#like imagine an Institute that wants to just completely wipe out the Commonwealth and replace them with robots

[arimabari]

revisiting Fallout 4 cause its been a hot minute but man. Does anyone else think the Commonwealth should’ve been a lot more dangerous to match the stakes the game kept trying to raise. 

[cosmicknives]

I’m trying to kick myself into some level of production and the easiest way is to read over the weird snippets of Gage and Gamma’s story!! ✨ I always like writing out their interactions and I still like this bit a bunch. I really should finish up the whole story. :’l

The last gatorclaw dropped to the ground with a crunching thud. The small metal hub shattered from its weight behind Gage and Gamma hopped off with an astonishing amount of grace.

And then, once safety set in his bones, all the emotions left Gage at once.

"You can’t be fuckin’ human,” Gage laughed, almost hysterically as excitement flooded out throughout his body. He let out another hardy laugh, hand covering part of his face, because god damn! Three gatorclaws, three of them! They should've been dead, dead, gone and halfway on their way to eaten. It was unreal.

Did he know how to pick them, or what!

Gamma just shook his head though as he made his way over, wiping the blood off his knife. Gage imagined a soft smile on his face. It looked great like everything else in this moment.

"You know what," he said quickly when Gamma offered him his hand, tugging him back up to his feet. Pain rung out from the wound though, and Gage flopped right back down. He was too hopped up on adrenaline anyways. His body left like rubber and like a live wire all at the same time. It was probably why he was rambling so much, so hard. But, who cared! They were fuckin' alive! "I'm gonna buy you that stupid knife from Kathleen! Right when she gets back from the Commonwealth, it's yours!"

"That thing's like a good ten thousand caps, Gage." Gamma almost snorted, kneeling down and fishing around in their bag.

"It's, fuckin', yours." He said again, stronger and he reached down to force Gamma's attention up. He didn't care if this idiot never wanted to see the world with his own free eyes, Gage was making a promise, internal and eternal here and now, under the hazy light of the moon and the thick scent of copper in the air: he'd follow this idiot to the Glowing Sea and back if he asked.

No one, no one else in this entire fucked up world could inspire Gage to feel like that. He didn't just feel it. In the moment, he knew that Gamma had his back in a way no one else ever had. He just took on three fuckin' Gatorclaws to save Gage's ass! Anyone else would've run. Anyone else should've run, it was the smarter plan but, God. He didn't.

He could kiss him, honestly, shitty mask and all.

But under his hands, Gamma stilled. Or rather, he was still. Unlike Gage, he wasn't shaking. He wasn't riding a high and such a simple, small thing stuck out in his frantic excited mind like the realization of pure trust he felt for this boy.

Anyone else would be Gage, they're be reacting. They'd be screaming in joy, they'd be shaking in terror, hell, maybe they'd just be puking their guts out just because over such a goddamn impressive feat. They'd be bragging! Something! Anything!

But, no. Under his hands, Gamma was still and the world seemed like it shuddered to a complete stop as Gage realized this was par for the course for him. Did he ever really react? Not after fights, he always were cool, calm and collected, from Colter to now. The words of his from before reran over his mind, and a sinking horror arose in him.

You can’t be fuckin’ human.

            Sitting in a old marsh in a reactive hellscape at night, Gage held Gamma's face in his hands, staring at the boy as an realization dawned on him. The thick smell of blood from the gatorclaws filled the air around them, and it was starting to feel suffocating.

"Gage, this is lovely and all, being caressed like I'm a damn schoolgirl..." Gamma started, probably glancing back now to look through their supplies. There was a new rustle between them. "Buuuut, I gotta get a stim for ya." The cut on his leg was severe, but. You know.

Gamma wasn’t human.

"...you okay, Porter?"

"You're not human," he said slowly, then pulled back his hands like the kid was acid. He felt numb, he felt worse than numb. The high from before straight collided back into the earth with the same force of the last gatorclaw. It shook him to his core.

It, it was the only explanation he had. It made sense! He'd heard all the fuckin' stories about the Institute as he roamed around the Commonwealth, the Institute and their synths. He'd heard the rumors of what happened at University Point, raised to ground and not a soul alive to tell the tale of what had happened. They came in the middle of the night and replaced you like you never were.

Only this time, Gage willingly let one of them in. He said 'do this one thing and I'll get you in the keys to our fuckin' kingdom'. Of course he killed Colter! That's why he didn't bloody take Gage's fuckin' advice! He was a fuckin' synth, what chance did Colter even have?

Beneath him, Gamma only tilted his head up a bit, shoulders lax as he stopped the search for that stimpak. "Cool, ya finally realized it. Now, can I-"

Which, ultimately, was the wrong answer for Gage. He grabbed the rifle laying by him quick and bashed it into the side of Gamma's head. And he couldn't really lie, it felt good catching that kid off guard for once because he railed back, hard.

"What in the loving fuck!?" He swore, pressing a hand to the spot that Gage hit. The moonlight wasn't strong to see if he drew any blood, and the gatorclaws' mask the scent of anything new.

"You're not human," was really his only defense. Rifles weren't great at close range and he still aimed it at the Boss.

"Yeah, no fuckin' shit, Sherlock," Gamma swore again, still pressing his hand against his head, still not motioning to arm himself any. Like Gage wasn't actually a threat even with a gun trained on him. What bullshit.

"You're a synth," Gage glared, weighing out his options in his head. Wrong option, apparently, because Gamma just grabbed the end of the gun, forcing it violently to the left as he leveled himself with Gage. And yeah, up close, he could see he indeed draw blood.

"Excuse you?! I didn't go through three years of intensive Hell to be called just  a synth. I'm a fuckin' Courser, get it right," he snapped, letting go the gun in a snap. Swearing under breath again, he just pushed Gage's leg aside, purposefully putting the most pressure on the wound (Gage assumed) before grabbing their supply bag.

"What's even the difference? You're still Institute tech." Because Gage didn't need to be an Egghead to know the best kind-of synth was a dead one. There was nothing good about them. Gamma though, just snorted as he rooted through their bag a good few feet away from Gage. Enough of a distance to not get hit with the butt of a rifle, not enough to not get shot by one. He really didn't think Gage would shoot, did he?

"The difference is those three dead Gatorclaws," he said, "That mind you, I fuckin' killed so you wouldn't end up in their digestive tract. So, you know, you're welcome. I'm so getting that knife now too."

"I'm not buying you shit."

"Yes. Yes, you are," Gamma said in an odd mixture of overly sweet and utterly ice cold. Gage heard the quiet thud on the bag hitting the ground, and looked up towards the fake. The stimpak was well in hand, Gamma expertly applying it to his temple with a little hiss. "You're buying it because, this," he waved his hand around his forehead, "was a shit thank you."

And now, I'm going to make to you suffer wasn't said aloud but Gage heard loud and clear all the same. Like he was the wrong here. Like he was the one who had been lying for the past two months.

Like he was the one who tricked him into trusting him. It was fuckin' Connor all over again. It was just like Colter too. He didn't see what he needed to see until it was too late and now, look when he was: once again at the mercy of the cold unfeeling universe.

Fuck. He'd even laugh when Gage jokingly lamented how the Institute hadn't tried replacing him yet, because, you know, he was Important, he was worth replacing. That stupid little fucker.

"I didn't pretend to be human," Gage shot back as Gamma, slowly, closed the distance between them.

"Who's pretending," was his only response before he jabbed the rest of the stimpak into Gage's leg. He hissed at the sudden intrusion, feeling the skin rapidly react to the drug as it coursed throughout his system. It was always a goddamn weird feeling, watching skin healed over the span of seconds instead weeks. Even weirder was to feel it happen. "Because it ain't me. I never claimed to be human."

"You never said you weren't either." And to that Gamma just looked up at Gage again. The faint outlines of his eyes popped out even in the darkness, forever too sharp for the expression of 'are you serious right now' Gamma had. Well, that was one mystery solved, he guessed.

"I killed Colter, a dumb idiot in decked out raider gear, with my bare hands." He noted. "I took down an infestation of bloodworms, an entire Park of hostile robots, and how many gatorclaws now? With what else, but basically a kitchen knife?" Gamma laughed quietly, but the sharp focus in the outlines in his eyes didn't flicker even for a moment. At least Gage knew why he found it so unnerving all the other times he saw it: it was utterly unhuman.

"Do you really think," Gamma continued, softly, slowly and surely for Gage, just letting the point really sink home, "a know-nothing human could do that? Or that a synth could? Please, Gage. Use your head. It's good for something other than caps, you know?" Reaching out, Gamma placed a hand gently on Gage's shoulder and looked him square in the eye.

"You knew it. You just didn't want to accept it." And with that, Gamma pushed himself back up his feet. "I'm gonna go get that stupid code and then we're going to get back to Fizztop because well, yes, I am that amazing and did, once again, totally saved your stupid life you ungrateful bastard, I'd rather not die because of your weirdo hang-ups." He said, waving his fingers in the air like it was spooky voodoo.

Gage didn't say anything in return, and Gamma took that admission of ...something because he just sighed and walked into the hub. From his seat, Gage listened to the soft sounds of fabric moving, bones hitting metal and heavy furniture being pushed around. He tried to empty his mind, tried to think rationally, if there was an rational line to be found.

He, he did know Gamma was odd. He thought he was something at first, a ghoul possibly because they were the only things he'd ever see move as fast as Gamma did. The sheer amount of distance he crossed during his fight with Colter, and so fast. He knew that's why the crowd had gasped. It wasn't that this nobody had gotten to their Overboss, it was just the pure speed of his movements.

But, when he had finally seen flesh, all those thoughts left. He still thought Gamma was odd, but there was plenty of odd people wandering around the Wasteland, odd people that did horrifying things to survive. It changed them so if there were a few motions that seemed off, a few choice words that caught Gage's attention in an off kind-of way, it never stuck.

It was, like everything else off in the Wasteland, easier to look away.

He knew, in an instant, how the Institute got away with so so much.

"By the way," Gamma said as he peeked his head out of the door. His mask was still firmly in the place, the dried blood was starting to flake away. Gage would've wiped the drying blood away himself, annoyed at the light touches that stuck to his skin. Gamma left it. Off, in a dismissible way. "You should probably move. That's an radioactive drum that on the other side of that wall."

Gage all but bolted away, Gamma cackling behind him. "Again, you're welcome!"

[zirawrites]

(Romanced or not,up to you) How do the companions react after being reunited with the sole survivor after they relay to the Institute for the first time,them not being sure if sole even survived the trip?

I decided to do romanced because it’s always a little more fun! Thanks for sending in this reaction and I’m sorry it’s taken me over two weeks to get to it, nonny!

Cait: Cheeks flushed red. Eyes wide open. Chest rising and falling. Fists balled up so tight her fingernails drew blood. Cait had never been more angry; not even when she was prostituted out to the cages. Sole had left her to save the world, not realizing Cait’s entire universe was her beloved survivor. The Minutemen let her observe Sole’s relay, mostly because Sole made her promise she wouldn’t start trouble. However, Sole was supposed to be back by now. Her lover was strong, but the Institute might be stronger… No one knew, and Cait assumed that was the point.

There was a flash of light. Cait was so anxious she couldn’t tear her eyes away. When Sole’s silhouette appeared, Cait was by their side before the Minutemen even registered what happened. “Sole!” she cried; wrapping Sole in her strong arms and spinning them off the ground. “You fuckin’ idiot! Don’t ever scare me like that again!” Some of the Minutemen readied their guns. Cait’s voice was so unstable it seemed like she wanted to pick a fight. When Sole wiped away the tears Cait didn’t realize she was crying, her shoulders relaxed. In a softer voice, Cait added: “I love you. You’re so damn stubborn and fiery and I love you.” She didn’t understand why Sole would risk what they had to save complete strangers, but it was part of the reason she knew Sole was the best damn person in the Commonwealth.

Codsworth (synth): Since Codsworth was a naturally nervous-wreck, Sole instructed him to stay in Sanctuary and look after the settlers. It took his mind off Sole’s exploration, but only for the first several hours. He feared a lot in the godforsaken Commonwealth - things like raiders and deathclaws and good glassware getting smudged - but nothing compared to losing Sole. It took him over 200 years to reunite with his master/mistress, and Codsworth didn’t know if he could bear another two decades. 

When Sole walked over the Sanctuary bridge, his knees nearly gave out. The usually neat and composed synth sprinted down the road - arms outstretched - until he nearly toppled Sole over. Codsworth completely forgot his gentlemanly manners. His hands rubbed up and down Sole’s back, and his mouth pressed warmly to their temple. “I was so scared,” he mumbled in to Sole’s hair. They had never felt him shake like that; not since his Mr. Handy days when Sole forgot to oil him. They ran their hands through Codsworth’s hair to calm him, but he didn’t register their touch. “You’re so much braver than I, sir/ma’am. Sometimes I can hardly stomach it.” Sole knew they would have to return to the Institute soon, but seeing Codsworth so worked up over their first departure would always leave a sour taste in their mouth while they were away.

Curie: Curie understood Sole’s need to discover the Institute. Knowledge was a noble pursuit; especially in these trying times where education was almost nonexistent. The morning Curie bid Sole adieu, her heart was full of hope. Her Sole was going to discover what being had terrorized the Commonwealth for so long. They would bring back secrets and science to share with their settlers. And in the end, Sole was going to save humanity. Curie could just sense it, even though her studies discouraged the idea of destiny. That was how much Curie believed in her partner.

But as the hours ticked on, that once-sweltering feeling of hope dwindled like the setting sun. Curie sat by the transmitter and used a stick to draw patterns in the sand. There was nothing else she could do. Unlike the other Minutemen who were feebly arguing how to relay Sole back, Curie knew none of them understood the Institute’s technology.

Then that beautiful blue flash of light. Curie jumped off the ground to greet Sole with a tight hug around their neck. “I am so glad you’ve returned!” Curie said in to Sole’s neck. “You must have many stories to share with all of us. But first, I insist on giving you a medical exam. I do not no what contaminates you may have encountered during the relay. I think…” Curie continued to fret over Sole until they allowed her to give them a thorough check-up in the Castle’s clinic.

Danse: When Danse introduced Sole to the Brotherhood, he never imagined it would have led them straight to the Institute. He often dreamed of finding the bastards who made synthetic humans and terrorized innocent families as a joyous moment. He would burst in to their secret lair with guns blazing and take no survivors. But when they discovered Sole had to relay there, his dreams of violence vanished. All Danse cared about was Sole returning safely.

He thought of every negative scenario possible. What if Sole was replaced by a synth? What if the Institute tortured his lover for information on the Brotherhood? As Danse paced in front of the transporter, his anxiety heightened. Sole could be strapped to a table. They could have wired hooked to their head. It would be all his fault…

The blue explosion took all the soldiers by surprise. Sole stumbled off the platform and straight in to Danse’s arms. His first instinct was to kiss them, but he resisted. No one knew they were dating, and exposing their love at that exact moment could jeopardize Sole’s place in taking down the Institute. Instead, Danse settled on brushing their hair from their face and holding Sole to his chest. “Ad Victoriam, soldier,” he said. His voice was shaky, and his embrace was uncomfortably tight. He didn’t need to say anything else. Sole could feel his relief by the way he softly sighed in to the top of their head.

Deacon: The whole reason he brought Sole in to The Railroad was to hunt down the Institute and find their son. So why did saying goodbye feel so… wrong? Desdemona sensed Deacon’s apprehension, and reassured him that Sole was the most qualified to go through the relay. Her words barely registered. Instead, Deacon spent the next several hours pacing. He ran his hands through his hair. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Whenever someone tried to ease the tension with a well-meaning joke, he didn’t even look up. Sole was in danger because of HIM. If they died, it was more blood on his hands. 

He should have ran away with Sole. They could have changed their names. Gotten a face swap. The two would build a house by the ocean and fill it with children who would never be exposed to espionage and danger. It was the life he thought his Sole deserved.

When the transmitter cracked lightning and Sole reappeared, they were hounded by every agent surrounding them. Desdemona wanted to know who they met. Tinker Tom asked if they stole any weapons he could play with. When Sole finally pushed their way to Deacon, he melted in to their hand that snaked up his chest to his shoulder. “I found him,” Sole said. “I found Shaun.”

Instead of reminding them that he promised that all along, Deacon pulled Sole in for a rare public kiss. He had never been at such a loss for words, but feeling Sole in his arms gave him just enough strength not to whisk them away to a new life. 

Gage: Even though Gage knew he had no right, he wished he hadn’t let Sole go to the actual fucking Institute. If anyone could protect themselves, it was them. But that didn’t matter. It was the principle of putting Sole in harm’s way. They had given up their dignity and reputation with the raiders to take him on as a lover. And how did he repay them? But giving them a shy kiss and telling them to stay alert before a ball of light evaporated them. For all he knew, that explosion killed Sole instantly.

He became violent. Whenever he was asked to step away from the transmitter, he shoved that person to the ground. His anger was channeled through expletives and irritability. After a while no one dared to speak to him. Gage thought that if Sole was gone for another minute he would completely go insane.

The zap! of the relay caught his attention just as he was about to backhand a Minuteman. Sole stood proud and beautiful on the launch pad. Gage took a moment to gape at how strong they looked just having discovered the Institute. He had never been more proud.

“Boss!” Gage ran up to Sole and placed his forehead on theirs. “You’re crazy, you know that? Had me worried to death you weren’t gonna come back.” Instead of their usually witty comeback, Sole pulled Gage in to a hug. He hadn’t expected the sudden contact, and hesitantly pulled them closer. “You just love attention, don’t you? There are safer ways to get your thrills. Ones that don’t give me a heart attack, damn it.”

Hancock: Hancock wanted to be strong for Sole, but they reminded him how much Goodneighbor needed him. Reluctantly, Hancock waited for Sole back at the Old State House. His fingers nervously twitched every time he thought of just shooting up with chems to pass the time, but what if Sole got hurt during their return? He would be useless if he was completely inebriated. It was a hard decision, but Hancock was going to wait for Sole completely sober. And it was actually killing him.

The knock at his door nearly made his heart stop. For a moment he wondered if it was a synth army come to take him away. He frowned thinking about Sole ratting out his mischievous haven for synths and ghouls in return for their life. It would be the ultimate betrayal, and Hancock felt guilty that it even crossed his mind.

He opened the door without checking who was there. Why should he? If it was the Institute coming for him, he wouldn’t be able to fight his way out. He grit his teeth when the door creaked open, but everything came crashing down at once when it was his smiling Sole. So much guilt. Relief. Love.

“Sunshine!” he breathed, and wrapped Sole in to a tight hug. His voice didn’t sound like his own. The word came out higher; like a child meeting their favorite superhero and realizing miracles were real. “I was thinkn’ about hopping in that big machine and speeding up the process. You’ve been gone for ages.”

“You’re a ghoul,” Sole laughed. Their tears warmed his chest. When had they started crying? “A few hours should be nothing to you.”

“Not when it involves my man/girl,” Hancock replied. “Not when it involves the one I love.”

MacCready: “They should be back by now, right?” MacCready discarded his cigarette and stomped it in to the pavement. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up stiff, and he scratched feebly at the unnerving sensation. When no one answered, his cheeks flushed. He knew no one had any answers. The reason Sole got in the transporter was to be the first one to find the Institute. Keyword: first.

MacCready wanted to lash out, but that’s the last thing Sole would have wanted. He could stay composed when Lucy died. He was strong when Duncan fell ill. If Sole needed him to be just as reliant, so be it. Though it felt like a lot to ask a man who rested all his hopes on someone with a goal to save the entire world.

As soon as Sole returned through the teleporter, MacCready was overwhelmed with emotion. He felt tears edge their way over his eyes, and quickly wiped them with the back of his sleeve. By the time he looked up, Sole already had his scruffy cheeks cupped in their hands. “You missed me that bad, huh?” they asked. MacCready couldn’t do anything but nod. He buried his face in Sole’s neck and started crying. He knew he would be able to move on if Sole died, but only as a shell of a man. After Sole stroked his hair for another minute, he promised himself he would never put Sole in harm’s way. If they insisted on risking their neck for a bunch of synths, he was going to be right there by their side.

Preston: Sole wasn’t going to come back. He knew how dumb his luck was when they first said they loved him. Preston fell ass-backwards in to a relationship with the most wholesome person in the Commonwealth. Right from the start he knew he didn’t deserve them. Sole was everything right with the world. They never gave up. Hell, they were sacrificing their literal body just to find the entrance to the Institute.

Outwardly, Preston kept up a calm demeanor. He didn’t want to worry any of the Minutemen who were pining for their General’s return. Sole’s last command was to keep up the Castle’s morale. If they returned, Preston wanted to look them in the eyes and confidentially say he didn’t let them down. It was the least he could do.

The others were just about to set up a watch schedule when the teleporter shook and Sole reappeared. Everyone cheered as Sole descended off the platform. They noticed Sole’s beaming smile, but Preston could see Sole’s bloodshot eyes. He knew Sole had been crying.

After Preston instructed the Minutemen to prepare Sole some food and a cot to rest, he placed a long kiss on their cheek. “You had me worried you wouldn’t come back,” he said. “I know you told me to be strong. And I think I was. But I can’t help myself worrying about your safety. Are you alright?” As soon as Preston asked Sole that, they pulled him in for a deep kiss. Sole stayed locked in Preston’s embrace until they absolutely needed to come up for air. He wasn’t sure if Sole needed that to ground themselves, or maybe they really were in love. Either way, Preston knew this was just the beginning of everything.

Piper: “This is such bullshit!” Piper didn’t like swearing in front of Nat, but this was a special circumstance. Sole still hadn’t returned to Diamond City after their quest to find the Institute. Piper kidded that she wanted the exclusive on the story, but was more worried about her partner’s well-being. Nat had tried to calm her down all day, but it made Piper more irritated. When Nat motioned to the floor, Piper realized she had knocked over a stack of papers.

Piper insisted Nat go outside and play. She said she would clean up because it was her fault the office was a mess. When Nat shut the door, Piper’s shoulders shuddered with sobs as she scooped up the newspapers. For the first time Piper scanned her own work, it didn’t made her chest swell with pride. She should have stopped Sole. Told them not to leave the safety of Diamond City. Hell, she would have gone in Sole’s place. They were priceless in this world. Piper felt smell and expendable.

“Need some help?” 

Piper looked up from her crying to see Sole crouched down with a stack of papers in their hands. She hadn’t heard them come in. Piper squealed and jumped on Sole; knocking them on their back and smothering them with kisses. “You’re a maniac!” Piper laughed between shaky breaths. Sole finally relaxed and let Piper continue to nuzzle their face. “You did it, didn’t you? Oh my god, you did it! I knew if anyone could it would have been you, Blue. I’m so… I’m so proud of you!” She continued her barrage of compliments; the exclusive story the last thing on her mind. Sole was all that mattered in that tiny, messy little slice of home.

Nick: Sole would be the first missing person he could absolutely prove the Institute stole. When he heard they were leaving to relay straight to the boogeymen, Nick nearly powered down. He begged Sole to reconsider; to find someone to take their place. The settlers throughout the Commonwealth needed Sole’s guidance. His cases needed Sole’s watchful eyes to find missing families. Nick needed Sole because he loved them.

It was the first time he said that, and Sole was eager to say it back. They departed with slow, meaningful kisses. Nick promised to wait for them at the agency, but Sole had been gone for over a day. If they were gone, should he put up missing posters? He could just see it now. Missing: The most beautiful creature in the Commonwealth. Bright eyes that still see the good in others. Lips good for kissing and talking shit. Hands that want to build back up this broken world and still caress an old synth’s face.

“Your sign isn’t on.” It was Sole. They leaned against the doorway and tried to hide their amusement when Nick shot up from his desk. “I thought you’d stay open even if I left. What would you do without me? I guess you’d be able to still dress yourself. You never take off that coat.”

Nick wanted to laugh, but the sound got stuck in his circuits. If he could cry, he would be covering his face to hide it. Instead, Nick met Sole at the door to run his thumb across their cheek. “Perish the thought, kid,” he said. “You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”

[flourhurricane]

Fan Theories About Poseidon Energy, the Enclave, and the Institute.

I think the best kind of lore is the lore based on real life events and relationships. If you take just five minutes to study Fallout’s pre-war timeline and learn more about its government, the energy and resources crisis, and the tension between the United States and other countries... Sometimes, you forget Fallout is fiction.

In 2014, ExxonMobil joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Energy Initiative. (I’m adding a link because I’m all about the sources.) The oil company is going to invest 25 million dollars into the project over the next five years. The project’s objective is to “improve” and “expand” renewable energy sources, and to find more effective ways to use conventional energy sources.

Maybe I’m a cynical person, but it never sits well with me when an oil company says they want to help with renewable energy research. Because they make their money by extracting an energy resource from the earth and depending on their customers to need that resource week after week. Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar aren’t as lucrative. 

Fusion energy was supposed to replace the standard oil and coal in the Fallout universe, but it was too little, too late. Only a handful of cities had the chance to switch. Fusion-powered cars may have been popular and sold well, but they were still pretty damn expensive and MOST people couldn’t afford them. There were still plenty of people who depended on gas. 

So, for now on, when I talk about these groups from the Fallout universe, keep this in mind: ExxonMobil is Poseidon Energy, the remnants of the United States government became the Enclave, and M.I.T. is the Commonwealth Institute of Technology (C.I.T.), later becoming the Institute.

Relationships with Poseidon Energy and the Enclave could be the plausible answers to questions surrounding C.I.T. and the Institute. Who funded research for fusion energy? and later on kept it from going public until it was too late? 

Poseidon Energy. They could’ve made a similar contribution to C.I.T. Maybe Boston was the first city to completely switch over to fusion because of the research C.I.T. accomplished. And just like real life, Poseidon Energy paid off the United States government through lobbyists and campaign donations. (It’s also no longer far-fetched to imagine an oil company CEO with a high government position.) 

How did C.I.T. know to prepare for a nuclear fallout? to recreate a (small, at the time) underground facility for themselves and their families? to know WHEN to enter the bunker?

Again, Poseidon Energy. With their tight relationship with the government, they knew scientists would be needed after the Great War. Maybe I’m also inferring Poseidon Energy knew when the first bombs would be detonated. If they had their own Rex Tillerson in the government, it’s very possible.

(Note: I’ve had these musings before Trump won the electoral college, but they became much more creepy when the United States learned who Rex Tillerson is.) 

Poseidon Energy provided a lot of money and resources to the government and the university. In turn, the government provided Poseidon Energy with outlets to make more money, and C.I.T. provided them with good press and research.

When Poseidon Energy all but faded away after the bombs, the remnants of the government became the Enclave and C.I.T. eventually became the Institute. (I don’t think it’s stated, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the remnants of Poseidon merged with the Enclave. That could explain the Enclave’s insignia.) There’s no mention of the Enclave in Fallout 4, except in the Far Harbor DLC, when Grand Zealot Richter talks about his past. But that doesn’t mean the Enclave wasn’t in the Commonwealth.

The Enclave prides themselves as the last true Americans and the most pure blooded humans left in the wastelands, aside from vault dwellers. The Institute has a similar opinion about themselves. You can’t tell me these two groups don’t have some kind of relationship.

Who provided the Institute with various resources and equipment? Who gave them access to the FEV virus, bringing super mutants to the Commonwealth? 

The Enclave. They wanted the Lone Wanderer to taint the water in the Capital Wasteland so anyone who was “too mutated” would die. They could care less about the people of the Commonwealth; they’d be glad to torment them with super mutants. 

Who gave the Institute access to Vault-Tec records? and who would also benefit from the creation of synths?

Again, the Enclave. It’s possible there were Vault-Tec records in the old C.I.T. archives, but the government was closely tied to all the ‘Tec facilities before the war. To me, it’s more plausible the Enclave would have easier access to them. And it’s not like they’ve never charged their way into old vaults before...

The Institute wants to make human robots and creates the first and second generation synths. And they’re both great at taking orders. The Enclave learns of this scientific achievement, visits the Institute Director of that time, and is like, “Oh, your dream is to create your own living, breathing androids? We can help you with that... but we want something in return.”

It takes two prototype synths with unique, stable personalities, a kidnapping, a murder, and decades of development before a Gen 3 synth is manufactured. That’s a long time to wait for a payout. But both groups are patient, so long as it means reaching their end goals.

The Institute is never clear as to why they would make synths, but it’s safe to guess one big reason was because they could. They believe science is about pushing the envelope, knocking down one barrier and striving to knock down another. And it gave them a race of individuals they could control and perform the dirty work they didn’t want to do.

And the synths are perfect for the Enclave. Imagine a legion of soldiers who didn’t have to eat, or sleep, were more resistant to radiation poisoning, never lost or gained weight, had healthy immune systems, and could be controlled. And - stay with me here - synths could help to broaden the gene pool. 

There aren’t many vault dwellers these days. Some have been wiped out by the Enclave itself. Vault 81 has opened their doors to outsiders, and depending on decisions the player made in Fallout 3, Vault 101 is also open to outsiders or abandoned. Most vaults? They’re empty tombs. 

The Enclave needs new blood. Their numbers have dwindled over the two centuries since the Great War. The synths would provide them with this new blood - new, better DNA - to keep from inbreeding. 

I have more I could talk about. I’d planned on talking about my version of Deacon. My headcanons for his past, what the Enclave has to do with said past, his connection with the Sole Survivor, but this post? It’s really fucking long now. I’m going to stop for the night and continue tomorrow with a continuing post.

I hope some people kept reading until the end. If you did, thank you. You’re awesome.