__________________________ UNIFORM DISBURSEMENT LOG __________________________ //// 10/23/77 //// NAME: Jackson, Lawrence BARRACKS: Alpha VOUCHER: Collected UNIFORM: Issued /////////////////////////// NAME: Archibald, Derek BARRACKS: Bravo VOUCHER: LOST UNIFORM: Returned to dispenser NOTE: Cadet sent to recover voucher from barracks. /////////////////////////// NAME: Miller, Leann BARRACKS: Bravo VOUCHER: Collected UNIFORM: Issued //// END OF LIST ////The Old Guard Volume 14: Chapter 2 Ok, where was I? Right ... when I first signed up, it was an all hands situation. We'd just gone to war. I was a dumb kid like all the others ... but Fields watched my back, made sure my armor was in good repair. I only lost one toe to frostbite, compared to Thompson's three. So when the shit hit the fan in Pittsburgh, you know I was expecting him to be all over saving those civvies we ran across. I never expected he'd blow his knee out just getting to his armor. Never expected he'd get shot. Thompson had Angel and Odysseus protect him when he went down or he'd be dead now, but it was rough to see. Angel lost her front leg from that. I found myself thinking, you know ... we're all getting so old, our last suit of armor's all beat to shit. Even if we make it out of this alright, he's going to be wearing the rig again for a while just to take the weight off his knee. Why shouldn't we just join those civvies, finally retire, just forget the past like all the other old jerks out there who lived through it. That night, we finally heard the broadcast again. It made everything feel a little less final. Our cores would run out soon, the armor was basically done for, but there were other ex-military folks still out there in Appalachia. We figured you know, what's one more winter of this misery? It's only September. We're not that far away, if we can avoid the hot zones. Won't take that long, we'll just take some time for Fields to heal up. We held on to the hope of meeting those troops for a long time after the last broadcast. Maybe they had an equipment failure. Maybe they weren't dead. Or I dunno, maybe if they were dead, then they at least knew where other remnants of the military were hiding out. Lots of maybes. ... | TRAN$CENDENIGMA | TESTING JOURNAL COVER NOTE Use these settings for this image: World Art: props/note_classified.nif Material Swap: Note_JournalCoverLowPoly01 InventoryArt: HighPoly_Note_JournalCover01 Preview Transform: MiscNote01 Text Offset X: 0 Y: 0 | TESTING LINED PAPER LOW 01 NOTE Use these settings for this image: World Art: props/note_classified.nif Material Swap: Note_LinedPaperLowPoly01 InventoryArt: HighPoly_Note_LinedPaperLow01 Preview Transform: MiscNote01 Text Offset X: 0 Y: 0 | Diary of Russell Dorsey PRIVATE [pagebreak] Figured I'd start a journal while I'm out here. Being alone in a place like this, a guy starts talking to himself anyway, so I guess I might as well write some of it down. Something to look back on when this is all finished, maybe. [pagebreak] I was out looking for scrap when I picked up the signal. It was so faint. Just a crackle of static at first, but then a few words came through here and there. I couldn't understand it until it had repeated a few times. The Brotherhood of Steel was coming back to West Virginia! It seemed impossible, but in between the hissing and pops, those words were real. I don't know what's bringing them back, or why they waited so long to send someone from out west, but as soon as I understood what was happening I packed what I had and came out to ATLAS. This is where they're coming, so this is where I have to be. [pagebreak] I've been thinking about Dad a lot while I've been doing all this. Everything I set up here, I ask myself how he would've done it. I can still picture the house we lived in after the bombs fell, all the repairs he'd made, the extension he added so he could put in the water purifier, the greenhouse... I think he'd approve of what I'm building here. I wish he could've lived to see it. Not sure I'd have ever come out here if he had, though. Still miss him. [pagebreak] Greg, wherever you are, thanks again. Greg was this guy I met on the road in Virginia. Old RobCo technician, back before the bombs fell. Used to work on Protectron units, going out to corporate customers and doing on-site maintenance, fixing broken motivators and that kind of thing. When I met him, he had this Protectron that followed him around. He called it Clanks, and he'd glued a ragged old top hat onto its head. Made it carry his stuff as he traveled. We were camping one night and he made Clanks do a little "dance" routine, reciting a silly song in that mechanical voice they all have. Worst singing you've ever heard, but it made us laugh. He explained to me how he'd found the unit in an old shopping center, still running but with busted leg servos, and refurbished it. He opened up Clanks and showed me how you could hotwire their motherboards, activating maintenance circuits to override their command systems. It's funny. I never thought that would be all that useful. Then I showed up here. It's not easy, luring a Protectron into a position where you can crack open their service panel and do some jury-rigging, but the good news is if you get one it's a lot easier to get more. [pagebreak] This place was a wreck when I got here. Nothing but wrecked vehicles, junk, and insane robots patrolling it all. Barely got away when they first attacked me. I don't know what they were doing here, back in the day, or why an observatory would have security robots. But I'm glad they did, even if they almost blasted me at first. If they weren't here, none of this would've been possible. Without the 'bots to do so much of the lifting and welding and all the other heavy construction, I'd barely have some sandbags in place here. Instead, we've cleared out the rubble, started on walls...heck, we've even got a landing pad on the go. I'm not even sure the Brotherhood has any fliers, but I had the space, so why not? Still not sure what's inside the place, though. I could hear more robots clanking around in there, and when I peeked inside it seemed like a wreck. I just boarded up the exits so whatever's in there stays in there until the Brotherhood shows up. They'll know what to do better than I would, and the outside's enough work as is. [pagebreak] Haven't had much time to spare to write here - The Brotherood's back! I thought things were busy here when it was just me and the bots getting ready, but now things have really kicked into gear. I have to admit, I was suprised when it was just three of them. I figured a whole platoon or troop or whatever you call it was on the way, but it was just the Paladin, Knight, and Scribe. They had a bunch more folks with them, but only those three were actually Brotherhood, it turned out. Everyone else were just would-be members they'd picked up along the way. Like me, I guess. I'm the real deal now, though! Brotherhood Initiate Dorsey! They looked at everything I'd gotten ready for them here and swore me in almost on the spot. I nearly thought it was a joke, but, uh, Knight Shin's not really the joking type. I still wake up some mornings thinking it was all a dream, but it's real. I'm truly part of something now. I hope, somehow, Dad sees what I've done, and he's proud. All right, Initiate Me, get back to work. | GIDDYUP LEGEND by Devin Hardway Buttercup the horse-princess walked majestically through her royal meadow, her faithful manservant and best friend Harvin Dedyaw following close at her flank. Buttercup's perfect forehead creased with concern as she surveyed her lands, and Harvin knew the grim news the royal messenger had brought her weighed heavily on her withers. Harvin watched Buttercup in silence. He longed to place a hand comfortingly on her flank, but he would not allow his long-suppressed feelings for the princess to cross the boundaries of decorum that separated them. [The text continues like this for pages and pages, and appears to be a confusing and discomfiting piece of fantasy fanfiction about the Giddyup Buttercup line of toys.] | Marcus - that son of a bitch. How could he? Kicking us out of our home... why? He's giving all of us a death sentence - the people he called family. After his 'speech', a few of the folks said "Why don't we fight? Why don't we do anything at all?" It would be foolish - Marcus' group is armed and prepared! They're all strong men, younger than most of us. We wouldn't stand a chance. As much as I hate it, we have to leave. But we're not leaving empty-handed. I've talked it over with some of the elders. Tonight, we're going to take back some of the supplies the Burrow Boys 'took as tribute' and leave through the old tunnels. It's dangerous, but Marcus knows that and won't follow us. We can get to the pump station, seal the doors... maybe hack the security system. We can figure it out later. All I know is that if we stay here, we're dead. | R 8 S 7 T 6 A - Test1 B - Test2 C - Test3 | Camping Syllabus 1. Find a safe spot! Be sure to look for fresh animal -- OR human! -- droppings nearby. Remember: If you find doo-doo, better shoo-shoo! 2. Use recycled materials to construct your tent! You can find scraps just about anywhere. 3. Why have a camp? Cooking stations, even your own stash! Assignment: Students should check in with any local Responder and build a camp. In the camp, volunteers should construct a simple cooking station and a stash box and demonstrate that knowledge to the local Responder. | Don't just Survive... THRIVE! The Responder Survivors Volunteer Program is now offering basic and advanced training! FREE! Feeling sick when you eat or drink? Sign up for our new Responders Volunteer Survivor Program at Flatwoods. We'll keep you safe and train you to live better, too! Want to learn how to build a camp that isn't going to blow away in a radiation storm? Or do you want to just help us build a better tomorrow? Sign up for Volunteer: Advanced Training at Morgantown Airport's main hub! Bring your own building supplies! -Responder Miguel | Camping Syllabus 1. Find a safe spot! Be sure to look for fresh animal -- OR human! -- droppings nearby. Remember: If you find doo-doo, it's better to moo-move! 2. Use recycled materials to construct your tent! You can find scraps just about anywhere. 3. Why have a camp? Cooking stations, even your own stash! Assignment: Students should check in with any local Responder and build a camp. In the camp, volunteers should construct a simple cooking station and a stash box and demonstrate that knowledge to the local Responder. | Schematics Test Plan Loading Schematics: pass Construction: pass Stability: pass : pass The schematics work! They work! This is such a relief. I'll have to let the other Responders know that they can grab the latest copy of these Schematics from my terminal in the bot shop. | Your time's running out, Hornwright. You've pushed us too far and now we're coming for you. You won't stop us. | 03-06-96 Carpenter made a run for the trenches but a Scorchbeast spotted him. He made it to the trench. We thought he was good, but then the Scorched came. A few at first, then a mob. He put up a good fight. 03-09-96 Found a lone farmer hiding deep in a cave. He knew about the Brotherhood of Steel and Defiance. Said that "Defiance" was Fort Defiance. It was someplace deep in the Bog. He said the Brotherhood was dead, he said we'd all be dead soon. We gave him some rations and left. 03-13-96 Been hugging the trenches. More Scorchbeasts than I've ever seen flying in the sky. No sign of life except Scorched in the distance. Watoga's not too far now. 03-14-96 Turning back. Adler is pissed, but if Ralleigh wants to know more about the Brotherhood's distress message he can find it himself. 03-16-96 Scorched on our trail. Splitting up so someone makes it back. Do these bastards ever get tired? Fuck. Anyone reading this. Find Abbie Singh or Ralleigh. Tell them the Brotherhood is dead. Tell them Defiance was keeping the lid on the thing. They're coming I won't become one of those things a cold compress. 3. Gently bind the burn with clean bandages. DISEASE CURATIVES Collect the following ingredients, take them to a stove or cook pot and combine: Forest Flora: 1 pt. Boiled Water, 2 Fire Caps, 2 Snaptails, 2 Bloodleaves Ash Heap: 1 pt. Purified Water, 2 Ash Rose, 2 Blight, 2 Soot Flower ORDERS: Bring collected supplies to Thunder Mountain Power Plant It is imperative that you gather supplies from the citizens by any means necessary, short of using force. Without the food, medical supplies, materials, etc. we cannot defend this area from the growing threats. We protect them and they in turn support us. The citizens of Appalachia are becoming restless and doubt our effectiveness, but you will remind them of the latest attacks that we were not there to intercept. If further convincing is needed then tell them that they can deal with the next Scorched horde on their own and see how they fair. We are depending on you.I can't believe how these people are responding, it's even better than I imagined. It's so much easier than trying to round them up and kill them for their stuff. I just need a willing FOOL to do most of the work for me. There's more every day. Maybe Yves, or Margaret ... Oh, yeah I should go with Margaret because nobody will ditch me for an old lady. Yves might be able to outstrip me with that silky pompadour and EASY smile. I should get him to shave it off. Haha - Always with the questions, Margaret. Well, I have BAD news for you, nobody who asks that many questions is going to ever self-actualize properly unless they learn how to clear out the barriers that cause them such stress. I'll let her know privately that I think she has a serious problem that only loyalty can help her work through. Maybe she got betrayed in a past life and that's why she's unable to trust? It's PERFECT! - Margaret found me wearing a new recruit's silk pants and she's beginning to suspect what's really going on. I just have to keep appealing to her VANITY so she can teach the new people the ropes. That and smile beatifically and say profound things so that everyone remembers who is HOLY and in charge. Not that shrew, nobody's following a shrew into enlightenment, Margaret. - Okay, who knew religious people could be so sanctimonious about silken pants? Nobody cares, Margaret. But she's convinced that she's got me figured it out. That I am CORRUPT . I told her that I would step down after my next sermon, where I confirm her as the new leader. It's all I could do to keep her from outing me in front of everyone like a complete hag. I've got her fooled though, I can still make it out of this with all the GOOD stuff. - Oh, I didn't think it would be so awful. No wonder they use it on RATS it's terrible. I have to go, I can't be here with this. The smell! I'm sure I can find another group that needs my help just like this one. I just need to find a BETTER way to end things next time. Smell's not going to go, so I may as well! Ugh, why is this so HARD? I thought using the traps would make it so much easier to deal with a large group of idiots all at once. I wrecked the damn vehicle though, so I can't keep doing this the same way. Anyway, it takes so much time and effort to deal with the aftermath. - Yesterday I found some people looting my kills. Can you imagine the audacity? I told them that I had just barely survived 'the maniac that did this' and that he's been killing people in Sutton since everything went sideways. I convinced them that I am a religious person, can you believe that. ME? I know, it's a total gas. Well, I was wearing some black clothes and I had a bunch of wine, so it works. They're going to come pray with me at my church, haha. - Okay this is going a LOT better than I expected. This place sucks, I'm going to put all my effort into messing with these idiots. I convinced them that they need to give up their worldly stuff because they're like, actually immortal amnesiacs? I was a little altered and thinking about Captain Cosmos deep lore but they believed it. I can't BELIEVE how stupid people are! Due to the ongoing investigation about the attempted sabotage of the Blast Furnace, we are restricting access to approved personal only. Supervisor Fortney will be in charge of shift handoff of the keys and the doors shall remain locked under all hours. - ManagementI bide my time and bite my lip. I joined the service on my birthday, and it was the proudest day of my life when I became a Ranger. Almost as proud as I was to be tapped to be in Taggerdy's Thunder. And now... Squires? Knights? Paladins? What the hell. I try not to roll my eyes. I try to never let my unit down. But sometimes on watch, I think about leaving. Pick a direction. I think west. Things got to be better out west. But I know too well what waits out there. So whatever stupid new rules come out, I bite my lip and say whatever they want. But in my heart, I'm a Ranger and not even the Lieutenant can take that away from me.Entry #411: The tests have been going so well. I've spliced the glands and pieces of brain matter from a gecko into a fish to make a completely new creature. I'm going to be rich! I need to try larger animals. ... Entry #502: Had some problems with the mouse/cat hybrid. It kept gnawing it's own leg off. ... Entry #555: I had such hopes for the dog/cat. It would have been the perfect pet. I could have made a fortune off of them. ... Entry #673: I've created a new technique for brain grafts. The animal shelter won't give me any more dogs and cats, but I was able to rescue a wounded bear. Adding a little bovine brain and glands should make it more docile. ... Entry #695: I've named my hybrid bear Fluffy. It seems to like me. I'm able to crawl into it's cage and pet it. ... Entry #719: Fluffy has begun to exhibit fits of rage. I had to put a shock collar on him. He still likes to be scritched behind the ears, but I have to wait for the right time. ... Entry #723: Fluffy has escaped! His shock collar was ripped off. I've got to find him. ... Entry #724: The Monongah police say there are sightings of large animals down by some lake. It's sounds like Fluffy. They also said two hikers were killed in the area. I got a sneak peek at the forensics report. My poor Fluffy killed them. ...Entry #725: A strange man in a shack by the lake accosted me. He was very rude and not at all helpful. I'm going upstream to find my Fluffy.Entry #726: I found Fluffy's den, but I haven't approached it yet. He seems calm. I'm going to see if I can sedate him.God willing, we can weather this just like any other storm that blows through. I couldn't get the shift off from the precinct - Tonya actually drove out to pick me up! But I made a list of what we prolly need! - Loaf of Bread - Bottled Water - "Toilet Paper" - Tons of Booze - Plastic sheeting - More Plywood! WAIT HERE FOR ME ! LOVE YA ! ! | I'm going stir crazy up here. I know my assignment is to stay here and dissuade people from poking their noses where they don't belong, but god it's boring. If I see one more lost hunter, I'm gonna put a cap in him myself. Had a biologist nosing around too. Claimed he was looking for a 'special animal' of his. Wouldn't tell me much other than it was big and dangerous, but he really seemed to want it. Told him to fuck off just like the others. It seems I have a 'friend' on the lake. Sometimes at dusk or dawn I'll see a bear snuffling about the opposite shore. At least I think it's a bear. Could be what that biologist was looking for. I think there is something wrong with it. It doesn't walk right or sound right. A ranger came around asking about it, but I sent her packing, just like that nosy biologist. It always seems to come and go by the stream that feeds the lake. I could probably track it upstream. I've asked permission to hunt it down, but my request was denied. It hasn't come too close to the shack yet. If it does, it will be one dead bear. 2nd Lieutenant James KordMary keeps beating me at Catch the Commie. I even peeked at the cards when she wasn't looking. The time before that I snuck some money out of the pile. Mom says girls like her can't beat someone like me. I'm a Wesley, so I'm better than that. I have to be better than that. She can't be allowed to be smarter than me. She just can't. Carl - You know anything about why the barrel of whiskey I paid you for tastes like piss? You get a little too drunk and mistake the still for the outhouse again? Probably because you wouldn't know good hooch if bit you in the behind you old fool. Jeff, I hope things in Flatwoods are going well. I had a thought I wanted to share. If we can spare the personnel, I'd like to send a team into Gauley Mine. They were blasting in the days before the war, and if there's still dynamite in there, it might come in handy. I know you're busy with the volunteer program, so it's your call. - Maria Tammy, I know the Mountains are dangerous right now - but we need to get a report from the Free States. The farmers are in a bad way worried about that broadcast from the Brotherhood of Steel. So find someone that can get to Abigayle's Bunker up past the RR Mega Stop. Ask her the following: * Defiance is that Brotherhood headquarters right? Are the Brotherhood OK? * What's coming for us? * Is everything OK over there? I know the Brotherhood hasn't made any friends lately, but the whole thing is very disturbing. -Maria Terminal: HELEN To any survivors out there, our group found a cave set into a nearby hillside. It isn't much but we've managed to gather some food and supplies and are able to somewhat defend ourselves. If you're alone, hungry and scared, you are welcome to come and join us. - Brianna HawkeIn case you chem-heads need a reminder: - Gather all the valuables that washed up from the flood. - Round up anyone you find poking around. There's bonus chems in it for ya if they're wearing Responders gear. - March them to the courthouse and get it ready for a reckoning. We'll leave 'em one last message so everyone knows what happens when you fuck with David Thorpe. Nancy, It's time. We can't deny it any longer. You haven't felt anything for Robert in years, and I'm never going to love anyone the way I love you. We can get out of here tonight. I've got things all packed, locked away on the trainyard floor. Key is on top of the cabinet outside the old man's office. Come with me. Let's start over. -Ben | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |