I spent the next week working on my exoskeleton. The only thing holding it back was the lack of high quality sensor modules. It also required a fuck ton of tuning and I was still missing the needed terminal for making the sensors and other tech a proper automatic connection. I still had three years of military service so getting that stuff in the time I had would have to do.
As the week finally rolled over I got called to the commanders tent. As I entered I snapped to attention and observed the room. In th center was a table with a large map. On top of the map was multiple smaller maps of Pahrump. One of the maps was a copy of the one I'd made notes on. Surrounding the table was six men. One was the commander who I was saluting. The rest seemed to be rangers. Two were in the distinct riot gear and trench coats, bot with a 50 cal on their backs and massive revolvers at their hips.
Two had much lighter armor and cowboy hats. Both had two 9mm pistols at their sides with one wielding a 308 sniper rifle and the other with an LMG. The fifth and most intimidating was a tall old man with gray hair. He wore combat armor with the NCR tan clothing on top. He had a highly modified 10mm smg on his hip and a hunting shotgun slung on his back.
The commander saluted me back and I dropped into a rest position. "Private Kane, these rangers here have been sent by command to verify your scouting and have requested that you serve as a guide of sorts. As such I will be giving you better gear so that you can keep up with these men and get back safely. Your one of the few not idiotic troops I have so I need you to come back uninjured. Do you understand private?"
I was a bit stunned by the orders but I gave my answer despite that. "Sir yes sir." He nodded then handed me a paper with lots of stuff written down. "You're dismissed trooper." At his dismissal I left the tent and started following orders. Besides my regular gear I was to get multiple rations, lots of ammo, five more mines, and a grenade rifle with 20 rounds. I smiled as I grabbed my new stuff.
This was what I was aiming for with my exoskeleton. With the exoskeleton I'd be able to carry all my gear, ammo, and weapons, including a heavy weapon. But right now the skeleton didn't work so I'd needed to tow all my stuff by myself. The second I was packed the five rangers left the tent and I followed behind them. Just like I always did I signed a few papers before leaving and we started our journey to the legion outpost in Pahrump.
The rangers were silent for the most part, only speaking when necessary. I was fine with the silence, I myself didn't talk much. When we got to the house on the outskirts I'd stayed at we set up for the night with the rangers placing way more traps than I had. We shared a brahmin stew that one of the rangers cooked from my extra rations and we settled down with one ranger on watch.
We got up early and all had pemmican for breakfast then took down our traps. My own traps had simply been my mines so they were easy enough to put away. I took the rangers into the urban area near the raceway and I started showing them around. While waiting for night three of the rangers left to scout the towns main body while I took the others to look over the ghouls.
At night we all snuck to the hill I'd used as overlook and the rangers began their job here. I simply kept watch around us till they deemed it time to leave. At morning we left and went back to the urban area where we kept watch of the legion outpost from there while we took turns resting. The following four days followed that routine till the rangers decided they had scouted enough. The way back to the NCR outpost was just as quick and quiet as last time.
I made my report to my commander and left the tent as fast as I could. We had all looted a bit and I had filled my pack to the brim. I quickly sold most of what I got to my fellow troopers and left for my tent. I unpacked what was left to pull out the guts of multiple terminals I'd found in an office buildings ruins. The name of the game now was building a proper computer and base for the exoskeletons control system.
After that I had to do software. I'd been preparing for this by collecting books and magazines about it and other tech for the small bits those might have. Nikola Tesla and You, Dean's Electronics, Big Book of Science, Programmers Digest, Future Weapons Today, and Fixin' Things. I'd managed to collect all of them and had read most of them multiple times.
Two more weeks passed as I did patrols with other troopers and worked on my exoskeleton. At the end of the week we finally got word that a battalion of 300 soldiers were being sent to eliminate hostile forces near NCR territory. They would be led by Colonel Cassandra Moore. Less than a year ago she had been an NCR ranger but had gained an injury that took her away from combat.
Most of the troops here at this outpost would be meeting with the battalion to boost their numbers a bit. The NCR wanted to stomp out the legion outpost so close to their territory and the troop size and resources expended proved it. It would also give me the perfect chance to gain a supporter for my exoskeleton. If my exoskeleton could get her back in combat she was likely to give her full support for my creation. It was cheap (made of scrap), and easy to produce (made by an uneducated orphan).
With her support the NCR would be clamoring to get my exoskeleton's and I'd get a fast pass out of the army and this outpost in the middle of nowhere. The second I got to my tent I started working on my control system. The battalion would be here in three weeks and I'd need the exoskeleton working effectively before that. I immediately cut down time on everything I did besides my patrols. I spent most of my money getting some more scrap and paying others to cover my patrols.
The last of my money was spent getting ahold of the rare coffee that was given to this outpost. I completed the control system in the first week and threw the computer together. It definitely wasn't much as I'd skipped over everything I could in its construction and even used a wire frame made of metal clothes hangers. It was incredibly shitty but allowed me to program the exoskeleton. My first test was in the first day of the last week before the battalion arrived and we had to leave to meet them.
The test went well with me doing everything I could to stress test it. After that I spent my remaining time tuning it and fixing and reinforcing damage. On the last day I finally felt it was good enough after armoring anything that could be considered fragile. The end result made the wearer like a super soldier. I could jump 6 feet without run up, shatter stone with a punch, and lift or carry up to 300 pounds without tiring.
With my exoskeleton complete I prepared everything I could for the assault on the legion forces and finally got a full night of sleep. In the morning I ate a good meal and put in my exoskeleton. On top of it I put mg gear and weapons, nothing added more than a few pounds despite it all being 325 pounds. I could probably wear this exoskeleton for ten days straight with 500 pounds on it and it would only stop due to if not being cared for.
When we finally left I sold everything I could to the other troops as I planned to get Colonel Moore to drag me away for my exoskeleton. When our group got to the battalion I was met by one of the rangers who I'd guided here. He then dragged me to the commander tent that had been set up. He took me inside where I immediately snapped to attention upon finding that colonel Moore herself and multiple other higher ranks were inside. Besides the colonel there was a Major, two captains, and three lieutenants.
The ranger disappeared back outside leaving alone with multiple higher rank officers. Moore spoke after a lieutenant put me in rest. "Private Kane, you wrote in your scouting notes that we could possibly use the ghouls here." She pointed to the spot on the map on a table. "As cannon fodder or a distraction. Many of my officers, and myself have been wondering how we might do such a thing. As you are the one to initially propose the idea we were hoping you might know how we could do such a thing."
I thought it over to a second then spoke.
"Well ma'am, it would be rather simple to free the ghouls and have fast runners lure them through town to the outskirts. A few thrown lures near the entrance of the legion base would pull the ghouls towards it. From there we could commence an assault. The only purpose they need to serve is to stop a majority of the enemies from attacking our men as we close in to their base."
She simply nodded and looked at the officers. "Have you men collect their fastest runners, then set up a small race around this camp with lots of obstacles." She ordered. She looked back to me and spoke. "I expect you to participate in this race as well. You're dismissed." I saluted her once again an left as fast as I could. I set up my tent and threw all my stuff in besides my combat gear. I then waited for the race stuff by going around looking for anything that would be nice to have. I found a few stimpacks that I immediately bought and even got ahold of two power fists. I took those back to my tent and started putting them on my exoskeleton.
I'd designed the exoskeleton as a masterpiece. If I wanted I could make it into power armor or a mobile weapons platform. At this point however all I had was the two power fists integrated with the arms. I could probably go through a bunker wall with only a few punches. After integrating the power fists I went back out to look around. It was then that I found something I'd been searching for for years.
It was the NCRs attempt at an AK type rifle. The rifles were rare for one reason, the ammo. The NCR assault rifle used 308 ammunition, to big for a basic rifle. But I didn't have to worry about its power as I now had my exoskeleton. I spent a large chunk of my money to get it and all the mags the seller had. I immediately to it back to my tent and in the time before the race I slapped a scope on and zeroed it.
After quickly zeroing my scope I rushed to the race/obstacle track to complete for luring lots of ghouls to the legion base. At the starting line I prepared to go through most of the obstacles we would be dealing with here. As I messed with my stuff I got lots of weird look due to my exoskeleton. It looked a lot like the power armor frame that the power armor of the east coast utilizes. However it was made of scrap and welded materials.
I ignored the looks and when the race finally began I shot past my competition. The feet of my exoskeleton were a work of art and had multiple sensors to assist in movement. With the power of the exoskeleton I easily outran everyone and didn't tire at all. Many of the obstacles were things that represented stuff I'd have to avoid so I simply bypassed them. Any obstacle that was meant to be something I could destroy I simply went through. I usually simply shoulder checked it and blew it apart but I annihilated a few with punches.
I easily flew through the race and took first place. The plan to use the ghouls was my idea, so it was only right that I would be one of the people doing it. As the race ended I and the top ten were gathered together and briefed on our mission. It was the plan I had proposed with the battalion split into multiple companies to assault from multiple points. The ghouls would be a distraction and cover for the company that we runners would link up with after our mission.
When the next morning came a company went out and around the legion base to attack from the east while another company split and went through the town to attack from the northwest. The main company would be led by Colonel Moore and we'd be assaulting the main entrance. We runners were supplied with noise makers that we'd use to lure the ghouls with after I busted open the gates of the golf course.
The next morning was full of preparations as if would take only a few hours for the other two companies to be ready for the assault. I made sure I was ready then joined the lure team to go get the ghouls.