Edmund Medford

Edmund Medford was one of the scientists at the Beverageer Division before the Great War. His skeleton is found in the Nuka-Cola bottling plant's secret lab in 2287.

Background
When John-Caleb Bradberton formed a partnership with General Braxton to develop chemical weapons, Lead Beverageer Meacham jumped at the opportunity. Rex Meacham and his team (Ruth Leavitt, Edmund Medford, Kevin Bennell) were provided with a cutting edge laboratory built into the foundations of the Nuka-Cola bottling plant. Provided with a dedicated reactor and living quarters, it allowed the Beverageers to work around the clock. Work commenced immediately, although it had numerous failures. Attempts to achieve thermogenesis using radioactive isotopes were challenged by unforeseen side effects on top of simple failure to remain stable. Following experiences with toxic fumes, Beverageers finally found a way to achieve semi-stable isotopes with sample M6N5-UD. Version 0.245 of Q4N7-UM was selected as the basis for further weapons development, as a form of high explosive nitroglycerin. Meacham named the substance Quantum, after the sample identification code, and presented his testing to Braxton and Bradberton. The first accepted it as the basis for the Nuka-nuke, the latter as a new flavor, Quantum.

Following these three weeks of constant work and laboratory experiments, the Beverageers were given vacation time, while Meacham pored over the data with the General and Bradberton. Project Cobalt was about to yield its first fruit. However, the purpose of the Project and its military applications did not sit well with the best organic chemist on the team, Ruth Leavitt. She repeatedly voiced her concerns to Meacham. He was her mentor and idol until he decided to have the Beverageers research weapons of mass destruction. To appease her, Meacham placed Dr. Leavitt in charge of developing an isotope safe for human consumption. Eventually, she arrived at CE775, which would become the foundation Nuka-Cola Quantum. Her work would result in a drink that would become the Corporation's next biggest seller, as indicated by the pilot program in Washington, D.C. However, as the Beverageers continued to focus on Project Cobalt, Leavitt found it impossible to remain in Nuka-Cola's employ. She openly confronted Meacham in early October and declared that she would tender her resignation at the end of the month. Bradberton was livid. When he learned of her intent, he was furious. By defying his and Meacham's will, Leavitt would wind up blacklisted in the industry. It was a loss for Project Cobalt as well, as Leavitt's expertise was second to none. Dr. Edmund Medford was the only other organic chemist qualified enough to pick up the slack and he wasn't even remotely near her league. The other members of the team, particularly Kevin Bennell, considered her choice to be a selfish one in wartime. The eventual fate of Dr. Leavitt also entrenched their loyalty.

She continued to work at the Beverageer facility, although she refused to even lift a finger to aid Project Cobalt. The other Beverageers pleaded with her to change her mind. Meacham tried to intimidate her into staying, Bennell tried flattery and appeals to reason, while the meek Dr. Medford merely supported his colleague. The arguments continued until October 23, 2077. As the nuclear attack on the United States began, the automated safety systems engaged and the Beverageer lab was locked down. All the Beverageers were trapped within the facility. Isolation and the end of the world as they knew it started to take its toll on the research team. Within a couple of weeks, Dr. Medford committed suicide, hanging himself in the dorms. Outside, he was calm and collected. Inside, Meacham was falling apart, guilt eating away at his murder of a woman he secretly loved.

Appearances
Edmund Medford appears only in the Fallout 4 add-on Nuka-World.

Behind the scenes
Edmund Medford's name is an amalgamation of the names of Dr. Harold Medford, a character in the 1954 science fiction monster movie Them!, and the actor that portrays him, Edmund Gwenn. He shares this trait with his fellow secure beverageer scientists.