Chapter 48: Sacrifices
"Come on, we're almost there!" McNamara shouts from the front, occasionally firing off his Gauss Rifle.
*BANG!BANG!BANG!*
The sound of more Anti-Material rifles go off, the NCR had finally repositioned them from the other entrances apparently, none of the bullets were fatal, but a few Knights were knocked unconscious when struck in the head.
A couple people wanted to assist them but were put down with the rest, the Brotherhoods numbers were dropping quicker and quicker, the more time they spent outside the facility. Afton winced at the bullet in his shoulder as he pushed himself to keep moving.
Dust was kicked up around them as more bullets littered the ground. Many of the NCR soldiers had been killed, but their numbers seemed to just keep coming.
Once the group had finally reached the sand-bags they started killing the NCR soldiers who'd survived the Plasma grande, all the while using their bodies as sheilds for the others to file through.
An NCR soldier with a crazed look in his eye jumped onto one of the Knights with a combat knife in hand, attempting to lift the helmet to stab them in the neck or face. The Knight was about to drop their weapon and beat the man into pulp with their Power armour-enhanced strength, but a Paladin swiped some kind of metal spear at them.
The metal spear's tip glowed as it passed the NCR soldier, it hadn't seemed to have done anything, but Afton's eyes widened when the soldiers lower half dropped to the floor, their intestines trailing after it like a slinky.
The NCR soldier had finally noticed his injury and let go of the Knight, screaming in agony as they attempted to stuff their intestines back inside their body. They were dead regardless though, no amount of stimpacks could help with that kind of injury.
The NCR rangers released another barrage of 50.cal bullets, bright sparks flew off th armour they'd hit, some Brotherhood soldiers grunting in pain as the forced heavily bruised flesh or even sometimes broke their bones.
*BOOM!*
Another mine exploded at the front of the group, causing any near it to stumble backwards, impeding their progress. Due to this they were sitting ducks, Afton glanced behind him to see if everyone was still alright, Melissa, Miles, and Sandra were all covered in dirt and some blood, but looked relatively uninjured.
His mother and Adah were-
*Bang!*
Sparks danced off of his mothers helmet as her head was violently knocked to the side, she immediately fell unconscious and Afton's feet were moving before he'd even thought about it. "MOM!" he shouted, trying to lift her but finding her Power armour was too heavy for him to lift.
Adah began trying to lift her instead, as he wasn't able to help in that regard he looked up at the top of the canyon and spotted the dim flash of a suppressed muzzle, instantly firing his Tri-Beam laser rifle at them.
It was incredibly inaccurate to use this weapon at such a distance, but he more hoping that illuminating the sniper again would get them off of their backs momentarily. That wasn't the case though as the illuminated sniper just shifted their rifle towards them.
"UP THERE!" Afton shouted, continually firing at the sniper, his friends began trying to hit them to, but none could land a good shot.
*BANG!*
The sound of shattering reinforced glass caused Afton to turn, he saw his mothers visor implode as blood sprayed out... She'd been shot!
"YOU FUCKING NCR BASTARDS!" he roared, firing his rifle at the sniper as they retreated. Afton was enraged, they'd just killed his mother and gotten away with their lives. He quickly looked around for anything that could hit them, eventually spotting his mother's Gauss Rifle on the ground.
He jumped for it, picking it up and firing at the sniper of in the distance, he aimed for their back, but wasn't entirely sure where he'd hit... Their rapid movements, lack of light, and his unfamiliarity with the weapon made it unlikely he'd hit. His blood was still boiling though, and he made the shot.
*PACHINK!*
Afton watched intensely as the blue streak travelled through the air, lighting up everything it passed. It looked as if it would miss its mark, but the ranger turned as they were running, inadvertently placing their right hand in the shots path.
*Splatter!*
Their right hand and upper arm exploded into blood and gore, they dropped to the floor out of Afton's vision. He was still enraged and wanted to climb up there to finish the bastard off, but his friends and Adah dragged him away.
*BOOM!**BOOM!*
More mines went off at the front as the group finally reached the passage way, Afton would be happy were it not for his mothers death. Just as the group was about to enter the passage though, he spotted something lying in a crater created by a mine.
"Dad!?" he shouts, going off to the man who's still firing his Gatling Laser at the incoming NCR.
Zachary didn't turn away from the enemies as he addressed his son, "FOLLOW THE OTHERS, I'LL BUY YOU TIME! GO!"
"NO! They killed mom! They'll kill you too!" he shouts.
"DAMN IT AFTON! LISTEN TO ME! I'M DEAD ANYWAY, JUST GET OUT OF HERE! I WON'T LET MY FAMILY BE WIPED OUT BY THESE FUCKERS... NOW!" he roars, the Gatling Laser expelling the hot empty Electron charge pack as he shoves another inside.
Adah and a few other Knights run back and grab Afton as he tries to squirm out of their grips, he tries to escape to help his father, but goes limp when they eventually lose sight of him. The sound of his Gatling Laser could still be heard as they ventured further into the canyon.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Niggross
Niggross And that ladies and gentleman, is how Afton Parker became Batman... Or Rad-scorpian-man? Whatever.
I hope you guys enjoyed the chap, if I missed anything please let me know.
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Chapter 49: Dwindled Numbers
Afton was silent as the group continued through the canyon path. Adah tried a few times to get him to respond, but he really just wanted to be left alone with his thoughts...
The Brotherhood laid down mines behind them as they continued, any NCR who followed them would have to contend with enough Plasma mines to start nuclear fusion.
Along the path there were a few threats, the primary one being what seemed like an army of Rad scorpions. Seems like the insects had made this passage their breeding ground, fortunately, the Brotherhood was more than equipped enough to deal with them, even if they were exhausted from the previous battle.
After an hour or two or walking, the ground finally existed out into a large area, metal wire fences block entry inside as some sort of dust storm rages on, preventing anyone from seeing inside it.
McNamara had some Knight use their Thermic Lances to cut the fence before turning to address everyone, he has them all holding one another so no one gets lost in the storm, as well as having everyone wear something around their mouths and noses to protect against the dust.
Everyone does as they're told and follow the new Elder as he leads them, there's the occasional sound of a Gauss Rifle discharging at a Rad scorpion, but other than that everything is blared out by the storm.
Occasionally they'd pass by a small bunker, bu the Elder walked passed it. A thirty minutes later and they'd finally arrived to a bunker that resembled the rest... Spray paint and other graffiti had been written on the metal door and concrete walls, something that had a few of the members grimace at the disrespect.
McNamara lead them inside, it was... Quiet. The temperature was fine and the airvents seemed to be working at full efficiency from what they could tell. They reach a door at the end of a large room and the Elder presses the button on the Intercom placed next to the door, "Knight, this is your new Elder Nolan McNamara, the time has come."
No one says anything on the other side of the Intercom, but the door clicks open anyway. The group steps inside and finds themselves walking down a seemingly endless stairway. Truly this bunker was built to withstand anything besides a direct hit by a Nuclear Missile.
Once they reached the bottom they were greeted by a Knight in Power armour, Afton didn't know his name and hadn't seen them around Helios One before, which meant they had probably spent most of their time in this bunker.
"Elder." they say, folding their arm across their chest in a salute.
"Wilson. Everything has been prepared?" he asks as the rest of the Brotherhood stream into the room, crowding it.
The Knight nods, "Reactor is stable and will last a projected three hundred years at a minimum, as you probably saw outside the DERVISH camouflaging system is online. We've also managed to get the combat simulators working at 80% efficiency. We have enough supplies to last a month... Had our numbers been the same... With what's left of our Chapter, we could live down here without resurfacing for..." the Knight does a quick headcount of everyone who'd survived, "Atleast half a year..." he finishes.
McNamara nods, "Could I ask you to give everyone a tour of the facility? This'll be our new home for the seeable future, once done I want everyone gathered as I have an announcement to make."
Afton and the rest of the surviving members of the Brotherhood are lead around the bunker, there were a few Brotherhood of Steel flags placed around, but all in all everything was metal and clinical. Most of the floor was made of grates, and under them were even more rooms, this was presumably to save space and energy for the air filtration systems.
He and the other Initiates would all be given a barracks, the younger children would be placed with them as well but... They didn't make it. Not even the pregnant women were left alive by the NCR, so the younger generation had all but been wiped out. The youngest members they had in the Brotherhood now were ten...
It was fortunate Christine wasn't still with them, if lesbian relationships weren't scorned before, now you'd likely be exiled for even mentioning such a thing. Over half of their members had been killed by the NCR, the Chapter was just a shadow of its former self, and there was only one person to blame for it... Elder Elijah.
Everyone there knew it, the resentment for the man was through the roof. If he somehow made it down into the bunker, he'd likely be shot on sight. Not only was he a traitor, but his leadership had lead to the deaths of many people.
Once the tour was over Afton followed the group lifelessly as they left to see what Elder McNamara had to say.
The Elder was sitting in a chair that was surrounded by a circular desk you'd only see Vault Overseers use. On the wall was a huge holographic map with a few scribes working on it.
Upon seeing everyone arrive, McNamara stood up, he'd taken off his Power armour and was now in the typical dark blue Elder robes. "Greetings brothers, sisters... I know you are all exhausted by the ordeals you've struggled through, but there are a few things I need to make clear before we get comfortable. First, I am declaring a complete lockdown, no one but that given authority by Head Paladin Hardin or me is allowed to leave the bunker. The NCR is likely looking for us at this very moment, and are probably already through the canyon passage as we speak, if we want to evade them, we'll need to do our best to remain undetected.
Second, our numbers have dwindled considerably, we are in dire need of people and as such I implore any who are able to think about having children. I will not force the matter, but any who does so will be rewarded with extra supplies and more comfortable lodging.
And third, I will not tolerate insubordination at such a crucial moment for our Chapter. Any seen to be flaunting the rules or intentionally causing trouble will be punished most severely... Right now, we are unable to exile anyone, and so it pains me to inform you that the only other option is death. Hopefully it will never come to that, but I must look out for the interests of the collective. Ad Victoriam Brothers, you should all get some rest, there is much to do."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Niggross
Niggross
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