FALLING STARS CHAPTER 13- COLLAPSE
Konata skipped pretty much the entire way of their three hour walk to Rivet City. She certainly did have a lot to be happy about; everything had turned out better than expected. They were going to do something to change the world, all those leper-like people dying of irradiation in the gutters of Megaton would now be free to drink water without worrying whether or not they would turn into a ghoul or flat out die. Then there was the fact that Kagami had indirectly admitted to having the same feelings for her, that had made her day. In fact that had made her week, but why stop there? That made her entire janitorial career and adventure into the wastes.
Kagami, on the other hand, was treading very lightly on the subject of her and Konata. In a way she had always known Konata had strong feelings toward her, she wasn't very subtle about it. She remembered a time in Vault 101 in school where Konata wrote and essay about her favorite thing, that thing happened to be Kagami. She was flattered by Konata's borderline obsession every now and then. One big problem she foresaw was the fact that she was not a touchy-feely person, while Konata was. It was far too easy to imagine Konata being extremely clingy and her reacting negatively, possibly to negatively and hurting her (not physically of course). Kagami thought that maybe she was just being paranoid but she could picture dozens of horrible things that could go wrong between them if she took this lightly.
Midway through their journey Tsukasa surprised everyone yet again. The stumbled across a gang of raiders who had set up a base underneath a massive bridge that spanned the Potomac. Kagami drew up an extremely elaborate plan to dispatch them quickly and efficiently. In the middle of her speech Tsukasa slipped away, a few minutes later there was a series of screams. Konata and Kagami grabbed their weapons to see what was going on, only to find the dozen or so raiders all nearly melted from an almost liquid fire that consumed them. Neither Konata nor Kagami could place the smell but wouldn't have been surprised to find out it was napalm.
Kagami wanted to ask Tsukasa what in the Nine Hells she had done to them but realized that she didn't want to know. Her best guess was that it was from one of those "Do it yourself homemade chemicals and explosives" books that she had found. As long as Tsukasa didn't blow them up and shatter them with white phosphorus, she was fine with her new hobby.
Not long after, the massive beached battleship that was Rivet City appeared in the background. No helicopters near the metal tower that the bridge was connected to this time, Kagami saw that as a good thing after that little spectacle with Misao and that officer. Sure Misao was a little eccentric but she didn't deserve to have her face smashed into a bar counter.
They ascended the rusted metal platforms of the tower and passed by an extremely dirty and smelly man begging for purified water. Just another reminded of why Project Purity was a necessity to these people.
"I remember you guys!" Patricia greeted. "Here to see Hiyori or just for leisure?"
"Both." Konata said, sure they were here for important business, but that didn't mean they could find something to do.
"I'll be at the market!" Tsukasa told them in her normal pleasant demeanor, and went her own way; following the many signs that led to the many areas of the ship.
"In that case, I'm gonna go check out that bar on the lowest level." Konata decided and bounded off.
"That just leaves you and me." Sojiro said to Kagami, who visibly uncomfortable.
"Yeah…let's go meet Hiyori." She replied, knowing that there nothing else for her to do.
THE SPLENDORS OF RIVET CITY
Tsukasa was amazed at all the things people had for sale. The market was set up in what used to be a mess hall. She went and bought supplies for tailoring first, and spent the last of her money on some microfusion batteries for Kagami's laser rifle since she knew that she was out.
Konata found out that the bar named "The Muddy Rudder" was about as boring as boring got. Just some people who had drunken themselves nearly blind sitting their feeling sorry for themselves from whatever wasteland event had that had ruined their lives.
Kagami had to admit that the science lab of Rivet City was fairly impressive, lots of old working prewar stuff. As Sojiro discussed every new thing he found, she browsed over the many papers and documents lying around.
One stack of papers caught her eye, she picked them up and examined them, "This is a…doujin?" Kagami realized and read through it briefly, it was signed Hiyori Tamura. She was definitely going to have a few words for the artist, because she didn't like this. Did not like this one bit.
THE SISTER AND THE SWORDSWOMAN
Minami Iwasaki and Kagami Hiiragi stared each other down under the stars in the burnt sands of the wastes. This was to be their final confrontation, they stood atop a dusty hill and mentally prepared themselves for what was to happen next.
"I cannot allow this to continue Iwasaki, you will stop this." Kagami ordered.
Minami drew her newly reforged katana Vampire's Edge and pointed the shining blade towards her. "Tsukasa's heart is mine and if cannot accept that then you must die."
Kagami pointed a plasma pistol at her green haired opponent, "Tsukasa is confused and your taking advantage of her, you know I cannot stand by and watch you corrupt a pure girl's heart."
Without giving any indication Minami lunged in at her, Vampire's Edge shined against the moonlight and cast a glow against Minami's face that gave her eyes an angelic look. Kagami dived away from the oncoming Kensei and fired back at her, one shot connected on the green haired girl's stomach burning away her trench coat and exposing burned flesh, with her bottom two ribs displayed gruesomely.
Minami staggered back grasping her horrible wound with her free hand, still never screaming even as the liquid fire dissolved at her like acid. She charged in again this time screaming and slashing wildly. Kagami fired back, but in her bewilderedness couldn't land a hit.
The shining blade impaled her through the chest directly upwards through her heart and out the back of her neck. Kagami's looked at her with unseeing eyes and gasped her last breath as a trail of blood escaped her pale, ghostly lips. Minami kicked her body down the sandy slope, and watched with some satisfaction was it rolled towards the shores of the Potomac River. The mirelurks shambled out of the water to feast upon this fresh carrion that had been presented to them.
Tsukasa sprinted out from seemingly nowhere and greeted her with an extremely passionate kiss.
NOT THE TARGET AUDIENCE
Kagami through the doujin back on the table it had come from and wondered what in the hell had inspired her to draw all of that. "How does she even know Minami?" She said to herself.
"How does who know me?" A flat, nearly monotone voice from behind her asked.
Kagami jumped back in surprise and turned around to find Minami sitting in a metal folding chair reading another one of Hiyori's works; Yutaka was on the floor next to her doing the same thing.
"When did you two get here!?" Kagami blurted out.
"Minami-chan and I got here this morning, she wanted to visit Tamura-san, and she's busy so we're reading her stuff." Yutaka cheerfully explained.
Minami glared over at the one that Kagami had tossed down, and with a sly grin replied, "Don't worry the relationship between your sister and I is strictly business."
"I would have felt better if you had just said nothing." Kagami muttered.
"Hey when did Yu-chan and Iwasaki-san get here?" Konata, who had just joined them asked. Yutaka repeated herself to Konata.
"I dunno about you guys but I'm about to die of boredom, anyone wanna play a game?" Konata asked with a mischievous grin.
THE FIRST ANNUAL RIVET CITY DODGE-BALL TOURNAMENT
"Wait she read that!?" A very red faced Hiyori gasped at the news she had just received.
"I'm afraid so." Minami told her. "What were you and that other guy talking about anyways?" She asked, referring to Sojiro.
"You two stop talking and help me sort out the teams here!" Konata called and gestured them over. Hiyori and Minami jogged over to the rest of the group, Konata had decided that the seven of them would play a game of dodge ball on the runway of the carrier ship.
"There are seven of us; the teams are going to be uneven." Tsukasa pointed out.
"I'll be the referee if no one minds." Yutaka suggested. Because of her frail body it was agreed upon quickly. The teams were as followed (names chosen by Konata)- The Angels of Death which consisted of Minami, Kagami, and Patricia against- The War Ensemble which consisted of Tsukasa, Konata, and Hiyori.
Yutaka placed the each of the three kick balls Konata had acquired in the center of the runway, and whistled loudly to signal the start. The six girls sprinted for them, Tsukasa was the first to grab one but had it yanked out of her hands by Kagami who then brought it down on top of her head.
"Tsukasa-san is out!" Yutaka shouted, Tsukasa shuffled to the sidelines rubbing the new bruise she had obtained on her head.
Konata grabbed the fallen ball and looked around for a suitable target. Her lightning quick reflexes kicked in, and she did a headfirst dive. Hiyori who saw that Minami was about to throw a ball of her own put her hands in front of her face and prayed for a quick and painless death. Konata dived in front of her and deflected the oncoming sphere of death with her own.
"Minami is out, Tsukasa is back in!" Yutaka shouted and Tsukasa skipped back into play while a very surprised looking Minami sat at the bench.
"Wow Konata that was something else." Hiyori complimented, from the corner of her eye she saw Tsukasa hit the head from a Patricia's ball, sending her flying backwards.
"And Tsukasa is out again!" Yutaka shouted with a giggle.
The game went on for much longer than anticipated, in the end it was Tsukasa and Kagami facing off, both of them had a ball of their own.
Tsukasa held her ball out in defense for when Kagami attacked; she had been hit six times and brought back in by Konata each time. The last time Konata had been attacked by two different angles and managed to only deflect one ball.
Kagami feigned an attack and Tsukasa flinched and brought her ball to her face since five out the six times she had been hit were in the head, the other time had been Minami aiming for the gut; which seemed to be her target of choice. Kagami took advantage of this and lobbed low, hitting her sister's knees. Tsukasa did a front flip and landed on her back.
"The Angels of Death win!" Yutaka shouted and the three girls of victorious team cheered, even Minami was a little enthusiastic. Kagami advanced to the other side of the runway and helped Tsukasa to her feet.
"Are you okay? I mean you got hit twice as much as anyone else." Kagami asked.
"Oh yeah I'm fine." Tsukasa told her and managed to smile, despite her aching back and head. "Oh yeah I managed to make you a new outfit."
"That quickly?" Kagami said in surprise. She only had an hour to herself and she managed to buy everything and make it?
Tsukasa had left it in the science lab in a neat little pile. When they all returned Konata and Patricia excitedly went over the details of the game with Sojiro. Kagami was stunned when she saw what her sister had made for her.
It was made of a wool and linen and was particularly warm. Tsukasa managed to find materials of matching colors which were a deep indigo color, it came along with knee high scuffed leather boots and gloves that when up to Kagami's elbows. The extremely long gloves made up for the fact that it was sleeveless. As an added bonus it came with a working gasmask that sat comfortabye around her neck, and even had a shawl that she could wear in the event of a dust storm or something; but for now it just sat there comfortably on her back.
"Wow, Tsukasa this is amazing!" She complimented after putting it on, not only was it practical and stylish it was also a perfect fit. The latter made since though, the two girls had the same measurements.
"I'm glad you like it." Her sister replied. blushing softly.
HAIR MAKES THE PERSON?
"Hiyori actually agreed!" Konata shouted excitedly to Kagami and Tsukasa, "She said that nothing important was going on around here, and that my dad actually made some good progress that could…Kagami is something different about you?"
"Tsukasa went out of her way to make this incredible outfit." Kagami replied.
"No, I mean your hair." Konata said after noticing her hair was flowing freely, and no longer shackled into the bonds of ponytails by ribbons.
"Oh I took the ribbons out, what's the big deal?" Kagami shrugged nonchalantly.
Konata looked horribly disappointed, "Does that mean you're not a tsundere anymore?"
"What are you talking about; hair styles are not personality traits." Kagami argued.
"I severely doubt that." Konata replied with an uncanny serious tone, "for instance, if we gave Tsukasa a Mohawk I can guarantee you she would become an alcoholic with a nymphetamine fix."
"Onee-chan is that true?" Tsukasa asked looking very, very worried.
"Am I the only sane person left in this world?" Kagami shouted out and threw her hands in the air.
"Anyways we're going to leave tomorrow to get everything set up at the Jefferson Memorial." Konata continued like the last part of their conversation hadn't had happened. "Are you two going to help?"
Tsukasa and Kagami looked at each other and decided through some unexplainable twin telepathy. "Yeah, at least until further notice." Kagami, being the spokeswoman of the two, replied.
"I don't know what I would do, I mean I'm not that smart and I probably wouldn't be of much help." Tsukasa said glumly.
"Don't you fear, throughout history scientists would have been nothing if it weren't for their trusty sidekicks. In fact my mom started off as an assistant before becoming one of the head researchers." Konata said trying to cheer her up. "Just look at the past Tsukasa, everything you've ever done was just to fuel others on to greatness."
Kagami couldn't believe how blunt she had been about it, but then again she had a point, people like that were needed to get things done, and Tsukasa certainly didn't seem to mind.
The rest of the day was spent in sub-leisure. The three girls finally got to take showers and clean themselves up, afterwards they each took a dose of Radaway since Konata and Kagami were extremely close to minor radiation poison, Tsukasa was surprisingly fine but still went through the procedure just in case.
A NEW BEGINNING
Everyone awoke early next morning in high spirits. The rest of Hiyori's science team was excited to see that they were finally being involved in something that really mattered. Patricia tagged along as extra support since they weren't expected the Brotherhood of Steel to lend any help anytime soon.
It didn't take as long they thought it would to get settled in, most of the stuff they previously used was still in function, just dusty.
"Wow you three really did a good job taking out those Super Mutants." Sojiro commented after looking at the Mutant corpses at periodically dotted the complex.
Konata looked at him nervously, "That wasn't us dad, I thought you did it."
"Me?" Sojiro replied looking as surprised as her, "You know I'm not a fighter, huh, must have been the Brotherhood of Steel or some group like that."
"Probably." Konata shrugged. Kagami overheard their conversation and wasn't so sure, the bodies didn't have conventional bullet holes but instead had large gaping wholes where the flesh had been blasted away. The signature of energy weapons, Kagami wasn't an expert but it looked to her like it was done with plasma weapons. The Brotherhood of Steel did not pack plasma weaponry.
The twelve people there met in a large circular room that consisted of circular metal catwalk that went around the edge of the entire room, with a large cylindrical room with glass walls in the center. In the center of that was a cylindrical tank of water that reached the top of the chamber. Kagami felt like it was layered like a cake.
"Alright first things first, we need someone to go into the sublevels and turn on the remaining fission batteries." Sojiro told everyone.
"I know how to work them, I'll go!" Kagami volunteered herself. She walked out of the room and found Tsukasa in the lobby of the place where the turret once was. Instead of her normal loose attire Tsukasa was wearing a white lab coat which also functioned as a skirt. Kagami had to admit that it looked adorable on her.
Tsukasa pulled out a pair of glasses from one of the coats pockets and put them on. "How do I look sis?"
"Despite the fact that you don't need glasses you do look pretty cute." Kagami remarked, although something was off. "Hmm, now I see the problem, your bow looks really out of place."
"I thought so too." Tsukasa agreed and untied the yellow bow, then handed it Kagami, "Can you hold onto it for me? I'll probably end up losing it."
"Yeah sure." Kagami said and pocketed it. She waved goodbye to her sister and went down to the lower levels to find the fission generators. Whoever had taken out the Super Mutants had been thorough, after making it to the lowest basement level she had come across another dozen or so dead Mutants. The inactive fission generators were in a room with two rectangular pools that led to part of the filtration system that filtered into the ocean. In the corner was a crumpled Super Mutant corpse which gave her an eerie sensation of being watched.
Kagami started them up and lights flickered on throughout the station.
"Great job!' Sojiro's voice said through an overhead intercom, she had to admit that he had a pretty good knowledge on this places functions. "Hm, we seem to have a backup in the sewers, while you're down there can you go fix that? Don't worry you don't have to get your hands dirty, just start the flush out system down there."
She wasn't in any place to refuse so she just went with it. It didn't take much to find a manhole that led to large drainage pipe that went throughout the entire complex. Kagami followed it a little while until she found a very filthy terminal against the pipe wall which she assumed to be her target. Part of the pipe had broken and she could see the sky and a good part of the Jefferson Memorial, it wasn't a spectacular view but she still enjoyed.
For a moment she was afraid when the pipe started shaking after she started the drainage procedure. Just for a brief moment Kagami thought that all the backup was headed in her direction and would drown her but luckily it took place in another part of the complex.
Over head she saw three Vertibird helicopters in a trianglular formation fly over and land nearby. Oh please tell me that they're just here to visit. She thought worriedly and followed the pipe for a solid ten minutes until she found another manhole to climb out of.
This manhole lead to the hallway near where Tsukasa had tended to Konata's wounds only a few days ago. The lobby was directly in front of her; she took a left and followed that hallway to the Purifier Room.
TAKEOVER
"In the name of the United States Government I demand you hand over everything related to this station to the Enclave. Furthermore you are to aid Enclave scientists in achieving functionality here." Colonel Nanako Kuroi ordered. Kagami found out that the central room had been locked from the inside, and Sojiro and Tsukasa were being confronted by the same person she had seen in Rivet City and Megaton. On either side of them were two Enclave soldiers leering sinisterly with the glowing orange eyes of their power armor.
"I'm afraid that is impossible." Sojiro bluffed. "We've never been able to replicate any test results in this facility and-"
"Sir, I am losing my patience." Kuroi growled.
"I'm sorry but there's nothing here for us to hand over to you." Sojiro continued. Apparently the Enclave was onto them, because she was not taking "No" for an answer.
"Just so you understand exactly just how serious we are about this…" Kuroi said and pulled out a 14mm pistol from her side. She raised it and fired a shot into Tsukasa's thigh. Blood sprayed outward and splattered against the metal beneath her.
"Tsukasa!" Kagami screamed, she punched the glass walls in vain. Her sister wobbled a bit then doubled over, a circle of red was spreading across the skirt of her lab coat. As she fell backwards, Kagami could see a look of hurt surprise plastered on Tsukasa's innocent face. She could see a single tear drop falling as Tsukasa collapsed backwards. A puddle of blood was quickly forming around her.
"Konata do something!" Kagami shouted and shook her tiny friend, who looked almost as distraught as her.
"I can't it's locked from the inside!" Konata replied, sounding completely hopeless.
"Now, now Colonel, it is Colonel right?" Sojiro stepped over to the terminal in the glass room. "No need for violence, I'm taking down all the security protocols now. We will oblige to your wishes."
"I'm glad you respond to reason." Kuroi said, sounding a lot calmer than she was a moment ago. Sojiro continued to type away for several minutes. "What's taking so long?" She asked, her sharp voice was dangerously impatient.
"Hold on I'm almost done." He replied nervously and dramatically hit the enter button.
"Warning radiation filtration rerouted to users position, evacuation recommended" An emotionless robotic female voice informed them.
"What did you do!?" Kuroi screamed. Before anyone could answer there was the sound of grating machinery and heavy vibrations throughout the facility.
Kagami saw Kuroi's face turn white and her nose start to bleed before she collapsed over; Sojiro limped over to the glass window that his daughter was on the other side of.
"Run…" Were the last words Sojiro Izumi ever spoke to his daughter. Weakness overcame him and he collapsed parallel to Kuroi, from the outside they almost looked like two lovers sleeping together.
"Dad!" Konata screamed and threw her self against the plate glass walls; her Geiger counter was reading +35 Rads per second just outside of the room. Which meant everyone inside was receiving a lethal dose.
Kagami grabbed her and yanked her away.
"Let me go!" Konata screamed and wriggled away. She tried to find some way to open the door, but it was specifically designed to keep people out.
"Konata I saw at least three helicopters land which means there's going to be a lot more soldiers here soon, so be better get moving now." Kagami said, trying to reason with her.
"What about my dad and your sister!?" Konata asked.
"Did you see how much radiation we're getting just standing outside of there; it's too late for them." Kagami yelled, sounding completely hysteric, "We have to go now!"
Konata said nothing, but just followed her into the lobby where everyone else was. They had seen Patricia and several other Rivet City security members taking shots at the Enclave outside through door that led inside.
"Okay you two are here, I didn't know how much longer we could wait!" Hiyori said and gestured them to follow her. "This way leads straight to the Citadel." She dragged open an almost hidden manhole cover and led them down into a maintenance passage.
Hiyori stopped dead a corner and jumped back, "They beat us here!" She cried out. Kagami looked around the corner and indeed there were two Enclave soldiers heading their way.
She open fired on them with her laser rifle, the two went down quickly since power armor only effectively protected against bullets. They managed to get two shots on her left arm, it hurt but she would make do for now. They continued on further until they reached a dead end of sorts. Their two options were either a massive locked fortified metal door, or a large room with numerous Enclave soldiers on a second flood catwalk behind cover.
"I can get this door open." Hiyori assured them and ran over to the terminal at its side and began typing away attempting to find a way to unlock it.
"They're coming down the stairs." A member of the science team informed after peering into the other room.
"Konata and I will handle this." Kagami told them and took cover at the edge of the doorway, with Konata on the other side.
"Let's consider this first step on our long road to revenge." Konata hissed and loaded a clip into her assault rifle.
"Yes, Let's." Kagami replied and took grim satisfaction in the impending death of these soldiers. She quickly popped out of cover and fired three shots into one before dodging back to avoid them returning fire. Konata did the same; they had to time themselves with extreme precision to be able to get shots off without being fired on.
"Got it!" Hiyori yelled and the door opened.
Kagami gestured to Konata to sprint across the doorway; Konata shook her head indicating that it wasn't safe.
"I'll cover you!" Kagami told her, Konata nodded and sprinted across as soon as Kagami popped out and began firing on them. After this long standoff the Enclave was used to her strategy and were anticipating her next move; they quickly fired back blasting her in the chest with at four shots. She screamed and fell back.
Konata helped her to her feet and worked like a crutch to carry her out. Only after a few minutes Kagami lightly pushed her away, "I can walk on my own, thanks." She told her.
Luckily, the rest of the way was devoid of Enclave, soon they came across a sandbag bunker of Brotherhood of Steel members.
"Are any of you wounded?" One holding a sizable mini-gun asked. Despite all their flaws, Hiyori had to admit that they had good timing as long as the Enclave was involved.
"I am." Kagami spoke up, her chest and arm burned horribly in several places and she was starting to feel light headed and exhausted, at least the pain was distracting her from thinking about what happened to Tsukasa.
A Brotherhood member with a red cross on his armor quickly stepped up and pulled her aside to a makeshift medical area. Konata peered over his shoulder.
Kagami reached up and grasped her hand. "We failed, Tsukasa and your dad are dead and Enclave took it all over. We didn't do a single thing right." She whimpered, tears were flowing freely down her cheeks.
"Don't talk like that Kagami, for all we know they could have made it out after us." Konata said trying desperately to lift her spirits, even though she knew Kagami was probably right.
"Wishful thinking…" She was having trouble speaking, "I guess Yukari was right about keeping everyone in the vault."
The Brotherhood medic interrupted their conversation and pushed Konata away. "She's going into shock; we need to begin treating her now." He gestured to a man wearing nondescript red robes that quickly ran over to aid him. Konata stayed and watched them perform a minor surgery; they applied some ointment to the burns before injecting her with two stimpaks. Konata felt guilty knowing those wounds were inflicted when Kagami was giving her an opening.
The scene around her was surreal. People were running around shouting orders, several of the science team members had been shot up. She saw Patty sitting against the wall holding a bloody rag against her forehead, Konata saw in horror that she had taken a laser rifle shot to the face. Two of her security team members were laying dead next to her.
I don't care what it takes I'm going to make sure everyone one of these Enclave bastards die. They'll pay for Tsukasa, they'll pay for my Dad and they'll pay for ruining my mothers dream. Then a cold and sinister thought appeared in her mind. Oh god I'm an orphan now!
LIKE A COCKROACH
Four men in hazmat suits pulled the three unconscious bodies from the Purifier Room. Despite all odds Kuroi stood up, she wavered a bit was able to stand unassisted. She felt dizzy, light headed, and like she wasn't even in her own body. Her nose was still bleeding, and nearly all of her body itched. When she scratched an itch the skin would come off and create another bloody sore.
"Colonel, you shouldn't put any unnecessary strain on yourself. You three took a near fatal dose of radiation and you need medical attention right away." One of the men in hazmat suits tried to tell her.
She ignored him and looked down at the still unconscious body of Sojiro Izumi, the man who tried in vain to kill her off back there. She figured that he should learn that if he was going to try and kill her he should do it right. Kuroi drew her 14mm pistol and fired one shot. Blood splattered against Nanako's ghostly face and mixed with her own.
"That was the head researcher!" Another man in a hazmat suit cried, "We could have used him!"
"Take her then." She replied exhaustedly and pointed at the random girl she had shot to make a point, she was still alive even after loosing a sizable amount of blood and being subjected to deadly amounts of radiation.
"Acknowledged." They replied in unison. Kuroi let them carry her out in a stretcher, since all of a sudden walking had become a very exhausting task. They carried the young lilac haired scientist off as well; it was probably a fifty-fifty chance she would survive.
ENCLAVE, BACK IN BUSINESS
Misao slumped against the bar late that night after Through Fire And Flames kicked her ass again. She thought maybe some radio could cheer her up.
No music, just Three Dog talking about his usual stuff. "Grab your hankies, children, cause I've got a heart-warming tale to tell. It's about a little girl's search for her daddy. Waaaahh! You see, the kid from Vault 101 has been looking for her dad, a very nice man named Sojiro who left his daughter in the vault when he took off. What kind of dad leaves his kid in an underground bunker? Children, I just don't know. It ain't for Three Dog to judge, and you shouldn't either. But none of that matters now! Father and daughter were spotted walkin' and talkin' out there in the wastes. Here's to hoping they can hold onto each other this time around."
Misao rolled her eyes hand hoped that music would start playing but Three Dog continued. "Tinfoil hat time, children. My eyes and ears tell me the Big Bad Government has taken over that big machine thingy at the Jefferson Memorial. You heard it first, my friends- the Enclave is on the scene. I've got reports of flying ships and shock troops in high-tech power armor. And when the Man showed up a bunch of scientists went running. With them was Rivet City's own Dr. Hiyori Tamura, and those crazy kids from Vault 101. They're safe and sound now at the Citadel. Praise Jesus! Praise Jesus! No sign of the kid's father, though. Here's hoping Sojiro is okay. Well, boys and girls, what can I say. President Eden wasn't completely full of shit after all. Methinks we are screwed…"
Getting fed up with speeches Misao changed the channel on the radio; the only other station was just another person with a speech. This time it was a well spoken man with a slight southern accent. "Sweet America, hello again, this is President Eden. I'd like to have a chat. You're thirsty, aren't you? Not for knowledge or power, no I'm not speaking metaphorically. You're thirsty for clean, fresh water. Water is the foundation of life. But here, in the Capital Wasteland, indeed in the entire country, water is polluted. Irradiated. Deadly. Maybe you've got a makeshift purifier that cleans one glass of dirty water, or, or you sip from an ancient faucet in an abandoned subway restroom. But that's not really living, is it? You're simply existing, America. Postponing death for a day or two. Well, I'm gonna tell you, right here, right now, those days are at an end. The Enclave is back America, we've brought clean water with us! For years, Enclave scientists have been hard at work on the most ambitious scientific endeavor the world has ever seen. Project Purity. Imagine America, millions, millions of gallons of water made fresh, clean, and completely pure. In a matter of minutes and it's all for you. Just a little bit more time, that's all we need, and the purifier is ready for continual operation. And then, your thirst will truly quenched. So celebrate, sing out America is back! America is beautiful!"
"America can shut up." Misao muttered and turned the radio off. "At least the Enclave got their crap together and did something right for a change. I guess that makes up for smashing my face into the bar."