(Nico gets a transmission on his pip boy, and it sounds like some kind of distress call. It says little beyond the name "Wernher", and a location on the map)
(Nico seeks out the source of the transmission and he finds a man with an eye patch)
Wernher: They finally tracked me down... I thought I'd have a little more time...
Nico: Are you the one who put out the distress beacon?
Wernher: I did. I'm Wernher. Who are you?
Nico: The name's Nico. I came because of the transmission. I'm here to help
Wernher: Well now, a hero! Look at you. I come from a place far to the northwest. It's called The pitt. It's... well... let's be honest... The place is a nightmare... radiation, mutation, disease. But the worst of it, my people, some of the only survivors, are slaves, forced to work like animals. No big deal, you're thinking? It's a rough world. But I have the chance to free them. All I need is an outsider's help before that chance is gone. There's a cure to the sickness that's been going around, and I can't get it alone
Nico: But you clearly aren't being whipped or being held in chains, so I'm guessing you managed to escape somehow
Wernher: Yeah. As long as I know about the cure, I'm a threat. So I ran. As bad as the pitt is, it used to be worse. Much worse. It was complete chaos. Every man for himself. About the time I was born, those brotherhood guys swept through the place, and they killed anything that put up a fight. More than half the place was dead by the time they were done. It was a slaughter. But they got the worst of the worst. If it weren't for the brotherhood of steel sweeping the place, I doubt Ashur would have been able to get control of as much as he has
Nico: Wait, Ashur? As in initiate Ashur? I thought he was dead
Wernher: You're from the brotherhood? I guess that explains your willingness to help
Nico: What exactly is the sickness? My father was a doctor, and he taught me medicinal techniques
Wernher: I don't actually know, but whatever it is, the pitt is a mess. Nearly everyone who lives there is either sick, dying, or worse. It's transmitted through the water and the air. You can't escape it. You stay there a few years, and no matter what, it'll get to ya. But the bastards who have my people, they've found a way to cure it. And once they have that cure perfected, we don't stand a chance. We need the cure to bargain for our freedom
Nico: What do we need to do first?
Wernher: Well, you might need a disguise. They probably won't let some random armed wastelander past the gates. But if you look like one of the working stiffs, then you should be able to slip in with no problem. Lucky for us, a group of slavers is nearby waiting to make a sale. You should be able to get one off of them
Nico: Where are they?
Wernher: They're off to the west, near the tunnel that leads to the pitt. That should be our first move. Once you have the disguise, meet me by the tunnel. Get whatever you'll need for the trip
(Nico, who is in his wasteland armor, heads over to where he finds a small group of slaves in a cage, and some slavers guarding them)
Ramsey: Hey. Are you the guy from the pitt?
Nico: That's me. I'm here to buy these slaves
Ramsey: About time you showed up. We've been waiting here forever. But whatever, man. You're here now. I just hope you're ready to do business. We've got three. The usual price, 200 each. The boss says no trade, so caps only
Nico: Alright. The caps are in my bag
Ramsey: Hear that boys? Gather round!
(Nico gives a bag to Ramsey and ducks behind cover as the other slavers go over to him)
Slaver: What?
(They look inside the bag and see a grenade with no pin on it)
Slaver: Oh sh-
(The grenade's explosion kills most of the slavers, and Nico finishes off the last few with his pistol)
(Nico shoots the lock on the cage with his pistol and lets the slaves out)
Prosper: Oh my god... You killed them! Are you real? Are you here to save us?
Nico: You're free. But I'm gonna need a set of clothes, so I can dress like a slave
Prosper: Wait, we're free? You're serious? You killed them and we're free to go, just like that? And why do you need to dress like a slave?
Nico: Posing as a slave so I can sneak into the pitt. Can you help me or not?
Prosper: Well, you're either the kindest person in the world, or the dumbest. Either way, I thank you. And I'll help you. It's the least I can do. That guy over there on the mattress died last night. I never did get his name. If you don't mind the smell, you can take his
Nico: Works for me
Prosper: Thank you again, stranger. We owe you our lives
(As the slaves run away, Nico starts washing the set of clothes he got off of a corpse)
(Nico slowly works to disarm the explosive in the corpse's slave collar, so he can create a fake version)
(Nico meets up with Wernher in his disguise)
Wernher: You got the disguise! Good. We're ready to head out. Hop on the cart when you're ready
(Nico and Wernher go into a tunnel and hop onto a train cart. They ride down the tracks, out of the capital wasteland, and into the pitt)
