[h3][color=ed1c24][b][i]INSIDE THE ENCLAVE VAULT[/i][/b][/color][/h3] All Fallout Sector members were called to meet in Number One's chambers, minus FalloutJohn, who was currently taking refuge in a basement in the Fort Wayne area. Whether they were busy or not, this required their immediate attention. Bob came in from the field, Jack stopped making the rounds, Scott and Greg pulled themselves away from the computer and engineering sector, and the sniper David Davidson... We dunno where exactly he was at the time, but he suddenly disengaged his Stealth Boy system in the room, revealing his black powersuit in navy-blue highlights. Number One stood up from his seat, hands behind his back. [i][b][color=ed1c24]"Let us not waste any time. You are all aware of our goal to take Fort Wayne, correct?"[/color][/b][/i] [color=fff200]"Of course, we are! Do ya think I stick my nose in machinery so long that I don't know what's goin' on?"[/color] [color=ed1c24][b][i]"...somwtimes, but I digress. After the report that the Vault underneath may have been contaminated, I sent in FalloutJohn to investigate, and it was found that the area was teeming with mutations as of yet unknown to the world. More to the point, these self-evolving creatures - we will refer to them as Chimeras, for the time being - seem reluctant to leave the area, even in the presence of a heavy assault which is harmful to the senses by mere proximity, and immediately lethal upon contact. This lack of fear and extreme territorialism is believed to be unnatural, induced by one who possesses skills in excess to render such creatures controllable."[/i][/b][/color] [color=00a651]"In short, you believe it's Bastion."[/color] [i][b][color=ed1c24]"The idea was posed by FalloutJohn, but I agree with this assessment. Ergo, the situation is far worse than initially anticipated. We guaranteed that Vault 66 was not contaminated with the Forced Evolutionary Virus...but IT IS. Dr. Bastion brought it there for further experimentation when he was removed from position here and escaped. He and all of his experiments must be destroyed."[/color][/b][/i] This was when the sniper spoke up. [color=darkblue]"No offense, but is that info [i]really[/i] a 'disaster'? If the folks at Indiana Homes find out, so what? We don't use the stuff because it's completely unmanageable, uncontrollable. We eliminate the problem, we eliminate the reason to rage."[/color] [i][b][color=ed1c24]"That is Plan B, where Plan A is that no one discovers the root cause and we proceed with the occupation of the Vault without issue."[/color][/b][/i] [color=00a651]"Alright, so right now, John is semi-pinned down, time is of the essence, and we need to move in and clean house. I notice we're not briefing a ton of troops right now. Do I take it we're not sending any?"[/color] [i][b][color=ed1c24]"Negative. The large Chimera will only make a target of less-skilled operatives than you. The Vertibirds that are there and the one you take will hold perimeter for your attack. NOTHING is to leave the area."[/color][/b][/i] [color=00aeef]"Suppose we find something bigger and meaner."[/color] [i][b][color=ed1c24]"You know I don't inhibit 'creative measures'. I am simply ordering you specifically because I know the job will get done, and our limited numbers will not suffer."[/color][/b][/i] [color=f7941d]"That's fine. I love a good challenge, anyway!"[/color] Jack thought about this, and then...had a funny idea. [color=00a651]"Okay, then. There IS one thing I'll definitely need to even the odds."[/color] The men were dismissed, and things got underway... [h3][color=ed1c24][b][i]FORT WAYNE[/i][/b][/color][/h3] Time passed, and John had spent it rigging explosive boobytraps for creatures passing by. He and Bob loved explosives. It was just that Bob was way more - and perhaps a bit unhealthily - enthusiastic about it all. Nevertheless, to make sure that he wasn't cornered, he periodically moved to different buildings, and then...set them to explode. They were all decrepit ruins, anyway. the Enclave wasn't going to live in hovels when they could pre-fab a structure suitable for human existence. Even the raw recruits living topside in Fort Knox deserved better than this garbage, and there were people that DID live like this! At least at Indiana Homes, they modified that shit! Still, he had heard a building or two go up, and when it was the big one in the midst of it, the entire town would hear. His air support had backed off, as per orders. When he heard them again, that would be the signal to start shooting once more, because that was when reinforcements would arrivee. His ammo count was...ho boy. Do you even need ask? This suit was made for long hauls, with stores of his stuff to take out a small army. Granted, that small army was suppose to be like NCR or the Brotherhood of Steel, not wild beasts who randomly sprouted wings. Speaking of which, he'd seen the main aggressor, by now. It was indeed lion-like, and octopus-like, and eagle and reptile and- Look, the flying Deathclaws were bad enough. They never even GOT them all [i]or[/i] the Experimental Alpha down in Texas. They could be anywhere, crossbreeding with other Deathclaws and- No, that wasn't worth getting worked up about. Creatures in nature - be they unnatural or not - could and would be dealt with as needed. If they appeared, they'd kill 'em. There was nothing else to it. Still, that big one... The radio cracked. [color=00a651]"Hello, John. Are you ready for this?"[/color] [color=silver]"I'm ready to begin operations."[/color] [color=00a651]"No no... I mean, are you ready for [i]this?[/i]"[/color] [center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUl4kxTfzKE[/youtube][/center] Over the sound of the Vertibird blades came [i]music[/i]. They had established an extreme perimeter outside of Fort Wayne, and the other five Sector members were all approaching on foot from different directions. Jack got over the wall by grappling hook and whipped out a Plasma Defender, opening fire as soon as he saw any creatures. Bob jetted himself straight up to a building and started lobbing Incendiary Grenades. When a flight-capable Chimera swooped down at him, it was practically bisected on his sword. Nobody [i]saw[/i] how David got in, but there WAS a severe burst of plasma from when a pair of Chimeras picked up his scent, and nothing further until he was at a high vantage point, opening up with his Sniper Rifle. Scott took out a wall with his Uber Sledge, and Greg rode in on his bike directly after. Greg had a Tesla Cannon at the ready, once he'd attracted some attention, and any of the creatures trying to blindside him were found by Scott's minigun drones. The drones were were belt from Handys and Gutsys, but without the irritating chatter. They were mindless quadropeds, but they served. Not too difficult for the man who designed the MGB. You uhh...may be wondering why THAT isn't here, by the way. Hah hah hah... Nah, that's overkill here. Definitely not worth the effort for this. Maybe if Dr. Mobius' Giant Roboscorpion were in town, but it's not. The Giant Chimera, meanwhile, had detected multiple intrusions to its lair at once. As was expected, it was momentarily uncertain as to to where to attack first. So, when it sprouted four large wings and took to the sky, it was clear that it was going to try and make a quick run of [i]all of it[/i]. This, however, was John's cue. He stepped out of concealment and made like an anti-aircraft platform, tracking the offending target with high-velocity ordinance and opening fire. He cut through the corner of a building doing it, but the beast was suddenly hamstringed and its wings on the right side disappeared, causing it to plummet. No sooner had it been done than the six men converged. Sniper-fire entered it's multi-eyed face, and even as it was regenerating, a volley of explosive wads of fire, electricity, and railspikes entered its body, as well. By the time Jack - who was furthest away - got to it, the beast was in a rage and trying to ram buildings to get to the offending targets. That...involved one of the buildings John had rigged, so...big explosion [i]there[/i]. Unfortunately, Bob had been [i]on top of that[/i], so he had to nearly exhaust his jetpack keeping himself from cratering pavement. When the giant creature was finally still, Bob still insisted on dropping napalm. [color=00a651]"It's dead. You can SEE that it's dead."[/color] [color=f7941d]"Aww, but we need to make sure! It could regenerate!"[/color] [color=00a651]"Its [i]head[/i] blew up."[/color] [color=f7941d]"It could grow [i]another one[/i]."[/color] [color=00a651]"Bob!"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Oh, [i]come on[/i], Jack! It's fun! You know Number One wanted us to be thorough!"[/color] [color=00a651]"Okay, okay... Let 'er rip."[/color] They had all prepared [i]something[/i] in case things got worse for wear. Bob's emergency solution was to load their Vertibird with napalm instead of the usual Mini-Nuke load-out. David had brought a full-on heavy Gauss Rifle, the only thing really stronger than his Sniper Rifle. Scott had explosive RC Cars, while Greg had a load of EMP weapons, just in case a more [i]robotic[/i] threat came by. And Jack? Well...his idea was on board the Vertbird, as well. For now, they would enjoy the blaze of the Giant Chimera burning down to slag while the remaining smaller ones started getting picked off at their leisure. [h3][color=ed1c24][b][i]VAULT 66[/i][/b][/color][/h3] Clean-up had taken much longer than the battle itself. With the regeneration possibilities of all the creatures, it had to be sure that they would not come back, so Jack, Bob, and Greg were on that while Scott worked on opening up the Vault and the other two watched his back. By now, anyone within proximity of this town would see the Enclave working on this one little town for a good while. The big Chimera had made the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo its personal habitat, and in an access tunnel below it was the way to Vault 66. Scott was about ready to open it by the time they had regrouped. [color=00a651]"Alright, let's do it. Any more Chimeras are to be shot on sight. Dr. Bastion is to be taken to Number One directly, where possible."[/color] [color=f7941d]"Why [i]im[/i]possible? He's just a middle-aged jackass, right?"[/color] [color=fff200]"A twat with several degrees of intellect and ingenuity, Bob. He's easily up there with me."[/color] [color=f7941d]"Uh-huh... Yeah, whatever. I'll try not to invoke the chunky salsa rule."[/color] The door was opening in its painstakingly-loud manner, and the six of them walked in. There was no way that Bastion didn't know they were in here. Putting aside the question of them being monitered, you'd have to be [i]deaf[/i] not to hear the noise, the alarms, or the computer notification that would follow. And yet...no reception awaited them. This place was dead, or at least quiet. They began a systematic search of the area, because while it was likely that it would be in the labs, he could [i]anticipate[/i] such a thought and plan some sort of an ambush of freaks there, instead. Nothing, though. Nothing...until they heard noises from the engineering level... [color=00a651]"I...don't like the sound of that."[/color] [color=00aeef]"[i]I[/i] don't like the sound of you not liking the sound of that."[/color] [color=fff200]"That wasn't no [i]equipment[/i] sound, down there."[/color] [color=silver]"It had more of an [i]organic[/i] quality, to me."[/color] At this deliberation, David just sighed. [color=darkblue]"Gentlemen, as much as I don't like whatever that was, myself, you know perfectly well that we're all going to have to go down and find out what that is. We don't like it. We do - in fact - [i]hate[/i] this part of the job. But unfortunately, we have no other choice. We've been tasked to clear this Vault and get the scientist, now are we going to do this, or what?"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Actually, why don't [i]you[/i] go down, Mr. Stealthy?"[/color] [color=darkblue]"What's a'matter, Bob? Spirit of adventure left you?"[/color] [color=00a651]"Probably a rare moment in common sense, the likes of which we rarely see. Go on, David. You're the quiet one. Go and take a look."[/color] [color=darkblue]"Fine, fine, fine..."[/color] He vanished, and proceeded down the stairs, weapon ready. There was pause...then a grunt and a gurgle from something large and unseen...then a loud moan...and finally a rapidly de-cloaking man in a powersuit running up the stairs! [color=darkblue]"Fly, you fools!"[/color] [center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et_fGamfn5w[/youtube][/center] They all felt the rumble from below as something BIG got into motion. They looked down...and a HUGE face of Super Mutant quality glared back up at them! Curses were made as grenades were thrown, shortly before running. The explosions went off, and that [i]thing[/i] moved up into the next level, flowing like an amorphous mass of protoplasm! You couldn't see the end of it, only that the beginning was a mass of twisted flesh and parts with this multi-eyed mutant face with a deafening moan blasting from its orifice was coming after them. John had no plastic explosives left, thanks to the previous combat. Plasma, Tesla, Gauss, and Incinerator fire was hurting it, but only superficially. It kept coming... It was only slowed down as they go to the upper-most level, and Scott had his explosive cars waiting, commanding his drones to stick to the Vault entrance and fire on anything that came out of that door. All things considered, that wasn't gonna last long, but Jack said... [color=00a651]"It's okay! We're on the surface!"[/color] [color=darkblue]"It's okay [i]what?[/i] I think it just [i]absorbed[/i] the slugs and powered through anything that didn't penetrate!"[/color] [color=00a651]"It's okay...because I prepared for this."[/color] [color=f7941d]"Oh right! Wait... All you brought was a half-a-dozen Replicants."[/color] [color=00a651]"Yeah, but remember the packs I had on their backs?"[/color] [color=f7941d]"I remember. What's in 'em?"[/color] [color=00a651]"The bombs [i]you[/i] took out of the Vertibird...plus some extra."[/color] The creature [i]erupted[/i] from underneath the zoo, showing multiple faces, giant horrible limbs, reaching tendrils, and a body that was disturbing to look at by all the ways it [i]fluctuated[/i]. However, the Vertibirds were now in place, as the lead craft opened up and a half-dozen powersuit robots divebombed the mass, exploding in nuclear fire on impact. The screams off of this thing were deafening, as the parts that remained were now on fire, taking laser and plasma-fire from the other waiting Vertibirds. [color=00a651]"You see, Bob? There was a time and a place for explosives, and [i]that[/i] was the time."[/color] [h3][color=ed1c24][b][i]LATER...[/i][/b][/color][/h3] [center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE2UhFpgzUM[/youtube][/center] Getting back into the Vault hadn't been that hard, once the fire died down. They weren't done with the operation, but then...as they surveyed the inside once more...it turned out that it [i]was[/i]. Sort of... There was no further opposition. There wasn't anything else [i]alive[/i], and there were NO signs of the good doctor. Not at first, anyway. It was indeed in the lab that the most activity was made. Signs of his genetic experimentation were there, but none quite so explicit as two things. Number one, the main lab computer. And number two...a strange and half-wrecked device labeled [b]'FEG'[/b]. The others inspected it, or just sat around, while Jack looked through the computer. [color=fff200]"I've never seen a device like this, but I can guess at its purpose. This is where he made those freaks o' nature."[/color] [color=00a651]"That's what he did, alright, but...that isn't the end of it. It's called a Forced Evolutionary Genosplicer, and do you know how it works?"[/color] [color=fff200]"Nay, but I've a feelin' you're about to tell me."[/color] He nodded, and explained. [color=00a651]"Vault 66 has no residents. It never did. It was kept empty by the pre-war organization, labeled 'Hellishly unsuitable for human existence', hence the name. This was a lie, however, and instead they used it to store vital equipment, things that might be needed in the future, all in cold storage, safely locked away. This includes-"[/color] [color=fff200]"A GECK?!"[/color] [color=00a651]"Several."[/color] [color=fff200]"Where are they?"[/color] Jack pointed to the machine. They all looked, and even though you couldn't see their faces, you know that understanding crept upon them now. [color=fff200]"He didn't... He fucking [i]used them all[/i] for his research?!"[/color] He did, and that meant that their [i]ultimate[/i] goal here was probably a failure. [color=00a651]"'The FEG utilizes the properties of the Garden of Eden Creation Kit and that of the Forced Evolutionary Virus to create the new superior form of life which I desire to bring forth into the world. This will be my magnum opus, my brilliant gene machine capable of devising perfect organisms to dominate the landscape.'"[/color] [color=fff200]"That son of a bitch! I'll have his head!"[/color] [color=00aeef]"Where is he? I'll bring him to Number One char-broiled!"[/color] [color=f7941d]"Not before [i]I[/i] have at 'im!"[/color] [color=00a651]"You probably already [i]have[/i]."[/color] Everyone looked at Jack in confusion, so he showed them the last entry on the computer, the last-recorded words of Dr. Donald Bastion: [center][color=92278f][b][i]I want to see What there may be Beyond my humanity.[/i][/b][/color][/center]