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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
...
It would be decided by whether the Republic could keep its soldiers fed, its weapons supplied, its wounded cared for, its families supported, its settlements functioning, and its economy alive while the fighting continued.
The next morning began with a deceptive sense of calm.
At Freemasons Republic Headquarters, the usual rhythm had returned.
Radio operators moved between stations.
Quartermasters checked inventories.
Clerks carried reports through the corridors.
Outside, Sanctuary's workshops were already alive with activity, and somewhere beyond the headquarters walls, people were still talking about Cambridge.
The victory had lasted long enough to become yesterday's news.
Not old news.
Just yesterday's.
Sico was seated behind his desk, working through another stack of reports when the door opened without the usual knock.
Sarah Lyons stepped inside.
She was moving quickly.
That alone made Sico look up.
Sarah rarely entered his office in a hurry unless something had gone seriously wrong.
Her uniform was dusty.
Her expression was hard.
And there was no trace of the tired humor she had shown Preston before leaving Cambridge.
Sico pushed his chair back.
"Sarah?"
She closed the door behind her.
"We have a problem."
Sico stood.
"What happened?"
"The Castle."
His eyes immediately shifted toward the tactical map.
Sarah crossed the room.
"Ronnie transmitted a distress call."
Sico was already moving toward the map.
"When?"
"Minutes ago."
"What did she report?"
"Brotherhood forces are attacking."
Sico stopped.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then he looked toward the marker representing the Castle.
The position sat at the edge of Boston Harbor, surrounded by water and old fortifications.
It had been one of the Republic's most important military positions long before Cambridge had fallen.
And now the timing made the Brotherhood's intention painfully obvious.
"They waited until after Cambridge," Sico said.
Sarah nodded.
"Looks like it."
"They're retaliating."
"I think so."
Sico studied the map.
Boston Airport sat farther inland.
The Brotherhood's principal stronghold in the region.
The distance between the two positions suddenly seemed much smaller than it had yesterday.
"They can reinforce the attack from the airport."
"They already are," Sarah said. "Ronnie reported multiple formations approaching."
"How many?"
"We don't know yet."
Sico looked at her.
"Then we're not going to wait for them to tell us."
He turned away from the map.
"Get your people ready."
Sarah straightened.
"How many?"
Sico answered immediately.
"Two hundred soldiers."
Sarah reached for a notepad.
"Two hundred."
"Thirty-five Power Armor troops."
She wrote it down.
"Thirty-five."
"Eight Humvees."
"Twelve transport trucks."
"Six Sentinels."
Sarah looked up.
"And air?"
"Ten Vertibirds."
Her expression hardened.
"That's a substantial force."
"It needs to be."
She nodded.
"Understood."
Sico pointed toward the Castle on the map.
"You take command personally."
Sarah's eyes remained on the marker.
"I will."
"Get there before they can overwhelm Ronnie."
"We'll move as soon as the column is assembled."
"I want the Sentinels positioned to support the walls, not simply chase Brotherhood armor."
Sarah nodded.
"Understood."
"Power Armor troops reinforce the defenders at the most threatened sections."
"Got it."
"Humvees stay mobile."
"Yes."
"Transport trucks carry ammunition, medical supplies, fuel, and whatever else the quartermaster can release without compromising Sanctuary."
Sarah paused.
"And the Vertibirds?"
"Air cover, reconnaissance, casualty evacuation if necessary, and rapid reinforcement."
She nodded.
Sico looked at her for another moment.
"You know what the Castle means."
Sarah didn't need to answer.
She did.
It wasn't simply another settlement.
It was a fortress.
A command center.
A naval position.
A symbol of the Republic's military strength.
And now it was under attack.
Sico continued.
"I'm staying here."
Sarah looked at him.
"You're not coming?"
"No."
There was no hesitation in his voice.
"If this is a coordinated retaliation, we don't know whether the Castle is the only target."
Sarah's expression became thoughtful.
"Boston?"
"Possibly."
"Another settlement?"
"Possibly."
"Sanctuary?"
"That's why I'm staying."
She nodded.
Sico returned to the map.
"I need headquarters functioning. I need the communications network open. I need to know what's happening everywhere else while you're at the Castle."
Sarah understood.
"And if they hit here?"
"Then I'll have the reserves ready."
She gave him a brief nod.
"Fair enough."
Sico looked at her.
"Sarah."
"Yes?"
"Don't underestimate them."
"I won't."
"They lost Cambridge yesterday."
"I know."
"They're going to want something back."
Sarah looked toward the Castle marker.
"Then we'll make them work for it."
Sico gave a small nod.
"Go."
Sarah turned toward the door.
She had nearly reached it when Sico called after her.
"Sarah."
She looked back.
"Bring Ronnie home if she needs it."
Sarah's expression softened slightly.
"She'll probably refuse."
"I know."
"That's why I'll probably have to drag her out."
Sico smiled faintly.
"Then make sure she complains about it afterward."
Sarah returned the smile.
"Deal."
Then she was gone.
The door shut.
Sico remained standing beside the map.
For only a few seconds.
Then he moved.
"Communications."
An operator hurried into the room.
"Sir?"
"Open a direct channel with the Castle."
"Yes, sir."
"Tell Ronnie we're sending reinforcements."
The operator nodded.
"And get me every available report on Brotherhood movement around Boston."
"Yes, sir."
The soldier left.
Sico stared at the map again.
Yesterday, Cambridge had been a Brotherhood stronghold.
Today, the Castle was under attack.
There was no mystery anymore.
The Brotherhood had answered.
And they had chosen a target close enough to Boston Airport that they could potentially throw considerable strength into the fight.
Sico looked toward the door.
Then toward the radio equipment.
Something else occurred to him.
The Castle was not isolated.
People lived and worked around it.
Caravans traveled the roads.
Settlements operated nearby.
Civilians might not know how quickly the situation was changing.
He couldn't allow them to wander into a battlefield.
Sico left his office.
The headquarters corridors seemed suddenly narrower.
People moved aside as he passed.
Some had already heard fragments of the situation.
Sico didn't stop to explain.
He headed directly toward the radio building.
The doors opened.
Piper was already inside.
She stood beside the main broadcasting console with a cup of coffee in one hand and a stack of notes in the other.
She looked up.
"You're back early."
"The Castle is under attack."
The cup stopped halfway to her mouth.
"What?"
"Ronnie sent a distress call."
Piper lowered the cup.
"How bad?"
"We don't know yet."
Her expression changed immediately.
"Brotherhood?"
"Yes."
Piper set the coffee down.
"After Cambridge."
Sico nodded.
"Exactly."
He walked toward the console.
"This isn't a small engagement."
Piper followed him.
"What are we talking about?"
"Major battle."
"How major?"
"Sarah is taking two hundred soldiers."
Piper stared at him.
"Two hundred?"
"Thirty-five Power Armor troops. Eight Humvees. Twelve transport trucks. Six Sentinels."
"And Vertibirds?"
"Ten."
Piper slowly exhaled.
"That's not reinforcement."
"No."
Sico looked at her.
"It's a battle group."
Piper turned toward the operators.
"Get the emergency channel ready."
The staff moved immediately.
Headsets were put on.
Switches were activated.
One operator began checking transmission strength across the Republic network.
Another pulled up the list of settlements connected to the emergency frequency.
Sico remained beside Piper.
"The Castle is one of our most important positions," he said.
"I know."
"People around it need warning."
Piper nodded.
"Evacuation?"
"Anyone living or traveling near the surrounding area should move toward the nearest Republic-controlled settlement."
Piper looked at him.
"Do you want roads closed?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"We don't know where the Brotherhood is moving."
She nodded.
"Fair."
Sico continued.
"Tell civilians not to approach the Castle."
"Obviously."
"And tell them Republic reinforcements are already moving."
Piper looked toward him.
"Sarah's force?"
"Yes."
"Under her command?"
"Yes."
Piper gave a slow nod.
"That'll reassure people."
"That's the idea."
She looked toward the microphone.
"And what do we say about the Brotherhood?"
"The truth."
Piper almost smiled.
"Again?"
"Always."
She took her place behind the console.
One of the operators raised a hand.
"Network ready."
Piper nodded.
"Emergency broadcast in ten seconds."
The room became quiet.
Sico watched the equipment.
Small lights flickered across the console.
Meters moved.
Headsets crackled.
Beyond the walls, Sanctuary continued its ordinary morning.
People worked.
Children moved through the settlement.
Merchants opened their stalls.
Soldiers changed shifts.
Somewhere, perhaps, people were still celebrating Cambridge.
They had barely finished believing that yesterday's victory meant the Republic had finally seized the initiative.
Now the war had moved again.
Piper leaned toward the microphone.
The red indicator illuminated.
"This is Republic Radio."
Her voice traveled outward.
"Emergency transmission."
At settlements across Republic territory, radios crackled.
People stopped.
Conversations faded.
Piper continued.
"The Castle is currently under attack by Brotherhood of Steel forces."
In a workshop, a mechanic froze with a wrench in his hand.
At a farm, someone turned the radio louder.
In a barracks, soldiers looked toward one another.
Piper continued.
"This is a major military engagement, and civilians in the surrounding area are advised to leave the vicinity immediately."
She paused.
"Do not travel toward the Castle."
The next words came clearly.
"Move toward the nearest Republic-controlled settlement and follow instructions from Republic personnel."
Sico watched her.
Piper continued.
"Republic reinforcements are already being dispatched under the command of General Sarah Lyons."
A brief pause.
"A substantial force is moving toward the Castle to reinforce General Ronnie's defenders."
The words carried weight.
This wasn't a patrol.
This wasn't another small skirmish.
The Republic was mobilizing hundreds of soldiers.
Piper's voice became firmer.
"The situation remains active. Further information will be broadcast as it becomes available."
She paused again.
"And to those living near the battlefield, do not attempt to assist the fighting unless instructed by Republic authorities. Your safety comes first."
The transmission continued for another moment, repeating the evacuation instructions and emergency frequencies before Piper finally lifted her hand.
The red light went dark.
Nobody in the room spoke immediately.
Sico looked at the map displayed beside the console.
Cambridge.
The Castle.
Boston Airport.
The markers seemed connected by an invisible line.
Yesterday, the Republic had captured territory.
Today, it was defending territory.
Piper removed her headphones.
"They'll hear it."
"They need to."
She looked at him.
"You think they'll attack anywhere else?"
Sico didn't answer immediately.
His eyes remained on the map.
"I think we're about to find out how much of the Brotherhood's strength they were willing to commit to retaliation."
Piper nodded slowly.
Outside the radio building, the first emergency reports were already beginning to arrive.
A settlement near the Castle had begun moving civilians inland.
A caravan had turned around.
A Republic guard post had closed one of the approaches.
Another radio operator reported distant aircraft activity.
Sico listened.
"Any confirmation?"
"Not yet."
He nodded.
"Keep monitoring."
"Yes, sir."
Piper looked through the window toward Sanctuary.
The settlement appeared almost peaceful.
"Yesterday everyone was celebrating Cambridge."
Sico looked at her.
"Today they're being warned about the Castle."
"That's a fast change."
"It's war."
Piper sighed.
"I know."
Sico walked back toward the doorway.
He stopped before leaving.
"Keep the emergency broadcast active."
Piper nodded.
"Regular updates?"
"Only confirmed information."
"Understood."
"No rumors."
"Got it."
"No speculation."
Piper gave him a look.
"You really don't want me having fun, do you?"
Sico almost smiled.
"Not today."
She smiled faintly.
"Fair enough."
He stepped into the corridor.
Behind him, the radio operators returned to work.
The emergency network remained open.
Across the Commonwealth, the message continued spreading.
The Castle was under attack.
Civilians needed to move away.
Republic reinforcements were coming.
And the battle was expected to be large.
Sico walked back toward headquarters.
He knew Sarah was already assembling the force.
Two hundred soldiers.
Thirty-five Power Armor troops.
Eight Humvees.
Twelve transport trucks.
Six Sentinels.
Ten Vertibirds.
A force large enough to change the balance of a battle.
But perhaps not large enough to guarantee victory.
That was the problem.
There were no guarantees anymore.
Cambridge had been the Republic's first major victory.
The Castle could become its first major test.
Sico entered the war room again.
The tactical map waited for him.
He stood before it.
For a moment, he looked at Cambridge.
Then the Castle.
Then Boston Airport.
The distance between victory and disaster had become very small.
Sico picked up the secure radio.
"Get me Sarah when her column is moving."
An operator answered from across the room.
"Yes, sir."
"And keep Ronnie's channel open."
"Yes."
Sico lowered the handset.
Outside, Sanctuary continued preparing for whatever came next.
Inside the headquarters, the mood had changed completely.
There was no talk of celebration now.
No one was discussing yesterday's victory.
Everyone was listening.
Waiting.
Preparing.
The Republic had wanted to prove it could take the fight to the Brotherhood.
It had done that at Cambridge.
Now the Brotherhood was proving that it could bring the fight back.
Sico looked once more at the Castle marker.
"Hold," he said quietly.
He wasn't sure whether he was speaking to the soldiers already there, to Sarah's force on the road, or to the Republic itself.
Perhaps all three.
Then the first report came through.
"Sir."
Sico turned.
The operator was standing beside the communications station.
"Sarah's force is mobilizing."
Sico nodded.
"How long?"
"First vehicles moving within minutes."
Sico looked toward the map.
"Keep me informed."
"Yes, sir."
The operator returned to his station.
Sico remained where he was.
Beyond the walls of Sanctuary, the Republic's soldiers were preparing to move.
At the Castle, Ronnie and her defenders were already fighting.
Near Boston Airport, Brotherhood forces were committing themselves to the attack.
And across the Commonwealth, civilians were beginning to understand that yesterday's victory had not ended anything.
It had changed the war.
Cambridge had been captured.
Now the Castle was being tested.
Then the next hour and a half passed with agonizing slowness.
At Sanctuary Hills, nobody needed to ask whether the reinforcement column was ready.
The sound coming from the military staging area answered that question.
Engines.
Boots.
Metal.
Orders shouted across the morning air.
The Castle emergency had transformed Sanctuary almost immediately. What had begun as a routine day had become a full-scale deployment, and every department capable of contributing had been pulled into the effort.
Inside his office, Sico stood beside the window.
He watched.
The first Humvee rolled out from the staging area.
Another followed.
Behind them came the infantry transports, their sides packed with soldiers carrying rifles and ammunition.
The formation stretched farther than he could see from the window.
Two hundred Republic soldiers.
Thirty-five Power Armor troops.
Eight Humvees.
Twelve transport trucks.
Six Sentinels.
Ten Vertibirds.
It was one of the largest single formations the Republic had assembled since the beginning of the war.
Sarah Lyons was leading it.
Sico had no doubt she understood what she was being asked to do.
Not simply reinforce the Castle.
Save it.
A column of Power Armor troops marched alongside the vehicles before climbing aboard their transports.
Their armor caught the sunlight in brief flashes.
Mechanics hurried around the Sentinels for one final inspection.
A fuel line was checked.
A weapon system was tested.
One technician climbed down from the side of a tank and gave a thumbs-up to the crew.
Then the six Sentinels began moving.
Their heavy engines produced a deeper sound than the Humvees, vibrating through the ground beneath Sanctuary.
Above them, Vertibirds lifted one after another.
The first aircraft rose sharply.
Then another.
Then another.
Within minutes, ten Republic aircraft were circling overhead.
Their rotors sent dust and loose leaves across the staging area.
Sico watched Sarah's lead Humvee join the road.
For a moment, he could see her through the windshield.
She was already looking forward.
Not backward.
The convoy passed through the main road beyond Sanctuary.
One truck.
Then another.
Then another.
The vehicles continued until the formation became a long line disappearing toward the horizon.
The Vertibirds remained overhead.
Then even they began moving east.
Sico stayed at the window.
Only when the last aircraft disappeared from sight did he finally step away.
The room seemed strangely quiet.
He returned to his desk.
The radio was already active.
"Castle command, this is Sanctuary."
Static.
Then a voice.
"Sanctuary, Castle command. Receiving."
Sico picked up the handset.
"This is Sico."
"Sir."
"Status?"
A pause.
"Still under heavy attack."
Sico's jaw tightened.
"Ronnie?"
"Still on the walls."
"Tell her Sarah is coming."
"We'll tell her."
Sico lowered the handset.
He knew there was nothing else he could do from Sanctuary except command.
That was sometimes harder than fighting.
He could send soldiers.
He could send tanks.
He could send aircraft.
But once they left, all he could do was wait for information.
And waiting was rarely kind.
⸻
The road toward the Castle became increasingly chaotic as Sarah's force moved deeper into the Boston area.
The first reports came through from the lead Humvees.
"Movement ahead."
Sarah looked through the windshield.
"How far?"
"Several minutes."
"Enemy?"
"Unknown."
She reached for the radio.
"Scout aircraft?"
A pilot answered almost immediately.
"Lead, this is Three-One. We have visual."
Sarah waited.
"Go ahead."
"The Castle is under heavy attack."
Her eyes narrowed.
"How heavy?"
"Very heavy."
The pilot's voice became more urgent.
"Multiple Brotherhood formations surrounding the fortress. They're attacking from at least three directions."
Sarah looked toward the distant skyline.
Smoke was already visible.
A dark column rose beyond the buildings.
Then came another.
And another.
"Any armor?"
"Confirmed."
"How much?"
"Several armored units. Power Armor in significant numbers."
Sarah's hand tightened around the radio.
"How far from the Castle?"
"Approximately two minutes."
"Stay high."
"Understood."
The lead Humvee accelerated.
Sarah looked toward the commander of the vehicle.
"Tell the convoy to prepare for contact."
The radio crackled.
"Prepare for contact! Repeat, prepare for contact!"
Soldiers inside the transports checked weapons.
Power Armor troops locked helmets into place.
Machine guns were loaded.
Ammunition crates were opened.
The six Sentinels moved forward in a tighter formation.
Then the Castle appeared.
Sarah saw it through the haze.
The fortress was surrounded.
The scale of the attack was immediately obvious.
Brotherhood soldiers covered the approaches.
Muzzle flashes flickered from ruined buildings and defensive positions.
Heavy weapons hammered the walls.
Explosions threw dirt and fragments into the air.
Smoke rolled across the battlefield.
Vertibirds moved overhead.
The Castle itself was battered.
Its walls were scarred black from repeated impacts.
Several sections had been damaged.
But they were still standing.
Still holding.
Still defending the people inside.
Sarah stared at the fortress.
"Jesus."
Her driver glanced at her.
"General?"
"That's not a raid."
"No."
Sarah looked again.
"It's a siege."
Inside the Castle, Ronnie was standing behind a damaged section of wall with a rifle pressed against her shoulder.
"Reload!"
A soldier passed her another magazine.
She slammed it into the weapon.
"Left side!"
Gunfire erupted from the parapet.
Brotherhood soldiers were advancing through the smoke.
Republic defenders fired down from the walls.
One man stumbled backward, clutching his shoulder.
A medic dragged him away.
"Keep firing!" Ronnie shouted.
Another explosion struck the outer wall.
Dust filled the air.
Ronnie ducked.
When she looked back up, part of the parapet had collapsed.
"Engineers!"
Two soldiers hurried toward the damage.
"Can you hold it?"
"We'll try!"
"You don't try!"
Ronnie pointed toward the wall.
"You hold it!"
"Yes, General!"
She turned toward the battlefield.
The Brotherhood was relentless.
They had brought heavy weapons.
They had brought armor.
They had numbers.
And they clearly intended to break the Castle before reinforcements could arrive.
Ronnie knew the truth.
If the walls failed, the position would become almost impossible to defend.
She raised her radio.
"Sanctuary, this is Castle."
Static.
Then:
"Go ahead."
"We're still holding, but pressure is increasing."
"Reinforcements are approaching."
Ronnie smiled despite herself.
"Tell Sarah to hurry."
⸻
Sarah didn't need anyone to tell her.
She could see the situation.
The direct road to the Castle was impossible.
Brotherhood forces occupied the approaches.
If she pushed straight toward the fortress, her column would become trapped in the same killing ground as the defenders.
She looked toward the battlefield.
Then toward the eastern flank.
There.
The Brotherhood line was thinner.
They had concentrated nearly everything toward the Castle.
Sarah understood immediately.
"They're facing the walls."
Her driver nodded.
"Most of them."
"Then we're going around."
The officer beside her looked surprised.
"General?"
"Take the flank."
He looked toward the road.
"That's open ground."
"Exactly."
Sarah grabbed the radio.
"All units, this is Lyons."
The response came almost instantly.
"Go ahead."
"We're not going directly to the Castle."
A pause.
"We're attacking their flank."
Her voice hardened.
"Humvees forward. Infantry follow."
She switched channels.
"Sentinel commanders, move into firing positions. Target Brotherhood armor and heavy weapons."
Another channel.
"Power Armor units, dismount and form the spearhead."
Then to the aircraft:
"Vertibirds, sweep the enemy line. Suppress their positions and keep their armor from concentrating on us."
The response came one after another.
"Understood."
"Copy."
"Sentinels moving."
"Air support inbound."
Sarah looked ahead.
"Go."
The Humvees accelerated.
Eight vehicles surged across the ground.
Behind them, Power Armor troops jumped from their transports.
The heavy soldiers hit the ground running.
Their weapons opened fire almost immediately.
Republic infantry followed.
The Sentinels moved into position.
Their cannons thundered.
A Brotherhood armored vehicle exploded.
The blast rolled across the field.
For several seconds, the Brotherhood didn't understand what was happening.
Their attention had been fixed on the Castle.
Then the first Republic Humvee tore into their flank.
A machine gun opened fire.
Brotherhood soldiers scattered.
Power Armor troops advanced through the smoke.
Republic infantry moved behind them, maintaining formation.
Above, the Vertibirds swept low.
Their guns hammered Brotherhood positions.
One aircraft passed over a defensive emplacement and forced the soldiers beneath it to scatter.
The siege changed in seconds.
Inside the Castle, Ronnie heard the new gunfire.
She looked toward the western side.
"What the hell was that?"
A soldier looked through binoculars.
Then his eyes widened.
"Republic forces!"
Ronnie grabbed the binoculars.
She saw the Humvees.
The Power Armor.
The Sentinels.
The aircraft.
And at the center of it all, Sarah Lyons' force driving straight into the Brotherhood's exposed side.
Ronnie smiled.
"Well."
She raised her rifle.
"Everyone!"
The defenders looked toward her.
"Push them!"
The Castle erupted.
Republic soldiers along the walls opened fire with renewed intensity.
Machine guns hammered the Brotherhood positions.
Mortars began firing.
Riflemen poured rounds into the enemy formations.
The pressure that had been crushing the fortress suddenly shifted.
The Brotherhood was caught between two fires.
Sarah's army outside.
Ronnie's defenders inside.
For a brief moment, it looked as though the entire siege might collapse.
But the Brotherhood had not survived this long by being slow to react.
Several hundred meters away, Paladin Brandis watched the battlefield through binoculars.
He had been coordinating the assault since the first Brotherhood units reached the Castle.
Now his expression hardened.
"Where did they come from?"
An officer beside him answered.
"Sanctuary."
Brandis lowered the binoculars.
"How many?"
"Large formation."
"Estimate."
"Two hundred infantry. Power Armor. Sentinels. Humvees. Aircraft."
Brandis looked toward the Castle.
Then back toward Sarah's advancing force.
The Republic had executed exactly what he would have done.
Hit the exposed flank.
Break the siege before the defenders collapsed.
Brandis understood the danger immediately.
If the Republic reached the Castle intact, the Brotherhood assault would be finished.
Worse, their force could push the Brotherhood away from the fortress and potentially threaten the routes back toward Boston Airport.
He raised his radio.
"All units, change formation."
An officer turned.
"Sir?"
"Split the line."
"But the Castle—"
"Leave enough forces to maintain pressure."
Brandis pointed toward the approaching Republic army.
"The rest turn toward Lyons."
The officer hesitated.
"That's a substantial force."
"I know."
Brandis's voice was calm.
"That is why I'm going."
He climbed into his Power Armor.
The helmet locked into place.
His weapon was checked.
"Get the heavy weapons repositioned."
"Yes, sir."
"Armor units form a defensive line."
"Yes, Paladin."
"Power Armor squads move with me."
The Brotherhood began shifting.
Heavy weapons that had been pointed toward the Castle turned.
Power Armor troops withdrew from some of the forward assault positions.
Armored vehicles moved across the battlefield.
The Brotherhood formation that had surrounded the fortress began opening.
Inside the Castle, Ronnie noticed immediately.
"They're pulling troops."
A soldier looked through the smoke.
"Toward the Republic force."
Ronnie nodded.
"Sarah's got their attention."
"Should we push?"
Ronnie looked at the walls.
Then at the enemy.
"Yes."
She raised her rifle.
"Everyone on the western wall, increase fire!"
The defenders obeyed.
The Castle's weapons erupted again.
But outside, Brandis was already moving.
His Power Armor advanced toward the Republic spearhead.
Sarah saw the movement.
Her eyes narrowed.
"They're forming a line."
The officer beside her looked through binoculars.
"Armor."
"How much?"
"More than we expected."
Sarah looked at the Castle.
Then at the Brotherhood formation.
Then at the Sentinels moving into firing positions.
Her expression hardened.
"Fine."
She picked up the radio.
"All units, slow the advance."
The Republic formation adjusted.
Power Armor troops tightened their line.
Infantry moved into supporting positions.
The Humvees spread outward.
The Sentinels aimed their guns toward the approaching Brotherhood armor.
Above them, the Vertibirds circled.
Sarah stepped out of the Humvee.
The battlefield thundered around her.
Smoke rolled between the two armies.
The Castle stood behind her.
The Brotherhood stood ahead.
And between them, the ground was filling with Republic soldiers preparing to fight.
A radio crackled.
"General."
Sarah answered.
"Go."
"Sentinel units ready."
"Hold until they commit."
"Yes, General."
Another voice.
"Power Armor ready."
Sarah looked toward the Brotherhood line.
"Wait."
Then she saw him.
A heavily armored figure moving at the center of the Brotherhood formation.
Paladin Brandis.
Sarah recognized him immediately.
She had heard enough reports.
He was commanding the blocking force personally.
Brandis stopped several hundred meters away.
For a moment, the two sides simply stared at one another through the smoke.
Then a Brotherhood weapon fired.
The shell struck the ground between the formations.
Sarah didn't flinch.
She raised her radio.
"Sentinels."
The response came immediately.
"Ready."
"Fire."
Six Sentinel tanks opened together.
The sound was enormous.
The battlefield disappeared behind explosions.
Brandis's defensive line erupted under the barrage.
Brotherhood armor returned fire.
Power Armor troops began advancing.
Republic soldiers raised their weapons.
Sarah drew her rifle.
"Forward."
The Republic line moved.
Behind them, the Castle's defenders continued firing.
Ahead, the Brotherhood blocking force closed ranks.
And suddenly the battle around the Castle was no longer a siege.
It was something much larger.
A fortress under attack.
An army arriving to save it.
And a Brotherhood force determined to stop that army before it reached the walls.
Sarah Lyons watched Brandis disappear into the smoke.
Then she stepped forward with her soldiers.
The Republic had come to reinforce the Castle, now it would have to fight for the right to reach it.
______________________________________________
• Name: Sico
• Stats :
S: 8,44
P: 7,44
E: 8,44
C: 8,44
I: 9,44
A: 7,45
L: 7
• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills
• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.
• Active Quest:-