If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!
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(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
...
As he looked once more at the forgotten safe room and the skeleton that had guarded its final secret for centuries.
Back at Rayburn Point, life continued moving with the quiet efficiency that had become a hallmark of the Republic.
The excitement of the successful expedition gradually settled into calm professionalism.
There was no grand celebration.
No shouting.
No victory parade.
The Wind Farm Kill Switch Code had been recovered, but everyone understood that the mission was not truly complete until the code reached Vim! safely.
Captain Walker understood that better than anyone.
He stood outside the former Trapper headquarters with the waterproof satchel resting securely on the table before him.
Lieutenant Carter had already prepared the long-range radio.
Its antenna extended high above the rooftop, catching the morning breeze as one of the communications specialists carefully adjusted the signal.
Static crackled softly through the headset.
The operator glanced toward Walker.
"Signal's good, Captain."
Walker nodded.
"Let's call home."
The operator adjusted one final dial before speaking clearly into the microphone.
"Rayburn Point Expedition to Vim! Command."
A brief hiss of static answered.
Then came the familiar voice from hundreds of miles away.
"Vim! Command receiving."
Inside the operations room at Vim!, the radio operator immediately looked toward Sico.
"We've got Captain Walker."
Sico had been studying several reports spread across the large conference table alongside Harris, Lewis, Rebecca, and several senior officers.
The moment he heard Walker's name, he stepped forward and accepted the handset.
"This is Commander Sico."
"Go ahead, Captain."
Walker smiled as he heard the familiar voice.
"Commander."
"I'm pleased to report that the expedition to the island northwest of Rayburn Point was successful."
Everyone inside the operations room became noticeably quieter.
Lewis folded his arms.
Rebecca already had her pencil poised above another clean page in her ledger.
Walker continued.
"We encountered hostile wildlife shortly after landing."
"A group of Anglers attacked our search team."
"We eliminated all hostiles."
"No Republic casualties."
Sico nodded once.
"Excellent."
Walker carefully rested one hand on the satchel.
"Following DiMA's information, we searched the island thoroughly."
"We located disturbed ground matching the description."
He paused for only a moment.
"Inside a buried tool case…"
"…we recovered the Wind Farm Kill Switch Code."
Silence filled the operations room.
Then Harris allowed himself a satisfied smile.
Rebecca quietly wrote another entry.
Lewis exhaled through his nose.
"That's one less threat hanging over Far Harbor."
Sico pressed the microphone once more.
"Outstanding work, Captain."
"You and your men have accomplished exactly what we came here to do."
Walker glanced toward the seven soldiers who had made the crossing with him.
They weren't celebrating.
Most were already checking their equipment or helping organize supplies.
Exactly as he expected.
"It was a team effort, Commander."
"The boat performed perfectly."
"The search team worked well together."
"The code remains sealed and secure."
"Good."
Sico's tone became slightly firmer.
"Now listen carefully."
Walker straightened instinctively.
"I'm listening."
"I want your expedition to return to Vim! immediately."
Walker nodded.
"Understood."
"The Wind Farm Kill Switch Code is now your highest priority."
Sico looked around the room before continuing.
"Protect it at all costs."
"If anyone or anything, tries to interfere with your return…"
"…the code comes first."
Walker answered without hesitation.
"Yes, Commander."
"I'll personally make sure it reaches Vim!."
Sico smiled faintly.
"I know you will."
There was a brief pause before Walker spoke again.
"Rayburn Point itself is secure."
"The defensive positions are holding."
"The patrols haven't reported any new Trappers, Fog Crawlers, or Gulpers."
"Excellent."
Sico glanced toward the large map hanging on the wall.
"Leave the settlement in good condition."
"Take only what belongs to the Republic."
"We may return here in the future."
Walker looked around the quiet harbor.
The repaired barricades.
The reinforced entrances.
The sturdy watchtower.
The little wooden boat resting safely along the shoreline.
It already looked far different from the Trapper settlement they had fought through only days earlier.
"It'll be ready whenever we come back."
"I have no doubt."
Sico's voice softened slightly.
"And Captain…"
"Yes, Commander?"
"Well done."
Walker smiled.
"Thank you, sir."
The transmission faded into static.
For a few moments, neither side spoke.
Back inside Vim!, Harris reached over and moved another marker on the operations map.
"Mission accomplished."
Lewis leaned against the edge of the table.
"One objective completed."
Rebecca smiled while writing another neat line inside her growing journal.
"'Island Expedition.'"
She looked up.
"I think this chapter deserves a happy ending."
Several people quietly laughed.
Sico returned the handset to the radio operator.
"It isn't the ending."
He looked toward the map where Captain Brooks' force remained at the Harbor Grand Hotel.
"It's another step."
"There's still work ahead."
Back at Rayburn Point, Walker clipped the radio back onto his vest.
He looked toward the assembled expedition.
"Everyone heard the Commander."
Several soldiers nodded.
"Our job now is simple."
"We're going home."
No one complained.
They had been away from Vim! for several days.
Everyone looked forward to sleeping in familiar barracks again.
Walker raised his voice slightly.
"Break camp."
The quiet harbor immediately became busy again.
Not with panic.
With organization.
The temporary camp that had served them so well over the past several days slowly began disappearing.
Inside the former Trapper headquarters, soldiers folded blankets and packed medical supplies into sturdy wooden crates.
Lanterns were extinguished.
Maps were carefully rolled together.
The temporary radio station was dismantled piece by piece.
Outside, mechanics performed one final inspection of both Humvees before departure.
One mechanic slid out from beneath the lead vehicle and wiped grease from his hands.
"Everything checks out."
The driver climbed into the cab.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
The mechanic slapped the armored door.
"She'll get you home."
Nearby, another team inspected the second Humvee.
Fresh ammunition belts were loaded into the turret.
Fuel levels were checked one final time.
Tire pressure.
Suspension.
Brakes.
Nothing was overlooked.
The supply truck, parked near the center of the settlement, became the busiest place in Rayburn Point.
Its rear canvas had been rolled completely open.
Walker stood nearby with a clipboard.
"Medical supplies first."
The soldiers immediately formed another human chain.
Crates moved steadily from the headquarters building back into the truck.
Food supplies.
Water containers.
Engineering tools.
Replacement radio parts.
Fuel cans.
Spare lumber that remained from building the boat.
Even unused nails and rope were packed carefully away.
Nothing useful was left behind.
Lieutenant Carter supervised the loading.
"Heavy crates toward the front."
"Keep the medical equipment dry."
"Stack the ammunition separately."
Two soldiers carefully lifted the remaining waterproof pitch into the cargo bed.
Another secured the construction tools with thick rope.
One private looked toward the wooden boat resting quietly on the shoreline.
"What about her?"
Walker followed his gaze.
The boat floated gently beside the repaired dock.
The captain smiled.
"She stays."
Several soldiers looked surprised.
Walker walked toward the shoreline.
He rested one hand along the smooth timber.
"We built her for this mission."
"And she completed it."
He looked back toward the settlement.
"If we ever return…"
"…she'll be waiting."
The carpenter who had helped design her smiled proudly.
"Not a bad retirement."
Walker laughed.
"I wouldn't call it retirement."
"More like reserve duty."
The nearby soldiers chuckled.
Once the truck had been fully loaded, tarpaulins were stretched tightly across the cargo.
Heavy ropes secured every corner.
Nothing would shift during the drive back to Vim!.
Meanwhile, the defensive positions received one final inspection.
Sergeant Ellis climbed the repaired watchtower once more.
He slowly swept binoculars across the surrounding wilderness.
The forests remained still.
The rocky coastline was empty.
Only seabirds circled above the cliffs.
He keyed his radio.
"Perimeter clear."
Walker acknowledged immediately.
"Good."
"Come on down."
Ellis descended the ladder and joined the others.
The Republic flag above the headquarters fluttered gently in the breeze.
Walker looked up at it for a long moment.
Then he carefully lowered it.
He folded the fabric neatly with practiced hands before placing it inside a protective case.
"We'll raise it again," Carter said quietly.
Walker nodded.
"When we come back."
The convoy slowly assembled near the settlement entrance.
The two Humvees rolled into position first.
One at the front.
One at the rear.
Their mounted machine guns remained manned despite the peaceful morning.
The supply truck settled safely between them.
Exactly as convoy doctrine required.
Walker climbed into the lead Humvee.
Sergeant Ellis took the passenger seat.
Behind them, the turret gunner performed one last check of his weapon before gripping the handles.
The remaining soldiers climbed aboard the truck, taking seats along the benches lining the cargo compartment.
Others occupied the second Humvee.
Engines rumbled to life almost together.
The familiar diesel sound echoed gently through Rayburn Point.
Walker picked up the convoy radio.
"Convoy."
"Status."
The replies came immediately.
"Lead Humvee ready."
"Truck ready."
"Rear Humvee ready."
Walker looked one last time toward the quiet harbor.
The repaired defenses.
The abandoned Trapper buildings.
The wooden boat tied securely beside the dock.
Everything stood peacefully beneath the morning sun.
Mission accomplished.
He smiled faintly before keying the microphone.
"Convoy…"
"…move out."
The lead Humvee rolled forward through the entrance.
The truck followed steadily behind.
The rear Humvee closed the formation.
Slowly, the Republic convoy departed Rayburn Point.
Its tires carried it back onto the winding Island roads leading toward Vim!.
Hidden safely inside the convoy was a single waterproof packet containing the Wind Farm Kill Switch Code.
Every soldier understood its importance.
No one treated it like ordinary cargo.
It represented the safety of Far Harbor.
The safety of innocent families.
And another promise kept by the Republic.
As the convoy disappeared into the pine forests, Rayburn Point gradually fell silent once again.
The watchtower overlooked an empty road.
The rebuilt defenses stood waiting.
The little wooden boat rocked gently against the dock with the tide.
Then the scene change to Harbor Grand Hotel, as Captain Brooks remained inside the temporary command post for several moments after the safe room security recording fell silent.
No one spoke.
The tape recorder emitted a soft mechanical click before stopping completely.
The room felt strangely heavier than before.
The skeleton still sat quietly against the far wall, as though it had waited over two centuries for someone to hear the final message it had guarded.
Lieutenant Parker slowly closed his notebook.
"So…"
"It wasn't here after all."
Brooks nodded once.
"No."
"But we found exactly what we came for."
Several soldiers looked at him curiously.
The captain rested a hand on the old tape recorder.
"Information."
"Sometimes that's worth just as much."
After one final look around the secure room, Brooks turned toward the doorway.
"Let's report to Commander Sico."
Only minutes later, the communications team had reassembled the long-range radio in the lobby.
The grand reception desk once used by hotel guests had become the expedition's communications center.
The antenna outside had already been adjusted toward Vim!.
Static hissed softly through the speakers.
A radio operator tested the signal before looking up.
"Captain."
"I've got a clear connection."
Brooks nodded.
"Let's send it."
The operator leaned toward the microphone.
"Harbor Grand Expedition to Vim! Command."
A burst of static answered.
Then the familiar voice came back almost immediately.
"Vim! Command receiving."
Inside Vim!'s operations room, another radio operator looked toward Sico.
"Captain Brooks is calling."
Sico stepped away from the large campaign map.
Several officers naturally gathered nearby.
Harris folded his arms.
Lewis pulled another chair closer.
Rebecca already had her notebook open, ready to record whatever came next.
Sico accepted the handset.
"This is Commander Sico."
"Go ahead, Captain."
Back inside the hotel lobby, Brooks smiled faintly upon hearing the commander's voice.
"Commander."
"We've completed our search of the Harbor Grand Hotel."
The operations room immediately became quiet.
Every conversation stopped.
Brooks continued calmly.
"We searched every accessible guest floor."
"Conference rooms."
"Maintenance corridors."
"Administrative offices."
"The basement."
"The roof."
He paused.
"We also completed another structural assessment while conducting the search."
Sico listened without interrupting.
"And?"
Brooks took a slow breath.
"The nuclear launch code isn't here."
Nobody inside Vim! looked surprised.
Disappointed perhaps.
But not surprised.
Finding something hidden for over two centuries had never been expected to be easy.
Brooks continued before anyone could speak.
"However…"
"We found another lead."
Rebecca's pencil immediately began moving across the paper.
Sico nodded once.
"Go on."
Brooks looked toward the security tape resting beside the radio.
"We located a reinforced safe room on the third floor."
"There was a deceased pre-war security officer inside."
"We recovered a security recording."
"The recording states that before the evacuation…"
"…the launch authorization material was transferred."
He glanced toward Parker.
"The final transfer location was Fringe Cove Docks."
Silence settled over Vim!'s operations room.
Harris slowly looked toward the large map covering one wall.
Lewis stepped closer.
"Fringe Cove Docks…"
Rebecca quickly flipped several pages inside her notebook until she found the regional map she'd copied earlier.
"There."
She pointed.
"Southeast coastline."
Sico studied the location for several long seconds.
Another marker.
Another objective.
Another piece of DiMA's hidden puzzle finally falling into place.
He pressed the microphone.
"Captain."
"Are you confident in the recording?"
Brooks answered immediately.
"Yes, Commander."
"It wasn't hearsay."
"It was an official security recording made by the captain of the nuclear submarine."
"He specifically named Fringe Cove Docks as the transfer point."
Sico nodded slowly.
"Understood."
He glanced once more toward Harris.
The older officer gave a small nod.
It was enough.
Sico keyed the microphone again.
"Copy that."
"You've done well."
Brooks relaxed slightly.
"I was hoping you'd say that."
A few soldiers nearby smiled.
Sico continued.
"I want your force to proceed to Fringe Cove Docks."
Brooks straightened instinctively.
"Understood."
"But take your time."
His voice became more serious.
"You already know what happened at both the Harbor Grand Hotel and Rayburn Point."
"Whoever hid these codes didn't choose easy locations."
"I don't want anyone rushing into another ambush."
Brooks nodded despite knowing Sico couldn't see him.
"We'll move slowly."
"We'll clear every approach."
"We'll search carefully."
"Good."
Sico rested one hand on the edge of the operations table.
"Assume the docks could still be occupied."
"Super Mutants."
"Trappers."
"Wildlife."
"Anything."
"Don't underestimate the location."
"We won't."
Sico continued.
"If resistance is heavier than expected…"
"…pull back."
"Call for support."
"The code isn't worth losing good people."
Brooks smiled slightly.
"I'll remind the men of that."
There was a brief pause.
Then Sico spoke again.
"And Captain."
"Yes, Commander?"
"Good work finding the lead."
"You may not have recovered the launch code today…"
"…but you've narrowed the search."
"That's progress."
Brooks nodded.
"I appreciate that, Commander."
"We'll head for Fringe Cove Docks immediately."
"I'll be waiting for your next report."
The transmission ended with another burst of static.
Inside Vim!, Sico slowly returned the handset to the communications operator.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Lewis finally broke the silence.
"So…"
"The search continues."
Sico nodded.
"It does."
Harris looked thoughtfully at the map.
"But at least we're not searching blind anymore."
Rebecca carefully wrote another line beneath the previous report.
Harbor Grand Hotel Search Complete.
New objective identified: Fringe Cove Docks.
She smiled faintly.
"Another clue."
"Another step closer."
Sico looked toward the map where Walker's convoy was already returning with the Wind Farm Kill Switch Code.
One objective completed.
Another still waiting.
The Republic was making progress on both fronts.
Exactly as planned.
Back at the Harbor Grand Hotel, Brooks clipped his radio back onto his vest before turning toward the soldiers gathered inside the lobby.
"You all heard the Commander."
The men and women nodded.
"Our destination has changed."
He pointed toward the entrance.
"Fringe Cove Docks."
A murmur spread through the room.
One corporal scratched his chin.
"I've heard stories about that place."
Another soldier shrugged.
"I've heard stories about every place on this island."
"None of them have been welcoming."
That earned a few quiet laughs.
Brooks smiled.
"Probably true."
His expression quickly became serious again.
"We move the same way we've moved everywhere else."
"Slowly."
"Professionally."
"And together."
Nobody objected.
The temporary field hospital inside the lobby became the first priority.
Doctor Hayes moved between the cots checking every patient one final time.
"How's your shoulder?"
The rifleman rotated his arm carefully.
"Much better."
"Good."
"You'll ride in the truck."
"No arguments."
He laughed.
"I wasn't planning on arguing."
Another medic removed the final bandage from a sniper's forehead.
"Keep it clean."
"It'll heal."
Nearby, soldiers carefully folded blankets before packing them into supply crates.
Lanterns were extinguished.
Medical kits were inventoried.
Nothing was left behind.
Brooks wanted the lobby looking almost exactly as they had found it—only cleaner.
Outside, the truck once again became the busiest place in the hotel grounds.
Its rear canvas had been rolled open.
Soldiers formed another orderly chain stretching from the lobby to the truck.
Boxes passed steadily from one pair of hands to another.
Engineering tools.
Medical supplies.
Water containers.
Radio equipment.
Fuel cans.
Extra ammunition.
One young private caught a heavy wooden crate and nearly lost his grip.
"What is in this thing?"
The soldier behind him grinned.
"Probably every wrench Lieutenant Parker owns."
Parker overheard.
"I counted them."
"If one goes missing…"
"…I'll notice."
The men laughed while sliding the crate into place.
Nearby, another team carefully secured the radio equipment with thick straps.
The communications specialist checked each antenna before storing it safely.
"We'll need this at Fringe Cove."
Brooks nodded.
"Exactly."
Meanwhile, the mechanics prepared the convoy.
The two Humvees remained positioned in front of the hotel's entrance exactly as they had been throughout the previous day.
Now, however, engines rumbled softly as final inspections began.
One mechanic tightened the last bolt securing the front machine gun.
"There."
"She won't be rattling loose."
The gunner climbed into position.
"I appreciate that."
Fresh ammunition belts disappeared into metal ammunition boxes.
Oil levels were checked.
Radiators inspected.
Tires kicked.
Suspension examined.
Every detail mattered.
The Island had a habit of punishing carelessness.
High above, Sergeant Mason and the rooftop sniper team completed one final observation sweep.
Binoculars moved slowly across the coastline.
The Atlantic stretched endlessly toward the horizon.
Nothing unusual appeared.
"No movement."
The spotter lowered his scope.
"Inland road's clear."
Mason keyed his radio.
"Roof to Captain."
"Area remains secure."
Brooks answered immediately.
"Copy."
"Come on down."
Within minutes, the rooftop team carefully descended the hotel's stairwell carrying their rifles and spotting scopes.
The roof would soon be empty once again.
Lieutenant Parker completed the final engineering notes before closing his clipboard.
He walked over to Brooks.
"My assessment is finished."
Brooks looked up.
"And?"
Parker smiled.
"If we're asking whether this could become a Republic base someday…"
"My answer is yes."
He looked back toward the hotel.
"It'll need repairs."
"New windows."
"Roof reinforcement."
"Interior cleanup."
"But structurally…"
"…she's worth saving."
Brooks nodded thoughtfully.
"I had the same feeling."
Parker tucked the clipboard beneath his arm.
"When this operation is over…"
"I think Commander Sico should see the place himself."
"I agree."
The temporary Republic flag fluttered gently beside the entrance.
Brooks walked toward it.
He carefully untied the fabric from the makeshift pole.
For several quiet moments he simply held it.
Yesterday it had announced that the hotel belonged to the Republic.
Today it would travel onward with them.
"When we come back," one soldier said quietly.
Brooks smiled.
"We'll fly it again."
He folded the flag carefully before placing it inside its protective case.
The convoy slowly assembled across the front parking lot.
The lead Humvee rolled into position first.
The supply truck settled behind it.
The second Humvee took its place at the rear.
Exactly the same convoy formation that had carried them safely across the Island before.
Brooks climbed into the passenger seat of the lead Humvee.
Lieutenant Parker occupied the driver's seat.
Behind them, the turret gunner checked his traverse one final time.
Inside the truck, soldiers settled onto the benches lining the cargo compartment.
Some cleaned rifles while waiting.
Others quietly shared guesses about what awaited them at Fringe Cove Docks.
"Think we'll actually find the launch code?"
One private asked.
An older sergeant shrugged.
"I've stopped trying to predict this island."
"So have I."
Brooks picked up the convoy radio.
"Status check."
The replies came immediately.
"Lead Humvee ready."
"Truck ready."
"Rear Humvee ready."
Brooks looked through the windshield toward the road winding away from the Harbor Grand Hotel.
Somewhere beyond those forests…
Beyond those cliffs…
Fringe Cove Docks waited.
And if the centuries-old recording had spoken the truth…
So did the Republic's next objective.
He pressed the transmit button one final time.
"Convoy…"
"…move out."
The lead Humvee rolled slowly through the hotel entrance.
The supply truck followed close behind.
The rear Humvee closed the formation, its heavy machine gun sweeping methodically across the surrounding tree line as the convoy disappeared onto the coastal road.
Behind them, the Harbor Grand Hotel stood silent once more.
The cleaned lobby.
The repaired defenses.
The empty safe room.
The lone skeleton who had protected one final secret for more than two hundred years.
The Republic was leaving, but not forever.
If Lieutenant Parker's assessment proved correct, the old hotel would one day welcome new occupants which not raiders or Super Mutants, but disciplined soldiers, engineers, medics, and settlers working together to rebuild Far Harbor.
For now, however, another destination called.
Fringe Cove Docks.
And somewhere among its weathered piers, forgotten warehouses, and rusting pre-war structures, the search for the nuclear launch code was about to begin.
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• Name: Sico
• Stats :
S: 8,44
P: 7,44
E: 8,44
C: 8,44
I: 9,44
A: 7,45
L: 7
• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills
• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.
• Active Quest:-