Fallout: After-Effect

12.28.2290 - The Calm Before the Storm

"Silence Has A Sound" - Muhammad Island Hasan

*Bzzz* The soft buzz of the Pip-Boy comforted Nate as he slept on the hard lumpy ground. For Nate life had always been like this with Lyle, the two of them trekking the desert in search of a better life. This time however, Nate was all alone in a world that offered no hope of salvation or retribution. Funny, Nate thought to himself, I believe that there's no hope, but here I am traveling across the wasteland in the hope that I'll see my brother again. With that albeit bleak, but oddly comforting thought Nate closed his eyes in order to conserve his energy...

"Hey," a voice whispered, "wake up.". In response to the strangers request Nate lashed out his leg in the general direction of the noise and was rewarded with a satisfying grunt as his leg connected with the stranger.

"Who are you?" Nate questioned as he brushed himself off while standing up.

"It's me," the stranger replied standing up straight to reveal himself as Marshal, the Brotherhood of Steel boy that Nate had saved earlier.

"How did you escape the camp?" Nate asked, a venom in his eyes.

"Your captain sent me to help you." Marshal said sitting down on a rock.

"What can you offer that I can't do myself?" Nate said while gathering his supplies together in order to move out.

"Do you know where our base is?"

Nate nodded his head.

"Well, do you know what kind of security we have?"

"I assume it has something to do with a Deathclaw scream?" Nate said thinking back to that fateful time all those years ago.

Slightly astonished Marshal continued, "Well, there's one final thing that you don't know about that you will need my help for."

"And what's that?" Nate asked.

"The reaper."

"Oooh, sounds scary, I'm quaking in my boots," Nate replied sarcastically.

"Trust me, if you meet this thing you'll regret mocking it. Anyhow, I know where your brother is." Marshal said quietly, not daring to look into the fire in Nate's eyes at the mention of his brother.

"How?" Nate demanded, picking Marshal up off the ground by his collar.

"The Brotherhood of Steel captured him and they're holding him captive."

Dropping Marshal, Nate tossed him a backpack, checked his Pip-Boy and started walking. Calling over his shoulder Nate said, "Well, are you coming or what?"

As the befuddlement cleared Marshal realized what was happening and hurried to catch up with Nate...