Freeside Rebellion

All for naught?

“*[...] Two days ago, King gave the signal. We marched out into the streets and rallied what forces we could.[...]*”
—Evacuation Notes; Part 1
The **Freeside Rebellion** is an event in Fallout: DUST.

It is also known as the King's Rebellion or simply "The Revolution", and was an uprising by New Vegas residents against grievances arising from the NCR civil and military occupation of the Mojave wasteland during The Fall.

## Background

Prior to the second battle of Hoover Dam, tensions had arisen between Vegas locals and NCR settlers and military personnel, particularly in the slum areas of Freeside and Westside.

The NCR, for their part resented the natives of New Vegas for their perceived ingratitude. Altercations between the two groups were frequent and often resulted in violence and loss of life.

After the Legions defeat and the apparent deposition of the Courier by NCR forces, this came to a head as the standard of living in the greater Vegas area precipitously declined due both to frequent attacks by tribal remnants of Caesar's Legion and the Fiends as well as the devastation of the Long 15 supply line from California.

By 2286, the situation had become intractable. All that was needed was a catalyst: The Cloud and the threat of natural disaster.

## The Rebellion

While President Lee Oliver ordered the eviction of all non-military personnel from the Mojave due to the dangerous conditions and imminent threats, NCR, being aware of devastating dust storms approaching New Vegas, decided on leaving the civilians behind.

Information about these plans and the approaching sand storms leaked to the general population, and it even worsened when the population of Freeside was aware of the NCR executing citizens who were past curfew. with the NCR becoming the target of violence and citizens attacking any NCR Trooper they could lay hands on.

But the Strip was host to a much more dangerous threat: Improvised research facilities located in Vault 21 and the Lucky 38, were working on sampling and improving the new cloud strain: SM-5

On or shortly before February 22 of 2286, the SM-5 Cloud was released from one of these facilities, whether by accident or by the hands of a saboteur, and started engulfing the Strip, leading to panic and chaos, with the NCR trying to lock down the city, leaving the inhabitants and even some of their own to their fate.

It was then, the Kings supported by the Garrets and presumably the Van Graffs, started the rebellion by busting the gates locked down by NCR open, providing a way out for many of the trapped, while trying to protect them from the NCRs barrage of gunfire.

Finally overwhelmed by NCR forces, many of the remaining rebels fled into the Sewers. While a substantial number of members of the Kings made their way out trying to regroup in Boulder City, the Garrets as well as the Van Graffs were eradicated by the NCR.

With Jim Harding, one of the presumed leaders of the rebellion, making it out of New Vegas, the rebels still had a reliable contact on the outside, providing them with supplies and relaying messages for them.

## The End

Ignoring those who were able to flee the New Vegas limits, NCR officials decided on dumping radioactive materials into the Sewers in order to sabotage the remaining rebel positions, but all attempts in breaching the Sewers resulted in failure.

As the dust storms approached the Mojave in 2286, the NCR finally executed its predetermined evacuation plan, extricating most of its personnel from the greater Vegas area and re-sealing the gates behind them, while the rebels remained in their Sewer hold-outs.