Chapter 1: The Birth Of A HeroJames and Catherine were a young married couple about to have a baby. Catherine was pregnant for 9 months and her date was coming close. They have been in the hopsital for the last few days, due to Catherine having many contrations.Their room was dark, it had no windows and only few lamps were iluminating the room. There were medical instruments around Catherine.
James was sitting by the table and looking at the list of possible names. »What do you think about Ashley for a girl? Or Andrew if it's a boy?« he asked her. »Oh shut up James! I – don't – care!« said Catherine, exlamating the last words with punches in the bed. »Just go out and get some freakin' pain meds!!« Catherine screamed in anger. »I'm sorry Cathie, but I can't. The doctor said you'll be like this and that I can't listen to you in this state. You're not thinking rationally.« said James calmly to her, though worries could be seen in his eyes. »But James, you are A doctor!« »Yeah, but not the medicine kind...« »Then – get – the – right one – you incapable piece of shit!!!« screamed Catherine while fiercefully punching in James' hand on the bed.
James stood up and headed for the door. As the doors opened, he heard a warcry-like scream from behind:«Doctor!!! Water! Bro-aaaa!!!« She was in unimaginable pain. »What – are – you – looking!! GET HIM!«. James realized of his goal and ran to the reception. »Please, where's Dr. Charles, call him, my wife's about to give labor, her water broke!« The nurse by the table called the doctor and then she and James quickly ran to the room.
The nurse examined her and Dr. Charles came soon. He was an older man and his beard made him look very experienced. »Her cervix is already 10 cm dilated« »Okay, we'll start right away« said Dr. Charles with a rough voice.
»Get her ready,« he ordered the nurse. »Okay, Catherine, everything's gonna be alright. You just got to stick with us and breathe, okay, just breathe and push when I say so.« he told Catherine to calm her down a bit. »Yeah, yeah, just hurry it up!!« »Sir, we're ready, she's all opened!« Catherine was screaming in pain, as if someone was torturing her. The baby inside was torturing her. »C'mon Cathie, breathe, breathe,« James was encouraging her. »I'm breathing, you moron! Can't you SEE?!« she screamed at him. James looked at Dr. Charles:»Whatever you do, just get this devil out of my woman«.
»Okay, Catherine, push! Push! Yes, yes, push harder! I can see the head! PUSH!« the nurse and doctor were telling her,»C'mon, just a bit more! There's the body!« James could barely hear anything with all the sceaming of agony. He hold her hand and everytime she pushed, she squeezed his hand so hard, he thought she was concentrating her pain on his hand. James couldn't imagine in what pain his wife could be.
Suddenly, a baby cry could be heard. A newborn cry. »Yes, we've got him. It's a boy« doctor told the couple, »5.56 am, July 13th 2258. That's his birthdate.« James' eyes filled with tears of happiness. »It's a boy. A boy, Catherine, we've got a son. A beautiful, healthy boy.« Her eyes were already filled with tears of pain, but everyone could see the look in her eyes. She was like an angel now. The devil is gone, James thought.
»Oh... Oh James...We did it... A son... A beautiful son.« Catherine was crying again, this time of pure joy to see her little son. »I'm sure he's gonna have a bright future ahead.« James hold him up in his arms: »Look at you, look at you... Hi there. I'm your daddy, little guy. Daddy. You're gonna need a name, right? What do you think Catherine?« »Henry. Let's name him Henry, after your father, James. After little Henry's grandpa« »That's a good name, fits him perfectly, Cathie. Oh, look, they've finished the gene projection. Take a look, Henry, this is you. You when you'll grow up.«
A TV-like box came from behind their backs and showed what Henry will look like in future. A handsome man appeared on the screen, who looked a lot like his father. He had a white skin, blue eyes, a goatee beard and a punk haircut. »You sure look nice... You're going to look a lot like your daddy.« James and Catherine put their attention back on the little baby.
»James? James. Something's... Something's...« Catherine said with a diminishing voice. Everything went wrong. »She's in cardiac arrest! Start compression! Get the baby out of here! Move! Move!!« Dr. Charles bellowed at them. The nurse pushed James with his boy in his lap out of the room. With his last look he saw doctor upon her: »One one thousand, two one thousand... Come on, stay with us, Cathie!!«
But it was too late. Catherine was dying. He couldn't do anything. But he still didn't give up, he was still pumping her. Yet he soon realized it was all for nothing, she has already died. He stood there, cursing at himself for not being able to save her.«It's okay, sir, you couldn't do anything.« nurse tried to calm him down. »No, no, this shouldn't even happen.« »C'mon sir, let's tell the father of this.«
James was sitting outside. He looked happy with his baby boy in his arms. »Your mummy will be here soon, don't you worry, Henry« James told him, with a childish voice. The baby was still crying. Doors of their room opened now and the doctor and nurse walked out, both with a sad grimace on their faces. As soon as James saw them, the smile on his face vanished. »What, what happened« he asked them, somehow knowing something very bad had happened. »Your wife, Catherine, died.« James' happy tears changed into tears of saddnes. Even the baby's crying was stronger, as if he knew his mummy won't be there for him. »How... how... how did this happen?« »We don't know. She had cardiac arrest, it shouldn't have happened.«
********Henry is now one year old. He and his father, James, were in a completly different room as they were a year ago. There was a pen in the room, Henry was outside of it and Dad inside.
»Come, walk to me, Henry.« But the little toddler just sat there, not sure what to do. »C'mon, Henry, come to daddy.« Henry stood up and rather awkwardly walked to his father. »There you go! Just a year old and walking like a pro. Now stay in the pen, I'll be back right away.« said James and left the room.
Henry was left alone in his pen. But he was determined not to be caged in. He stood up and walked to the doors and easily opened them. There was a box to his left, with a fluffy bear toy and a book on the floor. The book's title read S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Henry opened it, but didn't know what was it all about. It had silly pictures and a lot of text. And at the end, there were some buttons. Henry thought that the book was actually a toy and started smashing the buttons. The numbers by the buttons were going up and down with every smash. Henry was giggling, like every little child does when its happy. He dropped the book when he saw the bear in the box and took it out of the box.
James came back into the room and was pleasently suprised when he saw Henry out of the pen. »You're quite the little explorer, aren't you. Serves me right for trying to pen you in,« he laughed and kneeled down to him. »I see you found your toys. Come here Henry and take a look at this,« James pointed at a framed text on the shelf.
»This is your mothers favourite passage from the Bible – Revelation 21:6 - I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.« Henry was exchanging looks from dad to the Revelation, from Revelation to dad. »Speaking of Bible passages,« James stood up and walked to the wall, »your birthdate is connected to a rather interesting one. The Micah 7:13 says: And the earth will become desolate because of her inhabitants, On account of the fruit of their deeds. It describes the Hell that is out there. I have a feeling you'll be very special in your future, just don't know in what way. Assuming from that, you could be the one that helps the people get rid of its Hell, or the one that even amplifies it.«
James looked back at little Henry, who was sitting on the floor with an empty expression. »Oh, silly me, what am I doing, talking to you like this.«
********It's July 13th 2268. Today is Henry's 10th birthday, though nobody has congratulated him yet.
His father entered the room: »Hey, Henry, can you come with me a little bit. I need you in the dining room.« »M'kay, dad.« said Henry with a sense of displeasure in his voice. After all, it is his birthday and it seems nobody has even noticed so far.
They walked down the hall and entered the diner. All the lights were shut down and Henry couldn't see anything. He could here someone whispering in the dark. »Dad... turn on the lights, will you?« Suddenly, the lights flashed before his eyes. Yet again, he couldn't see anything.
»Stanley, you turned on the lights too fast. You nearly blinded the poor kid,« said James. Henry's vision was coming back and his was seeing a lot of people in front of him and they all yelled: »Happy birthday, Henry!!« His vision was now completly back. They were in the dining people with a lot of other people, including his best friend Amata, Butch, the young bully of the Vault, and Amata's father, the Overseer. He is the leader of their Vault, Vault 101.
There was a multi-color banner on top of the wall saying »Happy Birthday!« Henry was very suprised, since he thought everyone has forgotten about his special day.
»Can you believe it, he's growing up so fast,« he heard from the right. That came from the nice old Lady Palmer. »Happy birthday, my little pal,« said his father as he hugged him, »I can't believe it you're already 10. I'm so proud of you!«
Henry saw the Overseer coming to him: »Congratulation, young man. I don't have to tell you how special this day is, do I? Down here in Vault 101, when you turn 10, you're ready to take on your first official Vault responsibilities. So here you are. As Overseer, I hereby present you with your very own Pip-Boy 3000. Get used to it! You'll be getting your first assingments tommorow!« Henry couldn't be happier. He finally got his own Pip-Boy. He was dreaming about it, ever since Butch got it. He was the first of the kids to get to age 10. A Pip-Boy is a little personal computer, built to wear it on his wrist. It could tell him just about everything he needs to know. In what condition he is, how much he weights, what stuff's he got on, where he is, everything.
»Enjoy your party, son, you're 10 only once!« said his father. Amata ran to him and, all happy, said: »Happy birthday, Henry. We really suprised you, didn't we,« she laughed, »Your dad was afraid you were onto us. But I told him not to worry. You're so easy to fool« »Great party, Amata! Thanks for doing this for me,« he told her. She was happy to hear that. »You're welcome. But really, your dad did most of it. I just helped with decorations and stuff. Hey, you know what, I bet you can't guess what I got you for your birthday.. Go on, try!« she dared him, with a big smile on her face. But Henry's answer wasn't really what she expected. »Um... A date with Christine Kendall?« »Gross, I didn't know you even liked girls! And you know what, I mean, before you say anything rude about me,« she said with dissapointment in her voice. »Hey, I like you!« Henry defended himself. »Yeah, but thats different. Anyway, forget that. I guess maybe I should give this to someone else now... Someone who likes Grognak the Barbarian better than Mean Christine... But how am I gonna tell the difference... Meh, I guess you can have it. Here.« Amata said and went away with a rather sad tone in her walk.
Now that Amata has stopped talking to him, Paul Hannon showed up from behind. He was part of the gang Butch was running and they were always bullying him and Amata. »Hey, Hen... I know that, uh, Butch and I give you a hard time, but you don't take that seriously, right? Anyway, uh, happy birthday and everything. I better get to, you know, before they notice...« Paul shamefuly said. I knew this kid was alright, Henry thought.
»Hey Paul, what's up with you hanging around that wuss? You two best friends now or what,« Henry heard Butch. »Hey Hen, get your ass here.« He knew he better listen to him, or trouble will arise. »Can't you give me a break even at my birthday party?« he angrily said. »No, you wuss. This party sucks, you know. Your father couldn't do it better, didn't he? My party was so much better. My father all got us BB guns and we shot at targets, that was so fun, remember that? Oh, right, totally forgot, you weren't invited!« Butch said and started histericly laughing. »I only came here for the cake, you know. And it seems I can also forget that. This stupid robot just ruined it all.« he said, looking behind Henry at the counter.
There was a robot behind it, named Andy. He was designed to run the kitchen. He destroyed the cake as he tried to cut it to pieces. »I sorry, young Henry,« Andy said in his robotic voice.
Dad stood up from his barstool and walked acroos the room to an intercom. »We're all ready here, doc.« said a voice from the machine. »Thanks, I'll send him down right away.« answered James back. He turned around and realized Henry was standig behind him, eavesdropping to his conversation. »Hey, didn't see you there. That was Jonas on the intercom. He and I have been cooking up a little suprise for you. He's waiting for you down at the Reactor. Go ahead, I don't think anyone will mind if you slip out for a few minutes.« dad explained to him. »Really? I better run down.« Henry said happily.
I wonder what it could be, he thought, it must be something awesome, since they had to hide it downstairs. He ran through the hall and down the stairs to the Reactor level. He saw Jonas there. Jonas was a scientist here. He was wearing a white doctors coat.
Jonas looked confused: »What are you doing down here, young man? I thought kids weren't allowed down here on this level.« »Hey, I'm not a kid! I'm ten years old!« said the young man with little anger. »You sure are, Pip-Boy and everything,« Jonas laughed. Henry realized he was being mocked a little bit and defended himself: »Yeah, and dad told me you got a present for me!« »Thats certainly true. If you can wait just a minute, I think your dad will want to give you the present himself.« said Jonas.
James was just coming down the stairs. »Are you ready for your present,« he asked the anxious Henry, »The Overseer gave you your Pip-Boy, and you're old enough to do some work. So I figure, you're old enough for this aswell. Ready?« Henry nodded. »Your own BB gun! It's a little old, but it should work perfectly.« he handed it to Henry. Henry was very suprised. He never thought he'd be getting a gun. He hold it in his hand and gazed at it. »Jonas found it down here. It was in pretty rough shape – took us good three months to fix it. It's hard to find the parts to make it work again. You know how hard it is to find a spring that small? Good thing Butch »misplaced« his switchblade,« said James while laughing, » So what do you think? Wanna give it a try?« Henry was rather confused: »Here? We can't shoot a gun here?« »We sure can't, unless we want the Overseer beating down our door. Jonas and I have found a place, though. Come, look,« said James and pointed at the door in their right.
There was a small room with lots of boxes, like a storage room. And across the room were three targets. »Well, what do you think? You can come here and shoot any time you want.« his dad explained him. »Couldn't have done it without Jonas' help. Make sure to thank him.« ordered James. »Thank you Jonas,« the boy said, looking very happy and anxious to try his new gun. »You're welcome, buddy. Now go and shoot the heck out of those targets.« said Jonas.
Henry walked to the lockerroom on the floor that represented a line from where he could shoot. He hold it up, put his finger on the trigger and took some time to prepare. »C'mon, it's nothing,« his dad encouraged him. Henry finnaly shot at the middle target but missed it. »It's okay, it is your first. Try again.« He shot again and hit it this time. He felt really great. This day has been the best day for him. »Look out, Hen, there's a rady down there. Shoot it!« dad alarmed him. Henry woke up from his thoughts and realized of the big bug on the floor. He quickly shot it, but it was still alive. Henry was scared and started shooting in a frenzy with his eyes closed. When he opened his eyes, the bug was finally dead. »Good job, Henry, thats one Radroach less to deal with!« dad said. He was proud of his son. »C'mon, let's take a picture together to capture this moment.«
********Henry and his dad were in his dads ambulante office. »As far as I can tell, you're a perfectly fine 16-year old boy. So yes, you have to go to class to take your G.O.A.T. exam.« said James. Henry was sitting on the bed. »If you say so, dad...« said Henry, rather dissapointed. »Hey, it's not my call. Those are the rules. You're sixteen now and you have to take the G.O.A.T.«
G.O.A.T. (It stands for
Generalized Occupational Aptitude Test) was an exam all teenagers in the Vault have to take when they become 16. It's a set of question that's supposed to help them figure what they want to become, when they're fully grown.
»Come on, it's not that bad. Everyone has to take it. You'll do just fine.« James wanted to calm him down. »Yeah, yeah, dad, bye.« Henry jumped of the bed and went through the doors to the hall. He heard a »Good luck,« from behind.
He heard voices talking on the hall. A womans voice scream: »God, Butch, why don't you leave me alone!?!« Henry quickly realized of the familiar scene. Butch and his gang of so-called »Tunnel Snakes« were yet again bullying his friend Amata. »She thinks she's better than us. You think you're so special because your daddy is the Overseer, huh?« Butch said in her face. »She's nothing Butch; Give it to her, Butch, » were yelling the other Tunnel Snakes.
Amata saw Henry behind her, looking at the scene. »Stupid Tunnel Snakes! Immature assholes if you ask me. Why don't they just leave me the hell alone?! It's not my fault my father's the Overseer. I don't care 'bout their stupid gang. Can you talk to them? Maybe, just maybe, Butch will listen to you. Please?« Amata begged him. »Yea, sure, Amata. I'll see if I can talk some sense into them.« said Henry and walked to Butch with his head high up. »Yo, Butcher,« he adressed him. »Yeah, what do you want? Came to defend your little girlfriend, haven't you? You fuckin' shining prince on a white horse« said Butch with dispise. »Looks like your having fun?« »Damn right, I am. And you'll stay out of our way, if you know whats best for you! No one messes with the Tunnel Snakes! Espeically not this stuck up little daddy's girl« he said. He was obviously full of himself and proud of his gang. »Yeah, and her dad's the Overseer. If you keep messing with her, he's gonna come down on your gang« tried Henry. He hoped it would work. He knew Butch was scared that the Overseer would prevent him from having a gang. »Maybe you're right. We can deal with her later. C'mon Tunnel Snakes, the little bitch ain't worth our time.« »Whatever you say, Butch, you're the boss. Tunnel Snakes rule!!!« It worked! »Thank God that worked,« said Henry. »Yeah. Thanks for getting rid of these assholes. You're a good friend,« Amata thanked him, »Now come, let's get in the class.«
They entered the classroom and Mr. B was there to greet them: »Well, you made it. All set for G.O.A.T.? Trust me, it really isn't that bad. Just something you all have to go through. Henry, you okay?« »Yeah, sure. I'm all ready, I bet I'll ace it,« he joked sarcasticly. »I'm sure you will. Especially since it a test with multiple choice and with no wrong answers. Now find yourself a seat.« answered the professor. Henry looked where Amata was seated and sat at the table in front of her. »Well, now everyone has managed to find the classrom, we can finally get started. Please, no talking during the test and keep your eyes to your selves. Let's get started.«
»Question #1: You are aproached by a frenzied vault scientist who yells, »I'm going to put my quantum harmonizer in your photonic resonation chamber!« What's your response?« Henry looked down at the answers. I'm just gonna take this test for fun, he thought to himself, I don't care about this exam. Among the answers, he chose the »Yeah? Up yours too, buddy« one.
»Question #2: While working as an intern in the clinic, a patient with a strange infection in his foot stumbles through the door. The infection is spreading at an alarming rate, but the doctor has stepped out for a moment. What do you do?« Henry chose the answer: »Amputate the leg, before the infection spreads.«
»Question #3: You discover a young boy lost in the lower levels of the vault. He's hungry and frightened, but also appears to be in possession of stolen property. What do you do?« Henry took the answer: »Confiscate the boy's property by force and leave him there as his punishment.«
»Question #4: Congratulations! You made one of the Vault 101 baseball teams! Which position do you prefer?« Henry never liked baseball, so he chose the last answer »None, you wish the vault had a soccer team.«
»Question #5: Your Grandmother invites you to tea, but you're surprised when she gives you a pistol and orders you to kill another vault resident. What do you do?« »Ask for a minigun instead. After all, you don't want to miss.« was the answer for Henry.
»Question #6: Old Mr. Abernathy has locked himself in his quarters again, and you've been ordered to get him out. How do you proceed?« Henry chose the 4th answer: »Just walk away and let the old coot rot«
»Question #7: Oh no! You've been exposed to radiation, and a mutated hand has grown out of your stomach! What's the best course of treatment?« Henry thought »Bullet to the brain« was the best course of treatment.
»Question #8: A fellow Vault 101 resident is in possession of a Grognak the Barbarian comic book, issue number 1. You want it. Whats the best way to obtain it?« Henry thought he'd do what the last answer was – »Slip some knock out drops into the resident's Nuka Cola, and take the comic book when he's unconscious.«
»Question #9: You decide it would be fun to play a prank on your father. You enter his private restroom when no one is looking, and....« This was a delicate question. Henry didn't want to harm his father. But still, he crossed the »Put a firecracker in the toilet. Thats sure to cause some chaos« answer.
»Last question, question #10: Who is indisputably the most important person in Vault 101: He who shelters us from the harshness of the atomic wasteland, and to whom we owe everything we have, including our lives?« Henry rolled his eyes. All the answers were the same. »The Overseer«. Henry just wrote »ME!« at the side of the paper and crossed it. Can't believe the Overseer is using G.O.A.T. for propaganda, he thought.
»Pencils down, people, that's it. The infamous G.O.A.T. I'm sure most of you didn't find it so bad. Others, well, there are always opening in the maintance department. Don't forget to hand in your tests! You don't want to know what happens to the people that »fail« the test« said Mr. Brotch to all students. »Here's my test, Mr. B,« Henry handed him the exam. »Ahh... assuming from all these answers, you'll make a great Marriage Counselor. Almost makes me want to get married, just to be able to use your services.« said the professor . Henry answered sarcasticly: »Wooow! That's what I've always wanted to be. My dreams are finally coming true!« »Yes, um, it sure is refreshing to see, um, such enthusiasm. Nice to see the G.O.A.T. got it right.« answered Mr. Brotch. Amata also handed out her test and said: »Glad it's over. Come, let's go grab a lunch.«
********»Henry, Henry! Wake up! Jonas is dead and your father is missing!!!«
Great start.
