Author's Note: Before we embark on this adventure into the combined power of my quite possibly sadistic sense of humor (that's a joke, for the record) and my fascination with Fallout Lore, I must give credit where credit is due. First and foremost, the Fallout universe is property of Obsidian Entertainment and Bethesda Softworks. That said, this particular vault and most of it's characters are works of my imagination. As for the methods of torture, they are inspired from a variety of sources. Namely, Nazi scientist/doctor Eduard Wirths and Project Mk-Ultra.
Prologue
Vault-Tec. Humanity's last chance for survival. The hero of the people, or so it would seem. The year is 2070, and this vault, located somewhere in the New Mexican desert, was the first to be created for "research purposes." As nuclear war with the Comintern proved imminent, President Dick Richardson signed the Free America Act; which ordered the creation of the FEV, Liberty Prime, and the implementation Red Scare Initiative. John Henry Eden was assigned to coordinate the operation from his base in Raven Rock. Within three months, 200 convicted Chinese spies and dissenters alike were compromised and sent to a maximum security prison in an area of California known as "The Boneyard."
From the twenty-first century Alcatraz, the detainees were segregated and put into forced labor in the employment of RobCo Industries. Unbeknownst to the general population, each inmate was being placed on trial again, but this time, affirmative indictment meant something far worse than slave labor at Los Angeles (The Boneyard) Correctional Facility, where the "uncondemned" were to be either sold to RobCo or incinerated in the prison's furnace; the remains of which were scattered along the grounds. All in all, roughly 150 inmates lost their lives in the flames or were shipped to factories in Boston. The remaining 50 were crowded twenty-five to a cell, where they would live for two months while Vault-X, "Elysium," was furnished.
Before I continue, there is a small point I'd like to address. To the average observer, it might seem odd that innocent civilians faced capital and corporal punishment for their unjust indictments and, later, captivity. The sad truth, however, is John Henry Eden operated under the pretense that all those accused were spies, traitors, were enemies of America-the state-by simply being accusable.
"These individuals breathe American air, eat American food, live on American soil in American housing, work in American companies, and they dare breathe an unpatriotic word, Mr. President. As you are well aware, the Sino-American War has only just concluded with an exhilarating American victory; now, we must protect Americans from Communist coups of any and all kinds-domestic or foreign. The Red Scare Initiative does just that. Yes, the loss of Habeas Corpus is a tragedy, but this is the only way to defend the newly founded Commonwealth. Now, it should be noted that each individual will be given a fair trial, with its decisions irreversible. Like the old saying goes, 'It's better to hang an innocent man, than let a criminal go free.' God Bless America, and may God, in his divine grace, guide us through these difficult times."-Intercepted correspondence between President Dick Richardson and John Henry Eden, found on prisoner number 49009
But I digress, the "Chinese Remnants" were sent to perambulate the confines of their new homes that summer. I was there with them that fateful July day, the day they were taken to the chambers. I sat among the rows of prisoners on the bus. I saw their faces as they were herded like cattle through the sealed entrance-to the bowels of Hell itself. A handful of soldiers in power armor registered the inmates and passed them on to the next room, the clinic. Once inside, each inmate was given a thorough medical examination; of which, only forty-five passed. What happened to the five who didn't? They were to be my test subjects, guinea pigs, you might
say.
I hadn't been told as of yet what experiments I'm to conduct, or how to conduct them. In the meantime, I've had them resting in the infirmary; this may be a dark deed, but I want it to be as painless as possible.
Gods preserve me….