CHAPTER 1
.
.
Alice sighed and stretched as the alarm clock next to her bed chimed, 8:30am. Turning off the alarm, Alice smiled as across the room she heard the red light switch yawn too. "good morning baby. How's the light? Need me too….personally adjust anything?" something about a light switch that hits on you just brought a smile to her face, stretching again Alice yawned once more before sitting up in her bed, swinging her legs over the side and stood up. As she walked out of her room, Alice heard her brain yell at her from inside it's glass case. "PUT SOME CLOTHES ON! IT'S SHIT LIKE THAT; THAT MAKES ME HAPPY I'M IN THIS JAR!" Alice smiled. She liked teasing her brain. As she walked past blind diode Jefferson she patted the jukebox on its 'head'. "morning Jefferson. Got anything good for me today?"
.
.
In response Jefferson blinked for a moment before soft classical orchestral music began to play. "I hope this is to your liking baby doll." Alice nodded. "it's perfect." Still stark naked Alice stepped out of her 'living room' and out into the main section of the sink. Stepping up to the small counter next to the Bio research station Alice chuckled as she heard the station speak to her. "morning sexy thang, your seeds are almost ready. Soon you'll have some nice warm, sticky, goo that you can guzzle down that adorable little mouth of yours." Alice rolled her eyes. she still wasn't sure if the station realized how sexual it sounded. Looking down at the counter Alice sighed again all the coffee mugs she had set out the night before were gone.
.
.
"WHERE THE HELL ARE ALL MY COFFEE MUGS!" the words hadn't even left her mouth before she heard muggy scream. "NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO." Growling Alice turned and just barely caught sight of the mini-securitron racing into the 'floating organ room'. Groaning Alice stormed into the organ room and ignored her brain as it again shouted at her to put on clothes. In the corner she could see muggy with his back against the pile of coffee mugs, his arms outstretched trying to block them from her sight.
.
.
Storming over Alice grabbed muggy by his small antenna and tossed the mini robot aside. Grabbing one of the mugs Alice paused as she was about to pass her brain's jar. It had been a while since she'd really messed with her brain. Stepping up the jar Alice grinned evilly as she leaned forward pressing her naked breasts against the glass. Almost at once her brain started shouting. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME! ARG I NEED A BRAIN SCRUB! MUST GET RID OF MENTAL IMAGE!" laughing Alice left the room, and back to the coffee pot, before filling the mug with coffee and downing the contents in a few gulps. Filling the mug up again Alice made her way back to her bedroom and pulling open one of the large lockers that lined the walls.
.
.
It had been 5 months since she'd become 'admin' at the big empty. After she'd convinced the think tank to remain here in the big empty, she had been approached by Klein who had named her think tank admin. Of course her job had changed very little. Perhaps it had been the years of isolation in the dome. Perhaps it was just force of habit, but the brains very rarely left their great dome. Although on occasion Alice had woken up to find Dala hovering over her, playing the 'heavy breathing' audio track she'd helped to make during one of their 'breathers'. Those times were awkward. Anyways the job fell to her to repair damaged machinery outside the think tank. Or to retrieve technology that the think tank required to continue their bazaar experiments. Flipping through her outfits Alice smiled as she found the one she was looking for. Pulling it out of the locker Alice set about putting on the sorrow's adorned outfit she'd selected.
.
.
It was a bit odd, she had high-tech armor, armors of every rank from every faction in new Vegas. Even a set of old power armor from the brother hood of steel; yet she felt more comfortable running around in clothing worn by tribals; than she did in any modern armor. Securing the cloth around her her breasts Alice stopped only long enough to holster her .45 auto-pistol before leaving the sink and making her way to the think tank where the brains lived. As she stepped through the door and up the ramp she did a quick survey of the room. Nothing ever really hanged. Although once or twice she'd come in to find all the brains clustered around one of the work tables that lined the back wall. Stepping up to the central platform Alice cleared her throat to let the brains know she was there.
.
.
"AHHHH. THE LOBOTOMITE ADMINISTRATOR RETURNS….BUT WITH MINIMAL COVERINGS. HOW….PRIMATIVE." Alice rolled her eyes. No matter how much she argued with klein she could not get him to stop caller her lobotomite. Huffing in irritation Alice spoke. "if my coverings bother you I could always take them off." Just to annoy the doctor she actaully moved as though she were going to take the wrap around her hips off. There was almost instant objections, from klein and borous who began shouting at her. "I FORBID YOU TO REMOVE ANY MORE COVERINGS FROM YOURSELF! I BARELY TOLERATE YOUR EXCRETIONS BUT I WILL NOT HAVE YOU PRANCING AROUND THIS LAB IN YOUR UNDERSKIN!" Alice laughed but nodded. "yeah yeah, whatever. What do you need me to do today?"
.
.
Klein was silent for a moment before speaking. "8 has been conduction experiments with subsonic tones and their effects on….. I doubt a lobotomite such as yourself would understand 8's basic experiments. But he's come to a road block. Several components he requires to finish his experiments are located within the ruins of the old harmonics labs." Alice nodded. "so you need me to go and get them?" "NEGGATIVE!" Alice winced slightly at how loudly Klein had shouted. "then what do you need me for?" it was not klein who spoke this time but Borous. "while not as smart as us; you do have a unique knowledge if big mountain and the various…. hostile inhabitance that dwell with in this facilities ruins. That is why we need you to escort doctor 8 to the harmonics lab, so that he may find and bring back these extremely sensitive components."
.
.
Alice raised an eyebrow. "8 is going to leave the dome and travel with me, through the big empty and to a lab that may or may not exist anymore?" Borous's monitor's flickered. "now the lobotomite is repeating what we say. Perhaps we have over-taxed it's simple comprehension skills." Borous moved a bit closer and spoke in an overly slow voice. "we. Need. you. To. Take. 8. To his. Lab. Can. You. Do. This?" Alice rolled her eyes. "I'm starting to see why Betsy bright never liked you." Turning to 8 Alice spoke. "are you ready to go now?" 8 nodded and floated over to her, stopping by her side and turning back to face the remaining think tank. After a moment klein spoke. "just keep your penises to yourself lobotomite, that includes all hand and feet penises. And try not to give into you biological need to….excrete. now go so we can return to real science." And with that the rest of the think tank turned and went back to their experiments.
.
.
Jerking her head Alice gestured for 8 to follow her back down the ramp and into the sink. As they passed through the mechanical doors 8 spoke. "*& % ^$%!& *; *!%#*" Alice shurgged. "we're gunna be trekking across the entire crater to get to your lab. I'm gunna need more than 1 pistol, and this armor. Don't worry we'll leave soon. I just need to change and stalk up. 8's eye monitors tilted showing sadness. Alice smiled. "don't worry. I'll keep you safe. Nothing's gunna happen. Ok?" 8's mouth monitor flickered into a smile. Smiling back Alice turned to return to her room passing through her sitting room Alice only stopped when blind diode Jefferson spoke to her. "looks like you got a visitor baby. Need any mood music?" turning back around Alice found that 8 had followed her and was now hovering just behind her.
.
.
Holding up her hand Alice spoke. "hold it. No peeking while I change." 8's eyes flickered to confusion. "^ $*?' &*%^#%!*~" Alice closed her eyes mentally kicking herself. Of course 8 didn't understand things like privacy. He'd been a robot for so long he'd forgotten about human life. "look, I don't want you to watch me while I change into different clothes, why don't you and Jefferson talk while I change. You like sounds and he plays sounds. Just talk. Ok?" 8 was saved from responding when Jefferson flickered to life and began to play a small jazz tune. Smiling Alice turned and walked back into her room and towards her lockers.
.
.
The facility was dangerous. Nothing could change that, feral lobotomites roamed in packs, frenzied robo-brains shot at anything that moved, and lately there had been an increase in nightstalker attacks, not to mention the few remaining robo-scorpions that still roamed around. Pulling out a set of white legs hide armor Alice set about changing, pausing just long enough to grab her grey ranger hat from its hook, and a set of biker goggles. Next came weapons. Of course she would keep her silenced .45, it was always useful to have. Pausing to look at her weapon storage Alice thought. She wasn't traveling alone, so she couldn't just dig in and keep shooting, if it came down to it, she needed to be able to cover 8 while they ran. Nodding to herself Alice grabbed a few extra clips for her .45, before pulling her fully modded, hunting shotgun off its rack loading a slug round into the chamber as she did.
.
.
A short time later Alice left her room, backpack packed and ready to go, shotgun in hand with a strap around her shoulder so she could walk and not have to carry the gun at all times. Walking out of her room Alice watched as Jefferson flickered again before speaking. "this boy's alright. Got a bit of a speech impediment, but he's alright." 8 turned to her his eyes flickering to curiosity. "&^ &% ;'::` ~ !$" Alice nodded. "yeah, are you ready to go." 8 didn't respond but instead began floating towards the outside door. Smiling Alice paused long enough to turn off the lights before following 8 out into the big empty.
.
.
Alice couldn't help but laugh as they walked through the open facility. 8 was like a kid. Since they'd left the think tank dome his eye monitors had yet to stop moving. Instead they shifted up, down, left and right taking in everything they could as they walked. Still smiling Alice slung her shotgun across her back and dug into her backpack pulling out a box in instamash and a bottle of dirty water. Most people would never mix 2 irradiated items together and eat them. But Alice wasn't like other people. The tribe she had come from lived in an area that had always been irradiated. So much so that it had actually effected the and altered their DNA slightly, just enough so that now without any aid their bodies naturally dissipated radiation. Meaning that over time her body would harmlessly absorb any radiation in her system. shaking the box of instamash so as to mix the dried powder and water together, Alice did a quick scan of the area before beginning to eat. Lacking any form of eating utensil Alice took to using her fingers to scoop up the mash up before licking it off her fingers.
.
.
After several minutes however Alice became aware 8 was watching her. Turning Alice smiled sheepishly. "do you mind if I eat?" 8 looked quizzically at her. "&$% /#% &#% ;~*&" Alice shrugged, and licked off more mash. "I'm hungry. Unlike you, I still have to eat to fuel my bodies functions." She had been about to swipe out the last of the mash when a noise to her right made her drop the box and bring her shotgun up. Instantly scanning the area for the source of the noise Alice acted with split second timing. Even as the robo-brain advanced forward aiming it's wrist lasers Alice was acting. Taking aim Alice pulled the trigger and felt the rifle jerk in response. Twine slug rounds tore through the air and truck the robo-brain. The first round struck the main chassis, creating a shower of sparks while denting the metal skin. The second round tore through the brain casing, causing the glass dome to shatter and explode sending a small wave of brain sustaining fluid onto the ground causing the robo-brain to slow and stop before crashing to the ground 'dead'.
.
.
Sighing slightly Alice was motioned for 8 to stay close as they continued on, leaving her box of half eaten mash laying on the ground.
AN: WELL FOLKS WHAT DO YOU THINK?
IT'S NOT MUCH, BUT IT'S BEEN IN MY HEAD FOR A BIT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? CONTINUE? ABANDON?
LET ME KNOW!
...
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT 8'S SPEECH.
DONT LOOK FOR ANY KIND OF PATTERN. I JUST RANDOMLY CHOSE THE SYMBOLS FOR HIS SPEECH.