Chapter 2: Come fly with me

Excerpt from “How the Mojave was won”; Lucky 38 Museum

Just under 10 miles to the Northeast of Vegas stands Nellis Air Force Base, home to the eccentric clan of former vault dwellers known as the Boomers, and cornerstone of the Mojave Alliance Defence Agreement. At the beginning of the war, Nellis Air Force Base scrambled an enormous number of fighters and bombers to respond to the missile launch. None of those planes ever returned. Additionally, despite the best efforts of the late Robert Edwin House, some of the missiles that struck the greater Las Vegas area impacted near Nellis. As a result, the area was not an attractive site for salvagers after the war.

A little over fifty years before the Second battle of Hoover Dam, a group of dissidents from Vault 34 struck out on their own and started using Nellis as a base. After a long time, they eventually decided to call Nellis their home. They learned a great deal of information from the records at Nellis and used the information to open the weapons storehouses at Area 2 and the Hawthorne Army Depot. The result of their efforts was an enormous stockpile of heavy ordnance, artillery, and small nuclear weapons.
Due to the tribe’s paranoia, hostility, and excessive reverence for explosives, the New Vegas locals started calling them “Boomers”. The Boomers didn’t mind the name as long as it meant people kept their distance. No matter who approaches them, the Boomers have the same response: artillery. While the Boomers’ attitude kept away trouble, all of the major players around New Vegas want to get on the tribe’s good side. The Boomers have a clean water supply from Lake Mead, power from solar panels inside the base, and thriving farms that they’ve learned to develop “the hard way” over the decades they’ve been in the base. Once, the NCR attempted to shut off the Boomers’ water supply. The Boomers’ response was to shell sections of the NCR’s water pipeline in eastern New Vegas. The NCR promptly restored the flow.

After that experiment, no one would attempt to approach Nellis until 2281, when The Courier successfully evaded the Boomer’s howitzer barrage and approached the gates of the base. After talking his way out of being obliterated, The Courier earned their trust by, among other things, supplying them with a B-29 bomber. After the Second Battle of Hoover Dam, The Boomers entered talks with the newly minted Republic of Vegas, formally entering MADA on January 27, 2283.
While Searchlight Airport, Camp Mccarran, and Henderson Bunker all possess vertibird launching capabilities, Nellis possesses the only fully usable airstrip in the Mojave: Searchlight has yet to be fully repaired, and the walls surrounding Camp Mccarran have yet to be expanded to allow airstrip access. This makes Nellis one of the most important, and heavily defended, military bases in the entire Mojave, second only to Hoover Dam itself. This also makes the Boomers one of the most influential members of the Mojave Alliance Defense Agreement.

Nellis AFB houses the majority of the Mojave Alliance Air Force, containing multiple truck planes, fighter jets and, of course, the infamous B-29 Superfortress, now dubbed ‘The Lady of the Lake’. In addition to the Air Force, the Boomers possess a significant portion of the Mojave's long-range artillery and heavy ordinance.

Princess Luna was already apprehensive about following the flying monstrosities that greeted them over the mountains. She became even more nervous when she realized they were leading them away from the city.

“Excuse me?”

They did not respond. She cleared her throat, raising her voice to just under Royal Canterlot Voice levels of volume

“EXCUSE ME?”

Shreereeeeeech

“Yes?”

“Where are we going? Why are you leading us away from the city?”

“We are flying to a landing zone 10 miles from the city. From there we will negotiate the terms of you stay. This is to minimize potential risks to the citizens of New Vegas.”

“Please,” Princess Luna pleaded, “We wish no harm upon you, we are no risk to your little ponies. We must get to the city, or my guard will surely perish!”

“There will be medical facilities at the LZ. We will provide aid and shelter for your injured.”

Princess Luna allowed herself a sigh of relief. She would not lose any of her guard. Not again.

“No, Raquel, we aren't going to blow the outsiders up! Not again!”

Raquel scoffed. “Worked out fine last time…”

“No, Raquel, it did not work out fine last time. Do you have any idea how close we got to a war with the NCR after that? We’re lucky he turned out to be a Frumentarius! Not to mention how long it took us to clean the mess off the vertibirds.”

Raquel let a small grin slip onto her face. “The affairs of the NCR doesn't concern Nellis, and neither do Vegas’s. Last I checked, Mother Pearl is in charge, not you,” she said, with a hint of smugness in her voice.

The Courier did not respond. Raquel smiled internally. She had finally beaten him. That silver-tongued outsider finally had nothing to say! Maybe now she could convince Mother Pearl to withdraw from that stupid allian-

“What if…”

Dammit Dammit Dammit Dammit Dammit!

“What if we made a deal?”

Raquel pushed down her frustration and spat out, “Well?”

“How about this: you stop blowing up foreign diplomats, and I solve your munitions shortages. Permanently.”

Raquel’s eyes widened under her T-57c power armored helmet. She thought, for a moment, that that would be impossible, but she knew better. She hadn't believed it when he said he would clear out an entire colony of exploding fire ants, but then he did it. She hadn't believed that he could get Loyal functioning solar panels for the generator building, but then he did it. She hadn't believed it when he said he would raise The Lady from the Lake, but he did it.

When The Courier said he was going to do something, he would do it. And worst of all, she knew it was a fair deal. He would get them a reliable supply of ammunition and explosives, and all they had to do was stop blowing up his visitors. It was a very good deal: one where everyone got what they wanted and walked away satisfied. There was no way she could turn it down.

And it infuriated her.

Still, to her credit, she went down swinging. “And how exactly do you plan to make good on that?” She growled through gritted teeth.

If The Courier noticed her tone, (and she knew almost for a fact that he did) he didn't show it. “Simple. You produce a lot of surplus crops, correct?”

Raquel nodded.

“Wonderful. There’s an organization called the Gun Runners with a branch just north of Vegas. They will be willing to trade munitions for your extra crops. And don't worry about quality, the Gun Runners take pride in producing quality ammunition and weapons.”

Raquel sighed. She knew she had been beaten. “I'll talk to Mother Pearl about it. You talk to these ‘Gun Runners’ about-

Ringringring

The ringing caught her off guard, and she whirled around to find it’s source: a small, flying metal ball. Raquel blinked. She recognized the robot, The Courier had brought it to Nellis before, but she didn't even notice it approach.

Ringringring

The Courier sighed, and held up a finger. “Hang on. I gotta take this.”

As he approached the eyebot, a panel dropped out from its ‘belly’ and presented a telephone. A particularly boxy telephone with an exposed wire connecting to the robot, but a telephone nonetheless.

“Yeah?” Raquel leaned forward, straining to hear the voice on the other end. She couldn't make out the words, but it sounded remarkably cheery. “Did they? … When do they start? Thursday? … Magnificent. Thanks, Yes Man.”

The Courier gave his robot the phone back and turned back to Raquel. She immediately straightened, attempting to regain some form of composure. “So… who was that?”

“That was… my assistant. He was just speaking to the Gun Runners about our deal. They say they're ready and willing to begin dealing with you.”

“…”

“…”

“You planned this entire conversation, didn't you?”

The Courier chuckled. It was a smug, satisfied chuckle that stopped just short of becoming sleazy. “Well, now that would be telling, wouldn't it?”

With that, The Courier turned on his heel and, robot by his side, casually strode to the airstrip, to meet the guests he had just ensured would survive to see the sunrise.

“We are approaching the landing zone now. Please remain calm and do not make any sudden moves. The personnel are a bit jumpy around outsiders.”

Swift Wind flinched at their escort’s voice. Despite the metal monster’s assurances that they would be taken cared for, she hardly trusted them as far as she could throw them. And, considering how much they had to weigh, couldn't be very far. But her Princess trusted them, and if She commanded, Swift Wind would obey.

As they ascended over the hill, she saw the aforementioned ‘el zee’. It didn't look impressive at first glance, but then she noticed the large figures pacing along the ground. She couldn't make out exact shapes, but thought that they must be fairly large up close. The thought made her nervous, but not as nervous as the emplacements surrounding the facility that looked suspiciously like cannon emplacements.

Memories rushed to the front of her mind. Memories of her time in the Royal Navy. Of splintered wood and sails on fire. And of screams.

Sweet Celestia, the screams...

A savage, three way war waged within Swift Wind’s mind; her fear on one side, self-preservation on another side, and devotion to her Princess on the third. Her fear urged her to fly away as far and as fast she could, and to take her chances on her own. Her duty to her Princess commanded her to stay: she had sworn an oath to protect and serve Princess Luna, and she had meant it. Her self-preservation was no help either, reminding her that, no matter what she chose, she would probably be shot down anyways.

Her breathing got heavier and faster and her eyes raced across the horizon because she had to get away. Have to get away havetogetawayhavetogetawAYHAVETOGETAWAYHAVETOGETAW-

“Swift Wind?”

The world stopped spinning. Swift flinched away as she felt a hand on her shoulder. It belonged to 1st Sergeant Barrel And Key. “Are you alright?”

“Swift Wind jerked away from Barrel, and she realized that she had nearly veered off-course during her freakout. If Barrel hadn't nudged me, I might've-

Swift ended that train of thought before it could reach its logical conclusion. She didn't want to think about how many pieces she would be in if those cannon turned-

Stop it stop it stop it!

Swift Wind took a deep breath, trying to calm down before the panicked again. She realized she never answered Barrel; she still was looking at her, concern and curiosity etched on her face.

“I… I’m fine, Ma’am. Thank you.” She gave Barrel a weary smile.

Barrel didn't look convinced, and for a moment Swift thought she might grill her for more. But instead, she smiled reassuringly. “Don't worry, soldier. We're all gonna be fine. Just remember your duty, and we'll all come out of this intact.”

Swift Wind nodded. “Yes Ma’am. Understood, Ma’am.”

Shreereeeeeech

“We will be landing shortly. Please remain calm. An official will be meeting with you to process your requests.”

Swift jumped at the monster’s voice, but calmed herself. Deep breaths, Swift. Deep breaths.

Four thestral ponies carrying stretcher, an alicorn princess, and two vertibirds flew through the darkness of the Mojave, and as they approached Nellis AFB, the runway lit up like a Christmas tree, lighting the way for it’s airborne visitors both familiar and exotic. The airstrip, once pocketed and rough, now shone smooth and flawless in the light of the powerful edge lights lining the runway.

For Nellis now stood as more than a simple military installation; it stood as a symbol, reflecting the Mojave Wasteland as a whole. Once hostile and riddled with gashes, now restored past its former glory and safe for locals and visitors alike.

Well, assuming that said visitors are welcome, that is.

The ponies, flanked by their escorts, slowed to a hover over the runway. As the vertibird’s VTOL thrusters activated, the ponies flapped their wings and descended to the airstrip, their armored feet clanking gently onto the pavement. As the ponies looked around the base, the Delta 1 let out a final Screech

“Welcome to the Mojave Desert. We hope you enjoy your stay.”

Author's Note

Roll Credits!

And, just in case anyone is confused by certain details, I am basing this story off a heavily modded New Vegas. I have added links in instances where I reference events/objects from a mod, all of which I highly recommend you check out and use on your next play through.