You're in this for rebuilding civilization, so you figure you should do all you can. You leave the town to get in a better transmitting area and radio in and explain the situation. Steve's working the radio (Never could go out again after the incident in the city)

"…yeah, so if you can send some more diplomatic people here, that might help." You finish saying.
"So, you're saying there's a fresh supply of water and no standing defense force there?" Steve asks.
"No, not really. They don't have any problems with raiders, just with some of the more aggressive wildlife. Defenses basically consist of a few good hunters with rifles, but like I said they aren't interested in us being able to defend them. A different bargaining chip is going to be necessary."

Suddenly you're cut off for a little while, you think your radio is having problems, but soon you start getting a response again.

"Okay, report back to the Compound. We'll send Vivica and a few others to take care of it. We got the location of the place from your information." Steve says and signs off.

You head back to the Compound. You know Vivica's one of the more diplomatic types, so you don't think anything else of it. She'll ether be successful or she won't.

When you get back though you find out one of the "others" that went with her was Harry. You find that suspicious, he's NEVER gone on a single recon mission, let alone anything diplomatic.

Soon the group sent to Lost Springs returns and you see Harry and a couple of the more obedient people to him, who you don't see is Vivica. You can't help but think the worst.

And you turn out to be right unfortunately.


Harry tells a story to everyone of how the people became hostile and they had to defend themselves, Vivica was "unfortunately" killed in the process. He goes on to say that he's secured the town, by leaving some people in place. You're over hearing this in the courtyard of the Compound and you can't stay silent.

"You fucking murdering liar. Those people were fucking peaceful! I was there and never once were they hostile! You took that town by force and probably had Vivica killed when she tried to stop you and your fucking mindless lackies!"
"Watch your fucking mouth cupcake! Don't condemn my actions for your own failures because you're too much of a pussy to do what needs to be done! I'm telling you they attacked us! I got witnesses! What the fuck do you have? Shit, how do we even know you weren't fucking collaborating with them and trying to lead us into a trap? It's a well known fact you're not exactly loyal to the Compound."
"LOYAL? What the fuck? You fucking dipshit I'M one of fuckin' people who's been key in the HELPING the fuckin' Compound! Or have you forgotten all the good relations we have with other towns due to me?"
"Yeah and how do we know you're not getting all chummy with all these outsiders in the attempt to try to build up your own fucking army to take power? In fact I'm thinking I might be going on a lot more of these missions, I don't trust you and neither should the rest of you!"

At this point Marina steps in to say something, but you stop her causing Harry to taunt you again.

"Yeah, that's right Cupcake, hide behind Marina's skirt again."
"Harry, I dunno if you're more jealous of the fact that I'm actually more useful to the Compound, or the fact that I have access TO Marina's skirt, something I heard you attempted before I got here and failed miserably."

You struck a nerve there. Harry lunges at you and the both of you tussle on the ground for awhile before the Colonel finally arrives wondering what the fuck has been going on. After reprimanding the pair of you, he calls you in his office for a full report of what exactly happened when you were at Lost Springs, then he does the same with Harry, unfortunately Harry has a few people that are loyal to him that are willing to back up his bullshit. Assuming they would even be believed, the citizens of Lost Springs can't even back you up, since as it turns out later Harry killed them all.

And while the Colonel isn't taken with the idea that you have some sort of ulterior motive, he does allow Harry to start heading out on missions, since he did acquire a useful resource for the Compound.

Four more years pass…

Five years total have passed and The Compound has grown somewhat, not much though. The theory to that of course is the background radiation has probably made a lot of folks sterile. (And you're damn sure you probably are, after that trip to the city that you still continue to think about) however it has become much more than "The Compound" now. Alliances have been forged with other towns. The Compound has been renamed Fort Justice and the alliance itself is known as The Combine.

Of course the term "alliance probably isn't really appropriate here. After the Lost Springs incident, things started getting a lot more authoritarian. Over time the towns you'd established peaceful relations with, Harry started hinting that a more permanent military force be established in them. (To help with raider problems more readily as he tried to claim)

New towns that were come across were usually bullied into "joining" or outright taken by force and lowest of all, there's been actual recruitment OF raiders, some of them being stationed in the very town they were attacking on a regular basis.

You can't believe the Colonel doesn't stop Harry's actions, but the problem is, is it IS working. The Combine is thriving under this aggressive strategy and becoming a strong entity. You on the other hand are eventually relegated to guard duty at Fort Jusitce, Marina finds the whole thing unfair and becomes really disillusioned with the new direction that this place has taken.

In fact she does something you never thought she would, she suggests you leave and you can't say you're not in agreement with the idea. Not just because you never really cared about the "rebuilding civilization" process anyway, but more because Harry's power is starting to increase day by day lately and the Colonel has been sick, in fact he's probably going to die any day now. It's only a matter of time before Harry is in total control and when that day comes, you'll be fucked if you're still here.

You and Marina pack what supplies you can and start loading them into one of the vehicles. This doesn't go unnoticed, in fact you start being questioned since there was no order to take one of the vehicles out and you're no longer on scout duty anymore. You try to come up with a lie on the spot, but words fail you at the moment and you resort to more direct measures and slug the nosey bastard in the face, dropping him.

"Get in the fuckin' car now Marina!" you shout as you do likewise.

You ride shotgun

Like there was any other choice?

You slide in next to Marina who guns the engine and screeches off. Considering Harry's hatred of you and the fact that this is considering going AWOL and stealing Combine equipment, you aren't just going to get away with this.


You don't get far when you're soon pursued by other vehicles. You tell Marina to concentrate on driving, while you attempt to do some road warrior shit. Luckily you're still an excellent marksman, and you manage to either shoot the tires or the drivers of the cars and motorcycles in pursuit of you. Eventually you escape.

After a few days of driving you and Marina start wondering where you're going to go. You can't drive forever, you'll run out gas eventually and you don't relish the idea of walking.

However, once again luck is with you and you find a small place called Ashtown where you stop. Fortunately the people seem to be friendly. You immediately make yourself useful by helping with eliminating some bandits and raiders (A bit like the old days actually). You and Marina decide to stay and make a new life here, though in the back of your mind you're always expecting some sort of arrival of the Combine, maybe not coming to look for you specifically, but you know they're probably still expanding.

About a year passes and nothing unusual happens, until a wandering traveler passing through decides to talk to you for some reason while you're sitting in the local café.

"Hey friend." The traveler says.
"Hmn." You reply still reading a book.
"This place is a pretty well organized town. Pleasant too. Glad I found it."
"It's better than most places." You say still without looking up.
"Hey, I know what you mean. It's a crazy fucking world out there. What with the Cybernetic Evolution and all."
"Cybernetic Evolution?" you ask finally looking up.
"Yeah! You never heard of them? Well I guess I should warn you then. It's this group of killer cyborgs that want to remake humanity or exterminate them if they don't comply. They're supposedly from some sort of secret military base that was doing high tech experiments. There are robots too, but mostly cyborgs. I'm surprised they haven't headed this way, but then again, they've been pretty busy trying to combat the Combine. Never thought I'd be glad that the Combine exists, but I gotta say if it weren't for them, the CE would've probably expanded all over the fuckin' place by now and I guarantee we wouldn't be sitting here having this pleasant conversation."
"Hmm, so the Combine is winning?" you ask.
"Well, I wouldn't say that, it's more like a stalemate. Kind of a good thing too, since I don't really want them winning either. Those Combine bastards are a bunch of bullying fascists. Especially with that fucker Damon in charge."
"Damon? Who's that?"
"Damon, is the newest leader of the Combine. Thinks he's some sort of military genius, but all he is, is a common desert thug who's a little more intelligent than his buddies, probably still more competent than the last leader Harry who Damon killed to get the job."

A smile forms across your face when you hear that news, while the traveler continues his story

"Anyway that's partly one of the reasons I'm traveling. I don't want to be around when the war finally ends, either way the people who live nearby are going to lose…speaking of which I gotta get going, nice talking to you."

After the traveler leaves you do likewise and tell Marina what you just heard. She asks you if you think if it would be a good idea to leave as well. Perhaps you haven't made all the right decisions in this new harsh world, but if nothing else you've at least been able to make good decisions concerning your own survival and you're about to make another one.

You and Marina pack your belongings. Its time to move on again, you figure you should get out now while you can.

You say goodbye to the few acquaintances you've had since your time here and warn them about the CE-Combine War before leaving. It's up to them what they're going to do.

And once again, you and Marina are off, with the unknown future ahead of you.