Beyond the Vault

In The Rough

The journey to Diamond city was relatively easy.

Save for the occassional raider, of course.

I followed the map on my Pip-boy, it said I was pretty close to this place. But looking around, all I saw were a few buildings, closed off or reduced to rubble, and old Fenway park. It felt only yesterday that Nate and I went to see a classic game of baseball.

I never was one for sports, but it was nice to get out of the house. 

I walked with Dogmeat toward the entrance, but it was closed off by a giant metal plate on an arm. A woman with black hair stood outside an intercom, seeming angry. Judging by her press hat and reddish leather coat, she looked like the nosy type. The closer I got to the gate, the more I heard in their conversation.

"What do you mean, you can't let me in? I'm standin here in the open, for crying out loud."

"I got orders not to let you in, Piper. McDonough's really steamed. Says the paper you wrote is full of lies. The whole city's in a tizzy."

"Oh, protecting  the city means keeping me out, is that it? Look, it's the scary reporter! BOO!"

"I'm sorry, Piper. I can't let you in."

"Dammit, you open this door right now, Danny Sullivan! I live here! You can't just lock me out!"

Jesus.

I haven't even walked in, and some people already sound like dicks.

The woman turned to me, and her face lit up. She waved me closer and whispered, "Hey. You want into Diamond city, right?"

I raised an eyebrow, confused. Dogmeat tilted his head at the same time, and looking back on it, it was kinda funny. Hesitantly, I responded, "I just got here, but yeah. I guess so."

"Shh. Play along."

She then stepped closer to the intercom. Christ, what have I gotten myself into? "What's what? You said you're a trader up from Quincy? You got enough supplies to keep the general store stocked for a month? Huh. You hear that, Danny? You wanna let us in, or are you gonna be the one talking to crazy Myrna about losing out on all the supply?"

"Okay, sheesh. You don't have to make it personal, Piper. I'll open the door."

A loud creak rang out, and the metal plate was pulled up, revealing the area that used to be where people would buy tickets to see the game. The woman, apparently Piper, nodded to me in thanks and muttered, "We'd better head in before Danny catches onto the bluff."

I looked at Dogmeat, confused, before following Piper. 

A man waited for us. Old, probably in his 40's or 50's. Maybe older. Dressed in a grey suit with an orange plaid neck tie in a green waistcoat, topped with a fedora with the rim folded upwards. A yellow flower in his busom provided the finishing touch. The guy was relatively large, but not obese, and a goatee matching his gray hair provided some cover over the scowl on his face as he saw Piper.

"Piper! What are you doing in here? I ordered Sullivan to keep that gate shut."

She rolled her eyes with crossed arms as he continued, "You devious, rabble-rousing slanderer! The level of dishonesty in that paper of yours! I'll have that printer scrapped for parts, scaring my people in such a manner."

Piper stepped forward and quipped, "Oooh, is that a statement, mayor McDonough? Tyrant mayor shuts down the press.' Let's ask the new girl, shall we?" She then looked over to me, expecting an answer. "You support the news? 'Cuz our 'protector' over here is threateninging to throw free speech into the dumpster."