» Thu May 26, 2011 11:24 pm
Chapter 6
Vengeance
Carl and I emerged into the wasteland, leaving the nightmares of Metro Town behind us. The sun was bearing down on us as we wandered the wastes for an hour, maybe two (Time seems to crawl when you're bored) when, suddenly a sand storm started up. Luckily it started up ahead of us giving us time to seal our armor against the dangerous grains of sand.
We continued walking, stiffly into the storm. The storm worsened, I couldn't see a thing, but I continued onward.
The wind picks up against me, tiring me; making each and every step an effort.
Onward, was my only thought.
Must?..continue??..onward.
It came to be so difficult that just picking up my feet felt like pulling the wasteland up with me.
Heaving, I brought my foot in the air for another step.
It stubbornly froze in the air, locking up. I quickly glanced at Carl. He was a few yards behind me, frozen midstride.
I turned back around, just in time to completely lock up. Unbalanced I fell sluggishly through the air, landing with a dull thud on the hard, unforgiving dirt.
Having no other choice I waited for the storm to pass. Boredom seemed to make time pass slower, but I decided to stay awake, weary of any scavengers that might try to finish me off while I was vulnerable.
Eventually, the storm passed and with it, a disturbing silence. I tried to move my arm, leg, head anything, but the hydraulic joints refused movement. The seals to block the sand broke, I thought.
I decided to use the evacuation emergency program in my armor. Tiny charges detonated, destroying joints, allowing movement.
I clawed at the armor, trying to remove it anyway I could. After I shed my armor I walked shakily to Carl.
"You okay in there?" I rasped my throat dry.
"Yeah, hold on a second" he shouted, the armor speakers offline.
Tiny pops came from his armor, destroying the joints. Carl stood up and like me, shed his armor. After he managed to remove his armor (I helped some) he picked it all up, intending to carry it.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
"I might need it later on," he replied.
"It's broken!" I shouted angrily.
Carl shrugged.
I decided not to try to convince Carl to drop the useless armor, too tired for a pointless debate.
So we walked the wasteland, only wearing our underwear. Walking became more difficult as time went on. For me it was the lack of water, for Carl it was the weight of the broken armor.
As sunset approached, I spotted 3 dark, blurry figures in the distance. After a quick discussion with Carl, we decided that we should see if they could give us any assistance.
After further examination, we discovered the three figures were none other than Brotherhood of Steel footsoldiers!
I knew that this detachment had gone "Native" and helped locals as much as they could. Walking up to them I heard them chuckle.
"Hey, Do I know you?" One asked.
"No??.." I trailed off.
"Yeah, you're that Caleb fella, the one that got booted from the Brotherhood," He said confidently.
"Yes," I gritted through my teeth.
"Hey Bradley, should we help this Outcasted?" He asked jokingly.
"Yeah, give him what he gave us," Said the Brotherhood soldier called Bradley.
The first soldier raised his middle finger to my face.
Furious, I clenched my fist and pulled it back for a powerful blow to his face. The soldier pointed his Laser Rifle with dangerous intent. I froze, knowing that this was a fight I couldn't win. "That's right, you're not man enough to dare hit me," the soldier boasted, lowering his rifle.
Carl surprised me by throwing a rock the size of baseball at the soldier's head, smashing his skull causing a spray of blood and brain to shoot out.
The remaining two rushed to bring their weapons up, a Laser Rifle and a Gatling Laser. I quickly took the dead soldier's rifle as it fell from his hands, and squeezed the trigger as fast as I could. The first couple of shots went wide, missing their targets by a considerable margin. But a few shots hit, burning into their armor and I could smell the charred flesh.
I got a lucky shot into the visor of the Gatling laser wielding one, instantly frying his brain. The other soldier looked at his dead comrades and bravely fought on, despite the odds. Carl managed to smash his fingers that were gripping his rifle, with yet another rock. The soldier somehow managed to retain his rifle, but I had my rifle properly shouldered by now and I fired a tight cluster of laser bursts into his upper chest; wounding him severely.
The soldier fell under my merciless barrage, and collapsed in a crumpled heap. Carl and I managed to procure 2 functioning suites of Power Armor, a Laser Rifle in moderate shape, and the Gatling Laser which was in a pristine condition.
I chose to carry the laser rifle and Carl wielded the Gatling laser, and he even modified it using spare parts from a laser rifle from one of the Brotherhood troops we killed. Outfitted with basic Power Armor we set off to continue our mission.
"What did you do to get booted from the Brotherhood?" Carl inquired.
"On a tech recovery mission at Fort Bannister, some mindless wastelanders showed up, firing at us," I said. "We easily took them out with a few precision bursts, but more and more showed up; it was like they were assembling a [censored] army! After a few minutes of killing I asked who they were." I stopped for a second, remembering the answer. "They said that the people were attacking us because they lived in the Fort and they were probably coming back from a hunt of some sort." I stopped, unwelcome emotions returning. "We were taking innocent people's lives and homes; I just couldn't take it, so I turned on my Brothers, and fired my rifle into their backs, killing them swiftly. The Locals thanked me and gave me all the supplies I could carry, and since then I set up my own operation, freeing people as often as I could manage."
Carl took it all in, absorbing my story with an eager glint in his eyes.
We continued walking until the sun finally gave way for night. We spotted a small shelter made of plates of scrap metal. We laid down, eager to rest from the harshness of the day. Carl kept his Gatlin Laser rather close at hand, and seemed nervous, like he was waiting for something. Suspicious, I pretended to sleep, making soft snoring sounds, secretly keeping my laser rifle under my armored chest.
After what seemed like half an hour, Carl rose to his feet, holding the Gatling Laser ready for use. I moved my arm to grip my hidden rifle. Carl stood over me, blocking out the moonlight. "Time for you to pay," he murmured.
As his fingers tensed on the trigger, I quickly rolled over, bringing my Laser Rifle up to bear. Carl was surprised, his fingers moving from his trigger in shock.
I quickly fired a shot at his hand pulling the trigger, burning it. He dropped his weapon and instinctively grasped his wounded hand. I bashed him in the head with the butt of my rifle, knocking him unconscious. I swiftly took his Gatling Laser away and I searched him for something, anything that might lead me to the reason why he had tried to attack me.
Finally I found an audio holotape, and I inserted it in my Pip-Boy to hear its contents.
"Hello, this is Colonel Autumn here to give you your new assignment, one that if completed you will be welcomed back into the Enclave with open arms."
Autumn? I thought.
The holotape continued. "You have been selected to be drafted in Project Vengeance,"
Project Vengeance!?
"Since the reported death of your father, you have long wondered who was responsible for the dastardly deed."
Carl's Father?
"You are being partnered with a new conscript, his name is irrelevant but, this is the man responsible for your Father's untimely demise."
"New conscript?." I trailed off. "Me?" I wondered
The holotape continued. "You have been given the opportunity for retribution, for vengeance. Your mission is to kill this meddler, once it is completed, come back to Raven Rock for new orders. Autumn out."
With this revelation, I looked at Carl, with hatred rising all throughout me. I pointed my Laser Rifle at him preparing to fire.
"No," said some part of my conscience, "It is not up to you to decide whether he lives or dies."
My rifle shook in my hands, unable to bring myself to kill Carl, I reluctantly lowered my weapon.
I walked away, to cool off when I saw a cave, with Deathclaws leaving it, to hunt. Suddenly I had an idea, and on an impulse I followed it. I dragged Carl's limp body toward the cave.
Carl woke up in the dark, his head aching. He glanced around and spotted a holotape laying on the ground next to him. He picked it up and played it using his Power Armor's speakers.
"Hello, this is Colonel Autumn here to give you your new assignment, one that if completed you will be welcomed back into the Enclave with open arms?.."
Damn, Carl thought. He found my mission tape. The tape continued to play.
"You have been selected to be drafted in Project Vengeance?."
Carl stood up, and found his Gatling Laser, laying several feet away.
"You are being partnered with a new conscript, his name is irrelevant but, this is the man responsible for your Father's untimely demise," The holotape droned.
Carl wielded his Gatling Laser, ready for danger.
"You have been given the opportunity for retribution, for vengeance??.."
Carl felt his old hatred return, adrenaline pumping throughout his veins.
"Your mission is to kill this meddler, once it is completed, come back to Raven Rock for new orders. Autumn out."
Carl walked around looking for any signs of Caleb.
"Hello Carl," said the holotape. "If you're listening to this you are awake, in this dark, damp cave,"
Carl growled with anger at the sound of Caleb's voice.
"I put you here, unable to kill you myself, so I decided to give you a chance, much more than you would have given me last night." Continued the holotape.
"Come on out you [censored]!" Carl screamed, feeling helpless.
"This gives you a chance to come after me to gain your honor, and have some measure of vengeance."
Deathclaws emerged from the darkness surrounding Carl. Carl furious, unloaded his Gatling Laser, spraying the Deathclaws with deadly beams of light.
"If you don't want to try to escape, there is a grenade on your ankle, pulling it starts a 3 second countdown, use it to end your miserable life if you want. Caleb out" The holotape finished.
Carl continued to fire his weapon screaming with every inch of air in his lungs, turning Deathclaws into piles of ashes. A monstrous Deathclaw emerged from the darkness, walking slowly observing its prey.
Carl continued firing, the barrel now glowed a bright cherry red. Carl moved his fire toward the new coming Deathclaw. The Deathclaw took the punishment, flinching with each impact.
Carl's Gatling Laser barrel, melted, unable to fire at this new threat. The Deathclaw crept forward triumphantly, certain its prey couldn't harm it.
Carl raised his fists, intent on fighting hand to hand with the Deathclaw. The Deathclaw paused, confused but it continued forward and stood next to Carl. It was a magnificent specimen, around 8ft tall, muscular, and had sharp claws and fangs.
Carl punched it, but it had no effect, the Deathclaw impaled him on one of its claw's. It stared him in the eyes and studied the creature that dared, attack its kin.
Carl pulled the grenade off of his ankle, and heard Caleb's words in his head. " You can have some measure of vengeance."
Carl roared at the Deathclaw, releasing his rage, proving he had nothing left to fear. He brought the grenade up to the Deathclaw's face. The Deathclaw looked at him, pity in its eyes, for a creature consumed by raged.
The grenade detonated, creating a huge explosion, leaving nothing but a large puddle of blood, and a Gatling Laser. Leaving nothing but, Vengeance.
) And to answer your question yes the posts may get longer (time permitting of course)
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