Updated: 6/7/15

…..

Part 1 – A Hostile World

Chapter 6- How to anger Megaton and I

"With love there is hatred, with hatred there is sorrow, with sorrow, there is casualty. Why can't I stop it?"

With all the praise and everything I was given by the Sheriff for saving Megaton it just now dawned on me that I just saved a lot of lives. I wasn't used to doing so. Sure I had always worked as a doctor in the safety of Vault 101 but I hadn't come close to even saving someone's life medically. I only gave prescriptions and treated injuries. But right now, right now the reality of saving someone's life by disarming an Atomic Bomb had left me feeling good. It was a pleasant feeling knowing that many were grateful for my actions. I had stood there for a good five minutes taking it all in after receiving my reward by Lucas Simms, a house and five hundred caps. I had traveled back to the Brass Lantern to get something to eat. I guess the hunger was from the nerves.

But my nerves and the good feeling got even better, or worse depending on the view point. Billy and the Sheriff had praised my good work to a lot of people in town and the people told everyone else. Word about my actions traveled fast. Things were even added to how I helped stop the bomb from exploding. It wasn't like I asked for it all but I did feel like I possibly deserved the praise and I don't even like gloating.

There were several people around me while I was at the Brass Lantern. Lucas had to keep an eye on the prisoners until he could have figure out what to do with guarding them. I didn't blame him. Those two Mercenaries looked sneaky and that Burke looked shady. Thank god we stopped them before they could have killed us all. The people were still thanking me and praising me like I was some sort of saint. Jericho and Billy stayed at my side the entire time which was helpful because they had a hand in everything too.

After thirty minutes of the constant praising and thanking me, I finally got to head up to the Craterside Supply. I walked in ready to purchase the filtering pump. The inside of the store was large and spacious. There were shelves upon shelves of merchandise behind a counter with an entry point. There was a table that you could construct something on near a door. There were cabinets everywhere as well. There was a man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He had leather armor on and had some kind of weapon with a wheel like cartilage close to the end of the barrel. I guess it was a shotgun of some sort. He eyed me down like a hawk with his dark curly hair and light brown eyes. He was not someone I'd want to cross.

I looked up at a whole in the ceiling discovering that it was a walkway up there. This place had three floors apparently. "Excuse me," I said, "Are you the shop keeper?"

"No," He said gruffly, "I'm Moira's bodyguard. Keep your hands to yourself and we won't have a problem."

"Yes sir," I said nodding.

"Buck?" I heard from somewhere, "Do we have a customer?" It was feminine and absent minded sounding.

"Yes ma'am," The man said in the same gruff voice, "A Vault dweller by the looks of him." He talked like I wasn't here at all.

I looked above me to see a woman with flaming red hair fashioned up and blue eyes. She had a blank stare on her face as well. She wore an icy blue jumpsuit with a Robco patch on the left.

"So you're the one everyone's talking about," She said finally and in a dreamy sounding voice. Her voice was like someone without emotion and high pitched. To tell you the truth she gave me chills slightly. "The man who saved Megaton, the vault dweller."

"Uh yes ma'am," I said sheepishly, "That would be me."

"Oh okay," The woman said, "My name's Moira Brown. I own this store."

"Nice to meet you ma'am," I said kindly, "My name is Nathan Warren."

"Nathan huh?" Moira said absently, "Hey I just thought of something." She walked somewhere to the left up there and appeared ten seconds later beside me and the man called Buck in the doorway. I sort of jumped.

"What is it?" I asked trying to sound polite.

"I've been working on a book," She said happily, "I'm not sure what kind yet but I think I've got an idea."

"Okay," I said blankly.

"I thought about making it a survival guide for everyone out here in the wastes," She continued, "You know so less people won't die and all that stuff. Do you think you can help me?"

Okay that caught me off guard. How do you help someone make a 'survival guide' when you've only been out in the wastes for one and a half days? I said the only thing I knew how to answer with, "uh sure."

"Great!" Moira said and I heard Buck make a soft grunt, "So for those who are not from vaults, I wanted them and myself to know what the difference is and what life is like in the vault. Can you give me an explanation?"

I didn't know what to say other than yes, it seemed like a great idea too. But how was I going to help her when I hardly knew what to do out here myself? I couldn't turn her down for three reasons. One it would be a great learning experience probably and two it would probably help others by completing it. For that I wanted my explanations to be thorough. But if this was going to happen I needed to have her trust. Hell I guess I was helping everybody today.

"Alright," I said smiling, "I'm in. But Moira can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Moira said happily.

"I'd like to help you with this book all the way," I said seriously, "I think we both know it won't happen in just a few days or two. But I'd like to help you anyways. Can I help you co-write this thing?"

Moira seemed astonished by my proposal. "Uh, uh yes," She said happily, "of course."

"Thank you Moira," I said, "I want to do this because it's a good learning experience for me and I can help the readers."

"Well that's some motivation I guess," Moira said smiling, "So you want to get started right away or do you have plans?"

I just thought about that. I did have something planned to do. In fact two other things I wanted done. Finding my dad, and draining the deactivated atomic bomb. Damn I had a full schedule today.

"You know what?" I answered, "If you could give me a notebook or something to write in, I will have that opening done by tonight. Okay? I'll have it detailed on the life inside the vault I came from and everything. I did after all pass the vault's education program with all A's."

"Okay," Moira said happily, "Please don't make me wait long though. You've got me all wound up for making the book now. Here have these complimentary notebooks, clipboard, and many lead pencils. Also here is a lot of lead for it all."

"I won't," I said hoping I could keep the promise and taking it all, "But I came in here to buy something. Billy said you had a filtration pump."

"Yes I do," Moira said pleasantly, "It'll cost thirty caps." I paid her the caps and she went back to get a vacuum like pump that was on wheels. I rolled it out the door and to the deactivated atomic bomb where Jericho and Billy were watching my tools for me.

"So you're really going to empty the thing out?" Jericho asked as I hooked up the pumps hose onto the bombs liquid entry point.

"Yeah," I said honestly, "It'll help keep the kids and any idiots from dying of radiation."

"That's a good point I guess," Jericho said agreeing with me as I put one of the fission batteries in the powering unit of the pump. I turned it on and a loud noise filled the town. I could see the liquid coming in the pumps tank through the hose.

"Hey Jericho, Billy!" I yelled over the noise, "Do you think you could give me a hand? I want to get my stuff inside my house."

Jericho gave me the thumbs up sign. Billy was cleaning out his ears then yelled, "What?"

They followed me as far as the stairs where my belongings were. I gave Billy my crate of Nuka-cola and I grabbed my backpack and slung it over my back. I asked Jericho to grab the bucket of highly explosive chemicals which he did as I grabbed my tool box. Billy lead the way to the house because I didn't know where it was. It turns out that the house was the tall one overlooking the Brass Lantern. Underneath the platform it was on half of the base was stuck in the ground. If I wasn't mistaking there was a balcony that hung over the Brass Lantern. This Balcony of course was only accessible by the house door on that side.

Billy led me and Jericho around to the front door side of the house which was on a large walkway and sitting area with three or four tables all around. I could look at the town from here. The pump was still making the noise so it was still activated. I unlocked my door and propped the door open. We made our way inside and I realized that the house was bigger than I thought. There was a large spacious room with a small kitchen in the back. There was a door that most likely led to the balcony off to the side and two doors along the back wall. There was no second floor other than walkways along the sides of the walls with a staircase leading to them. The lower floor was long than the second floor as it extended out over the Brass Lantern. There weren't many tables in the house but it was large and spacious. There was a closet door under the stairs. There were lockers and shelves lined along the walls. We sat everything down and I walked up stairs to see that there were three doors. One probably led to the first floor roof, and I looked in the others revealing two rooms. One had a bed in it and the other was a spare room with a chair, table, and shelf.

I had time for sightseeing later. Right now I just wanted to empty that bomb of the liquid. We exited my house and I locked the door behind me. The pump was full and I turned it off once we got back.

"Whew thank you," I heard Jenny say, "That thing's loud as hell. What are you three doing?" She was still behind her counter cooking something.

"Uh emptying out the Atomic Bomb," Billy said, "Nathan said it would keep people from getting Radiation poisoning."

"Oh," Jenny said understandingly, "It would help keep the children safe I guess."

"My thoughts exactly," I muttered as I unhooked the hose then said, "Hey so who wants to help me get this thing to the radiation dump?"

"I'm in," Jericho said looking bored, "I need to get off my butt any ways."

"Cool," I said thankful, "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Jericho said, "Coming Billy?"

"Nah," Billy responded, "It's about time for lunch. I always eat with Maggie."

"Yeah I know," Jericho said dully, "Just thought you'd want to come on out with us." With that me and Jericho slowly made our way up the stairs with the pump and out the town Gates. Stockholm opened the barrier for us. We headed towards the Water tower.

…

Burke, Ebony, and Ivory

I sit here in this fucking cell that joke of a cowboy had locked us in. I sat on the chair leaning back in it balancing it on two legs and using the wall as support keeping my arms folded. Ebony and Mister Burke were in cells across from mine. The so called cowboy sheriff had left us alone finally.

"Burke," I said calmly, "I hope you plan on making us earn those caps. The bomb was disarmed."

"Yes I'm quite aware of that," Burke said sighing annoyed with our predicament, "My employer will not let these backward people get away with this. He and I will need your services yes. For you to earn the first five hundred caps you have to kill that imbecile Nathan. We'll discuss the rest later."

"Our weapons have been confiscated," Ebony said calmly, "We cannot kill anyone without breaking out first and going back to camp. Even so we only have silenced N99's there, a few rations and equipment, and our armor."

"Don't worry," I said calmly, "When night fall comes, we'll get out. We always have a backup plan when it comes to situations like this. And this Nathan kid, he was clever on this one. Taking him for a simple drunk was a mistake on our part."

"Aw come on Ivory," Burke said calmly, "You give the kid too much credit. He is just some lowlife out of a Vault."

I sighed, a little annoyed with Burke even if he was right about the kid being out of a vault it didn't change the fact he tricked us.

"I know where he's from," I said, "But by my standards the kid performed well with Spec Ops tactics. We were in a bar. He used that to his advantage to set the mood of his plan. He used a bottle of Vodka to act like he was drunk and then eavesdropped on us while we thought he had knocked himself out. The kid must be smart because disarming a prewar bomb is no easy thing."

That seemed to give Burke a different shade of thought. "Perhaps," He said considerately, "you are correct."

….

Nathan and Jericho

We were on our second and final trip out to the dumps. "Hey Jericho?" I asked as we walked up to the base of the water towers cliff.

"Yeah?" He responded with his assault rifle out.

"Have you ever been out in the wastes before?" I asked rolling the pump to the edge of the dump.

"Yeah," He said shortly, "I'm a retired Raider kid. They left me behind a while back after a job. I decided to leave that part of my life behind." He spoke like an old man but he was around his forties.

I didn't question him right away. I turned on the pump and the loud noise filled the air. The pump blew out all the liquid gathered. Just standing near the dumps I could feel the radiations heat. I kept an eye on my Pipboy's Geiger counter too. I was getting a slight dose of one Rad per second. When the pump was done blowing out the radioactive liquid I turned it off.

"Well did you ever miss any of it?" I asked. From what I heard about Raiders, it wasn't pleasant.

Jericho sighed pulling out a pack of cigarettes. "The fight for survival and action yeah," He said lighting his cigarette, "The rape, murder, torturing, and robbing of innocents no. I've done things that give me nightmares to this day. You wouldn't believe half the shit I did, I don't ever want to follow that path again Nathan, it's disturbing. But I'll tell you what. Fighting to live in gang wars was something I could do all day. I don't know why but I love a good shoot out."

At least he was sincere about it all. I now knew why Jericho was so gruff. He can't forgive himself for everything he done during his life. He just stood there smoking his cigarette assault rifle in one had his back turned to me and looking out at the destroyed bridge. He looked like an outlaw in one of those movies I watched in the vault, a drifter if you compare it. "Well," I said rolling the hose up and putting it on the pumps rack, "If out here is how you're describing it, it looks like I'm going to be in some fire fights real soon."

Jericho turned to look back at me. "Why do you say that?" Jericho asked.

"I'm probably going on a long ass journey," I said sighing, "My dad is out there somewhere. Moriorty has to know where he went. He could be in that city over there for all I know."

"That city is a hellhole," Jericho said warningly, "You think it was bad your first days out here, that place is worse."

"Oh I can imagine," I said sighing, "But I can't help where I have to go to find him, guns a blazing or not."

Jericho gave me a look with his cigarette limp in his mouth. It was like he was trying to think on something. "We better get back," I said pulling the pump along with me towards Megaton. He followed behind me silently. We arrived back around 1:30 in the afternoon.

"I'm heading to the Brass Lantern," Jericho said, "I'm a bit hungry. See you later kid." He walked off down the stairs as I rolled the pump to and inside my house. I pulled it next the door and walked up the stairs. I was a bit exhausted so I flopped on the bed in my room tired.

The events of today and the day before had run through my mind. Escaping the Vault, Sitting out in Springvale for a few hours, Lucky finding me, Getting in a fight at the Saloon, disarming a bomb and foiling a bunch of Mercenaries plans. Everything that was happening around me I tried my best to keep under control. Daydreaming for a few minutes had got the best of me. I decided to explore my new home more thoroughly. I went in the kitchen which there was shelves along the back wall a refrigerator and a sink. Just to push my luck I decided to check the refrigerator for food or to see if it was even on. It had no food and it was off. I slid it to the left and checked the side of its service lid. It needed a fission battery to power it, the one it had now was shot. I returned to my tool box and retrieved the fission battery I got from the atomic bomb.

I replaced the old one and the refrigerator turned on. That was simple enough. I stocked it with my Nuka-cola bottles and put the crate on one of the shelves. I walked out into the main room to see something a strange machine. I walked up to it and looked at it. There were twenty small circular platforms that were set up like a doll collectors dream. But the stand had a silverish base and a design on the front that said "Vault-tech bobble heads." I remembered that my dad had a Vault-tech bubblehead, one that I brought with me. I pulled out the bobble head which was holding a syringe. I read the words engraved on the bottom: The smart man knows bandages only hide his wounds.

I sat it on one of the circular pads and looked around the room some more. My gaze fell on the two doors this time. One turned out to be a bathroom and the other was a small room around the same size but instead had a deactivated Type II Mister Handy propped on its arms on the floor.

I turned it on by the switch on its large spherical body. The switch was in a small compartment. The robot suddenly jumped to life literally by having its hover jet boost it in the air. Its arms folded out revealing its saw, torcher, and free hand.

"Allow me to introduce myself sir," The robot said, "I am Wadsworth, I am designed to be the houses owner butler and I will obey anything you say."

I nodded amazed. "So you're my butler huh?" I asked making sure I heard that right.

"Yes sir," Wadsworth said, "It's in my programming to obey you."

"Very well," I said, "What are your functions?"

"I have water collectors and can purify it," he said, "I am programmed to tell jokes, give diagnostics on this home, Clean it, be on guard, other functions you wish me to perform."

"Not bad," I said impressed, "Well I don't have any need for you now. If you want to get rid of the dust in the house you can but avoid that bucket over there." It would be disastrous if his hover jet mechanism caught the chemicals on fire due to the high speed air.

"With pleasure master," He said respectively, "I'm on it now." With that Wadsworth began float around using his torcher mechanism to suck up the dust.

I continued to explore my home which involved me going out on the balcony. The Balcony overlooked the center of town. From here I had to lean over the railing to see the roof of the Brass Lantern. I turned around to see stairs that lead to the roof of my first floor. I walked up it to see a table and a chair along with another door. I walked in to be on the walk way of the second floor. Wadsworth was already on this floor cleaning the dust.

I slowly became conscious of the fact that I would never be able to return back to Vault 101 and in retaliation I decided to unpack my stuff and place everything in the lockers and on the shelves. I set the bucket of explosive chemicals in the closet and my clothes in the lockers. I sat my ammo and weaponry on my shelf, the holodisks sat on the shelves as well. Out of boredom I decided to count out my caps. Thirty minutes later I had counted 804 caps.

I guess this is where I finally remembered something, Moriarty. It was the afternoon alright and he was due to be in right now. I got up gathered my caps, backpack, and a pistol with ammo ready to head on over to the Saloon. The town was busy of course all enjoying the day I guess. I walked into the Saloon, it wasn't as full as normally but there was a new person behind the counter.

He had grayish white hair, a beard, and mustache and green eyes. He wore a black vest like overcoat, a white shirt under it, black pants, boots, and gauntlet like gloves. He had a stern look on his face.

He was talking to Gob. "How much money did yea get while I was gone?" He asked. He was definitely Irish.

"Uh 745 caps sir," Gob grumbled.

"Ah excellent," Moriarty said, "Well fine then I'll be in my office then." With that he started to walk in the back room.

The red haired woman looked at me then turned to Moriarty "Hey boss," She asked, "Where did you go with that man?"

"What business is it of ya?" Moriarty demanded, "Haven't you tuned in on the Radio Nova?"

"The signal's shit Moriarty," The woman called Nova said, "You left too early to hear Gob banging on the thing."

"Fine then," Moriarty said clearly irritated, "Well then until we get a decent signal bitch, you and zombie boy over here will never know."

Nova's lower jaw clenched in anger as Moriarty went in the office. She shook her head slowly but angrily. She walked towards me with a fast pace.

"Sorry kid," Nova said sighing, "Me and Gob have been coming up with a way to get information out of that fucking Leprechaun asshole for you. But since he was real 'sweet' about it I'm just going to slip you some information right now."

"Okay?" I said not knowing what to say. Moriarty really was an asshole.

"He has a terminal in the back he types everything on it, I mean everything," She said looking back to make sure Moriarty didn't come out yet, "He changed his password but I bet you could hack that thing in order to get what you want. There's a key to the office door under the trash can near it outside. Don't feel bad about doing anything though, if you talk to him about it he'll just screw you over."

"I see," I said cautiously, "Let me try it my way first. If it doesn't happen I'll try it your way."

"Okay hon," Nova said sighing, "But don't say I didn't warn you if he tries something fucked up."

"I'll say the opposite," I responded. I immediately got an idea. "Can you tell me his first name?"

"Colin, why?" She asked.

I didn't say anything I just sat down at the bar. "Hey Gob," I said remembering I left my weapons with him, "You still got my weaponry?"

"Yeah," Gob said pulling out four SMG's and a silenced pistol. I put them in my backpack.

"I just came in got it?" I asked.

"Done," Gob said, "Moriarty?"

"Yep," I said simply.

"Hey boss," Gob called, "Someone's here to see ya."

"Who is it?" I heard Moriarty yell from the back.

"The savior of the town," Nova answered theatrically. I couldn't help but smirk slightly.

Colin walked out five seconds later looking annoyed. "Hello Colin," I said simply.

"So you're the one who saved my town huh?" Colin asked sounding annoyed, "The one who disarmed that freaking bomb and had the three who wanted to blow it up locked up in old cowboy's jail huh?" I mentally noted him saying it was his town and his nickname for Lucas.

"That would be me," I said simply.

"Well don't go strutting around like you deserve special treatment you bigot," Colin said annoyed, "That ain't gonna get you nowhere in here. You might as well walk out that door and never come back."

Okay now I was annoyed. "You know what," I said annoyance melting into my tone, "I can see having manners wouldn't do me any good so I'll be blunt. You know where my dad is and I want to know. You either tell me or I get really pissed and get the information myself. From what I've heard your complete asshole which is the opposite of what my father told me growing up. So what's it going to be?" I added the fact that my dad told me about him to spruce things up.

Moriarty looked at me like I was an army facing him alone.

"Uh boss," Gob said cautiously, "Don't mess with the kid, He's got skill in shit that you wouldn't even dream of." Of course Gob wouldn't know that I just practiced with everything I was good at growing up.

"You're Nathan Warren?" He asked with a complete change of tone, "I haven't seen you since you were a baby!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked slightly confused.

"Didn't your dad tell ya?" Moriarty said, "You and him were tryin' to get in that Vault at Springvale when ye were born."

"I was born in the Vault," I said still confused.

"No ye weren't," Colin said, "Oh that's right! I heard about the brainwashin' that goes on down in there. Ye pa told me, you are born in the vault, you die in the vault, no one ever enters and no one ever leaves. That's a load of Brahmin shit. Ye pa told me 'bout that one. He told me it was all a lie to make sure no one gets any funny ideas."

"Well that one failed miserably," I said a bit angry with dad, "The thing is I'm looking for him. He left me there. I had to fight my way out of there. I know you've been with him this entire time he was out, so do you know where he is?"

Colin looked at me quizzically. "I do know where he's at," Colin said simply, "But every piece of information has a price. I'll tell ye for five hundred caps."

I tensed up annoyed with him finally. Yep, there was no doubt in my mind. This guy was an asshole. I'm guessing Nova's plan was the way to go.

"You know what?" I asked not even concerning myself with this guy, "This is a waste of time. I'll find him my own way."

"And how's that?" Colin said smugly, "By beating the shit out of me? By stealing from me. If you do kid, I'll have the entire town turned against you. Hell I'll even fill a contract out on you. You just pissed me off."

My jaw clenched. "Threatening me won't get you anywhere," I said trying to control my temper, "You better watch who you're talking to like that. You'll meet someone one of these days who will straighten your ass out."

"Is that a threat?" Moriarty demanded standing up.

"A threat I'll turn into a promise if you keeping fucking with me you old bastard," I said simply, "and you turning the town against me? I hate to break it to you Colin but everyone I talk to is out for your blood. Well at least the good people around here are. So try something Moriarty, I'll put your ass on the ground where it belongs."

"Why you little prick," Moriarty said pulling out an N99. I pulled mine out and shot his out his hand still sitting in the chair casually. Truth be told, it was something that I couldn't explain. Moriarty and time slowed down in an instant. Moriarty looked at me shocked as if he couldn't register what just happened.

"Now you want piss me off you fucking Leprechaun?" I said fuming slightly, "I've been through enough in one day to last me a lifetime. I sure as hell don't need you fucking my day up for stupid shit just because your greedy ass can't deal with someone who just did a service to the town and your sorry ass. Now I'm being generous and I won't kill you. That's not how I deal with things. But you ever pull a gun on me again. We'll have more than words. I'll shoot your ass. The real leader of this town probbaly wouldn't mind it at all. Sheriff Lucas Simms is the one who doesn't trust you. I go by his word because so far he hasn't pulled a gun on me and threatened to kill me yet. So I'll be around Moriarty. Remember that."

I got up and walked casually out the Saloon door.

….

Nova

"We told you boss," I said with a smug expression, "The kid's got skill. He took on an experienced drunk Wastelander with ease and definitely has respect from most the town. If you piss him off he'll come down hard on you."

"Yeah," Gob said smugly, "Just him shooting that pistol out your hand should clarify that."

Colin looked at me and then at Gob in fury. "Ah shut up you fucking pricks," He said moving to his office and pushing Gob in the process, "and get back to work."

I giggled slightly at the situation. That new guy Nathan was…interesting.

….

Nathan

I was sitting in my house on the bed leaning against the wall frustrated as hell because of Moriarty. Oh I'd love to go in and beat the shit out of him, but that was because he pissed me off. I can't believe my dad was involved with this guy. What the hell was happening to him? Why would he do this shit to me and leave me all alone? I threw a baseball that had been lying on my desk when I moved in at the wall out of frustration. I couldn't afford to think of the bad crap going on in my life, I had to keep trying to find a positive side, even...even if it meant putting my main goal aside temporarily so I didn't drive myself insane. That was apparently easy when things built up.

But what could keep me so freaking calm right now? I rubbed the temples of my head. Then it came to me. I owed Moira Brown a detailed explanation. I got out one of the three notebooks and a pencil. I got started on it immediately.

I wrote:

Life in the Vault-

Life in the Vault is indeed different from out in the wasteland. For starters Vaults were originally built as Fallout Shelters for the Great War's nuclear bombs. There are currently 122 known vaults on Post War American soil. All vaults had different customs. They were all issued different technological supplies that would let most thrive and others would fend for themselves. The Vaults themselves were commissioned by the Prewar United States Government in the program called "Project Safe house."

Vault 101 which is located in the Capital Wasteland near the prewar Springvale settlement is the basis for this explanation. Vault 101's standard technology included standard of living gear. This included Vault-Tec integration systems such as dust deposition emitters that sucks up dust, basic food sanitizers and water purifiers that kept the vault's supply pure and not radiated, and several lights that could imitate sunlight without the major sun poisoning or burn. There were Type II Mister Handy's that were service robots.

Other Vault Tec equipment included inbuilt operational systems that dealt with food other than the purifiers and sanitizers that could keep it all from being irradiated. There were large systems that could allow fruit and vegetables to grow called the Greenhouse. Meat is probably an issue out in the waste sometimes, however Vault Tec issued Vault 101 with a V- C.M.D MI device. This stands for Vault-Tec – Culinary Meat Duplication Mark One device. It basically clones meat that could be served on a daily basis. Learning the blueprints of construction, I would recommend basic electronic manuals.

Vault 101 was protected from a nuclear fallout by advanced doors that weigh ten tons and in the shape of a Cog. All though old in time wise, it was an effective and highly advanced way by using Vault Tec power generators to utilize the sheer power of this protection system. Other Doors were motion activated or panel activated.

To simulate prewar seasonal weather, there were Vault Tec implants that would allow inhabitants to experience it all. With the lighting this all let residents experience four seasonal weather patterns of prewar times.

I stopped to read what I had written so far. Holy crap I was descriptive, exactly the way I wanted it. But I knew I wouldn't be able to do this in one night. I had only stated the Technology and how many vaults there were out there. I tapped my chin with my index finger thinking. Then I went over my thoughts again. I wrote Part I over the first paragraph and Technology over the second. If I wanted to tell people what it was like down there, then I would have to be descriptive. I walked over to the Crater side Supply and had a word with Moira.

"I'm just not going to be able to finish it all in one day," I said to her apologetically, "Being descriptive is a bit long. I only got to what kind of Technology we have down there. If you want this thing to be good I need more time."

"Oh no problem," Moira said grinning, "I know it must be a bit hard trying to get everything down. Take as long as you need, but not too long."

"Alright," I said relieved, "I'll catch you later then." I walked out the store and towards the Brass Lantern where Billy, Stockholm, and Jericho were. They were sitting there enjoying some of Jenny's cooking. I sat next to them noticing it was almost 10:00 at night.

"Hey man," Billy greeted me, "What's up?"

"Nothing much," I said yawning, "Just running around. Figured I'd get something to eat before going to bed."

"Ah there's nothing wrong with that," Billy said cheerfully. Stockholm who was drinking some beer nodded and raised his as if toasting.

"So what will it be bud?" Jenny asked.

"Uh the Salsbury Steak?" I asked.

"Twelve caps," Jenny said. I gave her the caps and she began to prepare the food.

"Evening Sheriff," I heard Jericho say, "Got any of them to talk yet?" I knew of course he was talking about the three prisoners. I turned around to see Lucas sitting next to Jericho.

"No," said a troubled Lucas, "It's like trying to get a bunch of Brahmin to jump up and down on a boulder. They won't talk for anything." The sheriff sighed like he was fed up with something and drank some water out a water bottle.

"Ah don't worry sheriff," Billy said trying to cheer him up, "They'll crack eventually."

Lucas didn't say anything. He just drank another sip of his water. Finally after a few more swallows he said something.

"Yeah I guess so," He said sighing, "But right now I've got Thomas guardin-"

An explosion erupted and filled the town from behind the Crater Side Supply. It caused a chain reaction of panic and everyone closer to it taking cover somehow. The Brahmin mooed at fleeing from the explosion in panic as well. I protected my face with my arm and then looked at the sight.

"Ah shit," Jericho said knowing what just happened. We all knew.

"Damn it," Lucas said getting up as he slapped his palm on the counter top. I got up first running towards the platform ramp. I could hear the others behind me.

We all slid to a halt at the burnt metal rubble of the once was jail area. There was someone on the ground under a piece that was close to a fire. I ran over to him pulling out my N99. I quickly looked around like the others did for the three fugitives. I put my gun down real quick and moved the metal sheet from over the man kneeling down.

"Sheriff!" I yelled waving him over.

Lucas turned towards me keeping his gun down in a patrolling way and ran towards me. "That's Thomas," He said looking down at him then around once more.

The man called Thomas coughed. "I tried Sheriff," He coughed, "I tried. They somehow got out their cells, took my assault rifle, and blew up the jail." He coughed up blood. I then realized this man had been shot.

"Oh my…damn," Billy said looking at the wound, "Nathan can you help him?"

"Another prepared doctor can," I said, "Doesn't this town have a doctor?"

"Yeah," Lucas said then turned two settlers who followed us here, "You two get him to Doc Church's clinic."

They nodded, eased Thomas on their shoulders and made their way down the ramp. We heard another gunshot coming from the entrance of Megaton.

"They're this way," Stockholm yelled waving us over to his direction. We all ran behind him with guns out and ready to fire. We stopped in front of Lucas' house door to see a figure up on the sentry catwalk. Harden was standing inside the Sheriff's home with the door open.

"Harden get inside," Lucas said, "It's too dangerous right now."

Harden closed the door and we looked back at the catwalk. The figure fell but another was still there. It shot a round off at us. We all scattered firing back. But the figure was too fast for us. It jumped over the railing pressing something on a panel. Stockholm and Lucas stayed with the one who fell. It landed somewhere outside the gates and inside the barrier. It had to be one of the Mercenaries. We all ran through the gates but the barriers were closing. All three silhouettes were running towards Springvale. Me, Jericho, and three Megaton settlers had made it out. Billy was left on the inside of the barrier with four more.

"Keep going!" I heard Billy yell from behind us stuck behind the barrier. I could hear laser rounds firing up ahead. We caught up to Deputy Wield who was walking as fast as his robotic legs would let him firing off laser rounds at the fleeing trio. We ran towards the back of the ruined houses that was along the road towards Megaton. Deputy Wield halted his fire and was walking the same speed behind us. Then gun firing was firing at us behind a ruined car. We all got into cover behind old dumpsters, rubble, and leftover fire places.

Jericho was firing his assault rifle from a dumpster in the alley way and the others were shooting at the car. I shot a few rounds at the car but I knew I couldn't do anything about the situation I was in. We were all shooting at people who pretty much blended in with the darkness around them because of their clothing. We didn't know their exact location but apparently they knew where we were. They could be behind another vehicle as well. They stopped firing.

We stopped as well. Jericho looked out from behind his cover. "Damn they're running again," He yelled, "Let's go."

We all bolted towards the vehicle but before we got close something happened. The car blew up and was replaced with a miniature mushroom explosion. I went flying back high up in the air and landed on a beam of one of the houses. I was about to slip off but I grabbed on the beam hanging by my hands. The heat of the radiation swept over me as I struggled to hold on. I looked around quickly to see one of the Megaton settlers land on the ground head first with a sickening crack. The beam broke and I went falling down to the ground that had rubble on it. I felt the air escape my body as I landed with a thud.

"Nathan!" I heard Jericho yell from the other side of what were the remains of a fireplace. I struggled to look his way to see him holding his side and stumbling towards me. I could hear creaking under me and something snapped. Ah shit.

"Jericho wait!" I gasped but it was too late. I fell down into a dark pit. My back pack got caught on a hanging piece of metal rod. I hung there gasping. Everything was darker than the above ground.

"Nathan are you alright?" Jericho yelled from six feet above me.

I grunted and sighed at the same time in frustration. "Yeah," I said annoyed at my predicament, "What about you and the others?"

"I'm fine," Jericho said coughing, "A bit banged up but I'm good."

"Alright," I said rubbing my face with one of my hands, "Go check the others."

"I'll be right back," Jericho said getting up and leaving from the rim of the hole. I looked around my small area. The hole wasn't clammy like I was expecting. It was rough and made of stone. I was in something but it wasn't a hole. I moved my arm in an awkward position to reach for a pouch on my backpack. I got my flashlight out but I felt my N99 fall out the tip of my pocket. As it hit the bottom of this thing I heard a gunshot which made me flinch slightly.

It must have misfired. I turned on my flash light and looked around my area once again only this time with light. I was definitely in a vent of some kind. I looked down to see the ground of a metal like place.

I heard Jericho above me. "You still there?" I heard him say.

"Yeah," I said uncomfortably, "He did you know of a room down below me?"

"No," Jericho answered, "Why?"

"Cause there is one," I said struggling to move even a bit, "Are the others okay?"

"One died and the other two are injured badly," Jericho said, "I sent Deputy Wield back to Megaton to get Billy and the others."

"That's great," I said kind of sarcastic, "Really great. You know this whole situation is fucked up."

"Yeah I know," Jericho said, "They got away too. This is really fucked up."

"You're telling me," I said grunting, "You're not the one dangling helplessly in a vent underground by yourself are you?"

"Well when you put it that way," Jericho said understanding what I meant.

"Ugh," I said yawning, "This is messed up on so many levels. I've gotta get down from here."

"Don't you mean up here?" Jericho said. I just looked up at him with a blank expression. "Sorry not helping," he responded.

I started working my arms free and I fell but caught another rod. I used my feet trying to gain a bit of balance on the wall. I tried to work my bag loose and it went tumbling down along with my flashlight. I heard my flashlight hit the ground hard.

I dropped down to land in the dark room. I rolled a bit to avoid the major damage of the fall. I got up and felt around for my flashlight. It was pitch black but I felt around for it still. I found it. I picked it up and clicked the button. It didn't turn on. I slammed the end into my palm but it just flickered. I got a glimpse of my surrounding but couldn't make out anything. It wasn't going to work. I would have to work on it at home or something. I slipped it in my pocket and turned on my Pipboy light.

I yelled at the sight that had just come to me. A freaking walking zombie looking thing was standing so close it was only a finger length to me. It's eyes were white, reflecting off my light and its jaws were muscular but bare with rotting skin. I didn't have time to observe it any further because it let out a horrible shriek and pounced on me. I found myself on my back with it trying to claw me with its long arms with sharp nails. I stopped it from doing so by grabbing onto its elbows and keep it off me. It snapped its jaws violently and viciously at me.

I found a way to get my foot at its stomach and pushed it off me and I rolled over towards a shining object, my gun. I went to fire but it slapped it out my hand. I punched the thing in its face and pushed it off again with my foot. I went for my gun again and this time I shot it in the arm. It flinched for a second but shrieked again and bounded towards me once more. I got my bearings correct this time and shot it in the head. With two bullet holes in the head it stopped where it was. Greenish blood poured from its head as it looked at me unintelligibly. It collapsed falling over on its side.

I sighed and grunted at the same time relieved at my close encounter. I got up on my feet and looked around. Another one was walking hunched over my way from a long hall. I aimed and shot it as well. I slung my backpack on and looked around. I was at the very end of a sewer, I knew that because there was nothing but irradiated water on the ground and two sides.

I continued down the sewer looking for a ladder to the surface. There was not a ladder but a door at the end of the sewer on the left side. I opened the door and kept to the side of the frame. I didn't want anything surprising me here. I couldn't see anything because of the Pipboy's light range, but I did hear music. It was coming from behind me. I looked behind me to see a familiar floating robotic sphere. It was one of those strange robots again. It was playing "America the Beautiful" as it floated towards me. It halted still floating and turned its radio like front at me. Its music turned down into a soft noise. It didn't move for the longest time.

Getting anxious to keep moving I asked it something. "Do you have a light?" I asked it. My eyes were blinded by its high beam light. "Okay," I said rubbing my eyes, "Thanks. Now if you want out follow me and keep that light activated."

I walked in the door and down a hall that had old metal pipes and machinery lined up around the wall. As I walked I wondered why this strange robot would find its way down here with me. It was weird. We both came up on a skeleton that was slouched over on the ground with a familiar weapon which was a combat shotgun. There were three boxes of shotgun shells and two books next it.

"Whoa," I said surprised of my luck, "About time my luck changed." I put my pistol away and picked up the combat shotgun and checked out its features. It wasn't in bad condition but wasn't in good condition either. I checked the circular chamber which had ten shotgun shells in it. I checked the boxes of shotgun shells to discover there were twenty-four shells in them all. I put them in my backpack and looked at the two books. One was titled, "Guide to maintaining and operating your shotgun" and the other was titled, "Pugilism Illustrated: Volume I."

Pugilism was a fancy term for boxing. I put them in my backpack as well. I continued on down the hallway with the robot floating behind me. We made our way down it into a room that had machinery everywhere. Nothing was of value though, it was all prewar stuff. There was a rusty door at the end of this door. I struggled to turn the door wheel try to open it. It was unlocked so I tried pulling it to open the door. I got it about an inch open when the door wheel broke off and I almost stumbled to the ground.

"Damn," I muttered tossing the wheel to the ground. The robot rotated in midair looking around. I walked over to the machinery to look for anything I could pry open the door with. I found a wrench and used it to open the door a little more. I used my hands to pull it open wide open. The robot entered before me this time. It had its light activated still. Several Radroaches moved out the way of it clicking their mouths rapidly. I followed behind the robot ignoring the Radroaches. We were in another room now.

This room had nothing of interest except a desk an old terminal that had the screen missing. I looked in the desk for anything of use. There was a paper written note inside. I read it:

I've been down here for three years now. My food and water supply is running low. What is more is that creatures have been finding their way in. They walk like a man but are disgusting and look like zombies. They killed my dog. I hope they don't find a way to get to me. A shotgun with a few shells won't last me long. If only I was accepted into that Vault a long time ago. I hope I can survive long enough down here until someone comes for me. This radiation sickness is killing me….slowly.

That was it. I looked around to see the skeleton of an animal and another deformed skeleton. I didn't see anything else in the desk except junk. But closer inspection I found two grenades under it which was known as a Frag Grenade. The robot suddenly started shooting an orange colored laser beam at the Radroaches. I ignored it and I didn't see anything else but another door. This one was activated by a panel though. I pressed the green button and the door opened. The door slide sideways that revealed another sewer like place. Inside was another of the same type of robot floating over a strange pile of junk. I looked around to see a ladder leading up to the surface and a manhole. I climbed up the ladder to open the manhole but it was stuck. I beat on it trying to open it up. Nothing happened.

I had another idea so I got down and pulled out my shotgun. I shot up at the man hole and it blew off with a loud bang. I heard it land on the road too. "Ha," I said pleased with the result. But before I could climb up the ladder both robots floated up in front of it and up towards the surface. Something over where the second robot was floating earlier reflected off my Pipboy light. Curiosity overwhelmed me so I went to go look at this junk. I found out that this pile wasn't junk at all. It was some kind of armor. This armor was large and bulky too. It was pitch black and had a helmet as well.

It looked too heavy for anyone to use but I could tell it had high tech joints and armoring. The chest and abdomen were ready made so you could try to be flexible. The shoulders were guarded by pointed plates and arms. The joints all had plates on them as well. The helmet was definitely high tech. The facial area had dark yellowish orange lenses and grooves around it. There was what looked like a breathing mouth piece embedded in a large lower facial piece that wrapped around the cheek area. Everything wrapped around the head and had inserts for several hoses that attached to the shoulder tendon areas of the armor. There were pointed parts that looked like animal ear styled metal protruding from the areas for the hoses. The only smooth looking spot was the crown of the helmet. It was a work of art no doubt. If it was one thing I learned out here in the wasteland it was that scavenging is often the only way to survive. Who say's I can't enjoy the opportunity? This strange armor was mine.

I dragged it towards the ladder. There was an unused chain next to the ladder. I put the helmet in my backpack and wrapped the chain around the waist of the armor and pulled it up behind me as I went up. I climbed out half way.

"There you are kid," I heard Jericho's voice, "Here." He gave me a hand up and I pulled the armor up. "What do you got there?"

"Some kind of armor I found," I responded but then I remembered why we were out here, "Where are they?"

"Gone," Jericho said disappointed, "They disappeared after you fell. Sorry man."

"Shit," I breathed disappointed as well, "Well. There's no sense hanging around out here. Where are the others?"

"Billy's group escorted them back to Megaton," Jericho said, "Deputy Wield survived the explosion too. He's back at his post. One of those strange robots went in that hole after I heard gunshots. What was down there?"

"Some kind of fucked up looking Zombie," I said, "Scared the shit out of me. They weren't like Gob either. These things howled at me so I howled back with a gun."

"Ah," Jericho said, "Those were feral ghouls. Damn things have no brain really. They just have two instincts, kill and eat. They don't bother the normal ghouls though. Strange thing actually, so you need help carrying that armor?"

"Please," I remarked. We were halfway back to Megaton when Jericho said something.

"You know," He said, "Besides the fact that you almost died down there probably, that was kind of funny you just stuck in that position. You found humor in your situation didn't you?"

"Yeah," I said, "Kind of. It made me feel better when I found a shotgun, some ammo, and this huge hunk of armor though. But yeah now that you mention it, it was kind of funny."

We made it back and pretty much everyone was outside helping cleaning the wreckage left by the three escapees. Me and Jericho put the armor on the floor in my house. I put my backpack down and went back outside. Everyone was mourning over the two we lost. I questioned Sheriff Simms on this.

"Gayle died of Internal bleeding," He said lowly, "If only that vehicle hadn't exploded. We wouldn't have lost two good people in this world, damn it, Gayle and Erin" He shook his head eyes shut. "Damn! Why did this have to happen? Those damn Merc's, I just want to shoot them all in the face." He didn't sound like someone my age after they had lost someone close to them from someone killing them. He sounded like a soldier, one that would fight for any kind of freedom.

I couldn't help but feel somehow responsible. They were a part of my group. My fucking group! I was smarter than I had acted. I should've stopped us from proceeding. This was messed up, worse than me falling in a hole. I couldn't help it, two people died because I couldn't act quick enough to stop us. I had to do something. I had to find a way to make amends, somehow. I couldn't let myself forget this. Two people I didn't even know, who helped me try and bring the convicts back, dead. Damn...

…