Chapter 341: Cleaning up
Rapid gunshots and explosions continue to occur around the trenches, both sides fighting for their lives and none were willing to grant quarter. Eventually though, the sounds slowly stopped.
The group of NCR soldiers holed up with Karl all uncomfortably looked at one another, this could only mean two things, one, the Fiends had won... Or two, the NCR had won.
Karl looks at them all, "Alight, betta go check it out." he says, but most seem unwilling to go first, causing him to scoff, "Hah, fine. I'll lead, NCR these days, makin' an old man lead 'em." he mutters, leaving the fortified area and heading into the other parts of the trench.
The other soldiers followed, and most were surprised to see utter destruction. Corpses belonging to both NCR and Fiends littered the ground, and there were signs of battle everywhere... Scorched dirt, still burning debris, heck, occasionally even someone still alive. Though that didn't last long due to their injuries.
Walking a bit further, the group eventually come across a lone figure, standing next to a burning pile of scrap. "Kid?" Karl asks, wondering what Afton was doing.
Afton sends a sad look at him, "Karl, they killed Dirt-Bird..."
...
"Your bike?" Karl asks, wondering what the big deal was.
Afton shakes his head, "OUR bike." he gestures dramatically at the burning debris, "LOOK WHAT THEY DID TO OUR BOY-...*Ahem*, Bike!"
Karls about to begin berating him for being incredibly stupid, but Boone's hand on his shoulder persuades him otherwise. The soldiers watching on behind them were feeling slightly indignant that their apparent saviour was more concerned over the death of his bike than their fellow troops.
"Woof!" Dog-meat greets as he drops into the trench, almost entirely covered in blood that wasn't his own. To be honest, it was a ghastly sight that almost had some soldiers expel their bowels...
"Dog-meat! Look what those bastards did!" Afton continues to complain, and everyone else leaves him to check that the rest of the trenches were cleared. Afterwards once everyone was assured that all the Fiends were finally dead, they began packing up their equipment... Or, as much of it as they could carry.
The NCR forces had been reduced by around 80%, most of which were killed in the recent battle. So they simply didn't have enough manpower to carry all of it. Not that Afton was going to complain, he intended to sell the guns he collected for more ammunition and equipment at the Gunrunners, as well as some more Implants at Doctor Usanagi.
While everyone was packing their shit up, Afton decided to take a peek into the Vault to find the ventilation components needed for the Brotherhood bunker... There was still some viable air left inside due to the Fiends expedient exit, and with him being the only one using it he likely had a couple days worth of air down there.
Still, it only took three hours to actually find what he was looking for. He examines the Reverse pulse cleaner in his hands and smiles to himself when a notification comes up.
[Find parts to repair Bunkers ventilation systems. 3/3]
[Quest updated! Return to Bunker to install ventilation systems.]
"Kid, you done checking the ruins out?" Karl asks as Afton returns looking pretty satisfied with himself.
Afton nods, "Yeah, what's up?"
"We still need to cash in our bounties at Camp McCarren, you comin'?"
Afton shrugs, "Yeah, sure. Maybe I'll get to 'greet' Doctor Hildern while we're there. I've still got a contract concerning him." he says with a vicious grin.
With that, the group of bounty hunters and surviving NCR soldiers left their ruined encampment and back to Camp McCarren. Fortunately, they didn't have any trouble entering inside like Afton had previously, seems that travelling with many NCR soldiers gave you some degree of legitimacy.
Once inside they headed straight for Major Datri who was sat inside his military tent with stacks of paperwork in front of him. Honestly, with that miserable look he seemed five more sheets away from capping himself.
"Yo, Datri." Afton greets, giving a small wave.
"Mmm, Parker-" He rapidly looks up and slams his hands on his desk, "PARKER? W-Your arm!? Where have you been? The NCR has been looking all over the Mojave for you..."
...
"Wait, why?" Afton asks, confused.
Major Datri gestures at Karl, Boone, and Anja behind him, "Because these chuckle-heads wouldn't say a word about you. Not to mention the higher-ups wants to make use of you, something like a 'Nuclear-Deterrent'... If you'll pardon the pun." he says.
Afton raises a brow, "Because I used a nuke in the past, or they're hoping I'll nuke their enemies in future?... And can we not talk about the arm? I feel like I'm gonna get sick of explaining myself soon."
Datri chuckles, "A bit of both I reckon... Anyway, I doubt you're here on a social call, and seeing as you guys are here... The Fiend threat has been neutralised, I hope?"
Karl nods, "No help from you fuckers, we barely made it out alive, and most of the men stationed there didn't even get that. What the fuck is wrong you? Did it not occur to you that we were lacking forces?"
"It was out of my hands. The higher-ups thought the Fiends were simply a diversion from a Legion advance... They weren't wrong either, even with their preparations the Legion still managed to retake Nelson, along with slaughtering a good portion of Camp Forlorn Hope... To be honest, we're lucky they haven't started making their way deeper into the Mojave yet."
The group all look at one another grimly, they'd heard about Nelson's recapture, but not the state of Camp Forlorn Hope. That was one of the major defensive locations near Hoover Dam, and any weakening of it might bolster the Legion to try and invade it again.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Niggross
Niggross Hope you bois liked the chap, if I missed anything please let me know. Thanks!
Chapter 342: Retirement
While everyone else was worrying about the state of the way, Afton wasn't all that concerned if he was honest... He hated the NCR almost as much as he hated the Legion, so having them fight each other and wipe themselves out wouldn't be a bad thing.
The only problem was who controlled the Mojave afterwards. If the NCR won it'd simply stay the same, aside from the annoying taxes they'd impose on everyone... But, if the Legion won? They'd roll all of their forward troops through the place, raping and pillaging until they were sent even further forwards, likely to the border of NCR land.
Afton really needed to find a solution to this... He could try and call upon the Brotherhood headquarters to help, but knew there was nothing really of value that'd tempt them. He could reveal the existence of the Think Tank, but shut that thought down immediately. The Think Tank was his, along with everything else in Big Mt.
He shakes his head, all options were shit. You either get corrupt authoritarian bureaucrat ass holes, a bunch of raping roman-knock offs, or a cult that's a few missteps away from calling themselves the 'master race'...
Afton looks at Datri and the others and begins leaving. "You guys sort out your bounties, I'ma look around and see if Hildern is here, bastard owes me money."
"Wait! Hildern you say?" Datri asks and Afton nods, "You won't be finding him, Parker. Not here, not anywhere. He was the traitor who blew up the Monorail, was eventually put down as he tried to escape." Datri explains.
Afton sends a questioning glance to Anja, who should've been keeping an eye on the guy who literally tried to kill them previously, she just shrugs back at him, looking equally confused.
Datri nods at their faces, "Yeah, we had him locked up for misappropriating troops, seemed to scare him as he bombed the Monorail not long after... Still don't know how he managed it under 24/7 supervision though."
Afton just shakes his head and leaves, letting Dog-meat stay with Anja and allowing the group to collect their bounties. With some free time, he decides to visit Josie, if she's still around that is. He walks over to where the NCR trucks are, spotting that quite a few of them were missing... Perhaps they'd been relocated after the attack?
Nearby he could see Josie chewing on some hard bread while looking distinctly annoyed at something. He walks over and sits opposite her, "Yo, sup." he greets, her eyes widening as she sees him.
"Afton!... You look like shi-Oh what? You got a new arm!" she exclaims, standing and prodding at his new limb. "What's its made out of it? It doesn't feel mechanical..." she gasps, and looks around conspiratorially, "Did you steal someone else's?"
...
Afton bursts out into laughter, and Josie's serious face falters as she joins him, "Did I steal someone else's arm!? I'll remember to use that one when somebody else asks about it!"
"Seriously though, what is it... I'm curious."
"Sorry, can't tell you. Trade secret." he states, and she pouts in response.
"Whatever, I didn't want to know anyway..." she says, crossing her arms, "Where have you been? I heard that you died or something."
Afton shrugs, "That isn't too far from the truth to be perfectly honest, but I'd rather not talk about it... What about you? I distinctly remember there being more vehicles here..." he says, eyeing the empty area's where the trucks had been placed.
"Sent back to NCR territory to grab supplies... Apparently, the recent Legion attack did more damage than they'd like to admit, so they're sending for more troops. Plus, don't tell anyone, but I think they're afraid someone will target the trucks like they did the Monorail..." she quietly says after leaning in close.
"Yeah, what are your thoughts on that anyway? Hildern didn't look like someone with the balls to do that. He was a bit creepy, sure, but not driven enough to risk his life on something like that."
Josie sighs, "I don't know, and the higher-ups don't like it when you ask either. As far as they're concerned, the traitor was caught and the threat is over... Until isn't, then they'll have to find another scapegoat..." she shakes her head, deciding to change the topic, "How's the missus?"
...
"What?" Afton questions, not really understanding her.
She scoffs, "I mean Dirt-Bird you fool."
...
"Ah... Well, the Fiends got her, I guess..." he says morosely.
"They didn't!"
Afton just nods, "One of those cunts ran at her with a live grenade..."
...
"I'm sorry for your loss." she says seriously, as if he'd just lost a loved one.
Afton shakes his head, "Well, I already decided. I'm going straight back down to Novac to make another one... BIGGER, AND TOUGHER than Dirt-Bird ever was!" he exclaims, raising his fist in the air.
"Really?"
He nods, "Yeah, I would have had to anyway since Dirt-Bird can only carry so many people... I would've liked to keep her as memorabilia of my first vehicle."
Upon hearing this Josie looks conflicted, she chews on his lip and looks at the ground in contemplation.
"Something up?"
"No... Yes?..." She sighs, "I've been thinking about leaving the NCR for a while now, and now that they don't need me to maintain the trucks, I bet they'll have me making bullets for them or something." she grumbles.
"Can you quit when you like? I thought it'd be more difficult than that." Afton asks.
She shrugs, "I've been serving for long enough that no one would really care, and my position isn't all that important so I wouldn't have to wait for someone else to take over... I was just thinking, would I be able to join up with your group? I don't really care about bounty hunting, but I'll take care of your vehicles for you..."
"Hmm." Afton hums, "I don't know, you'd need to be combat-capable if you were to come along..." he thinks for a moment before grinning, "What are your thoughts on manning turrets?"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Niggross
Niggross
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