» Fri May 27, 2011 9:42 pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It all began with a dream.
Like most dreams, this one manifested into an idea, then a goal.
It had been the goal of my father, James, to realize such a dream, the dream of his wife, my mother, Catherine. He had taken it upon himself, to assemble a team of scientists, enlist the protection of the Brotherhood, to give the waters of life to any and all.
My father lost his life protecting his life's work.
Now here I stand, a long way from the place I call home, outside the Memorial, I hear screams and shouts, of my comrades mixed with those of the sworn enemy and the gears and hydraulics grinding and pumping of a 200 year old war machine behind me.
This is where I make my choice.
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Five dead soldiers now lie at my feet, some generating electrical sparks from the enemy's most advanced technology.
They call themselves the Enclave, remnants of the United States government, trying to rid America of war and mutation. Their patriotic speeches where the first thing I heard when I stepped out into the harsh light of the Capital Wasteland. However, in this world ravaged by Poverty and Death, there is no Black and White, Evil and Good, only shades of Grey.
The Enclave themselves are a prime example of "Shades of Grey", yes they want to bring America back to the way it was, but they see anyone outside of their organization "Impure", but I cannot speak so highly of the Brotherhood Of Steel either, the only reason they came here to DC was to scavenge old technology, then leave.
This is where I make my choice.
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The last remnants of Enclave command, one Colonel Autumn, now lies crumpled on the floor down the steel steps of the Rotunda of the Jefferson Memorial, Sarah Lyons stands by my side, trying to figure out a solution to our problem.
Who should sacrifice themselves...
Lyons stands baffled, promptly shoved out of the way, the air-lock is closed, I am inside.
This is where I decide the fate of the Capital Wasteland.
The modified FEV vial is crushed underfoot as I stumble towards the control panel of Project Purity. Blood is seeping from my ears and nose, and the Geiger counter built into my A-series Pip-Boy 3000 is ticking immensely. My hands brush the keypad, and I go to enter the code. What was the code?
Then I remember my Mother's favorite passage from the bible.
I recite the passage as I dimly press the buttons, "Revelation 2.1.6: I am Alpha, and Omega. The Beginning and the End. I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life, freely."
I slip at the enter key, and stumble to the floor, my brain is screaming telling me to get out, as I slowly turn my head, I see Lyons, look shocked, pounding on the window for me to get up. I remember Amata, Elder Lyons, and all of people I had met on my travels.
This is where I decide their fate.
I push myself up and use gravity as my aid to slam on the Enter key. A bright light envelops the chamber, I turn and slump down against the control panel to see Sarah Lyons trying to open the air-lock in a vain attempt to retrieve me. She looks at me, almost wanting to sob, and I do the only thing that would respond to my brain's commands.
I crack a smile, and a thumbs up.
By now it feels as if my whole body is disintegrating, I fall sideways, and lie on my side, I see Sarah put her hand on the window. And as my vision blurs to white, I think.
The Last, Best Hope of Humanity is gone....
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So what do you all think? Constructive Criticism is appreciated.
