Disclaimer: I do not own anything at all.
Tinker Key
"Talking"
Thoughts
As I breath ash fills my lungs. It coats my skin in grey and black. I feel my skin itch and craw as my sweat mixes in create small dark rivers on my body. Another nervous breath and another mouthful of ash, my back hurts. Can't think of that, this fucking mask isn't worth shit; when I find the RepCo designer who built this I'll fucking kill him. My muscles ache yet I can't stop. If I stop I die. If I die he dies.
I looked down at the unconscious green body stained with ash like me. His 7 foot tall body with its massive girth left a trail of black sludge which was quickly filling up with fresh ash.
Half a mile left. I feel my body straining. I hear my soft grunts of effort as I lug him across this burning plain. If it wasn't for my needs I would have left him there on the highway. Just my luck I finally catch one at the farthest trap from the fort. Push yourself Key.
I finally see the light a hundred yards away and with renewed strength I pull my cargo to the entrance of my home. I tiredly let go of him and wipe my goggles clear of ash and punch in the code on the locking mechanism of the vault. Slowly I hear the crunching sounds and pained groans as the huge metal gear pulls itself open and moving itself to the side leaving a vast chasm. The Americans didn't always make Vaults like these anymore. They first tested out a vertical shaft but found that it was to unprotected to survive a nuclear holocaust, Some poor bastards Vaults never even opened due to the shafts collapse. However, it did survive and I did as well. But, that's a story for another time. I loaded my unconscious cargo onto the pulley system I created to lower down heavy objects I couldn't carry into the vault. I released the latch and slowly the platform lowered itself, I jumped down as soon as I pressed the code to close the door. As we descended the lights came on revealing different abodes carved out into the vertical shafts. Cat walks and large bridges dotted the shaft. Some I had to take apart for spare scrapes of metal and parts for my machines. I had built more than a hundred machines prepared to fight for me. Sensors on top of their heads allowed them to asses a threat but it was their bodies that would intimidate whoever came down. Nobody but me ever came down here but, hey who knew what could happen. I have lived long enough and seen enough to know that even the safest places could be conquered.
He felt the soft reassuring thump as the platform touched down on the final floor. He reached his hand out in a practiced manner and flipped a switch and watched as each section of the medical wing lit up. He looked down as he heard a loud groan and saw his captive's eyes slowly flicker open without any sort of hesitation he shoved a few needles into his chest. Each needle had enough sedatives to bring down a bull elephant. He watched as he fell back asleep before grunting with approval. With no reluctance he bent down to removed his cargo's armor and the burned remains of his clothes. As soon as he was done he tossed the cargo's body into the industrial shower. Mechanical arms caught the 7 foot monstrosity before washing off the ash and dirt revealing yellow and greenish skin. The typical skin color of super mutants, this would normally alarm most people to see one this close but he knew better. He turned away and stripped off his own clothes revealing pale skin rippling with compact muscles and scars some old and some new. He wasn't tall in fact he was on the short side coming up to only 5'1". He eased into the shower and allowed the mechanical arms to wash him. He waited till they were done before stepping out of the shower. He dried off and put on fresh new clothes. After grabbing a small bite to eat he walked over to the research bay where his new test subject was still fast asleep. He didn't waste any time and pressed a small metallic button which caused large metal straps to tie down the super mutant's arms and legs. He picked up the scalpel and worked on the super mutant's throat. He didn't like loud noises so he quickly cut out the voice box and installed a small robotic version that would regulate how loud a being could speak and in some cases if allowed by the master would let the box be used by the person to speak as a normal person would.
He held the skin folds of the neck together and injected a sterilizing gel that would seal the wound closed and patch the skin together in a few second rather than a few weeks. He checked to make sure his patient was still alive. He didn't bother hooking up heart monitors because a super mutant's heart would always beat fast. Not from health problems but because of the N.E.R.V gas. He made an incision along the back of the super mutants head and cut a square patch of skin off. He sighed to himself and pulled out the drill and drilled a small hole through the literally thick skull of the super mutant. Feeling the skull give way he pulled it back. He pulled a needle out of his jacket before gently inserting it into a vein on his arm. He pulled the stopper back until he had a full cylinder of blood. He took out the needle and willed his hand from shaking of excitement.
"I hope this works."
He pushed the needle into the hole he drilled and felt it enter the super mutant's brain and injected his blood. Immediately the super mutant began to spasm. He thanked himself for having the forethought to use the metal restraints that although bent still held the super mutant. He watched in fascination as the body bulged and contract. Evolutionary steps moved back and forward, he could only imagine the pain that he or she or it was going through. As quick as it started it ended. And he saw something that no one had ever seen before. What lay before him was a 6'5" female with big hips and a slender waist. Her breasts were not large nor were they small instead they settled in the B cup range. Her skin still had the scars of her old body but she had lost the bulky muscle while still remaining tone. Long black hair flowed off the metallic coated table like waterfalls and he carefully touched it. He noticed that physically the only few things that distinguished her from the human race was her skin color and the amount of muscles she had although they were compact and her height. Of course he would need to check her mental facilities but that could be done later. All he could ever really say was.
"Wow. A hot female super mutant…"
6 months later
The sounds of flesh against flesh and the smell of sweat filled the room. A teenager looking man slammed his fist into a remarkably tall and green woman sending her back peddling but she quickly recovered and settled into an offensive stance. The man relaxed visually and settled into a defensive one. Both wore thick gi's. The woman quickly closed the distance and started throwing punches and kicks some clean and others dirty. All the while the man with decades of practice dodged, and blocked her attacks. Tiring of the game the man grabbed his opponent's right wrist and pulled her in while his right hand grabbed the back of her gi. Using his opponent's momentum he calmly lifted her over his side and tossed her onto her back officially ending the battle by putting her in head lock that even despite her strength could not break. She tapped his arm and without hesitation let go of her before standing up.
"That was better Box." He walked over to a nearby table and picked up two purified water bottles before tossing her one she lightly grabbed it and opened it and drank all of it in two gulps.
"I don't think so but, I think you damaged the regulating module" Her voice was a little distorted yet still held a feminine tone. He walked over to her and looked at her throat probing it with gentle touches of his fingers.
"Yes. You are right. However, I was thinking that you might not need it anymore." She looked at him with questioning eyes as he sighed.
"I have been mulling it over for a long time, every since you could talk coherently actually but, I think that you're capable enough to control what you say and when you say it." He quickly finished his exam and left the room. After letting her inner persona scream, yell and shout in happiness she followed him.
150 years later
As the years passed he noticed she didn't age and she noticed he didn't either. As they researched this phenomenon they still went through their routines. They ate their oatmeal breakfast, studied for two hours, then worked out for the next five hours, studied more before actively researching and conducting experiments and then an hour of gun practice. They made several major discoveries. One of these resulted in the creating of two back packs that contained a miniature black hole which allowed the user to fit all sorts of things into it without feeling the weight. The only limit was that the only things that could go in were things that were able to fit into the opening of the bag. It was made of a combination of metals and forging techniques that made it highly flexible yet extremely durable. In fact in all the test's that were run it was never broken. It may have been scratched and scorched but it was never broken. Which made it perfect for practical uses, the electronics inside, which opened and closed the pocket of space in each bag had a program that allowed only the genetically marked signatures to call upon what was needed. Unfortunately no other bags could be created because all of the materials could not be gathered unless one traveled the whole world gathering faint traces and used plasma to fuse and bend them together. Not only that but the amount of computer chips and wires and even the plasma in short supply. Time just had that affect on material things. But, not to them, so they put other projects on hold and researched their apparent immortality.
10 Months later
"Box, come here." Key pushed his chair to the side as he gestured to Box to look into the microscope. She leaned down and peered into it and gasped. Inside were tiny barely microscopic machines working on a degenerated blood sample. She watched them actively repair damaged cells and recycle new ones.
"What is this?" She moved back from the microscope and looked at Key.
"I believe that while I was a soldier and a scientist way back before the great nuclear war, I was experimented with a new nanotechnology. It was highly forbidden and illegal due to worldwide policy but by that point in time America didn't really care. I volunteered of course to be experimented on. I think that I was here initially when they did the tests." He gestured about the room they were in.
" However, what nobody counted on was that the nanotech would put me into a coma for a few months. When I came to everyone was gone and I was by myself. They probably thought they were doing me a favor. Although I was initially weak I was able to get into the cafeteria and eat and drink my fill. I wouldn't have even made it that far if it hadn't been for those machines in my blood. With new resources the machines fixed me up and what normally would have taken years of physical therapy only took three days. That's not to say I am immortal. I can die. I've been close to dying on numerous occasions. But, I just became even harder to kill, also due to these little machines, both you and I, basically ageless. They recycle old cells and make new ones, they repair any damages sustained. They get rid of dysfunctional cells. And the trace metals and things we eat allow the nanotech to repair themselves and create new ones. Not even an E.M.P blast at close range could disrupt these bad boys." Key ended admiringly.
"How did I get them?" Box looked at him curiously.
"Simple when I first woke up I was half way to insane. Yet due to being so brilliant I was able to calmly think of ways to recreate the experiment. So I set up non lethal traps in order to capture someone or anything. It was a long time before I caught something or someone but eventually I caught you." He lightly cupped her face with his hands. She willed down a sharp blush. He let her go and continued.
"I realized that to have the utmost efficiency I must inject my blood filled with the nanotech into the brain. This would allow the nanotech to work out your brain first then your body. It worked. However, it stopped your super mutant evolutionary phase. Which I think we can both agree worked out best. It turned you into the form you have now and has made it more efficient. You were out in a coma like me for a few months but you came around and the rest eventually led up to today." He summarized.
"Wow." She said.
"Wow. Indeed." He nodded in agreement.
"I'm hungry." She got out of her chair and walked out of the room fully aware of his eyes on her.
His eyes lingered at the doorway before returning back to work.
"God damn it. Take the hint!" Box rushed into the room and locked the door. She grabbed his shirt and lifted him out of his chair.
"You are going to fuck me."She glared at him.
"Okay." He grinned and kissed her softly as he flipped the light switch.
The next morning
Key woke up to the unusual feeling of an arm over his chest and in a moment of sex induced haze almost broke the arm in four places until he remembered what happened last night. He looked to his right side and saw that Box had her right arm clutching him protectively while she softly snored. He couldn't help himself as he lightly brushed her hair over her ear to get a better look at her in the low dim of the lights. He sighed lightly and slipped out of her grasp. He hastily scribbled a note telling her he would be in the kitchen. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before whispering a soft "I love you." Box opened her eyes as she heard the door close and smiled. She raised herself into a seating position and stretched allowing her body to get rid of the stiffness. She stood up and immediately fell back on the bed.
"I guess I roughed you up a little bit more than I thought. Sorry love." Key stood at the door way with a bowl of food for each of them.
"It's alright Key. Last night was…" She bit her lip trying to think of a word to describe it.
"Interesting, fun, enjoyable?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow before handing her a bowl of fruit.
"Thanks. I was going to say indescribable." She picked up an apple and bit into it.
"That to." Key ate a pear with practiced ease and put the remains into a recycle bin which would separate the seeds and replant them while the left over's were processed into mulch and used to re fertilize the soil.
"I could get used to it." She smiled at him.
"I could to." He smiled back.
They ate in comfortable silence and ate ignoring routine for today.
Above the vault
"Commander Barker! We found something." A man in a black armor turned to face his superior. Unlike the armored man he wore combat fatigues with a tan duster over it.
Commander Barker walked into the tunnel headed down. Eventually they stopped and saw that instead of the vault having a horizontal entrance as was the usual standard procedure, a big gear laid right in the middle of the cave hinting at a vertical shaft.
"Good work lieutenant. Operations will proceed tomorrow morning. Tell the men to be prepared." The black armored man saluted and went back to the camp.
"Tomorrow we will see what type of secrets you hold vault 1." A hungry gleam appeared in his eyes. He knelt down and touched the rusted gear. He was unaware that when he touched it the vibrations triggered a silent alarm which immediately alerted the two semi immortal lovers to intruders up above.
Down in the vault
"I guess it's time for us to rejoin the surface." Key sighed and leaned back into his chair. He looked at the security monitors and saw a small contingent of powered armor soldiers.
"What are we going to do Key?" Box lightly squeezed Key's arm and bit her lip.
"We could use the E.M.P and the magnetic plates to disable their weapons and their power armor from there it would be easy pickings. If we don't want to do that we could have the robots fight for us. " Key suggested in a technical tone.
"But, that won't stop them. They will just keep coming. And it won't only be them. It will be others who have survived the nuclear waste land. We can't fight them all Key." Box sighed. Key looked at her and seeing the logic in her sentence and slouched down.
"We will lose this place if we blow it up. Everything we have researched and everything we know."
"Yes I know that. But, we knew our time was ending. We couldn't keep the world locked out forever. We both knew that. But, we won't lose everything." Box returned to her desk and brought out two pip boys.
"Ever since the possibility that people would eventually find us, I made these. They are just like regular pip boys but due to certain modifications thanks to yours truly. I was able to upgrade them. You know how we didn't have enough metal to make more back packs? Well I used whatever we had left for these pip boys. They are highly durable and extremely more detailed than the pip boy 3000. I extended the A.P for V.A.T.S and also added a more detailed description into our medical status. It will also help us pull things out of the back packs. All we have to do is think about what we want. Also these things already hold all the data in the main computers." He leaned over and kissed her.
"Good girl." They both smile at each other. Key reached out and held one of the pip boys inspecting it. He placed it onto his arm and instantly felt the pip boy using its medical tools to intertwine its circuitry and the nerves in his arm.
"Good work Box. " She beamed a little at the praise. She clasped the pip boy onto her arm as well.
"Do you think I should give them a warning?" He gestured back at the screen.
"It's only fair Key." She lightly touched his hand.
"Okay. I will leave an automated message at the gate. Come on let's get ready for our departure."They both got up and started packing.
They gathered the essentials that were not already in the backpacks. Which were basically the guns and ammo. They both went into the armory and started on separate walls.
"What are you going to bring?" Box said over her shoulder as she grabbed a 12 gauge shot gun she had affectionately called Dinner bell.
"That's a secret love." Key lightly pulled a sniper rifle he called shadow due to its sleek black barrel and silencer which stopped the normally loud bang from revealing his presence.
They both loaded their bags with spare parts, cleaning supplies for their guns, ammo and of course their weapons. By the end only empty hooks and a few dysfunctional pieces laid on the work benches and walls. They walked over to the lockers that held the protective gear they needed. It was a version of power armor they upgraded. They were invulnerable against E.M.P but were still susceptible to magnetic plates. The armor had additional plating that would strengthen the natural design without unheeding it. Its helmet had different settings to see different spectrums and had an auto lock on in it. The suit of armor was also lighter. While they both knew that their armor was powerful they knew it wouldn't protect them in all cases. A missile is still a missile whether or not you have power armor. It's just less likely to die from it with power armor. They quickly put the suits on. It was almost dawn. As they felt the last gear sit into place they put on the carrier bags that held all they had left of the vault on and felt the metal gears locking together against the center of their chest plates. The armor also came with a camouflage effect but was limited to the battery charge that could be replenished with solar power. They quickly tested it out and switched from the standard color of blue to red, black, yellow, green and all of the colors in the spectrum before settling back into the original color blue.
"Ready?" He looked at her fiddling with her helmet. She carefully fit the helmet over her head and heard the gears lock into place.
"Ready." Her voice was altered due to filter in her helmet.
Without a word they both walked to the wall and pressed lightly revealing a revolving wall and a dark tunnel. They both stepped into the darkness together. The wall closed and they disappeared.
A few hours later
"Commander Barker we are ready to blow the charges." An enclave soldier gave the detonator to him.
"Thank you lieutenant, let's see how these fireworks pop." A smile appeared on his face as he pressed the button. Only to see nothing, everything was still the same. Behind Barker two enclave officers whispered.
"Did you put in dead batteries…again?" He nudge the demolitions expert.
"No! I'm sure I put in fresh ones."
"Lieutenant! Why has nothing happened?" Barker turned to his next in command.
"S-sir, everything was perfectly set. I have no idea." The lieutenant silently prayed that his commander wouldn't put a bullet between his eyes.
"Go down there and see what went wrong." Barker turned back to and squinted at the vault door.
The lieutenant cautiously walked down by himself to check the demolition charges. He finally came across the bomb site and looked over the explosives. All he noticed was that instead of the red lights signaling each bomb was armed, all of the lights were off as if they were not even connected. He also noticed that the vault door was slightly opened, which confused them because not even their top scientist could crack the codes to open the metal gear and had forced the enclave to attempt to blow it up. He pressed the radio on his hip.
"Commander Barker it appears that somehow or someone disarmed the explosives and also opened the gear to the vault."
"What? Are you certain?"
"Yes sir."
"Hold position we are coming down. Meanwhile pull the blasting caps off the explosives. Barker out."
The lieutenant followed his orders reluctantly and pulled the blasting caps off the now dead bombs. As he got the last one off Commander Barker and the rest of the company came down. The commander quickly followed by a group of scientist rushed the gate ushering orders to get hooks and pull it open. Quickly the orders were followed and the gear was pulled out of the way. Immediately a screen appeared and a man was displayed on screen. He seemed too old to be a teenager yet two young to be in his twenties. He was handsome and only a small scar on his cheek and a crooked nose from what seemed like a fight marred him. He sported the popular flat top of the military but, what captivated whoever saw it was his eyes. Deep hazel was normal but the strength and spirit captured in them was not. It was a few seconds before the recording played.
"Hello, my name is Tinker Key. What lies before you is my home. Or what is left of it. I noticed your presence a few nights ago and decided that because you will be able to find out at the very least my name. I do not know why you came. I do not care. I have what I need the rest is welcome to you. However, I doubt what you find will be very useful. I have detonated a E.M.P. As you have noticed your bombs were defused and as you can also assume all electronics and memory have been erased or so badly scattered that it will take years to reassemble them. My companion believes that it is unwise to destroy you or at you as the representative of what I assume to be a larger organization. She advises me and I agree that it would not stop your organization nor would it stop others from coming again and again. So I have done the next best thing. I congratulate you on finding us. Nobody has for a hundred and fifty years. I hope that you may live long without worry and always find your bellies full. Hopefully we will never meet again message or otherwise because if you seek me for vengeance or for the greed that knowledge nourishes I will destroy you and not even she could save you then." The video feed ended.
"Lieutenant, get our men down there."
"Sir, if the video is correct it would be a waste of resources if we stay here."
"Do you question me lieutenant? In every wreckage there are hidden treasures waiting to be found and learned from. Do not doubt me or what I understand of our situation. I want whatever you can find in there. I want it documented, examined, and see if we can remake anything for our own. Are we clear?"
"Yes sir. I want scout teams down first. Be aware of your surroundings. We have no idea what's going on. If the area is clear send down the scientist to make sure that everything is safe and the rest of the company will go down with the resources. Go!" The lieutenant saluted his men and they saluted back before following orders.
Two weeks later
"So Key." Box lifted her knife and impaled the roasted bit of Radscorpion they had killed earlier.
"Yes Box?" Key tended the fire and nibbled a bit on the meat.
"What are we going to do now?" She looked at him with curiosity.
"It's simple Box. We will survive. No…we will do better love. We will excel and we will also help others excel."
"You mean we are going to start a settlement?" Box raised an eyebrow.
"No, we will start a home. One that we can be proud of, one that everyone will flock to, and one that can stand by itself, I aim to bring peace to this God forsaking wasteland…I want something great not for just us. I want it for what is more precious than all the technology and peace in the world. I will not make my child live in this world without knowing hope for something better." He stabbed the dirt with his knife and held her hands.
"I will not sleep easy until I can build something like the vault to protect you and our child." She kissed him and held him.
"We can do it Key."
"If you say so." Slowly both fell asleep against each other.
Well I just needed to write something like this. I hope you guys like it. Reviews are very appreciated, good and bad.