This story takes place in the Fallout 76 timeline. Its a little bit AU as I am going to add locations that may not be in game in to it for the sake of story, though I am hoping with the addition of the wastelander's patch it may create the location I am looking for.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
I do not own Fallout 76. Obviously.
I was born here in this sterile world. 50,000 square feet of vault made by none other than Vault-Tec. Vault-Tec was our savior for when the bombs fell, everything we ate, wore, played with, washed with, slept in was Vault-Tec. A utopia for the end of the world. I was one of only 13 children born in the vault. 5th born, 3rd girl. Our vault contained the best and brightest, so it wasn't married couples, just randomly selected men and women who should produce the strongest and most intelligent offspring.
My mother was a world renowned neurosurgeon, graduated top of her class. Supposedly she performed as part of a team for the president when a botched assassination attempt almost left him paralyzed. My mother was a small woman, lean with delicate fingers, her glassy blue eyes and thin yellow hair framed her face in a halo. She often wore it in a ponytail with a bang of short hair in the front. Her face is taught though I was never sure if she was just a sour woman or she was genetically thin in the face. However, I think part of her slim figure had to do with rations in the vault.
My father was a brilliant electrical engineer, he built parts of the vault we live in. But he didn't really step into the spotlight until about 10 years ago when he fixed the air purifier after it unexpectedly stopped. We feared we would have to open the vault or risk suffocating. But in the last hour of air as the overseer was counting down he managed to kick it on. Turns out radroaches had gotten in and chewed the wires. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, radiation levels had not fallen to a safe range so it would have been death either way. My father was a tall sturdy man. He reminded me of Captain Cosmos, but with a full beard that engulfed his face and it was almost as dark as his chestnut eyes. When he wasn't working on the maintenance of the vault, he was working out. He always told me that one day soon that door would open and we would go out to recolonize the United States of America. He would tear up and salute a stationary flag of stars and stripes.
I remember when they brought out a radroach for the first time as part of a safety seminar. Having never seen another living thing beyond a person I found it fascinating while all the adults from before the bombs looked on with horror. Later after the safety seminar, I asked my mother why it had made the adults so nervous.
"Before the bombs fell creatures like that we're no bigger than your thumb. And now…. They are as big as you. It just makes me worry… what else has changed in ways we couldn't have imagined?" A worried look furrowed her brow.
My parents didn't live together they had separate apartments and I would split my time between them. We occasionally had dinners together but I never got the impression my parents liked each other. No one in the vault was very affectionate, there was a limit on how much anyone could be involved, especially after the 13th child was born. They practically sucked the romance out of the vault, reminding everyone that one more mouth to feed could cause us to not be able to make it to the 25 years.
I was about 15 when I was given my own apartment. My own set of rations and a job, I was part of the clean up crew. And everyday was 4 hours of work and 8 hours of classes teaching us various ways to survive. However, if the world changed as much as my mother's horror stricken face implied, I doubted any of this information would hold up against new beasts of the wild. During the basic animal biology section I studied a map from before the war I wanted to plan out where I was to set up my camp in hopes of finding other vault dwellers. I have never seen the outside world but the books and stories have lead me to believe that it would be a great wide wilderness with dapples of towns and shops. I doubted very many people survived the bombs outside the security of a Vault-Tec vault but I was hoping that we would be one of many vaults that open so it wouldn't be the same 30 people I had grown up with all my life.
Most folks from before the bombs dropped acted like they were old friends. Most of them had been American's their whole lives, however they would tell stories about where their families had come from. Each story of a place outside and far away from here helped make the world feel a little bigger and helped lessen the agony of being bound to this hole in the ground.
There was one boy in particular who made my time difficult. Melvin. He was sickly from the day he was born, he was in his mother's womb when the bombs came down, first born in the vault. He was the favorite of all the vault dwellers, partly because he was a new life after the world ended but also, he required near constant medical attention. I give him credit though he was easily the smartest guy here, 6 years older than me and he studied medicine with my mother when he was only 13 conducting additional research beyond even her own technical writings in certain topics. We didn't see eye to eye though, perhaps it was all the time I had to share my mother with him, or that no matter how I tried I could never dazzle my dad the way he did. Or maybe it was the comment I over heard when he and my father where building something, my father patted him on the shoulder and told him he wished he had a son like him.
When I was 16 I began firearm and melee weapons training. I was particularly good with a scoped rifle and a baseball bat. I could hit the target from the longest hallway in the vault. About 100 feet. There were small metal targets that would ting whenever you hit them. I spent much of my free time firing with a BB gun as it didn't require precious resources like bullets. After I passed my test at 17 I was promoted to security staff. I would patrol the hallways at night with the Mr handys and keep a eye on the food stores to make sure that no radroaches contaminated the supplies.
One night I caught a small radroach only about 2 foot long, I was able to carry it like it was a slightly wiggly skateboard under my arm. It was surprisingly calm considering it was supposed to be a radioactive beast. As I was carrying this strange prisoner I passed by Melvin's apartment, 'Stuck up..,' I thought to myself. Being on the security team I had an all access badge, which means I could open any apartment in the vault. And well… it was just a small chill radroach. I expected him to be able to kill it.
When I set the creature loose and closed the door to his apartment, I tingled with excitement as I could hear him coming back from his kitchen. Since I was the only one on guard that night no one but me was going to hear him.
There was and intense commotion on the other side of the door. Most prominently was the sound of shattering glass and a scream. I chuckle and continue listening. There were several more loud noises possibly a chair thrown across the room but, I didn't intervene until I see smoke coming out from the top of his door. I opened the door and my eyes darted around the room to locate the bug.
Once located I smash the creature causing it's guts to be splattered all over the desk which contained the smoking terminal. A few seconds later the smoke alarm activated the sprinkler system soaking the entire apartment, Melvin and myself in seconds.
He wiped off his glasses as the sprinkler stopped and fixed his jacket picking himself up from the floor.
"Thank you for the… rescue," he flicks some bug debris off his shoulder giving me half a scowl. " Now please leave I have to clean up the mess you made."
I took a step back and made my way to toward the door.
"Oh yeah, I was walking by and I heard screaming so… no problem Melvin! Oh and I'll send someone to get your statement later."
I quickly made my escape to avoid his glare.
I was never really sure he knew it was me but I felt really bad about it. My dad got called in to see if he could fix the terminal as Melvin had already torn the device apart and replaced several pieces. My father had somehow known I was behind it. But he never told Melvin.
My irritation with Melvin only grew. He would go out of his way to point out my flaws in front of my father and supervisors. He wore poorly fitted glasses but they were for reading, as his vision was actually quite good at distance. He had green eyes and olive skin and a mess of curly dark hair, he was well built but slim due to his frequent illness. His mother was a beautiful woman with silky black hair, dark sun kissed skin and sapphire eyes but she died in childbirth. People would say he looked more like his mother, but his curls are from his dad. He didn't make it to the vault in time so we never knew him. You would think being an orphan he would be too preoccupied with sadness, however instead of beating him down it drove him, it made him smart and calculated.
Once when we were studying in the library at the same time I caught him looking up from his books and staring at me a little too long for my comfort.
"Take a picture it will last longer."
He smirked and I hear his pipboy snap a photo.
"I was kidding ya creep."
He smiles, " Funny, sounded more like an invitation."
I had dark blonde hair and pale blue eyes like my mother. I kept my hair short because during combat training one time a girl a little older than me pulled my hair to restrain me. The teacher reminded us not everyone would always play fair, especially outside the vault. Since then I've never let it be long. I had a fairly curvy build, my mother said I will probably go hungry outside the vault so it would be better for me to have a little weight to lose. She often would give me her rations when I had dinner with her.
My Father, on the other hand would proudly exclaim, I should try and maintain my strength as I may have to wrestle a bear. Then he would pretend to be a bear and tackle me to the ground to wrestle out of his strong grip. He never hurt me, but he liked to remind me that the world we were set to reclaim will not be an easy or fair one. And the only way I was going to survive was through grit and strength. I was a lesson I took to heart.
Finally it was the night before Reclamation day. My fellow guards and I let everyone take the the last of the unpacked rations and the remaining wine stores to celebrate our last night in the vault. Everyone had a camp set with 10 days of food and 6 days of purified water, a first aid kit, and a few supplies to build a basic campsite.
We drank and sang songs late into the night, all of us knowing it would be the last night we spent in the vault. I spent most of time like the other children of the vault drinking to forget the overwhelming giant standing ahead of us. My evening was going well until I bumped into Melvin. Having a bit of alcohol in my system I found my inhibition skewed.
"I got a bone to pick with you mister," I prod him in the chest.
" Pick away." He smiled.
Taken aback by his smile for a moment I shook my head.
"You better stay out of my way out there, or I just might shoot ya. Hahaha!" I stumble a bit gripping a table for balance.
"Perhaps it is not me you should be worried about." He corrects my posture and takes another drink of his beer.
I don't remember if we talked more after that. I had had quite a bit to drink so my memory is a little fuzzy about that night. I remember the party cannons going off spreading confetti all over the soccer field, I made an attempt to kick the ball, I think I missed because after that and everything went black.
The morning after, I snapped awake in my warm feather bed, I roll over thinking I may be able to fall back into a dreamless sleep, but before my eyes could shut again, I heard the overseer on the vault speakers.
"Good Morning Vault 76. This is the OverSeer. I hope you all enjoyed the party last night. Even those who may have over indulged." She chuckles. "And overslept." her voice became Curt. I stretch and put my feet on the floor, sounds like I'm not the only over sleeper. I chuckle and continue to listen.
"But it's time to get up and get out there. We have been locked away long enough. Today is Reclamation day."
My heart sinks. That's right. We have to leave today. A sadness over not being able to say proper goodbyes sweeps over me. That's ok, no one would leave without saying goodbye ...right?
"It may be time to leave but I'll never forget the day you all entered vault 76. You come from every walk of life. Every race, color, and creed. But, you all share one very important trait - you are this country's best and brightest. And more importantly you will always be my family."
I tear up wondering if my mother had left yet. I look around my room for the last time. This is what my entire life looked like. And it was all about to change. My terminal, my guitar some of the many things I would not be able to take with me. I get up to leave as I go I put on my pip boy and set out to check my mother's apartment.
As I step out I hear the overseer again.
"You've been tasked with nothing less than the rebuilding of America." Her voice turns grave. "Such a huge responsibility." She pauses. "Just know that Vault-Tec is proud of you. I am proud of you."
I can't help but feel my pride rise in my chest. I know this is why I was born, and why the rest of us were saved. We can do this. Confidence rises in my chest as I hear the overseer again.
"When you hear this, it means I have been gone for several hours. I've got… my own mission out there in Appalachia. This is the overseer signing off."
My heart sinks, hours? I walked over to check the apartment my mother lived in. The door won't open to my security badge. I should have known this wouldn't work anymore. I peek into the window...Empty. 'Well my mother is an early riser,' thinking to myself as I went to check my father's apartment. It was also empty. I began frantically checking all the other apartments nearby. All of them, empty. 'I was the last one to wake up…'
"HELLO?!"
The silence echoed back at me confirming my worst fear.
Something cold chilled my spine, 'well, everyone couldn't be far, I couldn't be that far behind could I?' I got back to my apartment and splash my face with water and taking a few drinks to calm myself. I made my way through the maze and as I was reading the sign next to the overseer's office I noticed the door was open. This could be my one chance to see what she really thought of me. To my surprise it wasn't even locked.
I was reading over her logs and she spoke of when the first child in the vault was born and how it was the most exciting moment in the vault and I rolled my eyes, 'Typical love for that stuck up little prince. Even a favorite of the overseer.' To my surprise all of the individual thoughts she had on day to day info had been deleted. Maybe someone else has seen this and didn't want anyone else to know what the overseer thought of them. Probably for the best anyway. But then I pressed the final option and a tape began to play.
"Overseer's log, or should I say, direct communication. Because whoever is listening to this had the moxy to try to find out where I've gone. But I'm glad you did. Truth is, I need your help. I've been given a task, and... I've decided to break protocol and tell you what it is. Because If there's one thing I've learned in these past few years, it's that we need to rely on each other.
There were three active nuclear silos in Appalachia before the bombs fell. They blew up the world before. We can't let it happen again. So we've got to locate and secure all of the silos, or die trying. Hopefully the former. Hmph. But it's been twenty-five years. I just don't know what we're going to find out there. Or where to start... My directive was to go to the nearest population center and assess the situation. I'll set up a C.A.M.P. on the way once I get my bearings. Find me there."
I was stunned. The overseer had been given a task to secure the very thing that had destroyed the world in the first place. I didn't know why I had found this tape but it was something. I knew where the overseer was and maybe she knew where my mother was. I grabbed the map taking a few breaths I quickly walked through the remainder of the maze only to stop before the door. It was closed, which meant that it would close behind me and I would not be able to return. I froze, this was the only world I had ever known. Fear gripped my chest as I stared at the massive door that kept me from the outside world for 21 years.
Lights flashed and a siren blared. The giant arm lurched forward to turn the heavy steel gear of a door. This hallway though I guarded it over the years and patrolled it never seemed so foreign nor so surreal. The rusted yellow bridge leading to the door felt like such a long trek like it would take me all day to cross it.
The door creaked open, the grinding of the gear was deafening. When I opened my eyes again I was faced with a glowing exit to the outside world. It was so bright it burned my eyes. The sound of the wind howling through it took my breath away. Like a portal to another dimension. I took a tentative step forward, looking back one last time at the only place I had ever known. I looked to Alderton, the last Mr. Handy in the maze, and I almost wanted to hug the robot as he sniffed and said, "They grow up so fast."
I took one last breath before leaping across the threshold. I closed my eyes and for a moment felt like I was flying, then my feet connect with the ground. For a moment I consider running back into the vault but the door is already closing behind me. As it creaked into place and resealed itself I realize I was left outside forever.
For a moment I can't open my eyes, because then it's all real, but my father's words enter my mind, reminding me to be strong. I slowly opened my eyes in the bright sun. I looked up and took in all of the wide open sky, dappled with small puffy clouds. No picture could really show you what it was like to stand under the expansive space above you and a limitless world in front of you. I almost lost my balance at how dazzlingly large the world was. I began to take in deep breaths of outside air. I checked my PipBoy - no radiation detected. I took a few steps towards a ledge to look out across the expansive valley before me. I find my balance as I grip the railing taking in the world around me. The wind brushes against my face, I have felt a fan blowing air in my face before but nothing like this. There's a taste to it, a smell. Real, fresh, crisp, and it catches the sound of bugs chirping and swirls it all around me.
I could barely believe all the colors of the leaves. I had been told about fall by the people from outside the vault but I didn't actually think that trees could be such colors since almost all of my textbook images of trees showed them green. I make my way down the stairs to the right towards an outside Mr Handy. It's Pennington, he often helped the overseer.
He waves me over, "The overseer set up camp to the south."
Taking his direction I add the marker on my pipboy map. I begin heading south toward the marker when I find what appears to be someone sleeping on the ledge. I approach them, their clothes definitely aren't Vault-Tec. He's in a dusty brown coat and ragged clothes. It must be a survivor from the war, could he be waiting to tell me where to go? I tap him on the shoulder and he slumps over.
I jump back in surprise, he's dead. I had seen bodies before, we had a few elderly in the vault, but his body was decaying and flies has been eating his face. And the smell, my stomach churned and I had to step back to breathe. I manage to face the man again, 'I have to know, everything out here could be valuable information on what I need to do next.' I look in his pockets to see if he had any id on him, maybe he had family that should be notified if I come across them. I find a note,"They have to open those doors sometime."
My blood runs cold. These people don't want to help me. They want the vault's supplies. I swallow my fear and take the machete he has on him. 'Maybe the other path is safer than this one.' I go back up the stairs and attempt to go the other way. I am greeted by 2 small robots that are making springy noises. They turn to me and I stop. For a moment I wonder if they are anything like Mr Handy, but before I can entertain the thought, they begin firing lasers at me. My heart skips a beat and I react before I even know what I am doing slamming myself around a corner taking cover. My whole body shakes for a moment while I collect myself. ' No. I have been training my whole life for this. I can do this…' I arm myself with my newly acquired machete. I wait hearing their springy legs twang and scrape along the ground. As one gets close I jump out and slash the first robot. Alarmed the second one charges in faster than the first swinging its legs furiously at me. I swing my machete more like a baseball bat and it goes flying down the hill.
I look at the contents of the robot still on the platform. He has some kind of propaganda poster. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but I feel it has something to do with the war with China the older people in the vault used to talk about. I take the scrap metal parts and wonder how long these robots have been here. Thinking about my options I decide that maybe the way with the dead man is better. Besides it's more south.
Please leave a review if you liked it :3