As Rachel walked out of the CEO's office, Flynn was waiting outside, still in his power armor. He looks up and says with a smile, "so, what did he say?"
"He said I was welcome to stay here and apply to become a medic, so I need to see the chief medical officer when I settle in. I've also been assigned with you so you can help me adjust and teach me about this world and I need to locate the vault tech offices when I am ready."
She says with a big smile, she did seem rather cute with her big smile and small height. Almost like a cute bunny or lamb… before they became mutated of course.
"Huh, the vault tec offices, did the overseer say exactly where they were?"
"Yeah he said it was between old Wall Street and Trump Towers, or their remains at least."
"Oh right... where 79 all began, I know where that is," he began making his way to the lift, "so I guess we should head back to mine and then begin on getting you accustomed to wasteland life, since I'm the one teaching you."
"So that's Vault 79 then. And okay, sounds good to me until I'm able to fit in fully," she follows him into the lift and presses the ground floor button.
The lift began to go down to the lobby
"Vault 79's experiment was to preserve an economy and by providing the investors and dwellers with Nuka Cola, Entertainment and maintained robotics, from the three leading brands.
Wall Street was where these companies bought and sold shares, stock if you will. They all invested in Vault Tec's project safehouse operation. The investors put a lot of money into this operation...
"Some more than others, many families entering the vaults had sold all their shares, these were the greedy ones, thinking that by putting all their money in they would get more out of it.
Boy were they wrong, they got put in the regular residential accommodation, whilst those who had still kept stock or inherited it, got to live in better accommodation, the more investment in the Vault's stock exchange, the better you lived.
It was a huge gamble each day, people moved around and so did the green stuff.
If we're going to find out more about your own vault, we need to head to Wall Street's Vault Tec Offices."
She considers this information and then asks, "so that's how the system worked? If you were greedy and sold, you weren't given the facilities you were expecting. While if you showed brand or company loyalty by keeping the shares, you were handsomely rewarded. Sounds like an interesting gamble or hustle.
So they would have all the information in the regional vaults?"
"Well in the Regional Headquarters, it's worth a shot investigating these offices in Wall Street anyway."
"How true, how very very true."
The lift dings as it arrived on the bottom floor, or the lobby so to say, "let's head on over to my place."
"Sure thing. So was your family one of the ones that held the stocks?"
She walks out, her head zipping about as she looked all round at the lobby and all the interesting people in it.
"Not really, so they say, the family who moved into the vault were engineers for Robco and General Atomics, although they had shares they didn't really have much, but were drafted in to work in the Vault. All Ryders were mechanics or engineers, the chief mechanic of works with my dad, got himself a neat job up here whilst I go on my own way with what I've learned."
Flynn was making his way to a set of large glass doors, opening them out to the streets of New New York. There were people walking around, some leading brahmin caravans, others wheeling stock around. A Mr Handy was dispensing newspapers on the streets whilst the owner was interviewing people
"This is where people come to trade if they're coming from the south, they move through here up North to Times Square."
"Flynn Ryder? That's your full name? Interesting name, the last name sounds familiar. Ah I see, still better than nada."
When he opened the glass doors, her jaw dropped at the outdoor market trading, oh and the two headed cow, let's not forget the crazy sight of a two headed cow. And she smiles at the Mr. Handy as she remembers the medical ones that served with her.
"Wow. Is that really a two headed cow? Like, seriously, a cow with two heads."
"Brahmin, like I said some animals were affected by the radiation and fallout, altering them, some significantly more than others."
The Mr Handy was calling out in the background to passers by, New New York Times! Today's paper just ten caps! Some people would put in ten caps as they walk past, the robot using his grabber attachment to pass them a neatly folded newspaper
"News travels fast thanks to the press, they took over the old printing press a few blocks from here, producing their own newspapers."
"More than others... it's got a second head that's moving about, blinking and eating! Thats weird to me."
She watches the Mr. Handy and smiles at the fact news and the press was still a thing in this post-fallout world.
"Thats amazing how the world had carried on, on how much society can rebuild. There is so much to see."
"Yeah which is why it's best that if you want to explore the wastelands, you better learn the basics. You seem to have combat under wraps and with the stuff we got from the raiders, you could get yourself some better equipment."
"Well I am open to new ideas and experiences, mum always said to be that way. I still remember my combat training from army medic training.
Let me guess, trading stuff to get the armour?"
She approaches a stall with clothes on it.
"Oh hey, they sell pre-war clothes here, maybe you can find something to go with that trenchcoat."
He pulls out a small bag from his satchel
"Heres' 200 caps, with the stuff you've got from the raider attack, make the most out of this place. I need to make a quick stop at the Gunsmith's, still got that package I gave you?"
"Oh! Thanks Flynn, and sure," she hands him the box and takes the bag of caps.
She looks at the clothes on offer, ranging from pre-war dresses of silk and cotton, to traded in raider gear robbed from bodies (guess you have to earn caps anyway you can.) The old lady on the stall smiled at Rachel and asked, "anything take your fancy dearie?"
"Yeah, do you have any sets of armour? Something sturdy yet comfortable."
The old lady looks in a box to the side and then presents her with a case of a complete leather armour set, "this is the best armour for both sturdiness and comfortability, this was crafted a week or so ago so this wasn't looted from a raider's body either. Made from fine Brahmin and Radstag hide. Since you're a lovely lil lass, this set is yours today for 125 caps, what do you say?"
"I think thats a really good deal! I'll have it! Also do you have a dress in pure clean white? Something that can be washed?" Rachel says, handing over 125 caps.
The old lady handed over the set and as Rachel popped it on top of her vault jumpsuit, the old lady looked in another box, this time it was older looking. She then pulls out an old white nurses dress, clearly it was pre-war and from the local hospital.
She shows the dress to Rachel and said, "you're the new vault dweller aren't you? One of the guards told me. I take it you're going to become a medic?"
"Yes I am, Rachel Phoenix is the name. I was a pre-war nurse so this outfit is very familiar to me, lots of memories."
"Ah I see now, I am Old Mags, the Dressmaker and clothes and armour dealer. Well… I don't sell these very often, only to nurse settlers and our own nurses… how about 30 caps for the dress?"
"Deal! Thank you very much! Have a good day!"
She hands over the 30 caps and the old lady hands over the dress in a neat bundle.
"You too dearie and good luck with the job."
Flynn meanwhile walks over to the gunsmiths, located a little further down, when he came back he was carrying a minigun, the same one the raider boss had, "so did you get anything good?"
She meets up with him in square of the place and she waves at him. She was in a very sturdy leather armour and had a beautiful white laundered dress over her arm.
"Yeah I got some new leather armour, the set was on offer for 125 caps and this dress I thought would be great for when I am a nurse again. It was 30 caps for the dress."
She gives him back the bag of remaining caps, a huge smile on her face. Flynn refuses a return of the remaining caps and says, "keep the caps. You made a good choice, leather armor should provide a little protection, with the vault armor we found you'll be fine in the wastelands.
I gave the guy his package, forwarded me the payment and I got a few things fixed up, this minigun feels so light when you're in power armor.
Let's head back to my place, it's a little further in."
"Oh thank you! And it looks not bad on me too. Ah good to see that job done. And sweet, that is a fine gun. Sure thing!"
The pair of them head through the trading district and to the home district. She lets him lead up to the apartment and soon enough they arrive to Flynn's home.
Flynn had lead her up to his room, his footsteps echo loudly in the stairwell, when he had found his key he opened the door up, revealing a treasure trove of pre-war nuka cola nostalgia, some parts seemed faded and worn, mostly the apartment, in the corner was a jukebox and a working nuka cola fridge by an old oven.
"It's not much to look at, but it's home."
Flynn turned around immediately as he got inside, ejecting himself from the back of the power armor, finally free, immediately stripping the weapons and satchels and setting them aside. His Laser rifle now sitting on a display wall.
Her eyes widen as she looks around at this man cave of nuka cola stuff and she smiles. She slowly walks in and looks about, remembering when this stuff was new. She then looks at Flynn and for the first time takes in his features fully in the good light. He was quite a handsome guy.
"You kidding me right? I think it's quite impressive."
Flynn picks up the nuka cola bottle he had and put it into the working nuka fridge, pulling out a cold bottle, which had the number 79 on the side of it in the nuka cola font, he opened it up and took a long drink from it.
"Thanks, it's taken me a while to get it like this. If I find any nuka cola merchandise I usually collect it and bring it here."
"It's a good hobby to collect stuff, everything has a story right?"
She walks through the place and smiles at each new thing she noticed. Despite her nuclear surroundings, she was curious like a child at this new world and every little thing, despite looking a serious woman.
Flynn turned on the jukebox tuning into the radio station which was playing rock, the song playing was Atom Bomb, Flynn checked over his weapons and the things which he had scavenged before finding Phoenix in the vault.
"Yeah I guess, but my real hobby is over in the workshop."
"The power armour? It's a labour of love thats for sure, they must have been built very well to survive the fallout. But still machines like people need care and attention."
She looks out of the window at the view and then sits down on the sofa, "yeah, the RobCo workshop is not far. Just across the road. That's where I am usually."
Flynn joined her holding his Nuka Cola bottle as the song changes after a brief bit of talk from the radio hosts, the song changed to something that peaked her interested and even caused her to tap her foot. The song was Rockin' Robin by Bobby day, which was one of Rachel's favourite.
"You have quite a cosy set up here then Flynn! I love it!"