"Sanctuary, this is Nate. Do you read me?"
I was almost out of range by now. There was a lot of crackling but I eventually heard Sturges. "Nate, this is Sanctuary. We hear you. What is your position?"
"About to cross the river. Once I do, I will probably be out of range. I haven't found any relay towers yet, so I'll likely be radio silent until I begin the journey back. I have something to report. You'll want to pass this on immediately."
"Go ahead, Nate. Preston is listening."
"Made contact with an organisation yesterday. Brotherhood of Steel. Only a small force, numbering three, though they did number more at an earlier time but have taken casualties. Their mission is in regards to obtaining technology. At the moment, consider them friendlies."
"I've heard of them before, Nate," Preston replied, "We ran into one of their patrols a few years back. I wouldn't consider them 'friendly' but they didn't cause us any problems."
"Good, so you know what you're dealing with. They're based out of Cambridge Police Station, about a click north of the river. They are aware of the Minutemen. While they've offered help to me, I'm sure if you run into any issues, they might be able to provide assistance. Just something to keep in mind."
"Sanctuary Hills is peaceful at the moment. Settlers continue to arrive. We're now sending some to Sunshine, Abernathy and Tenpines. We're also sending small teams of Minutemen and scavengers further afield though not further than the highways until your say so. Carla has also arrived and mentioned you met while you were heading south. She has promised to spread the word that the Minutemen are being rebuilt and more caravans will start heading our way to trade."
"Good news. Just be aware that word being spread will eventually put a target on our backs."
"Our defences are solid, Nate. And those who wish to serve are training daily. We'll be ready if they decide to attack."
"Excellent. Right, I'm going to cross so you won't hear from me for a while. Good luck."
"You too, Nate. Sanctuary out."
Just getting across the bridge was an experience in itself. Being a bascule bridge, a boat had crashed as either side was going up or down. But it meant I had to walk an incline, and as I peered over the edge, I could see raiders had made a home for themselves on a barge attached. I'd already made my mind up that I'd take out any Raiders I ran into, and this was no different. And having a height advantage, I took out my rifle, stayed in cover, and did my best to line up shots.
The first two struck home, gunfire immediately returned, most only hitting the concrete supports around me, noticing two raiders run up the boat, armed only with blunt weapons. I shook my head in absolute dismay at such tactics, placing my rifle on the ground, unclipping my shotgun and spun as the first one appeared. Absolutely no fear whatsoever, but no brains either, waiting until they were as close as possible before firing. The blast sent them flying backwards into their friend, walking up as he tried to lift his dead companion off him.
"You people are seriously fucking stupid," I said as I aimed the barrel and pulled the trigger.
Having cleared a few of them, I clipped the rifle back into position and headed down. There were only three left, but was dressed in a power armour frame, but lacking the actual armour parts, except for one or two basic looking bodge jobs. I cooked and threw a grenade, forcing them into cover as I charged forward into cover of my own.
"You're dead, arsehole!" one of them yelled.
Same threats, same idiots. They were smart enough to remain in cover, peeking out to take their positions. I cook another grenade and threw, hearing it land and explode, followed by either cries of pain or someone dying. But I knew now only one or two remained, so I surged forward, crossing a rickety wooden platform before stepping onto the barge, heading straight for the raider in the power armour frame. Head exposed, I simply aimed and fired, though missed, most of the shot hitting his frame, though that alone would have caused damage. A second raider was above me, firing down, swinging my shotgun to fire, hearing him cry out, before I turned back to the other raider, who was definitely injured but just charged at me.
"Fuck you!" he yelled.
I met his charge, and with all the armour I had, he went flying backwards, lifting my shotgun again and blasting. I heard the groan as he would have taken more damage, lifting my shotgun just enough this time, his eyes going wide as I pulled the trigger. I swung around to the last raider, who was nursing wounds in both legs. Reaching up, I dragged him down to the floor.
"Ow, man. Fuck…" I lifted the shotgun and aimed. He lifted his arms in front of his face, but it wasn't going to stop a shell at such close range.
Checking the barge, I found plenty of supplies, mostly ammunition as always, filling a couple more magazines. Most of the weaponry was sub-standard again, though I finally got my hand on a combat rifle. .45 caliber, which could be used in rifles, pistols or carbines. I checked the weapon over, impressed at how well it had been maintained. And I immediately thought if I could find a combat rifle in the hands of a raider, what other sort of weapons might I find? I immediately thought of something such as an assault rifle, preferably full-automatic so I could just spray idiots with bullets. Or a proper hunting rifle for scoping and distance.
Climbing back up the boat, I crossed the bridge and, though I'd been to the centre of Boston plenty of times, the destruction was obvious, and I quickly realised that many streets were not cleared. But I saw signs written on wooden boards stating that Diamond City was ahead. And I almost slapped my head in my own stupidity as I started to head south. How did I not put two and two together earlier?
I would have smiled as I approached what had been called Fenway Park two hundred years earlier, though I figured that baseball was no longer being played. The road leading towards Diamond City was quiet, and I soon passed by what looked like security guards, who to my amusement, were wearing what baseball umpires used to wear. But they were armed with weapons, and I passed by more than one machine gun turret.
I eventually reached one of the old entrances leading into Fenway. I stopped and could almost close my eyes, remembering the sounds and smells of game day. Hawkers selling tickets, team memorabilia, food and drink, even betting slips. Families, couples, single men and women arriving to watch baseball, most wearing a team shirt or hat, some having their face painted, plenty of kids wearing gloves. Some would hang around the player entrance, hoping for an autograph or a photo. I still remember the excitement of the last game I'd seen with Nora, believing we were on the verge of greatness.
Away with my thoughts, I hadn't heard the commotion by the closed gate, glancing to see a woman speaking to someone in the intercom, and she was not happy as it sounded like someone was making sure she couldn't enter the ground. Knowing it was at least one entrance inside, and from what I could see, the only one that remained operational, I approached and she immediately looked a little concerned at the person arriving in power armour, but as I wasn't armed, she did relax enough before she grinned. She was… quite pretty, actually. "You! You want into Diamond City, right?" she asked quietly.
"Well, yeah, that's what I'm here."
She gestured for me to come a little closer as a grin crossed her features. I almost laughed as I knew exactly what she had planned. "What was that? You said you're a trader up from Quincy? You have enough supplies to keep the general store stocked. You hear that, Danny? You gonna open the gate and let us in? Or are you going to be the one talking to crazy Myrna about losing out on all this supply?"
I almost laughed as I couldn't believe whoever was on the other end of the intercom bought it. "Geez, all right. No need to make it personal, Piper. Give me a minute."
We stood back as the gate slowly opened up. There were a couple of guards inside plus an older gentleman in the first properly clean suit I'd seen since waking up. And he looked rather pissed off by events, realising immediately that I was no trader. I thought the power armour would have concerned them but I guess I didn't look like a Raider. His eyes flicked to me before he glared at Piper.
"You devious, rabble-rousing slanderer! The… the level of dishonesty in that paper of yours! I'll have that printer scrapped for parts."
Ah, so she was a journalist. The fact journalism still existed was a surprise, and nice to see it hadn't changed if she was managing to piss off those in power. With the collapse of society in the United States, the imposition of martial law, it had always amazed me that the freedom of the press remained. And it appeared there was still a free press, though I had no idea what standard it was now at, but it told me that there was still some education.
"Oooh, that a statement, Mr. McDonough? "Tyrant mayor shuts down the press?" I almost laughed again. The accusation in the tone would have chilled many to the bone. She must have been bloody good at her job. Then Piper turned to me. "Why don't we ask the newcomer? You support the news? 'Cause the mayor's threatening to throw free speech in the dumpster."
"The First Amendment of the United States Constitution states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. So yes, Miss Piper, I support the freedom of the press. Without it, any government, no matter how small, has no-one asking questions that matter to us all."
Piper blinked at me in surprise. I think the mayor was flabbergasted at hearing such words, probably having never heard them before. Piper then grinned. "He's got you there, McDonough. Guess not everyone gets won over by that shark smile of yours."
The mayor, realising it was perhaps wise to move on, cleared his throat. "Now, was there anything particular you came to our city for, stranger?"
"I've been heading south for the past couple of days. I've been told about Diamond City so though I would visit, perhaps hoping I might find some information about Vault-Tec."
"Hang on, what? Who or what is Vault-Tec?" Piper asked.
"The people who built the vaults before the Great War."
"And why are you interested in finding them?"
"Because I'm from a vault."
She took that revelation in her stride. "If you need an investigator, the best person to speak to would be Nick Valentine of Valentine's Detective Agency. He might know how to find them." By now, the mayor had quietly departed, leaving Piper and I alone with a couple of guards. "So you're from a vault?"
"It's a long story. Is there somewhere I can store this power armour so I can have a look around. I haven't been here in a long time…"
"Yeah, there's a power armour station inside. It should remain safe. I doubt many know how to use power armour. How did you manage to find some?"
"Killed some raiders and a deathclaw for it."
"Wow. Impressive."
Heading inside, we climbed the steps and I got my first view of Diamond City. It… wasn't what I expected. The baseball ground had long gone. Most of the stadium was in some stage of disrepair. Most of the seats had been ripped up. Many of the lights were out, but some of them were still bright, even two centuries later. The diamond had disappeared, now covered with steel and wooden structure. I figured there was probably a bad smell, not looking forward to taking off my power armour for that reason alone.
But, it was civilisation, to a point. It appeared there was some sort of society going on. Looking up, the upper stands had also been converted into dwellings. I could guess that quite a few people did live in Diamond City. "Come on, I'll show you where to store your armour. Want a tour?"
"Sure. Thanks."
She led me down the steps onto the ground itself. The grass had long since disappeared, dirt and mud being covered by wooden boards. Leading me past a food stand, there was a power armour station ahead. Climbing out, I made sure to eject the F.C so no-one could get in and walk off with it. The first thing I did was sniff the air. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but there was still a smell in the air. It wasn't particularly pleasant, but I figured I could handle it. I met her eyes and grinned, offering my hand. "So, guess I should introduce myself. I'm Nate. Nate Shepard."
She took the offer, surprised her hands were as soft as they were. "Piper. Piper Wright. Nice to meet you, Blue."
I couldn't help grin. "Blue?"
She grabbed my left wrist, holding up my Pip-Boy. "I know you're not wearing the jumpsuit right now but the Pip-Boy and the 'fish out of water' look? Dead giveaways. So you were in a vault?"
"Why don't you show me around first and then we can sit down and talk about it."
"That's a good idea."
On appearances, it was nothing to write home about, but Diamond City was a good attempt at, well, rebuilding civilisation. There was a science lab, a school, running water, electricity, stores selling goods, two pubs, a few dining places, there was a heavy security presence, and also elements of social class, the 'rich' living in the bleachers above. Surprisingly, there was a chapel, suggesting some form of religion had survived into the post-war world. Piper called Diamond City the 'Great Green Jewel', which I assume referred to the 'Green Monster'.
After walking around, we walked towards one of the two bars, the 'Dugout Inn'. She bought us a couple of beers, surprised they were cold. The man behind the bar noticed my surprise as I took the bottle. "We have rudimentary refrigerator. People like a cold beer," he explained in a distinctly Russian accent. I had no idea there were any Russians left in the wasteland.
Piper and I found a spare table, taking a seat opposite one another. She looked me up and down, no doubt noting the military fatigues and cap I'd now removed. The fact I was still armed with a pistol at my hip and shotgun on my back raised her interest in me as well, purely from whatever story I had to share.
"So, what does the mayor have against you anyway?" I asked first.
"What d'you think? Print lies and everybody's happy, but if you print the truth..."
"What truth is that?"
"My last story accused Mayor McDonough of being an Institute synth. I can only assume he didn't appreciate the accusation so attempted to have me exiled."
"I can't believe newspapers still exist after the bombs dropped. Is the newspaper yours?"
That made her grin. "It is. Owner and editor. Managed to get a printing press working. I called it 'Publick Occurrences'. I have my supporters and detractors, but that comes with printing what I investigate and find. Some people find the hard truth a difficult pill to swallow."
"True. Same thing happened before the war. People didn't want their idyllic existence shattered by hearing or reading that the government didn't actually have your best interests at heart."
"That's the second or third time you've said 'before the war', Blue. How do you mean?"
"It's why I want to find Vault-Tec. Technically, I'm around two hundred and fifty years old. I was alive the day the bombs fell, Piper. There's a vault just north of Sanctuary Hills. Vault 111. I was cryogenically frozen for just over two hundred years."
I definitely enjoyed the gaping jaw and sheer look of surprise… but also a mixture of sadness and horror. "I'm… so sorry, Blue."
"The only thing I'm sorry about is… my wife…" Her hand immediately reached across to take one of my mine. "It's fine. I've grieved. Now I'm just a little bit pissed off about it. But it's why I want to find Vault-Tec."
"You're not the first vault dweller to arrive here."
I raised my eyebrows. "Well, it couldn't be anyone from Vault 111, so is there another vault around?"
"There are a few actually, but the one still functioning as I believe it should have done is Vault 81. They're rather isolationist, keeping their communication and relationship to the outside world at a minimum. I've never been inside, but they do trade with one or two caravans."
"I'd like to meet other vault dwellers, but I doubt they'd have the answers I'm after."
"When did you wake up?"
"October 23rd, a couple of months back." I looked around and noticed something for the first time. "You still celebrate Christmas?"
"Yeah, it gives everyone a small chance to hope for something better. So if you woke up a couple of months ago, what have you been doing?"
"I assume you've heard of the Minutemen?"
"Last I heard, they'd been wiped out in and around Quincy. Lot of bad news around what happened there." My face must have fallen as she asked, "You obviously know about it?"
"Five survivors made it to Concord, where I met them not long after waking up. That's where I found the power armour. I helped them to Sanctuary, where we've since made a go at building a settlement. There are now around fifty settlers."
The smile was genuinely warm. "Really?"
"Yeah, you probably don't get our signal this far south," I used our bottles and a couple of other things, "We've got Sanctuary here, then Abernathy Farm to the south west, Sunshine to the south of there, then to the east we've got Tenpines Bluff. All four settlements are now under the protection of the Commonwealth Minutemen."
"And it took you to rebuild it?"
"Not just me."
"But before you arrived, they'd practically disappeared."
"They have before. Not sure how much history is known, but the first Minutemen fought in the American Revolution." I paused before asking, "Do you know about that?" The smile was slightly sarcastic, and I couldn't help chuckle. "Sorry, I just don't know how much history would be known after everything."
"Museums that survived were a treasure trove of information. I'm sure quite a lot of information was lost, but we know about the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War One, World War Two…"
"Lot of war."
"So, were you a soldier before the Great War?"
"Recently retired, but otherwise, yes. I was a member of the United States Army. I fought on the Anchorage Frontline most of the time."
"Guess that explains how you can use power armour and how you made it this far and safe without a problem."
"I had some help on the way, but I don't mind take out raiders at the same time. Or feral ghouls."
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity. "How many raiders?"
"Know of Lexington?" She nodded. "Well, let's just say Lexington centre and Corvega Assembly Plant are now raider free. And also ghoul free too, clearing out the local supermarket. No plans to do anything there but it makes the road between the Lexington and Sanctuary a little safer, at least."
"And you did that yourself"?
"Power armour helps, but yes, I did it alone."
"Wow." She sounded genuinely impressed. "So you want to find Vault-Tec. And after that?"
"I'm not sure. I did run into the Brotherhood of Steel across the river in Cambridge. I have an offer from them about joining their ranks. Considering they are an army of some sort, it was familiar, at least. Their intentions seem noble."
"Heard of them but never had any contact." She paused, no doubt chewing over her next question. "So what do you think of Diamond City?"
"This on or off the record."
"Off for now but… well, since you're the only pre-war person we're ever to likely meet, I'm hoping you might agree to an interview some time."
"Sure. So, if we're off the record, I'll be honest and admit it's not what I expected… though in a good way. I honestly though humanity would have just collapsed entirely, so the fact I walked in here and was greeted by something vaguely familiar was heartening. There are things that are obviously different but I can't expect things to have remained the same, not when the humans who survived were left with what probably amounted to an irradiated hellhole. I have no idea what's really happened in the intervening two hundred years. I imagine it wasn't easy for the survivors with the collapse of government and society. But the fact people have banded together like they have here suggested there are at least some people who want life to return to at least some sense of normality."
She smiled again. "That was a better answer than what I was expecting, to be honest."
"I think raiders are pricks, if that's what you want to hear. But without law and order, arseholes like that are always going to take advantage, prey on the weak and innocent. But when there are people like that, there are also people who will pick up a weapon and fight, like the Minutemen."
"And what about the Institute?"
"I don't know enough about them. I was told a little bit about them by the Brotherhood, and you have told me you think the mayor is a synth. If he is, that's a remarkable piece of technology."
She opened her mouth then seemed to stop herself. "I was going to go into a long diatribe about them, but I think you have enough on your plate for the moment. But you're willing to do an interview"?
"Sure."
"How about tomorrow?"
"Sounds good. I'm honestly in no rush as I doubt anyone is in Vault-Tec hastily deleting records, knowing I'm going to come knocking on their door soon."
"I'm not sure if any building they may have occupied is still standing."
Finishing our beers, we headed out and walked around a little more, Piper talking about her life in Diamond City. She'd been born in a small settlement further to the north. It was a tale typical of life after the war. Death and murder. Betrayal and retribution. Raiders and those who stand up and fight. She had a sister, Nat, who went to the local school but also helped run the newspaper, generally hawking it by the front gate. She enjoyed living in Diamond City, though, as it was one of the few places in the Commonwealth where there was vibrancy but also safety.
Walking by the shops, they were selling mostly scrap and salvage, though one was selling weapons and ammunition, before I approached a man I'd seen earlier, dressed in a dirty baseball uniform. "Hey! Swatter! Swatter! Swatter! Swatter! Swing swatter! Why buy just an ordinary piece of wood? A Swatter is custom-made piece of genuine hickory!"
I approached the man, surrounded by a crowd of a dozen or so. I had a feeling it was a regular performance as he pointed at me, Piper whispering into my ear that his name was Moe. "You, sir. You look different. Would you care for a genuine, authentic, custom-made hickory Swatter?"
I knew it was a baseball bat but I was intrigued as to what he knew about baseball. "Okay, I'll bite. What's a Swatter?"
He chuckled to himself. "A rookie, eh? A Swatter, my friend, is a Diamond City tradition. See it used to be that this whole place was a stadium. And two teams would meet and play a game called baseball. One team would beat the other team to death with things called Baseball Bats, and the best bats were called Swatters. True fact."
I groaned loudly, pinching the bridge of my nose as I heard Piper ask quietly, "Is that not right?"
I looked up as I felt a few eyes on me but I wondered if he knew anything else. "Oh, so what else do you know? What about teams that played?" I gestured around the decrepit stadium. "Who played here, for instance?"
"There was the Diamond City Demolishers. Big brutes of guys. Played in full power armour with special pneumatic arms parts for swinging. Then you had the Lexington Ladies. An all-female team, with coach Bloody Mary Sue at the helm. Highest kill count in the league. I could spend all day talking about the Concord Crushers or the Quincy Killmeisters, but you get the idea. It was a hell of a sport."
I groaned again. "Blue?" Piper asked.
"Look, dumbass, the first part I could forgive, as you had some of the basics right. But the second part? You are one hundred percent categorically wrong in every damned instance." I strode forward. "Move out of the way and let me explain what baseball actually was." He actually moved off the concrete block as I stood up, a few more people stepping forward with interest, wondering what the new guy had to say.
I looked around, Piper glancing up with interest… and a warm smile. I think she might be liking me already. I didn't mind, as she was damned cute in return. "People of Diamond City, baseball wasn't that at all. Baseball is… was America's past time. A sport that united families on warm summer days. And it wasn't violent. Mostly. Look above you at the bleachers and the seats that once ringed this holy ground. Thousands of us would pack on a summer's day or night and cheer on our team, consuming beer, popcorn and hot dogs. Children would wear gloves, hoping to catch a home run or, better yet, a grand slam. Families would come decked out in the gear, wearing the number of their favourite player. We'd cheer our own team and boo the opposition. We'd buy programmes and fill in the statistics. Baseball was a game of numbers and acronyms. What you wanted to score was a home run so you could round the bases. The pitcher wanted to strike you out." I held out a hand, Moe handing me the bat. "This wasn't used to beat people. You stood like this," I moved and posed like the batter would, "And the pitcher on his mound would throw a baseball, hoping you'd attempt to hit and miss three times for a strikeout." I gestured around with the bat. "You stand in what was once called Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. The team names this gentleman gave you? Bullshit. No, this was home to the Sox. And we hated the New York Yankees. You had other teams that were successful. The St. Louis Cardinals. San Francisco Giants. Brooklyn Dodgers. Everyone I knew had a soft spot for the Chicago Cubs… except White Sox fans. A few days before the bombs dropped, I was in this stadium to watch the Red Sox take a 3-0 lead in the World Series against the Texas Rangers. The day the bombs dropped, the fourth game was meant to take place which might have guaranteed our first World Series in over one hundred and forty years." I handed the bat back to Moe. "Baseball was the great American game, something that united our civilisation, crowding around televisions and radios each night, hearing the thwack of leather on hickory, the roar of the crowds, the pride in victory and agony of defeat. I loved it. Best thing we ever invented."
Stepping off the block, I heard Moe mutter, "I still think my version was better."
"How do you know all that?" one of the locals asked.
"Was that all really true?" another one asked.
"I'm not sure which version I prefer being the truth," a third stated.
"Quite a passionate speech, Blue," Piper added.
"Look, I understand things will be lost because of what happened, but there's no reason to spin bullshit either. I know death is a common enemy nowadays, but before the war, sport was generally bloodless." I paused before adding, "Well, except boxing. Motor racing. And bullfighting."
"I think the people of Diamond City have just been educated, Blue. Though I'm sure Moe will forget all about it by tomorrow."
"If he does, he does."
"You hungry? There's a great little noodle stand in the middle of the city."
"Noodles?"
"Yeah."
"Didn't think you'd still get those now. What about pizza?"
"I've seen signs around advertising it on old restaurants, but no, I don't think anyone knows what this actually is."
"Damn, I loved a good pizza. Doubt I'd find the ingredients to make one anyway. So, noodles it is."
So we headed to the noddle stand, buying a bowl of noodles and a cold Nuka-Cola. I was amazed those were still around, though I knew they probably made millions of bottles every day, and there were probably factories full of them still if they hadn't been found. I was scoffed two bowls as I was feeling rather hungry, having not really eaten all day. Relaxing with the rest of my drink, I looked around and nodded to myself. "Yeah, I can appreciate the fact people are giving it their best shot. Considering the world you were left with to restart everything, it's going to take a long time to get things back to what they were once were. If ever, to be honest."
"That almost sounds like hope, Blue."
"Got to have some hope otherwise a world like this will just eat you up and spit you out."
"How long are you planning on sticking around for?"
"Well, I should speak to that investigator you suggested, but..." I glanced in her direction, "I guess there isn't a rush to do that. So, to be honest, I really don't know. Long as I keep in regular contact with Sanctuary. If I can find some relay towers to increase the signal, it will help me the further I head south."
"Can't help with that, Blue. Sorry."
"But I am going to need somewhere to sleep last night. Does the Dugout Inn have rooms?"
"They do."
"Then I'd best go grab it."
"I'll meet you there a little later, if you'd like? Maybe enjoy a drink or two."
"Sure. I'll just hang around there, enjoy a drink, maybe listen to the radio. At least the tunes are what I remember."
Thankfully there was a room, the two Russians who ran it being very friendly, though their accents were a surprise. There'd been plenty of Russian ex-pats living in the United States at the time, but I didn't think many would have survived the bombs, figuring the vaults would have been reserved for 'true-blood Americans'. Maybe their families had somehow survived above ground.
They did have a room free, which I paid a few caps for. It was sparse, of course. I checked the bed, which was comfortable enough, dumping my duffel bag under it, keeping the pistol on the table next to it, though storing my other weapons in the bag. Heading back out, it wasn't overly crowded so bought a bottle of bourbon, grabbed two glasses, and perched myself on one of the lounges. I'd had a couple of drinks by the time Piper walked in, and I couldn't help smile as she'd changed. When she sat down next to me, I was fairly sure she'd washed as I could smell soap, at least. Far more pleasant than most of other smells. I poured her a drink, we clinked glasses, and settled back together.
Taking a chance, I looped my free arm around her and she immediately moved a little closer, definitely grinning as I took a sip. "Can I be forward, Blue?"
"Sure."
"I told my sister I won't be home tonight."
I couldn't resist the chuckle. "So… made an impression."
"You're the first decent man to walk through those gates in a long time. Add to that what you've already done and what you might plan on doing… Shit, the people of the Commonwealth might end up owing you their lives."
"Just one man, Piper, trying to do what's right." I paused before I sighed. "Doing what's right because, before the war, when I was in Alaska, I did some stuff that… well, I think even raiders would look away. But that was the nature of the war. It was brutal and vicious. No quarter given nor received. I'm sure you have this vision of what pre-war society was like. In many ways, you would probably be right. But when it came to war? We simply found more barbaric ways of inflicting mass casualties. And the hatred from both sides bubbled to the surface constantly."
"What you're doing now matters, Blue. Anything that happened before the bombs doesn't matter. I know it's fresh in your mind, but it was over two hundred years ago. Anyone involved has been dead a long time now."
"True. Everyone I know is gone."
"Sounds like you're making new friends though."
"Made another one today, it seems."
We enjoyed a couple of drinks and some chit-chat before she stood up, took me by the hand, and led me towards my bedroom. Kicking the door shut with my foot, we wasted little time moulding into one another, and she was one hell of a good kisser. Pressing her body into mine, she no doubt felt my reaction as she smiled for a moment as we kissed, my hands eventually finding their way to the buttons on the back of her dress as I kissed down to her neck, making her gasp. "Someone knows what they're doing," she breathed.
I didn't say anything as her dress fell to the floor, revealing simple underwear, which I expected, but she was beautiful. Her black hair was a contrast to her pale skin as her hands undid my fatigues, dropping those to the ground as I stepped out of my boots, Piper having already kicked off her shoes when walking into the room. Falling onto the bed, I was… eager is the best way to put it. I wanted her naked and quickly. She found my enthusiasm amusing, giggling away as my fingers went for her bra, unhooking that with ease, throwing that away, before I removed her panties, surprised she spread her legs a little, revealing trimmed fur above her pussy, and it was obvious she was already excited.
"Do you…" she started to ask, the first time I saw or heard a hint of nerves.
"Gorgeous," was all I could say, leaning down and kissing her hard. Reaching down to remove my underwear, I made her gasp when I prodded her with my cock, which made me smile in return. "Oh, not yet, Miss Wright. That's for later."
Now naked underneath me, she smelled divine. Not just soap. If I judged correctly, she may have had a little perfume on. I didn't ask, but as I trailed down her body, feeling her hands run around the back of my head as I gave her breasts a little attention, I had a feeling she'd joined me with the express intention of getting me into bed. Again, I wasn't going to complain at all.
Kissing down her stomach, she now looked up but wasn't surprised as Jennifer. I think she knew what I wanted, spreading her legs a little more as I wasted no time tasting her. God, she was heavenly, immediately burying my face, causing her head to roll back as I 'got to work', so to speak. "Oh god!" she cried out. Guess we should have told the bar owner to turn up the volume on the radio.
I could have pleasured her pussy all night, it was so good. And she definitely loved what I was doing, though when I slid a couple of fingers inside her, she was going to go off like a rocket. "Blue!" she moaned.
"I want you to cum, Miss Wright," I whispered, gently sliding my fingers into her, finding that special spot women had. Her body moved to the movement of my fingers as I started to tickle her clit. That made her release a loud moan, eve whimpering as I knew she was getting close.
"Oh, fuck," she nearly shouted, no embarrassment whatsoever though. When I felt her start to squeeze my fingers, I knew she was close, balling the sheet in one hand as her back started to arch. "Oh god… oh god…"
And then she came. It was beautiful as her entire body just seemed to spasm at once, though she moved down on my fingers, almost fucking them herself, desperate for me to touch her inside over and over again. I didn't relent on her clit either, and she rode that wave for what felt like minutes before she finally whispered for me to stop as she couldn't take anymore. Sliding my fingers out, I definitely licked those, appreciating her taste, as I softly kissed back up her body, now a slight covering of sweat on her considering it was rather warm in the room… and she'd just had one hell of an orgasm.
Her kiss was instant, hot, and full of desire, rolling me onto my back as I felt her hot pussy rest against my cock, hands running up and down her back, skin incredibly soft to the touch. When she pulled back slightly, her eyes looking into mine, a shade of hazel green that was simply beautiful, I knew she liked me already. Well, considering she was with me in my room, naked and having just made her cum, I guess it wasn't a surprise.
"Holy shit, Blue, where did you learn that?"
"Well… don't want to make it awkward, but my wife and I…"
"Fulfilling sex life?"
I chuckled. "Got even better after marriage!"
"Lucky woman."
"Lucky man too." I looked her up and down. "Lucky again, it seems."
"Well, I may have had an instant attraction you stepped out of the power armour."
"I thought you were rather pretty yourself, Piper."
Must have said the right thing, as she grabbed the base of my cock, lifted herself up and slowly slid down until I was buried inside her. God, it felt wonderful. So hot and tight, bringing her down so I could kiss her again. Feeling her shuffle, we simply fucked. Easiest way to put it. We liked and desired each other, and Piper wanted a good fuck, it seemed.
It had been a few days since I was last with Jennifer but I lasted longer than I expected. Piper loved riding my cock, that much I learned quickly. She didn't say much, but the noises she made suggested a lot of enjoyment. "Love you pussy," I whispered, "Whether with my tongue or my cock." That made her blush, so I'm figuring dirty talk wasn't a regular thing. "How much do you love my cock already?"
"The best," she whispered.
She was no virgin, I don't mean that in a bad way, I just mean she seemed to know what she liked already. While I might have been moving, she was certainly bouncing on me within a few minutes, and I think she was already approaching another orgasm. I gave myself a pat on the shoulder as she leaned back, giving me a full view of her body, smiling again as she had no problem enjoying herself. Licking my thumb, I gently rubbed her clit again. That earned more noise.
"Fuck me," she moaned, so I grabbed her hip with my spare hand, held on, and really started to give it to her. I think it was a race to see who orgasmed first from there, and it wasn't much of a surprise that I 'won', groaning loudly as I pumped a few times as I unloaded, but I kept going despite that until I'd made her cum a second time, and she needed to relax on my chest after that, the only sounds now of our deep breathing as we recovered.
Trailing fingers up and down her spine, she wiggled on top of me as she got comfortable. "Shit, Blue, girl is bound to get feelings quickly with that sort of performance. Though maybe you can just visit and fuck me every so often if you don't stay around."
"And you'd like that?"
She looked up and grinned, amused by her bright cheeks on pale skin, though her eyes sparkled in the low light. "God yes. I'm hooked already."
I leaned forward and kissed her nose. "So am I. You're a knockout, Piper. And I mean that from the heart."
That was rewarded with another genuine smile as she needed to slide off me, curling into my side as I snaked an arm around her. "Was I your first since waking up?" she did eventually ask.
"No." I didn't add anything to that as I wasn't sure if she wanted to know.
"Can I know… who?"
"One of the young settlers that came to Sanctuary. Cute young thing. She was interested, so was I. Happened quickly too. Guess there's no beating around the bush nowadays. If you're interested, you make the move."
"It's just sex and it's one of the few things people can enjoy together. Unfortunately, pickings are somewhat slim around Diamond City. And… a lot of people don't like me."
"Why?"
"They don't like what I write."
"People don't always like the truth, but that's on them. Just be careful, Piper. I don't want to see you kicked out of the city like what almost happened when I arrived. But keep writing, no matter what. Journalism and free press matters."
"Thanks, Blue," she whispered.
I gave myself ten minutes then made her giggle as I rolled over, her legs spreading automatically as I slid inside her. It was just as good as the first time, feeling one of her heels on my back as that second time lasted a lot longer, with plenty more kissing and caressing. Her neck was particularly sensitive, just running my tongue around it earning plenty of gasps, but just kissing her while we made love was enough to get us both hot and bothered.
"Blue," she breathed. I liked the nickname already. Fingers digging into my back, I started to drive into her when I wanted to finish. She moaned and grunted a few times, both legs eventually around me as it built to another crescendo.
"Fuck," I grunted, really starting to drive into her. I loved every time with Nora and I think I'd found a woman just as good as her. A definite reason to return to Diamond City, and depending… No, let's not think too far ahead. This was only our first time, but it was so good, I couldn't help think already. "I'm close," I warned.
One of her hands snaked between us, looking down to see her rubbing her clit, looking back up and grinning. "I'm close too," she said.
This time, she came before me, her pussy squeezing my cock nice and hard, though knowing I was close, she almost begged for me to keep going. "Need you to cum," she said through a shudder. She got what she wanted within a couple of minutes, burying myself nice and deep as I unloaded, groaning into her ear before I basically collapsed on top of her, my head feeling rather empty for a time.
Feeling her fingers run up and down my back brought me around, lifting myself up to see a well-fucked woman with a satisfied smile on her face. We shared a kiss before I pulled back, sitting on my knees for a moment as Piper lay there without a care in the world. She truly was gorgeous. "Like what you see"?
"Definitely. Vision of beauty."
"Keep this up, Blue…"
"Just saying what I'm seeing and thinking."
I needed to lie down again, and it wasn't long before we were both yawning. Great sex is fun but also exhausting. After a quick wipe down, there was a thin sheet we could cover ourselves with, lying on my side as Piper moulded herself back into me. I kissed her shoulder, which made her laugh, before relaxing with my head above hers. "So, you told your sister you won't be home?"
"Shut up, Blue," she said with a chuckle.
"I'm not judging. I think that speaks of high self-confidence."
"Would you have really said no?"
"Definitely not. That's why I was so eager to get you naked."
"I thought the dress might have helped my chances."
"As I said, gorgeous."
"Interview tomorrow?"
"After breakfast, then I'll head off to see this detective and go from there. But I won't be a stranger just yet, Piper. I know my story around Diamond City isn't over just yet."
She rolled onto her other side, looking up at me. We shared one last, long, lingering kiss, before she shuffled as close to me as possible, wrapping an arm around her. I liked her a lot already. It was a faint reminder of Nora, falling into bed so quickly due to a physical attraction, but once I got to know her, everything else followed quickly.
I wasn't going to make any rash decisions though. It was still early days.