'Join the Army and Rebuild our Country' the recruiter said, 'Take back our country' the posters said. So he did join the Army, what did he have to show for it now?
He was sitting right in the middle of nowhere behind some sandbags and watching the sand flow. This 'very important' location was 20 Kilometers west of New Reno, Border Checkpoint Charlie, they called it, there to control the trader flow to and from New Reno. 15 Men was all that was stationed here. 2 5-Man patrols went out every few hours to keep the route clear of Raider and Slaver scum. The remaining 5? Sitting behind sandbag walls and trying not to die from boredom.
He was approached by this outposts Medic, Helena. "You should drink something to wash the food down" she said as she sat down next to him on a box.
"I wouldn't call this food, and I have eaten a radroach before" he replied jokingly. The MRE he was holding was the MRE Menu 2, it was supposed to taste like beef with sauce, it tasted like neither of the two, instead it tasted like wet paper mixed with some dirt. It did give him the energy he needed however.
"Don't be such a stick in the mud, there could be worse things to do than sit here" she retorted.
"Yeh, like what? Be posted at Vault city? Or maybe join a Verti Assault Team?" he asked sarcastically.
"Hmmm" She thought for a moment raising her hand up to her chin. "You could, be up north and cleaning up gecko. Or even better you could be back up the Depot and be chewed up by Sarge Dornan" she said with a smile as she remembered the last part.
"I didn't clean my weapon once!" he snaped back
"That didn't stop the Sarg. Do I need to radio him in to remind you of your soldiery bond with your rifle?" she asked
"Please don't" he replied, it was a silly idea, but he was sure that Sergeant Dornan would use any excuse to yell at any of them
The heavy stomping signaled that their Power Armor equipped friend arrived "What you talking about?" he asked.
"I'm just reminding Gary here to not forget what Sarge Dornan taught him" replied Helena with a smile.
"Let me guess, you forgot something and received the yelling of your life?" asked Jonathan
"Yelling would be an understatement, he made me clean my rifle 3 times a day for 2 weeks. We wouldn't even start the graduation ceremony until I cleaned it for the last time in front of him" replied Gary with a sigh
"That's Sergeant Dornan for you, one time when we were stationed out on the coast a Private forgot where his Power Armor was after a heavy night of drinking. The Private was yelled at for a good half an hour" said Jonathan with a small laugh as he remembered the past.
"Poor bastard" said Gary as he returned to eating the MRE. Everyone went back to doing their own thing as the talking stopped.
Gary Noticed something in the distance after a while, putting the MRE on the box next to him he raised his Binoculars to get a closer look.
A pair of Brahmin, some traders and most importantly, the 10 men sent out on patrol were running towards the Checkpoint "Something is happening, the others are running here!" he alerted everyone remaining on the checkpoint as he grabbed his rifle and fastened his Helmet properly.
Everyone took up their positions and waited for the group to arrive at the checkpoint. The 2 Power armor clad Soldiers ran in first and turned around to the direction that they came running from, weapons at the ready. The remaining 6 dragged in 2 wounded and dropped to their knees from exhaustion while Helena started tending to the 2 wounded men.
"What happened?" asked Jonathan, being a Corporal he took charge of the situation.
One of the Power Armor soldiers said "It's the Damn NCR, they ambushed my team and David had to come to our aid. There is a whole bunch of them, at least a Battalions worth marching here"
Gary immediately grew sick, not because of the blood from the 2 wounded but from the news. If the NCR really send a Battalion here then their little checkpoint would be overrun withing seconds by them, even Power Armor would not stand a chance against that much men and they only had 3 here.
"Gary, get on the Radio and contact New Reno command. Tell them what happened and ask what we should do!" ordered Jonathan while Gary ran to the Tent with the Radio
"New Reno command! New Reno command! This is Checkpoint Charlie! Priority Emergency Message!"
"Checkpoint Charlie, this is New Reno command, Priority Emergency message acknowledged. Report"
"Our patrol was ambushed by the NCR! We have 2 Wounded! Battalion worth of soldiers heading our direction! Please Advise!"
"Copy that Checkpoint Charlie, wait one" replied the Radio operator on the other side "Checkpoint Charlie, you are to take everything important from your location and make your way to New Reno, a Vertibird team will be waiting to pick you up 5 Kilometers from your current Location. New Reno Command, over and out"
"Command wants us to pack up and head to New Reno, we will meet evac on the way there!" Relayed Gary as he started disconnecting the Radio.
"You heard the man, move like you got a purpose!" ordered Jonathan
New Reno. A Dirty Jewel, of the Wastes. A city ran by criminals yet still being Civilized, having all the things that a city of its size should have and more. The Pharmaceutical Capital of the West coast. Just 2 months ago that all changed however, the United States Armed Forces returned to the city and for the first time in 166 years since the bombs fell, the American Flag waved proudly in the Radioactive wind of the Waste.
Projects were started to improve the city. Clean Water was provided, at first transported in, then coming from the newly restored pumping station of Reno. Electricity, a luxury that only few could afford once in a blue moon was brought back to half of New Reno already. Food was provided, Shelters build and schools set up.
All that came at a cost however, the Army wasn't a police force, recruiting the old criminals to form the New Reno Police Department was quickly thrown out. So for the past 2 months, and for the foreseeable future until a Police Department is founded, the Army adopted a strict policy of zero acceptance.
Crime was severely punished, Murder ended in an execution by Hanging, stealing earned you a week in a dark cell. Soldiers Patrolled the Streets around the clock yet no one complained, granted the citizens were used to such behavior by the previous Crime Families but this time it was different.
It wasn't done at random, everyone knew the reasons as to why it happened, Everyone was told by the Soldiers themselves what would happen should they break the Law. Most Importantly, this was the best all of the people of New Reno were treated.
Their lives were improving with each day and due to that they accepted the Rule of the Military. Sure enough, as the crimes started happening less and less. Less soldiers were Patrolling the streets, the Curfew was lifted and reconstruction happened faster.
Now however, the same soldiers that were patrolling the streets were running with weapons at the ready, telling everyone to take shelter. The reason? The old Missile Warning siren of Reno was repurposed as a Alarm Siren by the Military, once it rang everyone was supposed to take shelter in one of 6 chosen sites.
None of them ever thought to actually have to use it, so just like in 2077, once the sirens rang, everyone, except for the soldiers, through that this was just a simple drill and the evacuation took longer than what was planned.
The ones that took too long to evacuate soon learned it wasn't just a drill as the sounds of battle reached their ears and they instantly quickened their pace.
Missed me? I sure did.
Took a bit to write, a short one at that. But whenever I sat down I couldn't write. During the 1.5 months I didn't have my PC I borrowed my sisters Xbox and downloaded Fallout 76, cuz of that my love for fallout wavered, VERY much. Now however I am back, dunno when the next chapter will come but know this. Until the moment a authors note is posted saying I stopped writing/abandoned this, then work still continues on this story. It might take 6 moths or just a few days but I keep writing all my stories until I decide to abandone it and post an authors note about it.
Well that's enough rambling from me, hope you enojoy and see you next time.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all by the way.