341. Testing Sentinel on Combat Action PT.3

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The once-fortified Raider camp was now in ruins, its defenses shattered, its fighters scattered or dead. Flames licked at the remains of the supply depot, and the smoke from the destroyed watchtowers hung heavy in the air.

As the last remnants of the Raider camp smoldered under the fires of destruction, the battle seemed to be drawing to a close. But Sico knew better. These kinds of skirmishes always had a final, desperate push from those with nothing left to lose. His instincts were right—the Raider leader and his most loyal fighters had yet to show their faces.

From the far corner of the camp, where the flames hadn't yet reached, a group of Raiders emerged from a large, bunker-like structure. They were better armored than the rest, each one carrying advanced rifles and shotguns, and they moved with the cohesion of a hardened unit. At their head was a figure larger and more imposing than the others, adorned in scavenged armor pieced together from old military gear and Raider trophies. This was the leader—Griggs, the Raider warlord who had united the scattered factions of bandits and scavengers in this region.

Griggs raised a hand, and his fighters halted behind the cover of a damaged concrete barricade. His voice, deep and guttural, boomed across the battlefield. "You think you've won, Minutemen? You've barely scratched the surface. This land belongs to us, and we'll spill every drop of your blood before we give it up!"

Sico, standing beside the hulking frame of the Sentinel, narrowed his eyes. Griggs was making a stand, but Sico knew the warlord was cornered. The Minutemen had already decimated most of his forces, and the camp was in ruins. There was no way out for the Raiders, and yet Griggs and his elite fighters were prepared to fight to the death.

"General," Mel said from Sico's side, his voice a mix of excitement and caution. "The Sentinel's ready to suppress their positions, but we should be careful. They've set up defensively around that bunker—looks like they're waiting for us to charge in."

Sico nodded, his eyes scanning the battlefield. "We'll keep our distance for now. Sarah and her team can flush them out. The Sentinel will provide covering fire to keep their snipers off her."

He tapped his comm, signaling Sarah. "Sarah, the Raider leader's making his last stand near the bunker. Move your squads up carefully. The Sentinel will keep their sharpshooters pinned down while you take them out."

"Understood, General," Sarah's voice crackled back over the comms. "We're moving in now. I'll lead the charge."

Sico watched as Sarah rallied her troops, her voice clear and commanding even amidst the chaos. She gestured for her soldiers to form up behind the wreckage of a collapsed guard tower, using the debris as cover. The Minutemen moved with swift precision, their movements coordinated and disciplined. Sico had no doubt that they could handle whatever Griggs and his Raiders had left.

As Sarah's forces advanced, the Sentinel let loose a barrage of fire, its massive cannon booming as it sent rounds into the Raiders' defensive positions. Griggs' fighters scrambled for cover, diving behind rubble and half-collapsed barricades as the explosive force of the Sentinel's shots rocked the ground around them. The Raider snipers, perched in what was left of the higher structures, tried to return fire, but the Sentinel's suppressive fire was relentless. Each time one of them poked their head out to take aim, they were met with a barrage that sent them ducking back into cover.

Sarah's voice rang out once again as she led her squads forward. "Squad One, move up the left flank! Squad Two, cover our approach from the right! Squad Three, with me—we're pushing straight at that barricade!"

Her soldiers obeyed without hesitation, moving through the smoke and debris with swift, tactical precision. The Raiders, despite their superior firepower, were pinned down by the Sentinel's relentless barrage, unable to effectively return fire.

Griggs, however, was not a man to be easily deterred. With a roar, he signaled his remaining fighters to push back, and they opened fire with everything they had. Bullets tore through the air, the sound of gunfire filling the camp once more as the Raiders made their final stand. Sarah's troops were forced to take cover as a hail of bullets and shotgun blasts rained down on their position.

"Hold your ground!" Sarah ordered, her voice unwavering even in the face of the Raiders' fierce resistance. "We've got them pinned—don't let up!"

But Griggs wasn't finished. From behind the barricade, he raised a hand, and suddenly, a small group of Raiders emerged from the bunker, each carrying a rocket launcher. They aimed their weapons toward the Sentinel, the only real threat standing between them and survival.

Sico saw the launchers before they even fired. His heart skipped a beat as he shouted into his comm, "Mel! Get the Sentinel to focus on those launchers! Now!"

Mel responded with lightning reflexes, barking orders to the Sentinel's crew. The massive machine shifted its targeting systems, its sensors locking onto the rocket launchers just as the first salvo was fired. The rockets streaked toward the Sentinel, but the machine's advanced targeting systems were too fast. A rapid burst of fire from its secondary guns tore through the incoming rockets, detonating them mid-air in a fiery explosion that lit up the battlefield.

"Nice shooting, Mel," Sico muttered, watching as the Sentinel's cannons turned their attention to the Raiders holding the launchers. The ground around them erupted in a series of blasts, sending chunks of concrete and dirt flying. One by one, the Raiders with the launchers were cut down, their weapons destroyed before they could fire another shot.

"General!" Sarah's voice came through the comm, urgent but controlled. "We're closing in on their position. But Griggs is holding the line himself—he's not going down without a fight."

Sico's gaze shifted to the center of the camp, where Griggs, standing tall amidst the chaos, was firing his rifle with ruthless precision. Even as his fighters fell around him, he showed no signs of retreat. His bullets found their mark, dropping two Minutemen soldiers before they could react.

Sico clenched his fists, feeling the pulse of the battle in his veins. This was it—the final push.

"Sarah, keep your distance. Griggs is mine," Sico said into the comm. Without waiting for a response, he unslung his rifle from his shoulder and began moving forward, his eyes locked on the Raider leader.

Beside him, Mel's eyes widened in surprise. "General, are you sure—?"

"Stay with the Sentinel, Mel," Sico said, his voice firm. "I'll handle Griggs."

Mel swallowed hard but nodded, knowing better than to argue. "You got it, General. The Sentinel's got your back."

As Sico moved toward the front lines, the Sentinel continued its barrage, keeping the remaining Raiders pinned down and unable to assist their leader. The ground shook with each shot, the air thick with the acrid scent of smoke and gunpowder. But Sico ignored it all. His focus was on Griggs.

The Raider leader spotted Sico approaching and snarled, his rifle trained on the advancing General. "You think you can take me down, Minuteman?" he spat, his voice filled with venom. "I've killed men twice your size, and I'll enjoy adding you to the list."

Sico said nothing, his rifle steady as he closed the distance. Griggs opened fire, but Sico was already moving, ducking behind cover as the bullets whizzed past him. The Sentinel provided covering fire, keeping the other Raiders from interfering as Sico advanced.

When Sico finally emerged from cover, he was within range. He raised his rifle, aiming for Griggs' chest, but the Raider leader was quick, ducking behind a pile of rubble and returning fire. Bullets ricocheted off the debris, but Sico didn't flinch. He moved with precision, flanking Griggs and forcing the Raider leader to reposition.

The two men traded shots, their movements swift and tactical. Griggs was a brutal fighter, but Sico was methodical, his years of experience showing in every step, every shot. Griggs, realizing he was being outmaneuvered, let out a roar of frustration and charged at Sico, his rifle tossed aside as he pulled out a wickedly sharp combat knife.

Sico braced himself as Griggs lunged, their weapons clashing in a flurry of movement. Griggs was strong, but Sico was faster, deflecting the blade with the butt of his rifle and driving a knee into Griggs' gut. The Raider leader staggered back, but he wasn't finished yet. With a growl, he swung the knife again, aiming for Sico's throat.

Sico sidestepped the attack, grabbing Griggs' wrist and twisting it sharply. The knife clattered to the ground, and before Griggs could react, Sico slammed the butt of his rifle into the Raider's face, sending him reeling.

Griggs stumbled, blood pouring from his nose, but he still refused to go down. He lunged at Sico one last time, but Sico was ready. With a swift, calculated movement, he raised his rifle and fired.

The shot hit Griggs square in the chest, and the Raider leader crumpled to the ground, his eyes wide with shock. For a moment, he lay there, gasping for breath, his hands clutching at the wound. Then, with a final, shuddering breath, he went still.

The battle was over.

Sico stood over Griggs' body, his breathing steady despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins. The rest of the Raiders, seeing their leader fall, quickly surrendered, their will to fight broken. The Minutemen moved in to secure the camp, rounding up the remaining fighters and tending to their wounded.

Mel's voice crackled over the comm. "General, the camp's ours. We did it."

Sico nodded, his gaze still on Griggs' lifeless form. "Good work, everyone," he said quietly. "We've won."

But as he turned away from the fallen warlord, a sense of unease settled over him. This victory had come at a cost, and he knew that the fight for the Commonwealth was far from over. There would be more battles to come. And Sico would be ready for them.

Sico's gaze lingered on the smoldering battlefield as he stepped away from Griggs' lifeless form. The air was thick with the stench of gunpowder, blood, and burning debris. Despite the victory, the weight of loss hung heavy over the camp.

He tapped into his comm again, his voice steady but grim. "Sarah, report. I need a full casualty count. How many of our forty men are still standing? And check on the wounded."

"Roger that, General," Sarah responded immediately. Sico could hear the exhaustion in her voice, but she remained composed. "I'll get right on it."

As Sarah moved to gather her troops and tally their numbers, Sico turned to Mel, who was standing beside the still-smoking frame of the Sentinel. The massive machine loomed over the battlefield, its cannons still glowing faintly from the heat of battle.

"Mel," Sico said, "I need you to run a full diagnostic on the Sentinel. See if there's any damage we need to deal with after the fight. It took a lot of hits, especially from those launchers."

Mel nodded, already moving to the Sentinel's control panel. "On it, General. I'll have a status report for you shortly. The rocket barrage did some surface damage, but the real question is if anything internal got knocked loose."

Sico watched as Mel began his diagnostic routine, his fingers flying over the Sentinel's interface. The machine had been a crucial asset in the battle, but it had taken more punishment than Sico would have liked. He couldn't afford for the Sentinel to be out of commission for long.

A few minutes later, Sarah came back over the comm. "General, we've counted thirty-three soldiers still active," she reported. "Seven casualties. We've also got four wounded—two are in bad shape, but they'll make it if we get them medical attention soon. I'm sending medics to their positions now."

Sico closed his eyes for a moment, letting the numbers sink in. Seven dead, four wounded out of forty. The Raiders had put up more of a fight than he'd hoped. Every life lost weighed on him, but he knew the dangers of battle. He'd been in enough fights to understand that this was the cost of securing the Commonwealth.

"Understood, Sarah. Get the wounded stabilized and prepare the rest of the troops to move out. We'll need to fortify the camp and set up patrols to make sure there aren't any stragglers. Good work out there."

"Yes, sir," Sarah replied. Despite the losses, her voice carried the quiet strength of someone who knew the stakes. She was a capable leader, and Sico trusted her to get things back in order.

Meanwhile, Mel called out from his spot beside the Sentinel. "General, I've run the diagnostics. The Sentinel's armor took a beating, but it held up pretty well. No major internal damage—just some superficial cracks and minor systems strain. It'll need some repairs, but nothing that'll keep it out of action. I'd say we got lucky with those rockets. A few more direct hits, and it could've been worse."

Sico nodded in acknowledgment. "Good. Get it patched up as much as you can. I want it ready for any more trouble that might come our way."

Mel gave a quick salute, already pulling out tools and setting to work. The Sentinel would be fine, but Sico knew he couldn't let his guard down. Raiders weren't the only threat in the Commonwealth, and every victory only led to more challenges.

Sico glanced around at the remnants of the battlefield. The fires were dying down, and the camp was starting to settle into an eerie quiet. But the echoes of the battle still rang in his mind, the faces of the soldiers they'd lost flashing before him.

There would always be a cost. But for now, the Commonwealth was just a little bit safer for now. "Let's make sure it stays that way," Sico muttered under his breath, already thinking ahead to the next fight.

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• 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: -