Post

Diplomatic Indemnity, pt. 2
The next day, after a short jaunt from the Bastion to Bunker Hill, the Covenant Marines were released into the marketplace to look around while the Lieutenant went with Elena (having taken over tour-guide duties from the Sole Survivor) to the Weatherby Savings and Loan, now the Headquarters for the NEC Military. The rubble from the launch had been cleared out and some of the more intact offices turned into offices for various military personnel - including General Madsen, O-2, and Priestess Templar Night Glider (though the Templars kept their own barracks in another part of the settlement).

"Lieutenant Dresden, good to see you again," Madsen greeted the Marine. "Now, I understand you've asked to be briefed on what we know about the Tyrants."

"Yes, sir," the Marine replied, deferentially. "I assume that thick file on your desk is your intelligence on the matter?"

As the Marine read through the reports, Madsen launched into a prepared briefing on all they knew about the tyrants - from survivor stories, to rumors on the Raider grapevine, to the recon report prepared by Night Glider. "Now, the Priestess Templar said that the bullet completely obliterated her partner's head, leading her to believe that it was a .50 caliber shot."

"So they Tyrants don't seem all that bad," Lieutenant Dresden commented. "I see here a report that they treat conquered villages gently, so long as they don't make trouble. They even gave out some caps to a starving village?"

"Yes, the Tyrants are merciful to their serfs," Madsen remarked dryly, "But they're ferocious in combat. The wild card is her new underboss - some psycho known as the Flower Child. All reports say that he and his tribe - or raider group or whatever you want to call it - are both bloodthirsty and completely mad. There's a report in there from a survivor of his attack on Lawrence, Massachusetts. It's not pretty."

Lieutenant Dresden nodded slowly. "The threat certainly does seem credible," he murmured. "You're surrounded and outnumbered, and your best hope for defense - whoever these Men in Black worked for - seems to have packed up and left." He closed the folder and set it down. "Is there a way to do recon on Nuka World itself?"

Madsen frowned. "It'd be difficult. Night Glider said they have patrols on the area in front of the Transit Center... which would mean we'd either need to go north and try to swing back south, or swing south into the Glowing Sea and then back north again. And we don't know what kind of patrols they have in their intervening territory."

"What about your Vertibird?" Dresden inquired. "That ought to be able to make a quick insertion and just as quick an extraction."

"Our pilot is green and the only one we have, I'm not risking her on a recon mission deep into hostile territory."

Dresden nodded thoughtfully. "I understand." He stood up. "In any case, I'm told you have a reactor you'd be willing to share with us. If I might be shown it..."

"Of course," Madsen replied.