[center][h3]T H E   E N C L A V E[/h3][color=707687][b][sub]Huron Base, Michigan, Enclave Eastern Headquarters[/sub][/b][/color]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/OHgwBbk.jpg[/img][/center][hr][hr]

[b]D[/b]eep within the Huron Forest, once a place of great beauty among nature now reduced to fallen trees, overgrown weeds and marshland, lies the Enclaves Eastern base of operations, Huron Base. Inside the steel walls of the underground site, men and women in the well-kept uniforms of Enclave staff and officers hurried past each other in the hallways to their posts. For a long time now, the base had remained dormant, awaiting orders from the central leadership. Too long. Today, the base would awaken from its slumber, eagerly awaiting not only their first orders, but the arrival of General Redwine.

[b]T[/b]he command room saw the most activity. Its walls of cold steel were hidden by maps stuck to it, and various active computer screens lined across the room. Desks, organised in neat rows, filled the center of the room while the various Enclave staff scrambled past one another from one computer to the next, collecting and processing various pieces of information. At the front of the room stood a young man, apparently directing the efforts. Calmly folding his hands behind his back, he stood behind several seated individuals at their own computers as they accessed the Enclave communication network. Rudimentary compared to the communication systems of the United States, it now remained as one of the premier communication networks still active across the wastes. Suddenly, a repetitive beep sounded from one of the screens, signalling an alert of some sort. The figure opposite the screen receiving the alert turned his attention to the commanding officer stood behind him, "Sir. The command has come through."

"Finally. Signal the operational alarm. The men have been briefed."

[b]I[/b]mmediately, the slow, repetitive wail of a siren echoed across the base. Springing to action, various soldiers Enclave left their dormitories in orderly formation as they proceeded to arm themselves and step into the infamous power armor of the Enclave. It was not long before the force of some thirty men had prepared themselves, and the group made their way to the hangar before splitting into two vertibirds. Through their headsets, the grainy voice of their expedition leader addressed them, "You were all present at the briefing, and you know what it is we must do. I want a perimeter set up around the ruins of the research and development complex as soon as we land. Our preliminary investigations have shown that there is a built-up settlement based near, and around, the complex. Pheonix Squadron, you will eradicate the mutants while Raptor Squadron searches the complex. No slip-ups. This is what you've trained for. Over and out." 

[b]A[/b]lmost as soon as the instructions ceased, the familiar whir of the vertibird engines kicked in as the hangar doors gradually opened. The Enclave, finally, was back.[hr][center][color=707687][b][sub]Ultra Lux Casino, New Vegas, The Free Economic Zone of the Mojave[/sub][/b][/color][/center]

[b]M[/b]allory remained seated with his arms folded as the events unfolded before him. He couldn't help but feel somewhat a little taken aback by the actions of the NCR, though he wasn't complaining. Certainly, the chaos caused by the NCR in the west would play to the advantage of the Enclave. [i]Fools[/i], he thought. If anything, this conference was concrete proof that America needed to be united under one banner once more. They were like children. Arrogant, stupid, fiercely independent. But most of all, unable to see the big picture. That would be their downfall, of that Mallory was certain.

[b]H[/b]e could not help but smirk for a brief moment as the representatives from the savage Jaded 'Empire' entered the room. They had no idea of the reckoning that was coming for them. Truth be told, Mallory paid little attention to much of the convention, greatly uninterested in the squabbles of lesser beings. Witnessing the spectacular fight between a member of the NCR and some savage, however, proved greatly entertaining. Allowing a loud, surprised laugh to echo through the room, Mallory clapped his hands together for a brief moment, reveling in the chaotic situation. It was not long before the securitrons had contained the situation, however, and Mallory found himself resigned once more to boredom. 

[b]R[/b]ising from his seat as the various factions began to retreat from the conference for more private discussions, Mallory too headed silently for his own suite. He almost felt a slight sympathy for the assembled delegates. They thought the future was theirs to command.[hr][center][color=707687][b][sub]Ann Arbor Settlement, Michigan, The Jaded Empire[/sub][/b][/color][/center]

[i]"Disgusting"[/i], remarked one Enclave soldier of Pheonix Squad to another as they stood in the center of what was once a relatively prosperous settlement for the Jaded Empire. Around them was the chaos of a battlefield. Primitive homes and fields were ablaze, and corpses of the settlers lay scattered on the ground. Screams echoed throughout the wind as some desperately tried to flee with their loved ones, while others took up their simple rifles in a desperate attempt to defend what was once theirs. They would have had as much success were they to lob rocks at the Enclave soldiers, with their bullets barely chipping the advanced power armour. To the soldiers of Pheonix Squadron, it was a sporting exercise. The settlers of Ann Arbor were the day's game.

[b]T[/b]he vertibirds had landed in the settlement only moments ago, allowing the Enclave soldiers to storm out with the element of surprise. Barely having time to react, some settlers froze in fear, whilst others attempted to run for their lives. Families struggled to find one another amidst the gunfire, smoke and confusion and despite the cries for mercy, the fight raged on. Enclave soldiers moved from building to building. One soldier, with a chilling calm about him, threw a cluster of grenades into a home of metal scrap, silencing the screams from within. Another raised his gatling laser, firing aimlessly into a group of fleeing settlers. "Run!", screamed a father dressed in the simple rags of a farmer to his family, before a stray laser bolt scalded his back and threw him to the ground lifelessly. Such atrocities, to the Enclave, were a necessity. 

[b]O[/b]utside the university complex, Raptor Squadron assembled and prepared to enter the ruins as the massacre of the settlement not far from them continued on. "Alright!", yelled what can be assumed to be the captain of Raptor Squadron to his men, "Tight formation, keep an eye out for these mutants. Head for the old research buildings, and get [i]every[/i] document, folder and item of interest you can find. Let's move!" On the order, the squadron moved into the complex and began their search, ransacking each room for things of value to the Enclave. What they were looking for, was not particularly clear.

[b]N[/b]ot completing their search for several hours, various items and collections of documents were shuttled to the vertibirds by the soldiers throughout the duration of the search. Finally having deemed everything of worth had been collected, the squad reassembled outside of the complex and made their way to the vertibirds, joined by their colleagues of Pheonix Squadron. A dreadful silence lay in the air as black smoke rose into the sky from the ruined settlement. The chaos of battle now transformed into an eerie peace, the quiet was broken by the vertibird engines as the Enclave prepared to leave.

[b]S[/b]ignalling to for his soldiers to board the vertibirds, the commander surveyed the slaughter before him before boarding himself.

"Good work, men."