From the introduction:
There are many valuable artifacts of the Pre-War times still to be found for the intrepid scavenger. While the secrets of many advanced technologies, such as plasma weaponry, aircraft and, as is rumoured, even nuclear fusion have been rediscovered by certain factions in the wasteland, occasionally even rarer objects are found: prototype weapons, top secret military equipment, relics of old wars and even more exotic items from beyond the stars. Needless to say these are highly sought after by every faction in the wasteland, and uncovering one of them can be both a blessing as well as a curse for its finder...