave she would die before losing her freedom.
"We need to discuss this more with Karl, can we offer a bed for the night for you and your companion while we sort this mess out?"
TLW gladly accepted the offer. It was starting to be night and he felt tired. They agreed to meet again tomorrow after Wernher had a discussion with Karl.
Later that night TLW was sitting in his room. It was not bad, but it was not high quality. The room had been cleaned and new furniture was put in, but the essence of the decay that had been there the last 200 years was still in the wall. Anyhow, clean water, a couple of clean bed sheets and TLW was a happy man. He enjoyed the Brahim steak. It was after clean water the biggest export of the The Mall alone. No wonder, it was a taste of the old world and luxury. The vertibird had been placed under continuous guard, The four Steels was going in patrol two and two and there were also some guards that Wernher had assigned to the task. TLW feared that the Legion would sabotage it. It knocked on the door. Ferrell was going in at the same time.
"So, how is the place?" asked TLW.
"Both bad and good news. Which one you want first.?"
"Bad please."
" There is no secure defence areas. This place was designed to keep prisoner inside not keeping people outside. Most of the security measures has been demolished since. The only thing is the toll-booth gate with three soldiers standing guard." Ferrell looked into his notes while he talked.
"And the good news?"
" This place has excellent natural defences." Ferrell draw a very general map of The Pit.
"The area is guarded by a river and the only good access from east is the main bridge. And to get too that you need to cross the hinders of the trainyard. No army could keep a good order while marching through that terrain. The bad news there it also keeps us from having a good overview. But if we construct two or three guardtowers we have an excellent point of view. So if we create a rude connected wall through the west side, it will defiantly make the enemy day worse. The key is the bridge. They need too cross it and The Pit need to keep their connection to their western trade routes. I am not a tactician, but i think they will agree blowing up the bridge is the final solution."
"So what do you suggest." TLW asked while agreeing in his head with Ferrell. The Pit needed the bridge.
" First of all, we need to build the guard towers. First priority. They need to be placed with direct overview to the Trainyard. Then we need to reinforce the gate at the bridge. Right now it will only take ten men minutes to break the weak gate and storm in. Replacing it with a double gate or reinforce it, and of course creating the plateu where troops can attack the attackers. The last priority is to fill in the holes around the river. Right now its just rubble here and there with no overview structure. But that could take some time."
"How long?" TLW asked.
"Weeks atleast." Ferrell answered.
"Then we need to start immediately. I will talk to Wernher first thing tomorrow. But before that." TLW could not say anything more before he noticed it. From the window he saw the red dot.
"Get down!" TLW screamed before jumping of the chair. But it was too late for Ferrell. His chest exploded in a red mist and fell down. TLW did not need to confirm the kill. Ferrell was dead before hitting the ground. Two more bullets penetrated the room and almost hit TLW. He had to hide behind the sofa and pray the bullets did not penetrate it.
At the same time the door sprung up. A man dressed in black entered the room and started look for something. TLW heart rate increased and he went into a form for shock. Time stopped. TLW was not armed and the assiliant had a Scoped 44 magnum. If it hit TLW he was done. Fortunately for TLW the attacker had not seen him yet. He was not there too kill him, he was there to confirm the sniper kill. The attacker noticed Ferrells dead body and went slowly to check him out. TLW took the advantage of this and jumped on the attacker. He quickly calculated his chances. If he hit the attacker in the head there was a 72 procent to give a critical hit, he had to take it. With full strength he punched the attacker in the head. It was the hardest punch he had ever given and he felt someone jaws broke. The attacker body went into shock of the sudden attack and TLW used the opportunity to grab him in the collar. If TLW understood the sniper correctly the plan would work. He quickly turned the back of the attacker against the window and not a second latter the attackers back exploded. TLW literally saw the life of the attacker leave through the eyes as they rolled backover. Now was the chance. He used the body as a shield while he backstepped quickly out of the room and into corridor. There was another shoot from the desperate sniper, but it missed. TLW dropped the body and throw himself to the side of the door. He was safe. A short time later a guard from The pit arrived with his weapon ready. He must have heard the noise.
"Stay away. Tell them there is a sniper on the eastern opposide building. Third or foruth floor. Extreme caution." TLW screamed. The guard understood the order and disapeared again. TLW waited for 10 minutes at the same place before the Steels bodyguards arrived in full power armor and six Pit guards. They went and checked the corridor and the room before one of them cleared the area. "I think we are safe. We have cleared the opposite building, no trace of the sniper. We are sweeping the secondary area" one of the Steels said.
"What about Reilly?" TLW asked.
"She is safe and a leading the second swipe team." the Steels said. Of course she was TLW said while standing up and letting the heart rate decrease. He for the first time took a look at his assailant. The dead man did not look different than an ordinary citizen of the wasteland. But TLW knew already it had to be a legion assassin.
He then looked at the body of Ferrell who someone had the curtesy of covering with the bedsheets. So young. He represented the generation who would rebuild the world, and now he was gone. The legion would pay.
