We start off this update in Megaton, where we left off again. Now that the whole nonsense involving that atomic bomb is taken care of, let's check out the local bar for a bit.
The person we need to talk to is where we met Burke last update. I wonder: What happens with the main quest if you decide to blow up Megaton before talking to Moriarty? Do you find a charred note near the ruins of Megaton with the whereabouts of your father? I'm genuinely curious about that, if anyone could fill me in that'd be awesome.
I hate Moriarty. Hilarious Irish accent and everything.
"If you've got the caps, I've got your pleasure. Please, sit down, amke yourself comfortable. Your troubles are a thing of the past."
"I'm looking for my father. Middle-aged guy. Maybe you've seen him?"
Still stupid. What's even stupider, is that it actually works.
"My God... It's you. The little baby girl, all grown up. Persistent little flower, ain't ya? Then and now, it would seem. It's been a long time, kid. Oh, your daddy passed through here, all right. Here and gone. Got what he came for, and then left. I'm assuming you'll do the same, correct?"
"Huh? My father and I were born in Vault 101?"
"Is that what your father told you? That you were born in that hole? That HE was born there as well? Oh, the lies we tell to those we love. Your father brought you to the Vault right after you were born. To keep you safe, you see. I remember it well - you stayed in my saloon, after all. That's right. Your father, his Brotherhood of Steel friend, and you, the suckling babe with nary a tit to suckle. Sorry about your mom. Truly. But, life goes on. Daddy lied. Life's full of disappointments. And now... you're all grown up and wondering where he's gone to..."
Wait, did he say Brotherhood of Steel? Must have been a slip of the tongue on the part of the voice actor. Has to be. Right?
"My Dad told me we were born in Vault 101..."
You can only express disbelief at the fact that you were born outside the vault, considering they've dropped some very unsubtle hints about it during the Vault 101 section of the game. One of my many issues with the PC (Player character) dialogue in this game, is that sometimes you get the same options, with varying degrees of dumbass.
"Aaahhh. I see. You know, I heard about the brainwashin' that goes on down there. From some other fella, escaped, oh... five years back. 'All hail the Overseer! We're born in the Vault; we die in the Vault!' And all that other assorted lunacy. Kid, you've got better programming than our own Deputy Weld. You'd best wise up quick. Wouldn't want anyone... takin' advantage of ya. Hmm?"
Christ, this guy is an asshole. Why are we supposed to like him again?
"Look, I just want to find my Dad. Do you know where he is?"
"You seem like a nice kid, so I'm going to be straight with you. Your dad was here, and now he's not, and yes I know where he went. But what you're asking for me for is information, and information is a commodity. Let's say... 100 caps, and daddy's location is yours. Very reasonable."
"I don't have 100 caps."
A hundred caps is indeed pocket change, but we've been outside the Vault for all about 45 minutes tops (actual time) so we're completely broke. Doesn't matter anyway, not going speech check skip any quests anyway.
"All right, kid. Let me help you out, you know... for old time's sake. If you don't have the caps to pay for the information, then maybe you could do a little favor for me."
"So you want me to do your dirty work?"
"Who said anything about dirty work? You need some caps. I'm giving you a way to get 'em. It's just business. This junkie ***** named Silver borrowed quite a few caps from me..."
So basically, dirty work. Let's not argue semantics here.
"Claimed she could start funneling Jet and Psycho to me for a good price. Problem is she scrammed with the loot and set herself up in Springvale so she can inject herself into a stupor. Get the caps she owes me and they're yours. Yours to pay me with anyway. He he he he he."
We need to head back to Sunnyvale for this trip. On the way out, we notice this poor guy, down on his luck.
Say hello to Mr. Karma Dispenser. He actually has a name, it's like Jim or something, I don't really care. There are a few of these guys around the different major settlements in this game. Basically, if you're a psychotic murderer, if you give this bastard a dozen or so purified waters, you're a saint again...
DYNAMIC KARMA SYSTEM!
"All I have is irradiated water."
"I've been drinking whatever I can find, but I can't do it anymore. I need purified water. Please... if you find any..."
Sadly, we don't have any purified water's to give to him. It's alright though, I don't think he really needs it. He's not going to die at any point in the game, and if you give him a purified water, right afterward he asks for more. Greedy much?
This is Silver's house. We passed it on our trip to the nearby school, and I pointed out it was the only other intact house in this whole area. Seems in decent shape for being 200 years old.
"Yes, and he says you owe him some caps."
"That bastard! He... he's a liar! He just wants me dead! Those caps are all mine. I earned them!
Not shown: A speech check screenshot with the associated dialogue. My bad there, accidentally deleted that screenshot.
"[SUCCESS] I am tired of hiding out here like some kind of Wasteland dog. I... I guess you're right. Here... this is all I have. Please leave me alone now."
Back to Megaton. Fast travelling is kind pointless between Megaton and Sunnyvale, cause I think the loading screen takes longer. Besides, fast travel is kind of immersion breaking. Don't see any other alternative though.
On our way back to Moriarty, we meet an interesting old man.
Enclave? He must be mistaken. There aren't any Enclave anymore.
"Now, I don't know you from Adam, but I got you pegged for a patriot and any patriot worth her salt is gonna toss her gun in for the Enclave. Any day now, they're gonna roll up here and then this nightmare'll be over for good! But listen to me ramble - I'm Nathan. What can I do for you?"
He's talking like this is only a few years, decades or so after the Great War. "Any day now, they're gonna roll up here I'm telling you". This feels like this game was meant to be a reboot of the series, or a prequel but at the least minute they made it a sequel instead. Just seems silly to me I guess.
"If you've never seen the Enclave, how can you know anything about them?"
"They're on the radio! They have been for years. President Eden talks about everything they're doing. They got flyin' robots all around, watching everything so they know what to do when they finally swoop in and clean this place up. You'll see. People think I'm just a crazy old man. Things'll be different when the Enclave gets here. God bless the Enclave."
You are just a crazy old man. I hope at least. There's no way that could be the same Enclave. Must be just some old government broadcast and the old man is too senile to tell the difference.
I hate you so much right now.
"I did your stupid favor. Now can you tell me where my father is?"
"You took care of our little lost lamb, eh? I knew I could count on you. How about you just hand over 100 caps and we'll call it even."
"Fine, here's your 100 caps."
Sucker doesn't even know we get to keep the extra 300 caps.
"Now that wasn't so difficult was it? Your dad came through here, all right. Didn't stay long, though. Said he had some important business to attend to, and headed off to the city. Something to do with Galaxy News Radio. Guess that'd be the place for you to start. Good hunting, and thanks for the caps."
Oh. That's helpful. It's going to be one of
those kinds of games, isn't it?
One more thing before we go to Galaxy News Radio. It's in the middle of DC right, which is a warzone right now. We better stock up on supplies.
Stray? What a great way to start a conversation.
"Good to meet you! I'm Moira Brown. I run Craterside Supply, but what I really do is mostly tinkering and research. Say, I'm working on a book about the Wasteland - it'd be great to have the foreword by a vault dweller, Help me out, would you?"
Ugh, it's her. I honestly don't hate Moira, despite the title of today's update. It's just that she's so annoying, that she becomes likeable, and then goes around to being annoying again. Somehow I still like her though, she has a condition that I'd call 'affably stupid'.
"Where'd you get the Vault Suit back there?"
"I'm pretty sure I remember a girl coming into town with that about ten, twelve years ago. She didn't know a thing about the Wastes, and I knew she'd get herself hurt without some sort of protection. So I offered to armor her vault suit. Never saw her again - probably died out there, poor thing. In a way, she gave me the idea to write this book. It's yours, if you help."
Seriously, what the hell is with all the people escaping Vault 101. Suddenly it's a big deal when your dad runs off, when this has happened at least TWICE before.
"Sure, I've got plenty to say about life in the Vault."
"Great! Just tell me what it's like to live underground all your life, or to come outside for the first time, or whatever strikes you fancy!"
"It was cramped, dark, and the food sucked. Good riddance."
And nearly everyone was an asshole, don't forget that too. Not like we had a choice to leave anyway.
"That's terrible. But it'll be great for a foreword. So in that sense, it's great!"
Yes, tell that to the person who was just kicked out of the only home she's ever known and left to die in a wasteland.
"I think you're going to like it out here. And here's the armorer suit, just to make sure you don't get recycled into something else's food. That'll be good for the book. In fact, want to help me with the research? I can pay you, and it'll be fun!"
"Not interested. I'm just here to do some shopping."
Don't worry, we'll do the Wasteland Survival Guide quest eventually anyway, if only because how silly it is, but I want to stay on track with the main quest for now.
"Well, okay. I guess. But I promise, you'll love it when you hear about the guide. Maybe later, huh?"
She's got nothing that's really useful to is that we can afford right now. Ah well.
We got a spiffy new Vault suit though. One thing I can very much compliment Bethesda on (And by extension Obsidian for New Vegas) is that the clothing is actually pretty damn detailed and good looking. Armor for the most part looks pretty nice as well, though not nearly as numerous as the clothing.
Take one last look at Megaton. We won't be back here for awhile...
...Good riddance, I say.