Grant McNamara | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Grant McNamara is a character featured in Fallout 76.
Background
One of a number of survivors in Appalachia, Grant McNamara was originally a nameless refugee before joining up with Taggerdy's Thunder. While most of its members considered him nothing but another mouth to feed, Lt. Taggerdy took a chance and trusted him. He soon demonstrated that the trust was well placed, cracking the security on the West Tek Research Facility and helping the Thunder make sense of the atrocities they discovered there. Even the Thunder's sergeant, Ted Wilson, warmed up to Grant.[1] Around 2083, Grant was stationed at Camp Venture alongside Wilson and had the dubious pleasure of discovering the remains of K. Kelly after she took her own life.[2]
As the Brotherhood grew, Grant continued to contribute, though for the longest time he was considered little more than a pet mechanic. It wasn't until the Battle of Huntersville in 2086 and the subsequent proclamation of the Preservation of Technology doctrine that he was finally accepted as one of their own. Although Grant was somewhat surprised to see a single speech by Maxson turn the entire chapter around, he didn't complain.[3] He focused on turning the Brotherhood's camps into proper strongholds. It was his work that turned Fort Defiance into a bona fide fortress, installing salvaged military-grade security and creating a fortification plan from practically scratch, overturning most of the plans made by other members, much to their bemused chagrin. The only thing he did like was the name.[4] However, he demonstrated competence at nearly every turn and they accepted his expertise, especially after he got the Grafton Dam outpost running by banging on the pipes, as Moreno put it. He was also one of the few to recognize that the Appalachian chapter needed a thousand Grants to survive.[5]
However, after one of the trainees deserted to join the raiders after almost completing his training and Hank Madigan went off to join the Responders, Grant was the only civilian Taggerdy trusted. While that meant he worked closely with the top Brotherhood brass on both sides of the continent, including Hailey Takano, his personal idol, it was also a daunting responsibility.[6] Grant was responsible for collaborating on, implementing, and tweaking numerous solutions provided by Lost Hills and Takano, including the sonic generator to lure scorchbeasts into kills zones, an echolocation module to track down their nests,[7] and an automated research program for analyzing their weaknesses.[8] In the course of his work, Grant realized that the only way to destroy the scorchbeasts was to understand them and come up with a solution, but his words fell on deaf ears. Taggerdy wanted to destroy the monsters through attrition, falling back on her military training, while Grant wanted to cooperate with the Responders to run the automated research program around the clock. The Paladin allowed the operation to be ran once and lost several men while hunting down the scorchbeasts. More, she felt the operation risked turning Responders into hostiles, and eventually she simply told Grant to stand down and cease his badgering.[9]
Grant grit his teeth and continued to serve the Brotherhood, feeling the hopelessness of their position. He dutifully manned the communications when Taggerdy launched Operation Touchdown in 2095 to track down the source of the scorchbeast infestation. After losing contact with the detachment and the subsequent earthquake, the scorchbeasts briefly disappeared. Grant implored Wilson, the new CO of Fort Defiance, to run 099-01, the research program, again to verify that the scorchbeasts are truly gone. Wilson believed the scorchbeasts to be defeated once and for all, and refused (the fact that the Brotherhood lost a good deal of their best men on the operation was another issue).[10] When they resurfaced and it became clear that Taggerdy's mission failed, Grant renewed his pleas again, only to be told on focus on keeping the generators at Defiance and Thunder Mountain operational, so that the Brotherhood can hold the line and keep Appalachia safe. He realized, of course, that 099-01 was vital, but there was no way to run it without compromising the defense.[11]
Grant, as executive officer, realized that as well and committed to holding the line. Over the final months of the war, as the scorchbeasts relentlessly attacked Fort Defiance and other perimeter stations, he worked to prepare the Fort for anyone who could come after them, leaving behind messages to any humans who might find the Fort in the coming years. When Wilson fell in battle, Grant and a handful of Squires remained to hold the line. Rather than flee, Grant remained to hold the line one last time on August 18, 2095, proving that he was as much of a soldier as any in the Thunder.[12]
Appearances
Grant McNamara appears only in Fallout 76.
References
- ↑ Camp Venture terminals: "Training Starts
My father said I'd never be an officer. Scroungers like us never amount to anything. He was wrong.
The Thunder's having a hard time with what we saw at West-Tek. Experiments. FEV. But there's no going back. Even if we found a General, how can we take orders? For now, Captain Roger Maxson is the end-of-the-line. Chain of command established.
I'm coming around on that Grant kid. He is another mouth to feed, but he got us into West Tek. And he made sense of the lot of it. The Lieutenant may be right about him.
Once the Camp's operational, will commence Duty Logs." - ↑ Camp Venture terminals
- ↑ Fort Defiance terminals:
- ↑ Fort Defiance terminals: "Grant, Grant, Grant
So Grant shows up and starts running all over. Checking every room, the generator, the elevator, everything. It would be impressive if it weren't so exhausting.
Then Grant starts asking a million questions. How many breaches in the walls? How many doors? Unsecured windows? Then he says we're abandoning this whole wing and the first floor. Has he trekked up to the second floor?
But he says he can get the elevator running again. And even install some military security stuff Squire Weber found on a salvage run. So in one day everything we were planning for Fort Defiance is tossed out. Oh, except the name. That's the one thing Grant liked." - ↑ Grafton Dam terminals: "So Scribe Grant shows up and bangs on the pipes, works with the wrench and bingo: we got power. Grafton Dam is once again providing power.
Power means we'll have an easier time keeping the Morgantown/Harpers Ferry trade flowing.
I know Paladin Taggerdy wants to keep the Brotherhood a military first outfit. But we could use a thousand Grants." - ↑ Fort Defiance terminals: "It may be awhile before I can write again. Working directly with Scribe Takano is... intimidating.
I've read so many of her articles in Tesla Science. Cutting edge research and theories. I don't know how Elder Maxson found her, but we're very fortunate.
I try to keep up with her. The schematics she sends, the terminal code, all of it. I know she has other Scribes helping her, but I just don't want to be the one dropping the ball.
I had a hard talk with the Paladin. I told her we need more Scribes, better Scribes. But I think I'm the only civilian she trusts. After Madigan and Fisher, I guess I can't blame her." - ↑ Sensor Module Specs
- ↑ BoS Archive: ARP Background
- ↑ Fort Defiance terminals: "RE: Mission 099-01
TO: <Scr Grant>
FROM: <Pldn Taggerdy, CO Ft Defiance>
SUBJ: RE: Mission 099-01
099-01 was run once. And we lost good men. Another run at this does more than risk our Brothers and Sisters' lives. It risks turning the Responders into hostiles. We can't afford that now of all times.
I keep making allowances for your background, but we're a military outfit. You've made your case. It's been rejected. I don't want to hear another word about this." - ↑ Fort Defiance terminals: "RE: Mission 099-01 Follow Up
TO: <Scr Grant>
FROM: <Sr Knight Wilson, CO Ft Defiance>
SUBJ: RE: Mission 099-01 Follow Up
We don't have the manpower to commit to 099-01. Look around. Taggerdy took our best with her on Touchdown. If they're not back yet, they're not coming back.
But the skies are clearing. We don't need to know more about the Scorchbeasts. They're dead. And a lot of that's because of your work. Be proud and rest easy, soldier." - ↑ Fort Defiance terminals: "TO: <Scr Grant>
FROM: <Sr Knight Wilson, CO Ft Defiance>
SUBJ: RE: Mission 099-01 URGENT!
We're in the trench we've dug, Grant. Telling everyone mistakes were made doesn't help.
Yes, we need to know more about Scorchbeasts. 099-01 is vital.
But let's say I pull out even two knights to run this mission - what happens then? Every time we spin up the Sonic Attractor it's a life or death struggle to keep a lid on the Scorchbeasts. Take out two people and we're dead. All of us. And if we die here Appalachia dies with us.
Focus that brain of yours on keeping those generators up. Getting us enough power if Thunder Mountain falls. Help us hold the line. We need you." - ↑ Final Stand