(Collab between Letterbee and TheUnknowable)

It was easy; the Overseer of Vault 81 would agree to provide soldiers in exchange for Alan trying to find his runaway 'child wife' (Alan was not sexually attracted to small children; he preferred 18-year olds because they can endure more). Not merely that, but Alan had also agreed to pay in Purified Water for one half of all girl newborns from the Vault; he needed his own 'stock' of purebreed humanity.

Now the Enclave was rebuilding Vault 81 into a true military base, capable of fabricating even Enclave Power Armor, and several new recruits were being sent to Enclave Base One in order to begin their training and integration into the Enclave Armed Forces; they would have to be kept away from the female personnel, though.

After that, Alan then went on a private trip, accompanied only by two bodyguards; he was going to the New York Public Library. When asked why by his Bodyguards, he spoke:

"Let's just say that I have to know how my toys work, and Anatomy lessons are the best way to do it."

A few minutes later...the small party of Enclave Personnel found the structure...only to see that it was occupied.

"Should we purge this place, sir?" said one bodyguard.

"No, not [i]yet[/i]," Alan replied. "Someone who's willing to salvage books strikes me as a curiosity." He then walked up to the doors, and spoke in a loud, speaker-amplified voice:

"Anyone here?! This is Colonel Alan Anderson of the United States of America - Commander-in-Chief of the Enclave! I demand to speak with the leader of this project!"

Greg heard the demands and looked up.  "D--n it," he said, though he rarely cursed.  "I don't want to deal with them, but if I don't they'll probably kill us all."  He looked at Sky.  "Go tell all of the workers to go to the back room, and get the Mercs up here immediately.

The Merc Captain, who was in the break room, came into the atrium.  "Enclave, huh?  Hate those guys." he said.

"Yeah, me too, but don't let them find out.  I need you to get your men ready in case they attack."  The Captain left to prepare his men and Greg looked at Lawrence. "Could you go open the door, please?"  The old man walk over and opened the door.

"Glad to see that you people still know the basics of courtesy," Alan was smug. "Now, take me to your leader; I have much to discuss."

Lawrence walked to the front desk where Greg was sitting, plasma rifle in his lap and Prince standing behind him.  "Hello, Colonel Anderson.  Can I help you with something? Do you wish to trade?  Is your equipment in need of repairs?  I have quite a few books available if you are the kind of man that values knowledge or a good story."

Hopefully, if he was exceptionally nice, he wouldn't end up with a bullet in him and the Mercs, who were waiting just behind the room's back door, wouldn't have to turn this place into a bloodbath.

"First up, my equipment cannot be repaired by anything you Wastelanders have, but I would love books, starting with the infamous Kama Sutra, then books on Anatomy and Reproductive Health, and after that, a work known as [i]Fifty Shades of Grey[/i]," Alan's tone was silken. "Also, I would like more information about this establishment; are you the sole leader of this project? My intuition says that you're not; this requires someone with many resources."

"Actually, this project is financed by someone else.  I'm just the administrator he placed in charge.  I'll be happy to look up those books for you."  He quickly hacked the library computer on the front desk and looked up the listings for the books the Enclave officer was interested in.  He then wrote the listings down inside the cover of a ruined book and gave it to Lawrence.  "Please find these books if we have at least two decent copies of them and bring one copy of each up here."

Lawrence left to look for the books and Greg addressed the Enclave officer.  "I'm sure you understand that we can't sell you our last copy of the book.  We can, however, copy it and sell you a copy once we are done doing that."

"All right, [i]Librarian[/i], your call," said Alan. "However, understand this. Under my leadership, the Enclave still stands for the domination of the pure-born Human race. It's just that we do not exterminate people anymore, not when they can be useful. You have made yourself useful today, Librarian, and so this establishment is deserving of life. Question is, though...will your financier be the same way? Or will he or she be a threat?"

"So please, describe everything about him; personality, habits, [i]physical appearance[/i]; everything. I will know if you lie to protect him, and if you do that, it will be your last day on this world."

"Well, sir, he is a teenage boy, maybe eighteen or nineteen, and claims to be a member of a group of traders called the "Book Runners".  Apparently they finance his operations.  Either that or he's just a very good trader.  Other than that, I don't know very much about him.  He asked me if I wanted to help with this salvage effort and I agreed, as there is likely some pretty valuable information here, and I could use it."

"I see," Alan's faceplate glinted. "Hmm, I dislike using people below 18, but people at that age...ah! Here's another deal. In addition to me telling the Enclave to leave this establishment alone, if you hand over this 'boy' to me at the first opportunity, I will give you his weight in purified water. You can opt out of this deal, if you want, but that means that while I'll keep my word, you'll have to exert extra effort into making yourself useful."

"Oh, and before I forget, the Enclave is also seeking a silver-haired 10-year old who ran away from a place called 'Vault 81'. I don't want her myself - as said, I dislike people below 18 - but the Overseer of the Vault would want information on her." Alan's faceplate then glinted again; the man had an idea.

"Actually, I have different terms now. Give me either the boy or the girl or this establishment will be left untouched for only two months, after which we shall look for ways you can be useful. If no such way is found after two months, then you know what happens." Alan laughed; Greg - not that he knew his name - would probably be loathing him right now.

Greg didn't show any emotion that he was aware of.  Anger, hatred, and the like were violently discouraged by V-17, so he was pretty good at hiding his emotions.  The main emotion he was feeling, however, was relief.  The salvage operation would be over long before then, and they would be gone.  He wouldn't have to deal with the penalties of disobedience unless Par decided to stay for some reason.  "I'll certainly concider your request.  My financier isn't here, however, and there are currently no children here.  I  will, however, keep an eye out for her."

Lawrence walked in, carrying a stack of books.  Greg concidered asking for caps for the books, but decided that, instead, he would leave the matter unspoken, asking for money only if the soldier asked about it.  After all, he didn't want the man to decide he wasn't useful anymore.  "Your books appear to be here, sir." he said.

"Good," Alan said, handing Greg a gold nugget hidden in a secret pocket. Then, he had his bodyguards take the books, and the party turned to leave...