Carter

I check the metal levels just to be sure but its still 7%. I was able to make a hallway with 5 doors 2 on each side and one at the end i made a single side room that was large enough for 3 fusion generators but i could only make one. In the end i decided to take the core. the power is sitting nicely at 55% so TAYLOR doesn't need a recharge and i still don't know how long that would take.

The side room is a simple thing with concrete and light fixtures i took from the hotel with little metal railings that mark where each fusion reactor will sit. The hallway has a rounded roof and the same lights but this time in different colors i like blue so they are blue the doors themselves are just metal slabs with hinges so they are a bit difficult to move but should make it that much more trouble for those trying to get in.

Decided the best way to make the walls was with concrete thats been reinforced with the strongest metal i had available something called titanium. I have seen enough concrete buildings to know they have metal inside to help make it stronger so why not do the same. Turns out it took a good portion of the metal stored.

Gonna have to find a lot of metal to fill this up. Climbing up the metal ladder makes it very clear next secret base i have wont have a ladder just gonna find some hill or mountain and just buildinside that. Make my own vault.

Looking at the hatch i have no clue how to hide it and i don't even have a lock i don't know how to make a lock. Ill have to figure that out later but for now ill just cover it up with a rug and call it good.

Moving on i look for indigo and lewis see if we can go and explore the nearby area for a good spot to collect metal.

"Lewis! You in here?"

"Im outside" i look through one of the few windows available to see lewis outside enjoying the scenery.

"Got finished was thinking about spending the rest of the day looking around seeing how far the patrols are" good enough excuse

"Sure ill make sure betty is fine then we can all head out"

"Sweet ill go ask indigo if she wants to come" now to see if she will say yes or no.,

Going back inside to knock on her door for the first place to look.

"Come in" walking in i can see her room is completely changed. Her tools and works have already been placed on separate shelves to showcase her work a few trinkets sit nicely on a night table next to the bed. A 10mm and some other gun are sitting on a desk thats filled with different tools and equipment.

"Did you pack any clothes or was it all just tools and equipment?"

"I have 5 shirts, 5 pants, 5 pairs of socks and good boots what else do i need? Anyways what were you yelling at lewis for?"

"Oh was thinking about exploring the area see how far the patrols go and whats interesting around here" shes been at this settlement before so might not interest her.

"Oh that sounds like fun i should come along let me just make sure my pistol is good then ill be out" welp there goes that. Eh would be nice to hear what else she has to say about the area.

Going back into my room i pull out the rifle and 2 holsters for my own modded 10mm. Cant forget to grab lewis's shotgun and his own pistol.

"Lewis here for you" i hand him his guns as i step outside.

"Thanks betty is comfortable has some grass to eat and the lead is strong so don't have to worry about that but we shouldn't be away too long you know how stubborn she is" oh yes she is very stubborn takes a lot of convincing once she gets going to change course but its nice to see some personality in a brahmin.

"Indigo said she will be out once she has her own 10mm i was thinking we just check whats right outside maybe check how far up the road the outpost is that marks the start of patrols then call it a day. Oh and of course see if we can find metal" that last bit i whisper don't want indigo getting any hints just yet.

"Im in should be fun"

"Im ready lets gooo i cant wait to see who they have over on old main this is going to be great!"

Moving on going back to old main deciding the best way is straight ahead gets us above some retaining wall that was built.

On the raised land is an empty parking lot some trees stubbornly growing between the cracks of the asphalt most street lights have fallen but a few stay upright. Ti the right is a smaller building that looks like a gas station further in is what looks like a bombed out ruin a couple craters marking where the explosion happened. To the left is a massive shopping center that also appears battle damaged.

"Where to first?" lewis asks indigo knowing she would have a better understanding of this place.

"Well this is one of the locations where the university fought some of the first raiders they were remnants from the reserve army that was terrorizing everyone in the region luckily the battle was won by the people here. They credit that win to the fact that they all had to do regular PT before the bombs dropped apparently the great war made everyone into a soldier. There might be some cool lost artifacts left in the rubble so is ay we check it out"

Took a while but sure lets check out the ruin. Stepping over one street light we approach the collapsed building a few bullet casing left around and some burn marks left over from smaller explosions.

Looking into one of the craters i can tell it was made by something powerful but not nuclear i really wonder what those people had to do this. Looking around the rubble i cant really see anything special. An old red white and blue flag peaks out a few pieces of burnt furniture some glass. Checking TAYLOR it looks like i could reclaim the entire building might have to stop by later at night.

Moving on we go to the large building that was on the left. For a place that a battle took place its left looking in good condition for the most part. Lots of bullet holes couple holes the front pillars have collapsed making it difficult to enter luckily one of the nearby walls was caved in by something that left a good sized crater.

"Do you know what caused the craters?"

Indigo looks shocked that i would speak. "Oh yes they had tanks but those were defeated by something the university was using as research but they wouldn't tell me more must be some secret weapon which is super cool im curious if they would show it off or just keep it a secret forever they seem like the type to show off" she is right they do seem to be the type.

Going inside i can tell its dark because lewis has turned on a flashlight shelves upon shelves litter the floor of the building all the food has already been taken most of what is left is useless for most people.

I let TAYLOR scan what it can best to have all the schematics i can find.

"I never really explore places like these always found them too empty and theres never really much to find oh theres a skelton i guess theres lots of those to find" indigo looks vaguely disgusted by the skeleton.

"Most scavengers comb through places like these just to be sure people like me and carter do our best to find places that are still locked they always have the best loot" lewis is right people took to places like these the instant bombs fell and every generation since has decided to check just to be sure theres nothing thats been missed.

Once saw a shack town built out of shelves from stores like these stacked with wood planks and metal sheets from shipping containers or trailers. A world like this you take whats there and make the best with that because theres nothing else to do. Its skills like indigos that truly make a settlement go from shacks to houses with the ability to make you can change the world.

Its impressive there aren't that many ghouls or skeletons laying around must have been far enough from any of the dropped nukes. Thinking about it the closest nuclear crater is paine field a fitting name for a place so filled with paine. Everyone avoids going near there.

picking through some cashier all the money already been taken. People must have thought it would be of use but i bet it quickly became toilet paper its what i would do.

Looking up at all the piping deciding might as well scan that as well.

"There really isn't much in here would have thought it would be more exciting" i can agree that it isn't exciting.

"Indigo we could move on i guess how are you feeling carter?" i look over at lewis then at TAYLOR. I don't really need that schematic.

"Sure lets go" moving back outside avoiding the small craters going back into the lot.

Going onto old main we can already see the outpost thats manned by a couple people. Might as well stop by.

Lewis

Its fairly boring so far but carter probably got a lot out of this and indigo seems to be happy. Now time to talk to these people. The outpost ahead is similar to the other one except this one has an old military apc being used as a small house next to a wooden building with an antenna draped across the intersection are 2 dismantled trailers being used as walls one facing north and one west each with an attached watchtower built out of wood. What looks like a total of 8 people hold this outpost with eye bots and a couple mr gutsy.

"Hello there just stopping by we rent a house just a little bit down the road wanted to see how close you folks were in case we needed help!" i yell out a greeting don't want to get too close before speaking. That usually ends with trigger happy people being happy.

The guards look between each other before deciding one very tall looking older woman steps off the wall and approaches us.

"Afternoon good to see that place get used mr handys come by to fix it up once a week now what can i do for ya"

"We were curious thats all names lewis this here is indigo and that man over there is carter we will be staying for a month or so thought we should talk to some of the people protecting us" good enough reasoning and we are curious.

"Heh nothing too exciting happening here we got robots that deal with that" hmm well yeah guess with the firepower they have available they don't have to fear much and neither do we for now atleast.

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"I wouldn't mind a bit of the more common threats you protectors experience ill make it worth your while ya?" i pull out a few caps to sweeten the deal.

"Well i am one to be good neighborly we usually deal with raiders probing the place making sure our robots still exist then we get mutts that come in packs those are usually left to us to deal with the top guys don't like robots accidentally shooting someone dog thats bad publicity. Every now and then we also get attacks by more militant groups thinking they want to regain the army's honor since we fought the old army. For some reason these groups think that if they defeat us then that means they are better then the old army." she takes the caps and starts really talking leaning in as if to give some conspiracy info to me.

"Well im glad that this settlement is truly safe in the wasteland thats truly difficult to find" few places can truly guarantee it.

"Thats why i joined up didn't like that there were people out protecting me decided i needed to be the one doing the guarding" i nod respectfully its a good motivation.

"If you need some help don't hesitate to stop by our place we all need to work together to make this wasteland better ya?"

"Thats a fine statement ill let the people here know that you stopped by and gave that offer"

"Of course well ill let you all get back to work have a wonderful day" with that i walk back to carter and indigo.

I step beside indigo and carter to repeat what the guard told me.

"Seems pretty quiet too considering this must be near a highway i know traders go north often but maybe with gates family being cut out there really isn't too much north that is worth visiting bet you the east and west outposts are flooding with people" i nod to that agree to the point made.

"Either way they now know who we are and that we are fairly armed hopefully they wont dismiss us because of our age" i mean me and carter are young but some places would consider us adults i don't really know indigos age but she is probably a little older then us. Don't think many families would toss out someone that young out into the world.

"They seem reliable at least and of course the robots do help"

"I approve that they don't let the robots do everything. Its best to ensure your security isn't stunted" its what i would do in their situation.

"Huh never really thought of that but makes sense" looking at the cloudy sky through the haze of ash i can already taste the incoming storm.

"We should go back rains gonna come soon don't want to waste a radaway like that"

"Good idea we should also stop by the market tomorrow theres probably some good things we could buy" nodding i make a mental list of things we could buy.

"Ill take a mid day nap if you don't mind" carter doesn't look tired must be something hes planning.

"Alright we wont be too loud when we get back" indigo laughs a little at that.

Carter

Back in the house i carefully arrange the furs. Gonna be up all night probably best to get 4 hours of sleep now. Its not long before im asleep an alarm set.

Waking up the night covering the land. Good now time to reclaim all that i can.

Walking back to the rubble with TAYLOR in hand i hope no one notices the light but should be fine i hit reclaim. I watch as the light surrounds the portion of the rubble im facing slowly dissolving whats there turning into the material stored somehow in TAYLOR.

Watching it tuck up fairly slowly over the hour n half it took for the building to fully disappear was disappointing. The metal sitting at a 39% the building was worth 32% of metal and now theres nothing there but dirt and a gaping wound where once a foundation sat.

People are probably going to be a little confused but it should be fine i mean what are they going to do about it? Not like anyone cares about this piece of land.

I go into the larger stor and start the process of leaving it empty blue light spilling out through the holes littered through the walls. Taking all the shopping carts all the shelves and anything on them. Uploading the schematics for all that i missed giving me more room to add to blueprints. Taking the lights and the pipes attached to the ceiling. The chairs and cash registers.

Now the building is truly empty nothing really but the floor the walls and the roof. It took me hours but now metal capacity is at 82% sadly energy is at very levels going to have to charge it.

Going back down to my secret basement thats going to be either super cool or creepy i don't know which but its going to be fun either way. Go to the side room and make an additional fusion reactor.

With it now charging on a hook and wire set up time to go sleep for a bit more until mid morning.

Lewis

"Busy night?" i ask carter who surprisingly looks excited.

"Yea did a lot to get the metal its charging right now still i was hoping to bring it along but its fine lets just buy what we want to make copies of. Oh and then theres the basement now im thinking we tell indigo because i don't know how to hide it at all but i figured out locks so we have that going" wow he really is excited. That whole spiel came out in maybe 2 breaths.

"Well good for you im really happy that you got that working i also agree we should tell indigo about the basement lets just say it was covered by a rug hope she believes it" never know she might.

We both step outside our room i knock on her door. She might not be awake. That notion disappears as she opens the door fully dressed. Appears she was working on something at her desk.

"You going already? Let me just finnish up ill be with you in a it" with that she shuts the door again. I can hear some sounds mostly metal on metal couple clanks sound out.,

"Guess she is busy" i state. carter gives me a sarcastic look.

"No really never would have realized that" hes definitely feeling sarcastic this morning.

"Anyways show me your special secret basement" i joke. He rolls his eyes but goes down to the garage.

New steel hatch is just sitting out in open a rug nearby thats also new.

"This is very obnoxious and obvious" i state the obvious again.

"Yes well i don't know how to do this and i am very excited to get started" i can understand that but i mean cmon.

"Well lets go inside" with that he takes a key outside his pocket opening the hatch to a dark ladder well surrounded b y concrete.

"That looks dangerous"

"Its fine i have been up and down many times already but next place we make is not going to have ladders i hate them" well then. Going down the ladder takes a bit mostly from trying to find where the next step is. Once at the bottom carter flips a switch which turns on a light at the bottom.

"Isn't that a lamp from the hotel we stayed at?" it looks like it.

"Possibly anyways lets just open this door and enter the secure bunker" he visibly struggles to pull the door so i go over and help him. Fuck this thing is heavy.

"Why did you make it so heavy" i ask between breaths.

"Makes it harder for people we don't want to come in" at that point the door opens to some security room that resembles similar checkpoints we have found in previously secure locations. Only thing its missing is some automated turrets and people to man the posts. Everything is made brand new and clean with concrete flooring walls and ceiling. The rest has been accented with some steel and a different metal.

"Whats this metal?"

"Strongest we got from the researching equipment the titanium" huh i remember him mentioning it before it must be good then.

"I trust this isn't it?" it looks like it took a lot to make.

"Nope got a hallway and a side room for our fusion generators" with that he goes to a much smaller but still heavy door pulling it open.

Flipping another switch lights the pathway a decent sized hallway with 5 other doors each the same metal slab that carter just went through. The curved ceiling does seem nice and the blue lights add a certain eerie feeling but maybe thats what carter was going for. One door appears to be used so i assume thats the one that has an actual room attached.

"Went to some effort to get it that color but i really like it" he points at the lights smiling brightly.

"Looks a bit eerie not gonna lie" be honest.

"Well i like it so its not changing" thats fair.

"Thats fair indigo might like it though" she is named after blue so maybe.

"Anyways in here are the 2 generators and taylor" inside the room is 2 generators with room for one more at the end of the room. Each are in their own spot marked by metal railings the lights in the room are atleast a normal white.

"We should go visit a vault so you can get some interior decoration inspiration" don't know how either of us could visit one but it needs to be said.

"Listen im enjoying myself but yes i wouldn't mind getting some extra help with these blueprint designs" well atleast he admits it.

"Lets go back up get ready to go to the market" i leave the secure bunker vault basement thing. Careful climbing up the ladder which takes a surprising amount of energy.

Now in the living room getting a backpack ready for random shit we are probably going to buy. Carter joins me in prepping some caps. Probably going to stick with pistols for this trip maybe ill bring the shotgun too couldn't hurt to be prepared. Indigo comes down soon enough with her own pistol but no bag.

"Not planning on buying a lot?"

"Nah don't need more things right now but wouldn't mind seeing what they have been selling recently get a feel for whats on the up and what son the low ya know?" yeah prices change depending on so many things got to keep track of it all but the best way to get a discount is by being nice and friendly. The friend discount is the biggest one you can get besides the family one.

"Smart decision luckily neither of us really need to worry about caps for a bit cant wait for that caravan to come though" they usually have the best things and the only people that will sell preserved canned food. No clue where they get it from but its something we can buy now for emergencies like last year.

Time for a trip to the market.