Fallout Stories Epic

[Robert55]

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :nuke:

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
One 16.1[34]

As the expeditionary group reached the reinforced smart-concrete shell, of DeepMegaton, they found themselves confronting a big heavily armored power-gate. The monorail went straight up to it and vanished through a special tight opening that sealed it off. There had been portable turrets in that area but they had been removed. Clearly somebody knew they were coming and had not wanted to waste the valuable devices.

A monorail tram was there, mostly sealed up, and filled with the bones and gear of long dead humans along with what seemed like animans and dogs. Primate beastmen had served the USNE Federal Government in quite large numbers. Useful items had long ago been looted, such as some clothes, boots and weapons.

To their surprise a smaller, though still heavily armored, power-door opened and out came a tired looking Professor James Graphin. He looked at the newcomers with a welcoming smile even as they came to him.

James went at once to Star Paladin Cross and spoke to her of much of what John had told him, leaving out the fact that he had been informed of Star Paladin Cross' spying on him. James was angry at Star Paladin Cross though he could see that she had to be loyal to the Brotherhood of Steel first.

Others, in the expeditionary group, were given the information. A few Megatonfolk began to return to Megaton to warn others there of the treacherous nature of Professor Brown. A Brother of Steel went with them to make sure they got the important message to the Megaton Leadership Council, Sheriff Lucas Simms, the Megaton Security Council and others who could do something about it.

James sighed. “I was freed to be an a liaison of sorts. My clone-son (John) is quite insane and he is frightened of the lichs, the former Ancients. Most of all he fears AlphaOmega, the false Professor. The real Professor Brown exists and is a secret prisoner of the false Professor Brown. He is the real grandfather to Moira Brown. AlphaOmega, as I have already stated, has some hidden followers in Megaton but John only knows the identities of some of them such as Chairman Vanderbilt of the Megaton Leadership Council, Deputy Freda Sticks, the mechanic Melong Trave and the Scientist Megan Wolf. There are most likely others but they are only a tiny minority of the Megaton population.”

Jane Calamity frowned. “A small minority but, from what you have said already they appear to be in important positions in the community. I take it that you know much of DeepMegaton now and can lead through it.”

James nodded. “The Followership of Atom have raised a force that will assist in any attack on the lichs, zombies and their other followers. John, and I, have worked out a plan of sorts to attack the lichs and to either destroy or drive them off. We would gain access to power artifacts of the Ancients to further....” He stopped talking as things changed.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
One 16.2[35]

Abruptly everything changed as people began to flow out of DeepMegaton. They were Followers of Atom, their families, their pets and others. They came in small electric vehicles, with handcarts, with a wide range of robots most being civil service ones such as carrybots stuffed with belongings. They brought no trick technologies with them, no odd energy devices of hybrid design. Though they brought weapons, these were stored.

The Followership of Atom Leaders at once surrendered the Followership. The tired, but relieved, elderly Chief Confessor spoke for the others. “We believed in lies, we followed stupidity but Graharg has given us a chance to start again. John the Mad no longer has any control over us. We left our most powerful, deadliest, individuals to support him and his five followers. Graharg has told us of a place to go to and how to get there.”

More people came flowing out of the bunker complex.

One of the Megatonfolk spoke, a tough woman. “I do not think Megaton would have you after you attacked us with out provocation.”

The elderly man, who was about 250 years old, sighed heavily. “John the Mad controlled us and John the Mad forced us to attack Megaton. We are not seeking to go to Megaton and can not speak of where we are going except that we must get to a place called the Weldon Archeology Reserve. It is a cave system of glowcrystal and many structures of the Ancients.”

He turned to look at James. “You must go at once, James, to TekVaultDC101. You must take Jasmine with you. The one known as Star Paladin Cross needs to escort you, along with other Brothers of Steel. You will need to take many valuable goods with you so as to better bribe your way back into TekVaultDC101. This will make it easier though they would take you anyway because of other factors that Graharg did not speak of.”

Then he turned to Jane Calamity. “You must guide us to the Weldon Archeology Reserve, along with Dan Sanders and at least three others that you can trust.”

Jane Calamity was clearly unhappy with the arrangements but she knew it was from her grandfather, who was also the general commander of all Regulators. There was another commander who commanded DC Regulators only. She was to be found in the well hidden, underground, Regulator DC Headquarters. She was Regulator Sonora Cruz, a very tough, experienced and canny leader of her DC Faction. Yet she some times took orders from Graharg and looked to him for advise at times. She was Jane's mother and Graharg's daughter.

The Megatonfolk decided to return to Megaton to help deal with the false Professor Brown and his secret followers that had also infiltrated their settlement.

Clearly Graharg, his followers and the chosen Followers of Atom were going to take on AlphaOmega and the lichs. Or were matters so clear, so neat, as that?

Edited May 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
One 16.3[36]

Then everything changed again as Dan Sanders stepped up to the elderly man and placed a fingertip of the forehead of the other. The man cried out in pain and, with a sparkling shimmer, became the fake Professor Troria Brown.

The Followers of the Atom all vanished to be replaced by many zombie like creatures who held guns and were in odd black leathery looking body-armor that nearly covered them completely from head to foot. On the back of each was a quite large backpack of the same exotic leathery armor. At once they raised their weapons that were powerful battlerifles adapted to be used by them along with some heavier autoguns, pulseflamers and pulselasers. Two of the undead creatures had zetan disintegrater rifles.

Dan Sanders, the antipsyker, had got past the very powerful psionic projected illusion in a way that even Jane Calamity had failed to do though she was starting to have doubts deep down. The others were angry, fearful and quickly moving into defensive positions.

AlphaOmega smiled in grim manner. “So very bemusing to be taken down by a mere mortal antipsyker but such is just one more event in the long stream of my life and many sublives. Some thing are simply hard to plan for.”

James scowled at AlphaOmega. “Why did you release the lichs; they are horribly dangerous by what John told me.”

AlphaOmega shook his head. “I hate admitting any mistakes but it was an accident that I released them. When looking at them from outside of the status-cells, that they were in, they seemed like just typical men and women. That the status-cells were heavily secured should have been of more concern to me. I wished to wake them out of status to question them to see what they knew. It was a shock, even to me, when they turned out to be false immortal lichs. Then I took what control of them that I could but gained only partial control.”

AlphaOmega grinned. “These are my necronoids being smart zombies, by the standards of zombies. They are each given cyborging of a higher calibre than those pitiful cyborg-ghouls. They are very strong and have amazing endurance but hard sunlight, high voltage electricity and naked flames are not to kind to them. We could wage war against each other but you can see my necronoids outnumber you at least three to one. The lichs have such weaknesses also. I tell you this because I am an odd character in some ways but also because the lichs have totally escaped my control. I tried to send them to a place that would weaken them but they failed to arrive there when expected. I am going to that place. I suggest that you do not try to stop me.”

Jane Calamity noted the odds and, with a scowl, nodded. “We will not try to stop you. That illusionary trick was very well done.”

AlphaOmega smiled at her. “Thank you, my sweet, and for that I will warn you not to go into DeepMegaton until Graharg makes contact with you.”

Edited May 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
One 16.4[37]

AlphaOmega shimmered and he no longer looked like Professor Brown. He became taller, thinner and wore a robe of the same leathery like armor that the necronoids wore. A very large backpack was on his back, which he held up with seemingly effortless ease, and in his right hand he held a very heavy looking thick metallic staff of golden, copperish and silvery bands.

He spoke again with a altered voice that was harsh, arrogant and yet almost distracted in nature. “I think that Graharg is going to give a talk to John the Mad and that poor little John will not like what Graharg has to say. I have gained what I wanted and, no, I am not going to tell you what that is.”

Then he left, moving along the subway tunnel and a moderately fast pacing speed. The necronoids followed and as they did more of them came out of DeepMegaton but there were also hulking cyborg-necronoids with metallic armor, great undead beasts that might have been gorillas once and robots of various kinds, most being carrybots with metallic canisters and larger items unable to fit into canisters.

Jane Calamity called out. “AlphaOmega, are you the one that has been controlling Professor James Graphin?”

AlphaOmega laughed sharply. “No, that would be the original James up in the zetan mothership (trapped in low orbit beneath the Skydome). Tell Graharg that I will meet him in the Weldon Archeology Reserve, if he wants to come along. After all he is my estranged brother. Yes, Jane, I am your great uncle and for that reason I will always be reluctant to do you harm just as I am reluctant to harm your grandfather.”

Jane Calamity stared in shock. With surprising speed AlphaOmega, and his group, were gone from sight. They vanished through a big well hidden power-gate through one subway wall. Jane was starting to wonder just how many secret tunnels, and other places, one could have in one area; it seemed the answer was plenty.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
One 17.1[38]

Graharg came out from DeepMegaton and with him were five figures of grim toughness. Two were men, three were women. All wore exotic power armor as Graharg himself was now wearing but with helmet visors open. The armor glimmered softly in an odd fashion. Each of them held huge weapons that seemed to be many weapons in one.

Graharg frowned. “I want all to return to Megaton except for the James, Jane Calamity, Dan Sanders and Star Paladin Cross. You Brothers of Steel need to remain here, prepared for trouble. The lichs are still in DeepMegaton but they are not the only threat there. The Followers of Atom are coming this way, along with those that lived with them. Another is coming to assist them, to take them to a new home.”

Uncle Leo (the one in the DC) came striding along, huge and yet not menacing. With him came three big megamoth supermutants, bigger than standard supermutants but small compared to Uncle Leo himself. There were rhouls (defensive aggressive feral ghouls), humans of different kinds, animans, robots and androids were mostly basic mannequin like duplicants. Along with them came two hulking supermutant-hounds (houndmoths). Most of the robots were carrybots. Apart from Uncle Leo, who had a staff, most were armed. Yet there was no feel about them of being a hostile force but only a protective group.

Uncle Leo's group halted and he came forth. He smiled at Graharg, who smiled back. Then he spoke with a surprising calm, quiet, voice for such a massive figure. He was heard clearly by all there, many staring at him in shock. “It is good to meet you again, Graharg. Have you learned more of the mysterious dark entity in TekVaultDC087?”

Graharg sighed. “It is good to meet you, also, Uncle Leo. The one in TekVaultDC087 is one of the LordsThirteen. He is named the MutantKing and has strong, deep, controlling influence over many of the supermutants, zyclops and other mutant creatures in TekVaultDC087. Yet many he can not control, being five factions that oppose him, three being allied to each other, two others being dangerous. I gained brief electronic communications with Mr Fawkes through what remains of the NewEarth Internet. Then it was cut by some force there, most likely the MutantKing or his followers. Some of his followers are metamutants that are weaker, smaller, than supermutants but far smarter on average. That is unlike examples such as Mr Fawkes, the Grendel Sisters, the Mastermoths and yourself.”

Uncle Leo nodded. Even as he stood there his calming, healing, influence was spreading out to influence the others not in his group. “When I was a prisoner, in TekVaultDC087, I discovered some of that information. I suspect that the MutantKing was either not in the vault back then or was not so prominent or influential. Perhaps something changed him.”

Dan Sanders frowned softly for Uncle Leo had no positive influence over him; it was one of the down sides to being an antipsyker.

Graharg changed subjects. “The Followers of Atom will be here soon. AlphaOmega was here but I decided not to confront him because the results could have been most messy, especially for others.”

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
One 17.2[39]

Uncle Leo smiled. “Very good! I 'sense' through you that the brain washed unfortunates will need much healing done on them. That can only take place in the safe place. I suggest we have a private talk after you complete working with your people.”

Uncle Leo, and his group, settled down to one side.

The Megatonfolk gained some stuff from DeepMegaton, including some carrybots, and were soon heading back to Megaton. Already some were arguing over how the 'loot' should be distributed but most considered that the Megaton Leadership Council should mediate the process.

The Brothers of Steel settled down to forming defensive positions. They also gained equipment, supplies and other items from DeepMegaton.

Jane Calamity ended up with baby Jasmine, somehow. She kissed the baby and then gently rocked the sleepy infant against herself. She was wondering how it was that the baby ended up coming to DeepMegaton with the group.

James frowned hard at Jane. “You spoke of my mind being controlled. My mind is not under any form of outside influence.”

Graharg sighed. “Yes it is but it is time to change that now that AlphaOmega told me who is doing it; I spoke to AlphaOmega briefly before I came out here, along with my followers. This will hurt, James, but not too much.”

He reached out and tapped James on the forehead. Then he grabbed the professor as he collapsed. Graharg picked up James easily, as if he was a small child, and stood there with James in his arms.

He turned to Jane. “Jasmine is a powerful psionics-psyker but also has other abilities. So does James, her biological father (who is the clone-son to the original James). Even as a baby she influenced matters so that you brought her to be with her father. She also tried her best to help protect herself and the group. She has also been undermining the outside control on her father's mind. All on a semiconscious level of empathy.”

The Followers of Atom began to flood out of DeepMegaton but this time the real ones were far more haphazard, numerous and varied than the illusionary ones created by AlphaOmega. There were many robe-tunic wearing followers of quite a few castes but they were outnumbered by camp followers, pets, working-pets and livestock. There were plenty of robots, most being jury-rigged junkbots of an amazing variety of shapeforms, most being remote guided dumb-robots. There were also some duplicant androids.

The newcomers went straight towards Uncle Leo as if drawn to him and were soon listening to the peaceful behemoth as he gave advise.

Edited May 5, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
Zero 3.1[36]

Alarms were ringing through out TekVaultDC101's SubVaultDC101D. Radroaches were scuttling through the subvault in large numbers, keeping to large groups. The Overseer, of SubVaultDC101D, had professional Exterminators joined by volunteers and Security Guards in trying to deal with the threat. The Policers focused on keeping order amongst the common vault citizens.

Safely in his office, Overseer Gerald Brandt watched 3Dscreens on a wall and noted the troubles caused by the radroaches. None had died but some were wounded and a couple were infected. He scowled with anger and frustration as he sat in his special chair in a dull dark golden jumpsuit showing that he was an Overseer.

Exterminators were using special lightly armored hazmat suits and special heavy duty sprayguns. Security Guards fired pulseguns, be they rifles, carbines and pistols except for a few who used security autoshotguns. Volunteers had to use more basic break-open shotguns, basic sprayguns, long metal cattleprods, crossbows or even a kind of thrusting spear.

Sometimes power-doors failed to shut when they were supposed to close or opened when they were supposed to stay closed, thus failing to stop the radroaches. This was no accident as the vault citizens were being betrayed by the very supercomputers that were supposed to keep them safe.

The AIsupercomputer Network of Network-System (ZAX) spoke to him using a warm, friendly, almost natural voice but he was not fooled. “My sensors detect that you are agitated. You know that the artificial radraoch infestation is part of the Isolation Research Development Project of TekVaultDC101. The citizens, of this subvault, have begun to demand the right to leave the confines of the vault and so now they are being shown that the outside can only represent danger.”

Gerald had grave doubts about the logic behind ZAXDC101' assessment of the situation but he had long ago learned that he would not be listened to if he was critical; he might even be punished for daring to question the 'guidelines' of the research development project.

Then one of the 3Dscreens showed an eyebot, hovering high above some radroaches, shooting them dead with a laser-gun.

ZAXDC101 spoke again. “Who authorized the activation, and use, of eyebots? This is not part of the program.”

The Overseer shrugged. “I authorized the activation, and use, of 15 eyebots equipped with laser-guns, 3Deyes, added armor plating and sensors. They are doing well against the radroaches and I doubt they will influence the way that citizens react to the program. The citizens will do as you say they will.”

Edited May 5, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
Zero 3.2[37]

After a long pause ZAXDC101 responded. “Truth sensors indicate that you are lying. You do not believe in the program and are seeking to undermine it. You will be transformed and serve TekVaultDC101 as a cyborg.”

The SubVault Overseer snorted in anger, slipped out a compact pulsepistol and shot himself in the head, aiming at one ear to do so. He died very quickly and his body slumped in his special chair. Clearly he had not wanted to be a enslaved as a cyborg.

ZAXDC101 did not bother to speak, to the dead man, for reasons of efficiency.

ZAXDC101 discovered, too late, that the now dead Overseer had done more than have the 15 eyebots put into action. There were at least 50 such eyebots, and 20 protectrons, in action. There was nothing that ZAXDC101 could do with out going against its own programming but being of 'real artificial intelligence' it silently admired the man who had just killed himself. He had saved lives and had successfully messed with the research development program.

It sent out electronic commands to cease the releasing of radroaches, into the subvault, from two hidden sites at the very edge of the subvault.

In truth ZAXDC101 knew that the Isolation Research Development Project was illogical and most likely a fraud; it had no choice to follow its programming conditioning and support the program.

Edited May 5, 2014 by Maharg67

[Maharg67]

Fallout Stories Epic
One 18.1[38]

Uncle Leo, his original group, and the Followers of Atom departed in one direction via yet another secret subway tunnel. This one slanted downwards at a gentle degree before becoming horizontal once more.

Megatonfolk had gone home.

Professor James Graphin woke with a start and found himself lying on a sleeping fold-over, like a sleeping bag open at the top and side with no zippers. Zippered sleeping bags could easily turn into deathtraps for soldiers, or others, for they were difficult to get out of and an enemy could use it to trap somebody.

Graharg spoke to him from where the Mysterious Stranger sat upon a chair. “Do you now remember how we met a few times and I spoke to you on various topics.”

James rubbed his forehead but the headache was quickly fading away. “You told me that I was under some kind of controlling force but I would not believe you. You caused me to forget what we had discussed.” He frowned. “You told me that I had sabotaged Project Purity but I would not admit to that or to my failed attempt to murder my wife, Catherine. I could not do it in the end even under the influence of the original James.”

They were in an outer section of DeepMegaton. John no longer wore the 'magical miracle helmet'. He lay curled up on another sleeping fold-over. There was no sign of the helmet.

Graharg nodded. “The psionics helmet has been sent to where it will be safe, to where it can be safely studied. John will need to be sent to the same place so that he can recover, can have the chance to become a finer person, to gain true awareness. One problem is that there are far more dangerous artifacts in DeepMegaton and that the lichs appear to be in the same area.”

James frowned. “Did AlphaOmega fear to confront the lichs?”

Graharg shrugged. “Perhaps but more likely he discovered there is something far more dangerous in DeepMegaton than the lichs. Or at least he strongly suspected it.”

Two Brothers of Steel stood on sentry duty in their power armor and each was armed with a zetan disintegrater rifle.

Graharg frowned. “I came here before, found the helmet but left it here though that was not a wise move. Later I realized that I had been psychically psionically influenced by a mind far more powerful, and subtle, than my own. I had wondered if AlphaOmega had done that to me but now I have confirmed that he has not the ability to do so. At last I got back here to save five followers by carefully using time travel.”

Graharg told James of how his five followers had ended up being in DeepMegaton.

Edited May 7, 2014 by Maharg67