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He turned and made his way back toward the heart of Diamond City, his mind already running through the list of contacts he could tap for supplies. This was going to take more than just manpower—it was going to take resources, planning, and a hell of a lot of work.
The next day, the clang of hammers and the whirring of power tools filled the air as Sico oversaw Sturges and his crew working on the watchtowers and reinforcing the defenses at Diamond City's main gate. The skeletal frames of the towers were starting to take proper shape, their reinforced beams promising stability against both weather and enemy fire. Sandbags were being stacked strategically, and scrap metal plating was welded onto vulnerable spots.
Sico stood with his arms crossed, scanning the progress with a satisfied nod. This was exactly what Diamond City needed—an iron grip on its security, a clear message to anyone stupid enough to challenge them.
Sarah approached from behind, her boots crunching against the dirt. "Looks like everything's coming along fast," she remarked, watching Sturges yell instructions at a group of workers lifting a heavy support beam.
"They're good," Sico replied, turning toward her. "Another day or two, and this place will be as fortified as a damn Brotherhood outpost."
Sarah smirked but then grew more serious. "Porter Gage is trying to reach you. He says it's important—wants to update you on the situation at Nuka-World."
Sico's brow furrowed slightly. The last time he was there, the Minutemen had crushed the raider factions and secured the park, leaving Gage and Shank in charge of reconstruction and stabilization. If Gage was reaching out now, something had to be up.
"Alright," he said, motioning for her to lead the way. "Let's hear what he has to say."
They made their way through Diamond City's winding streets toward the radio room, a small but well-equipped communications hub tucked near the market. The room was dimly lit, the warm glow of radio dials and flickering monitors casting long shadows against the walls.
A Minuteman radio operator saluted as they entered. "We've got Gage on a secure channel, sir."
Sico stepped forward, grabbing the radio receiver. "Gage, you there?"
A familiar gruff voice came through the static. "Damn right I am. Been tryin' to get ahold of you, boss. Figured you'd want to know how things are goin' on our end."
Sico leaned against the table. "So, tell me. How's Nuka-World holding up?"
Gage let out a low chuckle. "Under control, but we had some loose ends to tie up. Those last few raiders that ran off after we wiped out the gangs? Yeah, we tracked 'em down and put 'em in the dirt. Couldn't let 'em regroup and come back for revenge. The Minutemen boys we got stationed here did a damn fine job cleaning 'em out."
Sico nodded. "Good. We don't need any remnants causing problems."
"That's what I figured," Gage said. "Now that the raiders are history, we're focusin' on expansion. This place is too damn big for the 250 soldiers you left behind, so we're bringing in more recruits to keep it locked down. We're settin' up proper barracks, patrol routes—hell, even got Shank reorganizing the logistics so we can keep the park running smoothly."
Sarah folded her arms, glancing at Sico. "Sounds like they've got things handled."
Gage continued, "Not just security—we're also ramping up production. We started buildin' an ammunition, weapons, armor, and vehicle factory right here in Nuka-World. Gotta make sure we've got the firepower to hold this place long-term."
Sico raised an eyebrow. "Vehicles?"
"Damn straight," Gage said, a hint of pride in his voice. "Trucks, Humvees—the kind of shit we need to move troops fast and hit hard if we ever have to. If we get a surplus, we'll send supplies to Sanctuary. We figure it's better to be overprepared than underarmed."
Sico couldn't help but grin. "Now that's what I like to hear. Keep those factories running, Gage. If we can turn Nuka-World into a proper manufacturing hub, we'll have a supply line strong enough to outfit the entire Commonwealth."
Gage chuckled. "That's the plan, boss. We'll keep you updated on production numbers and surplus shipments. Anything else you need from us?"
Sico leaned forward slightly, gripping the radio receiver as he considered Gage's report. Securing Nuka-World had been the easy part—what really mattered now was ensuring its long-term stability. Weapons and vehicles were all well and good, but they wouldn't mean much if the civilians there were still struggling to survive.
"How's the civilian situation?" Sico asked. "Last time I was there, most of 'em were either former slaves or folks who got caught in the crossfire. You making sure they're taken care of?"
There was a brief pause before Gage responded. "Yeah, boss. I know what you're gettin' at. We didn't just clear out the raiders and call it a day. We've been workin' to turn this place into a real settlement—one that people actually wanna live in. Those poor bastards who spent years under the gangs? They're free now, and you wouldn't believe how different they look. No more chains, no more fear. They're startin' to build real lives for themselves."
Sico exchanged a glance with Sarah, who gave him an approving nod.
Gage continued, "And we ain't the only ones who noticed. Word's gotten around that Nuka-World's safe now, and we've got traders comin' in from all over. The market's booming—hell, some of these merchants say they haven't seen a place this well-defended since before the war. We got people settin' up shops, sellin' food, weapons, supplies—you name it."
Sico allowed himself a small smile. "That's what I like to hear. But if we've got that many people coming in, we need to make sure we can sustain 'em. Have you started up farming yet?"
"Damn right we have," Gage said with a chuckle. "Shank and I figured the Safari Adventure area was perfect for farmland—lots of open space, easy to defend. We've already got people growin' mutfruits, tatos, and some other crops. Even managed to get a few brahmin after buyin' 'em off traders."
"Brahmin, huh?" Sico mused. "That'll help with food and trade. But what about livestock? Nuka-World always had some… unique creatures."
Gage let out a bark of laughter. "Oh yeah, we ain't ignorin' that. You remember that cloning machine they had? The one they used on those damn gazelles?"
"Yeah," Sico said, his eyes narrowing in thought.
"Well, turns out it still works," Gage said, amusement clear in his voice. "We got it runnin' again, and we've been usin' it to breed more livestock. Gazelles ain't exactly brahmin, but they're fast, tough, and don't eat as much. The settlers are startin' to get creative with how they use 'em—some folks are even trainin' 'em to pull carts."
Sarah raised an eyebrow. "That's actually… smart. A solid alternative to brahmin."
"Damn right," Gage said. "And don't worry, we ain't leavin' the farm unguarded. Shank's got a hundred Minutemen soldiers stationed there, makin' sure no one gets any funny ideas."
Sico nodded, pleased with the progress. "Good. Now tell me about water. Food's one thing, but without clean water, we're screwed."
"We thought of that too," Gage assured him. "Mags and William Black are runnin' the Nuka-Cola Bottling Plant. We turned that place into our main water purification site. They got their men guardin' it, and it's producin' a steady supply of clean water."
"That's what I wanted to hear," Sico said. "If we keep that running, we won't just have enough for ourselves—we can trade surplus water for even more supplies."
"That's the idea," Gage agreed. "And we're already makin' a decent profit off it. We split the caps fifty-fifty with the Minutemen—figured that was fair, seein' as we wouldn't even have this setup without you."
Sico smirked. "You're learning, Gage. That's good. Keep things running smooth over there. I want Nuka-World to be more than just a secure base—I want it to be an economic powerhouse. If we can turn it into a trade hub, we won't just be defendin' the Commonwealth—we'll be runnin' it."
There was a moment of silence before Gage responded, his voice laced with something between amusement and admiration. "You really ain't playin' around, huh? Alright, boss. We'll keep pushin'. You just keep doin' what you do best."
Sico chuckled. "I plan to."
Sico tapped his fingers on the radio receiver, thinking over everything Gage had told him. Nuka-World was turning into something real—a place people could live and thrive, not just another ruin in the wasteland. But that also meant it was going to attract attention, and not just from traders.
He let out a breath and leaned forward. "What about the Brotherhood of Steel? The Institute? Have you seen any signs of them poking around?"
There was a pause on the other end before Gage finally answered. "Yeah… about that. We've seen some Brotherhood vertibirds flyin' around. They weren't close enough to cause trouble, but they were definitely scoutin' us. Circlin' for a while, then peelin' off like they'd seen enough."
Sico's jaw tightened. That wasn't good news. The Brotherhood didn't just "look" at things. If they were watching, they were considering whether Nuka-World was a threat—or something they could take for themselves.
Sarah, who had been listening quietly, crossed her arms. "That means they're interested. They're probably gathering intel before deciding whether to engage. And if they think Nuka-World's got something they want, they won't hesitate to come in force."
Sico nodded. "Yeah. And if Maxson's still running the show, then we know exactly how he thinks. He's not the type to just let a place like this exist if he doesn't control it."
Gage's voice crackled through the radio. "Yeah, that's what I figured. I've got our guys keepin' an eye on the skies, makin' sure we don't get caught with our pants down. But so far, they ain't made a move—just watchin'."
That was the problem. The Brotherhood never struck first without a plan. They gathered intel, assessed their enemy, and only attacked when they were damn sure they could win. Sico had seen it before, and he wasn't about to let them catch him off guard.
"What about the Institute?" Sico asked, his voice dropping slightly. "They're quieter than the Brotherhood, but they're way more dangerous if they're watching us."
Gage let out a sigh. "No signs of 'em. No coursers, no synth infiltrators—nothin'. But that don't mean they ain't playin' from the shadows. You know how those bastards operate. They won't come knockin' on the front door; they'll just replace the damn doorman before you even notice."
Sico clenched his jaw. The Brotherhood was predictable in their aggression, but the Institute? They could be inside Nuka-World already, watching, waiting, seeing how things played out before making their move.
"We can't take that risk," Sico said. "I want a full security sweep. Everyone gets checked—settlers, traders, even our own men. No one gets in without a proper scan."
"Already ahead of you," Gage said. "Shank and I started doin' random checks on new arrivals, just to be sure. So far, no red flags. But if the Institute's involved, we won't know until they make a move."
Sico sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. Keep the Brotherhood on watch and stay paranoid about the Institute. If either of them makes a move, I want to be the first to know."
"You got it, boss," Gage said. "Anything else?"
Sico thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Nah. Just keep the work going. Nuka-World's coming together, but we need to stay ahead of the game. If we can hold this place, we won't just be another faction fighting for scraps—we'll be running the damn Commonwealth."
Gage let out a short laugh. "Damn right. I'll keep you posted if anything changes. Stay safe out there."
"You too," Sico said before handing the radio back to the Minuteman operator.
As the transmission cut off, he turned to Sarah. "We need to prepare for trouble. The Brotherhood's watching, and if the Institute's interested, we won't know until it's too late."
She nodded. "We should start reinforcing our outer defenses. More watchtowers, better checkpoints. Maybe even some automated turrets in key locations."
Sico smiled. "Already ahead of you."
Together, they left the radio room, stepping back into the heart of Diamond City. The work never stopped, and neither could they. The Commonwealth was changing—and Sico intended to be the one shaping its future.
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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:-