Steel Waste Chapter 621
Advertisement
Tamia shakes her head, "It's not about chances, it's about rising above our wants to make something greater. Before I arrived at New Vegas, it was as corrupt, as cruel, and as unforgiving as any slum... But, after working with House, speaking and... Removing some families... It's not just a place where you can piss away your caps... It has potential!" she earnestly says.
Ulysses slowly nods, "Your actions have carried conviction, as well as the strength to enforce them. But you are mistaken if you think the Families will continue their ways. You were forced to use violence to prevent the White Gloves from engaging in cannibalism again... Who knows when they will step back on that road... You also helped destroy the Chairman in the Tops for revenge. Hypocritical, considering the Chairman were among the most civilized family in the strip." he states.
Tamia sighs, knowing that she was indeed being hypocritical to argue this front... Ulysses wants revenge for almost killing him, and she wanted revenge against Benny for almost killing her... Sure, both were caught between something bigger, but either way, the result remains the same. "I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm human, just like you, ruled by my emotions... Benny didn't just kill me, he stole my history from me. He robbed me of every memory of my family, who I was, my goals, my dreams... He didn't just murder me, he erased who I was from existence... Tell me, Ulysses, are our situations really comparable?" she asks, trying to tug on his obsession for history.
Ulysses looks at the ground in contemplation before shaking his head, "No... You may have robbed me of my future. The future of the Divide. But I kept my history, at least. Enough to learn from." he states. "But. My point still stands. The Tops is in a state of disrepair, the Omertas will not last past the war. And the Ultralux will be tempted to continue the old ways again.
Advertisement
You reject the ways of the Legion on moral grounds, rejecting slavery for its inherent evil... But nothing would change, aside from the collars which men will wear. From chains around their necks. To chains around their wallets. Vegas is bound to fail, especially if the NCR is forced out of the Mojave."
"Bulwark can help pick up the slack after the war... We have the technology to achieve anything and the skills to protect it! And it isn't like New Vegas will remain as it is either! We will change it for the better, force it to stop being reliant on income from the families!"
"I know where your technology comes from. And I know that any deal you made with those... Creatures, will not last." the man gravely says.
"W-wait what? How do you know that?" she asks in confusion.
Ulysses points a finger, "The symbol on your chest, you might have altered it, but it still resembles them. Those monsters of the past..."
Tamia shakes her head, "You mean the Think Tank? Those egg heads?"
Ulysses nods, "Your manner of addressing them belies what they truly are. Out of all the creatures I have met during my travels, it is they who deserve extermination the most... Quickly followed by Tunnelers. Their threat to humanity even escapes me, which... Frightens me."
"You don't need to worry about them! Afton has them under lock and key... They work for him under constant supervision, and aren't able to even think without someone knowing about it." she says with max confidence.
Ulysses breathes a sigh, "You claim to have tamed those monsters? Foolish. It was only their ignorance of the world outside their facility that prevented them from starting another apocalypse..." he states.
Advertisement
Tamia shakes her head, "Trust me, they aren't going anywhere... I could even show you, if you helped stop the Nukes." she offers.
Ulysses slumps his shoulders, "I am not convinced. Vegas is a failed project, it will be like the old world, with Kings sitting at the top surrounded by squalor and waste. How would it be any different to the Bear?"
Tamia bites her lip, her eyes flitting between the nukes... She knew time was getting shorter and shorter... Urgh! She shakes her head and locks eyes with Ulysses, "Didn't you say that I breathed life into the Divide? Well, I can do it again with New Vegas! And you can be a part of it too! We're both Couriers, we both contributed to the Divide!... So let's do the same with New Vegas!" she almost shouts, desperation and conviction appearing on her face.
...
Ulysses nods, "History has proven this. Our history. And you think you have this strength? Enough to hold up the NCR, long enough so that Vegas can live again? Even if you speak for Vegas and its ghosts, convincing me achieves nothing. The Missiles will continue their journey."
Tamia shakes her head, "You've already shown me that one person can make, or break a nation. So why not be that person? If you believe me incapable of building something as potentially great as the Divide, come, observe, and assist. We don't need to fight, we both lost something when the Divide was destroyed, even if I don't remember it..."
...
"Perhaps... There is much destruction written in the earth here... But maybe you are right... Maybe it is time to rebuild... Would you be capable of breathing life into Vegas, like you had the Divide? I do not know. But... I think I will watch, learn. I wish to see a nation born from the Divides ashes... Can you do that?"
"I don't know. But I'll give it my damn best shot, I swear it!" she exclaims, hitting her armoured chest with her fist as a sign of determination.
Ulysses nods, "You have spoken truly... There is a shadow of a nation behind you, the hope of a people... Yet, it may matter not."
*Baang!*
"The Divide is still against us." he states as the doors behind Tamia explode, revealing many flayed men all wielding weaponry.
"What!?" she exclaims, rushing towards Ulysses and taking cover beside him as the flayed men prepare their attack.
Advertisement
- In Serial154 Chapters
Silhouette
WARNING: THIS STORY HAS A SLOW START. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. We all grew up hearing stories about heroes and villains, but what would we do if we were to be part of one? One night, a bioweapon escaped from its laboratory in Zalcien, only to die in a dark alley. One night, a young man lent a helping hand, only to die alone in the dark. One night, a deity of death saw two lost souls and offered one a second chance in the other's body. Now a strange creature made of darkness, James has to deal with his new form in a strange new world where superpowers, heroes and villains are commonplace, far away from his home. Watch as he learns how to use his powers, as he meets allies and enemies and how, when facing the paths of heroism and villainy, he chooses a third way somewhere in between. Follow the story of James, a lost Earthling soul, as he becomes Silhouette, the mysterious power in the shadows. Greetings fellow humans. This is my first story on Royal Road and my first long-term project written in English, so I do hope you will have some mercy in your heart when reading. So, as you may have understood, this is a story with super-heroes - which is quite ironic for my first story considering all of the other ones planned are fantasy - and as such will take place in a modern-like setting. Despite dark themes and gory scenes making their way into the story, it is still a super-hero world with the logic that matches, so expect characters to survive nuclear explosions without a scratch and yet to get defeated by a rubber ducky - as well as similar dark humor, thus the comedy part.
8 357 - In Serial10 Chapters
Fairy-Elf Enigma
Miles is reluctantly recruited by Elle to be part of her Adventuring Team in hopes that he can speak to the woman he fell in love with. The only problem is that she is dead, but Elle may know a way.
8 162 - In Serial41 Chapters
We dream of Worlds
In the cold silence between the stars, millions of passengers aboard the Long Shot reside in stasis. While their bodies are protected from the ravages of time, their minds are far more fragile. To protect their sanity, they are connected to the ships network. Full depth Virtual Reality. But to ward of boredom we do what humans do best. We seek out entertainment, we fight, and we explore. In short, we game.But for Darin who just came off a maintenance shift, its a different story. In the Net time passes much more swiftly, so now he's late to the game, behind the curve, and nearly friendless. Upon joining the MMO """"Dreams of a Forgotten World"""" Darin finds that his problems have only just begun. But on the bright side, at least you can always respawn...
8 94 - In Serial38 Chapters
Infinity Loop
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to start over? To be able to redo any mistake you've ever made? To have every wrong done to you, suddenly become undone? I used to. I used to imagine what it would be like to relive any past moment. To have my life play out the exact way I wanted it to. Let me tell you something.It isn't what it's cracked up to be. From the Author of DIVE.
8 154 - In Serial31 Chapters
Danganronpa V3 Boyfriend Scenarios
In this book:-Shuichi-Rantaro-Keebo-Kaito-Kokichi
8 205 - In Serial8 Chapters
Lighters // Adopted by Frank Iero
Kai's life seems to be getting slightly harder, until Frank Iero comes along, but its not all bands and great music from then.
8 67

