Before the Behemoth.
Colby glanced up from the tangled mess of wires in his hands. “Before what?”
I exhaled slowly, shaking my head. The memory was fresh, seared into my mind like the burns on Pinball’s plating. “Before the Behemoth.”
Colby stiffened. “A Behemoth? You mean, one of those?”
“Yeah.” My jaw tightened. “One of those.”
Larry and I had been in the middle of a fight with a pack of Super Mutants when it arrived—bigger than any I’d seen before, its grotesque muscles twisting beneath greenish, scarred flesh. We held our ground, fought like hell. But that thing? It was like a walking apocalypse.
Larry didn’t make it.
And Pinball—loyal, sharp, untouchable in combat—tried to hold the line. But the Behemoth had caught him, slammed him into the dirt, flattened him like a tin can beneath its monstrous fists.
Colby’s face darkened. “Damn… I had no idea.”
I looked at Pinball, his optics flickering weakly, his voice barely holding together. “He’s been defective ever since. But he still tries. And thanks to your help, maybe we can fix him.”
Colby took a breath, nodding. “We will fix him.”
He stepped back, surveying the damage with a grim expression. “His power cells are nearly shot. Acidity levels are high—too high. If we don’t swap them out soon, he’s gonna blow.”
I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. “Damn. We need a power source fast.”
Then Colby snapped his fingers. “Your Advanced Fusion Cores. If we can find them, we might be able to stabilize him.”
Realization hit. “They should still be in this department… if I can access the files.” My gaze landed on a dusty terminal nearby. It was ancient, but I’d dealt with worse.
Sliding into the chair, I cracked my knuckles and started typing. Security was tight, but old. With a few keystrokes and a bypass routine—
 |
[SECURITY ALERT: UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED]
[SYSTEM OVERRIDE—ACCESS GRANTED]
The screen shifted, revealing data that hadn’t been touched in nearly 150 years.
Terminal Entry: Advanced Fusion Core Development
User: M. Marcel
Date: 10.14.2075
Subject: Prototype Fusion Core Enhancements
Project Overview:
The Advanced Fusion Core Initiative was a joint effort between Wattz Electronics and Big Chief Innovations to develop a next-generation energy source. The goal: create high-density fusion cores with extended lifespan, increased efficiency, and reduced degradation.
Key Advancements:
- Energy Efficiency: Increased lifespan by 400% with minimal overheating.
- Micro-Reactor Integration: Enabled use in consumer and military robotics.
- Automated Grid Adaptation: Allowed dynamic energy mode switching, minimizing waste.
- Tactical Applications: Designed for Power Armor, Mr. Handy units, and urban infrastructure.
Despite its promise, the project was abruptly classified. Research was redirected to military applications, contradicting Marcel’s intent to provide sustainable civilian energy.
Classified Memorandum – M. Marcel to Wattz/DOE Oversight
October 15, 2075
"We’ve pushed these cores further than anything available today. With another year, we could revolutionize power distribution across the country. Instead, our research is being repurposed for war. They don’t want sustainable energy—they want disposable battlefield batteries."
"Big Chief Innovations was never about war tech. New Orleans needs power for homes, businesses, streetlights—not another tool for destruction. Now, they want me to strip safety measures for ‘rapid deployment.’ I refuse. If this is the future they want, they’ll have to do it without me."
"I won’t let my name be attached to another war machine."
—Mike Marcel
Project Archival Data – Final Status Report
- Storage Location: Advanced Fusion Core Lab – Section B4
- Prototype High-Yield Fusion Cores (x15) – Marked for decommissioning.
- Energy Redistribution Arrays (x3) – High-voltage, untested.
- Experimental AI-Integrated Control Modules (x4) – Early adaptive AI prototypes.
- Technical Schematics & Research Logs – Majority transferred to government archives, local backups flagged for deletion.
Facility Status: SECURITY LOCKDOWN – All personnel records updated.
Personnel Status: Michael Marcel – Deceased.
The words burned into my vision. Deceased.
"Pshhh! DEAD? I’M HERE!" I scoffed, shaking my head.
Pinball’s optics flickered weakly. His voice crackled. “D...D... Dead, Sir? No! You live! You breathe! You are alive!”
His mechanical limbs twitched before a sharp hiss escaped his chassis. Sparks flew. Then, with a final sputter, his power gave out.
I cursed under my breath, gripping the terminal’s edge.
Colby watched me, his expression unreadable. Then he stepped forward, his voice steady but firm. “I see it now. Everything they took from you. Everything they twisted. But you’re still here. That means something.”
He exhaled, setting his jaw. “Mr. Marcel, whatever happens next—know this. We aren’t the Brotherhood you remember. We stand for something better. And we will make things right.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Making things right ain’t exactly the Brotherhood’s reputation.”
He nodded. “That’s exactly why my mom—Knight-Captain Adrienne Voss—is in talks with the Brotherhood of Texas about going independent.”
That stopped me cold. “Independent? The Brotherhood doesn’t do independent.”
“Exactly,” he said. “But she wants to rebuild home. And that’s not exactly part of the Brotherhood’s vision.”
I folded my arms. “And what is the Brotherhood’s vision, then?”
Colby exhaled, rubbing his neck. “The short version? We exist to recover and preserve technology, to keep it out of the wrong hands. We see ourselves as the last line of defense between mankind and self-destruction. But my mother? She’s realizing it’s not just about hoarding tech—it’s about using it to rebuild, to help people. Lafayette is in ruins. She’s seen it firsthand.”
I arched a brow. “Oh, so it hit different when it was her home?”
Colby didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. It did.” His fists clenched. “She spent years enforcing Brotherhood doctrine, believing in the mission. But when she saw Lafayette—saw people barely surviving while we sat on stockpiles of resources—it changed her. Now she’s trying to carve out a new path. The Brotherhood of Texas isn’t against it, but it won’t be easy.”
I glanced at Pinball’s motionless frame. “Well, if she’s serious about helping, then she’s already doing more than most of the Brotherhood I’ve ever known.”
Colby nodded. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Mr. Marcel. We aren’t the Brotherhood you fought before. And if we’re going to get Pinball back online—if we’re going to change things—we’ll need each other.”
I took a breath, feeling the weight of everything pressing down. The past. The fight ahead. The work still left to do.
Then I set my hands on the terminal, eyes steady. “Then let’s get to work.”
Colby knelt down, already pulling out tools. “Let’s get him back online. And while we’re at it—this Storytime Simon? Looks like it could use some love too.”
I let out a breath, nodding. “Yeah. Let’s do this.”
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