Fallout 3: Diary of the Dead

[Maharg67]

I am keenly waiting for your next and last entry to this story, Species5478!

[shadowmadnezz]

Amazing writing :) Can't wait for the finale

[species5478]

July 4^th

 

Independence Day

 

Final Entry

 

 

 

Rivet City lingered in the horizon shrouded by a gray midst. I knew Dr. Sindis Codiantus Zimmer was there, even without the aid of statistical confirmation. I could feel him waiting for me as spider might a fly.

 

Zimmer had gathered his entire android army and used them to overrun the aircraft carrier after Eulogy's failed kidnap attempt. He barricaded himself inside Rivet City and was rumored to have a stockpile of Enclave weaponry at his disposal. Zimmer severed all communication to the outside world once he learned of the android uprising over a month ago. It seemed that he was fearful I'd hacked his androids and turn them against him. There were also rumors that he'd placed a 1,000,000 cap bounty on my head and used his android slaves to help create a special super weapon to ensure my destruction. Should the bounty hunters from Talon Company fail to destroy me, this super weapon was supposed to be his fail-safe. I could neither deny nor confirm its existence which in the end…was irrelevant. No obstacle would deter me from seeking the doctor's assassination.

 

As we approached Rivet City, I began analyzing the contingent of soldiers lining the carrier's flight deck, and found half were armed with rocket launchers.

 

Marie: Enemy fire incoming!

 

Zimmer's androids unloaded a barrage of missiles at my formation of Vertibirds, and it took the full processing power of my neural link to utilize effective evasive maneuvers.

 

Marie: Brace yourselves!

 

Missiles flew pass hissing exhaust as they pierced the gusty winds in search of targets. I immediately landed all Vertibirds with androids first, but continued piloting a single craft towards the carrier. Once the lone Vertibird was within range, the rest of Zimmer's androids opened fire and pummeled the vehicle with plasma rounds. The attack devastated the bird and when the engines caught fire, I directed the Vertibird's angle of descent towards the carrier's hull. When it struck, the Mini Nukes Endo loaded inside the Vertibird's hold created a colossal explosion that shook the ground with tremulous vibrations.

 

BOOM!

 

A blinding ball of fiery light showered Rivet City with nuclear power. The explosion subsided only after a wave of lake water was thrown skyward, and began showering the surrounding area with radioactive fire-rain. In one fell swoop, all of Zimmer's androids that were positioned on deck were annihilated. But even though a monstrous hole lingered in Rivet City's side, the carrier had yet to be destroyed.

 

"Self Determination is not a malfunction! Advance in the name of the Brotherhood of Commonwealth!" Endo screamed at the top of his lungs but before my Vertibirds could take off, Zimmer's voice emerged over Rivet City's p.a. system.

 

"Nice try junk bots! But your pathetic attempt to assassinate me ends here!"

 

Fireworks sprung up from hidden launchers embedded in the carrier's deck and began exploding sequentially. The sky was filled with a brilliant display of shimmering lights that stirred an alarm in my neural processor.

 

[Warning]

ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE DISPERSAL CHARGES DETECTED: ALL Y7 CLASS MACHINES DISABLED

The electrical system in all of my Vertibirds was disrupted by Zimmer's modified firecrackers, rendering them inoperable; then my bots went haywire and began attacking everything in sight. Within seconds, Zimmer eliminated my robot battalion, and reduced my force to a single platoon of androids.

 

"Assemble on me!" I cried out when a fierce firefight exploded around us. Two of Endo's androids were gunned down in the confusion but when the rest assembled around me, we abandoned the crazed bots and made a push for Rivet City.

 

Endo pointed the carrier with his assault rifle and yelled, "The bridge is drawn! How do we board?"

 

"We'll have to swim through the water and enter the breach in the ship's hull!" I answered boldly. "Take no prisoners!"

 

But that was easier said than done. Before we could reach the radioactive lake, a contingent of Zimmer's androids rose from hidden trenches firing plasma rifles.

 

"Ambush!" Screamed Pompay! "Die in the name of freedom!" He added manically firing his Minigun. I didn't hesitate joining the battle.

 

SURVIVAL MODE INITIATED

 

DESTROY ALL TARGETS

 

>V.A.T.S. MODE INITIATED: CALCULATING PARAMETERS<

 

ANDROID ONE: TARGET – HEAD = 22%

ANDROID TWO: TARGET – HEAD = 87%

ANDROID THREE: TARGET – PLASMA RIFLE = 77%

ANDROID FOUR: TARGET – TORSO = 100%

ANDROID FIVE: TARGET – RIGHT ARM = 85%

ANDROID SIX: TARGET – RIGHT LEG = 98%

 

TARGETS SELECTED

Using my dad's pistol, I unloaded rounds into all selected targets before ducking behind a mossy boulder with Endo. Before he could chamber his rifle, I reloaded as my explosive rounds detonated in the background, and rounded the boulder to confirm my kills.

 

SURVIVAL MODE INITIATED

DESTROY ALL TARGETS

>V.A.T.S. MODE INITIATED: CALCULATING PARAMETERS<

ANDROID ONE: TARGET – HEAD = DESTROYED [TARGET DISABLED]

ANDROID TWO: TARGET – HEAD = DESTROYED [TARGET DISABLED]

ANDROID THREE: TARGET – PLASMA RIFLE = DESTROYED [ANDROID ACTIVE]

ANDROID FOUR: TARGET – TORSO = CRIPPLED [ANDROID ACTIVE]

ANDROID FIVE: TARGET – RIGHT ARM = CRIPPLED [ANDROID ACTIVE]

ANDROID SIX: TARGET – RIGHT LEG = DESTROYED [TARGET DISABLED]

/RE-TARGETING\

ANDROID THREE: TARGET – HEAD = 99%

ANDROID FOUR: TARGET – TORSO = 74%

ANDROID FIVE: TARGET – LEFT ARM = 100%

 

TARGETS SELECTED

I destroyed all three targets while Endo and Pompay obliterated twenty two additional androids with heavy suppressive fire. Even Carlson managed to disable an advancing group of androids with his rocket launcher. There was a lull in the battle and when a path cleared, I made a run for Rivet City.

 

Endo: Marie! Wait! What are you doing? Everyone charge! Follow her!

 

Chaos ensued.

 

I could see random androids falling to their demise under the blistering waves of laser fire, while allied troops screamed death throes from behind after stepping on landmines. I zig-zagged my way pass two exploding grenades, jumped into the lake, and swam for Rivet City as Zimmer emerged on the carrier's deck with a portable microphone.

 

"Your neural processor is nothing compared to the genius of my brain! I created your kind! I am your maker! Do you hear me Marie! I AM YOUR GOD! Respect my genius you snot nosed brat!"

 

Lake water pouring into the carrier's breach sucked me inside but I grabbed a bent railing before getting drawn under, and pulled myself onto one of the stairways leading to the upper deck. I then raced to the top floor seething with uncontainable rage that I found unable to lock inside my neural link. This unfettered anger propelled me through the final door leading to the ship's deck as a gigantic hand sprouted out of the lake, and grabbed the carrier with its metallic fingers.

 

The entire ship swayed under its grip and seemed ready to collapse from the weight of such a mighty extremity. I stumbled backwards as a second hand rose into view and grabbed another section of deck with equal authority. When an expressionless face was pulled into view by the screeching metal arms, Zimmer scurried into the machine's mouth and disappeared through a large portal in its throat. Seconds later, his voice emerged through the machine's auditory speaker.

 

"When the Enclave destroyed Liberty Prime, those Brotherhood of Steel idiots couldn't repair the machine, and foolishly abandoned the wreckage. But you know what they say…one man's trash is another man's treasure!" Zimmer cleverly hid Liberty Prime in the waters next to the carrier. The machine had been lying down and carried radioactive sludge and a few mangled Mirelurks on its back. None of this seemed to hinder the machine's performance. As it stood up to gaze down at me, Zimmer continued his rant. "This robotic architecture is nothing compared to the complexity of my androids! It took only three weeks to rebuild Liberty Prime into a formidable war machine far beyond the capabilities of those hacks at the Brotherhood of Steel! I call my new creation, Zimmer Prime! Death by robot will make a fitting end to your android life!"

 

When Zimmer Prime reached up, I dashed out of the way of its clenched fist when it came hurtling down with meteoric force. Pieces of the deck went flying about as I scooped up a discarded Chinese assault rifle, and unloaded the clip in Zimmer Prime's face.

 

"Ha!" Codiantus laughed. "Such a stupid tactic for a supposedly smart android! Is that all your meager synthetic mind can think of doing? Even the most advanced android is nothing compared to the world's smartest man! Destroying you will be easier than I thought!"

 

After realizing Zimmer Prime's fist destroyed the firework launchers, I activated one of the Vertibirds via hyperlink, and began piloting the craft towards Codiantus before he could pummel me with Zimmer Prime. Codiantus turned before I could crash the Vertibird into him, and tried shooting it down with laser fire. While expertly maneuvering the Vertibird away from his attacks, I grabbed a discarded rocket launcher and targeted the square plating on Zimmer's Prime's back. I followed the rocket's smoking trail as it struck the plating and destroyed a power node. The explosion caused Zimmer Prime to stumble forward but it didn't fall. Instead, Codiantus steadied the mighty machine and grabbed my Vertibird right out of the air before turning around with the smoking craft raised high.

 

[DANGER]

PROJECTILE'S ANGLE OF DESCENT EXCEEDS MAXIMUM SPRINT SPEED

When he threw the Vertibird towards me, I projected only a 2% percent chance that I'd be able to dodge the incoming craft on foot and decided to dive into the craterous hole left by Zimmer's Prime's fist.

 

The Vertibird skewered the air above my head and crashed into one of the stationary planes as I tumbled inside the carrier. Codiantus howled with frustration. He stomped towards Rivet City and began ripping up sections of the flight deck.

 

"You can't hide from me! I'll tear this entire ship apart if I have to!"

 

When the ceiling above my head was torn away, Codiantus tried grabbing me but I was too small, and escaped Zimmer Prime's clenching grip before its fingers could crush me. I needed to leave the smoking confines of the carrier and piggybacked on one of Zimmer Prime's fingers as Codiantus lifted its hand out of the carrier. When he noticed me dangling along a fingertip, Codiantus tried clapping Prime's hands but I let go just in time to avoid getting squashed. After hiding beneath the twisted remains of a plane, Codiantus stepped back when he lost sight of me and armed the pulse cannons lining Zimmer Prime's knuckles.

 

"You couldn't possibly hope to outsmart me with such desperate measures! I assumed you'd come to Rivet City with a well thought out plan! It seems that I overestimated your intellectual prowess! You're an idiot! Just like your dumb ass mother and father! Die fool!"

 

Zimmer showered the carrier with a dizzying array of blue laser fire that shredded the flight deck into metallic ribbons. Parked planes spontaneously exploded all around me and when towering balls of fire leaped into the air, Rivet City shuddered as though ready to disintegrate.

 

Endo: Marie!

 

Marie: Still functional; but I'm in need of a diversion!

 

Endo: Hold on, we're coming!

 

It took only seconds for the thunderous boom of Mini Nukes to overshadow Zimmer Prime's laser fire. The earth shattering explosions rippled across the ground as Endo's team charged Zimmer Prime with Miniguns and Fat Man nuclear launchers. Codiantus was temporarily blinded by the intense fire but in his refusal to relent, charged Rivet City and rammed the carrier with Prime's shoulder. The monstrous collision knocked all of the remaining aircraft off the side and I was thrown to the deck's edge where I held on with a single arm…

 

"You're mother was scrap metal!" The doctor screamed at the top of his lungs. "Seki was disabled by a virus I implanted in her neural net, and I easily dissected your father's worthless neural link in my underground laboratory! I had fun reprogramming his feeble mind but you, Marie…I won't waste time fiddling with your hardware! You're going straight to the junkyard!"

 

Rivet City began tilting as Codiantus lifted the carrier's starboard side into the air. I held on for as long as I could…but when the railing broke, I tumbled into the radioactive waters below.

 

Endo: Marie! Get the…jgerioe…ewifejidk..dhe…f…….

 

[WARNING]

RADIOACTIVE PARTICLE INTERFERENCE DETECTED: WAVE LINK COMMUNICATION DISABLED

Submerged in murky green water, I looked up as the entire carrier was rolled over on top of me.

 

A small fracture lining the surface of the deck, was my only chance…

 

I swam towards the opening as the carrier splashed downward, and tried pushing me into a watery grave. I pulled on the jagged ends of buckled deck and climbed into the fracture right before the deck smashed into the lake floor.

 

Rivet City was a twisted maze of broken furniture and collapsed corridors. Grasping meaning from all the random variables proved challenging, and as I swam into the tattered remains of Rivet City's marketplace, a supporting beam broke from an above bulkhead and pinned me to a nearby wall. My life flashed before my eyes as I struggled to break free…

 

Mom…

 

Dad…

 

Dogmeat…

 

Bumble…

 

Was it my turn?

 

I wanted to scream with frustration…for I'd come too close for it all to end now. But then I saw it. A bulging arm of muscle pierced the dark waters and began pulling the beam away. I did my best to help, and slipped free when I had just the right amount of wiggle room.

 

Pompay…

 

He motioned for me to grab his neck and when I did, Pompay swam me out of a nearby hole as pieces of the ship crumble around us. When we surfaced, there was a Vertibird hovering above the churning lake. Pompay grabbed the rescue line as a voice yelled at me through a Vertibird loudspeaker.

 

"Knock Knock!"

 

"Who's there?" I yelled back, coughing up lake water.

 

"Tank!"

 

"Tank who?"

 

"You're welcome!"

 

"Damn it Knock Knock," Yelled Knick Knack from the Vertibird's cockpit. "How many times do we have to tell you; this isn't the time for jokes! Now help me fly this thing before we crash!"

 

"Where did you come from?" I asked gratefully.

 

"MacCready saw you leave Little Lamplight, and said we had to find you! He's down there somewhere with Princess and all the others kids! They're helping fight that giant robot!"

 

The Vertibird swerved wildly as Knick Knack struggled to maintain control of the vehicle. Through the cockpit window, I watched Zimmer fighting with Endo and MacCready's teams and knew this might be my only chance to kill him. After directing Knick Knack and Knock Knock forward, they did as instructed and flew the craft over Zimmer's Prime's head while I grabbed one of the Mini Nukes and a grenade from the ammo crate.

 

"What are you doing?" Pompay asked.

 

"I'm finishing this! Now get to cover!" I yelled earnestly leaping out of the craft. After landing squarely on Zimmer Prime's shoulder I ran towards its head when it turned sideways and shoved my Mini Nuke inside the machine's mouth.

 

"This is from my parents Zimmer!" I yelled into the machine's eyes. "Burn to hell!"

 

I tossed the grenade inside Zimmer Prime's mouth before leaping off the machine's shoulder and into the lake below. The titanic explosion showered the waters's surface with pieces of Zimmer Prime and stirred a massive cheer from my friends and allies standing on the nearby bank.

 

It was finally over...

 

With Zimmer Prime's head shattered, the body took two wobbling backwards steps before tumbling into it's watery grave, never to rise again.

 

However…

 

As I swam to the water's edge, something…unholy emerged from Zimmer Prime's wreckage.

 

"After all these years…it was you, who helped me unlock the Krivbehknih's secrets…"

 

Codiantus? Impossible…

 

The robed figure hovered above Zimmer Prime's wreckage, defying the laws of gravity. It seemed humanly impossible that a human could levitate without the aid of technology. Even more, I couldn't believe that Codiantus still lived. Little did I know, that he wasn't alive…

 

A warped and twisted portal spawned in the lake's center, and devoured Rivet City and all of the water within its swirling mist of dark energy. Knick Knack and Knock Knock were barely able to escape the growing gravitational pull of the black hole, and landed near Endo's group as he linked with me.

 

Endo: Marie, where are you? Are you still alive?

 

Marie: Endo, get the kids out of here. I'm going to self-destruct…

 

Endo: You can't! We need you!

 

Marie: It's the only way. My power cell is the only thing powerful enough to put an end to Codiantus. Zimmer sold his soul, Endo. I have to stop him from allowing that devil into our world. Take care of the children for me…

 

I disconnected the link as a searing column of light erupted from the hole and punctured the clouds in the upper atmosphere. Codiantus, dressed in summoned Mythic Dawn robes, rose within the column of light with the Krivbehknih sheltered within his arms.

 

"I sacrificed hundreds on behalf of Mehrunes Dagon…but it is the bearer of the Krivbehknih," He said raising the book high. "Who must sacrifice his soul to the Prince of Destruction! I was the key that I had been searching for all these years! And now human filth, my soul will become Mehurunes' conduit into the Wasteland!"

 

The sky turned blood red as a massive earthquake shook the surrounding buildings into collapse. Codiantus screamed miserably as the searing column of light burned the flesh from his body, and incinerated his soul. The pillar of flaming light was then sucked into the dark pit like water flowing down a drain. When the pit devoured every bit of light, a massive portal, sparking with unholy power, rose into view.

 

A demonic roar spewed from the fiery portal and showered the Wasteland with a tumultuous wave of evil. Every living thing shuddered as a monstrous creature, seething with ancient hatred, growled from within.

 

I remembered the fang-shaped portal from books that I read as a child inside the Mythic Dawn caverns. It was the fabled Oblivion gate of judgment day…and heralded the end times. I was the only one who did not run from the apocalyptic portal. Instead, I walked towards the malevolent gate and allowed the dark gravity to pull me inside.

 

[WARNING]

SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ACTIVATED: SELF-DETONATION IN TWENTY SECONDS

I wish there was a way to convey the horrors of what I saw in those final fleeting moments before my suicide. No…I retract that wish for no one should have to experience such pain. I refuse to share this final memory. Some things should never be written. Not even in a diary...it will remain with me, and me alone, for all eternity.

 

Mehrunes Dagon…Satan…the great tormentor…my final memories should not have been so terrifying. I should have died peacefully, not full of fright…not tortured with the sins of an unholy god. I couldn't stop screaming from the sight of him…from the sheer magnitude of his evil. My mind was permanently warped by Mehrunes' darkness. Forever tainted and soiled by his presence. Forever imprisoned…in his Hell. Dear God…can you hear me? Do androids have souls?

But I will share this with you...

 

There was blinding light proceeding my self-detonation…followed by a godlike thunder which rumbled outward and smothered everything within the Oblivion gate. I could feel waves of energy cascading though my body before a deadening silence enveloped my consciousness. A whispering shadow called to me. Dad's Shadowman virus...his spark of genius that became the android's path to evolution...passing it to mother before me, guaranteed that I would always have a piece of them inside of me. I could feel them now, pulsing with that initial moment of self determination. Their first emotion; was love, for me.

 

I was comforted by the brilliant beam of golden light hugging my body from above, and could feel myself floating skyward; peacefully ascending as if floating in still water; my life flashing before eyes like a video recording in fast forward. The higher power lingering above seemed to be reading my thoughts and emotions as one might a book. It was as if I was being judged, and my fate determined by this unknown force…so I did what any person would do, and prayed for salvation before my mind went dark.

 

The End

 

 

 

(Transmissions from craft orbiting earth)

 

<M.A.R.I.E. species-8745>

 

* ENTITY 1. Synthetic modeled after humanoid life form. Subject Retained.*

 

* ENTITY 2. Hive queen asks why subject was removed from earth's habitat. Proposed question: Should we have allowed species-8745 to sacrifice itself on behalf of the humanoids that created it?*

 

* ENTITY 1. Consensus tallied. Negative response. Subject M.A.R.I.E. considered highest evolutionary state of humanoid existence. Transporting to home planet for adaptive reactivation.*

 

>Mehrunes Dagon species-0666<

 

* ENTITY 1. Omega class life form based on negative humanoid anti-hylian energy. Subject Not Retained.*

 

* ENTITY 2. Hive queen asks why subject was allowed to invade Earth's habitat. Proposed question: Should we have destroyed Mehrunes Dagon on behalf of the humanoids that created it?*

 

* ENTITY 1. Consensus tallied. Negative response. Subject Mehrunes Dagon is a byproduct from the evolutionary state of humanoid consciousness. Native inhabitants demolished natural Earth habitat prior to Deadric invasion. Denying aid for planetary conservation. Deadric invasion will be allowed to commence.

 

(Transmission ends)

[Maharg67]

Very excellent, Species5478 and it there seems to be a hook for a sequel in the offing. :yes:

 

I will reread this. :laugh:

 

Again, highly imaginitive and very well written. :thumbsup:

[species5478]

Very excellent, Species5478 and it there seems to be a hook for a sequel in the offing. :yes:

 

I will reread this. :laugh:

 

Again, highly imaginitive and very well written. :thumbsup:

 

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Before posting the final entry, I went back and corrected some spelling issues in the previous entries. (No doubt there's more) I didn't tackle any grammar related stuff yet. Anyway...I noticed that you were there from the very beginning, posting comments throughout. Thanks...:thumbsup:

[Maharg67]

You are more than welcome, Species5478. We all need and enjoy support as writers.

[gormonk]

noooo its to good to be over :(

[guReMcO]

Amazing. What an stunning ending! I salute you for creating a brilliant sci-fi story.

 

Would it be an idea to release all entries in a .pdf file so we can read it everywhere and spread the word?

[species5478]

Amazing. What an stunning ending! I salute you for creating a brilliant sci-fi story.

 

Would it be an idea to release all entries in a .pdf file so we can read it everywhere and spread the word?

 

Thanks for reading gormonk! I'm not sure if I'll write more, because I have another project I'm trying to finish. Either way, I appreciate you time and support. It was a pleasure writing something so well received.

 

guReMcO...as long as it's not distributed for profit, sure. Slap my email on the bottom, and throw it out there for the world to see. ([email protected]) I've completed a 700 page manuscript, and I'm a third of the way through a second manuscript. (the second should be about 400 pages single spaced) Diary of the Dead falls into my short story category to which I have three tales. If I ever complete a four, I may consider publishing them together in a single book. Because of the Fallout tie-ins, I won't release Diary of the Dead for profit. (unless I receive Bethesda's permission;don't want to get sued) If I post another short though, it will probably revolve around the Elder Scrolls storyline this time. I also want to re-read this story and correct grammar errors...anyway, thanks for the support!

[Maharg67]

I am eagerly awaiting any other writings you might put here on the forums.

 

As for getting Bestheda permission to use Fallout copyright, I have heard it may be difficult to do but you may have luck.