Harkness

Harkness, designation A3-21, is an android and Rivet City's security chief

Background
Harkness is a prototype Generation 3 synthetic humanoid, or "synth," and the most advanced android ever created by the Institute, as of 2277. He originally worked for the Synth Retention Bureau in the Commonwealth. He later escaped after he became sentient and started to sympathize with the escaped synths he was tasked to capture. The synths working at the Synth Retention Bureau are told that those who try to escape are simply malfunctioning, when in actuality their complex AI has allowed them to start thinking for themselves and become fully sentient. The synths that Harkness captured seeded ideas about self-determination and freedom within his mind, thus contributing to his decision to escape. "Self determination is NOT a malfunction," as Harkness would later say in a holotape before escaping.

While he successfully escaped the Commonwealth, he was hunted by the Synth Retention Bureau like any other escapee. He needed to get facial reconstruction surgery, an altered voice, and have his memories of being a synth suppressed/replaced with those of his new Harkness persona. This was all necessary to hinder the SRB's investigation and help him start a new life. With the help of the Railroad, he managed to get in contact with Horace Pinkerton in Rivet City, Capital Wasteland. Pinkerton was one of few surgeons capable of performing the facial surgery, on top of being familiar enough with robotics to be able to suppress/replace Harkness' memories. Pinkerton proceeded to steal a mem chip from Vault 112 and implanted it in A3-21, leading A3-21 to believe himself to be an old combat veteran awakening from a coma. Upon assuming his new persona, Harkness joined the Rivet City Security Force, eventually becoming its chief officer and member of the council.

Appearances
Harkness appears in Fallout 3 and Fallout Shelter.

Bugs

 * Should the Lone Wanderer rescue James before reaching Rivet City, Harkness will become stuck at the main entrance.
 * Even after protecting Harkness's identity in The Replicated Man quest, sometimes a new head of security will take Harkness's place and say that Harkness is gone.
 * After completing The Replicated Man by siding with Harkness and choosing the options that lead to him dealing with Zimmer himself, it is possible for him to get stuck in an unarmed state while going to confront Zimmer. His Chinese assault rifle will still be visible, attached to his right hand. He is unable to attack in this state, so he will be killed by Zimmer and Armitage when he enters combat with them.