Rapture's forces reach the surface. let's see what happens.
"Alright now, be careful when we land, we don't want to damage the ship, we haven't fully completed testing." Eleanor spoke this as she carefully observed the various instruments. This ship was technically a prototype after all. The very spacious command hub was a platform in the center of the reinforced glass sphere. The main pilot was focusing hard as he tried to line up the sub with the weak and dilapidated docks, the very wide and tall view the unique hub gave him helped a lot.
Eleanor observed with a grin as the screen showed the water almost seem to fall away, showing the ruins of the old world and the beached ship called Rivet City.
The ship lurched as it "Lightly" bumped sideways into the concrete "Board walk", steam hissed as the various drawbridges along the side opened and marines poured out in parade formations.
Eleanor made her way out, marines closing ranks behind her as they all started marching towards Rivet City, Eleanor spotting some curious onlookers be drawn back into the derelict ship as the drawbridge separated from the mainland.
The marines stopped just before the visitors center that acted as an entrance. Eleanor pulled out a jury rigged radio, flipping the switch the drawbridge extended back into place. Eleanor walked down it with six marines following two by three behind her. Stopping in front of a slightly shaking, certain plasma rifle armed security chief she smiled sweetly, taking off her helmet.
"Greetings Security Chief Harkness, I am Empress Eleanor, I am claiming Rivet City for Rapturian rule. If you do not comply, I will destroy you and this ship with extreme prejudice." A look of anger clouded Harkness's face for a second, then he looked over at her "Small" army.
"I will have to discuss it with the other councilors, will that be acceptable?" He seemed to be losing whatever resolve he had quickly, but Eleanor nodded. Best to have everything to be official, especially with the settlement's low population, well, in comparison to Rapture. It wouldn't survive a hostile takeover.
Running inside, he quickly came back with Dr. Lee and Bannon. Bannon seemed to be the only one who did not seem to be subdued, but when he glanced at Eleanor's forces, he also deflated.
"Well, it seems we don't really have much of a choice, our ability to use this bridge is really our only defence. We will join this "Empire" of yours... if we get to remain in control." Surprisingly Eleanor nodded.
"Yes, I can't really rule every single city myself now can I? After two years Rivet City will vote one representative to manage and collect taxes for the Empire. Any current security forces will be relieved of service and a garrison of Rapturian Marines will guard the city. Other than that you will be able to live mostly like before, well, except for a few laws I may pass." Hesitant nodding followed her statements so she smiled.
"I will return to discuss things more in depth but I must go, many more places to bring under my heel." Then she dismissed them and organized a garrison, clearing out the top tower and setting the place up as a permanent foothold, maybe as an airfield later on.
The steady thuds of the Marines' footsteps marching across the dry earth reverberated across the land. They were mostly securing important parts of the DC ruins at the moment, having decided to ignore the Jefferson memorial water plant for the moment, killing the insane super-mutants instead. The second significant settlement they secured was Underworld.
Although it wasn't as peaceful as Rivet City's takeover as their robot and a few ghouls had given a bit of a fight, but none had managed to kill any marines. There was some tension between the garrisoned marines and ghouls after the annexation. Some didn't want to be under the banner of a human but most just didn't care.
Then the long and grueling war in the mall stopped Eleanor's progress. The supermutants were proving much harder to kill than she had predicted, luckily the Brotherhood occasionally helped out. The marine's quickly learning how to fight the hulking beasts.
"OY BENNY! I need some help over here!" This shout came from a marine crouching in a trench, he was trying to gun down a group of supermutants with just his machine gun, but their bloody miniguns kept forcing him to take cover.
'Benny' ran over, raising his RPG, standing up, and quickly firing the ordinance then ducking before another burst of lead could gut him, the satisfying sound of flesh being ripped apart by explosion soon followed and the first marine let out a breath.
"Thanks bud, those damn freaks just won't stay down." Benny nodded, he then brought a hand to the side of his helmet, then nodded again, this being shown through the clear porthole of his helmet, showing that he had just got a radio message.
"Frank, we need to regroup over at a junction a bit closer to the monument. We're to meet up with some of them Brotherhood guys and push towards it, they lost the damn thing to the muties again." The now named Frank groaned and wiped off a bit of blood from his porthole.
"Damnit, those guys never seem to be able to hold that thing, you'd think with their fucking tank armor they'd be able to do anything, but no, they can't hold a damn tower."
"Calm down man, we can show these land lubbers who's better in battle." Frank groaned again, this time embarrassed.
"Did you really just say 'land lubbers'?" Benny just coughed slightly and adjusted his shoulders, then waved Frank forwards.
"After you then." Grumbling, Frank ran towards the junction. On the way both of them had to fight off mutants taking potshots at them, Frank laying down suppressive fire until Benny could land a rocket on their clustered groups.
When they made it to the junction, the party of power armored soldiers and marines made their way then towards the monument, unfortunately the supermutants seemed to sense this and had formed an equally large group to head them off.
"Damnit, why do these things even want this damn field. Oh shit!" A Behemoth had just broken through one of the side street's barricades, letting out a blood curling roar as it charged at the mixed battle group. RPGs and Fatmans fired at the monster in desperation, but it managed to kill three paladins and four marines in just one swipe of its damn tree.
Then another blood curling sound reverberated through the air, but this one was a screech and decidedly feminine. Many marines cheered as a Big Sister came leaping from over cover, throwing cars and lightning in a deadly mix that exploded on the Behemoth, almost killing it, then she jumped on its head, stabbing repeatedly into it with her giant needle, gore splashing everywhere.
She jumped back down with a flourish and gave a thumbs up to the battle group as the Behemoth fell to the ground with a loud thud, then bound away for undoubtedly another high-profile target.
Frank leaned against the wall for a second to catch his breath, glancing at Benny he let out an amused laugh.
"I'm damn glad they're on our side now, imagine how fucked we would be without them." Benny nodded again, then shouldered his RPG, ready for another challenge.
"Come on man, no rest for the wicked."
It had taken the better part of two months to take and secure the mall and build a proper fortress around the Washington monument. Many lives were lost doing it so Eleanor, based upon new research, decided to let every marine take the Telekinesis plasmid. She had discovered that the reason people became addicted and completely dependant on ADAM is that they took too many plasmids at once, not allowing the excess ADAM to be flushed out leaving the abilities behind.
She was planning on giving them Incinerate in a couple months. But for now her most powerful assets were the reformed Big Sisters, reformed meaning they weren't batshit insane, but just somewhat aggressive and sadistic, but most importantly loyal to her.
Many were also pyromaniacs , or the electrical equivalent etc. These parts weren't very serious but, it's safe to say, they definitely weren't up to living like normal citizens. So they served as Eleanor's Elite soldiers, super soldiers even.
They actually gave her an idea for a later experiment, but at the present, she was attempting to use her telekinesis to tear down the wall surrounding one of the mutant's makeshift forts. Eventually it gave way, the only reason she hadn't been able to do so earlier was that the walls were made of train cars filled with, as she just figured out, motorcycles.
Throwing it aside with a grunt, she single-handedly took on the Behemoth that came charging out, these guys seemed to be becoming more common, leaving the normal ones to the marines.
She sighed happily after it's head exploded, this was such fun! Much better than fighting splicers.
Xana was not nearly having as much fun as Eleanor. She was currently pacing back and forth, reading over the reports she held in her hands. She had been hearing of this Rapturian Empire for months now, it had taken Rivet City and much of the DC ruins under its control, cutting off most of the Aqua Pura supply to the rest of the wasteland as Rivet city's forces no longer were transporting the water even though the Empire had ignored the water processor plant. Water rationing was already taking effect as the vault's poor water chip was almost strained to the breaking point.
She got a notification on her scavenged radio headset, telling her that the representatives from Canterbury Commons, the Republic of Dave, and Megaton were almost at her office.
Sitting down in the, very comfortable, Overseer's chair. Xana watch the three file in. The same teenager from before, Sarah, had become the Republic's "Ambassador".
Looking all three in the eyes, Xana made them cringe from the seriousness in her eyes.
"You've all heard of this Empire by now right?" After a few nods, she continued. "Well, it's making its way along the coast, and pushing through the ruins. Soon they'll be at Roe's doorstep." Uncle Roe frowned at this.
"Yes, and if the pattern they've been following continues, this "Empress Eleanor" will arrive at the gates with an army, and "Kindly" tell you to integrate with her little empire. I've got no idea where the large amount of soldiers came from, but when they make it here, which I don't doubt by their progress, I don't want my city to be under anyone's control but mine, what about you?" Roe seemed to be worried, but not terrified.
"They don't seem to treat the new people badly, from what I've heard from Rivet City's traders, they even let ghouls in. We're just a trading town, with a loose structure. I really don't mind, maybe some in the settlement will, but I only see things to gain." Xana stared him in the eyes.
"Yes, they let ghouls in. After killing a few to make sure the rest joined, they annexed Underworld. Please, leave for now." He nodded and walked out the door, then Xana looked to Sarah, who puffed up her chest.
"Of course we won't accept it! We are a strong republic, our Brotherhood detachment will blow them away with mininukes before they even reach the walls!" Xana smirked slightly at her enthusiasm, she didn't doubt the ability of power armored knights armed with fat mans and lasers.
Moriarty tapped his chin.
"I don't really know, I'm barely a leader as it is in Megaton, but them Empire fellas actually enforce laws, so likely not, as I'd lose money from chems as they don't like em from what I've heard from Rivet city, those marines just went up and killed those poor chem dealers, and turn away any traders that deal in them. The only ones they accept is stimpaks and other medical chem, and even then only the doctors are allowed to buy the medical chems." Scratching his beard, he nodded.
"We've got strong walls, and I'm sure we can come to a deal for some knights in shining armor." Xana nodded, then stood up.
"Moriarty, Sarah, I propose an official alliance, unification so as to protect our individual city's interests. We'd come to the aid of one another if one is attacked. I was thinking on calling it the Fusion alliance, as we all have a liking for using mini-nukes." Moriarty shook his head.
"Oh miss, you have such horrendous naming skills. How about calling it the Trinity Alliance and we'll call it a deal?" Sally brought out her communication radio, with obviously Dave on the other end. After informing him of the talk, she nodded and hung up.
"The Republic of Dave also will join, under the condition that this is just an alliance, not a merging of governments." Xana nodded.
"Then this day, the Trinity Alliance is born."
Codex
2278-The Empire takes control of Rivet City in a "Non-hostile" takeover-
-Eleanor passes a few laws, most notably banning of Buffout, private ADAM research and business, and Jet-
-Trading of medical chems is restricted to Doctors, stimpaks still able to be bought by anyone though-
-Underworld is taken under Rapture's wing with a small amount of conflict and three ghoul deaths and two wounded, with one marine wounded-
-City 101, Megaton, and the Republic of Dave form the Trinity Alliance-
Well, this is picking up innit? I hope you are liking it too.
And there is finally a unified wasteland front against the empire's expansionism, is a clash inevitable? ...maybe :)