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Well, I see you already gassed her up. When you've taken care of everything else, just press the button. The computer will take care of the rest, if it's still working.A. Ron Meyers

Poseidon Marine Vessel Valdez is an old Poseidon Oil tanker anchored in the Shi-town Docks, in San Francisco's harbor in 2241.[1]

Background[]

Operating under the flag of Poseidon Oil before the war, the PMV Valdez was an ancient vessel even before the Great War. Rather than utilizing new, efficient fusion as its power source, it used a set of conventional fossil fuel engines for propulsion. The precise reasons for not retrofitting the ship are unknown, but may be a result of difficulties in getting such a massive vehicle to run on fusion, corporate branding concerns, or the result of shortages caused by the Resource Wars.[Non-game 1] It was, however, equipped with the latest Poseidon tech, including an IFF transponder protecting it from Poseidon guns,[2] sophisticated security,[3] and complete automation, making it capable of sailing without a crew (fuel-permitting).[4]

The ship lay idle in San Francisco harbor for decades. It became home to various species of mutated creatures. Sometime after the establishment of Navarro, the ship was disabled by Enclave personnel under security act 9837-334-27A. The navigational computer parts were removed to Vault 13, and the Tanker FOB was placed in the care of the Navarro base commander.[5] The disabled ship was eventually settled by the tanker vagrants, a diverse, loosely organized band of independent thinkers, artists, outcasts and everyone else who preferred privacy and tolerance over quality of life. A small but lucrative hacking and trading business was also set up by entrepreneurs. The vagrants tried to make the ship move and create a society free from greed.[6]

POSEIDON OIL IFF TRANSPONDER RECOGNIZED

DOCKING COMPLETE.
TARGET REACHED.
NAVCOMP DISENGAGED.




WELCOME TO THE ENCLAVE_
— PMV Valdez NAVCOMP

In 2242, the ship was given a new, temporary lease on life. With the help of A. Ron Meyers, a Navarro deserter, the Chosen One reactivated the ship. With the navigational computer parts replaced and the holds once more full of fuel, they took it to Control Station Enclave, located 175 miles off the coast of California.[7] The ship returned loaded with Vault 13 and Arroyo survivors and Sgt. Granite's deserting Enclave Control Company.[Non-game 2] The vagrants eventually drifted on[8] and established an uneasy trading operation with the Shi.[Non-game 3]

Layout[]

The PMV Valdez has three accessible decks.

Bridge
Main deck
Cargo hold

Main deck[]

Fo2 PMV ValdezDeck

Most tanker vagrants live, work, and sleep on the rusted out main deck. Primitive walls of scrap metal, wood planks, and chain-link fencing are haphazardly used to make small rooms out of the existing ship layout. Trash and debris is strewn about. Though the PMV Valdez has power, it is dimly lit and continuously burning trash barrels provide supplemental light.

Many punks and female punks reside in the large central berthing compartment. Cal owns a gun shop and Jenna owns a general store. Information retrieval specialist Badger works at a terminal near ship machinery, worrying about his girlfriend.[9] Nearby, gambler Chip moans about his spleen.

Many other smaller rooms connect to the central berthing compartment. An empty entertainment room/ dining room/ kitchen connects the central berthing compartment to the PMV Valdez bar. Slim runs the bar while "resident smart-ass and and know-it-all" Marc partakes in it's drinks.[10]

Cargo hold[]

PMV Valdez cargo hold

The cargo hold is a very large storage room littered with crates, barrels, ship machinery and empty shelves. Centaurs, floaters and aliens wander throughout, trapping Suze in the top right corner. Access to the ship's navigation computer is behind a bulkhead door that requires the Tanker FOB.

Bridge[]

PMV Valdez Bridge

Captain A. Ron Meyers and a few other tanker vagrants man the bridge. After fueling the tanker and installing the navigation computer, the PoseidoNet terminal can be used to sail to the Enclave Oil Rig.

Notable loot[]

Tanker vagrant with XL70E3

This black-haired female punk has a XL70E3 in her active item slot

Appearances[]

The tanker appears only in Fallout 2.

Behind the scenes[]

The aliens, floaters, and centaurs were placed in the tanker, since we needed some major baddies in the tanker at the end game. They most likely crawled down there in search of a lair before the punks showed up. Centaurs and floaters get around – mostly wherever game logic (not necessarily plausibility) dictates.Chris Avellone, Fallout Bible 6
  • Exxon Valdez was the original name of an oil tanker owned by the former Exxon Corporation. It gained widespread infamy after the March 24, 1989 oil spill in which the tanker hit Prince William Sound's Bligh Reef and spilled an estimated 11 million gallons of crude oil. After a series of renamings and repossessions, the ship was decommissioned in 2012. It was beached at the Alang Ship Breaking Yard in Guharat, India, to be broken down and sold for scrap. There was also a developer named Ronald Valdez who worked for Interplay, and may be the other namesake.
  • The tanker's design is based on a general cargo ship called the Nedlloyd Bahrain.

Gallery[]

Video[]

References[]

  1. The Chosen One: "{108}{}{What is this place?}"
    Marc: "{116}{}{This is the Poseidon Marine Vessel Valdez - also called the PMV Valdez. If you want more information about the Valdez, the best person to ask is the Captain.}"
    (Fcmarc.msg)
  2. The Chosen One: "{107}{}{I hear you're the one who knows all about this ship.}"
    A. Ron Meyers: "{113}{}{This ship's a Poseidon tanker. It's equipped with tech that lasted through the war. It's got a FOB that allows access to the navigation computer room, and it's got an IFF transponder that protects it from Poseidon guns.}"
    (Marc's dialogue)
  3. The Chosen One: "{125}{}{What's an IFF transponder and a FOB?}"
    A. Ron Meyers: "{128}{}{IFF: Identify Friend or Foe. It means that this ship is identified as a friend, so other Poseidon things - like, say, an oil rig - won't fire at you when you come into range. Oh, and a FOB is some sort of Enclave technology that let's you enter a door electronically. You'd probably find one of them at one of their bases or some such place.}"
    (Marc's dialogue)
  4. The Chosen One: "{136}{}{How do I pilot it?}"
    A. Ron Meyers: "{123}{}{How do you pilot this rig? Fill 'er up with some gas - try the Hubologists or the Shi after you've taken care of everything else - and press the button. The computer will take care of the rest, if it's still working. It'll sail right out to the oil rig, and they won't fire at you because you've got the IFF transponder. Just make sure you've got what you need to access everything: FOB, working computer, and fuel. Easy enough, huh?}"
    (Marc's dialogue)
  5. CCNCOMP.MSG: "{131}{}{Searching... Accessing transportation directory... Data acquired. Transportation files indicate that 1,257 methods can be used to reach Enclave headquarters. However, records also indicate that only 2 of these methods are currently available. Vertibird transportation can be acquired at Navarro outpost. Ship transportation can be acquired at San Francisco harbor. Please note that ship transportation has been flagged as inaccessible due to security act 9837-334-27A. Ship has been disabled and a passkey is required for reactivation. Base commander, Navarro outpost, currently holds the passkey.}"
  6. The Chosen One: "{136}{}{Have you figured out how to move the tanker?}"
    Marc: "{141}{}{I think the Captain's figured out how to do it - but we need several elements first. We've basically given up on taking it for ourselves, to tell the truth - we've got other plans now.}"
    The Chosen One: "{142}{}{What are they?}"
    Marc: "{156}{}{You want to know what our plans are? We're going to keep moving around until we can find a place that hasn't been screwed over by human greed and then we're going to try to set up a better society.}"
    The Chosen One: "{157}{}{Do you know how you're going to do that?}"
    Marc: "{160}{}{We're hoping that if we can avoid society's mistakes. Hell, things can't get much worse.}"
    (Marc's dialogue)
  7. Central computer: "{116}{}{Where is the Enclave main base located?}"
    "{125}{}{Searching... Accessing geographical maps... Data acquired. Enclave headquarters is located 175 miles off of the coast of California in the Pacific ocean. Coordinates are 37 degrees 18 minutes north latitude by 120 degrees 7 minutes west longitude.}"
    (CCNCOMP.MSG)
  8. {156}{}{You want to know what our plans are? We're going to keep moving around until we can find a place that hasn't been screwed over by human greed and then we're going to try to set up a better society.}
    (Marc's dialogue)
  9. "Well, let's just say I'm an information retrieval specialist."
    (Badger's dialogue)
  10. {113}{}{I'm Marc. I'm the resident smart-ass and know-it-all.  ::he smiles::}
    (Marc's dialogue)

Non-game

  1. Fallout Bible 8 Avalanche!: "1. Why is PMV Valdez using fuel instead of fusion cells? It's relatively new (it's carrying a Vault door, and is fully automatic) and it fits perfectly into Enclave's dock. I think the tanker should have been modified by Poseidon Oil to use fusion power instead of burning valuable oil or another flammable fuel.
    1. I may be missing some statements from within F2, but my opinions are:
    A. Despite the fact that is carrying a Vault Door and is automated doesn't mean the tanker is "new" - it may be old/very old by 2070s standards and not incorporated any fusion technology into its design - and it may be too difficult to retrofit the tanker to run on fusion (although getting the fob was easy). It is not known whether there were any tankers incorporating fusion power sources in the 2070s, although military vehicles would be a different story.
    B. Poseidon Oil (during the Pre-War years) would not want its tankers using fusion cells because that would run contrary to the image of the company, despite its practicality. Plus, the idea of something so big running on something so small hurts its self-confidence.
    C. Fusion cells are very easy to get (in the game) and thus would undercut the adventure seed of connecting the fuel and the necessity of dealing with the Shi and Hubologists.
    D. On some thematic level, the fact that the tanker runs on fuel helps drive home:
    i. The fact the player is going to an oil rig.
    ii. Brings up images of the real-world Valdez.
    iii. Suggests the dinosaur-era technology of the tanker and it also provokes some images of the desperation of the Resource Wars, if you're a Fallout history buff.
    E. The fact that there is a Vault Door aboard the tanker does not mean the tanker itself is new."
  2. Fallout Bible 6#The Vipers: "1. What happened to Sgt. Granite and his crew after the destruction of the Enclave?"
    "He and the EC crew hopped aboard the tanker, and escaped to the mainland after watching the fireworks from the top of the tanker, whispering "gawd-damn" to themselves and throwing suggestive glances at the women from Vault 13 and Arroyo. After reaching the mainland, they headed north to Navarro (or the remains of Navarro, depending on how your PC left it) and were never heard from again, though their adventures could fill several eras worth of pulp comics, including a recent re-appearance in Keith Giffen's resurrection of Suicide Squad."
  3. Fallout Bible 5 Questions: 9b. Hey thanks for answering. You probobly can't find the other questions because I was at my bro's when i sent em. I asked about what happened to some of the fallout 2 npcs after the game. We know myron gets stabbed by a jet addict ironically in the den. And Marcus goes off to go do some heroics of his own. But what about cassidy, sulik and the EC squadren to name a few.
    Cassidy and Sulik: Can't say, no documentation exists. To be honest, I'll probably leave their fates open, since I don't want to pigeonhole two of the most favorite NPC allies from Fallout 2. I kind of hope that Cassidy eventually got his heart meds, though. At last word, Sulik returned to the primitive tribe for a few moons (months) after breaking paths with the Chosen One, then headed east in search of his sister. Cassidy went on to search for Texas, breaking south through NCR and past Dayglow.
    The punks on the tanker also survived, and they had a great view of the Poseidon oil rig exploding. They eventually into an uneasy trading relationship with the Shi after the destruction of the Hubologists, and the two groups went on to make San Francisco a major fishing and trading center.
    And here's the follow-up to the follow-up above:"
Enclave Symbol (FO3)
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