Project: Far Harbor Chapter 4
AN1: R&R please if you're enjoying! Let me know if you see any mistakes I should fix! As some may tell I'm taking liberties with Far Harbor in a larger sense as I said before, I'm also extrapolating on Fallout lore mixed with my own telling of some stuff to fit this fanfic. Final small retcon the 11am from the previous chapter was a typo and should have been 5am
==The Next Day – 6AM – Cushing Island==
The PT-Boat holding Piper, Nora, Glory, Desdemona slowly came through the morning fog and landed near a small dock just inside the old pre-war Marine and Naval Supply depot base. The barrel and roasting fires Nora had seen before from the Constitution were still glowing, and judging by the scent of meat cooking they weren't yet burning. Which meant someone was around to tend to them. Letting the motor die off and shutting down the micro fusion reactor. Nora stood still in the early morning light taking in the sounds about them.
Glory meanwhile silently hopped off the PT-Boat and wound the landing rope to the dock. Then took cover with Honor primed and at the ready behind some large rusty crates. Piper after a signal from the Gen-4 synths also hopped off and took cover among some trash and half deflated APC tires with her Thompson SMG at the ready. Desdemona was next taking cover with her combat rifle further away by a pile of rotten trash and rusted barrels. While Nora came off with only Deliverer at her side in one hand looking around slowly.
Pressing a comm button on her head set she spoke softly. "..General Shells to Constitution, we've made land fall, beginning our scouting run.." She said. Switching to local team frequencies she said, "..Anyone seeing anything?" she asked.
Piper and Desdemona came back with "..Negative.." but Glory seemed to pause in her own reply, "..I'm not sure Nora, I'm not seeing or hearing anything right now. But something in the air just feels off.."
"..Radiation maybe?" Piper chimed in half joking.
Nora checked her Pip-Boy, "..Rad readings seem fine to me. Alright let's move up to the main dock entrance, keep alert.." she said.
Not much happened in their slow approach to the sealed chain link fence near the docks. Ahead was a courtyard with three large roasting fires with some kind of haunches of meat on them. As Glory eased open the gate and entered a loud click sounded and a spotlight came down onto their position causing everyone to take reflexive cover where they could behind boxes and crates. A screech from a pre-war speaker came alive near them. "..Hey you….yeah you four, what you think you're doing coming poking around our home huh? You looking for a fight? You bandits!?" The female voice demanded.
Nora grasping Deliverer, shouted back, figuring no point in trying to lie at this point. "..We're not looking for a fight, nor are we bandits. We're a group of explorers from down south from The Commonwealth and former city of Boston. My name is Nora Shells, who are you?" she asked.
"..Commonwealth….Boston...oh jeez you a bunch of Americans!? I thought you all died off in the Great War! Well you cant come waltzing back here like you own the place you know! We got our freedom and by God almighty we'll fight to keep it!" The woman's voice said.
"..Don't worry we're not here to lay any claims. You got my word on that, look can I come out from cover without worrying about getting shot? I'd rather we resolve this peacefully then start trading shots..." Nora said.
There was a long delay before the woman's voice spoke, "..Yeah ok, come ahead 30 feet, you'll see a red sign with the letter R on it, stand there till I come out.." she said.
Signaling by hand Nora said softly, "..Keep under cover, let's see if we can work this out.." She said.
Getting half nods from Piper and Glory, Desdemona just shrugged her acceptance. "..You're crazy if you ask me Nora, way I see it there's probably not more then a few folks here. We could easily take them and worse case we call in more help from the Constitution.." she said.
"..That's your opinion, for now we're playing by my rule book, clear?" she said.
"..Whatever, your funeral.." Demonda said adjusting the grip on her rifle.
Nora said nothing, rolling from cover, and as she passed Glory gave a light touch of affection to her shoulder, with a look of return affection from the Synth in reply. Tracked by the spotlight Nora came to the corner where the large red metal sign with a 3d printed R was setup. After a moment's pause that made her skin crawl expecting to get a bullet in the head, the sign slid aside and a woman in leather bound rags maybe in her late 70s came out. The woman was grey haired, and was showing her age, but still stood fairly strong all the same. She had dark skin showing an African ancestry, but also dark red hair showing other mixed in heritage. In her grasp was a rare Candian pre-war military tri-barrel shotgun/rifle. Two of the barrels held a 12gauge round while the under barrel was for a semi-automatic combat round usually in the older 7.62 or 5.56 size. The Model TR-1 as it was called was a fearsome weapon in the right hands but its limited production before the countries annexation meant few ever saw the light of day. "..Huh, you're a bit shorter then I expected for some American.." She said.
Smiling in a friendly manner as she could manager Nora kept Deliverer lowered for now. "..Luck of the draw on the genes is all, ma'am. My name is Nora Shells, mind if I ask yours?" she said.
"..Emala Grace, my family has lived here for well on 100 years since we found this depot. Why you out exploring up this way?" She said.
"..Good to meet you Emala, you can rest assured again that my companions and I have no desire upon laying any claims to this depot. We're searching up this way following some rumors of some friends who may have come up this way the past few years but have gone missing.." She said partly lying referring to the Institute teams sent up this way as a cover for Project Far Harbor. "..One of our clues gave hints they may have stopped here for more clues to go elsewhere.." She said.
"..Hmm, we don't get many folks stopping by here. But since you mentioned it there were some white coated folks that stopped by here for a day or so about 9 or so years ago, then a year and half later another group doing the same, claimed they were looking for that first group. If you folks are looking for those two you're kinda taking your sweet time aren't you? Being its been roughly almost 7 years now since that second group came by.." Emala said.
"..Well perhaps 'friends' was not the correct word," Nora admitted. "..the group they were associated with were causing havoc up till the past half a year in the Commonwealth. We're looking to follow up on their mobile groups to ensure no further problems are caused by them, and if so put them to justice." Nora amended some.
"..Hmm, that so. Well, both groups happened to look through some old paper records down in one of the archive bays. Most of the computer labs and stuff are smashed to hell and back but I'll tell you what. If you folks are willing to help us out with a little problem I'll see fit to let you guys look there too like the other groups.." Emala said.
"..What sort of little problem?" Nora asked, brushing back an errant lock of hair.
"..About two days ago a group of filthy Dead Freaks, led by a big towering green giant, showed up on our southern shores, they've been ransacking our fishing nets down that way, and cutting us off from the stores of water purification lines. Unfortunately my family and I don't got the arms to drive their numbers off. But you four look like you've seen some shit and come out still smiling none worse for the wear. Now I've seen shit myself in my life, but I'm just one woman, and my family inside well….they've not seen much hard combat like I have.." She said.
"..First what are Dead Freaks? And second how many are we talking over all?" She asked, figuring dead freaks were their name for Ghouls, while the towering green giant was likely a mutant of some kind. After describing the Freaks Nora nodded, "..down our way we call those Freaks ghouls, some aren't harmful, but others loose their minds. I take it this is the second sort?" she asked.
"..They eat flesh woman, ain't caring if they got their minds or not! And that giant green mutant is the worse! As for count I figure there's anywhere between 30 of the Freaks plus their ring leader. The green guy has a giant hunk of rebar that he swings around like its a paper clip.." she explained.
Frowning a bit Nora inquired about how tall the giant was. "..Well over a two story building lady.." Emala replied.
Nora swallowed carefully, she had fought a similar beast in the Commonwealth, and there it had taken several lobs of a mini-nuke and plasma grenades to bring it down from attacking a settlement. There they had also had the help of narrow buildings to slow the beasts movement, but in an open area of the island they wouldn't have such a luxury. "..I recognize that creature I think. Last time took nearly an army to bring it down, thankfully I happen to have brought some of my best folks along on this mission for danger..." she said then after a moment to compose herself she said, "..Alright, we'll see what we can do. Only thing I'd ask is if we could bring our main ship in to dock to avoid any sudden storms out on the main ocean, while we handle this. I promise no one but my team will leave the ship nor make any demands of you. You can even do some trading with us if you like.." she offered.
"..Trade eh? Hmm...alright signal your ship in. Once you all come back….assuming you come back you then can take a peek at the info you want.." Emala said shaking Nora's hand.
Nodding Nora returned to where the others waited and informed them of how things had gone. "..Not the easiest task we've ever handled, but I think with some use of some of our heavier arms we stand a good chance.." she said.
"..Boy Blue, you sure know how to run a vacation.." Piper chimed in.
"..Count me out, I signed up to handle intel gathering not fight hordes of Ghouls led by a towering Mutant like that.." Desdemona said.
Glory gave a bit of a disapointed frown, likely from seeing someone she had formerly looked up too cower away from helping others. "..Fine, Desdemona." Nora said. "..Glory, I know you'll be in on this.." she said getting a firm nod. "..Good, then signal the Constitution to come into dock, then have Preston join us with heavy arms, once we're ready we'll set out to do what we can. Questions?" she asked.
Getting 'no' in reply Nora nodded. "..alright let's move out then.."
AN2: R&R please!
