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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
...
Parents discussed schools, gardens, and where to plant trees, while the soldiers returned from patrol reporting routine security instead of desperate battles.
The following morning dawned beneath a blanket of pale grey clouds that slowly gave way to streaks of sunlight breaking over the Atlantic.
A cool breeze rolled in from the sea, carrying the familiar scent of salt and pine through the streets of Vim!.
The settlement stirred awake with practiced routine.
The factory whistle echoed across the old bottling plant.
Lights flickered to life inside the assembly halls.
The steady hum of generators soon followed as another production day began.
Workers carrying lunch tins exchanged cheerful greetings as they entered the factory gates.
Children hurried toward the temporary classroom that had been established inside one of the renovated administrative buildings, laughing as they chased one another across the square until their teacher called them back into line.
Sico watched them from the balcony outside the command building while sipping the last of his morning coffee.
There were more children than there had been only a week earlier.
Some still looked shy.
Others already treated Vim! as though they had lived here their entire lives.
One little boy proudly carried a slate tucked beneath his arm while another girl showed off a drawing she had made of the factory to two of her friends.
It was a simple picture.
A large square building.
A flag.
Smoke rising from chimneys.
Several stick figures waving.
It made Sico smile.
The temporary classroom had served its purpose, but watching nearly thirty children squeeze into a room originally meant to hold offices made one thing obvious.
They had already outgrown it.
Harris stepped onto the balcony beside him.
"You've got that look again."
Sico glanced sideways.
"What look?"
"The one that usually means somebody's about to receive another blueprint."
Sico chuckled.
"I suppose you're right."
Together they crossed the settlement toward the factory, where the chief construction foreman was already reviewing progress on the permanent family dormitory with several supervisors.
When he noticed Sico approaching, he removed his cap.
"Morning, Commander."
"Morning."
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
"Never."
The foreman folded his blueprint.
"What have you got for us?"
Sico didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he looked toward the temporary school building where children's voices drifted faintly through an open window.
"You hear that?"
The foreman listened.
Children reading together.
Someone laughing.
A teacher patiently correcting pronunciation.
He smiled.
"Sounds like they're keeping the poor teacher busy."
"They are."
Sico nodded.
"And that's exactly why we need something better."
The foreman followed his gaze.
"A school."
"A proper one."
Not a converted office.
Not a temporary classroom.
"A building designed for children."
The foreman's expression brightened.
"I was wondering when you'd bring that up."
"You were?"
He nodded.
"My builders have been saying the same thing."
"They've noticed the little ones trying to study in those cramped rooms."
Another supervisor joined the conversation.
"If families are staying here permanently…"
He shrugged.
"…their children deserve a proper place to learn."
Sico smiled.
"I couldn't agree more."
He spread a rough sketch across an empty workbench.
"I've been thinking about the western side of the residential district."
The foreman leaned closer.
"Close enough that the children can walk there safely."
"But far enough from the factory that they won't spend all day listening to hydraulic presses."
"Exactly."
Several supervisors immediately began discussing ideas.
"We'll need several classrooms."
"A library."
"A dining area."
"Washrooms built for children."
"Maybe a small playground."
Another carpenter smiled.
"My daughter would insist on having windows that let in lots of sunlight."
"Then we'll give them sunlight."
Sico pointed toward the sketch.
"I also want enough room for future expansion."
The foreman nodded.
"We're thinking long-term."
"We have to."
Sico looked once more toward the children.
"They're the reason we're building all of this."
For several moments nobody spoke.
The statement didn't need expanding.
Everyone understood it.
The foreman rolled up the drawing.
"I'll assign one survey team this afternoon."
"They can begin measuring the site while the rest of the crews continue work on the dormitory."
"Good."
"We'll begin construction as soon as the foundations for the housing are complete."
The foreman smiled.
"I think the children are going to like this project more than any building we've made so far."
Later that morning, however, Sico's attention shifted from construction to something far more serious.
He returned to the command building and climbed the stairs to the operations room.
Unlike the relaxed conversations outside, the atmosphere here was noticeably quieter.
A large map of the Island covered the central table.
Several smaller maps lay beside it.
Harris entered a moment later, followed by Lewis.
Collins remained at the factory, leaving military planning to those responsible for it.
Once the door closed, Sico reached into a leather folder and carefully removed several handwritten notes.
They weren't recent reports.
They were copied from information he had recovered weeks earlier.
Information hidden inside DiMA's memories beneath the old nuclear launch facility at the Nucleus.
Those memories had revealed more than the history of Acadia.
They had revealed secrets that almost nobody else on the Island even knew existed.
Sico spread one of the maps across the table.
His finger rested near the island northwest of Rayburn Point, on the western edge of the Island.
"I've been reviewing everything we recovered from DiMA's memory banks."
Lewis folded his arms.
"The hidden data?"
Sico nodded.
"There are still two locations we haven't investigated."
Harris studied the map.
"The first is here."
Sico nodded again.
"According to DiMA's memories, this is where he buried the kill-switch code for the Island's wind farm."
The room became quiet.
Lewis frowned slightly.
"The code that can shut down the wind farm?"
"Yes."
Harris understood the implication almost immediately.
"If someone used it…"
"The turbines would stop."
Sico continued.
"And without the wind farm supplying power, Far Harbor's fog condensers would eventually fail."
Nobody interrupted him.
"The fog would roll back into the town."
"And everything living inside that fog would follow."
Lewis slowly exhaled.
"Fog crawlers."
"Anglers."
"Gulpers."
"Whatever else comes with it."
Sico nodded once.
"It would place Far Harbor in extreme danger."
He let those words settle.
"Which is exactly why I don't want that information remaining buried where anyone else might find it."
Harris looked at the map again.
"So we're securing it."
"Exactly."
"Not using it."
"No."
His answer came without hesitation.
"We retrieve the code."
"We lock it away."
"And we make certain nobody can ever use it against innocent people."
Lewis gave a quiet nod.
"That sounds a lot better."
Sico pointed toward the location once more.
"It won't be an easy journey."
"The burial site is isolated."
"Rocky terrain."
"Limited cover."
"So I want experienced soldiers."
He looked between Harris and Lewis.
"Thirty."
"Not recruits."
"Veterans."
"People I trust."
Harris already had names forming in his head.
"I know exactly who to send."
Sico then unfolded a second map.
This one marked a different destination entirely.
The ruins of the Harbor Grand Hotel.
Lewis leaned closer.
"What's there?"
"Another piece of information from DiMA's memories."
He tapped the building.
"There are records indicating the location may contain nuclear launch codes connected to the Island's old defense systems."
Lewis raised an eyebrow.
"And they're still there?"
"We don't know."
"That's why we're checking."
Harris studied the surrounding terrain.
"The hotel's large."
"It is."
"And it hasn't been fully explored."
"No."
Sico looked around the room.
"There's another reason."
Lewis caught on immediately.
"You want to evaluate it."
Sico nodded.
"If it's structurally sound…"
"It could become another Republic outpost."
The Harbor Grand Hotel occupied valuable ground overlooking part of the coastline.
If restored, it could strengthen the Republic's presence beyond Vim! and provide another secure base for patrols operating around that side of the Island.
"We're not claiming it today," Sico clarified.
"We're gathering information."
"Survey the building."
"Determine whether it's defensible."
"Check for salvage."
"And recover any launch codes if they still exist."
Harris slowly nodded.
"A reconnaissance mission."
"With enough strength to defend itself if necessary."
"Exactly."
Lewis smiled faintly.
"Another thirty?"
Sico nodded.
"Another thirty."
"Separate command."
"They operate independently."
"If one mission encounters trouble…"
"The other continues."
Harris rested both hands on the map.
"I'll handpick every soldier."
"No unnecessary risks."
Sico appreciated that answer.
He had no intention of sending inexperienced men and women into unfamiliar territory for objectives that demanded discipline and patience.
By midday, the officers gathered inside the parade ground briefing room.
Thirty soldiers from the Island garrison stood in one formation.
Another thirty stood opposite them.
None had been chosen randomly.
Each had already proven themselves during patrols, convoy escorts, or the campaign to secure the Island.
Some had served since Sanctuary.
Others had earned Sico's trust through consistent professionalism.
They waited quietly as Sico stepped forward.
"You've all been selected because you've demonstrated sound judgment."
He looked across both formations.
"Not because you're the fastest."
"Not because you're the strongest."
"But because I know you'll complete your assignments responsibly."
The soldiers stood a little straighter.
"First Company."
He looked toward the group assigned to Rayburn Point.
"Your mission is to travel northwest of Rayburn Point."
"You'll recover a sealed cache identified through intelligence gathered during previous operations."
"If located, secure it."
"Do not attempt to use anything you recover."
"It comes back here."
"Understood?"
A chorus answered.
"Yes, Commander."
He turned toward the second formation.
"Second Company."
"Your destination is Harbor Grand Hotel."
"Survey the building."
"Record its condition."
"Determine whether it could support a future Republic outpost."
"If launch codes or other important documents are present…"
"Recover them."
"If they're not…"
"Do not waste lives searching endlessly."
"Complete your assessment and return."
Again, the soldiers answered together.
"Understood."
Sico looked from one formation to the other.
"Neither mission is about glory."
"It's about protecting this Island."
"Bring your people home."
"That's your first priority."
Several veterans exchanged determined glances.
Those were orders they respected.
After the briefing ended, the soldiers dispersed to begin final preparations.
Weapons were cleaned.
Medical kits inspected.
Extra ammunition distributed.
Maps waterproofed and carefully folded into packs.
Radio operators coordinated communication schedules so both expeditions could report back if they established contact.
Outside, life inside Vim! continued almost unchanged.
Children laughed outside the temporary classroom, unaware that two patrols would soon leave on important missions.
Inside the factory, sparks continued flying as the first Humvee frame slowly became recognisable.
Construction crews marked the future school grounds with fresh stakes, discussing where classrooms and a playground would eventually stand.
Standing on the balcony overlooking the settlement, Sico watched every part of the Republic moving forward at once.
Builders were creating schools.
Factory workers were building vehicles.
Families were building homes.
And soldiers were preparing to ensure that dangerous knowledge and dangerous places, could never threaten everything they had worked so hard to create.
Evening settled over the Island slowly.
The grey clouds that had drifted across the sky throughout the morning gradually broke apart, allowing streaks of amber sunlight to spill across the Atlantic. The sea reflected the fading light in shimmering bands of gold, while a cool breeze carried the scent of saltwater through the streets of Vim!.
The settlement never truly stopped working.
The factory whistle that had announced the beginning of the day's shift had long since fallen silent, but activity continued everywhere.
Inside the production halls, the final welds of the day were completed before machines were shut down one by one.
The overhead cranes came to rest above the assembly lines.
Mechanics wiped grease from their hands before carefully returning tools to their assigned cabinets.
Quality inspectors made one last walk along the Humvee and truck production lines, updating progress charts before hanging them neatly on Collins' scheduling board.
The first Humvee frame now looked unmistakably like a vehicle.
Its suspension had been installed.
The steering assembly sat securely in place.
Nearby, the truck's reinforced chassis rested inside its assembly fixture, several major structural sections already completed.
It was satisfying progress.
Not fast.
Steady.
Exactly as Sico had wanted.
Collins remained inside the factory office with the chief foreman for several more minutes, reviewing the day's reports.
"No failed inspections," Collins said as he closed another clipboard.
The foreman smiled.
"I could get used to hearing that."
"So could I."
He carefully filed the paperwork before looking through the office window toward the workers leaving for the evening.
"They're settling in faster than I expected."
"They've got something worth building."
The foreman folded his arms.
"And something worth coming home to."
Outside, factory workers crossed the courtyard with tired but content expressions.
Several stopped to admire the sunset for a moment before continuing toward the residential district.
Children spotted their parents from across the square and immediately ran toward them.
One little girl nearly tackled her father with a hug.
"Did you build the truck today?"
Her father laughed as he picked her up.
"A little more of it."
"Is it finished?"
"Not yet."
She pretended to think very hard.
"So… tomorrow?"
He smiled.
"Not tomorrow either."
She sighed dramatically.
"It takes forever."
"It does."
He gently tapped her nose.
"But someday you'll climb inside one."
That seemed to satisfy her.
Nearby, mothers prepared dinner while neighbors chatted outside the residential buildings.
Someone had placed several lanterns along the pathways.
Children continued playing until parents began calling them inside one by one.
The entire settlement had developed an evening routine.
It felt peaceful.
Comfortable.
Like a place people belonged.
Inside the command building, however, another kind of preparation had already begun.
The large operations room buzzed with quiet purpose.
Maps covered the central table.
Supply manifests lay stacked beside them.
Radio operators confirmed communication schedules one final time.
Harris stood beside Lewis, reviewing the final roster for both expeditions.
Each name had been carefully chosen.
Not merely because they were experienced.
Because they worked well together.
Sico entered carrying two sealed folders.
The conversations gradually quieted.
"Everything ready?"
Harris nodded.
"Just waiting on the final equipment inspection."
Lewis handed over another checklist.
"Medical supplies packed."
"Rations for seven days."
"Water purification kits."
"Extra batteries."
"Signal flares."
"Spare radio components."
He looked up.
"No one's overloaded."
"They'll still be able to move quickly."
Sico nodded approvingly.
"Good."
He opened the first folder.
Inside rested a carefully drawn copy of the map leading toward the small island northwest of Rayburn Point.
He handed it to the officer commanding the first expedition.
Captain Walker accepted it carefully.
His weathered face remained calm as he studied the route.
"We'll avoid the western cliffs until daylight."
Sico nodded.
"Good."
"The terrain gets dangerous after sunset."
Walker traced the route with one finger.
"We'll establish an observation point before approaching the cache."
"No unnecessary risks."
"Exactly."
The captain folded the map and tucked it safely inside a waterproof case.
"We'll bring it back."
"I know you will."
Sico then opened the second folder.
Inside was another map.
This one centered on the Harbor Grand Hotel.
He handed it to Captain Brooks, commander of the second expedition.
"The hotel has never been properly surveyed."
Brooks studied the drawing.
"Large building."
"Multiple entrances."
"Probably plenty of blind corners."
Lewis pointed toward one section of the map.
"The eastern wing appears partially collapsed."
"So don't force your way through unstable structures."
Brooks nodded.
"My engineers will check every floor before anyone advances."
"And remember," Sico added, "the launch codes are important."
"But they're not worth losing people."
Brooks met his eyes.
"Understood."
Outside, the vehicle yard had become the busiest part of Vim!.
Although the factory would not complete its first production vehicles for several more weeks, the Republic already possessed several Humvees and trucks that been send months ago from the Commonwealth.
Tonight those vehicles would carry both expeditions.
Lanterns illuminated the parking area as mechanics performed final inspections beneath the fading daylight.
Engines idled quietly.
Headlights remained switched off for now.
Two separate convoys stood ready.
Each consisted of two Humvees followed by a single transport truck.
The Humvees would provide security at the front and rear.
The truck carried the bulk of the expedition's supplies.
Collins wandered into the parking area almost absentmindedly, still carrying his notebook.
Lewis spotted him.
"I thought you'd still be inside the factory."
"I was."
"What are you doing here?"
Collins shrugged.
"I wanted to make sure the vehicles were ready."
Lewis smiled.
"I should've guessed."
One mechanic looked up from beneath a Humvee.
"Captain Collins."
"I'm not a captain."
"You will be if you keep inspecting everything."
That earned laughter from the nearby soldiers.
Collins crouched beside the vehicle anyway.
"How's the transmission?"
The mechanic grinned.
"I knew you'd ask."
"Fresh oil."
"New seals."
"We tested every gear."
Collins nodded approvingly before moving toward the next vehicle.
Another mechanic called after him.
"They're probably in better condition now than before the war."
"I'd certainly hope so."
Nearby, soldiers began loading equipment into the trucks.
Wooden crates filled with preserved food disappeared beneath canvas covers.
Medical chests were carefully secured against the sidewalls.
Extra fuel cans were fastened tightly with leather straps.
Boxes containing spare radio parts, rope, tents, tools, and replacement tires followed.
Nobody hurried.
Years of experience had taught them that careful preparation often prevented desperate situations later.
One young corporal checked every strap twice before stepping back.
His sergeant noticed.
"Everything alright?"
"Just making sure nothing shifts."
The older soldier smiled.
"Good habit."
"I learned after that bridge near Lexington."
Several nearby veterans laughed.
"I remember that."
"So do I."
"We spent three hours picking crates out of the river."
The younger soldiers listened with amused expressions.
Stories like that had quietly become part of Republic life.
Lessons passed down without sounding like lectures.
As twilight deepened, families gradually gathered near the vehicle yard.
Not because they wished to interfere.
Because many of them wanted to wish the departing soldiers well.
Children waved enthusiastically toward men and women they recognized from patrols around the settlement.
Several soldiers knelt to say goodbye to their own families.
One father adjusted his son's jacket.
"You behave while I'm gone."
"I always behave."
His mother smiled.
"That's a very optimistic version of yesterday."
The boy looked offended.
"I only climbed the fence once."
His father laughed.
"Listen to your mother."
"I will."
He hugged the boy tightly before standing again.
Nearby, an elderly woman quietly handed a cloth bundle to one of the soldiers.
"I made extra bread."
"You didn't have to."
"I know."
She smiled warmly.
"But you'll eat it anyway."
"I certainly will."
Small gestures passed quietly throughout the gathering.
A handshake.
A hug.
A few encouraging words.
Nothing dramatic.
Just people looking after one another.
As the last of the equipment disappeared into the trucks, Harris walked down the line, conducting one final inspection.
He checked every vehicle personally.
"Tires?"
"Checked."
"Fuel?"
"Full."
"Medical kits?"
"Loaded."
"Communications?"
The radio operator raised a hand.
"Tested thirty minutes ago."
"Good."
Lewis followed close behind.
"Ammunition accounted for."
"Water?"
"Enough for the planned journey with reserve."
"Excellent."
Satisfied, Harris returned to Sico, who stood quietly beside the lead Humvee.
"They're ready."
Sico looked across both convoys.
Sixty soldiers.
Six vehicles.
Enough experience to face almost anything the Island might place in their path.
Yet he knew every mission carried uncertainty.
That was the nature of the wasteland.
He stepped onto the front bumper of the lead Humvee where everyone could see him.
Conversations gradually faded.
Even the children grew quiet.
"You already know your objectives."
He looked slowly across every face.
"So I won't repeat them."
Several soldiers smiled faintly.
Instead, he continued.
"I'll remind you of something more important."
"The people standing behind you."
He gestured toward the settlement.
"The families."
"The workers."
"The children."
"The people eating dinner tonight because they believe you'll come back."
Silence settled over the vehicle yard.
"You are not leaving to prove how brave you are."
"You're leaving to protect everything we've built."
He looked first toward Walker.
"Complete the mission."
Then toward Brooks.
"Make good decisions."
Finally he looked across every soldier.
"And bring everyone home."
The response came immediately.
"Yes, Commander."
Not shouted.
Spoken with quiet confidence.
Exactly the way professionals answered.
Engines started almost together.
The deep rumble echoed between the factory walls.
Headlights flickered on one by one as darkness continued settling across the Island.
Drivers checked mirrors.
Radio operators performed one final communications test.
The lead Humvee of the first convoy rolled forward a few meters before stopping at the gate.
Behind it followed the supply truck and the rear security vehicle.
A short distance away, the second convoy formed into the same formation.
Two Humvees.
One truck.
Ready for a different destination.
The guards opened the bridge checkpoint.
Heavy steel barriers swung slowly aside.
Walker raised one hand through the driver's window.
"We'll report as soon as we can."
Sico returned the gesture.
"Safe travels."
The first convoy eased across the bridge, its engines humming steadily as it disappeared onto the coastal road leading toward the western reaches of the Island and the forgotten cache hidden beyond Rayburn Point.
A minute later, Brooks signaled his own drivers.
The second convoy followed, turning onto the road that would eventually lead them toward the looming silhouette of the Harbor Grand Hotel.
Families remained standing near the gate long after the taillights had disappeared into the darkness.
No one spoke for several moments.
Only the sound of waves breaking against the rocks below the bridge filled the silence.
Beside Sico, Harris watched the empty road stretching into the night.
"They'll do fine."
Sico nodded quietly.
"I know."
He looked back toward the lights of Vim!.
Behind them, the factory continued to glow beneath the evening sky.
The first Humvees and trucks were still taking shape inside its walls.
The future school would soon rise beside the family quarters.
Children slept safely behind guarded walls.
And somewhere beyond the settlement, two Republic convoys were already moving through the darkness, carrying not only supplies and experienced soldiers, but the trust of everyone who called Vim! home.
______________________________________________
• 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:-