Wasteland Wanderers

Prologue

So, where do I begin?
My name would be a suitable starting point, yes. The name's Shane, 27 of age and I have been working within Utility for about 8 years for Rockford Central Station. My work is composed of making sure everything mechanical keeps whirring, from the main subway lines to the station's Protectrons. What else is there to say? I get paid well, enjoy seeing passengers come through, I can tell the commuters from the holidaymakers, I now know the regular station schedule off by heart and the boss has almost became a close friend to me. I live in the Maple Estate, number 13 Hendon Lane, apparently for assisting with my efforts for aiding the repair of a military Sentry Bot that hit the pan during my commute to work I was given a home to live in at the now open Maple Estate. I lived in the Yale Apartments previously, Flat 4C if I recall correctly, landlord seemed to have a bad work life and put his emotions out on his tenants, not a nice few years.

Ah yes, the war efforts. I am well aware of the trouble we are having in the freedom land, the whole Red Devil Threat, all that jazz. Part of our salary, from August 2075, goes to "our troops fighting overseas", it's about 20% that goes to the cause. Pretty sure a law has been passed that all employers have to donate at least 5% of wages to aid Uncle Sam's movement. Rockford Central is always guarded by military soldiers of some sort, sometimes we are informed of a "Military Transit Patrol" that will be passing or stopping at the station. It usually consists of standard soldiers and a commander passing by, however it can sometimes be power armor units. I remember one time with a power armor soldier quite vividly. He was worn out, bogged down on his thoughts. While his Patrol was unloading equipment from the subway train I had a quick word with him. Not only did he update me on the Resource Wars, he also explained himself. The things he's seen, experienced and what he has yet to do, it's changed him in ways he himself can't describe. His great great grandad served in the army before the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the grandad kept a journal about his life in the army, describing almost every single waking moment in vivid detail. Only now, this power armor soldier told me, does he realize what his great great grandad must of had to deal with. The soldier gave me some sort of advice, he put it simply: War never changes. Those words still ring clear to this day.

So is that everything I need to say? Every box's filled in? I mean, sure, you may keep me here if you want, I'm not going to stop you but I still know the truth of what epidemic we are currently in. People I know are claiming this isn't going to end well, tensions are way too high now to back out of and call a truce. They say the end is nigh and it is sooner coming than you may expect, that may be the case, we may end up eventually wiping ourselves out but in the end, through the smoke of the last battle, the truth will still stand...

War Never Changes