chapter 3 well aren't we a happy few.

as the vault door slowly opened and the heavy steps of metal on metal, Lucas was pretty nervous as he was familiar with the sound of heavy power armor. but as the hulk of prewar engineering came through the light he saw it was painted blue....? with GNR painted on the front of it. the power armor itself seemed to be military T-51 power armor but with GNR colors. all Lucas could say was "what the fuck?" that made the woman tense and rise her Wattz 3000 laser rifle, with a tense voice "whos there?"

Lucas is a smartass as hes pretty sure they were expecting an empty vault as thats how they usually are. he said "the last member of vault 111, which makes this my place who the fuck are YOU?" two more members of the trio power armor team came in along with two eyebots floating after them. one seemed to have a chinse plasma rail and a fusion gun he wasn't sure of their configuration but he had an idea how deadly they can be unmoded with the right perks.

the lady in power armor said "last member? what happened to this vault?" Lucas did lower his gun to keep the appearance of being weary. "why don't you tell me who you are first? you guys might as well barged into my home, im not sure what the world is like now but I doubt it's pleasant." the lady lowered her rifle and said "my name is Sarah, over there is Austin, and the other is Justin. we are from GNR or galaxy news radio. we had our founding HQ come from the capital wasteland, we are the commonwealth subdivision. "

Austin seemed to be the one holding the plasrail while Justin had the fusion gun. they seem to have some protocol so they kept quiet and let Sarah do the talking. Lucas looked confused, "capital wasteland? are you talking about Washington DC? ok, what has happened is the military or the government around to rebuild?" Justin and Austin looked at each other as if they know something. Sarah sighed and sit her rifle on her back and took off her helmet.

"im sorry to inform you but the military is gone and in its place is the enclave. judging the confusion on your face you don't know what's happened. it's been 200 years or so since the bombs fell." Lucas looked at Sarah, he got up and put away his shotgun. "shit alright, is there a robot out there? his name is Codsworth." Sarah didn't comment on his reaction to the world being burned to hell but maybe hes trying to keep himself together. "yea hes been slowly building up a settlement for the spare time he had but it's pretty bare bones so it needs to be filled out."

Lucas goes "mind seeing me out? i... want to see what's left of my country." Sarah nodded and the 4 of them walked onto the metal gear platform the familiar vault tech computer said "enjoy your return to the surface and thank you for choosing vault tech." Lucas whispers to himself "so it begins....." the steel cover slowly opened and Lucas has to shield his eyes from the blinding light and took in the decayed air in his lungs. which his body is unused to the slightly toxic air and gets thrown into a coughing fit. Sarah Justin and Austin wait for Lucas to collect himself as it must be his very first time out of the vault.

once he has gotten used to the air "ugh fuck me. ok, I'm good I'm good let's good." Sarah just nodded and the 4 just walked down the dirt path to what looked like some kind of fort. walking down the dirt path Lucas can see only 4 houses left in the sanctuary Lucas's house, the one on the left towards the vault is the house next to Lucas's house on the left side facing the opposite side facing Lucas's house. the walls were made of steel and concrete, which was the first level the second level seems to be made from warehouse parts used to make a uniform look. not looking like your typical wastlander scrap hut, but it does seem bare bones which suited Lucas just fine.

as the group walked passed the small wooden bridge. "sir? oh, sir! you are alive!" codsworth came floating to Lucas, Sarah Justin and Austin tensed up, and gripped their weapons as most mister handys, while also mister gutsys are in permanent hostile mode killing anything in sight. "hey codsworth. I see you followed through with the plan I set up. but holy fuck didn't expect like this." Sarah says "you asked him to build this?" "well, yea. I had to leave the vault at some point there were some resources I can't get locked underground" codsworth goes "well sir it hasn't been easy but giving me those modifications and a task was.... nice to keep me marching on. but I do have to tell you, I saw a group enter and exit the vault 60 years ago.... sir. are the misses and young Shaun ok?"

"codsworth.... sigh im, sorry Nora is dead and some small team kidnapped Shaun, i... couldn't do anything I was locked in that damn cyro pod." codsworth is in silence for a few moments. when he finally speaks "sir my tasks here are done so I must ask you to let me help you find Shaun even if... so much time has passed. i... owe it to Nora..." "yea codsworth let's find him together. well care to show me around and my new uh friends...(?) around." "of course sir!" codsworth showed what was gonna be used or empty space, on the right of Lucas's house, was a warehouse.

it was like a workshop there were 5 power armor stations 3 weapons and armor workbenches along with two chemistry workbenches. there were two more buildings across the warehouse it seemed to be filled with junk, robot parts, car parts, and random parts that could be useful later. the other build was on the left of the build that had the USA flag and the two bloat flys. it was set up to be the market it had some stalls for whoever wanted to make something for themselves in the settlement. "wow.... this is wow." "Why thank you, sir!" Sarah "um Lucas was it? you think you would be willing to... help GNR?"

Lucas lets out a sigh "if I was in a position to do. other wise I would." Sarah "well fuck. alright, when you can establish yourself and be in a better position. do you think you can sponsor GNR? you can use our radio to promote any business and for anyone who is wanting a new home." Lucas thought about this "hm sounds good. codsworth what you think?"

"well... we do need allies so we are benefiting the most out of this. but." codsworth floats towards Sarah "what do you or in this case GNR what do you get out of it?" "if we can set up a vendor here it's a solid source of caps." codsworth 3 eyes look at Sarah for a few moments then says in a cheerful tone "ok sounds good to me sir!" "well we got a deal Sarah." Lucas and Sarah shook on the deal that the details can be worked out later.

Lucas went over to the workshop, and from there he was able to furnish his ruined house, with the spare houses he built some beds for Sarah Austin, and Justin. they slept in shifts as they had been mostly on the road so being in a "big town" with solid walls is hard for them to relax which Lucas could understand. Lucas wasn't sure what time it was when he left the vault but by now night had felled, he walked into his old bedroom and sat down on the bed. on a nightstand, there was an old picture of Nora and Shaun.

he took it and looked down at it, he felt loss, anger, regret, but also confusion as part of him has lived that life while another part of him hasn't. "sigh im sorry. but ill do what I can for closure.... let's see if we can make this part of America better." Lucas set the picture back and laid down on the bed, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.