Rick awoke groaning feeling like complete shit. He looked over to see his arm wrapped in a splint, with two medical gauze holding the arm straight.
Rick looked over to find a tall white man in a bloody tank top was staring at him with a pissed off expression. Rick rubbing his eyes preformed a double take verifying his vision was correct. Verifying it was he jumped back, wave of terror kicking in full throttle. Oh fuck this shit.
"Calm down! Jesus I'm not a fucking raider! Shit! Look Jackass, you just woke up from a semi-comatose, and I would like it if you didn't attack me like a previous patient I had!" the doctor yelled, jumping back preparing for the worst.
Rick was at a lost for words and just stared faceless for a good minute before the doctor cleared his throat. "And please tell me you can talk or understand me because I don't know what your plotting in your head, but your creeping me out."
"Uh-... yeah, yeah I can talk..." Rick managed to sputter out. Both staring to lessen their stances the doctor continued waving and talking slowly for Rick to understand. "Okay, that's a start. Is your name, the one your family gave to you so they could identify you, Rick?"
Is this guy for real?
Rick stuttered, "Yes-yes it is.." The doctor seemed finally pleased for the first time and picked up the clipboard. "Okay Rick, here it is. You have a small stress fracture in your upper forearm, and you went into shock when you passed out. Your gonna feel like shit cause I put you on a half stimpack half med-x depressant to keep you from squirming in your sleep. You ended up knocking down my Auto-Doc, which cost half a grand."
"Wait-"
"Now your physical examination you actually are the healthiest person in the entire town so good on you. Probably from all the clean water the vault, don't you think Rick?" The doctor seemed to scorn that last comment in.
Rick readjusted his cast to see the bruise. "Look doctor, I thank you for saving my life, but you don't have to be so..." Doc interrupted, "Honest? And the name is Doc Church. World's not perfect out. You're going to learn that your shit isn't any higher than anyone else. Along with the fact you now owe me 500 caps, and I can't do anything about it cause of Lucas' stupid laws. Now your bag and other supplies that were with you are under the rack by the door, and I want you to inject twenty milliliters of a stimpack syringe into the marked area every night until it heals. Don't forget the Med-X on the counter and use for pain, when the need arises. Don't do anything stupid and your arm should be good in a week. Now please get out, I'm done taking care of you."
"Wait can you please tell me where I am?" Rick pleaded as he was being pushed out the door. "Megaton," and with a final sly beam the door was slammed on him.
"Dick." Rick murmured as he turned around. He turned to his left to see a two headed cow chewing on a clump of dirt and the opposing head nibbling the others ear. Okay I'm going to ignore what I'm seeing now. Keep turning Rick.
His main view that he couldn't ignore was a five hundred kiloton nuclear bomb. He seemed to freeze, his breath becoming shot. These panic attacks were becoming relentless! He could handle being nearly killed by a woman who took pleasure in his pain, seeing a two headed cow, and having his ass saved by the biggest dick on the planet. But standing by the instrument of destruction that made the world how it is today?
Oh Hell Nah.
Rick started hastily up the hill, trying to escape his current panic rush to get a black man in an overcoat and a cowboy hat in his way. He had a very unique badge that seem to shine right in his face. SHERIFF
"Jesus son, you really need to calm your nerves. And I don't mean by jet. Don't need another junkie in town." The sheriff snorted walking down the hill. "I'm Lucas Simms. This is my town so please behave, or I have to put you down, and after the effort Stockholm and the Doc went through to save you, I really don't wanna do that. I'm very lenient compared to some of the law in the Capital Wasteland, so please don't make me regret saving you."
"So you're the sheriff here?" Okay law, that's a good start. Might be able to get some answers for once. "How the hell can you live near a nuclear bomb!? And why build around it? Whats the point? And is it safe?" Rick seem to get quieter as he whispered that last sentence.
The sheriff gripped his strap pulling down to adjust the rifle on his back, "Of course its safe, its not going to blow up. I mean I would sleep better if it was disarmed. But nothing to worry about that. I'm not a history teacher either so if you need a lesson go find Lady Manya. Look just behave yourself, don't try to kill anyone, and feel free to check out Moria's supply to get some traveling gear. Towns overpopulated, so I can only keep you here for a week." Lucas pulling out a cigar and started trying to ignite his lighter.
Rick stared at the bomb and mused about it. The bomb was simple actually, just a uranium bullet fired into a plutonium, which causes a fusion reaction. Boom. I bet no one has had the skills or experience to put a toaster back together. Don't overanalyze this Rick. You fixed Vault equipment, not nuclear bombs. A vault analyst and engineer doesn't give you the qualifications to take apart a nuclear bomb.
He shook off the ridiculous idea and looked at Lucas who was becoming more irritated with his lighter each second. Rick pulled out his butane lighter and held it up to the sheriff. The sheriff paused, then tossed his light boasting a smile as he lit up another smoke. "Lifesaver Rick, shit I needed one after today," Lucas declared proudly.
"Well while I'm here have you seen my father? He's tall like me, white, goatee, might be wearing a lab coat over a vault uniform?" Lucas exhaled a second puff, tensing up as he saw a man in a pin striped suit pass by, not giving a friendly look.
"Have a lot of traders come in and out of this town. I personally have not seen any more vaulties since I was on patrol this morning. Go ask Moriarty. He could tell you more. And if I were you, I would definitely get some new clothes. Blue against grey is a sure way to an early end out in the capital wasteland." Rick looked down and felt a bit naked at the sudden attention he was getting from the bar and above the bomb.
Rick walked into Moriarty's bar, and the first thing he smelled was the thick lace of cigarettes, whiskey, and sex. The bar was empty except for a young woman sitting at the bar sipping a beer, and the same pinstriped suit in the corner seat. Place smells just like Butch's house.
He walked up to the counter and took a seat. The woman stopped mid sip in her beer and stared at Ricks uniform.
"Is the barkeep here?"
Gob sat up immediately, grabbing a towel and wiping the counter. "Just a second and I'll get to you sir." Rick jumped back off the chair and slammed into the wall. Both Gob and the female stared with wide eyes at the mans actions. A certain suit in the corner dropped his glasses to see what the commotion was about. "Oh my God! Are you okay? I'm so sorry! What the hell happened?"
A female who was unnoticed by Rick busted out laughing while Gob just shook his head. "Your fresh from the vault I'm guessing. I'm a ghoul. You never seen a ghoul? Hit with radiation. Live two hundred but eventually go feral?" Rick franticly shook his head slowly no. An uncomfortable silence settled onto the bar until Rick finally sat back down rubbing his splint.
"No, I haven't. And yes, I just came out of the vault. Look man I'm sorry for jumping I didn't mean to judge you for how you look, or what you are. My dad taught me better than that." Fuck. That last one hurt.
Nova and Gob made eye contact and both shrugged while Rick extended his hand for a shake. Gob was taken aback while Nova had a wide eye for what she was seeing. Gob grasped his hand and squeezed, the sound of his skin sounding like rough leather. "Hey Blondie. It's cool. You need something don't be afraid to ask." Nova gave a wide smile to Gob, and an curious Lucy watched the event continued sipping her beer.
He tried to get information out of Gob, but Gob was scared to throw anything information loose. He tried his luck with Nova, but got the same result and an extremely red face from the offer she presented with him. Politely declining, Nova showed Rick into the back to Moriarty who was typing on his computer. The Merc wearing Irish man let out a warm welcome and told him he did know how to find his Dad. Rick letting a sigh of relief asked where he had gone and how he knew his dad. Moriarity just let off a warm smile and told him how he could find his dad.
"200 caps."
Wait what? "Sir i don't have 200 caps. Can we make some sort of agreement?"
"Sure boy. 300 caps"
"Woah, why the hell did you raise the price?! And I just came out of a vault I don't have anything with me!"
"No cussing. 400 caps."
Rick was shaking in rage. Moriarty sat back looked into his computer stretched his fingers and continued typing humming an old tune that had long left this world. He looked back to see Rick still there and let out a chuckle looking back at his computer.
Rick pushed open the back door and stomped out, completely unable to control his emotions.
Fuck it. I'll find a way from that snake. Son of Bitch. Billy Goat bastard.
Rick walked until he found Moria's shop and went inside to find something to buy. The whole caps thing confused him for a loop, so she let him pay here in all the cash he had in the vault, and trade in the jumpsuit which she gladly parted it away. She was plenty of help to explain the water situation and how dangerous it could be in the capital wasteland. He left with two pairs of tan cargo pants, some worn hiking boots, three pairs of white T shirts, his pistol with two full clips, and forty three caps. He left with a nod and Moria hanging out the door waving her hand, "Thank you so much! Come back now and please think about my proposition! I pay well!"
Lucas arranged him to stay at the common house for the week until he recovered. It wasn't vault quality, but the beds weren't as hard as the doc's rack. He slammed down on a vacant bed around eight and looked around as the other villagers were occupied trying to finish up the rest of they're daily activities. He pulled the picture of his dad with tears welling up in his eyes. He wouldn't cry. Not now, not when so much that needs to get done. He needed caps and lots of them.
Clenching the sheets he rolled towards the wall finding a slight gap where he could see a clear view of the outside of professors Cromwell's main stage over the bomb. Rick raised an eyebrow, thoughts circling his head. What your thinking right now is probably insane. You fix Vaults, not disarm nuclear bombs.
Rick fought inwardly for about and hour until his curiosity got the best of him. Making up his mind he got up and walked toward the center of the town. He circled the bomb inspecting every access point and surface he could see. He found the bomb mostly was composed of rivets along the body with panels with screws along the outside, probably for access for the interior electronics. Rick already found some panels bowing open from the massive rust that coated it.
Rick continued observing until he was satisfied with what he seen. He saw Moria swinging by a chance of luck and scrambled up to meet her. After a brief conversation and a more than willing Moria to give up her prized toolbox for the latest experiment they hurried and gathered a toolbox, a metal sheet for the water, and a small heat lamp and started away.
Lucas awoke the next morning holding a cup of coffee, sporting a wife beater and some boxers, standing tall and stretching as the wasteland sun peaked over the wall. The rays of light just hit between his chest and sparked his zeal for the day. Hot damn he loved this part of the day. The thick dust in the air, the warm sun, the screaming... Screaming?
"I tell you to take it fuckin' easy on your arm and you start dismantling a live nuclear bomb! Your the dumbest shit I've come across in this entire wasteland, and even that's low to today's standards!" Doc Church stood outside continuing his rant until another said in a deep low voice, "Doc, step inside right now and close the door. If you don't, I'm priming this bomb to go off if you come out of your shack." The sound of door slamming and a lock was the last thing people heard from the doc the rest of the afternoon.
The bomb had been de-paneled entirely around the center showing the skeleton frame which supported it, and most of the interior had been stripped clean of its harnesses, pneumatic lines, electronic units, relays, until the only thing in the center was a slim narrow titanium tube containing a large radioactive sticker, and steel bolts that secured both ends. The area around the bomb was spread out with parts, panels, trash, plastic, and a separate container with scrap metal filled to the brim.
Standing inside the hollow frame of the bomb was Moria boasting an enormous smile and a lustful look at current electronic box in her hand. Rick assisted in helping Moria from outside the frame with a witty expression and took the current thin box with over a dozen electrical harnesses hanging from its side.
Without this, bomb is basically just a sitting radiation rust bucket. Now I don't have to worry about getting blown the hell up while searching for my dad, maybe get some info and Moria will be happy for a good week. In solid red dull letters, the word "AUX PRIME PROCESSOR" now sat in Moria's hands.
Lucas came running down the hill well underdressed. He stopped out of breath, "So it's true? Is it really defused? Why is there parts everywhere, and when did you do this?"
Rick stepped forward his shirt hoisted over his shoulder smiling for the first time since he left the vault, "I stripped it last night of all electronics, scrap metal, and lines to make it a tin can with some radiation. Simply I removed the trigger, hammer, and firing pin to your bomb. All that's left is the bullet, and without any of these parts, there is no way for it to properly fire and ignite."
Jenny Stahl and Lucy West stepped forward wide eyed and surveyed the area while Jericho exited his house. Leo stepped out next from the water processing plant and walked right back in mumbling about a lousy "fix".
"Well fuck me up a wall, isn't that the new guy in town?" Jenny asked Lucy, still gazed by the situation. "Yea he's the one who said sorry to Gob and shook his hand. Also the one who got his ass kicked by some raiders."
Rick looked at the girls and threw a giddy smile. Then he lost it when he realized he had no shirt on, and with a deep blush looked down at his feet keeping his arms close as an attempt to turn invisible. Rick cursed, Damn it for once please don't act like yourself.
Lucas laughed slapping his back hard, and started clapping, along with Lucy, Jenny, Walter, Billy with Maggie on top his shoulders, Stockholm and eventually the rest of the town. Jericho leaned back folding his arms, with a blank stare, letting the cigarette take its effect. Moriarty was leaning over the edge of the rail laughing, hand over Nova, who was giving a small clap of her own.
Moria grabbed Rick and planted a kiss on his cheek, then held the box above her head and screamed like a rock star. Lucy and Jenny giggled while Jericho had enough, abandoned his cigarette, and turned around slamming the door.
Rick looked down beat red realizing he had just received his first kiss, and inwardly cursed himself. Smooth Rick. Real smooth.