Rivet City

Rivet City is a settlement established inside a derelict aircraft carrier in the Capital Wasteland. It's the largest, most developed and scientifically-advanced settlement in this region. Its inhabitants live in individual rooms and enjoy the safety and security provided by the massive hull.

Background
Before the war, the ship that ultimately became Rivet City was a massive aircraft carrier, placed in dry-dock at the Washington Naval Yard. The vessel employed a CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) system for launching and recovering navalized fighter jets. Starboard aircraft elevators allowed for easy stowage and deployment of these aircraft from the sizable hangar located below the deck. In addition to a sizable fleet of fighters, the carrier was also equipped with a nuclear reactor, desalinization facilities, and on-board hydroponic farms in the aft sections, allowing it to function independently for extended amounts of time. However, the ship was abandoned in the wake of the Great War, most likely after it was beached following a collision with the peninsula south of the naval yard. The impact resulted in the bow section snapping off, allowing the mutated mirelurks to infest the ship's lower sections.

The vessel waited decades for its chance to come again. Around 2237, remnants of the Naval Research Institute under the lead of Horace Pinkerton were looking for new lab space and found the ship, establishing the Rivet Station Science Outpost after clearing out the mirelurks. For years to come they would use the intact science bay as the nucleus of their science efforts. By April 2239, a burgeoning civilian settlement sprung up around the station on the carrier. As a result, on April 25, Rivet City was formally established by Pinkerton, Annette Holmes and Brad Danvers to better protect and organize this growing community. Governance of the City was relegated to a three person Council, staffed by one representative of each "caste" on board the ship: Scientists, civilians, and security personnel.

The settlement prospered and Pinkerton held his seat on the council as science officer until 2258, when Madison Li and her science team arrived at Rivet City after abandoning Project Purity, after the man in charge abandoned the project. Li quickly took over Pinkerton's science teams, with the prospect of reactivating Project Purity as incentive. Furious, Pinkerton left the city into self-imposed exile in the broken-off bow. What made him particularly angry was the fact that the shift in focus prevented work on more meaningful project, like defensive systems or even making the carrier seaworthy. Eventually, he abandoned the "treacherous bastards" altogether and went into self-imposed exile in the front bow.

2277
By the time of the Purifier Conflict, Rivet City is the largest settlement in the Capital Wasteland and is the primary supplier of edible, non-irradiated food in the Capital Wasteland, trading it for essential raw materials with other communities. Its scientific prowess is thanks to its aggressive reclamation efforts: anything useful is snatched up and brought to the City. However, it refrains from recruiting scientists from outside settlements, such as the Underworld or Tenpenny Tower, as the vote proposed failed. Anyone trying to pick a fight with Rivet City over this would soon realize his mistake, given that the city has the fourth most powerful military force in the wastelands, right after the Enclave and Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel and Talon Company. Although named as a simple security force, it is trained in combat by veterans (Lana Danvers and Harkness) and equipped with military-grade Army combat armor alongside reliable automatic weapons.

Although it was the most powerful city in the wasteland at this stage, it was not free from problems. The biggest challenges included the fact that it's set up in a derelict aircraft carrier, with ever-present rust causing constant tetanus infections and respiratory ailments among city residents. The city also had to expend resources constantly on maintaining the crumbling structure of the carrier and culling the mirelurk population that lives in the decks below. Even the crown jewel of the city, its science lab and hydroponic farms, caused major problems due to the need for constant oversight and maintenance.

Class divisions were another problem: The society of the City was sharply divided into two classes: the impoverished Hangar Deck denizens and the wealthy Upper Deck citizens, the upper class. The distinction was far from cosmetic: Lower deck residents were especially prone to catching red lung, caused by inhalation of rust particles prevalent in the derelict lower decks, and had to accept poorer accommodations than those in the upper decks. Since they also lived close to Mirelurk-infested decks, they were under the constant risk of being killed by rampaging monsters, should the security team lapse in their culling efforts. Still, the lower deck citizens were safer and letter better lives than wastelanders at large, and could always count on the ever-popular Chief Harkness who treated every citizen equally.

Attempts at instituting a bridge tax or exploiting their position by raising prices on exports (eg. fresh produce, by as much as 50%) were repeatedly voted down, keeping the city open to traders and outsiders and fostering a healthy population level. As such, Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel frequently made recruitment runs at Rivet City. The most notable of these recruits was Danse, who rose to the rank of Paladin and became one of Elder Arthur Maxson's confidantes.

Life alongside the Brotherhood of Steel
Following the conclusion of the Conflict and the activation of Project Purity, Rivet City gained prominence as Lyons' first trading partner. In return for a share of weapons and other technology salvaged from the Enclave, the Rivet City police force provided protection for water caravans the Brotherhood could not protect themselves. The exchange was mutually beneficial at first, but the increased number of caravans eventually stretched Rivet City's military power to its limits, especially as raider attacks became more organized due to the leadership of Split Jack. The situation got so bad that eventually only one in four caravans made it back intact, draining Rivet city's resources and ranks of veteran security officers at an alarming rate. The losses caused by the raider attacks have led to officers in charge questioning Lyons' policy of giving the water out for free, instead of selling it so that caravan drivers can use the markup to pay for protection.

As the Capital Wasteland fell under the control of the resurgent Brotherhood, these problems ceased.

Layout
Rivet City is located in the south-eastern corner of the Capital Wasteland, near Jefferson Memorial and Anacostia. It is only accessible via a retractable bridge, connecting to a small steel platform erected on the shore (also inhabited by Carlos the beggar). Once Harkness clears the newcomer, they are granted access into the city proper. From the bridge gate one can access the Rivet City marketplace (purple), located in a converted aircraft hangar, and the stairwell, connecting the four main districts of the carrier.

The city is divided roughly across the decks of the carrier, which make up the aforementioned districts. The topmost is the bridge tower (blue), sitting on the flight deck, which is the headquarters of the Rivet City police force and thus the military district. Below it lies the affluent upper deck (green), with the Weatherly Hotel.

Further below is the midship deck (yellow), where the bulk of the city's inhabitants live, and which hosts the Capitol Preservation Society, and Saint Monica's Church. Further down is the lower deck, occupied entirely by The Muddy Rudder, a rough place where the least well-off live and spend their time.

A special mention has to go to the Rivet City science lab, located in the aft hangar of the carrier. It is the heart of the scientific endeavors of the city, including hydroponic farming, water purification, and energy research. It can be accessed from both the upper deck and the midship deck.

The broken-off carrier bow is thought to be a mirelurk-infested ruin. However, it is more than that. Horace Pinkerton, one of the original founders of Rivet City, has retired to it in self-imposed exile. Heavily trapped corridors bar the way to the genius' laboratory and his secrets.

Inhabitants
Rivet City is one of the most populous settlements in the wastes, with a large security force. It guards wears black security uniforms with police helmets and are armed with 10mm submachine gun. They are responsible for enforcing the law on board the carrier and protect the settlement from stray raiders, super mutants, mirelurks and other undesirables.
 * Merchants. All trader's stores are re-stocked on Monday's and Thursday's.
 * Angela Staley and Gary Staley, food and other consumables
 * Bannon, council member and tailor
 * Belle Bonny, bartender
 * Cindy Cantelli, drugs
 * Flak and Shrapnel, weapons
 * Dr. Preston, medical supplies and care
 * Seagrave Holmes, junk and crafting components
 * Vera Weatherly, motel proprietress
 * Quest characters
 * Abraham Washington, head of the museum
 * Harkness, security chief
 * Horace Pinkerton, genius in exile. After completion of the Replicated Man quest, Pinkerton will not be essential.
 * Officer Lepelletier, water caravans manager
 * Mister Lopez, suicidal elder
 * Dr. Madison Li, head of the science lab
 * Mei Wong, escaped slave
 * Sister, slaver
 * Tammy Hargrave, deadbeat mother
 * Ted Strayer, addict
 * Trinnie, prostitute
 * Victoria Watts, Railroad
 * Dr. Zimmer and Armitage, The Institute
 * Other characters

Notable loot

 * Bobblehead - Intelligence: On the table in the science lab.
 * Rock-It Launcher schematics: In the armory, behind a Very Hard locked door.

Behind the scenes
Craig Mullins' concept art published on May 15, 2007 shows a city with ruined skyscrapers and an aircraft carrier which has run ashore and is connected to one of them by a rudimentary bridge. The aircraft carrier appears to be the USS Oriskany although the image is mirrored thus placing the island on the wrong side of the ship. The picture that was used for reference is located on a website devoted to naval vessels.

Bugs

 * It is possible to fall through the ship in certain places, such as in one of the corners in the inlet with the first aid box and the two ammunition boxes.
 * "Doctor Li's Terminal" does not appear in game, it is not on the desk it should be on. Nor is the chemistry set.

Appearances
Rivet City appears in Fallout 3 and is mentioned both directly and indirectly in Fallout 4.