Got more time to write so I am pumping out the chapters at the moment, will see if I can whip one in time for Christmas but for now here's another chapter. Thanks for reading.
Jack coughed as he entered the smoky interior of the chief's tent, the source which was a small fire that burned in the center of the tent, with ample space around it for a group of 8 or 9 men to sit comfortably in a circle. The tent was about 12 feet high though the roof narrowed in as it rose, a small hole at the top of the tent allowed some of the smoke to escape. A pleasant smell of pine filled the tent, which combined with the warm, crackling fire created a very relaxing environment which gave Jack a feeling of calm that he hadn't experienced since he had left the vault.
"Sit" The old chief gestured to the space by the fire, he himself smoothing out his robe as he lowered himself onto a well worn cushion that sat opposite the entrance to the tent. He raised and eyebrow as his joints creaked in protest before chuckling slightly. "I'm an old man now, not young and springy like you. Wandering and growing old don't mix well I'm afraid, all those wounds and injuries catch up with you eventually."
"I don't think that'll be a problem for me" Jack gave a rueful chuckle "but let's move away from me depressingly empty future and into why you wanted to see me. Lets start with how you knew my name…title…whatever you want to call it"
"I am not the only one of my people to have traveled the wasteland. Those that have returned to us recently have been afire with stories about a 'Lone Wanderer' who defeated the enclave and gave fresh water to the whole of the capital wasteland. When I saw you, a fierce, cunning warrior with a rather…strange way of conducting yourself I guessed as to your identity. Apparently I was correct, nothing more sinister than that."
"Ah, so no evil plots or spies?"
"None"
"Ah…good, I guess. So I'm assuming the reason that your people are here is to do with the clean water?"
"Yes" The old chief paused to smoke from an old clay pipe before continuing "That water could save many of our people's lives, allow our children to grow up strong"
"Look" Jack held up his hands placatingly "I've no problem with but I doubt the rest of the capitol wasteland will be so trusting. They're not fond of strangers, I should know, I saved half the wasteland trying to convince the other half they could trust me. I don't think they'll react well to a couple thousand new people rocking up, your warriors get up isn't exactly the most trust inspiring appearance in the world."
"I am aware but if I am correct then the Wasteland needs my warriors to defeat these 'super mutants'. I believe saving the wasteland would garner us enough goodwill to allow us to settle"
"That's if we beat the super mutants, you could lose all your warriors in battle. The rest of your people would face a quick death."
"As opposed to a slow one in the wasteland, I believe my people would prefer a quick death"
"Not what most people mean by a win-win situation but it's not like I'm in a position to refuse any extra help. Even if I manage to stop whoever is behind the super mutant's growth, I still have to deal with all the super mutants that are spilling out of the D.C ruins. It is a battle that will cost many lives but it cannot be avoided and it must be won."
"I agree which is why my warriors will be sent to the settlement you call Megaton under the command of my finest war master. My warriors will fight to the last to secure their children a place to grow up in safety."
"Then thank you" Jack smiled and reached out to shake the old chiefs hand "If you help then I swear that I will grant you the land you need. But I cannot stay, I have been here long enough, my investigation is not yet complete and the others will be worried about me" Jack paused, frowning "Well Glade might be at least, I haven't made many friends in the wasteland and most of them are dead. But that doesn't change the fact that I have work to do."
"You shall not do it alone; I will send four of our greatest warriors with you. They are skilled and they are sworn to serve my people giving up all earthly possessions and ties even their names have been cast away so that they will never put personal gain ahead of the welfare of our people"
"As long as they don't try to kill me we'll get along fine" Jack said only half jokingly, he hadn't forgotten how the old chief's last lot of warriors had treated him. He got to his feet, brushing the dirt the clung stubbornly to his clothes off. He turned to leave but as he lifted the flap to the tent a thought struck him and he turned back to face the old chief.
"You know my name, but you never told me yours."
"I told you that many men give up their names in order to serve our people without prejudice that is especially important when you are the chieftain. I have given up my name and all my possessions the same as the warriors that accompany you. If you need a name for me then 'Chief' will do as well as any other. Now, you should find your bag and any equipment you brought with you outside, go now and help me save my people."
Jack nodded, not fazed by the fresh burden that had been laid on his shoulders, what was a thousand lives when you already had the whole of the capital wasteland relying on you. He stepped out of the tent, blinking as eyes adjusted from the brightly lit tent, to the dull gloom, apparently while he had been talking to the old chief the bright afternoon had faded to dim evening. Spying his rucksack on the floor, he knelt down and pulled out his armour and red baseball cap. Jack was fed up of playing games in the shadows, time was running out and he wanted his enemies to know that Wanderer was coming for them; he wanted the people of the capital wasteland to know that the Wanderer was going to save them.
He let out a contented sigh as he stripped off the battered, dirt encrusted leather armour that he had worn as part of his disguise and replaced it with his green ranger battle armour relishing its comforting weight. He had worn that armour so long that when he wasn't wearing it he missed its weight. He reholstered his .44 magnum and slung his rifle over his back before he jammed his red baseball cap onto his head. For the first time in weeks he felt content for once, more like his old self, say what you want about an impending super mutant invasion, Jack thought wryly, it certainly doesn't leave any shades of grey as to which side you should be on. He had missed that feeling of knowing you were on the right side, he hadn't felt that feeling since before the Pitt when he was fighting the enclave alongside the blasted Brotherhood.
"Sir" Jack looked up from fastening his belt to find four warriors facing him, each wearing a more refined light weight version of the Radscorpion armour that he seen the earlier warriors wearing. He let out a relived breath, this armour looked more like the leather armour that was common around the wasteland and thus was less likely to terrify the local inhabitants.
"You must be the four warriors the…uh…the chief mentioned would be accompanying me."
"We are" The same warrior answered again, a helmet and war paint obscured his features, leaving only the man's eyes visible, they were a flinty grey and stared steadily meeting Jack's gaze. "We are servants of the tribe and thus have no names but you may call us by the weapons we wield, for that is what we are now, tools for the good of the tribe, weapons against our enemies. I am Sword" As he said this, he reached over his shoulder to draw the sword that was sheathed there. It was good quality sword, a katana, evidently a relic, though a well preserved one of before the war. Jack guessed that the weapons of these warriors had been passed down from warrior to warrior and that the other three would be similarly well equipped.
They were each carrying a different weapon though each handled their weapon confidently as Jack would've expected from elite warriors. As well as Sword who seemed to be the leader, there was a man wielding a spear, as long as man, a man who had two short axes stowed in his belt and finally a final one who had a bow had slung over their back.
"Let's go there are battles to be fought and men to be hunted. Fight well and your people will thrive, if we fail they will die" As one the warriors slammed their right fist to their hearts which Jack took to be their version of a confirmation. "Let's move out" Jack began to run before he turned to yell over his shoulder. "Which way is the capital wasteland exactly? We may be in an area my Pip-boy doesn't recognise." He said smiling sheepishly. In answer Sword pointed to the west.
"Thank you" Jack shouted before muttering under his breath "Great four more Gallows, I thought one was enough, if I thought conversations with him were awkward I wonder how bad the ones with these four will be. Still" Jack grinned "no reason not to try now is it."
Brotherhood Knight Baker heard the high pitched beeping of his laser rifle signifying that his micro fusion cell was drained. Pulling it out hurriedly, he ducked behind a nearby mound of rifle as he replaced the drained cell with a fresh one. He stood up again firing off a burst into the mass of super mutants that rushed down the street towards his squad before ducking behind the mound as the Uglies returned fire.
"What the hell are muties doing here this is a safe zone" Knight Marston voice crackled over the radio
"Fuck if I know, but we have to hold this street or the outlying patrols will be cut off. Hilton's squad needs time to get the water brahmin inside, the Citadel needs that water if there's a siege."
"Sir" The squad medic, Knight Barrow, joined the conversation "We already have White badly injured, Ramos is walking wounded. If it stays this hot then we won't be any shape to make a quick withdrawal."
"It can't be helped, if we don't hold hear the Brotherhood is finished. Fight on lads, for blood and steel"
"FOR BLOOD AND STEEL" Baker roared the battle cry as he eviscerated an ugly that had got too close for comfort, he didn't mind the dying part, as young lad from inner D.C he'd always expected that he'd be killed by a mutie. Dying fighting with his brothers of steel was a better death than he could have ever hoped for, maybe when he was dead the Brothers would be born into the Brotherhood would finally acknowledge that he was just as worthy as them.
He continued to fire into the seething mass of super mutants that surged up the street towards him, the combined mass of his squad's fire managing to keep them at bay as they held them back. Minutes passed slowly, but Baker was thankful for each knowing that as each minute crept by the Brotherhood's chances of survival went up.
Glancing around the ruins he noticed that there were no more flashes of laser beam streaking from his comrade's positions. Glancing to where Marston had been firing he jumped as Marston's body was hurled out onto the street, a rebar club embedded in the man's chest. So the mutie bastards had found a way to flank them, he was alone and surrounded, there would be no escape for him now. Roaring incoherently Baker emptied his rifle into the oncoming super mutants before dropping it on the floor and drawing out his ripper, a chainsaw knife.
"For the Brotherhood" He screamed, his voice drowned out by the super mutants own roars, as he charged towards the oncoming super mutants. He would die a good death.