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.