About this image

From The Personal Recollection Of Leanne Walker

I woke to shaking and noise, lots of both.

The Verti-Bird shook and rattled a lot to begin with, I remembered that much from the take-off.  But now there was an extra element to it.  I needed a few seconds to realize rain was pelting hard against the 'Bird's outside and wind was shoving the machine around.  Inside, it was dark, except for dim light from the controls up front, and the cabin was crowded full of people.  Machinery, sweat and puke were the main smells.

A shadowy figure solidly braced itself over me.  "You back with us, Boss?"  Chiaki yelled.

Found my voice.  "Think so.  What happened?"

A chuckle from her.  "You pegged out soon as we lifted off.  Over-tired, I guess.  It's 1905 hours, big storm front's moved in.  Zeta says that'll pass by morning.  Someone shot a missile at us near Paradise Falls - missed but it was exciting for a bit.  Then we scraped some trees, and a couple of Clavvie 'Birds are still looking for us- WHOA!"

She clung on to the overhead as both engines suddenly screamed, and my stomach told me that our 'Bird had just pulled up hard and skewed to the right.  Or something.

From front, BOS Initiate-Scribe (and co-pilot) Branson complained, "...ANOTHER damn radio tower?"

(Pilot) Bittercup's voice replied, "Overpass again.  S-o-o many of them around DC.  You have NO idea .... a-n-d down we go ..."  The engine noise dropped back to a mere howl, the cabin leaned crazily to the left and then tilted sharply down, and my stomach tried to levitate.  She'd actually sounded INTERESTED for a change, which was worrying in itself.

Chiaki finished, almost apologetically, " ... so we're flying a tad low ..."

"In THIS weather?"  A young crew that had racked up lots of simtime, but not much else; a Verti-Bird reassembled from junk by, well, let's face it, a group of amateur enthusiasts ..... I stopped tallying, and instead looked at the people around me.

Across the cabin from me, Nathan was solidly strapped into his seat, and out cold.  Lucky guy.  We'd doped him up, unsettled as he was by the notion of both flying AND sharing said flight with a Supermutant.  Next to him, Somah was puking tiredly into a bag, and looking positively gray.  Jiao was in the last seat on that side, grim and silent.  She'd been that way since I'd told her about the Megaton agent ...

Beside me, Star Paladin Cross sat as solid as a statue.  She wore a serene expression - that of either a person in very very deep meditation, or a warrior who KNEW she was about to die and saw no logical alternative.

On the floor sat Fawkes.  No V-Bird seat could fit him, so he had instead been secured to the floor with all the webbing and cargo straps the 'Bird had.  The Supermutant was fascinated by the view out the front ports, not that there was much to see in the dark and the storm.   He must have felt my gaze, because he turned and looked me in the eye, then gave me a very solemn thumbs up.  But I sensed he was actually ENJOYING the ride!  I guess that, after all his time in confinement, every "new" experience was cause for celebration.

A Supermutant adrenaline-junkie?  Something else to not think about.

He faced forward again, and " ... I see lights!" 

Bittercup nodded.  Having a Supermutant as a keenly interested passenger didn't seem to phase her. "Yo, Fawkes.  That should be Megaton.  Nearly home ... "

"Lee?"  Chiaki again.  She passed me a hand-comm.  "It's Sentinel Lyons."

" ... Commander Walker?"  Sarah Lyons's voice was clear, just a little scratchy from static.  "What  happened?  We have reports of a nuclear strike near your locale, and-"

"Raven Rock is gone, long story.  Talons were at one of the Satcom towers.  Trying to take over a nuclear-armed satellite.  We stopped them, and dropped the nukes on an empty area ..."  Which was now a landing field.  " ... But someone in the Enclave HAD to have been helping them ... "  A breath.  " ... Sarah, the Enclave has the GECK, and possibly something much worse besides.  They're either at the Jefferson, or on the way ..."

No hesitation.  "Then there is no choice.  I will speak with my father, and we will ready our forces.  Leanne, are you-?"

"We're in." I assured her.  "All of us.  We're near home now, and have something to take care of first ... "

"We will talk later then.  Lyons out."  She had plenty to do, I knew that.

It was going to be a long night for a number of people.  I took a moment to lean back and consider.  Probably a battle to fight tomorrow, and tonight-

"Home in sight!" Branson called, and there were a few tired cheers from passengers as the 'Bird started a bumpy descent.  " ... We hope you enjoyed the flight, and thank you for flying Trans Wasteland Airlines ... "

I silently vowed they would never get me in one of these things again.  Ever.  Then my Pip-Boy bleeped, and I stared at the message scrolling across the screen.

'-ssage repeats: This is an automated distress message from Vault-Tec: Vault 101.  Message begins:  It feels like you left home a long time ago, but I know you're still out there.  I just hope you're still alive to hear this.  Things got worse after you left.  My father's gone mad with power.  If you can hear
this, please stop looking for your dad and help stop mine.  I changed the door password to my name.  If you're hearing this, and if you still care enough to help me, you should remember it.  Message re-'

Amata.  Oh, geez.

******

Never rains but it pours.

View of the Satcoms from near Raven Rock, with a hint of Palm Trees.