November 23rd, 2248
In the early morning hours of the day, Elijah arriving back to Mariposa Military Base with a bag filled with sticks of dynamite, a smile on his face, as well as lighting equipment for the fuses.
Mariposa still looked the same as it did a few days ago, with no signs of anyone operating near the area which was always good news to Elijah, who preferred to work without any annoying distractions from the average wastelander.
Elijah had spent much of his early morning ensuring that he had the most accurate placement of the dynamite, to blow a whole into the center of the base. After he felt confident enough that his setup would be enough to breach the inside, he lights some of the fuses with his lighter and proceeded to cover as it made its way to the stick of dynamite.
A loud bang was then heard, along with the sound of crumbling rocks which was music to Elijah's ears. After all the noise had died down, he saw that the entrance to the base was open and that he could proceed with his mission.
While approaching the entrance of the base, he took note of the dust still exiting from the now blown blockade of rocks as it began to stain his clothes and make the air go stale. These matters however were trivial, and that for his mission to succeed he cannot be worrying about the logistics of a good dry cleaning.
He took out his Gauss Rifle, holding it at the low-port ready as he began his journey into the base. The first floor wasn't anything great, just dead enclave soldiers rotting inside the power armor they fought in, and the rest of the floor was filled with bodies of dead super mutants.
"The Chosen Ones work, I'm sure of it." Elijah said, as he continued down the narrow corridors of the base.
As he continued through the first floor of the base, he began thinking of the significance of the Mariposa Military Base. Before the great war, it was designated as the facility that would take over all Forced Evolutionary Virus biological research, which was guarded by the soldiers of Captain Roger Maxson's unit.
Yes, this place was the birthplace of the original Brotherhood of Steel present in Lost Hills. This was the facility where Roger Maxson took command of all the remnants of the United States Military in the base garrison, executed all the scientist involved in the biological research, sheltered the soldiers during the great war, and eventually left the base as they marched across the irradiated wasteland to Lost Hills.
To the Brotherhood, this is what made the base significant. However, other groups also found other reasons for why this base significant such as The Master, and the Enclave.
His train of thought paused, as he reached the first elevator. It was still functioning, and Elijah guessed it had to be running on a self-generating power station located somewhere near or inside the base. The doors of it slid open with himself stepping inside and proceeded down to the second floor where he would continue his search for the research terminals of the Forced Evolutionary Virus.
His old train of thought soon ran through his mind, thinking of the stories he was told about Masters Army who used this base for their own purposes almost one hundred years ago, when the Vault Dweller was around. Using the Forced Evolutionary Virus, The Master as he was called began a process of dipping humans found in the wasteland into the various pits of goo that was present in the base, attempting to create an army of super mutants.
From the Vault Dwellers own retelling of the story to Brotherhood Scribes, he mentioned that this was not done for a hatred of humans, rather The Master saw the Forced Evolutionary Virus as the next step in human development and believed that for humans to keep advancing they would all need to be dipped into the vats of green goo. Although the Vault Dweller never went into details of how he defeated the master, I can only assume that if the Vault Dweller didn't engage in some sort of battle with the individual, then he must have had to point out the obvious flaws in super mutants such as the sterile nature of the super mutants. A flaw too important, to have just overlooked in Elijah's mind.
As his sweep of the second floor began to give the same appearance as the first, he opted to continue proceeding down further into the base, eventually coming across the third floor.
As he descended further and further, the air grew more and more stale due to the depth and lack of ventilation present on these lower levels of the base, but he pressed on.
After Masters Army was no longer a threat to the wasteland, the base was left vacant until the arrival of the Enclave, who located the base and began to use captured slave labor to excavate the entrance Their goal was to use strands of the virus, in order to create a chemical compound designed to wipe out all mutants and humans who remained on the wasteland. An attempt that was thankfully stopped by the Chosen One, once he blew up the Enclave Oil Rig a few hours before the final solution was to take place.
Although the Enclave eventually deserted the base, the Chosen One later returned to find a host of mutants had taken refuge inside the base who were guided by one of the psykers, by the name of Melchoir who by his own account, could summon deathclaws and other monstrosities. But by now, they all were dead and now the only person interested in the base was Elijah, who by now was proceeding onto the fourth floor.
Eventually he had finally reached the central control room, overlooking the dipping vats of the base which was still running high with the virus.
Elijah began to hack into the base terminals on the old consoles, eventually accessing the central database and began to skim through old research files of the scientists. Although these files were encrypted to some extent, he was able to breach the codes and read the full extent of the files in regard to the available research. As he read, he proceeded to take notes on everything he deemed important, including on the chemical composition of the virus itself in case it needed to be reproduced.
As he finished copying all the information he felt necessary to note, he proceeded to initiate the base self-destruct sequence present in the lines of encryption, as he proceeded to rush his way out from the lower levels of the base. He had barely just made it out, before the explosions began to rifle its way through the base allowing for the supports to give out and for the entire building to soon be a huge crater of rubble under possibly miles of rock.
"Goodbye Mariposa. You've had a good run, but this information is best to stick with me. I'm sure the original Maxson would understand, if he were still alive." Elijah said, as he proceeded to leave from the base and head back to his residence, grinning as he left the new smoldering ruin of what used to be Mariposa.
November 23rd, 2248
Lost Hills, the headquarters of the Brotherhood seemed to be bustling with all the usual activity that could be expected from a bunker filled with hundreds of veteran soldiers, with free time on their hands. From small children running around learning how to become either a Scribe or Knight, the Elder Council hosting their usual meetings, Paladins barking orders and Knights transporting various sorts of equipment around the base.
This was the usual day at the Lost Hills bunker, and not much else usually occurred. However, today was going to be different as a new message had arrived to the Brotherhood Scribes later in the day, who proceeded to request an audience with Head Paladin Pincer, who at the time was engaging in a boxing match with a punching bag inside of his office.
A knock was soon heard, as the paladin proceeded to pause his workout to allow the person to enter his office, which so happened to be a scribe.
"What can I for you scribe?" Pincer said, as he looked at the scribe who appeared to be rather young, even for a scribe.
"Sir, I have a report from our spy in San Francisco that requires your urgent attention." The scribe said, taking note of the decoration inside the office.
The office was rather tidy, with the hanging punching bag present in the corner and a portrait of Head Paladin Rhombus hanging on the wall behind the desk, looking down over whoever entered the room.
"Well, what does the report say? Has he found a way for us to capture the technology inside of the city from the Shi?" Pincer said, crossing his arms.
"No, sir. It's far worse. We have received word that the New California Republic has dispatched a full battalion to initiate a blockade of the city, going to attempt to fully subjugate it into the New California Republic, and integrate its technology." The scribe said, as he watched the head paladin's facial expression closely.
"The New California Republic is going for a full annexation? How long from now, or have they already arrived to begin the blockade?" Pincer said, as he kept his composure despite getting such a late warning of an impending annexation.
"They New California Republic Army is moving towards the city as we speak, and are due to arrive no later than tomorrow according to their marching orders. The Shi Guard are preparing for confrontation, but if the New California Republic is willing to try out a blockade to starve them out, they will surely fall after a time and the spoils will be ripe for the taking." The scribe said, coughing into his hand before lowering it back down.
"Thank you scribe, return to your post. I have some planning to do." Pincer said, as he began to walk around his desk while the scribe proceeded to leave the office.
After the scribe left, Pincer began to wonder about his plan of action, but not before sending orders down the Chain to prepare a force of forty soldiers to be prepared within two hours for an expedition to San Francisco. He refused allowing the republic even the chance to get their hand on even more advanced technology then what the Brotherhood currently holds, but also hated the fact that he would have to alleviate pressure on the Shi who currently hold it. It was a position he could've never imagined himself to be in.
"If the New California Republic wishes to cross the line today, then I believe this is the path to the war with the republic we've been preparing for. We cannot allow the republic to take over the City of San Francisco." Pincer said to himself, as he proceeded out of his office to oversee the efforts to gather his army.
November 24th, 2248
"Sir, the city is visual range." Lt. Colonel Benji said, as Colonel McBride looked up to see the outline of the city coming into view.
McBride had led his army towards San Francisco, with the full battalion approaching from various directions. McBride personally had a force of eighty with him coming along the I-80 bridge into San Francisco, while the others proceeded up Highway 101 and I-280, to begin the blockade operation.
"Thank you, Benji. Have them begin setting up the tents and such here, there is no need to approach further." McBride said, as Benji began to order his men to set up camp and begin the turning away of all merchants from the city. A radio call was also sent down to the other companies and platoons, doing the same in their positions. Eventually, a full blockade had been established with makeshift tents being set up to house the soldiers and other facilities for the duration of the blockade.
McBride however, was not at all satisfied with these developments. For one, it had appeared that the vehicles lining the bridge had been moved and merely ran along the sides of the highway allowing for a clear central path right into the heart of the city. This was a red flag to McBride, believing that if they advanced further they would be walking into a trap.
As these fears ran through his mind, Lt. Colonel Benji had informed Colonel McBride that his request for additional troops was denied as other battalions had been diverted to other frontier operations to deal with the influx of raiders and bandits who had been launching attacks on New California citizens, but did agree to send a small number of New California Republic Rangers to assist in the operation now named "Operation Golden Wall."
"Lieutenant Colonel Benji, I need you!" McBride shouted out, as the Lt. Colonel made his way to his superior officer.
"Benji, I need you to make your way into the city and visit the Hubologist. Tell them we are here to help them, but we need their help in return. Pretty much, everything our orders tell us to have them help us with." McBride said.
"Yes, sir. I'll set out within the hour." Benji said, as he made his way back towards the tents that had been set up.
"Please, go well. Please don't let this go wrong…" McBride said to himself, as he continued overlooking the destroyed post-war skyline of the city, and simply shook his head.