…and so the Vault Dweller and their surviving companions returned to Vault 13 with the Water
Chip, and it worked just fine. Apparently this new chip would work at least another
80 years. It looked like the day had been saved.
Never that easy.
*wistful beep*
Nope. Vault 13's records say that the Overseer determined that those Super Mutants from Necropolis
were too distinct from humanity to be a random mutation. Someone had to be making them, giving
evolution a little nudge in the right direction. Mass-producing new species. So the Overseer
sent the Vault Dweller back out into the wasteland to stop a whole army of mutants. To do that,
they would need more help than Tycho, Katja and that dog. Back then there was no hint
of your Republic. Not a single organization in the world that could stand against the
mutant army except ---
The Followers of the Apocalypse?
No!
The Brotherhood... Of... Steel!
Seems that the big savior of the New California Republic was actually member of the Brotherhood
of Steel. You got a museum where The Vault Dweller's Power Armor is up on display for
all the little NCR tykes to see?
Only reason the Vault Dweller joined you tinmen was because the Rangers didn't exist yet Hold
up.
They've been dead for almost a day... I don't recognize their armor. Some sort of tribal
maybe?
Luddites. Their kind operates North of Legion territory from Arizona through Missouri.
The thing we're chasing could have done this. Stole the clothes to blend in with the locals.
Clever.
The “thing” we’re chasing? What are you not telling me?
All you need to know is that we're tracking someone heading East. They're moving a lot
faster than we are, and now they're probably dressed like one of these Luddites. "Luddite"
that's an old-timey word from back when. People that hated science. Kinda the opposite of
the Brotherhood way of thinking.
We do enjoy our ray guns...
And back when the Vault Dweller was looking for help with the Super Mutants, you turned
them away because you love your toys more than people.
Back then the Brotherhood were isolationists. They only dealt with the outside world when
trading their guns for food.
Weren't the friendly sort, like you are now... They sent the Vault Dweller on some sort of
suicide mission, right?
The Brotherhood guards would send the rubes on a quest to prove their worth. Told them
to go down to Dayglow and return with a pre-war artifact.
Dayglow wasn't a thriving member of the republic back then. Just a radioactive hole in the
ground.
You want to tell this part? Because it sounds like you think you know Brotherhood history
better than me.
Alright, let's hear your propaganda.
Most folk didn't want to trek all the way down to the Glow, and the ones that did, found
the place full of more rads than a body can handle. So no one ever actually completed
this little Quixotic endeavor.
Until the Vault Dweller showed up carrying a load of shiny pre-war toys, and you nerds
couldn't resist. Must have been like Maxson's Birthday!
Something like that.
The gadgets that the Vault Dweller found deep within The Glow were impressive, but the real
treasure was information. A holotape that helped the Brotherhood learn the fate of a
lost expedition that never returned from The Glow, of men who broke away from the Founder's
column in 2077 to seek lost technologies and recover them for the benefit of all.
Despite what they teach you in the NCR, the Brotherhood does value human life. That's
why we keep our technology out of the hands of every yahoo that wants to play dress up
in shiny suit of armor, or go looking for a Solar-powered Death Ray.
Even The Vault Dweller had to earn their power armor, after becoming an initiate-
Quit jawing. Someone's hiding behind that car up ahead.
It's a Chryslus Highwayman.
Quiet.
It’s in good shape too…
Howdy.
*friendly beep*
Nice car. They say "Nothing can stop a Highwayman."
Thanks. Drove by a pack of them Luddites a couple of nights ago. Got a few spears in
her, and a railroad spike right through the fuel cell converter. That stopped her real
good.
You had this thing running?
Woah. Well howdy there ma'am. Didn’t see you there. Yup, had her purring like a kitten
for a while. Drove her up here from Nevada.
Never heard of a pre-war car running before.
Some mean son of bitch had a working Highwayman 'bout forty years ago out in California. I
found this one stuck in the mud outside of Vegas, figured it might be the same one that
the- I’m sorry I didn’t catch your names?
Helen Tanner. NCR Rangers.
My name is-
-listen, we’re kind of in a hurry. Anyone pass by on the road while you've been here?
One of them Luddites ran by yesterday. Didn't pay me no mind that time. Didn't have his
buddies with him.
That's our guy. Double time it.
You folks have a nice day, now.
You know, I can tell you that story about the Highwayman in California.
How do you run and blather at the same time?
It's like a marching cadence. Keeps my breathing regular. "I don't know but I've been told.
Elder Maxon's mighty old"
Stop! Fine, go back to that story about how the Vault Dweller joined you lunatics.
Sorry but that is a... story for an-other day
Sound off!
*beep beep*
Sound off!
*beep beep*