Blood from Vault 18
Prologue
"War… war never changes, makes a strong man weak and a poor man rich. The difference is decided by character and if you don't think character is the only factor in deciding victory. Then you have been playing the wrong game this whole damn, the world was playing the wrong game two hundred years ago"
Cold sweat poured down his neck as his nerves began to get the best of him. The room he was in was dark, the atmosphere suffocating and all he wanted to do was get out this place.
"They learnt what I meant to be found faulty in character. For their failure? They became nothing more than wasteland of nuclear Hellfire and none of what remains out there is worth a damn. NONE outside have any idea of what I takes to bring the greatest nation on earth BACK to glory but here…" the man stopped in front of him, seeing if he flinched.
A second felt like an eternity "Down here in Vault eighteen, you are going to learn everything you need to know about winning that war! Right here right now on this battlefield!" the lights flickered on, blinding him momentarily.
"You are the last of America's finest man and women! You are on the A list, the rest of those idiots are thing of the past! Now is your time you'll get out there and show them that you have the character to bring America back to glory!can I get a hurrah!"
All around him his teammates yelled and clapped, compelled by the words he did not fully understand. But now the time for words seemed to have passed and all that remained was the fight.
"Damn right! Now move out"
He ran next to the others as they got into positions, their movements more coordinated than his as they had practiced more than him but it did not matter. The roaring of the crowd around him filled him with one goal, to do his best. He might have been a last minute addition but he would show everyone just what he was made of.
A shot was fired as the game began and blood was spilled on the first second of the game, Vault Ball as it was called was a tradition on the vault but with the arrival of Coach Brag things had changed. It was faster, meaner and a heck of a lot more painful.
The game was began to reach a fever pitch as neither team was willing to let the other win, it all came down to one play. One play and all the struggle of the past months would be worth it, both teams began to put their all into it. But the eagerness of the patriots cost them dearly.
The "ball" was launched high into the air as Johnny Matheson slammed some poor bastard against the ground.
This was his chance, running as fast as his legs would allow him he jumped and grabbed the ball and made a run for it, all that was left was the big man himself the poster boy of the Barbarians.
"Come get it!" Johnny yelled as he charged at him.
He could doge to the side, it would be the smartest solution. But just like his sister said, he was not the smartest in the Star family.
Screaming as he tackled Johnny, he could hear his bones groan as he applied pressure against the other teen. It seemed like the struggle lasted minute when in reality only a couple of seconds had passed, a loud CRACK echoed in the arena as Johnny fell to the ground screaming, his leg giving up, on him. The other Barbarians tried to stop him but he was too far gone already, slamming the ball down and scoring the point the Patriots needed. The arena erupted in cheers as Kieron Star allowed himself to smile.
He was beyond exhausted but he made it.
"Yes! That's it kid!" Coach Bragg yelled as his teammates put him on their shoulders, the barbarians glared at him and some girl (Jenn? He could not quite see who it was) threw a kiss at him. But to Kareon the arena felt empty, the seats where his brother and sister should be empty since the beginning of the game.
As the celebration ended the coach put a hand around his neck as he congratulated "Now bad kid! Look at you the youngest and the strongest hahahah come to my office I want to speak to you for a moment"
The inside of Coach Bragg's office was different then what Kieron expected littered with many comics, books and magazines it looked more like the room Kieron had than the office of the fearsome Coach Bragg. The man in question sat on his chair and tossed him an ice cold Nuka Cola.
"That was the best play I have seen in years kid! The entire vault is singing your praise this season! Well not the barbarians but who gives a crap about them, looks like Brags' patriots are putting another trophy on the shelf thank to you!" the coach said as Kieron removed his helmet letting his head feel the breeze and enjoy the drink "Thanks coach!"
The coach "You know I am surprised by your performance today, scoring the final touchdown of the season should land you almost any job you want. I'm surprised it took me so long to find you star player. Now I was talking to Chevy up in the security department and those goddamn moron in the Overseer's office actually want to put you to work in maintenance!"
Kieron nodded "Yeah I got a wind of some of that. I err cant say I am surprised, they don't really like me all that much"
"Idiots! They don't know what kind of attitude you have, how would you like to work for vault security kid?" Kieron eye's widened as the juicy offer was presented to him. There was nothing better in Vault 18 than to work on vault security, with only the wasteland scouts above them.
Kieron nodded "I… yeah, I think I have what it takes to do that sir!"
Coach Brag smirked as he stood up, he flipped a couple of switches as a vigor tester machine came to life on the corner of his office, Bragg pointed at the machine "Good, now before I can do that Star Player. I just need to check some things before that, l just can't understand the animosity around you from some of the folks out here. You were born in the wasteland from what I understand… and I might be new to this place but I like to know all about the best how come I don't know much about you yet?"
Kieron scratched the back of his head at the sensitive topic "I mean it's probably because there's not that much to know. I lived here my entire life, I'm adopted like everyone else and as for why people don't like me… well I guess I did set the laboratory on fire that one time hehehe the teacher wanted to skin me alive and hang me from the vault door"
Bragg hummed "Huh strange. But at any rate you've been raised by your fellow Americans and it the end that's all that matters you hear me son? Don't let any old fuck tell you other wise. You see kid I'm starting to organize an after-school program for motivated athletes like yourself and I like you to be there. I can see it in your eyes kids, you want this bright future. But what if that future was threatened son? Would you defend it?"
"Yeah absolutely, I owe it to my family
Bragg nodded "Good answer! People like you and I have got to fall in and throw our weight. We cant let those above threaten our great… Vault and the America it represents! I want you to check just how ready you really are for this responsibility"
Kieron nodded as he moved towards the machine, the machine was not all that hard to figure out. The machine printed out his information as Kieron raised an eyebrow at the stats "So how did it turn out kid?"
"Well it says that I'm a strong athlete" Bragg nodded "Yeah, but that we knew what else does it say?" Kieron looked down at the information "Ehm it says I am right for leadership and have good mannerism!"
Bragg forced himself to not roll his eyes "So it does. Well that's definitively… a key factor and…?"
"Well… oh here it says that I have the endurance it takes to keep my head in the game! Nice, hey coach why did we never take this test? Mine came out pretty cool" Bragg grinned as the last piece in his plan fell into place.
The coach sat back down as he wrote something to his sister Chevy in Vault Security "All right, that convinced me. You're in the top of your class, congratulations. How does it feel to skip ahead of those older than you? you know what don't tell me now, tell me when you come back dressed in that Vault Security uniform son! Report to Chevy in the security office and have her issue you the best gear and post in the base. You have earned it!"
Kieron felt excitement fill his heart as he only could nod in thanks "Right! Thank coach good talk!"
The coach snorted "Yeah right, now get out of my office punk-ass!" Kieron left in a hurry excited to meet his new boss and claim the title that many could only dream of getting. Coach Bragg dropped the smile as he moved towards the vigor tester machine, the kid was fucking stupid there was no doubt about that but he was a freak of nature.
With the right push, the right incentive Kieron Star would make a damn fine Enclave Soldier and if he didn't, Bragg chukled as he looked at the clock. The night was still very young and the plan was not yet in motion but he could feel it, this Vault was the big one. This Vault would be the one that would burn and bring America back to glory!