332. Building Sentinel Prototype PT.1

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As he left the lab, Sico felt a surge of energy. The Sentinel would soon be rolling across the wasteland, a symbol of hope and defiance. The Brotherhood, the Institute—they would all learn that the Minutemen were a force to be reckoned with.

Sico stepped out of the lab, the plan for the Sentinel tank now in motion, but his mind was already shifting to the next task. Sanctuary's defenses needed to be stronger—especially with the increased threat from the Brotherhood of Steel and the Institute. He had sent Albert and Sarah, two of his most trusted companions, to work with Sturges on fortifying the settlement. If the Sentinel was going to be their mobile powerhouse, Sanctuary had to be their unshakable bastion.

As he crossed the central yard of Sanctuary, he spotted Albert and Sarah standing by a pile of construction materials, deep in conversation with Sturges. The three of them were huddled over a rough sketch of the settlement's current defenses, pointing at various choke points and weak spots.

Sico approached, his boots crunching on the gravel. "How's it coming along?" he asked, drawing their attention.

Albert, a sharp-eyed man with a practical mind for strategy, glanced up first. He gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "Sico, just in time. We've been discussing some changes to the defensive layout. With the resources we've got, we're aiming for something more layered, in case the Brotherhood decides to bring in heavy artillery."

Sturges, the ever-resourceful mechanic, chimed in, holding up a wrench. "We're talking turrets, barricades, and maybe a few automated defense systems. It's not just about stopping foot soldiers anymore. The Brotherhood's got vertebirds, power armor, and who knows what else. We need to be ready for anything."

Sico crossed his arms, nodding as he looked at the sketch. The walls were already in place, but they were mostly makeshift—scrap metal, concrete barriers, and old cars repurposed into defensive structures. It had worked for raiders and wild animals, but the Brotherhood was a different kind of enemy.

Sarah, who had been quiet so far, stepped forward. Her tactical mind was second to none, and she had a keen understanding of battle logistics. "We're thinking of adding a secondary wall, with interlocking fields of fire for the turrets. If we get attacked from the air, we'll need something that can keep them from landing inside the perimeter. Plus, we're planning to fortify the weak spots near the river. That's our most vulnerable area right now."

Sico studied the map, his eyes narrowing. "What about the old energy weapons we salvaged from the Institute? Could we rig some of those to the turrets? They'd be more effective against Brotherhood power armor than conventional ballistic turrets."

Sturges scratched his head. "That's the tricky part, boss. The Institute's tech is finicky, and integrating it into our systems is gonna take time. But if we can get it working, it'd definitely give us an edge. I've already started rigging one of the turrets with a laser array, but I'm gonna need more parts to finish the job."

Sico turned to Albert. "How much of this can we get done in the next few days? I want Sanctuary fully operational before we roll out the Sentinel. The Brotherhood might try to hit us before we're ready."

Albert exchanged a glance with Sarah before answering. "We can have the secondary wall up and some of the turrets operational within a week if we work around the clock. But getting everything integrated, especially the energy weapons, will take longer. Maybe another two weeks, assuming nothing goes wrong."

Sico frowned. "We don't have two weeks. The Brotherhood's been too quiet lately. They're planning something, I can feel it."

Sarah stepped forward again, her voice calm but firm. "Then we prioritize. We focus on the walls and the turrets that we can get up and running quickly. The rest we'll have to finish as we go. Sanctuary needs to be a fortress—enough to hold them off until the Sentinel can take the fight to them."

Sico nodded, appreciating her pragmatism. "Alright. Focus on the walls and turrets first. If we have to, we can rely on the Minutemen to hold the gaps while you finish the rest. But I want those energy turrets ready as soon as possible."

Sturges clapped his hands together, a grin spreading across his face. "Don't worry, we've got this. By the time they come knocking, Sanctuary will be a fortress they won't soon forget."

Sico turned to leave, but then paused. "One more thing. I want a secure command center set up here. Something underground, with comms that can reach all of our settlements. If we're going to make Sanctuary our stronghold, we need to be able to coordinate our defenses and stay in touch with the rest of the Commonwealth."

Albert smiled faintly. "Already thought of that. We've started digging out a bunker beneath the old house foundations. It's not much right now, but we'll turn it into a command center. You'll have full control over the defenses from there."

"Good," Sico said, a determined glint in his eye. "Keep me updated on the progress. I'll be back to check in soon."

With that, he turned and walked away, his mind already racing with the next steps. The Brotherhood and the Institute were powerful, but Sico had faith in his team. Sanctuary would become the heart of their resistance, and the Sentinel would be the hammer they'd use to break their enemies. It was only a matter of time.

As Sico made his way to his next destination, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. The Commonwealth was on the brink of war, but he was ready. With his companions by his side and the plans in motion, they would stand tall against any threat.

Three days had passed since Sico had last met with Mel. The Commonwealth had been unusually quiet—too quiet, in fact—and the silence only increased Sico's sense of urgency. The defenses of Sanctuary were coming along, with Albert, Sarah, and Sturges working day and night to fortify the settlement. But Sico's attention was now focused on another critical element of their plan: the Sentinel.

He walked briskly toward the Science Department's testing area, a section of the Commonwealth's remnants where Mel and his team had converted old research labs into their engineering hub. Inside the steel-reinforced walls of the makeshift testing grounds, large workbenches, tools, and piles of scavenged materials were scattered around, with blueprints tacked to every available surface. Several engineers were busy welding, cutting metal sheets, and tinkering with various engine components.

At the center of it all was Mel, the ever-diligent engineer, inspecting a large steel frame that would eventually form the base of the Sentinel tank. His brow furrowed as he looked over the half-assembled chassis, his usual sharp eye picking out every detail. The progress was steady but slow, and the weight of the project hung heavily on his shoulders.

Sico approached him, his steps purposeful. "Mel, how are we looking?"

Mel turned, wiping his hands on a grease-stained rag before shaking his head slightly. "Sico. We're making headway, but..." He sighed, glancing back at the unfinished frame. "This isn't like building a truck or a Humvee. We're dealing with a whole new level of complexity here. The Sentinel's got to be both durable and mobile, and that balance isn't easy to achieve with the scrap we've got."

Sico crossed his arms, stepping closer to the frame. "I understand, but time isn't on our side. The Brotherhood and the Institute could make a move any day now. How long before we've got a working prototype?"

Mel pulled off his welding goggles and ran a hand through his thinning hair. "Realistically? A month, maybe more."

"A month?" Sico's voice was firm, though he understood the enormity of the task. "I need something we can field sooner than that."

Mel nodded slowly, not surprised by the push for speed. "Look, I get it. But this is more complicated than anything we've built before. The trucks, the Humvees... those were challenging, sure. But a tank? This is different. We're trying to integrate both old-world diesel engines and fusion tech for power. We're figuring out how to shape armor that'll actually stop energy weapons, not just bullets. And don't get me started on the weapon systems. We've got parts for the main cannon, but retrofitting it to work with this design is going to take time."

Sico paced around the steel frame, his mind working through the logistics. "Alright, tell me what we need to do first. What can we focus on to cut down on time?"

Mel gestured toward the large engine components laid out on a nearby table. "First, we need to finalize the hybrid engine. It's going to be the heart of this thing. We've got pieces from a few pre-war diesel engines, but they're old and beat to hell. We'll need to rebuild parts of it from scratch, and then figure out how to integrate the fusion cores for emergency power. If we can nail down the engine, we'll at least have a mobile frame to work with."

Sico studied the scattered engine parts. "How long do you think that'll take?"

"Two, maybe three weeks if everything goes smoothly," Mel replied, scratching his chin. "That's if we don't run into any major problems with the fusion core integration. We've been salvaging as many cores as we can, but the tricky part is getting them to work with this old tech. It's delicate work, and we're already running short on some components."

Sico frowned. "What about the tracks and suspension? Can we get the chassis moving before the engine's fully operational?"

Mel tapped a steel plate near the frame. "The suspension system's coming along. We've scavenged parts from trucks and Humvees, and it's sturdy enough to handle the Commonwealth's terrain. The tracks are reinforced, and we should have those installed within the next few days. But without the engine... it won't go far."

Sico nodded, understanding the bottleneck. "Alright, let's prioritize the engine, but I want the rest of the tank built in parallel. Get the tracks and suspension done as soon as possible. If we have to, we'll roll it out with a temporary power system. I need something we can test, even if it's just moving across the yard."

Mel folded his arms, his eyes focused on the frame. "We can do that. I'll have the team push harder on the suspension and tracks. But the real challenge is going to be the armor and the main gun. Without enough steel, we'll be vulnerable, and without the firepower, this thing won't stand a chance against the Brotherhood's vertebirds or the Institute's synths."

Sico considered this. "What do you need for the armor?"

"We've got plenty of scrap metal," Mel said, "but not enough high-quality steel to make the whole thing. We're refining what we can, but it's slow going. I've sent a few teams out to scavenge from old military convoys. If we can find some pre-formed armor plates, that'll save us a lot of time."

Sico uncrossed his arms and leaned forward, studying the blueprint that was pinned to a nearby wall. "And the weapon systems? What's the status there?"

Mel grimaced. "The main cannon's going to be a headache. We've scavenged a few artillery pieces from old bunkers, but none of them are in great shape. We're trying to retrofit a 76mm cannon, but it's going to take time to get it operational. The secondary energy weapons are a little more straightforward—we've got some laser components from the Institute, but integrating them into the turret is another challenge."

Sico tapped the blueprint, his voice steady. "We can't afford to wait on the main cannon. Get the laser system operational first. It won't have the same stopping power, but it'll give us something to fight with in the meantime."

Mel sighed but nodded in agreement. "I'll see what I can do. We'll get the laser system online as soon as possible."

Sico straightened up, his mind already working through the next steps. "And what about manpower? How many people do you have working on this?"

"We've got a decent-sized crew," Mel replied, glancing at the group of engineers and mechanics scattered around the testing area. "But we could always use more hands. If you can spare anyone from Sanctuary or the other settlements, we could probably speed things up."

Sico nodded. "I'll see what I can do. But for now, focus on getting the tracks and engine operational. Once we have a moving chassis, we can start worrying about the rest."

Mel gave a small smile, his confidence returning. "Don't worry, Sico. We'll get this thing up and running. It's just going to take time."

Sico clapped him on the shoulder. "I know. You're the best engineer we've got. I have no doubt you'll make this work."

As Sico turned to leave, he glanced back at the half-assembled tank, feeling a surge of anticipation. The Sentinel might take time, but once it was ready, it would be a game changer for the Minutemen and the Commonwealth. The Brotherhood of Steel and the Institute wouldn't know what hit them.

Sico walked back toward the entrance of the testing area, his thoughts racing. The Sentinel was crucial, but so were the defenses at Sanctuary, the scavenging missions for parts, and the ongoing tension with the Brotherhood. Every piece had to fall into place, and time was running out. But Sico had faith in his team. Mel was right—this was a more complex project than anything they had built before. But the stakes were higher now, and failure wasn't an option.

As he stepped out into the bright afternoon sun, Sico took a deep breath. The Commonwealth was on the edge of war, and every day brought them closer to the tipping point. But with Mel working on the Sentinel and Sanctuary's defenses coming together, they were getting closer to being ready. He just hoped it would be enough.

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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: -