Chapter 61: Extras: A Quick Speech

While Sev was out preparing for the final tweaks for the invasion, Edward was standing in front of 1st Platoon for his first speech. His platoon. The competition for platoon leadership was fierce, and Edward had only the smallest advantage over Sylvie in the simulated war games.

She took her loss and her new position as his 2IC graciously, but the friendly rivalry between them didn’t end. Both Edward and Sylvie would spend some free time duelling each other in the simulations, trading good-natured shittalking and taunts over wins and losses, and honing their tactical skills in the process.

It was Edward's proudest moment to be standing beside Sylvie and having Sev officially award them their promotions at the park in front of pretty much everyone in Caladan. Despite the lack of decor, the little ceremony still carried heavy gravitas as Sev declared the creation of the Nexus’ first two platoons.

The only thing that made things better was the railing Edward and Sylvie received from Sev in his room, a more private reward for a job well done. It was the best promotion bonus Edward could ever imagine.

And now, a week later, Edward was looking at the armored but unhelmeted young men and women of 1st Platoon assembled in an empty room near the staging grounds designated for an emporium, ready to enact Sev’s will.

“We all know what’s going to happen,” he started, keeping his voice loud and crisp with some effort. “Sev’s going to make the Institute pay for their little stunt.” Edward let them chuckle and share dark comments for a bit before continuing.

“And as you know, Sev asked both 1st and 2nd Platoon to join in the fun.” Eager cheers and whoops rang out for a while, even Sylvie beside him punched a fist in the air with a good whoop.

Edward gave a dry smirk. “And Sev, being Sev, wants me to make sure everyone here is not having second thoughts.” That got knowing laughter from everyone. “So…anyone here not wanting to go?”

“No sir!”

He nodded satisfactorily. “Right. Remember our orders, we gotta behave and make sure to keep actual killing to a minimum. Sev wants zero deaths, if possible, and I say we give it to him.”

More cheers and confident roars.

“We’ll be working with 2nd Platoon for the first time, so let’s all keep an eye on the newbies too, yeah? Stop them from doing anything Sev wouldn’t want.” The acknowledgement was less enthusiastic, but still unanimous.

Edward took in a breath as he basked in his friends’ confidence and high morale. “Remember, we’re representing Sev out there. We’re Sev’s Own. He’s been good to us, it’s only fair to repay Sev for all he’s done for us.”

He nodded heavily at all of them as he gave his next point. “Remember, Sev doesn’t need us at all. For anything. He could have just swarmed the Institute with all the robots, but he’s letting us join in and giving us the chance to be more than just a charity case.”

The air got a bit more serious as zeal seeped into the atmosphere. He raised a hand and pointed at nothing behind him. “He could’ve just dropped us off at Diamond City, or left us in Vault 81 while he enjoyed Caladan to himelf.” The troopers, his friends, were all silent and attentively listening now while he accentuated his words by pointing repeatedly behind him. ”Sev gave us first New World, and now Caladan. He could’ve easily made us serve him as eager slaves, and we’d all be happy for it. He could’ve left us with the bare basics, and we’d all have nothing to complain about.”

Amidst the nods of understanding, Edward felt the stirring in the room. His hand finally came down in a hammering motion.

“But no! Sev’s given us a better life than anyone out in the Commonwealth!”

“Yeah!” The roaring cheer this time was bursting with zeal.

“Sev’s taken us in, healed us, and he’s giving us a new life! A better life for anyone who wants it!”

“Yeah!”

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Edward spread his arms out as he posed a question. “And what does he want? That we stick to his rules.” He looked at his friends, his comrades with a smirk. “Are the rules hard to follow or so strict?”

“No!”

“Is it so hard not to enslave, not to rape, not to fucking act like fucking shitstains? In exchange for food, bed and a real fucking life?”

“No!”

“Is it so bad that Sev just wants to build us a peaceful and clean home?”

“No!”

He waited for the denouncements to die down before slowly taking in another breath and pointing behind him again.

“Yet…and yet the fucking Institute decided that they don’t like it. They first sent a raider army, and then when that didn’t work they tried blowing Sev up.” The words seethed out through almost gritted teeth. It wasn’t hard to stoke the anger in Edward’s breast, or have it infect the atmosphere. Everyone easily shared his outrage.

“Sev is gonna show them what kind of mistake they’ve fucking made, and we’re gonna help him! Am I right?”

“Yeah! Fuck yeah!”

“We’ll prove that we’re more than just a bunch of helpless kids! Let’s make the Institute an example to the rest of the Commonwealth! To the rest of the world! Don’t fucking mess with Sev, don’t fucking mess with the Nexus!”

Edward grinned almost ferally as he felt the room shake from the echoes of 1st Platoon’s agreement. “Let’s show any idiot out there that we’re willing to fight for ourselves! And for Sev! And for the peace he’s building for us!”

He raised a fist in the air. “Peace through power!”

The resulting roar was almost deafening as fists punched into the air or thumped against chest plates. “PEACE THROUGH POWER! PEACE THROUGH POWER! PEACE THROUGH POWER!”

“One vision!” Edward yelled out, and they all replied with unfaltering strength. “ONE PURPOSE!”

“Sev’s vision!”

“SEV’S PURPOSE!”

The roaring chants lasted for a good few minutes before a Mr Handy entered the room calling for 1st Platoon to the staging ground. The conflagration of righteous zeal was tamed and brought to a controlled simmer as everyone filed out and collected their helmets and weapons.

Edward hoped he and his friends would do Sev proud today, that the unfortunate fucks in the Institute would get the full payback Sev had in mind for them.

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