With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

Mr Zoat · Jun 7, 2024

GigaVanguard said:
I… don't actually recall anything about England in Fallout. Will be interesting to see, at least.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS-EQG0C1sM

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqCb5iQqr6s

chxenocide · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
"Could your original tribe not send one?"

"I haven't spoken to anyone from my original tribe
for some time." I nod. "But I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to ask."

Is he planning to pop over to England? I suppose poking around the Commonwealth might unearth someone, but for some reason the U.K. eas the first thing to pop into my head.

Edit: Asked and answered, thank you much.

GigaVanguard · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS-EQG0C1sM

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqCb5iQqr6s

Why have I never heard of this mod, it looks awesome!

Chojin Patriarch · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
29th November 2282
20:26 MST

Metal writhes in the air over my right palm, gold being reformatted by forces unknown to mundane physics, without heat or a hydraulic press. Part of my share of the Sierra Madre small 'v' vault. Most of it we've been using in our electronics industry, but I thought that I should keep a little in case we had to trade with people who don't use the bottle cap.

Now, now, Krono. You should know by now that one man's trash is another man's treasure. And out in the wastelands, better an arbitrary currency for trade than having to negotiate over food or untainted water every time.

Savages.

Two thin strips, formed by my matter transmutation ability. Feel the dimensions of Tears' left ring finger and my own and complete the shape as a plain band.

Wedding rings, eh? Or engagement bands. Though the lady's usually have some extra adornment. But I suspect Tears is not one for pointless decoration.

And… There they are. Sitting on my right hand. Such a small thing to mean so much.

I turn to Tears. "Tears-in-the-Rain, will-?"

Really? I mean, what story will she tell your children of the day you asked her to marry you? ...Then again, given the circumstances of the love contest, that alone might be enough.

"Yes."

I raise my eyebrows. "Now, you don't know what I was going to ask."

...Don't be that kind of jerk, Krono.

She gives me the look that such a statement warrants. "This is your people's marriage custom?"

"This is our… Betrothal custom. We would each wear a ring to indicate that we were no longer available. We would put a second ring on each other at the actual wedding."

It's an odd thing, I know. Honestly, I'd wonder how it started...

She frowns faintly. "Why is it done with rings? Would the word of those involved not be enough?"

"The rings are an outwards sign to people who don't know the couple personally."

Especially given that in larger communities, such a thing would be common. Better to have it known that 'this woman is not available' than have some cock-o'-the-walk take a fancy.

"And the gold? It is pretty, but gold is a weak metal."

"But valuable. There are metals that are more valuable, but those require specific industries for people to value them. Everyone values gold."

And as long as you aren't punching anyone, it should be fine. It's more about the incorruptibility than anything.

"So it is a sign that a man considers his wife valuable?"

"No. It's a sign that he is confident that he will be a good husband. Because if he is not, his wife can flee his house with just her rings, and sell them, and use that money to start a life somewhere else."

Which is why the tradition that the ring should cost a significant portion of a man's income exists.

She stares at me for a second, then starts to smile as if she thinks I'm joking. When I don't smile back it fades from her mouth. "Oh."

"I'm very confident that I'll be a good husband. I imagine that becoming a good father will take a little longer, but I will put in the work and get good at it. We should probably talk to your father about how exactly this is going to work-."

Careful, Krono, the way you said it... It makes it sound like you intend to get lots of practice with her.

"And my mother."

I nod. Tribal groups in Utah are surprisingly egalitarian in some ways. Women can hunt, fight and lead warriors in most tribes. And unlike Caesar's Legion, those who perform other roles aren't derided for it. When the Chief takes council, he does it from everyone, not just his war leaders.

Not surprising. In many Native American tribes, women actually managed most of the day-to-day things, like land ownership.

"Did she accompany him?"

"Yes. She…" Tears glances away. "She is.. concerned that.. you are using me as a concubine." She turns back to me as I frown. "Usually, amongst White Legs, we would have married by now or I would have returned to my father's house."

Well, your circumstances have been unconventional to say the least.

"Ah. Well, let us put her mind at ease. May I have your left hand?"

She holds her hand out to me and I take hold of it with my own left for a moment. Then I telekinetically lift the rings off my right hand and pluck hers out of the air with my right thumb and forefinger. And then I reach forward, sliding it over her ring finger. She keeps her hand still for a moment, looking at its new decoration. Then she plucks the other ring out of the air with her own right hand.

...Usually, the guy doesn't wear an engagement ring, but in this case, staking her claim to Krono is definitely needed.

"Do I put this on you?"

Ah…

"I actually don't remember. You definitely do with the wedding ring, but I'm not sure-."

Eh, start a new tradition!

She nods, and puts it on me. "There. Now we are betrothed before God. And now-" She turns, threading her right arm through my left. "-we will go to speak with my parents."

I nod, and we proceed in the general direction of the guest accommodations, the people around us-. Those who are part of the Sky Walkers at least, staring at us for a moment before dashing off to share the news.

No doubt a few cries of 'About damn time!' amongst his own allies, too.

**I'm not that bad.**

**You kind of are, Chief.**

See? Even his own folks were waiting for this.

**Laugh it up, Keanan. You're going to have to fight Goris for best man duties.**

**Ah shit.**

Now that's a fight he might want to lose, given some of the Best Man's historical duties. Among them advising the new husband on how best to perform his marital duties...

"How will the wedding..? Work. I have tried to learn the ways of your tribe, but I have not seen a wedding."

"How do the Ammonites do things?"

No matter what happens, I have no doubt it will either be spectacular, a farce, or both.

"We have not been Ammonites long enough to have a way. Some follow the traditions of the New Canaanites, with their church and priests. Others are married as they have been for as long as the White Legs have existed, but ask the God of Abraham to bless the wedding as they ask every other spirit. How is it with the Sky Walkers?"

Always a tricky bit to work out.

"Before I became Chief? We mostly didn't call upon spirits. Usually the families and friends would get together, and the village leader would say some words." I grimace for a moment. "Amongst the Whisperers, they would try to.. merge the minds of everyone taking part, but since that didn't exactly help their mental health I stopped it when I took over."

Especially if there was any infidelity amongst the main participants.

"The village leaders performed the ceremony?"

I nod. "Still do, everywhere outside of our capital."

I'm guessing in that case, the head man is too busy to handle it most of the time.

"Then you have performed the ceremony as well?" She exhales sharply through her nose, shaking her head. "I cannot imagine my father performing a marriage."

"I have. I usually do whatever they ask, but… I have-. Before my abilities became more common, I offered to link the minds of the people getting married. Briefly. That has become our custom now."

And how long does that link last? Hours? Days? A lifetime? That would be a trippy experience.

"But surely your people can do that for themselves?"

"They can, but most people don't share all of their thoughts all of the time. And not all of them learn the ability at all. Of course, in our case…"

After all, not everyone is as proficient as Krono is. And even he isn't the best at everything.

"We would need a priest or shaman who can open your mind to me?"

"No, I was just-. Even if you chose to receive the gift of telepathy, it would still be a year or so until you could use it reliably. I don't think that your parents would accept-."

Ooh, that might raise some disagreements about 'unnatural empowerments' or the like.

She reaches across with her left hand and gently slaps my chest. "It is not my parents that you should concern yourself with! If you try to make me wait a year I will capture you with a snare-trap and take you as my war-husband!"

I chuckle. "Sounds like fun."

Let's hope that isn't a preview of their love life... Though it might be needed sometimes given how busy he is.

She smiles back. "You said that you were not born into your tribe. What was the tradition of the tribe you were born into?"

"Ah, well my people practice a religion very similar to the religion of the New Canaanites. I would probably feel comfortable with a Mormon ceremony, except…"

Ah, yes. The complexities of Abrahamic religion, and its many denominations.

"Except that you are not a Mormon. What are you?"

"That's-. What do you know about the history of Mormonism?"

"Not a great deal. I know that it was started by a prophet named Joseph Smith before the war."

...I am not linking the South Park song.

Someone else can do that.

I nod. "Yes, but he was essentially adding to an existing religious tradition, rather than trying to replace it. The god who he said gave him visions was the same one that people of that time commonly worshipped. Those who did not accept him as a prophet still prayed to the same god, but lived a little differently and prayed a little differently. That is not to say that they were entirely unified in their practice either… To put it simply, there are a lot of very similar religions that share a lot of history and have a lot in common, but the version I'm used to is called Anglican Christianity and it isn't quite the same as Mormonism. The problem is that I don't know where to find an Anglican priest."

And let's not argue specifics over the differences, shall we?

"Could your original tribe not send one?"

"I haven't spoken to anyone from my original tribe for some time." I nod. "But I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to ask."

Given his actual 'original tribe' is in another universe, that would be a bit hard.

So, sounds like Krono (and maybe Tears) are going to be taking a little overseas trip soon, eh? You know, I have to wonder how other parts of the world made out during the atomic wars of Fallout's backstory. Some nations would have suffered comparatively little damage, after all. Wonder how Australia held up...

Rebu · Jun 7, 2024

GigaVanguard said:
I… don't actually recall anything about England in Fallout. Will be interesting to see, at least.

There's a Fallout 4 mod called Fallout London that's about to come out.

Senevri · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
She reaches across with her left hand and gently slaps my chest. "It is not my parents that you should concern yourself with! If you try to make me wait a year I will capture you with a snare-trap and take you as my war-husband!"

Good for her! Were you actually this much of a dinosaur at the time of your insertion?

ForeverShogo · Jun 7, 2024

The only thing we've ever really been told about the UK in canon, or at least as far as I recall, is that the situation is bad enough there that Allistair Tenpenny left the UK for America, settling in the Capital Wasteland, because he thought he'd be able to live a better life there.

But yes. The Fallout: London mod looks pretty cool. Though one of the videos they put out will always amuse me just because of one moment. It's a video with narration of some of the features the mod will have. The narrator mentions London's famous buses. But because if his accent, I swear that to me it sounded like he was saying London's famous bussies.

Mr Zoat · Jun 7, 2024

GigaVanguard said:
Why have I never heard of this mod, it looks awesome!

They were going to release it, then that update happened.

Chojin Patriarch said:
So, sounds like Krono (and maybe Tears) are going to be taking a little overseas trip soon, eh? You know, I have to wonder how other parts of the world made out during the atomic wars of Fallout's backstory. Some nations would have suffered comparatively little damage, after all.

Thing is, other nations don't have America's atomic battery, robotics or power armour technology. They have lasers, and gauss weapons were canonically invented in Germany, but otherwise they look quite different. Given how much of their atomic arsenals America and China threw at each other, other places are probaby less radioactive outside of 'prime targets', but fuel and other resources are still in short supply.

Wonder how Australia held up...

...

Probably a little safer now.

ForeverShogo said:
The only thing we've ever really been told about the UK in canon, or at least as far as I recall, is that the situation is bad enough there that Allistair Tenpenny left the UK for America, settling in the Capital Wasteland, because he thought he'd be able to live a better life there.

Tenpenny and Cait's backgrounds make no sense. Fallout has trans-Atlantic travel? How? Why? Are there regular voyages? What are they trading that they can't get locally far easier?

Razorfloss · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
...

Probably a little safer now.

Tenpenny and Cait's backgrounds make no sense. Fallout has trans-Atlantic travel? How? Why? Are there regular voyages? What are they trading that they can't get locally far easier?

I always took it to mean that while travel is possible it's very dangerous and very rare because of said dangers. Also they're probably trading fusion cores because America has a ton of them and can semi regularly create more even if they're much worse quality. Frankly it was probably someone in America who went to Europe that started the whole thing with nuclear powered ships.

Mr Zoat · Jun 7, 2024

Razorfloss said:
I always took it to mean that while travel is possible it's very dangerous and very rare because of said dangers. Also they're probably trading fusion cores because America has a ton of them and can semi regularly create more even if they're much worse quality. Frankly it was probably someone in America who went to Europe that started the whole thing with nuclear powered ships.

Okay, but what are they getting in Europe? Even slaves could be more readily acquired locally. They'd be better off using that ship for fishing.

WereDragon · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
29th November 2282
20:26 MST

Still can't bring myself to care about the love life of any of the Pauls.
Luna is interesting in her own right but all the other romances are painfully banal.

"I haven't spoken to anyone from my original tribe for some time." I nod. "But I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to ask."

Be interesting to see what has become of the UK in Fallout.
…there are going to be morris dancers aren't there? And Shakespearean re-enactors. Hopefully some Doctor impersonators.

Bolo · Jun 7, 2024

So going overseas in fallout will be interesting.

Sockmonkey · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Do you remember when?

Dang, not exactly. All I remember is that it was after they got established among the Accala and showed OL their tree house thing.

Ngamer11 · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Do you remember when?

Sockmonkey said:
Dang, not exactly. All I remember is that it was after they got established among the Accala and showed OL their tree house thing.

Found it. He gave her a plant computer here.

Razorfloss · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Okay, but what are they getting in Europe? Even slaves could be more readily acquired locally. They'd be better off using that ship for fishing.

True but this is fallout wacky nonsense is built in the setting. Otherwise everyone would be dying of radiation instead of being it being treated like a cold.

Mr Zoat · Jun 7, 2024

Razorfloss said:
Otherwise everyone would be dying of radiation instead of being it being treated like a cold.

No, by the time of Fallout the radiation would have died off completely. Five years for regular nukes, a hundred years for salted nukes.

Ardy · Jun 7, 2024

Senevri said:
Good for her! Were you actually this much of a dinosaur at the time of your insertion?

I like how @Mr Zoat didn't answer this

crazygrox · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
"Could your original tribe not send one?"

"I haven't spoken to anyone from my original tribe for some time." I nod. "But I suppose that it wouldn't hurt to ask."

Oh boy, heading to fallout England. I have no information on what that's going to be like.
Considering fallout loves retro-futuristic cultures, perhaps a cultural obsession with the empire, or something like that?

But that might have been before the nukes, like America was obsessed with 50s style americana before the nukes. Not sure how it'd react afterwards.

Mr Zoat said:
Okay, but what are they getting in Europe? Even slaves could be more readily acquired locally. They'd be better off using that ship for fishing.

Exploiting fusion core scarcity in Europe to demand large amounts of raw materials or manufactured goods?

Also if the grand Banks fish population has recovered/didn't get overfished in this timeline, one of the best and nearest places for European fishing boats to go would be to cross the Atlantic and fish just off the continental shelf of North America.
The catches were apparently just so much easier that it was worthwhile to go that far even before industrial fishing(which involved having another ship shuttle back and forth carrying the catch back to port so the fishing boat itself could keep operating constantly).

And if anything goes wrong or they want to put in for shore leave it's better to go to American ports than go all the way back, so there's an opportunity for passengers to get a ride if they pay a fisherman.

Fish and high-value low-volume goods like fusion cores and maybe robots go to europe, raw materials, and consumer and military goods go to North America?

Mr Zoat · Jun 7, 2024

Ardy said:
I like how @Mr Zoat didn't answer this

I'm not sure what is actually meant by 'dinosaur' in this context. He clearly had decided to marry her, and was just pointing out an issue if she wanted to go for the more modern version of the Sky Walkers ceremony.

crazygrox said:
Exploiting fusion core scarcity in Europe to demand large amounts of raw materials or manufactured goods?

Also if the grand Banks fish population has recovered/didn't get overfished in this timeline, one of the best and nearest places for European fishing boats to go would be to cross the Atlantic and fish just off the continental shelf of North America.
The catches were apparently just so much easier that it was worthwhile to go that far even before industrial fishing(which involved having another ship shuttle back and forth carrying the catch back to port so the fishing boat itself could keep operating constantly).

And if anything goes wrong or they want to put in for shore leave it's better to go to American ports than go all the way back, so there's an opportunity for passengers to get a ride if they pay a fisherman.

Fish and high-value low-volume goods like fusion cores and maybe robots go to europe, raw materials, and consumer and military goods go to North America?

But we see in Fallout 3 that not happening in Washington.

crazygrox · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
But we see in Fallout 3 that not happening in Washington.

Further north maybe? The grand Banks are off Newfoundland.

Vaermina · Jun 7, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
Given how much of their atomic arsenals America and China threw at each other, other places are probaby less radioactive outside of 'prime targets', but fuel and other resources are still in short supply.

Radioactive dust clouds from China and Russia would have covered most of Europe after the bombs.

Ardy · Jun 8, 2024

Vaermina said:
Radioactive dust clouds from China and Russia would have covered most of Europe after the bombs.

they would also have covers the US, considering the bombs were actually aimed there, but they're fine

Vaermina · Jun 8, 2024

Ardy said:
They would also have covers the US, considering the bombs were actually aimed there, but they're fine

No they're not? Radstorms continue to be a regular thing in the US even 200 years later.

Prince Charon · Jun 8, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
I'm not sure what is actually meant by 'dinosaur' in this context. He clearly had decided to marry her, and was just pointing out an issue if she wanted to go for the more modern version of the Sky Walkers ceremony.

I strongly suspect that you're being called 'rather old-fashioned,' which to be fair you do kind of come off as.

Ardy · Jun 8, 2024

Vaermina said:
No they're not? Radstorms continue to be a regular thing in the US even 200 years later.

Your implication was that Europe would be fucked by the fallout and thus Zoat is changing things for the sake of his fic, which as you have noted many many many times, is a cardinal sin on par with child molestation.

I was responding that even if your assertion was true, they're at worst as bad off as the US, where civilization has already been rebuilt and so your complaint doesn't make any sense

Mr Zoat · Jun 8, 2024

29th November 2282
20:33 MST

Yep, that's a photograph of the Chief Thunderbird's flagpole. A group of Eighties… They're a collection of raider bands so they're not exactly soldiers, but this group report to Thunderbird directly. Around it are the flags of the other warbands of the Eighties, and a little further away…

The golden bull on a red background, and a group of people dressed as legionaries. And there's also the flag of Two Sun.

"Ah."

Balm-Upon-Wounds regards me stony-faced. "You know these men."

I point to a man talking to a group of Eighties mechanics. "I know that man. Wyatt the Demon. The greatest driver of the Cult of Nas, the priesthood of Two Sun. Before the war between the NCR and the Legion, they held a great race. Thunderbird was one of the racers, as was Wyatt. They likely met there."

"Do you believe that this is simply a matter of fellowship, then?"

I shake my head. "No. Two Sun are fighting-." I take a map out of my coat and spread it out on the table. Mugs serve to weigh down the corners. "Here." I point to north west Mexico. "General Vialla and the NCR expeditionary force are pushing up from the south, here." If not all that enthusiastically in the General's case. "Caesar is using the Two Sun's greater mobility to counter-attack and raid their supply lines while his legionaries hold the line. The strategy is working somewhat, but it's not enough to stop the attack completely and he's being pushed back. He wouldn't have sent Wyatt this far north for a holiday at a time like this."

Balm nods. "Then what does this mean for the Ammonites, and for Utah?"

"There are two things that it could mean, and I do not know Thunderbird's mind well enough to tell which it is. The first is that Thunderbird is considering allying with Caesar's Legion. It won't be much of an alliance; the Legion dislikes advanced technology and machinery, while the Eighties respect drivers and mechanics immensely. Their cultures are irreconcilable, and there's no reason for Thunderbird to play second fiddle. Not with the Legion being battered as it is."

"Why would he do it at all?"

"As the NCR expanded, it fought and drove out a lot of raider groups." I point to Sac City, in the north of the NCR. "This is where the Eighties come from. The ranchers in this area got fed up with having their herds raided and so signed up with the NCR, who threw the Eighties out. They'd probably quite like to get it back, and Caesar only needs the central part of the NCR to consider his victory complete. With the majority of the NCR's army in Arizona, this part is relatively lightly defended. If they come to terms, he could launch a very damaging attack." I exhale slowly. "I will have to show this to Ambassador Edith."

"Then I do not need to be concerned."

"No, you do. Because the other alternative is that Wyatt is negotiating a safe harbour for his people because he thinks that Caesar is going to lose. And from what little I've heard of the Eighties, a significant part of their population is perfectly content living in Utah… But not content with owning only part of Utah." I shrug. "Or perhaps he will do both; the Legion will aid him in conquering Utah, and only then will he go west. I will need to send agents into their territory to find out for certain."

The Eighties conquered Grabber Territory to the north of us a few of years ago, then mostly concentrated their expansionist efforts northward. To their immediate east are the Desert Rangers, Vault City and New Reno. The Desert Rangers have sent a lot of their rangers to Arizona to fight the Legion in an attempt to retake their own original home territory, but their borders are heavily fortified and their population centres are heavily fortified. The Eighties tanks could probably destroy the Ranger Citadel, if they can get through the minefield and tank trenches without taking a missile up the tailpipe. But if they scout with light vehicles, they could probably bypass most of the defences and reach NCR territory. It would stretch their supply lines dangerously, but it's worryingly possible.

Vault City's defences are much weaker, even though the Eighties drove through there when they fled California, attacking every settlement along the way. The Pale Folk and Cyclops Tribe have only been integrated into Vault City society relatively recently, and they're not much better defended than a random wasteland settlement. Vault City itself has a highly skilled and well equipped security force backed by robots, but it's small and I'm not sure that they'd deploy it away from Vault City itself. Their main way of fighting a large invasion would be handing The Brain control of their herds of naked mole rats again and ordering them to deal with their attackers. Naked mole rats could dig trenches to stop vehicles, if The Brain can handle coordinating them. But after fighting Cerberus and slaughtering a lot of the survivors to provide meat for the NCR army, they can't cover all of their core territory either. Their best bet would be undermining the major roads, slowing the advance as much as possible.

Past Vault City is New Reno. They-. Yeah, if the Eighties get that far with even a fraction of their forces intact they'll just run over the whole place. The gangs of New Reno can fight, but outside of a handful of mercenary companies they have hardly any professional soldiers. And hardly any fortifications outside of the Isotope Chapter-controlled Sierra Army Depot. The best bet would be for them to send mercenaries to defend Vault City while they fortify themselves, but I don't know if I can talk Mr. Bishop into that.

He's had 'help' from the Hubologists, so 'nudging' him into agreement is out of the question as well.

And if they come here… Then we'll fire up the Dream Twister again. We'd catch a lot of their slaves in the area of affect if we did… But that's a big army.

"And then?"

I shrug. "My people will be fighting them either way. Slavers have no place in the America I want to build."

"Then I am fortunate that the Ammonites no longer have slaves."

Ammonites used to enslave captives, but they didn't usually stay slaves once they earned their place in the tribe. They acquired an unusually large number during their move towards New Canaan because they were fighting an unusually large number of people, but they were mostly left doing what they were doing before and if you walked through the area even before their conversion you might not be aware that the people around you were slaves at all. Once the White Legs became the Ammonites their slaves were freed if they accepted baptism, which just about all of them did.

The Eighties definitely have slaves. War captives, debtors, people they buy from slave traders, they're not all that fussy. But skilled slaves are generally treated pretty well and the children of slaves aren't slaves in turn. Vault City doesn't have slavery, and First Citizen Lynette has removed some of the legal restrictions on the servant class. New Reno doesn't have 'slavery', but it does have a number of ways to put yourself in debt bondage. Though not as many as there used to be, now that they're cozying up to the NCR.

"You became a better man during your campaign. It isn't a matter of fortune." I consider the map again. "I will send saboteurs as well as intelligence gatherers. I would have preferred to wait until the war with the Legion was over, but we may as well deal with them now."

"My people will need time to ready themselves."

"I will not be acting directly against their army. My people will be avoiding direct confrontation to try and slow their war preparations. And I will have to ask the Brain to assist with that. I would suggest that you prepare defences along the border; things that can stop their vehicles." He nods. "The Sky Walkers don't have a great many anti-tank weapons in storage, but the NCR might. They aren't really needed against the Legion. I'll talk to them about sending them your way."

"And what will their aid cost the Ammonites?"

"They will probably ask for a number of things, including formally allying with them. I suggest offering only to fight the Eighties, because they are in no position to argue for more. But, there is wisdom in allying with them, now that you are building a nation for your people."

"M." He nods. "I will discuss this with the elders of the Ammonites. You will share with me what you learn."

"Of course. Now, on a more cheerful note, Tears and I have agreed to marry."

He frowns. "I thought that you had done so already."

"So did a lot of people. All I had agreed to was to court her, as while Doki is a surprisingly good judge of compatibility she doesn't actually understand humans. But we have discussed the matter at length and believe that our marriage will be a good one."

He smiles reservedly. "That is good. When can I meet your father?"

Ah. "That's… Not possible. My parents…" I shrug and shake my head. I don't want to lie, but understanding what happened is probably a little beyond him.

"I see." He nods sympathetically. "Well then. Once the war with the Eighties is over, you and I must hunt together."

"I would be delighted."

And then we shake hands, and prepare for war.

Chojin Patriarch · Jun 8, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
29th November 2282
20:33 MST

Yep, that's a photograph of the Chief Thunderbird's flagpole. A group of Eighties… They're a collection of raider bands so they're not exactly soldiers, but this group report to Thunderbird directly. Around it are the flags of the other warbands of the Eighties, and a little further away…

The battle standards of each band, I take it. An easy way of identifying who's at a particular gathering, and where their leaders are camped out. Though not right on top, because one shot from a mortar could wipe them out easily. Evidently Krono's craft have been observing things.

The golden bull on a red background, and a group of people dressed as legionaries. And there's also the flag of Two Sun.

"Ah."

'Two Sun', huh? Well, that is technically how the city of Tucson, Arizona's name is pronounced...

Balm-Upon-Wounds regards me stony-faced. "You know these men."

I point to a man talking to a group of Eighties mechanics. "I know that man. Wyatt the Demon. The greatest driver of the Cult of Nas, the priesthood of Two Sun. Before the war between the NCR and the Legion, they held a great race. Thunderbird was one of the racers, as was Wyatt. They likely met there."

Cult of Nas, huh? I bet things out that way look like a Mad max film, but with more driving in circles?

"Do you believe that this is simply a matter of fellowship, then?"

I shake my head. "No. Two Sun are fighting-." I take a map out of my coat and spread it out on the table. Mugs serve to weigh down the corners. "Here." I point to north west Mexico. "General Vialla and the NCR expeditionary force are pushing up from the south, here." If not all that enthusiastically in the General's case. "Caesar is using the Two Sun's greater mobility to counter-attack and raid their supply lines while his legionaries hold the line. The strategy is working somewhat, but it's not enough to stop the attack completely and he's being pushed back. He wouldn't have sent Wyatt this far north for a holiday at a time like this."

Using the drivers as the old legions used cavalry, eh? Probably a bit more efficient, of course.

Balm nods. "Then what does this mean for the Ammonites, and for Utah?"

"There are two things that it could mean, and I do not know Thunderbird's mind well enough to tell which it is. The first is that Thunderbird is considering allying with Caesar's Legion. It won't be much of an alliance; the Legion dislikes advanced technology and machinery, while the Eighties respect drivers and mechanics immensely. Their cultures are irreconcilable, and there's no reason for Thunderbird to play second fiddle. Not with the Legion being battered as it is."

I don't see the motorheads setting aside their cars. And unlike animal-mounted cavalry, cars aren't exactly going to be troubled by troops in close formation.

"Why would he do it at all?"

"As the NCR expended, it fought and drove out a lot of raider groups." I point to Sac City, in the north of the NCR. "This is where the Eighties come from. The ranchers in this area got fed up with having their herds raided and so signed up with the NCR, who threw the Eighties out. They'd probably quite like to get it back, and Caesar only needs the central part of the NCR to consider his victory complete. With the majority of the NCR's army in Arizona, this part is relatively lightly defended. If they come to terms, he could launch a very damaging attack." I exhale slowly. "I will have to show this to Ambassador Edith."

He may find his people called upon to provide aerial discouragement. I also assume Sac city is Sacramento. Guess it's been able to expand a bit.

"Then I do not need to be concerned."

"No, you do. Because the other alternative is that Wyatt is negotiating a safe harbour for his people because he thinks that Caesar is going to lose. And from what little I've heard of the Eighties, a significant part of their population is perfectly content living in Utah… But not content with owning only part of Utah." I shrug. "Or perhaps he will do both; the Legion will aid him in conquering Utah, and only then will he go west. I will need to send agents into their territory to find out for certain."

Hopefully subtler than the ones you had watching the Pentagon.

Then again, they'll be dealing with hostiles, not potential allies.

The Eighties conquered Grabber Territory to the north of us a few of years ago, then mostly concentrated their expansionist efforts northward. To their immediate east are the Desert Rangers, Vault City and New Reno. The Desert Rangers have sent a lot of their rangers to Arizona to fight the Legion in an attempt to retake their own original home territory, but their borders are heavily fortified and their population centres are heavily fortified. The Eighties tanks could probably destroy the Ranger Citadel, if they can get through the minefield and tank trenches without taking a missile up the tailpipe. But if they scout with light vehicles, they could probably bypass most of the defences and reach NCR territory. It would stretch their supply lines dangerously, but it's worryingly possible.

And armoured vehicles would be a significant threat, especially in an era where heavy weapons are somewhat limited and unreliable without proper care.

Vault City's defences are much weaker, even though the Eighties drive through there when they fled California, attacking every settlement along the way. The Pale Folk and Cyclops Tribe have only been integrated into Vault City society relatively recently, and they're not much better defended than a random wasteland settlement. Vault City itself has a highly skilled and well equipped security force backed by robots, but it's small and I'm not sure that they'd deploy it away from Vault City itself. Their main way of fighting a large invasion would be handing The Brain control of their herds of naked mole rats again and ordering them to deal with their attackers. Naked mole rats could dig trenches to stop vehicles, if The Brain can handle coordinating them. But after fighting Cerberus and slaughtering a lot of the survivors to provide meat for the NCR army, they can't cover all of their core territory either. Their best bet would be undermining the major roads, slowing the advance as much as possible.

So many maybes and 'if they do this' guesses. The joy of an ever-unstable land.

Past Vault City is New Reno. They-. Yeah, if the Eighties get that far with even a fraction of their forces intact they'll just run over the whole place. The gangs of New Reno can fight, but outside of a handful of mercenary companies they have hardly any professional soldiers. And hardly any fortifications outside of the Isotope Chapter controlled Sierra Army Depot. The best bet would be for them to send mercenaries to defend Vault City while they fortify themselves, but I don't know if I can talk Mr. Bishop into that.

And that would take Speech 100, I bet. Even with quest items to lower the difficulty.

He's had 'help' from the Hubologists, so 'nudging' him into agreement is out of the question as well.

And if they come here… Then we'll fire up the Dream Twister again. We'd catch a lot of their slaves in the area of affect if we did… But that's a big army.

On the other hands, you control the sky. A few saucers with energy weapons beyond the elevation of their guns... It might be risky, but survivable, especially if they're fighting themselves.

"And then?"

I shrug. "My people will be fighting them either way. Slavers have no place in the America I want to build."

"Then I am fortunate that the Ammonites no longer have slaves."

A good sentiment, but in a barbaric land, it probably gets harder to get people to stick to that.

Ammonites used to enslave captives, but they didn't usually stay slaves once they earned their place in the tribe. They acquired an unusually large number during their move towards New Canaan because they were fighting an unusually large number of people, but they were mostly left doing what they were doing before and if you walked through the area even before their conversion you might not be aware that the people around you were slaves at all. Once the White Legs became the Ammonites their slaves were freed if they accepted baptism, which just about all of them did.

"They'll let me go if I agree to be nice and worship their god? Easy!" I have to wonder how many such conversions stuck. But I suppose if they treated those who did convert better... The carrot and the stick, and all that.

The Eighties definitely have slaves. War captives, debtors, people they buy from slave traders, they're not all that fussy. But skilled slaves are generally treated pretty well and the children of slaves aren't slaves in turn. Vault City doesn't have slavery, and First Citizen Lynette has removed some of the legal restrictions on the servant class. New Reno doesn't have 'slavery', but it does have a number of ways to put yourself in debt bondage. Though not as many as there used to be, now that they're cozying up to the NCR.

Who no doubt have the same views on slavery or 'indentured servitude' as Krono does, hmm?

"You became a better man during your campaign. It isn't a matter of fortune." I consider the map again. "I will send saboteurs as well as intelligence gatherers. I would have preferred to wait until the war with the Legion was over, but we may as well deal with them now."

"My people will need time to ready themselves."

Hope for peace, but prepare for war? Wise man.

"I will not be acting directly against their army. My people will be avoiding direct confrontation to try and slow their war preparations. And I will have to ask the Brain to assist with that. I would suggest that you prepare defences along the border; things that can stop their vehicles." He nods. "The Sky Walkers don't have a great many anti-tank weapons in storage, but the NCR might. They aren't really needed against the Legion. I'll talk to them about sending them your way."

The joy of having friends out here.

"And what will their aid cost the Ammonites?"

"They will probably ask for a number of things, including formally allying with them. I suggest offering only to fight the Eighties, because they are in no position to argue for more. But, there is wisdom in allying with them, now that you are building a nation for your people."

Because friends will help each other out... If it isn't too much trouble.

"M." He nods. "I will discuss this with the elders of the Ammonites. You will share with me what you learn."

"Of course. Now, on a more cheerful note, Tears and I have agreed to marry."

Ah, yes, good news sidetracked by bad. Such is life.

He frowns. "I thought that you had done so already."

"So did a lot of people. All I had agreed to was to court her, as while Doki is a surprisingly good judge of compatibility she doesn't actually understand humans. But we have discussed the matter at length and believe that our marriage will be a good one."

And if not, well... She no doubt has all she needs to prepare snares to catch a certain rabbit.

He smiles reservedly. "That is good. When can I meet your father?"

Ah. "That's… Not possible. My parents…" I shrug and shake my head. I don't want to lie, but understanding what happened is probably a little beyond him.

Probably not an uncommon thing out here.

"I see." He nods sympathetically. "Well then. Once the war with the Eighties is over, you and I must hunt together."

"I would be delighted."

And then we shake hands, and prepare for war.

Ah, hunting together. The best way to get to know your future son-in-law, and take his measure. In our time, it's more fishing trips and watching sports.

A good way to end a not-quite-a-war council, I suppose.

I imagine Balm-upon-wounds is the classic stony-faced fellow, not likely to let his happiness show as more than a slight crinkling of his eyes and an approving nod. Meanwhile, things look to be getting a little more uncertain in the region's politics. Perhaps coming together to beat down the Legion and the 'Eighties' will strengthen some alliances...

moralrelativity · Jun 8, 2024

Mr Zoat said:
As the NCR expended

expanded ?

Mr Zoat said:
even though the Eighties drive through there when they fled California

drive -> drove

Ngamer11 · Jun 8, 2024

@Mr Zoat, is Paul's free clinic for a short time only while he's free? Or will he be doing that semi-regularly whenever he's on Earth and has spare time?

Mr Zoat · Jun 8, 2024

moralrelativity said:
expanded ?
drive -> drove

Thank you, corrected.

Ngamer11 said:
@Mr Zoat, is Paul's free clinic for a short time only while he's free? Or will he be doing that semi-regularly whenever he's on Earth and has spare time?

Probably both.

With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

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