Resetting Vault 81 was basically a theatrical show where I dragged in a cartful of protectron claws and a terminal, then had them evacuate everyone from the generator room ‘for their safety’. Then with Piper and Nat standing guard outside I just resetted everything I could, using the cart to get to the ceiling.
Oh yes, bullshit gravity works. I could sit snugly in the cart, use remote pickup on it and carefully lift myself up on it. Looks fun, but a fricking test of nerves to not accidentally twitch and send things ragdolling.
I even reseted the deactivated Old Rusty, their Mr Handy bot, and added on an eye stalk that was missing.
Once everything was done I let the overseer and the other PICs have a look. They were very impressed, so I spent the next two days doing the same to the rest of the vault. First, evacuate people from a particular sector, then have the girls stand watch while I worked, and then maybe get Curie in to spray some disinfectant for show.
I also reseted the furniture and appliances and whatever else I could just skim my hands across. Because why not.
And voila, Vault 81 and its sister vault was brand new. Air still stinks though.
With my part of the work done, I was in the overseer’s office along with the girls (Curie included) and the vault representatives (pretty much Overseer McNamara and the heads) to conclude the trade.
The vault dwellers were on one side of the overseer’s desk, while me and the girls were on the other. Even had a video recorder set up and running for the occasion.
“On behalf of Vault 81, I, Gwen McNamara, overseer of Vault 81 hereby ratify the establishment of friendly diplomatic ties with the Pacatus Collective.”
Heehee. PC, geddit? Took a while to figure out the words to fit the initials.
“And on behalf of the Pacatus Collective, I, Sev likewise ratify the agreement between our two administrations.”
It was just a piece of paper Curie had printed out with a printer we found in the Tupile, but it really added an air of legitimacy to things. We signed out names on it, then there was polite clapping and shaking of hands to end the little ceremony.
The overseer shook my hand with a firm grip. “Once again, you have our gratitude for all you've done, Sev.”
“Eh, win-win. Got my hydroponics tech that I needed, and the girls now got a place to socialize.”
I gave the option for Nat and Piper to attend school in Vault 81, with Curie providing assistance to the doctors, on the chance that I had to go on a long and potentially boring trip. Like the one soon right after this meeting. Nat was more than happy to make friends, but Piper wasn’t as eager.
She was more looking forward to long stretches of time alone with me, not that I wasn’t either if she tagged along.
So in the end, Nat was enrolled into the vault’s classroom, with Curie assisting with research and also keeping an eye on her. They were also provided private lodging, where I hid a teleport beacon in case they needed to go back to the Tupile.
With Nat no longer at risk of being bored by herself and Piper happily following me, I was now able to pursue the next important bit on the list: Finding Cait.
And maaaybe adding her to my ‘to bone’ list. Since I already crossed the line in the sand and was way past the beach, why not?
I had tried getting some rough clues on where to start looking, but obviously the vaulters had very limited knowledge of the Commonwealth wasteland. There was something about a slaver’s camp somewhere northeast beyond the river though, which wasn’t a bad starting point.
Deciding to tread heavily and carry a big stick, I flew for a night to find the tank we left behind. It took a bit to find the right landmarks, but the metal hulk was still there, upside down in the dirt and a bit dinged up by failed scavenging attempts.
A quick reset and a flip to the right side up, me and Piper were back to enjoying the familiar rumbling of the tank’s interior. With my new console access, I found that I could remove the guns’ autoloaders and leave the barrels as pure decoration, while making a lot more space for the passengers.
And yes, banging in a rumbling armored behemoth was a very different experience, especially near the wall next to the engine compartment.
We made good progress despite our distractions, stopping a few times. Mostly, it was to exterminate super mutant or raider patrols, but we also took the chance to talk to a group of Minutemen, a caravan trader, and a few settlers we saved. Got some useful information and rumors out of each interaction, but more importantly I got my reputation to spread a bit.
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By the time we cleared Cambridge (or at least I think we did...stupid lack of a proper map), at least the raiders were staying the fuck away from us. Super mutants still tried shooting at the big metal moving thing that could take their missile hits, but they provided good distractions so I didn’t mind too much.
A quick check by interrogating a band of raiders helped correct our headings a bit, though with Piper’s approval I did a few tests on them via console before we continued on our way.
Being captive gives ownership in a limited manner I found out, in that I couldn’t edit as many values as I could with Piper, but the options were enough for my liking. Ramping their submission values to max, the four raiders answered any and every question I posed to them, like their past exploits (no raping or slaving, just extorting and shooting up settlers) or what they liked (one of the raiders had a crush on his colleague, but the other guy wasn’t into guys...awkward). Seeing that they weren’t too scummy, I quickly executed them to avoid them telling stories and we continued on our way.
A day later and we were pretty sure we saw the slaver’s camp up ahead. The spikes with corpses on them and the collared people working the fields under armed guard was a dead giveaway. It was an improvised settlement using cut up vehicles as shacks and walls, though the watchtowers were reinforced with concrete and rebars.
Not wanting to risk collateral if we could help it, Piper and I got out of the tank and casually walked up to the camp in the evening. Piper’s guns were back in the flipped over tank (best vehicle security method ever) while I casually carried mine. Just for show I also dragged a trunk with me.
The guards spotted us and trained some spotlight on us, yelling stuff I couldn’t really make out. Raiders appeared with their guns all out and ready, but they didn’t straightaway started shooting yet.
One of them walked over slowly and called out. “State yer bisnezz. Looking to trade?” I didn’t like how he looked at Piper when he said that, but eh, war crimes later. Need to get what we came here for.
“Just looking for some information,” I returned. “Got someone to look for, and figured you guys might know. I’m willing to pay in weapons.” I pushed the trunk over, letting cloned laser guns spill out of it. “Got a few more of these ready to be traded.”
The raiders looked at the weapons, then at themselves, and then at me. Some of them nodded, which prompted the spokesman to grin at me. “Well, why don’ you’s two come in and we can talk som’ more.”
Being an arms dealer that was practically giving the stuff away for free got us treated very well by the slavers. Sure, they gave Piper some rapey looks, but they kept their distance. The girl seemed to be enjoying her role as my slave a bit too much though. I think she actually preened when they just assumed she was my property and just kept referring to her as such.
I mean, they were kinda right, but still.
Willfully ignoring the caged victims for now, I got straight to business. Using the first trunk of guns as down payment, I got basically all the information I wanted and needed, as well as wishing I could bleach my mind of the information.
Did people sell away their kids to slavers? Yeah, pretty common among junkies especially. Did they usually sell them at 18 or so? Not really, unless it’s to fulfill a special ‘order’. The slavers would gladly buy and sell anyone, even newborns straight out of their shitstain of a mother’s womb. They didn’t always Jet up their captives, but it was easier for handling.
I was even offered free sampling of some of their goods, though for virgins I’d have to pay up a measly 50 caps. Or more, depending on how young I wanted. For a fully charged laser rifle they’d happily toss me a ‘fresh’ boy barely older than Nat and his infant sibling.
“Kid’s still young for proper training, but tight holes are tight holes, amirite?”
Holy shit did I hear the call of the crusaders and was tempted to go Deus Vult on these scumbags. Piper paled and started trembling, but I placed a hand on her shoulder that calmed her down.
Anyway, turns out there were a few families listed to sell off their kids or spouses or siblings for some caps and chems, and with a guarantee of four more trunks of weapons I bought the list off the slavers.
Confirming there was a special order for a red head currently filled in by ‘Cait’ and pending collection in a few years, I had what I came for.
“Piper.”
“Yeah Sev?”
“Dalek.”
“Thanks Sev.”
I cloned out a couple of alien atomizers for Piper to start shooting with and joined her with my beam gun. We cleaned out the place in under 20 seconds, leaving most of the slavers dead. Those that weren’t, as per their own rules of the post-apocalypse Commonwealth, I slapped iron collars on their necks and kept them aside for a different kind of talk later.