"To Whomever Finds This..."




[Begin Recording:]


"Paladin Grimwall, D.C. Brotherhood of Steel. Currently assigned to Inner-City Patrol. Confirming Recording... check."

(Audible Chuckle)

"Elder Lyons... asked that we Paladins make a final recording. In the event of our downfall, it makes it easier to send word to any loved ones or family. I do not know why they insist that I make one. I have neither loved ones nor family waiting for me. The only kin I know is the Brotherhood. Still, I am not one to disobey orders."

(Another laugh)

"So... yet again... I find myself humoring the old man. I would be lying if I don't second guess my decision to remain at the Citadel every day. And, just when I think I should have cast my lot in with my brothers whom abandoned their posts there, I remember the faces of all the people whose lives I have saved. I remember those faces... and I know. I know they would just be dead bodies, if I had joined with the Outcasts. They would be gone. More wasted potential. Knowing that much makes it worth doing."

(Inaudible Conversing)

"What's that? Oh... right. So, as a part of Lyon's new plan to save humanity, we've been patrolling this damn city up and down the streets for a while now. Sometimes it gets pretty intense. A lot of the rookies piss themselves they see their first mutie. Personally, I prefer wasting the Frankensteins to digging around through two-hundred year old [censored]... so it works for me."

(More laughter)

"So the team is Paladin Velotz... who is currently holding down our exit point at the South end of the street. Then there's me, Knight Captain Andrews, Knight Lindley, and Initiate Preston. Preston is a good kid... he'll make knight one day soon. These guys are like my family, I suppose. We've been all over downtown D.C. together... and for the most part we've-"

(A loud explosion, followed by coughing and unintelligible shouting)

"[censored]... muties! Preston! Go around the far side of this building, fall back, and get Paladin Velotz!"

(Inaudible murmur)

"Ten and five... ten and five... keep tight, Brothers. Steel be with us. Lock and load!"

(Loud bursts of gunfire mixes with the sound of laser weapons)

"Dammit! Knight Captain Andrews is down! Get her clear of the edge! Get her... [censored]! [censored], [censored], [censored]!"

(Bullets striking metal can be heard, as well as pained grunts)

"Knight Andrews... are you still with me. Andrews! God dammit, Cassie... if you're dead, I'm going to kick your ass!"

(Whimpering in pain, inaudible dialogue)

"Andrews needs a medic, NOW! Oh, hell... am I glad to see you, Velotz. We've got muties swarming all over the place. We need to fall back and try to find another way around. They've got a minigun up at the top of the hill. Retreat? We've worked too damn hard to get here and turn back now! Well I don't care if Elder Lyons says... yes... yes... of course."

(Rustling is heard, more dialogue)

"Brothers! We're falling back to GNR. Move... move... two of you take Knight Andrews. Get her a medic!"

(Conversation with Paladin Velotz, nearly inaudible)

"Relax... I am fine, Paladin. That? They only got me once... I will hold until we get back. No, no... you go ahead. You have done enough to help, brother. Steel be with you. I will catch up... I just need to make sure that they don't follow us through the tunnel."

(Heavy breathing, footsteps depart)

"Ahh... nngh... aahh... damn. This armor... is getting heavy. I think... I... I think... I'd better just... sit for a minute."

(Metal scraqes the concrete floor, heavier breathing follows.)

"Hah... [censored]... this... this thing is still running? Alright, then. Umm... P... Pa... Paladin... Grimwall. D.C. Brotherhood of Steel. Inner... Inner City... Inner City Patrol. I... I... I don't think I'm going to make it all the way to GNR. I'm... I... am.. already beginning to lose feeling... in... in my... in my leg. That round must have gotten something good, be... because... I... I'm... I'm losing a lot of blood now. Much... much more than... before. I can feel myself getting... weaker. I... I just... hope... Paladin Velotz... comes back with a medic."

(A quiet sigh is followed by a groaning message)

"To... whomever finds this. If... I'm still sitting here... dead... you... you take my tags... and you get them to the Citadel. You... tell them where you found me... so they can get me back to Lost Hills. If I'm going to die... I... I intend to be put to rest there... just like my mother and father before me. Before... I go... just... ... check behind the generator... just across the way behind from where you found this. I've tucked... a few frags... and my rifle back there. I... I can always get them replaced... if I make it out of here. Steel be be With You. Paladin... Paladin Grimwall... signing out..."

Epic.. Whether or not you're new, you are one of the best writers on this forum. I demand more.

Excellent story, you should continue writing.

(Until I can get out of my slump of not liking anything I write... I think I'm going to just keep putting together little holodisk-esque pieces like this here. So... here's another one.)

_________________________________

[Begin Recording:]


"He... hello? Is... is this thing on? Testing... testing... alright? Well then... umm... I guess I'll introduce myself. My name is Allen Rodgers McMullen. I work for the United States Department of Defense. Well... I... um... I mean I did, anyways."

(heavy sighing)

"... the date is... the date is October 23, 2077. And... and I just heard all the sirens go off. The... the radio isn't saying much... half the stations are off the air. It's... it's like hell. Everything up there is so silent. I... I can't hear anything. I've been down in this shelter for maybe an hour or two... but... nothing seems to be happening. Maybe it was a false alarm?"

(radio pvssyr, unintelligible)

"... there's no way this can be happening. This is the United States! This... this is too much... I need to lie down."

(the recording briefly ends, followed by the sound of it restarting shortly after)

"My god... my f***ing god! They really did it. Five thousand years of civilization down the tube... for what? So that some rich bastard living in an upscale hotel suite he didn't pay for can get a little bit richer? Insane. When the other societies of this universe look back... they won't even find our shadows burned into the sidewalks of our street. We've just signed a death warrant on our entire world. It's over. It's all... f****ing over..."

(footsteps, the sound of an opening door)

"I'm going to leave this down here... in case someone finds this place. In case someone out there lives. I doubt you and I will ever meet face to face stranger... but... if we do... god forgive me for what I've helped this country to do. Allen Rodgers McMullin... 24th of October... 2077."

[Recording Ends]