CHAPTER SIX: TWILIGHT TIME

Heyyy everyone, you're listening to Diamond City Radio and that was Little Star by Dion! Now for some news. Reports are coming in of a showdown at the old Murkwater Construction Site, between the L&L gang and none other than General Delaney himself. Now these L&L fellas are bad news. They hunt down synths and any former Institute. It seems like in this fight The General has come out on top once again, but the gang is still very much active. Now we've got some Dee Clark with 'Just Keep It Up.'


When James had told me that Weston-Oberland was the main source of clean water for this part of the Commonwealth, I had expected more than a half dozen shacks surrounded by a short wooden wall.

From our southern approach along the tracks, I once again saw the blue flag proudly flying over the tallest structure in the settlement; which in this case was an old train stop tower that had been converted into a guard tower. As we entered the main gate there was another monument like in Egret, except this one had a great warrior wielding a laser rifle and clad in bulky power armor standing next to the Minuteman. Tugging on James' sleeve, I led us over to the plaque underneath. It read:

On August 31st, 2291, the forces of the B.O.S. and Weston-Oberland repelled Institute forces attempting to sabotage the Weston-Oberland Water Purification Plant

This was followed by a significantly longer list of names than that of Egret's plaque and was once again followed by the line:

May Their Memory Be A Blessing

Ad Victoriam

James was quiet, taking off his hat in a show of respect. He mumbled something along the lines of "tell ya later." before placing his hat back on his hat and leading us deeper into the town.

This town was much smaller than Egret, and had nowhere near as many traders going through it. James explained that most of the people there either worked on fixing the rail line that ran through the town, or commuted by ferry to the water plant just across the river, so there wasn't much trade that happened.

What Oberland lacked in merchants it made up for in soldiers, or I guess, Minutemen. All over were Minutemen wearing navy blue fatigues, Minutemen hats, and light combat armor, patrolling, eating, or resting all over town. It was all very strange, I get that water is important but did it really need this many people? I thought the south was way more dangerous? So why did they have so many here?

I mentally filed these questions away for later and continued following James, who waved at seemingly every person he saw. Again, adding to my list of questions.


We rented a room in the local inn built out of old railway cars, and ate a warm dinner together in our "room." It was a mostly silent affair and we both ate our dinners as Ada's built in radio softly thrummed a tune in the background. James was unusually quiet. He had seemed conflicted the entire time we'd been here. One moment he'd be happily talking with one of the Minutemen stationed here and the next he seemed to be lost in his mind. Every time I tried to ask him something he'd give the bare minimum of a response. Normally so excited to explain this strange new world to me, he now seemed to be shutting it out.

There was clearly something wrong but James obviously didn't want to talk about it. It was all quite frustrating to be completely honest! But nonetheless I let him be. He'd talk when he was ready.

Eventually we finished our dinners and James went to return the dishes to the innkeeper. I decided that I'd try asking him about the memorial when he got back. In anticipation I wrote the questions down so I'd be ready. It was only after he didn't come back after a while of me sitting there, mentally preparing myself to ask him, that I began to worry.

More time passed and James still had not returned. I decided to take matters into my own hands. Gathering up the small notebook and pen he had bought for me, I ventured out of our boxcar room, leaving Ada to watch over it.

The evening air was cool and there was a consistent breeze coming in from the north. It felt like a storm wasn't far off but despite that the sky was fairly clear. I wandered around the town aimlessly, hoping to find James just talking with friends or even sitting at the memorial, but no such luck.

I found him on top of the western wall, leaning over the rampart and staring into the distance. Across the river I could see the water treatment plant lit up brightly as the guards began the night shift. A few rowboats packed with tired workers methodically navigated their way back to Oberland. On the far off horizon, a brilliant sunset was framed by the crumbling remains of an old highway. Streaks of orange and pink were painted over a blue backdrop.

I leaned against the ramparts a few feet away, looking at him. He kept looking out on the horizon. He sighed heavily before beginning, "Sorry I've been actin' so strange, Summer."

James sighed again, his whole body seemed tense and tired. "I was stationed here at Oberland the day of the attack. It was carnage. They knew we were ready to attack, so they struck first. Attacked every major settlement. Cripple the infrastructure they thought."

James shook his head. "It was a desperate plan and they knew it. They used everything they had but we held. Just barely. Half of us were wiped out and if the Brotherhood hadn't shown up when they did, we would've all been gone. The town and the plant too. They got a lot of my comrades, my fellow Minutemen, my…" James stared hard out at the sunset, "friends."

James was silent again. His eyes were wide as he glared at the beautiful twilight. His mind seemed to be fighting not to remember. "They say we were one of the hardest hit. They hit Sanctuary, and I wasn't there. I wasn't there to help. I wasn't there. I wasn't there. They hit Sanctuary and I wasn't there." He stopped. I had never seen James so angry. He gripped the rampart with white knuckles as if to ground himself.

Cautiously, I moved closer, gently placing a hand on James' shoulder. His whole body was tense like it wanted to jump out of itself. He turned to me. For just a split second I saw the burden James carried reflected in his deep brown eyes. The sorrow and shame that he kept buried deep within himself. It was only a moment, then it was gone. Covered up by returning to the present.

James flashed a weak smile that betrayed him and began to breathe again.

James took my hand, squeezed it for just a moment as if assuring himself it was real, and let go. "Your hand is freezing."

I couldn't help but smile, he seemed to be back in the present. He began to take off his colonial duster, leaving him with just his Minuteman's outfit and offered the coat to me, "Take this, it'll keep you warm" he said. I nodded my thanks and slipped on the duster. It was huge on me, but I didn't mind.

James' smell overwhelmed me immediately. A mix of gunpowder, sweat, and every other piece of the wasteland he had walked. I relaxed, I was no longer cold, instead replaced with a warm that filled me with contentment. As we watched the last remnant of the fading sun, I felt myself leaning into James.


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