Chapter 107: Chapter 103

The long ordeal taken to reach the mythical lands of the Nexus had been worth it. Miraculously, none of the weary and hopeful travelers had lost their lives during the trek across the wasteland as they took the risk of chasing the much rumored lands of Boston.

 

After abandoning their eroding town before the mirelurks overran them, the people of Fallen River ventured north across what was once thought to be raider and super mutant territories. What they found instead were abandoned camps and forts, and only the mutated wildlife and the occasional ghoul packs threatened the convoy.

 

When robots swept down from the skies to greet them, the tired and scared refugees went down to their knees in supplication as was discussed even before they had left Fallen River.

No one was sure just how friendly the Nexus Severalty was to outsiders seeking sanctuary, so it was best to present their best foot forward.

 

“You are approaching the territory of the Nexus Severalty. State your intent,” the robots verbalized as one in a monotonous choir. The metal tentacles waving lazily in the air and the many red, menacing eyes properly cowed the refugees into submission.

 

“P-Please,” Mayor Decklan begged, “we seek entry into the great Nexus, so that we can start a new life. We are all willing to serve the great Sev.” The aged man gingerly peeked his head up at the robots. “We-we also offer the great Sev any of our girls…and boys, however many that would please him.”

 

The robots stiffened and the kowtowing former townsfolk of Fallen River flinched, though none dared to even try crawling away despite the spike of panic. After a few breathless seconds, the many-eyed robots seemed to relax and began to swim up around the convoy.

 

“Acknowledged. You are all welcomed to the Nexus Severalty. No offering is required; the Nexus Severalty does not tolerate slavery. We will protect you as your transports arrive to facilitate formal migration procedures.”

 

Relief swept away the apprehension, and a cheer rose amongst the refugees. They took the opportunity to rest their weary legs and shake the dust off themselves while exchanging excited speculation of what wonders awaited them.

 

Surprise and alert turned into gasps of awe as they witnessed a fleet of vehicles, clean and shiny, rolling into view. The robots parted and slowly swam back to the heavens as the buses drove up to the wide-eyed gathering. Men and women in coats and hats exited the vehicles and offered warm, welcoming smiles. “Hello, I am Sergeant Mason, of the Nexus Minutemen. Please follow the instructions of me and my crew here, so we can get you on the buses and get you into the Nexus to settle in.”

 

The surge of hope and wonder was tempered by the knowledge that the Nexus had its own iron rules, keeping the refugees of Fallen River from just swarming the Minutemen in gratitude. Sergeant Mason and his squad began organizing them into lines to fill up the buses while they rattled off questions.

 

“Are any of you currently suffering any illnesses? Anyone lost a limb?”

 

“Are there any chem addicts? Please note that you will be given addictol upon arriving in the immigration center...”

 

“Please leave any non-essential and non-sentimental goods. Clean food and drink will be provided once we reach the immigration center. Please also discard…”

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“Children and their parents, please stay together. Oh, who’s looking after these children here?”

 

“The journey will be about forty minutes, so if anyone needs to empty out…”

 

After the simple questions ended and the people were arranged into orderly lines, they embarked on the buses and enjoyed the soft cushioned seats as they were driven into Nexus lands. Despite their tiredness, none of them could turn their eyes from the window as they passed by neatly arranged buildings, verdant fields of green, and spied the rising skyline of intact buildings up ahead.

 

By the time they reached the immigration center, some of the dumbstruck adults were stumbling out of their transports and keeling over to kiss the fresh asphalt. The free meals and water provided caused many a parent to sob with gratitude, especially to those watching their children wolf down the food so eagerly after subsisting until now on scavenged centuries-old canned food or rotting mirelurk carcasses.

 

Processing was devoid of the oppressive interrogations some traders had made it out to be, as the prospective immigrants were just questioned about their home and their everyday lifestyle. Crimes were confessed to as well for some, though no one seemed to have suffered for it. The mayor and a few of his aides had already quietly disposed of the suspected rapists and retired raiders before leaving their town.

 

Then there was a briefing about the laws of the Nexus, which the adults all attentively listened to, and they would later pore through the booklets provided to them on that topic. Slots were then offered for the people of Fallen River to each pick their probationary residences. It was there where the townsfolk went their own ways and chose their new lives.

 

Some preferred opening up new farmlands, while others resided in the urban centers in Diamond City and Station 81. Those orphans without guardians who were meant as an offering (in case Sev really wanted such things) were assigned to an orphanage complex.

 

Like most of the other migrants into the Nexus, there was a period of adjusting to the clean environment and unsettlingly easy life, but by the time probation ended, the former townsfolk of Fallen River fully settled into life as a citizen of the Nexus. Some families broke apart due to the new comforts unbalancing established family dynamics, but the Nexus had plenty of land to provide for the newly divorced or the independent children.

 

The refugees from Fallen River would be among one of many settlements that integrated into the Nexus without major incidents, another green mark in the database. Due to the luck of the draw, many of them would also contribute in the form of interviews for a documentary about the life of a migrant. When Fallen River, the abandoned town, itself was swallowed by the Nexus’ borders, it was nothing but eroded cliff sides and mirelurk infested coastlines.

 

Or at least that was all it should be.

 

Underneath the ruins of a collapsed home, in a sealed basement that long forgotten even before the war, the wards around the marble slab in the dark, sand-filled room were finally broken as the walls and floor crumbled away.

 

Some of the former inhabitants of Fallen River began to be haunted by nightmares then, suffering dark dreams of featureless heads glaring at them, screaming white shards of pain that dug into their minds and quickly made sleep a thing to dread. None knew of the significance, nor did anyone notice the gradual changes that slowly overcame these tormented souls.

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