Fallout 3 Wasteland Survival Guide Walkthrough Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Learn the History of Rivet City
Getting to Rivet City will be a chore, to be sure, but unlocking it as a fast-travel location is great for many reasons. First, multiple quests start and end here. Secondly, the main quest will ultimately lead you here so getting it for later is awesome. Another place to sell and buy ammunition is always welcome, as well even if you don't care so much about the main quest. The Intelligence Bobblehead is also found here. It's in the Science Lab. Follow the signs in Rivet City to find it. The bobblehead itself is on the bottom floor near the scientists on a table near a locker. To find more Fallout 3 Bobbleheads, Check my Bobblehead Location Guide. To get to Rivet City from Megaton, use the Tepid Sewers travel spot. If you don't have it, you'll have to work your way to the eastern side of the river. With either method, the next step is to travel south along the river. Stick to the main path at all times, as there are several diversions you could take that will not help you get there. You will eventually run past a fortified area that you need to skip. Take the shots, use stimpacks, whatever you have to do to get past the shooters. You'll eventually find Rivet City, which is only accessed from the second floor of a construct. You then use the intercom to speak to the soldiers there. Be nice, and they'll extend the bridge to let you in.
When you reach the entrance, use the one that says River City Market first, ignoring the stairwell on the left for now. To learn the history, go down to the market in daytime. Talk to a few shopkeepers about the history of Rivet City before last talking to Bannon. Be nice to him but goad for more information. You should then go back to Rivet City's entrance and go through the other doorway to the stairwell. Head to the bottom floor and the Muddy Rudder Bar. Talk to Belle Bonny and ask about history, then tell her that Bannon said he founded it all himself. She'll referr you to Pinkerton.
Pinkerington can be found in the other section of the ship. Be sure you're at full health with a couple of stimpacks then go there. That is, go back outside. If you were facing Rivet City, it would be on the right. Head to the right and drop down near the airplane. Tip: head the opposite direction from the airplane to find some ammunition and a first aid kit.Save your game, then pass the airplane and drop into the water. Head toward the ripped half of the ship. When you reach it, look underwater for an archway that leads to a door. Be sure to have full air before you attempt the door. When ready, go through that door then kick immediately for the surface to get some air. Head toward the other door, getting full air first. Go through, then swim through and take the first left. Swim up the staircase and you'll come to more air and some mirelurks. Kill them and proceed further upstairs. There is gas here, which can explode and kill you so stay at full health. Look straight when coming up the staircase to find a locked door, and push the activation switch. That is your way out. When you manage to detonate the gas, head through to find a door that must be opened by a terminal. It will fry when you activate it, so hit the switch on the opposite wall. Go through, and find Pinkerington and talk to him kindly, ask about the history and ask him for evidence. You can now head out the new entrance and fast-travel to Moira.
RobCo Mainframe
To complete this secondary objective requires 50 science. Check my Bobblehead Location Guide for the location of the Science Bobblehead to help you achieve this. It is worth doing, considering you will use Science throughout Fallout 3. Robco is three squares south and four squares west of Megaton, and you'll want to bring your repellent stick because there are a number of mole rats inside. There is plenty of loot to be found here, most notably a ton of energy weapon ammo, and since it's unlikely you will come back I recommend you explore the entire area. Your main goal will be the offices and cafeteria section of the building. Once there, work your way to the mainframe collecting nice items as you go. A stealth boy can be found in here, along with a copy of Nicola Tesla and you, which is for raising energy weapons skill. Save your game when you get to the mainframe. Install the widget into the mainframe then activate the mainframe to hack it. If you fail to hack, reload and try again. When you finally hack it, pick the last option (stress test) then work your way out. You don't have to necessarily fight any robots to make it out if you remember the way.
Arlington Library
To find the libary, you must go past Greyditch. In fact, you must avoid the city. If you look on the map you can see there is a clearly defined road that goes around the city. This is the road you must take. It's littered with many raiders and I happened to encounter the talon company mercenaries for the first time on my way here. There is so much loot to be found on the way, I suggest you speed walk once you get to the library so that you can return without being burdened by juggling items for weight. Rivet city is probably the best shop available just now.
Inside the Arlington Libary you will meet Scribe Yearling of the Brotherhood of Steel. Be kind to her, and offer to sell her pre-war books. This is the primary reason that pre-war books exist in Fallout 3. She'll give you 10 xp and 100 caps for every book you brought, so I hope you saved up like I suggested. At any rate, she will also give you the password for the card catalogue, if you want to settle for completing the main objective only. I suggest you keep the perk in mind and go for the gold. There are plenty of good items to be found in this Library so it's worth exploring.
The main goal here is the Media Archives wing, but the Children's wing is not without its value. Watch out for mines, but inside you can find at least one pre-war book, along with ammo, caps and loot. The brotherhood will be present in this wing to help you and the loot from the raiders is yours. Try to get the last shot when the brotherhood fires on the raiders. You can even return and sell before you make your way to the Media Archive.
The last place you should go is the Media Archive. Again, the brotherhood has a presence here to help you out. If any of the Brotherhood of steel die, don't bother with power armor because you likely can't use it yet. Their deaths can however lead to miniguns, nice ammo and you should be sure to grab the holotags to save for later. When you find the room with three raiders, you're probably in the right spot. I was lucky enough to find a missile launcher on one of the Raiders' bodies. In the room with the raiders and the mainframe is a safe that requires 25 science to unlock with the terminal next to it. If you do, you'll find some nice ammo inside. The ultimate goal is the Arlington Public Library Public Terminal. Grab the Archives from it to complete the quest and then return to Moira.
The Reward:
If you took my advice and finished all optional objectives for all the quests in the Wasteland Survival Guide, you'll receive the Survival Guru Perk, granting you +6% to radiation and poison resistance. If you took the Snide comments like I suggested, you'll end up with +3% to critical tacked on to this perk. The completion of this quest leads you to become more powerful than you were, in that you have money, weapons, armor and means to get more of everything. In fact, after completing this quest you can tackle other, harder quests without too much difficulty.
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