306. Gunners Sudden Attack PT.1

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As the convoy moved further from sight, Sico turned back toward the plaza, where more recruits were already lining up for their next drills. The work was never done, but that was fine. Sico was ready for whatever came next.

The next morning, the sky was overcast, casting a muted, gray light over Minutemen Plaza. Sico sat in his office, leaning back in a worn leather chair, eyes trained on the radio sitting on the desk before him. Static crackled intermittently through the speaker, breaking the silence that filled the room. He was waiting—waiting for Preston's report on how the recruits had been distributed across the Commonwealth, how they were faring on their first real assignment.

Preston's convoy had departed early the previous day, heading toward the Castle, Starlight Drive-In, and Fort Hagen, with additional groups bound for Greentop Nursery, Abernathy Farm, and the western outposts. Sico knew the roads they were traveling were perilous, crawling with raiders, super mutants, and the ever-present threat of the Brotherhood of Steel. Yet he trusted Preston and the Minutemen officers leading the recruits. They had prepared as best they could, but in the Commonwealth, nothing ever went exactly as planned.

Sico glanced out the window. In the courtyard below, the second wave of recruits, roughly 300 strong, were undergoing their final drills before deployment. Their training over the last two weeks had been grueling—relentless drills, rifle training, hand-to-hand combat, and daily lectures on survival in the wasteland. Some had emerged stronger and more confident, while others had struggled, still unsure if they had what it took to survive the rigors of life as a Minuteman. But ready or not, the time had come for them to step into their roles as defenders of the Commonwealth.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Sico called, sitting up straighter.

The door creaked open, and Sarah Lyons stepped inside, a clipboard in hand. Her face was as unreadable as ever, though the subtle furrow of her brow suggested she was as anxious about the convoy as Sico was.

"Morning," she said, her voice clipped. "Any word from Preston yet?"

Sico shook his head, gesturing to the radio. "Not yet. Shouldn't be long now, though. They're probably just getting everything settled."

Sarah nodded and walked over to the desk, laying the clipboard down. "I've been checking the supplies and organizing the next wave of recruits. We've got enough ammo and rations to last another few weeks, but the more remote outposts will need regular resupply runs. I've also spoken with our logistics teams. They'll be coordinating with the supply caravans to make sure everything runs smoothly."

Sico picked up the clipboard and scanned the list. She had already broken down exactly what each outpost would need in terms of food, water, medical supplies, and weapons. It was meticulous and thorough, as always.

"Good work," Sico said. "I'll take a look at this more closely once we hear from Preston. If things go smoothly with this first wave, we'll send out the second group tomorrow."

Sarah crossed her arms, her eyes drifting toward the radio. "You think we'll hear from him soon?"

"I hope so," Sico said, leaning back in his chair again. "But you know how it is out there. Anything can happen."

The radio crackled to life, startling both of them. Sico leaned forward quickly, adjusting the dial to clear up the signal. After a few moments of static, Preston's voice came through, slightly distorted but recognizable.

"Sico, this is Preston. Do you copy?"

Sico grabbed the radio's microphone, pressing the button to respond. "Copy, Preston. What's the situation?"

There was a brief pause before Preston replied, his voice calm but strained. "We're still en route to the Castle. Should arrive by mid-afternoon, but we ran into some trouble on the road. A small raider group tried to ambush us near the old Corvega assembly plant. We lost two trucks in the firefight, but we managed to fend them off. No major injuries, but it slowed us down."

Sico frowned, exchanging a quick glance with Sarah. The Corvega assembly plant had always been a hotspot for raider activity. It wasn't surprising that Preston's convoy had run into trouble there, but losing two trucks was a setback.

"How many recruits did we lose?" Sico asked, his voice tight.

"None," Preston replied. "The trucks were carrying supplies, not personnel. We redistributed what we could to the other trucks, but we'll need to resupply when we reach the Castle."

Sico let out a breath, relieved that there hadn't been any casualties, though the loss of the trucks and supplies was a blow. "Understood. Get to the Castle and get those recruits settled. How are the men holding up?"

"They're nervous, but they're holding together," Preston said. "Most of them have never seen real combat before, so the ambush rattled them a bit. But they're listening to their officers and following orders. They'll be alright once they get into position."

Sico nodded, though Preston couldn't see him. "Good. We'll send another supply run once you're settled. Anything else to report?"

"Not at the moment," Preston said. "I'll check in again once we've got everything set up at the Castle."

"Copy that. Stay safe out there," Sico said, releasing the button and leaning back again.

The radio went silent, and Sico set the microphone down, his mind already racing with the implications of the ambush. The raiders were growing bolder, and losing two trucks of supplies was going to make things harder for the next few weeks.

"Well, that could've been worse," Sarah said, her arms still crossed.

"Yeah," Sico muttered, staring at the radio. "But it could've been better, too."

Sarah uncrossed her arms and gestured to the clipboard. "I'll make some adjustments to the supply runs. We can compensate for the lost supplies by pulling from some of the less critical outposts for now. But we'll need to replace those trucks, and fast."

Sico nodded, his mind already turning to the problem. "I'll send a team to scavenger some parts from the nearby junkyards. We should be able to repair a few of the old trucks we've got in storage. They won't be pretty, but they'll get the job done."

Sarah glanced out the window toward the recruits training in the courtyard below. "The raiders are getting more organized. That's not a good sign. If they're targeting our convoys, it means they're watching us more closely than we thought."

Sico followed her gaze, watching as the recruits went through their drills. "We'll need to tighten security on the supply runs. I'll assign more escorts and set up decoys to draw the raiders away. We can't afford to lose any more supplies."

The radio crackled again, and both Sico and Sarah turned their attention back to it. This time, it wasn't Preston's voice that came through, but a hurried and panicked transmission.

"Minutemen HQ, this is the Castle. We've got a situation. Gunners...they're attacking...need reinforcements..."

The transmission cut out, leaving nothing but static in its wake.

Sico's heart dropped, and for a moment, the room was completely still. Sarah's expression tightened, and she stepped closer to the radio, her hand hovering over it as if she could will it to come back to life.

"Damn it," Sico muttered, grabbing the radio microphone. He tried to hail the Castle again, but there was no response—only more static.

Sarah turned to Sico, her eyes sharp. "We need to move. Now."

Sico's mind raced. If the Castle was under attack, they couldn't afford to wait. The Gunners were some of the most well-equipped mercenaries in the Commonwealth, and if they were hitting the Castle, it meant they were making a play for Minutemen territory.

"Get the second wave of recruits ready," Sico ordered, already moving toward the door. "We're heading to the Castle."

Sarah didn't hesitate, immediately turning to make the preparations.

Sico grabbed his rifle from the corner of the room and slung it over his shoulder, his mind focused on one thing: getting to the Castle before it was too late.

Outside, the recruits were already assembling, their expressions tense as they sensed the urgency in the air. Sico moved quickly through the crowd, barking orders as he passed.

"Move out! We're heading to the Castle! Double-time!"

The trucks that had been prepared for the second wave of recruits were hastily loaded, and within minutes, the convoy was rumbling out of Minutemen Plaza, heading toward the coast.

Sico stood at the front of the convoy, his rifle in hand, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. The Commonwealth had never been a safe place, but now more than ever, the Minutemen were walking into the unknown.

As the trucks sped down the cracked, overgrown roads, Sico could only hope that they would arrive in time to save the Castle—and the Minutemen stationed there.

After two and a half tense hours on the road, the convoy finally neared the Castle. Sico stood at the front of the lead truck, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the old fort. The sky remained an unbroken sheet of gray, a fitting backdrop to the grim anticipation hanging over the convoy. His mind churned, already imagining what they'd find once they arrived.

The trucks rumbled over uneven roads, their reinforced wheels kicking up dust and debris as they navigated the cracked and overgrown path leading toward the coast. The air grew heavier, thick with the salty tang of the ocean. In the distance, they could hear faint sounds of gunfire—sharp, punctuated pops that sent shivers of dread down everyone's spine.

"Almost there," Sarah said from the truck's cab, her voice barely audible over the roar of the engine. She was riding shotgun with one of the Minutemen drivers, her eyes narrowing as they crested a small hill.

When they reached the top, Sico's heart dropped.

The Castle was in sight, its familiar stone walls standing defiant against the open sky. But even from this distance, it was clear the fort was under siege. Thick plumes of smoke rose from within the walls, and flashes of gunfire sparked from every corner. The unmistakable clatter of heavy weaponry—Gunner weaponry—echoed across the battlefield.

The Gunners had the Castle surrounded. From the vantage point atop the hill, Sico could see their armored troops positioned strategically around the fortress, setting up makeshift barricades and digging in for a prolonged fight. Some of the Gunners wielded powerful energy weapons, their green and blue beams streaking toward the Castle's walls. Others manned heavy machine guns and missile launchers, pounding the fortifications relentlessly.

It was worse than he'd imagined.

"They've got the place locked down tight," Robert said grimly, pulling his binoculars to his eyes from the second truck. "Looks like they've set up artillery on the south side too. Damn it, we need to take that out before they breach the walls."

Sico cursed under his breath, his mind racing as he took in the scene. The Minutemen inside the Castle were firing back, but they were vastly outgunned. He could see the flashes of laser muskets and the occasional burst of flame from one of the fort's old artillery pieces, but it wasn't enough. If the Gunners had artillery in place, it was only a matter of time before they broke through.

"We're going to need a plan," Sico said, turning to Sarah and Robert. "We can't just charge in headfirst. They've got the advantage, and we're not prepared for a direct assault. We need to hit their artillery first and create a distraction. Something to take the pressure off the Castle long enough for us to get in there."

Robert nodded, his jaw tight. "Agreed. We can split our forces—one group takes out the artillery, the other engages their forward positions to draw them away from the walls."

"Sounds good," Sarah chimed in, already pulling out a map of the area. "We'll hit them from the west. There's a small ridge that overlooks their artillery position. If we can get up there without being spotted, we should be able to take out their cannons before they realize what's happening."

Sico studied the map for a moment, nodding in agreement. "Alright. Robert, you take a squad up that ridge and handle the artillery. Sarah, you're with me—we'll lead the second group straight into their forward positions and create enough chaos to keep them off the Castle. Once we've got their attention, we'll push for the gates."

With a plan in place, Sico turned to address the gathered Minutemen. The recruits stood in tight formations, their faces drawn with nervous energy. They had trained for this, but no amount of drills could prepare someone for the real thing. Still, Sico saw the resolve in their eyes. They weren't about to back down now.

"Listen up!" Sico shouted, his voice carrying over the noise of the trucks and the distant gunfire. "The Castle is under siege. The Gunners think they can take it from us, but they're wrong. We're going to hit them where it hurts, take out their artillery, and give the Minutemen inside a fighting chance. Stick to your squad leaders, follow orders, and watch each other's backs. We're the last line of defense for the Commonwealth—let's show these Gunners what that means."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the ranks, and the recruits tightened their grips on their weapons. The trucks rolled to a stop, and the Minutemen began disembarking, moving quickly to their designated positions.

Sico gathered his squad—veterans and green recruits alike—and prepared for the assault. He could feel the tension in the air, the way the recruits' hands trembled ever so slightly as they loaded their weapons. But fear was part of the job. Courage wasn't the absence of fear; it was facing it head-on.

"Alright, let's move," he ordered, leading his squad down the hill and toward the western approach.

The ridge Sarah had identified was just visible in the distance, and Robert's team was already making their way toward it, moving low to avoid detection. Sico watched them for a moment before turning his focus back to his own mission.

As they approached the Gunners' forward positions, the sound of battle grew louder. Sico's squad moved quickly, keeping low as they navigated the broken terrain, the ground scarred by years of war and neglect.

Then they saw them—Gunners, hunkered down behind makeshift barricades, their attention focused on the Castle. There were at least two dozen of them, their heavy armor gleaming in the dim light, energy weapons trained on the fort's walls.

Sico crouched behind a pile of rubble, his squad gathering around him. "We hit them hard and fast," he whispered. "We can't afford to let them regroup. Sarah, take a couple of men and hit them from the right. I'll take the left."

Sarah nodded, signaling to two of the more experienced recruits to follow her. The rest of the squad prepared to move with Sico.

"On my mark," Sico whispered, gripping his rifle tightly. "Three… two… one… now!"

They sprang from cover, weapons blazing as they charged the Gunners' forward positions. Sico's rifle barked, and the first Gunner went down, a clean shot through the visor. The recruits followed his lead, pouring fire into the enemy line as they advanced.

The Gunners reacted quickly, returning fire with deadly precision. Energy blasts zipped past Sico's head as he dove behind a pile of sandbags, firing back as fast as he could. Around him, the recruits fought bravely, some hitting their targets, others diving for cover as the Gunners unleashed a torrent of gunfire.

Sarah's group hit the Gunners from the right, flanking them and forcing their line to break. The Gunners scrambled to reposition, but the combined assault from both sides was too much. One by one, they fell, their armored bodies hitting the dirt with heavy thuds.

Sico kept pushing forward, his rifle kicking against his shoulder as he fired. He could see the gates of the Castle now, just beyond the last of the Gunners' forward positions. They were close—so close.

But then a deafening explosion rocked the battlefield, and Sico's heart froze. He turned toward the source of the blast, his eyes widening in horror as he saw one of the Castle's walls crumble under the force of the Gunners' artillery.

The Gunners were inside.

Sico's mind raced. They needed to get to the Castle—now.

"Fall back to the gates!" he shouted, waving his squad forward. "We need to get inside before it's too late!"

The Minutemen surged forward, their boots pounding against the dirt as they raced toward the Castle. Sico's heart pounded in his chest as he ran, his mind filled with one thought: they couldn't let the Castle fall.

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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: -