https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ocnN2EgPr4

But exactly how much of the truth were you supposed to tell her? Did you tell her that her whole world was a lie, and that she for all intents and purposes was a part of a gaming simulation? Or that you were not from this world at all, but from a different reality, a different version of this world? Could even just be vague enough to satisfy her curiosity?

All of that and more crossed your mind, but at the same time, you feared how she might react if you told her the truth. There was still so much that you did know about this world, did not know about her.

(Give her the whole truth. Game Simulation.)

Eventually, taking a deep breath as you met her eyes, you replied, "Well, uh, the truth is...the truth is that I'm not from this world. I'm from another world where this is just a game that you can play..."

And for a moment as you stared into her sea-green eyes, hoping that she would believe you, she muttered something underneath her breath. Maybe something to do with everyone around her being insane, before her expression somehow hardened further as she snapped, "very well, rookie, keep your damn secrets, but from now on I'll be watching you."

Wait? Wasn't she already watching you?

Swinging around as she strode away, she barked out, "we leave in one hour. Demarco get us a location on that subway station from our guest, do whatever it takes. Tessa, Loraq, and the rookie. Check this place out for any supplies we can salvage."

(Partial truth. Not of this world.)

Eventually, taking a deep breath as you met her eyes, you replied, "Well, uh, the truth...the truth is that I'm not from this world."

Eyebrows half lifted upwards in surprise, Cassidy asked, "I've seen aliens before, and you don’t look like one of them?"

Hands outstretched upwards in a placating motion, "Well, I am not actually an alien. I'm more like a--"

But before you could finish, she held up a fist. "Enough, I've listened to Yao Guais that could shit out better stories than you. But if you try to fuck with us, you are dead you hear me."

Then with that she swung back around, and barked, "we leave in one hour. Demarco get us a location on that subway station from our guest, do whatever it takes. Tessa, Loraq, and the rookie. Check this place out for any supplies we can salvage."

(Try to be vague.)

Eventually, taking a deep breath as you met her eyes, you replied, "Well, uh, the truth...the truth is that you are correct in some ways. I do possess similar qualities to a synth, but as to what I am. You could say I'm not exactly from anywhere that you would know. I'm actually--"

But before you could finish, she held up a fist. "Enough, I've listened to Yao Guais that could shit out better stories than you. But if you try to fuck with us, you are dead you hear."

Then with that she swung back around, and barked, "we leave in one hour. Demarco get us a location on that subway station from our guest, do whatever it takes. Tessa, Loraq, and the rookie. Check this place out for any supplies we can salvage."

Waved over to join the matronly ghoul that so often reminded you of your own mother, you followed her into the back corridor that led past a series of rooms.

Tessa, calling out over her shoulder. "Come on, kid. We'll head to the back and work our way forward." The sullen glances Loraq shot at you as he shouldered past, a not so subtle hint that the young man hadn't forgiven you for almost killing someone in cold blood. Which seemed odd considering that he was a killer, but then you supposed the kid had been left out of the loop for a reason. It's also probably why he had been sent away for that same reason. That raider had needed to die, and chances were the kid was still soft to do the hard things. Sooner or later she would bring trouble down on them all or at least that's the way you tried to justify it to yourself.

Trying to take your mind off what you had almost done, you called out to Tessa, "I heard you and Loraq were once part of the Railroad."

The old ghoul that had lost most of her short dark hair and skin to radiation, turning to look at you with pitch-black eyes as she smiled sadly. "Yes, I used to work for them for what seems like a lifetime ago. You could say those were the best years of my life, when we were actually doing something to make this world a better place. Oh, I knew we were being too naive and idealistic, but we were saving lives."

And despite knowing you were stepping onto painful ground, your curiosity got the better of you, and you asked, "What changed?"

Gaze shifted to meet Loraq's as they quietly communicated with each other only using their eyes, she finally continued in a soft voice, "war. War changed everything, child? Whatever was left of our beloved Commonwealth became a charnel house of blood, bullets, and death. Hundreds died, and despite the Institute losing its beating heart, a failsafe caused every synth in the Commonwealth to detonate.”

Her voice partially breaking as you saw tears spill onto the hallway. "Many like us, felt responsible for bringing a second wave of destruction upon the wasteland, but what could we have done different? We simply had no idea what they were capable of. We knew too little about them and acted too rashly," her bitter laugh, a harsh sound, "there is even a chance that we were the ones to trigger that bloodly failsafe in the first place."

Loraq, whose eyes had gone red, welling up with his own tears that he hastily brushed away.

"In the end, the guilt ate us up, fractured us apart, and broke us into splinters. We had won, and we had lost everything. War, it seems, has a way of doing that," she finished with another rueful chuckle, "now come along, best we hurry up, and be about our business."

Her unexpected tale, leaving you with a sense of loss as they quickly took the stairs up to second level, and began searching the rooms one by one.

Items Added to Inventory.

×2 Nuka Cola (+1 HP. Value 5 Caps.)

×5 10mm rounds.

Sweetroll (+1 HP. Value 5 Caps.)

Also in one of the rooms you found a footlocker with the name Ethel Stevens stenciled across it with the warning don't touch.

(Open it.)

Curious, you knelt down to open it.

(Traps Skill 20%.)

When you noticed a metal box attached to the side and disarmed it almost instinctively, pulling off a small pressurized device. Probably not powerful enough to kill anyone, but clearly this grandma didn't like anyone messing with her stuff.

Inventory Items Added.

Machete (Value 35 Caps.)

Stimpak

Jet

(Traps Skill 0%.)

When too late you noticed a metal box attached to the side and felt a sharp stab in your arm from dozens of needles shooting out. Probably not powerful enough to kill anyone, but clearly this grandma didn't like anyone messing with her stuff.

-4 HP.

Inventory Items Added.

Machete (Value 35 Caps.)

Stimpak

Jet

(Leave it alone.)

Deciding it would be better to leave it alone, you moved on.

Finding it oddly peaceful here as you idled about filching items from the dead in prewar rooms with bright colorful floral patterns, and paintings that depicted the countryside.

You decided you liked this place, but as always that is when the shit came tumbling down.

Hearing a gunshot from a room further down the hall, you quickly ran back out into the hallway seeing Tessa's furrowed brows as they both realized that Loraq was in trouble. The young mute, unable to scream as he stumbled out of the room, eyes wide with terror as a whole swarm of radroaches flooded into the hallway. Large mandibles clicking and skittering forward across the floorboards.

Terrified as you looked on, you knew there was no way you were going to be able to shoot them all, but what other choice did you have.

Eyeing the gas canisters that sat beside a few of the wheelchairs around the hallway, an idea came to your mind. However this would require perfect timing, otherwise Loraq could get seriously hurt.

(Luck 3 or Perception 3 or Small guns 20%.)

Gun moving before you even realized what you were doing, you fired hitting one of the gas canisters. The explosion of flames driving the insects back and burning dozens alive as Loraq scrambled back on his hands and feet.

-1 bullet.

(No applicable skills.)

Waiting a little longer, until Loraq was clear, you fired repeatedly until you hit one of the gas canisters. The explosion of flames driving the insects back and burning dozens alive as Loraq scrambled back on his hands and feet.

-3 bullets.

Having always wondered if looting corpses would really work, you let the flames die down, before moving forward, and bending down to cut one of them open with your knife, causing Tessa to wince, and Loraq to scowl in disgust. But in its green innards and blood, you found a gun of all things. Then wondered what else you could find. Maybe one of these days, you would find a missile launcher inside.

Inventory Items Added.

.32 Pistol

Then felt darkness wash over you as a voice muttered angrily, "Rookie, has no one ever taught to never go around poking inside of things with your bare fingers?..."