Fallout

[Corinthian]

The Overseer paced from side to side, running his fingers through his thin gray beard. The ten people assembled in the room looked a little out of place. Hernandez was a hard-line troublemaker who somehow kept getting his hands on cocaine and psycho, and then there was Summerfield, practically an ideal citizen. Still, the group made sense...somewhat. Ideally, the Security personnel could keep Hernandez, Walker, and the Gershwin girl from causing too much trouble.

 

Realistically...not so much. Security Personnel weren't selected for their brilliance.

 

"...The surface was blasted, irradiated, we haven't had contact from anywhere in a hundred years...we don't know anything about what's up there. I'm not willing to risk the Vault without some scouting done. I want the ten of you to head north. According to the old maps, Vault 29 is there. Also, after that, head for Phoenix, it's not too far to the west. After that, head back here. You've all already packed, so as soon as you're ready, you can head out." He turned and switched off the projector, cutting the satellite imagery of the road between the vaults off. It was outdated by over a hundred years anyway.

 

"I'm not going to pretend this is going to be easy. Surface sensors indicate the radiation has died down to extremely low levels wihin their range. However, mutated creatures, possibly even humans, not to mention the possibility of soldiers from the EU or China. But this has to be done. Because of this, I'm appointing Citizen Summerfield to command the mission."

 

The Overseer sighed loudly. "I'm sure you all have questions, but I can't answer them. We're all in the same boat here. The armory is open to you, and we've got some stuff you'll need assembled. Good luck, and Godspeed."

 

Without giving them a chance to reply, the Overseer turned and headed through a side door, it slamming shut behind him.

 

"Well, it's good to know we can put it to a vote." Peter said, chuckling. It wasn't so much that he really minded returning to the surface, it was more being ordered. Not to mention the shrubs that were going with them. Three Vault Security Personnel, plus the three scientists, and Dawes. "Not that we've really got a choice. Refuse, and Security locks us up or just flings us out, head first. I guess I'll go finish packing." Peter stood up and walked out, heading for the armory. He had already packed everything else, despite having a small, fleeting hope that he might be able to dispute the Overseer's decision.

 

"Never a dull moment."

[starmark2k]

Jason stood at the back of the room and watched as the overseer walked away, he was put on this mission as the overseer said he needed a Mechanic and Electrician in case they came across something that needed to be fixed. Whitman wasn’t exactly happy about the situation as he didn’t want to go up to the surface, but orders were orders and it was better for them to send one man who had both required skill sets than two men.

 

He was fully packed with all his tools and issued survival gear in a single pack he could carry around on his back.

 

“So when do we leave?” Jason asked. “I want to get this over with as soon as.”

[Reclaimer]

The Rev was over in the back, listening to the briefing. Once it was over, he stood up straight, and stretched. He then picked up his rifle, and slung it over his shoulder. He watched as the others began to file out of the room, and he did so after they left. After turning right, he headed down to the main gate. Four security guards stood there, on duty.

 

"Halt."

 

"I've got authorization. I'm going out there with the party, but I'm waitng for now." Rev explained.

 

"Oh, sorry sir. We can't take chances. Good luck too."

 

"Thank you,I have a feeling I'll need it..."

[Quist]

Carolyn Summerfield, 'Roll' to her friends, stayed glued to her seat for a few moments after the Overseer left. Me? she thought. I'm commanding the mission? When the elderly Overseer had mentioned her name, she had frozen, not knowing what to say. Now that he was gone, she had several questions and concerns, most of them involving 'Why'. She was a historian, not a leader.

 

"Bloody hell," she muttered as she slowly rose to her feet. Looking around, she observed the seven people who were still in the room, Walker and the Rev having already left. They really were a motley collection of people. Hernandez was a young, cocky lad from one of the few wealthy families in the Vault; he'd probably bought his way onto this mission. Roll shook her head and sighed at that prospect. Whitman was a technological whiz, his enlistment was obvious. "I don't know, Jason," she said in reply to his question. "As soon as we get everything together, I guess." She favored him with what she hoped was an encouraging smile as she continued to look over the rest of her charges.

 

Charlie Dawes, sitting with her black glasses perched atop her head, was an excellent hacker; Roll would rely on her and Whitman to help make electronic communication happen. Ral Sheen was a nuclear chemist, well-versed in radiation and its effects. Roll had worked with him a few times before; he was a good person to have along. Svelt Dadga was a bit of an odd character, but proficient as a survivalist; she just hoped that the world above hadn't changed so much that the information in the survival books he was so fond of reading would be completely useless.

 

She finally settled her hazel eyes on the two Gershwin twins. She had worked with Travis a few times in the past as well; he was a brilliant biologist. She hoped quietly that he'd have something to study up in the world above that wasn't irradiated into oblivion. Speaking of radiation... she thought as her eyes drifted over to his twin, Kat. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed spitfire liked nothing better than to blow anything and everything up. Roll had seen Kat's various burns more than once or twice.

 

Sighing, she placed her hands on her hips and slowly glanced around one more time. They were all looking to her for guidance. Rubbing a hand down over her mouth and chin, she spoke with as much authority as she could muster. "All right, it seems like we've got quite a bit of work ahead of us. It isn't going to be easy, so I hope you're all mentally prepared for this." She paused, asking herself internally if she was ready for this. Shaking her head, she continued. "We're going to be together for a while, so if there's anyone here you don't know, please introduce yourself. We can't all be strangers to each other here." She checked her watch. "Everyone please get ready. I want to meet back here in two hours to discuss further details."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kat yawned and stretched as the Overseer left the room, pulling out a metal ball that seemed about the size of a baseball. Hardly glancing at it, she began to toss it back and forth between her hands, spinning it, flipping it, tossing it over her head, under her leg, rolling it across her shoulders and arms - all seemingly out of habit.

 

"Well, that was a bit of a snore." she muttered to her brother next to her, who was busily scratching away in a notebook - as usual. She, meanwhile, was eying over the others in the room. "I didn't think that the Overseer had had enough brain cells left to put something together like this - let alone stay awake during it. The ruddy old man."

 

As she tossed the ball from one hand to the other, Travis' hand shot out to snatch the ball from the air before she could catch it again. He hadn't even looked up from his notebook.

 

"That 'ruddy old man' was given the position of Overseer for a reason, believe it or not." he said, hiding the ball away in the banged-up leather backpack he had slung over his shoulder before he began scratching away in his notebook again. "And you'd best show him some respect. I know that can be difficult for you to do when the person you're speaking to doesn't let you blow up whatever the hell you want - or blows things up personally - but he's a powerful man. And a bit of a scary one at that."

 

"You think he's scary?" Kat laughed, her hand shooting out and grabbing the ball from his pack. She began playing with it again. "My dear brother, I feel sorry for you."

 

He snatched the ball away from her again with an exasperated sigh, switching hands as he held it away from her grabbing hand.

 

"There are times when you scare me too." he said, looking at her now, "Grenades are not toys!"

 

Kat rolled her eyes in exasperation, quite annoyed that he had stolen her play thing. "Traaaaaviiiiis...!"

 

"All right, it seems like we've got quite a bit of work ahead of us. It isn't going to be easy, so I hope you're all mentally prepared for this."

 

The twins looked up as Ms. Summerfield began to speak, Travis listening intently as if it were some sort of lesson he had not yet absorbed, Kat watching her with excitement flashing in her eyes.

 

"No need to worry! The Gershwin Twins are on the job and you can be sure that we're totally and completely ready!" Kat said, jumping forward and looking as if she was practically ready to bounce in anticipation. Travis simply shook his head at her antics.

 

"Oy vey." he muttered softly.

[Master_Archon]

Johan "Svelt" Dagda was an odd man indeed, he had just woken up before the assembly, and thus had little time to get ready, so little time infact that he had come in his PJ's. He had a white muscle shirt on, and some blue baggy boxers on, along with some quickly put on tube socks.

 

He sat bleary eyed staring at the Overseer as he explained the situation. Svelt seemingly wasn't paying attention but he was more aware and alert than he portrayed. After the old man left in a rush of sound and silence, Svelt got up scratching the back of his head, yawning, then smacking his lips and blinking wearily.

 

"All right, it seems like we've got quite a bit of work ahead of us. It isn't going to be easy, so I hope you're all mentally prepared for this," the young woman, Ms. Summerfield said. "We're going to be together for a while, so if there's anyone here you don't know, please introduce yourself. We can't all be strangers to each other here," she continued.

 

"Everyone please get ready. I want to meet back here in two hours to discuss further details," Carolyn finished, Svelt smiling at her first attempts at command, complying to himself that she had actually done a good first job.

 

Since he was supposed to get to know those he didn't know that wouldn't be too hard for him, he only knew about three people personally, Ms. Summerfield, who was a historian, was known by him because he, on one or two occasions, went to her to see if she had any books that he may wish to collect, bartering for any that were not of any historcal value, respecting her love for the field of history.

 

He knew the trouble maker and druggy Hernandez, from his old security days, along with Rev. The rest he only knew by reputation.

 

He decided to start introducing himself, but before he could even move something caught his eye, it was the one known as 'Kat', she was being very energetic.

 

He smiled and approached, striking a heroic pose that turned out quite comical as he stood there in his PJ's.

 

"I am thinking I should quit goofing and say hello, as I have been ordered by the young Ms. Summerfield. And so I am saying hello," he said in his odd fashion of speech, holding his hand out to the girl with a friendly smile.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kat looked to the new guy - was he the guy they introduced as Johan Dadga? - and smiled at him. She raised a hand to shake his, nodding to him as he greeted her.

 

"And I think I'll say hello in return." she said, mimicking him for a moment, "I'm Katherine Gershwin - aka Kat - and this," she motioned to Travis, "Is my twin brother, Travis."

 

Travis, who had been watching them over the edge of his notebook, lowered the book to greet the new man with a nod and a small smile. "A pleasure, I'm sure." he said.

[Master_Archon]

Svelt smiled broadly at the young Ms. Kat, replying cheerily, "I am thinking we will get along swimmingly, you and I, on this journey."

 

Then he turned to the young woman's brother, "I must be saying that it is also a pleasure." He said, reaching out and snatching the young man's hand up shaking it in a strong grip belying his slenderness.

 

He let go turning to Kat once more, speaking in a low voice only she could hear, "I am thinking your brother is not a chipper one, no?"

[Fredi]

I was nervous this people looked like freaks to me, But it was my job lose my time with this losers. I entered the mission to prove my family I can do actually something in my life other than just hang around and making problems; this was the key to prove that I was a real Hernandez.

 

“And so when the hell are we leaving? How about less talking more doing?, let’s get going.”- I said as I looked at all the losers on the room.

 

Occ: I don’t mean to offend any of you by calling losers is what my character thinks and the way he is.

 

~ Hey Padawan? Could you stop posting in first person and post in third like everyone else? Nothing major, just the fact that the RP flows much better when everyone posts 'about' their character, rather than 'as'.

[ForceFightWMe12]

Kat shrugged nonchalantly, casting a glance at her brother from the corner of her eye. "He's just one of those quieter-types." she said, knowing that he would know that they were talking about him regardless of whether or not they lowered their voices, "A study bug, you know?"

 

Now her voice lowered as she leaned in to whisper to him. "He tends to not like me talking to strange men, though. He's a bit over-protective."

 

"I heard that, Katherine." Travis said, not looking up from his notes. "And I assure you that I have no problem with you speaking to other men. You're a big girl, remember?"

 

Katherine just rolled her eyes.

[Rogue Nine]

"Patience, Hernandez," Ral Sheen spoke up from a row behind Roll. Unfolding his hands, he raised his lanky body out of his seat, smoothing out the wrinkles in his shirt, then moved to stand near Roll. "The Overseer didn't put you in charge, he put Summerfield in charge. She says we're back here in two hours, we're back here in two hours." Ral surprised himself with the forcefulness of his words, but he had no tolerance for people who disagreed just to disagree, which he could tell Hernandez had just done. He gave Hernandez a final look, then glanced at Roll and winked at her.

 

Turning to the rest of them, he shoved his left hand in a pocket and waved with his right. "Hey everyone. I'm Ralley Sheen, you can call me Ral, everyone else does," he said, grinning slightly crookedly. "I'm a nuclear chemist, so I guess it's my job to keep you all un-irradiated."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"...so I guess that means it's my job to keep you all un-irradiated."

 

Katherine couldn't help but smile. "That'd be greatly appreciated, Ral." she said, trying out the nickname for the first time. "I'm Katherine Gershwin - or Kat, as most call me. TNT and demolitions extraordinaire."

 

"And I'm Travis Gershwin." her brother spoke up, finally flipping his notebook closed. "Biologist and scientist. I suppose it's my job to be sure that you guys don't eat anything that could be poisonous. And to identify anything that might try to eat us."

[Fredi]

Hernandez did not liked the way Ral greeted him and he was already frustrated since he did not liked long meetings and people that talk more than what they should.

 

“Ha-ha you think you can scare me with you’re look to the eyes and the way you come here? Hey looks don’t kill, it’s weapons that kill and as far as I know, did some one ask you’re name and what you do? Ha-ha nope, No one did. And to keep my self irradiated I just need a book to know how, not a dude that’s gonna be bossing me all the time”- Hernandez said.

[Grace]

Charlie Dawes lifted her glasses up from her eyes, more than a little flustered by Roll's suggestion to get to know some of the others in the room. Getting to know people outside of her work was something impossibly difficult for Charlie and was almost a cause for panic. Fortunately, she had some of her equipment with her and hurriedly made a show of being busy at using it... though for what purpose at this present time, she didn't really care... just so long as people assumed she was busy and left her alone.

[Master_Archon]

"He's just one of those quieter-types," she said, regardless of her brother hearing or not. "A study bug, you know?"

 

"He tends to not like me talking to strange men, though. He's a bit over-protective."

 

"I heard that, Katherine." Travis spoke out. "And I assure you that I have no problem with you speaking to other men. You're a big girl, remember?"

 

Svelt laughed at this, responding with mirth, "I must be saying that I understand where he is coming from, I am a very strange man..." he stood back a bit and motioned to his attire. "...Am I not?" He asked with a smile.

 

"Hey everyone. I'm Ralley Sheen, you can call me Ral, everyone else does," a man said out to the group, from what Svelt knew his name was Ralley. "I'm a nuclear chemist, so I guess it's my job to keep you all un-irradiated."

 

"That'd be greatly appreciated, Ral." Svelt heard Kat call to the man. "I'm Katherine Gershwin - or Kat, as most call me. TNT and demolitions extraordinaire."

 

"And I'm Travis Gershwin." her brother piped up. "Biologist and scientist. I suppose it's my job to be sure that you guys don't eat anything that could be poisonous. And to identify anything that might try to eat us."

 

Svelt smiled, calling out aswell, "I must be saying that my name is Johan Dagda, but those who know me call me Svelt, because I tell them to. I am thinking I will be the guy who finds the things that Mr. Gershwin will be telling us about whether it will be eating us or not. I am saying basically I am the scout, though I am not knowing why I was even chosen for this, because, well, I am thinking you can guess." He finished with a shrug and a grin rubbing the back of his head.

[Rogue Nine]

"You can read?" Ral snapped, not bothering to look at Hernandez. "Impressive. I hope they're better than your listening skills, because Summerfield did tell us to get acquainted. And if you want to irradiate yourself, be my guest. Just stay away from the rest of us, all right?"

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a short-haired brunette scrunch down in her seat and prop up a laptop into her lap. Picking his way through the seats, he slid into the one next to her. He saw her tense up, then looked down and grinned. "Miss," he said to her, "I think you're holding that the wrong way. Everything's upside down."

[Grace]

Blushing bright red, Charlie spun the tablet around. "Not," she answered sharply. "I... no... umm..." At that moment, she made the mistake of looking over at the man who'd corrected her. "I just... it's... I-I-I..." She turned even brighter red and ducked her head.

 

"Oh, hell..." she muttered. "D-don't look at me..."

[ForceFightWMe12]

Travis looked up as the sound of a rather flustered voice reached his ears, the sound drawing his eyes to the source in the young woman with a laptop on her lap and Ral sitting next to her. She seemed a bit embarrassed by the man's attention, and he couldn't help but smile a bit.

 

He moved to take a seat towards the end of the row, pulling his pack off of his back and setting it on the ground, opening it and shifting things around. Finally making room for his notebook, he cast a side-long glance at the woman and Ral.

 

She was the only woman that he didn't know from prior experiences, and so he guessed that she was the one that was named Charlie and - as the laptop seemed to imply - she was the group's hacker.

 

"I do believe that you've succeeded in flustering the poor woman, Ral." he said, grinning at the two of them. His eyes shifting to the woman, he nodded kindly at her. "Travis Gershwin."

[Grace]

Not only was Charlie's face cherry red, but now her hands were shaking as well. "I-I-I don't... can't..." She attempted to steady her hands on either side of the tablet computer on her lap, just barely managing to hold still enough to flick the power save switch. The screen fell dark and Charlie nearly dropped it in her attempts to get it into her bag.

 

"Got..." she mumbled. "... stuff to do... sorry..." She glanced up at the two men. "Ch-Charlie Dawes. Pleased to-t-to mmmeet you bo-both..."

 

And with that, she shoved her tablet computer into the bag and began fighting with the zipper, almost desperate to get away from the two strangers.

[Master_Archon]

Svelt was still grinning like a fiend when something caught his ear, he turned seeing a strange scene before him. His brows furrowed as his grin turned into a frown.

 

"I must be saying your brother has not helped the situation over there; poor girl," he said to Kat seemingly irritated, he hated seeing such inconsideration, the girl seemed so scared she could pass out at any moment from it all, and the men were just gabbing away, not taking into consideration the young girl.

[Quist]

Roll watched the mini-confrontation between Ral and Hernandez with a great deal of apprehension. She knew the youngster only by reputation, and it wasn't a very good one at that. His comments did nothing to disabuse her of believing what she'd heard about him. She hadn't a clue how to reply to Hernandez's acerbic impatience when Ral had stepped in and come to her defense. When he came over to her, she offered him a small smile of thanks. He had then trotted over to Charlie, ostensibly in an attempt to get to know her. What he didn't know was how painfully shy she was, but he quickly found that out as she went beet red and tried to make herself as small as possible.

 

"Okay guys, let's give Charlie some space," Roll said as she made her way over to where Ral, Charlie and Travis were. "She isn't so good around people she doesn't know."

[ForceFightWMe12]

"Apparently not." Travis murmured, scratching the back of his head and smiling foolishly - obviously embarrassed. "I didn't mean to scare her..."

 

"Of course you didn't, Trav." Kat said, rolling her eyes, "You just went over there when she was clearly distressed for no reason."

 

"Look, I'm telling you--" he stopped before he could launch into a full fledged argument with her, taking a breath. "Yeah. I'm sorry. I hadn't truly thought about the reactions she might have had."

[starmark2k]

Jason continued to watch the ongoing conversations between the people he would be with the next few days through his dark sunglasses. He knew some of the people already as things tended to break down after a thousand years of use and Jason had to fix them. He noticed how uncomfortable Charlie was getting, their paths had crossed many times before as the Vaults computer systems kept breaking. He liked her and felt the need to help her out, he approached the group and kneeled next to her taking a small computer interface tool out his pack.

 

"Hey Charlie, Can you help me out? I have a software problem." Whitman asked holding his interface tool out in front of the computer genius. He turned to lookup at the two men with her and held his other hand out to shake. "I'm Jason Whitman. Don't call me Jay and we'll be friends for life."

[Corinthian]

Selecting his weapon wasn't difficult. A standard pump-action shotgun and a relatively large pistol. Jericho or something. He got back from gearing up in time to catch most of the introductions.

 

"I'm sure the security personnel are familiar with me. Peter Walker. Nice to be dealing with you from this side of an isolation cell." He gave a tight smile to them. "Well, I guess you're appointed Boss of our little expedition, Summersfield. Hopefully we'll get along better than me and the Overlord." He extended his hand towards Summersfield. "I'm ecstatic to be on the team, boss."

[Quist]

"Charmed," Roll replied, taking Peter's hand. "And it's Summerfield. But please, call me Roll. That whole 'boss' business is all too new to me." As she released his hand, she gave him a once-over. Scruffy, but probably quite capable in his own right. Roll wasn't sure where he fit into the whole team dynamic, but she was sure he'd fit in a lot better than Hernandez would. At least Peter hadn't called her leadership into question five minutes into her tenure.

 

"The Overseer wants us to leave soon, so we'll be heading out in a couple of hours," she told Peter, folding her arms over her chest. "I thought it would be a good idea to have everyone get to know each other before we head out into whatever's up there."