Hardware

Renne's commercial hub, the old Prometheus Coal Building. Prometheus Coal was a strange pre-war company, a subsidiary of Poseidon Energy. It owned and operated a couple of mines in the Utah area before turning one of its biggest mine into a radioactive material dump. On behalf of the United States government of course. "I remember this company, remember reading about them a lot too," Addey said looking at the remnants of the company that hadn't been covered by signs or promotional materials. "They did a lot of the government's dirty work."

Syd pretended to listen but was busy admiring the lengths that the people of Renne had gone to in making this place. He spotted a stall, selling old holotapes and terminals. Now that was right up his alley. He headed over, whilst Addey continued to explore. "Good morning son," the seller greeted. The man had a real radio voice.

"Good morning mister. Nice to meet you," Syd smiled, he started to examine a RobCo terminal, it was presented perfectly. It was basically good as new. "This is a nice piece of kit you have here."

"Well, thank you. You familiar with computers?"

"More than familiar. It's my area of expertise," Syd Nelson continued to examine the machine. He tapped at the keyboard, it was a simple feeling that was strangely relaxing for him. "You have any work for a fella like me?"

"Well I'm sorry kid but I'm not taking on any 'employees' per se. But if you're really talented and can help me out with something that's been bothering me for a while now, well I'll be mighty grateful for that."

Syd stood up, showing he was interested. "What would that be?" The seller raised his finger to tell him to wait a moment. He went under his makeshift desk and searched through a couple of boxes, filled to the top with electrical bits and components. Then he found what he was after: a couple of holotapes, the labels had faded away, it was difficult to determine how old they might be.

"You any good at decrypting data?"

"I'm not terrible, I know I've done it before." Then it hit him, why did he know how to decrypt a holotape. Why had that memory retained but so much of the important stuff faded away? It was all so strange. "To be a little direct, if I can do it for you how much will you pay me?"

"Well, it depends on the sensitivity of the information on the tapes. But say I'll give you a down payment of one hundred caps if you can decrypt them all. Bonuses if there's something special in the data." The seller smiled at Syd, resting his arm upon the top of the terminal. Syd thought for a moment and smiled back.

"You've got yourself a deal, may I?" he asked tilting his head towards the terminal. The seller nodded, placed the holotapes before him and went back to work. Maybe they'd be able to pay off these clothes after all. Elsewhere in the commercial hub Addey had used his little charisma to convince a ghoul barmaid to fix him up a drink. He held the lukewarm bottle in his hands, savouring the taste of the aged alcohol. Addey had missed it, the simple pleasures that life has to offer. He sat back and relaxed whilst his cellmate typed away furiously. What a life.