If you want to read 20 Chapters ahead and more, be sure to check out my P-Tang12!!!
______________________________
(A/N: Don't forget to give those power stones to Skyrim everyone!)
...
And inside the workshop, the Commonwealth's first real patrol boat was finally beginning to take shape.
For the rest of that morning, the workshop barely slowed down.
The moment the engine settled into its reinforced mount, the energy in the room shifted again. The engineers weren't just building a frame anymore as they were assembling a machine. Something that would move. Something that would push through the water instead of simply sitting on land like a pile of scrap.
Mel stood with his hands on his hips, looking over the engine block while the chains from the pulley system were carefully detached.
"Alright," he said after a moment. "Let's lock the mounts completely before we start anything else."
One of the engineers nodded and grabbed a heavy wrench.
Another crawled underneath the skeleton frame with a tool bag, sliding along the concrete floor to reach the lower support bolts.
The metal structure creaked softly as the engine settled fully into place, its weight now resting on the reinforced beams.
It was strange.
Only a day earlier, the skeleton had felt fragile.
Now it felt grounded.
Real.
Across the workshop, someone rolled over a crate filled with marine piping. Another team began measuring the fuel tank spacing along the rear support ribs.
Mel walked back toward the blueprint table, flipping through several pages while occasionally glancing at the half-built boat.
There was still a mountain of work ahead.
Fuel systems.
Cooling lines.
Control linkages.
Hull plating.
Electrical routing.
And that was before they even thought about testing the engine.
But for the first time, it all felt achievable.
Ronnie watched the room quietly from near the wall.
She had seen many construction projects in the Commonwealth over the year from settlements, defenses, artillery platforms.
But this one felt different.
The engineers weren't building shelter or protection.
They were building possibility.
The ocean outside the Castle had always been there, endless and unreachable.
Now someone was finally trying to take it back.
She crossed her arms and leaned slightly against the wall.
Mel noticed her watching again.
"You're still here."
Ronnie shrugged.
"Just making sure nobody sinks the place before the boat even touches water."
Mel smirked.
"Give us a few days before we attempt that."
By late afternoon, the workshop was beginning to quiet slightly.
Not because the engineers had finished.
But because they had reached one of those moments where careful planning mattered more than fast movement.
Mel stood near the radio console that had been set up on a small wooden table near the workshop wall.
The old military radio crackled faintly as he adjusted the frequency dial.
A few engineers nearby paused their work for a moment, listening.
Everyone knew who the call was for.
Mel pressed the transmit switch.
"Castle workshop calling Sanctuary command."
The radio hissed softly.
A few seconds passed.
Then the voice came through.
"Sico here."
Mel smiled faintly.
"Thought you'd want the first update."
There was a slight pause on the line.
"How's it looking?"
Mel turned his head slightly toward the skeleton frame behind him.
"The prototype skeleton is finished."
Someone nearby grinned quietly.
Mel continued.
"Engine mount installed. Engine seated properly. Propeller shaft assembly is locked in place."
Static crackled briefly before Sico's voice returned.
"That was fast."
"We lost time waiting for materials yesterday," Mel replied. "So the team pushed harder today."
Another pause.
Then Sico spoke again.
"Engine condition?"
Mel glanced at the marine engine sitting proudly inside the skeleton frame.
"Rough," he admitted.
A few engineers chuckled quietly.
"But it turns over," Mel continued. "We'll clean the intake lines and run a dry test once the fuel system is connected."
"Good," Sico said. "Keep me updated."
Mel hesitated for a moment.
"You should see it."
"Oh?"
"The thing's starting to look like an actual boat."
Sico laughed faintly through the radio.
"I'm looking forward to it."
Mel released the transmit switch and leaned back slightly.
The room felt lighter after that.
Because the project wasn't just theirs anymore.
Now someone else knew it was real.
The next few days settled into a rhythm that slowly consumed the Castle.
Morning always began the same way.
Before sunrise, the first sounds of metal tools echoed through the courtyard.
Engineers entered the workshop carrying coffee cups and tool belts.
The moment the doors opened, the smell of steel, oil, and welding gas filled the air again.
Mel was usually the first one there.
Not because he had to be.
But because he couldn't help himself.
Every morning he walked around the growing machine before anyone else arrived, checking weld lines, inspecting bolts, mentally mapping out the next steps.
The skeleton that had once been empty ribs slowly began filling with systems.
Fuel tanks were mounted along the lower support beams.
Pipes and hoses were carefully routed toward the engine.
Cooling lines were attached.
Electrical conduits snaked through the ribs like veins.
Every day, the boat became a little more alive.
Three days after the engine installation, Mel stood by the radio again.
The workshop behind him buzzed with activity.
Someone was testing the steering linkage assembly.
Another team was preparing the propeller housing alignment.
Mel pressed the transmit switch.
"Castle workshop to Sanctuary command."
Static.
Then Sico answered.
"Go ahead."
Mel leaned against the table slightly.
"Fuel system installed. Intake lines cleaned."
He glanced toward the engine.
"We spun the crank again this morning."
"And?"
"It moves smoother now."
"Good."
Mel continued.
"Propeller shaft alignment is nearly finished. Once that's done we can attempt the first engine ignition."
There was a pause.
"You'll do that inside the workshop?"
Mel shook his head even though Sico couldn't see it.
"No chance."
A few engineers nearby laughed again.
"We'll roll it outside for that," Mel added.
Sico chuckled through the radio.
"Probably wise."
Mel released the switch and looked back toward the boat.
The hull still wasn't plated yet.
But the machine inside it was coming together quickly.
While the prototype slowly grew inside the Castle workshop, something else was rising along the coastline.
The new boat factory.
Every afternoon, Mel made the same walk down the path outside the south wall.
The road curved gently down toward the rocky shoreline where Sturges and his builders had claimed a wide stretch of open ground.
At first it had just been empty dirt and scattered stones.
Now it looked like the beginning of an industrial site.
Thick steel beams stood upright like giant skeleton ribs planted into the earth.
Cross supports connected them.
Large concrete foundation blocks had been set along the edges of the site.
Lanterns hung from temporary poles, giving the place a warm orange glow as evening approached.
Sturges stood in the middle of it all, holding a measuring rod and arguing with one of the builders about alignment.
Mel approached with a small grin.
"You're yelling again."
Sturges turned.
"Because people keep trying to put beams in the wrong place."
The builder shrugged and walked away.
Mel looked around the construction site.
"You've been busy."
Sturges wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Factory's gotta be ready before your prototype's done."
Mel raised an eyebrow.
"You're that confident?"
Sturges pointed toward the workshop building visible above the Castle walls.
"I know how engineers work."
Mel laughed.
"That obvious?"
"Very."
They began walking slowly along the foundation outline.
"This section here," Sturges said, pointing to a large rectangular space, "will be the main assembly floor."
Mel nodded slowly.
"Wide enough for two boats?"
"Three if we're careful."
Mel looked toward the shoreline.
Waves rolled against the rocks only fifty meters away.
"You planning a launch ramp?"
Sturges pointed further down the coast.
"Right there."
Mel followed his finger.
A section of the shore was being cleared, rocks pulled aside to make a smooth slope toward the water.
"Nice," Mel said.
Sturges shrugged casually.
"You build the boats."
"I'll make sure they reach the ocean."
That evening, Mel returned to the workshop covered in dust from the construction site.
The engineers were still working.
The engine now had most of its intake pipes connected.
Someone had begun fitting the steering assembly behind the control console frame.
Mel walked to the radio again.
"Castle workshop calling Sanctuary."
Static crackled.
Sico responded.
"Report."
Mel leaned on the table.
"Factory's coming along nicely."
"Oh?"
"Sturges has half the frame standing already."
"That fast?"
Mel chuckled.
"Turns out builders move quicker when they know engineers are watching."
Sico laughed softly.
"And the boat?"
Mel looked toward the skeleton.
"We're close."
"How close?"
"Couple more days before we try the first ignition."
There was silence for a moment.
Then Sico said quietly:
"I'll be listening."
One night, long after most of the Castle had gone quiet, Mel remained inside the workshop again.
The boat stood under the bright work lamps.
Now it looked dramatically different from the skeleton it once was.
Pipes.
Wires.
Control rods.
Fuel tanks.
Mechanical systems.
It was messy.
But purposeful.
Mel climbed onto the frame and sat near the engine mount.
He placed one hand on the engine casing.
Cold metal.
Still silent.
"Soon," he muttered quietly.
Outside, the ocean wind rattled faintly against the workshop doors.
Meanwhile, the factory continued rising along the coast.
Within a week, the main steel structure towered above the construction site.
Large overhead beams stretched across the open assembly floor.
A basic crane rail system had been installed along the ceiling frame.
When Mel visited again, he stopped in his tracks.
"Holy hell."
Sturges grinned.
"Told you we weren't wasting daylight."
Workers were installing a massive sliding door system on the seaward side of the building.
When open, it would allow completed boats to be rolled directly onto the launch ramp.
Mel walked slowly across the half-finished floor.
"This place is huge."
Sturges shrugged.
"You said you wanted a boat factory."
Mel looked around again.
It wasn't just a building.
It was infrastructure.
A future.
"How many boats you think we can build here eventually?" Mel asked.
Sturges scratched his chin.
"Once everything's running smooth?"
He looked toward the ocean.
"Plenty."
Later that evening, Mel stood by the radio again.
"Castle workshop to Sanctuary command."
Static.
Sico answered.
"I was wondering when you'd call."
Mel smiled.
"You're going to like this one."
"Oh?"
"Steering assembly installed."
"And?"
"Propeller shaft aligned perfectly."
There was a pause.
"Meaning?"
Mel leaned closer to the radio.
"We're ready for ignition prep."
Silence for a moment.
Then Sico said quietly:
"Keep me updated."
Mel nodded to himself.
"Oh, I will."
He looked across the workshop at the half-built patrol boat.
It still needed hull plating.
Still needed final systems checks.
Still needed dozens of small adjustments.
But the heart of the machine was ready.
But a ready heart didn't mean the body was finished.
The workshop lights burned late for several nights after that.
Hull plating still needed to be installed. Wiring needed to be secured. The control console had to be mounted properly, and the cooling system required one last careful routing through the ribs of the frame.
Mel barely noticed the days passing anymore.
The Castle itself seemed to fall into step with the project's rhythm.
Every morning, the gates opened to the sound of tools.
Every afternoon, Mel made his walk down to the shoreline to check on the factory.
Every evening, another progress report crackled through the radio to Sanctuary.
And slowly, piece by piece the patrol boat prototype came together.
By the time the seventh day arrived after the ignition preparations began, the workshop looked completely different from what it had been at the start of the project.
The skeleton frame was no longer visible.
Steel hull plates now covered most of the structure.
They had been welded carefully along the ribs, curved and hammered into place until the shape of the vessel finally emerged.
It wasn't elegant.
Not like the pre-war yachts people used to see in magazines.
But it was sturdy.
Practical.
Built for patrol, not comfort.
The bow cut forward into a sharp wedge shape designed to slice through waves.
The stern widened just enough to support the propeller housing and engine compartment.
The deck frame had been reinforced with thick support beams, and a small control station now stood near the center of the hull.
Mel stood back one afternoon, wiping grease from his hands as he looked at it.
For a long moment, he didn't say anything.
Behind him, one of the engineers leaned against a workbench.
"Well?"
Mel shook his head slightly.
"I keep expecting it to still be a skeleton."
The engineer chuckled.
"Too late for that."
Ronnie stepped inside the workshop at that exact moment, boots echoing against the concrete floor.
She stopped just inside the doorway.
And for the first time since the project began.
She stared.
The boat stood proudly on its support blocks in the center of the workshop floor.
A real vessel now.
Hull complete.
Engine installed.
Propeller shaft mounted.
Control systems wired.
Even the rudder assembly had been attached at the stern.
Ronnie slowly walked closer.
"Well I'll be damned."
Mel smirked.
"Not bad for a pile of scrap."
She circled around the hull slowly, examining the weld seams.
"You actually pulled it off."
Mel shrugged.
"Still needs testing."
Ronnie tapped the steel hull with her knuckles.
"Still floats better than most things in the Commonwealth."
One of the engineers laughed from across the room.
"That's a low bar."
The final adjustments took another two days.
Not because the work was difficult.
But because Mel refused to rush the last steps.
Fuel lines were checked three times.
Electrical wiring was secured with extra clamps.
The cooling system was flushed and cleaned.
Even the engine casing was carefully wiped down so they could easily spot leaks during the test run.
Mel crouched beside the propeller housing late one afternoon, tightening the last bolts along the shaft collar.
The propeller itself that salvaged from Hancock's scavenger pile, had been cleaned and polished as much as possible.
It still showed its age.
But the blades were straight.
Strong.
Ready.
He tightened the wrench once more.
Then leaned back slightly.
"That should hold."
An engineer nearby raised an eyebrow.
"You sound confident."
Mel shrugged.
"Confident enough."
Exactly one week after Mel had told Sico they were preparing for ignition.
The prototype was finished.
Not just partially built.
Not almost ready.
Finished.
The patrol boat sat outside the workshop now, rolled carefully into the Castle courtyard where it rested on a heavy wheeled support platform.
Sunlight reflected off the steel hull.
The engine compartment hatch stood open while two engineers made one final inspection.
Ronnie stood nearby with her arms folded.
"Well," she said quietly.
"Would you look at that."
Mel climbed down from the deck platform.
His clothes were covered in oil stains and metal dust.
But his face carried the satisfied exhaustion of someone who had just completed something enormous.
"We did it."
One of the engineers wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Don't celebrate yet."
Mel nodded.
"Fair point."
The real test was still ahead.
Mel walked back inside the workshop and approached the radio table.
He paused for a moment before pressing the transmit switch.
Because this call mattered.
The radio crackled.
"Castle workshop calling Sanctuary command."
Static buzzed faintly through the speaker.
Then Sico's voice came through.
"Sanctuary here."
Mel leaned slightly against the table.
"You might want to take a trip out here."
There was a pause.
"Oh?"
Mel glanced toward the courtyard through the open workshop door.
The patrol boat stood there in the sunlight.
"Prototype's finished."
For a moment.
Silence filled the radio line.
Then Sico spoke again.
"You're serious."
Mel smiled faintly.
"Dead serious."
A faint laugh came from the other end.
"That was faster than expected."
"We had good builders," Mel said.
"And a lot of motivation."
Sico took a breath before speaking again.
"You planning to test it?"
"That's the idea."
"When?"
Mel looked toward the coastline beyond the Castle walls.
"As soon as you get here."
Another pause.
"Who's coming?" Sico asked.
Mel leaned on the radio table.
"You."
"And?"
"Bring Preston."
There was a quiet chuckle on the other side.
"I figured."
"And Sarah," Mel added.
That caused a slightly longer pause.
"Sarah too?"
Mel nodded to himself.
"You'll want to see the factory progress while you're here."
"Ah."
Now Sico understood.
"How's Sturges doing?"
Mel looked out toward the coastline again.
"You'll see."
Sico laughed softly.
"Alright."
"When?"
"Tomorrow morning," Mel said.
"We'll have the boat ready for ignition and sea trial."
Another moment of static passed.
Then Sico replied:
"We'll be there."
Mel released the transmit switch slowly.
The message was sent.
Now the next stage of the project was beginning.
News traveled quickly.
Within an hour, half the Castle garrison knew the prototype was finished.
Soldiers walked through the courtyard just to look at it.
Some circled around the hull with curiosity.
Others simply stared at the engine housing like it was some kind of mythical creature.
One guard leaned toward Ronnie.
"That thing actually going in the water?"
Ronnie shrugged.
"That's the plan."
"And if it sinks?"
She smirked.
"Then Mel starts building another one."
The sun was beginning to set when Mel made his usual walk down toward the coastline.
But this time, He wasn't checking on the prototype.
He was visiting the factory.
The structure had grown dramatically over the past week.
Now the steel skeleton of the building had been fully assembled.
The roof framework stretched across the top like a giant metal rib cage.
The sliding sea doors were halfway installed.
And the launch ramp had been cleared all the way down to the water.
Sturges stood near the edge of the construction floor with a clipboard.
He looked up when Mel approached.
"You look tired."
Mel laughed.
"We finished it."
Sturges blinked.
"The boat?"
Mel nodded.
"Prototype's done."
Sturges grinned slowly.
"Well damn."
Mel leaned against one of the steel support beams.
"Sico's coming tomorrow."
Sturges raised an eyebrow.
"Inspection?"
"More like a demonstration."
Sturges looked toward the ocean.
"You testing it right away?"
"That's the plan."
Sturges chuckled.
"Well then I better make sure the launch ramp is ready."
They walked together toward the edge of the factory floor where the ramp sloped gently down toward the water.
Workers were still smoothing the dirt path and reinforcing the sides with metal braces.
Sturges pointed toward the shoreline.
"That's where your boat's gonna meet the ocean."
Mel followed his finger.
The water rolled calmly against the rocks.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Because they both understood what tomorrow meant.
The Castle was quieter than usual that night.
Not because people were asleep.
But because everyone seemed to be waiting.
The patrol boat remained in the courtyard under lantern light.
The steel hull reflected the flickering glow of the lamps.
Mel stood beside it for a while.
Running his hand along the side of the hull.
Seven days of relentless work had turned scrap metal into something real.
Behind him, Ronnie stepped up beside the boat.
"Big day tomorrow."
Mel nodded.
"Yeah."
She looked at the engine hatch.
"You nervous?"
Mel thought about that for a moment.
"A little."
Ronnie smirked.
"If it explodes, I'm blaming Hancock."
Mel laughed.
"Fair."
They stood there quietly for another moment, as the wind from the ocean drifted across the courtyard.
Morning arrived slowly over the Commonwealth.
The first light of the sun crept across the ocean horizon, turning the water into a sheet of pale gold. A cool wind drifted inland from the coast, carrying the familiar scent of salt and seaweed across the stone walls of the Castle.
For a moment, the fortress stood quiet.
But it didn't last long.
Inside the courtyard, people were already awake.
Engineers moved around the patrol boat prototype, checking straps and securing equipment. Soldiers leaned against crates while drinking their morning coffee. A few mechanics crawled under the transport platform to inspect the wheel supports one last time.
Today wasn't just another workday.
Today was the test.
Mel hadn't slept much.
He stood beside the prototype with a clipboard tucked under one arm, watching two engineers double-check the fuel connections near the engine hatch.
"Lines tight?" he asked.
One of them nodded without looking up.
"Fuel intake sealed."
"Cooling?"
"Checked twice."
Mel scratched the back of his neck and glanced toward the Castle gate.
They were coming soon.
Behind him, Ronnie Shaw stood with her arms folded, watching the preparations.
"You've looked at that clipboard six times in the last ten minutes," she said casually.
Mel sighed.
"I'm making sure we didn't forget anything."
Ronnie smirked slightly.
"You're an engineer. You forgot something."
Mel chuckled quietly.
"That's comforting."
A mechanic climbed out from beneath the platform and wiped grease off his hands.
"Propeller assembly's clear," he said.
Mel nodded.
"Good."
Then the sound arrived.
Low at first.
A distant rumble echoing faintly along the road leading toward the Castle.
Ronnie's head turned immediately toward the gate.
"Well," she said quietly.
"Sounds like your audience just arrived."
The rumble grew louder.
Engines.
Heavy ones.
Up on the ramparts, a guard leaned over the wall and called down.
"Convoy approaching!"
Several soldiers in the courtyard turned toward the gate as the massive wooden doors began to open.
Dust rolled along the road outside the Castle walls.
And then the convoy appeared.
The first vehicles pushing through the dust cloud were two massive armored machines.
Sentinel Tanks.
Their thick metal hulls rumbled forward with the deep grinding sound of heavy tracks crushing gravel beneath them.
Mounted cannons sat motionless atop their armored turrets, pointed slightly toward the sky as the vehicles rolled into the courtyard.
Behind them followed three Humvees.
Fast.
Compact.
Each with mounted machine guns positioned on their roofs.
Soldiers rode in the back compartments, scanning the surroundings as the convoy entered.
And behind the Humvees came the trucks.
Five large trucks rolled through the gate one after another.
Each one carried soldiers.
By the time the entire convoy entered the courtyard, nearly one hundred armed soldiers had arrived.
The Castle courtyard suddenly felt much smaller.
Mel blinked slowly.
"Well," he muttered.
"They didn't travel light."
Ronnie chuckled quietly.
"You invited Sico. What did you expect?"
The convoy engines slowly shut down one by one.
Doors opened.
Boots hit the ground.
Soldiers spread across the courtyard in practiced formation, securing the perimeter with calm efficiency.
Then the door of the lead Humvee opened.
And stepping out first was Sico.
He looked exactly the same as Mel remembered that calm, steady, and observant.
He scanned the courtyard briefly before walking forward.
Behind him climbed out two familiar figures.
Preston followed, adjusting the strap of his laser musket across his shoulder.
And Sarah stepped out last, her sharp eyes already studying the fortress walls as if assessing every defensive angle instinctively.
Mel walked forward to meet them.
Sturges appeared from the side of the courtyard at the same moment, wiping his hands on a rag as he approached.
Ronnie joined them as well.
The two groups met near the center of the courtyard.
Sico's eyes immediately drifted toward the patrol boat sitting proudly on the transport platform nearby.
For a moment, he didn't speak.
Then he looked back at Mel.
"You weren't exaggerating."
Mel smiled faintly.
"Told you it was real."
Preston walked slowly toward the boat, his eyebrows rising as he examined the steel hull.
"Well I'll be damned," he muttered.
Sarah circled around the stern, studying the propeller assembly.
"You built this in a week and a half?"
Mel shook his head.
"Prototype frame started earlier."
Sturges grinned.
"But the final push was this week."
Sarah nodded slightly.
Impressed.
She tapped the hull with her knuckles.
Solid steel rang softly under her touch.
"This thing looks like it could survive a fight."
Mel shrugged.
"That's the idea."
Sico turned toward him again.
"So."
He gestured toward the coastline beyond the Castle walls.
"Ready to show us what it can do?"
Mel smiled.
"Let's go see."
The group moved out of the Castle together.
Soldiers followed behind in loose formation while engineers rolled the patrol boat platform through the gate and down the sloping road toward the shoreline.
The ocean breeze grew stronger as they approached the coast.
The boat factory soon came into view.
Even Sico slowed slightly when he saw it.
The structure was enormous.
Steel beams stretched high above the ground, forming the skeleton of a massive industrial building.
The launch ramp sloped cleanly toward the water.
Workers moved across the site, still installing structural panels and finishing sections of the roof.
Sturges watched Sico's reaction carefully.
"Still under construction," he said.
Sico nodded slowly.
"This is impressive."
Preston whistled quietly.
"You weren't kidding about building a factory."
Sturges grinned.
"Boat production line. Eventually."
Sarah looked around the site with interest.
"How many vessels could this place handle?"
"Three at once," Sturges replied.
"Maybe more once we expand."
Sico turned back toward the shoreline.
And that's when he saw Mel's team preparing the prototype.
The patrol boat had been rolled down onto the reinforced launch ramp.
Engineers moved around it, tightening straps and checking the hoist system that would guide the boat into the water.
The ocean stretched endlessly ahead of them.
Calm.
Waiting.
Mel walked down the ramp toward his team.
"Status?"
One of the engineers looked up.
"All systems checked."
Another mechanic wiped oil from his hands.
"Fuel loaded."
Sturges leaned toward Sico quietly.
"This is the fun part."
The hoist system groaned as the straps lifted the patrol boat slightly off the platform.
Metal cables tightened slowly.
The vessel rose just enough for the wheels beneath it to be removed.
Engineers guided the boat carefully as it was lowered onto the sloped launch rails.
Mel climbed aboard the deck.
He opened the engine hatch one last time and inspected the fuel line connections.
Everything looked good.
He closed the hatch firmly.
Then he stepped up to the control console.
"Lower her," he called.
The cables eased slowly.
The boat slid down the launch ramp.
Water lapped against the steel hull.
Then with a gentle splash.
The patrol boat touched the ocean for the first time.
The hull bobbed slightly.
Everyone held their breath.
Mel watched the waterline carefully.
The boat rocked once.
Then settled.
Perfectly afloat.
Ronnie exhaled slowly.
"Well."
Preston grinned.
"Looks like it floats."
Mel turned the ignition lever.
The engine coughed.
Once.
Twice.
Then died.
He sighed.
"Come on…"
He tried again.
The starter motor whined loudly.
The engine sputtered violently.
Black smoke puffed from the exhaust pipe.
Several soldiers stepped back instinctively.
But then, the engine roared to life.
A deep mechanical rumble rolled across the shoreline as the marine engine finally caught and began running steadily.
Mel grinned.
"There we go."
The propeller slowly began spinning beneath the water.
The boat nudged forward slightly.
But the movement was rough at first.
The engine sputtered again.
The steering wheel resisted slightly.
Mel frowned.
"Easy…"
He adjusted the throttle slowly.
For a moment, the boat drifted awkwardly near the ramp.
Not exactly the smooth start he had imagined.
On shore, Sturges rubbed his chin.
"Little rough."
Ronnie smirked.
"It's alive though."
Mel carefully corrected the steering again.
Then gradually increased the throttle.
The propeller pushed harder.
And suddenly.
The patrol boat surged forward.
Water sprayed from the stern.
The hull sliced cleanly through the waves as Mel guided it out into deeper water.
On the shoreline, several engineers cheered.
Preston laughed loudly.
"Well I'll be damned!"
The boat turned in a wide arc across the ocean surface.
The engine noise stabilized.
The steering smoothed out.
Now the vessel moved exactly as Mel had hoped.
Clean.
Controlled.
Fast.
He guided it back toward the shore after a few wide loops.
The test run had worked.
But there was one last thing to check.
Mounted on the deck was a heavy machine gun.
Sarah stepped forward as the boat drifted close to shore.
"You planning to test that too?"
Mel nodded.
"Only way to know if the frame can handle recoil."
Preston raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds dangerous."
Ronnie smirked.
"Only if it falls apart."
Mel rotated the turret mount.
"Let's find out."
He aimed the gun toward a cluster of rusted metal debris sitting on the shoreline rocks.
Then he squeezed the trigger.
The machine gun roared.
Bullets tore across the waterline.
The weapon kicked violently with recoil.
But the boat held steady.
The deck didn't shake.
The hull remained stable.
The turret mount absorbed the recoil exactly as designed.
Mel fired another burst.
Still stable.
Then he released the trigger.
Silence returned to the shoreline.
Sarah nodded approvingly.
"Recoil stability looks good."
Sturges grinned.
"Told you it'd hold."
Mel guided the boat slowly back toward the ramp.
The engine still humming smoothly.
As the patrol boat approached the shore, the people watching realized something important.
The test hadn't been perfect.
The start had been rough.
But the result was undeniable.
The prototype worked.
And for the first time in generations, the Commonwealth had a functioning patrol boat back on the ocean.
______________________________________________
• Name: Sico
• Stats :
S: 8,44
P: 7,44
E: 8,44
C: 8,44
I: 9,44
A: 7,45
L: 7
• Skills: advance Mechanic, Science, and Shooting skills, intermediate Medical, Hand to Hand Combat, Lockpicking, Hacking, Persuasion, and Drawing Skills
• Inventory: 53.280 caps, 10mm Pistol, 1500 10mm rounds, 22 mole rats meat, 17 mole rats teeth, 1 fragmentation grenade, 6 stimpak, 1 rad x, 6 fusion core, computer blueprint, modern TV blueprint, camera recorder blueprint, 1 set of combat armor, Automatic Assault Rifle, 1.500 5.56mm rounds, power armor T51 blueprint, Electric Motorcycle blueprint, T-45 power armor, Minigun, 1.000 5mm rounds, Cryolator, 200 cryo cell, Machine Gun Turret Mk1 blueprint, electric car blueprint, Kellogg gun, Righteous Authority, Ashmaker, Furious Power Fist, Full set combat armor blueprint, M240 7.62mm machine guns blueprint, Automatic Assault Rifle blueprint, and Humvee blueprint.
• Active Quest:-