Sydney

Sydney is a mercenary who specialized in relic hunting in the year 2277, and a temporary companion in Fallout 3.

Background
Sydney is an freelance mercenary who specializes in hunting pre-War treasures and relics. She enjoys going for high profile and dangerous jobs, and she takes calculated risks in her work. She is an attractive woman, which leads to no shortage of masculine advances, though she finds this attention irritating. Generally, she is a lone wolf, though she does have a friend in the form of Emaline. When she does work with others, she does so for pragmatic purposes and likes to keep conversation focused on the task at hand, preferring to avoid personal topics, such as her tragic past. When she was a small child, her mother was abused and killed by raiders. For most of her formative years, she lived alone with her father. At the age of 14, she was forced to live entirely by herself as her father mysteriously disappeared. Sydney believes he abandoned her, though in reality, he died after a deal gone bad at the Statesman Hotel. Throughout her life, she learned to perfect her combat skills and never breaks a deal.

Since her father's death, she had to wander the wasteland alone, but she was able to handle herself as her father had taught her how to handle and maintain and modify firearms at an early age. Sydney eventually became a relic hunter when she stumbled upon a deceased relic-hunter and his information to the Constitution of the United States. After she recovered it, she sold it to Abraham Washington in 2256. Afterward she took another job from Abraham Washington, this time to acquire the Declaration of Independence. By 2277, she is holed up in the rotunda of the National Archives, where her suicidal quest for the Declaration of Independence has led her.

After safely selling the Declaration of Independence to Abraham Washington, she becomes a weapons dealer out of Underworld.

Interactions overview
* If she finishes the quest alive and makes it to Underworld.

Quests

 * Stealing Independence: Sydney is encountered in the Rotunda of the National Archives. She can become a temporary companion until the quest is completed.

Effects of player's actions

 * Bragging Rights: If the Lone Wanderer refuses to team up with Sydney or double-crosses her in the National Archives, she and her friend Emaline will attack in a random encounter. Killing them will result in bad Karma.
 * A note from Little Moonbeam's father is a note Sydney's father left her when he was dying in the Statesman Hotel. If given it to her after she tells her story, she will give the Lone Wanderer her 10mm "Ultra" SMG. (This process can be repeated as many times as one likes. Simply reselecting the conversation option about Sydney's father gives the player character access to an infinite supply of Sydney's 10mm "Ultra" SMGs.)
 * This exploit has since been fixed as of patch 1.7.
 * If Sydney remains alive at the end of the quest, she will travel from Rivet City to the Ninth Circle in Underworld and set up shop as a vendor, stating that she likes to hang out at Underworld because the ghouls do not constantly hit on her.

Appearances
Sydney appears only in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes

 * Sydney is a reference to the character Sydney Fox from the TV show Relic Hunter.
 * She is called "my little moonbeam" by her father. However, in the Spanish edition, it became "Mi rayito de sol," which correctly translates, from Spanish to "My little sunbeam." The reason for the change is unclear, as it could just as easily have been: "Mi rayito de luna: My little moonbeam."

Bugs

 * There is an exploit that makes it possible to receive an unlimited supply of Sydney's 10mm "Ultra" SMG in perfect condition and 10mm ammunition.
 * You can't pickpocket Sydney after recruiting her. She cannot be pickpocketed during the quest nor after completing it. You just get the "talk" option when crouching.
 * When she's in the bar in Underworld she can sometimes die and will be slumped over on the floor. It is unknown what causes this.
 * Sydney will sometimes not appear in Underworld.
 * In case Sydney does not appear in Underworld, she might be found in the entrance of Anacostia Crossing station from Rivet City's side. If the tunnel has not been cleared, she could get killed and never reach Underworld.