Chapter 26: Glowing Sea
The bird touched down on the makeshift pad marked out on the southbound freeway. Jon and Maxson hopped out, and Jon was pleased to see second company in full uniform. They had obviously gotten their blues before anyone else, and Jon had no problem with that. He was also pleased to see the Brotherhood advisors as well, mostly for communications equipment training.
That was about the most complex systems Jon had functioning, besides his bird. While everyone could key a mic, it was a far cry from truly operating a radio system. It was a good basis to get wastelanders into further and further complexities. Eventually he would field a force unlike any seen in the wastes, operating unlike any seen for hundreds of years.
Maxson said, “Interesting fiber for your uniforms.”
Jon leaned in with his good eye at one of his Minutemen and said, “Hemp fabric, with, yup, ballistic fiber woven in. Excellent.”
“Hemp? The weed? Everything written about it says it was useless.”
Jon grinned, “Government propaganda.”
They got down onto the lower eastbound freeway and Jon said, “Captain Tracy!”
She poked her head out from the main admin shack, and confidently marched to Jon and Maxson before strapping off a casual attention, “Sir, good you see you.”
Jon nodded, “You too. Heard you did some hard charging. Was that your call?”
She smirked, “Yes sir. MacCready gave them be biz, and then they ran into us already dug in. They still didn’t man the stockpile. Don’t know why. Figured there wouldn’t be that many more so we pushed up and took out the rest.”
Jon nodded, “With vault 81 on high alert your left flank across the river was secure almost the entire way.”
She said, “Yessir.”
Jon said, “Major Tracy, give my compliments to whoever made your uniforms. You have any patrols running south?”
She smiled big and nodded, “Yes sir. We've got the east side of the lake clear down to Robotics pioneer park, and a guard on the bridge across. We are getting closer and closer the Gunner HQ. Natick is a big hole, and Scrap palace has a behemoth leading a small tribe, so we’re still working on those.”
Jon said, “Fair enough, I wont impede your from your operations. Good work Major.”
Maxson said, “The bird could easily clear out the Scrap Palace, or thin them so much a ground operation is viable. That’s how we cleared Fort Strong. Then we can drop as close as possible to the crater.”
“That would help is a lot, sir.”
Jon nodded, “Sounds like a plan, and be some good training.”
Major Tracy said, “I already have scouts in place, I can send another team right now. One more thing sir, Colonel Garvey had something sent, just got done. This way.”
They followed her to the main shack, and Maxson stood outside with is armor on while Jon entered the door. Tracy got the boon and placed it on the desk to Jon’s smile. It was the tactical vest he designed, with the MOLLE system, and pouches attached. Inside were reformed armor plates using the advanced materials of regular combat armor. There were spaces in the front and rear.
As he switched out his current plate for his new vest, Tracy said, “Definitely want me one of those sir. Gonna be standard issue?”
Jon said, “When we can produce them in numbers, yes. Get your team ready, we’ll drop them off further back.”
She smiled wickedly as he walked out. Maxson looked and said, “Impressive rig, interesting attachment system. Like a Scribe vest but more combat oriented.”
They walked towards the bird and said, “Limited run right now. This, the uniforms, all an experiment. So far looks good. I’m sure it’s in all the templates we’ve been sharing. That logistics terminal program was pretty slick.”
Jon didn’t see his smirk, “We use it extensively in the Capital. Integrating it with the ASAM municipal plots will only make it better. Brotherhood factories already have the orders to produce them, and other things you put together. It sickens me to see how much they wasted, prioritizing profits over any good sense. We aren't stupid, our engineers could have came up with much the same as yours did before the bombs fell.”
Jon had credited companies, countries, and lead designers wherever he had that knowledge. He said, “And after the war you don’t have the luxury of R&D. You use what you know works or you die. I add in what I know works, and by some napkin math the fusion cores can power a lot, even if only for a couple weeks. Even getting days from a core is better than 4 foot per patented gallon.”
As the team gathered and were walking up Maxson said, “Patented is right. I’ve look at it myself actually. I like to just peruse records, ever since I was a kid. Not much but something to do.”
Jon said, “It’s how I found her file. You have your orders?”
“Yes sir.” They all said at once.
Jon said, “Good. We’ll drop you off further back. You’ll proceed on foot while we give them a pounding. What we don’t get is your responsibility.”
They loaded up, and Jon took the co-pilot seat. He said, “Take us out, on the double mister!.”
“Yes sir!”
The bird lifted and shot off towards its target. Jon looked back, and saw a couple of the Minutemen had been though this song and dance before, but the rest hadn’t and didn’t fair as well with Jokers high G acceleration. Maxson was kneeling in the center to give them the chairs. This was Tuesday for him. To their credit, none of them got sick in his bird. It was no time before the bird had arrived just north of the Palace and dropped the team off. They would meet with the scouts and take the place after Jon and Maxson had their way with it.
While Jon’s physical exercises during during his recovery were actual exercises, his mental exercises amounted to tinkering in his garage Making sure he still knew things he knew. Jon did, and Dusty Dude wasn't the only one with a guitar. With an amp, a mic, and a whole lot of gain he recorded a song that began to play over the bird intercom as they approached the Scrap Palace.
It was only the guitar as he had no band to play the backup, and wouldn't go that far with the project. The strum was angry, and chugged a couple times before traveling down the scale a couple more times. The measure repeated a couple more, and normally the drums and base would enter. The scale became full chugging chords as the near perfect imitation of the vocals started.
“Finished with my woman ‘cause she couldn't help my with my mind!”
Joker opened up with the main cannons as he began a strafe around the place, “People think I’m Insane because I am drowning all the time!”
The first verse was done, and a couple measures of strumming took over. The super mutants tried to respond, but the few that had guns were no mach for the speed and range of the vertibird and it’s 20mm cannons. The behemoth was the first to be targeted, and its thrown scrap car is what began Jokers circular strafe.
“All day long I think of things but nothing seems to satisfy!”
“Bingo on ammo boss!”
“Think I’ll lose my mind if I don’t find something to pacify!”
The chords became a couple sustained notes, “Turn us sideways! Maxson get on that gun!”
“Can you help me!? Occupy my briaain! Oh Yeaahh!”
“With pleasure!”
The chugging continued as Maxson opened with the birds mini-gun, the one on it originally in fact. The Brotherhood had supplied the Minutemen with explosive rounds. Not too many, it wouldn’t due to simply give away ones parity no matter how friendly two nation states are. The rounds were reserved for the bird only.
The lyrics started again as Maxson was finishing up the last couple targets that hadn’t permanently taken cover, “I need someone to show me the things the things in life that I cant find!”
A final couple bursts as the gun ran out of ammo. Jon smiled, of course he would give us something like that, he thought, just so he could shoot it all himself. Would he do any different? No, he thought, he wouldn’t, “I cant see the things that make true happiness I must be blind!”
Jon cut the intercom and said, “Cease fire if I have any ammo left!”
Maxson laughed but removed his finger from the trigger. Jon cut the song and opened the intercom back up, “Surrender or die. Minutemen move in.”
He keyed the mic, “Take us away, Joker.”
He worked the controls, “What the fuck was that boss!”
Maxson said, “I’ve never heard anything like it! Incredible!”
Jon laughed manically, “Neither did anyone else the first time they heard it. Black Sabbath, Paranoid. The song and album that started a revolt in the music industry back home.”
Joker said, “Please for the love of Atom tell me there's more out there boss.”
Jon said, “I recorded that one. So probably not.”
Maxson said, “They never would have gotten away with something like that on the radio. The Government would have stopped them. Impressive on your part, however.”
Joker said, “Come on boss, you really gonna blue ball us like that?”
Maxson said, “You had to make sure you were recovering. Music works a lot of parts of the brain, and I wouldn't be surprised if you programmed and built the recording set up itself.”
Jon said, “Bingo, somebody make this man an Elder.”
Maxson laughed again as Joker neared the target, at the very edge of the sea where the rads started to go from a tolerable couple tics a second to real radiation. Joker said, “Alright boss, I know you’re the General and everything, but this is as far as I’m personally going. Crazy fucking bastard not taking any plate. Might as well be doing it naked.”
Jon got up and gave him a pat, “Don’t tempt me. RTB for resupply and maintenance. We’ll call when we’re out.”
“Yes sir.”
Maxson had already made the exit, and Jon followed not long after. The ground was dead, and he doubted anything would ever come from it again. This was the Glowing Sea from now until the end. There was not even dead grass, simply a gnarled tree here or there still standing. It took a light green haze, and he could almost see the radiation as one would see heat rising off in the distance.
Maxson said as the bird flew away, “You sure about this?”
Jon smirked, “I like the glow.”
Maxson scoffed, but nodded in understanding. He said as they started walking, “FEV encountering your DNA?”
Jon said, “More like my aggressive immune system incorporating it into my DNA. When you’re already a super human, mix in some rads, you get an affinity for them and gills, somehow.”
He flared his gills and Maxson said, “Holy shit. I’ve only ever heard of something like that. You’re practically a super mutant.”
Jon said, “Yup.”
Some of the Sea’s many dangers interrupted their conversation. It was only some bloat flies currently, but Maxson opened up with his Gatling laser and tore them apart with a short burst. They kept their chatter to themselves further in. the bomb that made that crater was so big it caused seismic actively in the ground around it. Every once in a while he could see a building, or a road popping up out of the dirt, but most of what used to be the sea was simply buried. Few things truly still stood.
A pack of death claws charged, but the ground was mostly flat and they saw them coming from a mile away almost literally. Jon still had his good eye, and Maxson’s targeting optic on his helmet was kept active at all times. Jon opened up with his show stopper as soon as they made their intent to hunt clear. The range was extreme, but nothing for Jon to compensate for. His shots were only better as they closed the gap and entered his effective range. Maxson opened up with a torrent of red fire as soon as they entered his range. None made it close enough, and the last to turn away still died to the sustained fire.
Maxson said, “We should pick up a couple horns. Deathclaw’s are actually smart once they have a chance to learn.”
Jon nodded, “Good idea. Abernathy told me that one. They know not to mess with people that can kill them. Then it was just leaving their guts lay nearby. I guess they could pick up any smell and figure if you had a run in and lived, they died.”
They walked up and each broke a horn off and lashed it to their gear. They continued on, and ghouls were woken up by the engagement. They went even quicker than the death claws did. A flash of green lighting made it’s presence known as a light sprinkle of raid rain started. Jon quickly threw his salvaged army poncho on as it agitated the glowing yellow-green puddles and engorged them. The the rain began to fall harder.
They just made out a factory capsized into the ground, when they also spotted a man in a hazmat suit nearby struggling with a barrel of waste. Maxson said, “That cant be our guy.”
Jon said, “No way. Someone running from the Institute wouldn’t just be out here preforming what looks like cleanup work based on the setup he has built there. He’s been at this a while it looks.”
Maxson said, “Probably a ghoul.”
The man finally took notice of them, then leaned in and wiped his face pate with a one hand as the other hovered over his 10mm. Jon raised his gun hand, as did Maxson. The man met the gesture, and they kept walking. Maxson was carrying his Gatling laser by its carry handle alone, and Jon cradled his show stopper causally in his off hand.
When the got close enough, the man’s suit mic called out, “Pal, you are one crazy bastard. He’s at least got some power armor. Did you even take rad-x, you trying to become like me?”
Jon smirked, “As if there’s something wrong with you. No I didn’t. FEV got in me, and now I’m practically immune to rads.”
The ghoul was taken aback for a couple reasons. He said, “Apologies, been out here since the war. Roy Baker. FEV?”
Jon took the offered hand while Maxson gave a nod and kept his eye up. Jon said, “Forced Evolutionary Virus. Government project that got out with the bombs. It can do some weird things to people when combined with radiation. I took a burst figuring I could at least take some rad away in exchange for two free mini-nukes.”
Maxson said, “Fair trade, unless it does its work on you for the first time. You were extremely lucky.”
The Roy said, “Yeah, Government project sounds right. So who are you, and if you don’t mind, what are you doing out near my home in the middle of nowhere surrounded by the most hostile environment probably on earth?”
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Jon smiled, “General Jon Singh, Commonwealth Minutemen. This is Elder Maxson Brotherhood of Steel. We’re searching for someone. If I may, what are you doing out here? Looks like a small cleanup and salvage operation.”
Roy lit up but he had to know first, “The militia, and Brotherhood? Sorry, just been awhile since I got any real news. The Rads interfere with any radio signal, and the Children are a friendly bunch, but overall recluse. And you’re right. I also take a little over to them for trade.”
Jon said, “The Brotherhood of Steel was founded in the aftermath of the war by the deserted company of Captain Rodger Maxson. They found the FEV a couple days before the bombs fell.”
Maxson added, “We’re sworn to stop science from outpacing man’s restraint. Our primary focus is the acquisition or destruction of dangerous technologies that pose a threat to mankind. Our secondary focus now is aiding the SCPG during its formation in exchange for their aid in our operations.”
Jon smiled at the underhanded boasts, “Which brings it back to me. The Second Commonwealth Provisional Government, defended by its army, the Minutemen. I am General and Military Governor. Preston Garvey is the Executive Officer of the Minutemen. Jake Evans is the Civilian Minister. Curie Surgeon General. Sturgis Infrastructure Minister. We administer nearly half the Commonwealth by landmass, and go further every day.”
Roy scoffed, “You trying to sell me something?”
Jon smirked, “This is a competent setup here. Like you know what you're doing.”
Roy nodded, “I was a nuclear engineer before the war. Specializing in waste extraction and management. I needed something to do, and this is the biggest cleanup job in all of history. The factory is my home, so I’ve never had to worry about much other than food and staying away from the wildlife. Even food I don’t really need much of with all the rads.”
Jon asked, “Why the hazmat suit?”
Roy laughed, “Cause I’m not crazy you moron. So I take it you want to recruit me for the cause or something? If the Government did all this, why work for another one?”
Jon shrugged, “So don’t, if that’s how you feel. The SCPG may come, may settle this place somehow, but we’ll certainly respect 200 year old property claims when we do. You’ll just be the crazy one preforming a hopeless task, no matter how noble it may be. Out there? We need a man like you. That’s where the real cleanup job is. You know they just left this shit laying around.”
Roy thought about it a moment. Those were good points. He simply never had a reason to leave the Glowing Sea. Why would he when it was the safest place to be for someone like him. He knew from the Children the kind of chaos that was going on out there. But these two in front of him were the real deal. The General even had a proper star, and his fatigues and kit were professional, if repaired and used. So was the armor on the Elder. They were more than products of a wasteland.
He asked, “Why the second? What happened to the first?”
Jon said, “General Cho tried to start the first one in the 2230’s. The talks stalled and eventually the Institute assassinated the representatives.”
He said, “CIT? What happened to them? They weren't assassinate representative types. A bunch of pansy eggheads, and I’m saying that as an egghead that went there.”
Jon said, “Their science outpaced their restraint. They make human slaves. People like you and me but made in a lab with a chip in their brains.”
Roy shook his head, “What the fuck. I heard about humanoid robot programs, but they were mechanical designs only. On paper only.”
Maxson asked, “Did they have a bunker when you attended?”
Roy said, “Not a bunker, but underground labs. Some experiments are sensitive and need to sheltered from the ambient Rads. We had to salvage WWII wrecks for steel untouched by them to build any kind of machinery. That was more bio and medical though. I never went to that lab. Rads were my field of study, and I doubt they would let me in even if I asked. My very person would contaminate it, and they wouldn't even be wrong about it.”
Jon asked, “Well Mr. Baker, what do you say to the offer?”
He thought about it a moment more, “If you’re taking to those bastards then I’m in. That place was outright hostile and arrogant to folks like me, that didn’t already come from their culture. Will me being what I am be a problem?”
Jon said, “In some places. Avoid Diamond City, old Fenway Park. Not in the SCPG. There are a couple ghoul mayors, citizens, in the Minutemen, our chief drill instructor is former army.”
Roy nodded, “Then I’m in. this was just always the safest place to be from what I knew. Didn’t take a nuclear scientist to figure out it would be absolute chaos out there.”
Jon held out his hand once again, “Welcome to the SCPG Minister Baker. Eventually there will be elections and people may stay where they’re at, or be switched out. All depends on what the first President and Congress do. I wont be apart of it that point.”
Roy smirked, “Trying to be a real modern Washington, huh?”
Jon returned it, “History will speak my name as it does others.”
Any doubts Roy had were done away with. He believed it. He would fly them all they way back to the moon. Given the eye patch and obvious aftermath of getting shot in the face, none would stop him.
He said, “I think I’ll need a security escort out of here, General. The factory is yours, just fair warning there are ferals. They never bothered me, and I never had it in me to put them down.”
Jon said, “Thanks for the warning, you’ll get one. Just stay bunked down for now. One last thing before we leave you, do you a man named Virgil?”
He shook his head, “No. the Children might though. Just over that way in the Crater.”
Jon nodded, “Thank you Minister. If you could, start putting knowledge to paper while you wait for an extraction. Information, procedures, regulations. I need to start making this legitimate, and cleaning the material and rads is a home run for introducing the law of man to the wasteland.”
Roy smiled, “I understand General. I got a working terminal, already been putting down notes. First thing I did when I got settled in before I forgot. Stay safe out there. Elder.”
“Minister.”
Jon and Maxson took off towards the crater. There was one more pack of ferals in their way, but they were cut down like the rest by the combined fire. The ground rose a some towards the edge of the crater. On top of it was a watch, and they repeated the greeting ritual. Hands came up, and they marched up.
The watch had taken immediate notice of Jon traveling without any visible protection from the conditions. He also noticed the Brotherhood sigil. He said, “Have you come on a pilgrimage traveler?”
Jon said, “No, friend. We’re looking for someone. Virgil. If you could tell us, we’d be on our way, if not we’d like to ask others. We mean you no harm, that is for certain.”
The watch nodded and said, “I do not know. You however may enter. Atom welcomes all.”
The both nodded and carefully stepped down the side of the crater. Jon could use the crude steps already dug in, but Maxson toed down the side off the beaten path to preserve it. His armor was causing large tracks and disturbances with every step he took. They got down the side and walked around the puddles of irradiated water some Children were directly drinking from. They were working up to a main square for the metal shanty settlement. A few dozen called the place home and they had glowing crops dotted here and there.
One Child approached them and said, “Mother Isolde would like a word with you, General.”
Jon nodded, not as recluse it seemed. They walked with the Child until they made it to the home of the leader of the Crater of Atom sect. Maxson met his nod and stood outside. He couldn’t enter the small shack in his armor, and would never get out with all the rads. He had to science his internal alarms some time back, but his seals held.
Jon slowly walked in and took the motioned position in front of the Mother. He set his rifle to the side as he sat cross legged. He said, “Pleasure to meet you Mother Isolde I’m,”
“General Jon Noonien-Singh, Commonwealth Minutemen, Military Governor of the SCPG. You are an Augment from a different Earth. Your mother’s name was Miyah.”
Jon kept his expression flat. Because of his injury, he didn’t know what it meant. But at least now he knew it. For prudence sake he had to asked, “Did Atom show you these things?”
She nodded, “He also showed me the division you will achieve. You are an instrument of his will. I will tell you what you seek. Virgil's Cave is to the South-West. The Sentinel Site is to the South-East.”
He didn’t know he sought the Sentinel Site, but he was happy to know as both locations were marked on his map. He said, “Thank you Mother Isolde. We’ll leave you and your Children be.”
“Please, take some food on the way out. Go with Atom my child.”
Jon nodded and picked up a glowing mutfruit as he left. He motioned to Maxson, and they took off for the South. He took a bite to Maxson scoff and said, “Delicious. We have two targets. Virgil’s Cave, and the Sentinel Site.”
Maxson said, “Sentinel Site?”
Jon said, “No clue yet. She had a vision from Atom, and gave me what I sought, which is apparently the Sentinel Site in addition to Virgil. Something about achieving division.”
Maxson said, “You believe that?”
Jon said, “I met a seer back home. I met one in the Museum of Freedom. She knew my mothers name, among everything only a few people know all together, certainly not them in the middle of the Glowing Sea.”
They got to the top of the crater and Jon spied to the South-East. He could just make it out with his good eye. He said, “You see that?”
Maxson focused his targeting optic, “Yeah, like a pyramid or something.”
Jon said, “Let’s hit up Virgil first, then take a walk over there.”
They began walking, and the wildlife save for a stray ghoul stayed away with death claw bits hanging from their armor and kit. Maxson said, “What do you think is there?”
Jon shrugged, “Pile of nukes? She said I would achieve division.”
Maxson said, “That usually means blowing up.”
Jon scoffed, “Not necessarily. Death claw front, lets give it a chance. Can’t just wipe out an alpha predator without severe ecological harm.”
The death claw stepped slowly towards them as they slowed down with arms ready. It spied the horns, and took a couple sniffs to confirm it. Usually ones so small didn’t survive, but these did. Perhaps another hunt is in order. The bronze death claw turned away and went somewhere else at a casual pace. Death claws ran from no one.
Maxson said, “We’re aware. That’s why we have insight into their behavior. Trying to manage the Capital ecology. If they don’t thin the stag herds, they eat the crops because it’s the only food around. A brahmin here or there is the price of that. The ones in the Capital have it figured out by now. Don’t attack us and we wont attack them.”
Jon said as the entered the cave, “A square deal.”
Jon took point and stepped softly. He could smell of all things a super mutant further back. As soon as he saw the turret he stopped and backed up a step just before it fired at its acquired target. He said, “Virgil!? We aren't here to hurt you!”
“Wh-Who are you!?” Voice of a super mutant called back. Jon looked back to Maxson’s shrug.
Jon said, “General Jon Singh, Commonwealth Minutemen. I’m with Elder Maxson Brotherhood of Steel! The Institute is our enemy, and if my gut is right, they’re yours as well!”
“Enter! I’ll deactivate the turret!”
The turret shut down and Jon stepped around and into the cave proper with his rifle at a low ready and Maxson at his back. Virgil was indeed a super mutant, wearing worn and tattered remnants of his Institute uniform, and had half broken glasses on his face. His Institute weapon was at a high ready. Jon noticed the trigger guard practically ripped off.
“Where’s Kellogg.”
“Dead.”
“Yes, how could he be anything else with you here.”
Maxson said, “You turned yourself into a super mutant? Why not just take a hazmat suit?”
Virgil replied, “The classic dilemma. If you only had the time to grab one thing, what would it be? It was a strain of FEV tailored specifically to me. It was supposed to be a backup plan. Things happened fast when I left.”
Jon slowly lowered his rifle, and Virgil met the motion. Maxson lost his tension as well. Jon said, “You escaped from the Institute, why?”
Virgil said, “The research I was doing, on FEV. I mean even past the ethical quandary, there was no point! No point to continuing the line of experimentation! We knew everything there was to know about FEV after 200 years of study. I rose these concerns formally several times, and every time I was ordered to keep producing these monsters. They obviously get released on the surface.”
Maxson nearly spit in his helmet, “To keep the Commonwealth destabilized with an always replenishing population of super mutants. Bastards.”
Vigil moved to his desk and said, “Indeed. I-I had a pipe dream while I was in here. That someone would come for me that wasn't Kellogg, and I needed something to occupy my mind. I can help you get in. Here, this is every thing I know about the transporter system, as well as a methodology to track coursers, and general knowledge of the Institute. If you can get a chip, you can hijack their signal and transport yourself. Mind you I was bio-science. This is by no means my field of expertise, and my hands aren’t meant for writing and typing.”
Jon took one look at the sloppy, but informative notes. He flashed them to Maxson for a moment longer than he needed. Maxson said, “This is a game changing break through. Thank you Virgil. We hold nothing against you. Is there anyway we can help you? You are an FEV expert.”
Virgil had some hope for the first time in a while, “Yes, there is an antidote in the FEV lab, however I released a couple of the mutants to cause a distraction, and the defenses activated as I left. It is certainly possible they finally took my concerns to heart after the trouble and sealed the lab.”
Jon said, “Then we definitely don’t hold anything against you. You did what you could to stop it, and finally frustrated it after trying other means.”
Virgil said, “If you can get that cure and bring it back, anything, I’ll do anything to atone.”
Jon said, “FEV is out there and not going away. You’re probably the world’s foremost expert on it. You’ll have a place. Maxson?”
Maxson said, “Agreed. Thanks for asking.”
Jon said, “We’ll leave you be Virgil. Thank you.”
Thank you, General, Elder.” He said with a wave.
Jon and Maxson walked out into the continuing rad rain, and made way for the Sentinel Site. It seemed even the ferals now knew to stay away from the pair as they parted the Glowing Sea.
As they got closer Jon said, “You know, they’re going to make up the craziest shit about this little walk.”
Maxson snickered, “I know I will. The story will change every time. By the time I die, there will be miles of corpses.”
Jon laughed as the Pyramid came into view. One thing was clear, “This structure is not pre-war.
“No, it’s not.” Maxson replied.
They lined up at the door and breached in. Jon was first and slowed up as Maxson followed him. The place was dimply lit on emergency lighting. So far it was a hall leading back to an elevator. There were no signs of life or regular travel. The elevator was thankfully meant for cargo, and meant Maxson could follow him in.
The thing screeched down, another sign of lack of maintenance, and finally halted at the first floor of the facility. It was a main reception and clerical hall, lined with terminals on each side. On the end was the door to further in. Maxson kept his eye on it as Jon went off to the side and tried to boot a terminal up. The emergency power didn’t power them, obviously, but he had to at least try.
Passing though the industrial door, they went down some steps into a locker and wash, then mess, then a bunk hall, then finally down to the basement level. The first sign Jon saw of any kind of life was a fleck of dust here or there from skin cells. Everywhere else was neatly ordered, and untouched as if never staffed.
He whispered, “What the hell is going on here.”
Maxson thought the same thing, but it was impossible to whisper in power armor, so he made know reply.
They got down the final steps and entered the main office overlooking the massive dug in warehouse. He couldn’t see, but could smell a lone man and a bot. He would give them the chance to be reasonable. This was obviously the first time they had visitors in a while. Jon and Maxson were intruding on their home, but they had to investigate whatever this place was. A lone man and a bot didn’t build this place. Only the Enclave could pull something like it off.
Maxson walked to the window, and flipped his targeting optic up. He said, “My god. These are Mk28 nuclear warheads. What Liberty Prime uses. There...there are hundreds of thousands of them.”
Jon’s blood ran cold as he strolled up to look, keeping his good eye on their hiding spot as long as he could. Then he broke to look himself. He took a sharp breath in when he confirmed it himself.
The old man with wiry hair made his move, “214,503, precisely. And each one is a gift from Atom. Why are you here?”
Maxson snapped to attention, and Jon turned more casually. Maxson said, “That's enough to fight the next two great wars.”
The Child said, “Indeed. To see such division again is only in my wildest fantasies. Why are you here?”
Jon said, “What you said. Division. I was brought here by a vision from Atom given to me by Mother Isolde. I sought something, she told me what I sought. One of those things was the Sentinel Site.”
The man put his hand to his chin to ponder a bit. Maxson never let up his aim. He said, “Any can say they had a vision from Atom, but the name of his holy place his written only once, and it is in a place you have not been, nor is the power you would need to start other terminals.”
Jon asked, “How long have you been here?”
The Child said, “For near my entire life, and none have been in since. I felt Atom when I saw what you saw, and have been the guardian of his shrine ever since. You said you were here for division.”
Jon said, “We need these bombs, friend. We need them to protect our sovereignty, and we need them to power our civilizations. Think about it, what is Atoms will?”
He said, “Division of course.”
Jon nodded, “There are two civilizations out there rising from the ashes of the war. His and mine. Down here, these bombs are nothing, and do nothing.”
The Child winced at the insult, but Jon didn’t let up, “They could be up there, literally the lifeblood of a new world. Our fusion cores, our plutonium wells, our defense systems. Achieving division as they were meant to do.”
He thought about it a moment, seriously. Those were in fact good points. He asked, “And if I refuse to relinquish these holy gifts?”
Jon took a deep breath and gave him an eye, “Then I enforce Atom’s will. Violently.”
The man smiled, and Jon almost thought he would have to. He was simply enjoying the warm glow of Atom on his mind. Like the first time he found the shrine while exploring. He said, “Thank you for your honesty. It is indeed Atom’s will these gifts achieve division. You may take them.”
Jon let out the breath he was holding. He softly said, “Thank you, friend. Minutemen and Brotherhood teams will be by to collect them. They will have strict orders to respect you and what you've done here.”
He smiled warmly at the men one last time, “I know. Thank you.”
He collapsed and died. Jon rushed over but just missed catching him. A quick check of his pulse confirmed the obvious. His life's purpose was complete. His assultron came from around the corner slowly and kneeled beside the body.
Jon asked, “What was his name?”
She said, “Brother Henri. He was my friend.”
Jon let the silence linger for a moment. Maxson honestly couldn’t believe anything he was seeing and hearing, but he never lost his aim as he let the General work. If it got him the bombs then so be it.
He said, “And you?”
She said, “I am Atom’s Wrath.”
Jon nodded, “Keep these bombs and him secure until our people get here.”
Maxson said, “You can’t be serious General.”
Atom’s Wrath’s eye lit up, and Jon said, “They kept this place for decades. A day or two more wont hurt. Do you want to go back out alone? Someone has to carry the order out.”
Maxson said, “No. And if just one comes back for any reason there would be obvious questions and assumptions.”
Jon said, “I say we split 50-50.”
Maxson said, “Fair, but we agree on limitations for how many stay bombs. The rest will achieve division in other ways. What about the odd one.”
Jon said, “It belongs to Brother Henri. I was already thinking about a SALT treaty. We can make it formal.”
Atom’s Wrath said, “I will make preparations for his funeral rites, and for your forces to arrive.”
Jon said, “Thank you Atom’s Wrath. We’ll leave you to mourn.”
They walked back up and took the screeching elevator back up. They stood at just before the door to the outside for a moment.
Jon said, “Enclave.”
Maxson agreed, “Obviously. This was built after the war. President Eden was an AI, probably active from before the war. We don’t know because Raven Rock was completely blown up. What we do know is there are more in Chicago, and they’re run by an AI too. The Secretary of the Interior.”
Jon nodded in understanding, “Their plan was centuries in the making. No way they weren’t in communication, maybe even a hard line so Raven Rock didn’t have to brake EMCON. This was one part, but their master control bunker blowing up put a serous wrench in their plans.”
Maxson said, “It could have even started before the war, them ordering and stockpiling these bombs, moving them to a central location after the war for their plan. For just what we’re going to do with them. A way to smuggle material out from everyone’s noses.”
Jon said, “I say we remove them. Don’t even touch the power, don’t do anything here. Just get the bombs out and process them elsewhere.”
Maxson said, “Agreed. Any kind of monitoring they could have will certainly trigger. They would know immediately we have our hands on them. I’ll have Gladius on this.”
Jon said, “I’ll put Barr with them. You ready?”
“Lets go.” and the walked back out to the howling rad-rain of the Glowing Sea.