Character Creation Teaser:
The screen then splits into three wedges as the script changes to 'Unique Origin Stories', each one showing scenes we can only assume to be from each race's origin story. The screen zooms onto the top one.
The first one is 'Ghoul'. The announcer continues, "Born human but having the bad taste of surviving deadly radiation poisoning. The Ghoul is for those of you who really want to play one of the downtrodden." The classic ghoul male with red blotched skin and black eyes mindless waving away some comment made by a bartender. The skin and 'burn' pattern changes a few times. There is even a moment where the ghoul's eyes changes color to a dim glowing yellow. Then a female version appears to do the same.
The screen changes, only this time less western and more classic sci-fi text. 'Legacy' appears on the screen. The music also changes, to the strange 'woooOOOOoooo'. "Be one of the few 'living' Legacies! 'Copies' of pre-war minds downloaded into robotic bodies!" The gal from the opening scene is there again, typing away at a computer terminal with an ashtray overflowing near by. Her skin/eye coloring changes as so do the markings. There is a switch to an obviously male version and then another switch to a more gender neutral looking one.
The music changes once again, but this time to a calm 'Home Home on the Range' melody. The script, once again in western text, now reads 'Norm'. "If the previous choices don't meet your fancy, go ahead and be boring and play as a NORMal Human." You see the camp site again, only this time there is a human cowboy whittling away. Different face, skin, hair options appear and does the gender switch."
Chapter 2: How to Play
"Your next assignment, "the male ranger drawls and then takes a sip of his beer before continuing, "And you have no choice but to accept, is nothing. You are as of now are on paid leave until further notice. You may have saved us all, but you disobeyed direct orders, stole critical equipment and endangered one of our top techs. Plus, the biggest crime of all, you made the brass look bad."
"Ptff...they can keep the pay, not like I need it, "Rosa replied and lifted her glass, "Perhaps they should have listened to me in the first place but if they want to be that way, I'll put in my resignation and leave. I'm certain that the so-called top tech would be happy to go with me. She's got bit by the bug and no ordinary tech job is gonna hold her now."
"Mother Maria preserve us all, "the man prays and then says, "Please don't rock the boat any more than you already have. At least wait until after the elections."
The Legacy finishes off her drink and stands up. She reaches up and removes her star badge, tossing it on the bar. "Here, "she says, 'Turn this in for me will ya'. You'll be saving me a trip and they won't have to look me in the eyes. After all, that's why the sent you to let me know about the damn leave."
(flashback)
"Are you sure you can fly this thing?" Rosa asks as they climb up into the recently repaired vertibird.
"Sure as shootin', "Susie answered with a southern twang as she sat in the pilot's seat and started the pre-flight check.
"Ok, "Rosa says if not really convinced, "Now I'm hoping to avoid being spotted. I know this thing is noisy, but so is that airship and it has other birds flying around it all the time. So, fly high, drop me off and go."
From an outside point of view, the vertibird takes off. The scene changes to one of Rosa kneeling on top of an airship, holding on to what looks to be a service handhold bolted down on a wide metal walkway. She carefully uses the handhold to crawl/climb across the top of the airship and when she nears part of the curvature of the blimp, she turns around so as to be able to climb down feet first. The airship isn't really that big, just big enough to hold a vertibird on either side. Both ports are currently empty as the continues battle to rage below. The ranger hears voices below and pause. Holding on to the handhold with one hand, she pulls out a revolver with the other. A VATs screen appears with instructions on how to use it. You use the VATs system to select the targets. She shoots and kills the two guards below before jumping down to the deck.
"Huh?" one of the guards on the other side of the deck says just before they move to attack. Everything slows know and instructions on how to punch appear. One of Rosa's fists slammed into the first guards face, caving in his nose. Things slow down again with instructions on how to tackle. She rushes and slams into the second guard pushing far enough for him to fall through the empty veritbird port.
"See ya', "Rosa says with a jaunty salute. On screen, you are directed to go to the control room. When she gets there, it is determined that the door is locked by a terminal with a passcode. You start hacking and do so easily. The door swings open and Rosa barely dodges the laser fire. She pulls out her pistol again and shoots, praying she doesn't hit the control console. The last of the on-board crew is dead.
You check the control room to make certain no one is hiding and then she taps a spot just above her ear. "Susie, you are cleared to land. Repeat, it is now safe to land. Get your ass over here and help me fly this damn thing."
As Rosa steps back onto the deck the borrowed vertibird docks clumsily. Susie climbs out as the engine dies down. Rosa leads her to the control room and gives her a little time to look over everything.
After a good few minutes, Susie says, "I got it! Easy as pie."
Rosa reaches out to the comm and picks up the mic. "Mayday, Mayday. There was a boarding attempt on the Katren. The pilot and navigator were both killed, as was one of the guards. Two are badly wounded and I'm the only one standing. Mayday, Mayday."
"Katren, this is base. How badly are you damaged?"
"From what I can tell not badly at all, it seems they wanted to take the airship intact."
"Good, give us time to see if we can get another pilot up to you."
"Sir. This might have been against regulations, but the pilot was showing me how use the controls since I mention wanting to apply for airship pilot training. Should I attempt flying the airship to base rather than wait and risk another boarding attempt?"
There was some silence, and Rosa saw Susie crossing her finger in the corner of her eye.
"Katren, you are cleared to return to base. Repeat you are cleared to return. Bring the Katren in safely, and you'll be placed on top of that list. Good luck soldier."
A silent 'Yes!' before she answers, "Understood, Sir! And thank-you. Katren out."
"He sounds like a sweetie, "Susie commented as she started to work the controls, "Good thing we've brought gifts for when we come a visiting."
Rosa huffed, "I'll go start unpacking the 'gifts' as you get us there."
The Katren changes coarse and heads back to the Brotherhood temporary base. She is unhindered by other airships or ground support so word must have gotten out about the change in the airship's flight plan.
A little later, Susie calls out loudly, "The comm is going off giving landing instructions! Drop 'em!"
Rosa kicks off a crate full of mini-nukes through the empty veritbird dock then drags and kicks off another. Before the explosions begins, she races to the other side and steps on a rather large button that is wired to six missile like objects. All take off at the same time and head off in different directions.
Explosions start to go off.
"Two crates of mini-nukes dropped and the six pre-programmed targeting missiles launched, "Rosa calls out rushing to pick up something from the vertibird, "Grabbing the missile launcher. Get us out of here!"
The scene changes showing the Brotherhood base blowing up from the multiple mini-nukes landing right on top of it. Then cuts to one of the missiles slamming into and blowing up a Brotherhood cannon.
Confusion reigns supreme, so much so that it appears that it takes the Brotherhood almost too long to figure out what happened. This made shooting down the two other small airships with the missile launcher rather anticlimactic. More than a few vertibirds finally figured out that the Katren was now under enemy control and swooped down but were fought off by the same missile launcher. Rosa luck runs out as one of the birds' machine guns lands a series a hit on her. "Son of bitch!"she snarls as her left arm goes dead from the shoulder down and the pain feedback hits. Using her remaining arm, fires the last loaded missile to get some payback.
With all this happening, the battle on the ground starts to turn in favor of Fort Dallas. Seeing no more incoming at the moment, Rosa tiredly walked back to the control room, tossing the missile launcher to the ground and leaning heavily onto the console.
Susie gives Rosa a concerned look but continues to pilot the aircraft. Rosa makes a frequency change on the comm with her still working hand and picks up the mic. "Now to face consequences," she sighs. Then more clearly, "Fort Dallas, this is Ranger Rosa De La Vega. Myself and one other are onboard and in control of the approaching airship. Requesting instructions," She clicks off the mic for a second only to click it back on to add, "And please, please don't shoot us. I already got enough holes in my hide."
(End Flashback)
Rosa opens the door to her quarters and is greeted by a tall Norm woman in a brand-new business suit holding a briefcase.
"No, no, no, "Rosa says as she slams the door behind her, "You can take whatever is in that briefcase and go shove it up Garza's ass. I've had enough crap dumped on me today and I don't need add his to the pile."
The woman just stood there unfazed looking at her as the Legacy grabbed a bottle of bourbon coolant from a shelf and drank a gulp strait from the bottle. Rosa then flops into a nearby chair, bottle in hand and huffs. "Fine! If you can make it worth my time with three words, I'll take a look."
The woman raised an eyebrow and said, 'Boston. Nick Valentine."
Rosa sits up and lays the bottle back on the side table next to the chair. The woman steps forward and hands over the briefcase which Rosa takes silently. "You have an appointment with Mr. Garza in his office at 3pm, "the woman looks at her watch and adds, "This afternoon. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll let myself out."