Vault 69, the Cradle of the New Louisiana.
Prologue: I can't believe this is happening…
2077. Louisiana. Kisatchie National Forest.
Some Vault-tech employees are accompanying someone inside of a car inside of a vast forest. A young man with brown-hair and blue eyes, aged in his 20s.
"When we will arrive?" the man asked.
"In a few minutes…" the Vaultech employee said.
"I have a question… Did you have some relatives?" the employee asked.
"No… I had only my parents and they were dead in accident, two years ago. These are the only things that I have left from them." The young man said.
He takes out from his bag a big encyclopaedia it is named, "History of France. From Clovis to today." And a photo.
"Oh my, you are a Frenchie, right?" the employee asked.
"Yes, like my whole family." The young man responded.
"Good…" the employee responded.
"I have a question too. Why me? Why not someone else. I am just alone." the man asked.
"You are filling the necessary criteria for Vault 69." The employee responded.
"Okay?" the man asked in lifted eyebrow.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
The sound comes from the driver part of the car.
"Ah! We have arrived!" the employee said.
The car stopped in front of the Vault, who is front of a clearing, where the Vault 69 is located who is big bunker entering. It is guarded by two soldiers. The young is leaded out of the car by the employees before facing the opened rolled door.
"Okay… you are the last one." The guard said.
"Ah?" the young man asked.
"Absolutely. You're the last." the guard responded.
The young man faced the giant Vault, he was thoughtful.
"Any problem?" the guard asked.
"No... I am wondering that I will live a long part of my life of this place." The young man responded.
"Don't worry, you will be fine inside. Everything that will give you a comfortable life is inside of it. You are very lucky." The guard said.
"If you say so…" the young man said.
A giant alarm of bombs is heard at this moment.
"No more discussions. It is time to go." The guard said.
"Okay… goodbye and thanks for everything." The young man said before entering inside of the Vault.
The fortified geared-styled door slowly closes before sinking inside of the hole, fully sealing the Vault.
The young man goes inside of the entry door, it was a reinforced second nine-cog door like the first. A Mister Handy comes in front of the young man.
"Hello, inhabitant of Vault 69. How are you?" the Mister Handy asked.
"Fine, I guess?" the young man responded.
"Please give your name for the registering." Mister Handy asked.
"Frédéric Durand." The young man responded.
"Good, Frédéric. Please I will lead you toward your room." Mister Handy said.
"Okay, is anyone there?" Frédéric asked.
"Yes, you are the last. Everyone inside is already present." Mister Handy responded.
"I'm following you." Frédéric responded.
The robot leads the young man through the cog who rolls and closes behind. They descend down deep underground. After one hundred stairs in spiral. They arrived at the fortified entry decontamination airlock. They traversed it, before marching on a retractable catwalk who retract itself after the passage. They finally traversed the radiation scanner who doesn't activate yet since there is no need right now. Finally, the duo entered fully inside of the Vault.
Frédéric witnessed that the Vault itself is gigantic, with huge hallways and many rooms like Bathrooms, Restrooms, Kitchens, etc, etc… He climbed the stairs to the fifth floor in one of the corridors of the Vault.
Frédéric is finally lead to a part of a vault named "Overseer Apartments."
"What the…? What the meaning of this?" Frédéric asked Mister Handy.
"You will be the Overseer of this Vault." Mister Handy said.
"But… I didn't ask for that…" Frédéric responded.
"It's because of your special situation in this Vault." Mister Handy responded.
"Special situation? What is this about?" Frédéric asked.
"You will know in due time." Mister Handy responded.
Frédéric groaned in exasperation before entering inside of the Apartment.
The Appartment was surprisingly well-stuffed, with all of the modern comfort. With a single bathroom, a single dress robe, a bad, a TV, a whole library, lots of movies, video games, a bedroom and a restroom.
BOOOOOM! BAAOOOM!
The ground shakes and multiple giant explosion muffled by the ground around could be heard. Frédéric almost fell but Mister Handy helped him to stand.
"The first bomb has landed." Mister Handy said.
"One last question. Is Vault 69 made to resist explosions?" Frédéric asked.
"Absolutely. Also, it has been reinforced by triple layers of reinforced concrete to avoid any kind of flood." Mister Handy said.
"That's reassuring… Well, I'll take a shower after all. Don't disturb me." Frédéric said.
"Of course…" the Mister Handy responded.
As he entered inside of his bathroom and as he takes his shower, he thinks back to a memory.
Inside of the memory…
Frédéric was a child, reading the History of France in the garden of his house. His mom, recognizable by her blonde hair and blue eyes was hugging him from behind.
"Do you enjoy your new book?" the mom asked.
"Yep, it's the best gift ever, mom!" Frédéric responded.
"You're welcome…" the mom quickly smiled.
"I have a question mom. What is 'chivalry' like they say inside of this book?" Frédéric asked.
The mom chuckled.
"It's a moral rule that every knight has to respect. Since they will protect the people from any danger. Save the widow and the orphans. While being having courtesy for everyone. They were everywhere in the country of our ancestors, France. In the Middle Ages, they were the warrior that you encountered." The mom explained.
"That's so cool! I believed that they would only save the princess." Frédéric said.
"Saving a princess is something but a knight is a warrior with a long code and morals, that is written inside of this book." The mom said.
"Okay, I'm reading it…" Frédéric responded.
"Mom... Dad..." Frédéric said, a bit sad.
A bit later, he exited the bathroom, jumpsuit on with the number 69.
"You exited the shower. How are you?" Mister Handy asked.
"Hum… good?" Frédéric responded.
Mister Handy analysed the body of the young man.
"Your body is cleaned, no risk of infection detected. While stress has decreased by 34%. No damage detected." Mister Handy announced.
"Of course…" Frédéric responded before getting out from his cryo-bed.
"As new Overseer of Vault 69. It is advised to take a shower, dress and eat before meeting the residents of the Vault." Mister Handy said.
"I already know that, can you please go out to tell them of my arrival…? if they are already present?" Frédéric asked.
"Mister Handy no.4 already filling them in the subject as we talk." Mister Handy said.
"Ah, you are several Mister Handies, make sense. How many you are?" Frédéric asked.
"We are 10 in the entire Vault. We are tasked to maintain vital equipment inside of the Vault. I am Mister Handy no.1." Mister Handy explained.
"Okay, that's good to hear… Now, it is time to meet the people." Frédéric said.
A bip is heard from Mister Handy No.1.
"You should go quickly. I received a message from No.4 that settlers are becoming impatient." Mister Handy said.
"Of course, of course. Tell the message that I am going out right now." Frédéric said.
"Roger." Mister Handy responded.
BIPBIP!
"Message send, one more thing. Let me give you this." Mister Handy said.
The robot took from a table, a pip-boy that it gives to the Overseer.
"This instrument will be important for your role. Same for the other inhabitants as well." Mister Handy said.
"Okay, thanks…" Frédéric responded before he puts the Pip-boy on his right arm.
The Overseer then exited his apartments, following No.1 in the huge alleyways. As a long walk of minutes, the duo arrived to the Great Courtyard.
It was a giant underground place, similar to the halls of the supermarket of old made in circle. It has big stairs going in five floors, deserving all the important places of the Vault. The place was at least 50 meters wide.
"Wow…" Frédéric said.
He could see in ground floor of the place, a giant crowd of hundreds of people… who at least a great part of them are women discussing at each other and bit tense. Which makes him a bit intrigued.
"Hello? Helloooo?!" He called.
The overlapping crowd quickly silenced as the many women turned to him.
"Here! I am coming down! Sorry for the wait!" Frédéric said.
He descended the stairs of the fifth floor to the ground floor and finally faced the crowd close. He was a bit confused, because there are many women, many. All have their pip-boys on their right arms, some were on the left since they were surely left-handed.
"Is everything alright? I know that you are a bit nervous. This situation is new for everyone, especially for me but as an Overseer, I will guide you to reorganize a new society inside of this Vault. Until the conditions above are good enough for us to go outside." Frédéric said, trying to reassure everyone.
The women looked at each other until a brown-haired woman with green eyes approached him. Her expression is one of nervosity.
"Thanks for trying to reassure us but we have just realised that a really serious problem has emerged." The brown-haired woman said.
"What do you mean by that? I don't see any kind of problem in the Vault, right Mister Handy?" Frédéric said before turning to the robot.
"Absolutely. No problem has been detected in the integrity of Vault 69." No.1 said.
"This is not about the Vault, it's about us…" the brown-haired woman said.
Frédéric stared to the woman with confusion before turning to the crowd. Now she mentions this, he could see only women, all kinds of young women in their 20s who were afraid. No trace of men in the crowd.
"What a second…" Frédéric said.
"Don't you see a problem?" a black-haired woman asked in the crowd.
More he observes the crowd, more Frédéric couldn't believe it, he doesn't see any men in the crowd. Absolutely not.
"Wait, wait, wait… Hold on. The question that I am about to ask will be crazy in your minds but… there is no men? Not a single one apart from me?" Frédéric asked.
A lot of women looked away as a response, some others shook their heads. Frédéric is completely taken aback, letting the revelation sinking in his mind.
After a moment of pure realisation, he turned to No.1.
"No.1?" Frédéric asked.
"Yes?" Mister Handy responded.
"Can you explain what is happening?" Frédéric said.
"Of course. Now you are all reunited, it is time to reveal the nature of this experiment. Vault 69 is thought to welcome one thousand people. 999 women and one man as an Overseer. As Vault-tech planned." Mister Handy explained.
The crowd of women are truly shocked from this news. Frédéric was wide-eyed from this. Silence falls inside of the Great Courtyard until…
"This is bullshit!" A red-headed woman said.
"What the hell Vault-tech is thinking!?" a black skinned woman added.
"No… This is a nightmare…" Another brown-haired woman said.
"This is not how we rebuild a society!" a blonde woman shouted.
"I want to go; I want to go!" a black-haired woman added.
"This is unacceptable!" another blonde-woman said.
Many women cursed and shouted in anger while many others are beginning to cry in despair or simply stay silent.
"Okay, calm down! Shut up! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Frédéric shouted.
Everyone stopped and looked back to Frédéric.
"Listen to me, you are all angered. I am irritated too. But letting ourselves being overlapped by our emotions won't help at anything. Please, I beg you to stay calm." Frédéric said.
"It's easy to say that!" One woman in the crowd replied.
"Yes, but still, calm down. We'll just sit down and reflect." Frédéric said before he sits down on the ground. Showing them the importance of calming down.
Every woman looked at each other before one woman after one, then groups by groups sited down on the ground. The furthest women who have their back on the walls still stood up, but managed to calm.
"Now we have calmed down. We will discuss how we will organise ourselves for our survival. Let's see on the pip-boys." Frédéric said before he verifies on it.
BIPBIP!
The sound of a signal is heard and the women began to discuss nervously between themselves, under the watch of Frédéric who make sure that nothing get out of hand. Then, they looked at their pip-boys, watching the maps and different parts of the Vault.
The map in question shows the very Vault, organised mainly around the Great Courtyard. Even if some parts are further away.
"Everyone can see their maps?" Frédéric asked.
Many of the women nodded.
"Good. Let's organise ourselves. First, the agricultural and livestock part of the Vault, the most vital part of these constructions. Everyone who are farmers or at least knows remotely how to do it, lift their hands!" Frédéric said.
At least, ten hands spread in the Courtyard rose up.
"Good… You will occupy the agricultural part of the Vault. From what I read, the guys of Vault-Tech are nice enough to let us cultivate potatoes, barley, wheat, peas and oats. While the meat is assured by breeding chickens. Also, it is required that at least 200 people are required to work. So, I hope there is a lot of volunteers. Now, the kitchen part. But not the simple kitchen, because we have to change all of these cultivations to actual food. So, the women who are able to transform these products to food, please lift your hands." Frédéric said.
Mere 6 women lifted their hands in the crowd.
"Hm… better than nothing. At least 20 people are required to finish the fabrication of the food. I hope there is some volunteers among you. The power supply, this is now going to be tricky for this one. The whole Vault is alimented by a Star Super-Reactor, located in the south, in an isolated room. So, it is required to have 40 people to maintain it. Anyone who knows some notion about the maintenance of reactors?" Frédéric asked.
No hand is lifted.
"Hm… I knew it was going to be tricky. Mister Handy, can you teach the potential volunteers about these notions?" Frédéric asked.
"Absolutely, some of the numbers will teach any volunteers to manage and repair the reactor. We have programmed will all the necessary knowledge." Mister Handy responded.
"Good. Very good. Did you hear that? Some of you have to volunteer, because the reactor is one of the most vital parts of the Vault. Next, the general maintenance work, anyone?" Frédéric said.
Dozens of hands rose up.
"Good. Well, you will be in charge of repairing the Vault. Now, the purification of the water, this Vault especially is close to the sea. So, the salted water will be pumped from the sea. Some of you have to purify it and decontaminate it. The security now, the women who has worked for the police, lift your hands." Frédéric added.
Ten hands lifted up.
"Good. You will make sure that order is installed inside of the Vault. Next, the computer system is managed by a ZAX series. The computer experts, please lift your hands." Frédéric said.
Dozens of hands lifted up.
"You will be in charge of the computer system. Next, the robotics. After all, we need to repair our Mister Handy robots if they fail at any moment." Frédéric said.
15 hands lifted up.
"Good. Then, the medical lab." Frédéric added.
20 hands lifted up.
"Good. Good. To finish, the cleaners." Frédéric asked.
At least 25 hands lifted up. After that, Frédéric rose up.
"Now that the tasks are assigned. You will begin to organise your groups. The ones who have no group, you can volunteer in an assigned group. If not, well… I let you at your own device." Frédéric said.
"One question, what about the supplies?" One woman asked.
"Yeah, how much they will last?" A brown-skinned woman asked next.
Frédéric turned to No.1.
"How much the supplies will last?" Frédéric asked.
"For one thousand people, at least three months in normal diet." Mister Handy responded.
Sighs of relief can be heard in the crowd who rose up in their turn.
"We have plenty of time to learn about our new roles. But it is not an excuse to be lazy. I except you to work a lot for our society. You understood?" Frédéric asked.
"Yes!" A lot of women responded.
"Good. I go to my office, if any great problem arose itself, report it back to me. The rest, I trust it to you." Frédéric said.
Frédéric turned his back and climbed the stairs while the whole crowd began to separates in groups, discussing about the future plans, much less stressful than earlier.
Frédéric goes to fifth floor and entered in the Overseer wing, close to his apartments, he decided to verify what is inside.
The first room in this wing he encounters is the armoury, he entered inside of it and was appealed from he sees.
Stockpiles of hundreds of weapons are fixated to the wall in three large rooms, the majority are revolvers, rifles and combat knifes. Also, there are pliable handles on the floor but also on the ceiling, surely for emergency purposes. It is accompanied by Combat Armours Mark 2 stocked in the three other rooms. Without forgetting the small chests on the corners who contains the batons.
After traversing the six very large rooms of the armoury, he arrived in the seventh one, who is as big as two rooms linked to each other.
He was even more shocked from what he sees.
Inside are a whole platoon of power armour, with Miniguns and other heavy weapons who can only be worn by these power armours. Also, there are the floor chests who has the words "explosives" on them while the ceiling chest has the words "laser weapons".
Frédéric approached one of the power armours to better obverse it.
"Oh my… At least, they are giving all the cards to us in terms of survival. Good… Very Good…" Frédéric said.
He exited the rooms, just to stumble upon to the few females' soon-to-be policers who are least two dozen.
"Ah, you are here. The armoury is just behind. An advice, take only the armours and the batons." Frederic said.
"Why?" One of the women asked.
"Because the other weapons inside of this vault are… very lethal. Like very, very lethal." Frederic responded.
The seriousness of his expression confused the women a little, they entered inside of the armoury before closing the big door behind. Gasps of surprise could be heard behind the door.
After a few minutes, the women exited the armoury, with their armours on them, with only batons on them, they were a bit nervous from they saw.
"Good. You are all set?" Frédéric asked.
"Yes." One of the guard women responded.
"For the lethal weapons, they won't leave the armoury, at any moment. Only in extreme circumstances." Frédéric said.
"Of course…" one of the women said.
Two of the guard women stays in front of the armoury while the majority go back to the center of the Vault.
Frédéric goes to another room with a guard woman and opened the door, it reveals a big room with many screens.
"Good, this is the surveillance room. There are three seats for the cameras. Three of you will go inside." Frédéric said.
"Yes!" the three women said before entering the room before closing the reinforced door behind.
He walked away and arrived in the room of reception, preceding the office of Supervisor. It was a classic reception room. He goes toward the door of direction and opened it.
Then, he finally entered inside of his office. It was quite well-made with paintings, furniture and decorations but still sober enough. With a wood desk and simple lamp, along with a computer. Three chairs in front of the desk. While two sofas with a low table is on the side.
"Hm… this is where I will be installed. Not bad…" Frédéric said.
A knock is heard on the open door. Frédéric turns back, it reveals a long-haired red-headed woman with green eyes.
"Yes?" Frédéric asked.
"Hello, mister…?" the woman asked.
"Frédéric Durand." The man responded.
"Ah yes, my name is Octavie Juline. I am will be in charge for the reception before your office. Because I was a secretary in my former life." The woman introduced herself.
"Ah, good. Nice to meet you." Frédéric said.
He extended his hand, after a moment of hesitation, the woman takes it and both shook their hands. After a moment, they separated their hands.
"Now that we are met. Please go to your desk." Frédéric asked.
"Really, you won't talk a little?" Octavie asked.
"No, no… we have to be efficient as possible for now. Maybe later." Frédéric responded.
"Okay…" Octavie responded.
She exited the room and closed the door behind. Frédéric sited down on his chair behind his desk.
He sighed as he relaxed his body.
"Oh my… Shit… that was close… I managed to avoid the catastrophe… Pff…" Frédéric said between heavy breath.
He profited of his silence to reflect about the situation. He is the only man for 999 women. He began to understand why he was selected. He didn't possess the money to buy a place inside of the Vault 69, but surprisingly, he was still put inside. Vault-Tech has deliberately chosen him, a lonely young man with no attachments as an Overseer, to just maximise the possibility of breeding inside of this Vault. This kind of thing makes him disgusted to be highest.
"Oh… I just have to be the breeding male to the Vault. I don't think I will survive this." Frédéric said.
He began to light the computer and began to tap inside and tries to contact the other vaults. But nothing comes from the intercom coming from the exterior.
"(Parasite sounds) … Hello? Hello…?" a feminine voice asked.
Frédéric gasped in surprise before hastily responding.
"Oh! Hello! Who are you?" Frédéric responded.
"Oh my god, someone can respond to me. Are you an Overseer?" the feminine voice asked.
"Yes, I am the Overseer of Vault 69. And you?" Frédéric responded.
"I am the Overseer of Vault 68. This is good to learn that there is a Vault close to ours!" the feminine voice said, with a tone major relief.
"Well, mostly good. We have more or less organised ourselves immediately after we awakened. And you?" Frédéric responded.
"You awakened in the same day than us… okay… Well… hum… yes. We are still… reflecting." The feminine voice hesitantly responded.
This hesitation brings the attention of Frédéric.
"Is everything okay?" Frédéric asked.
"Yes… It's just… we are still reflecting to organise ourselves… that's all…" the feminine voice responded.
"Okay… I hope you will live peacefully. Now, excuse me. I have job to attend. It's possible to recontact ourselves?" Frédéric asked.
"Of course, we have both found the correct waves to contact each other. I hope I will contact you… again…" the feminine voice said.
"Okay, goodbye…" Frédéric said.
"Goodbye…" the feminine voice responded.
The communication ended, who left Frédéric wondering. The tone of the female Overseer was a bit… shaken. But he relativises on the fact that this is the likely the fact that they have to come with the terms of their new life in Vault 68. Maybe it's that. Maybe.
After long hours, the clock showed that it was 20:00. And nothing bad happened in this first day, fortunately.
Frédéric decided to go out of his office but as he exited. No one was present in the reception, same with the guards a bit further away. No.1 arrived to him.
"Ah, you're here. Where is everyone?" Frédéric asked.
"They are in the Great Courtyard. They are giving homages to their relatives." No.1 responded.
"Ah? I will join them." Frédéric responded.
A few moments later, Frédéric descended the stairs in the Great Courtyard and finally arrived. He could see the hundreds of women facing a corner of the Courtyard, with many photos of their families and relatives glued on the wall. A lot of them were sobbing silently.
He looked to the group of women with compassion. Then he approached the wall, many of the women remarked his presence and looked at him.
He takes out from his suit, a simple photo of his parents, takes the glue who has posed close the wall before gluing his photo in turn. Then, he sat along with the group of women.
This is the only moment the Vault Dwellers of 69 where they can cry their deaths, before their new lives began.
To be continued… The Vault of all disputes.
The life in the Vault has begun to organise itself. But Frédéric remarked since several months, that a lot of his fellow Dwellers wanted to be alone with him, offering him gifts, etc. He knows what they are trying to do and he is embarrassed. But also, he has the heavy tasks of trying to keep the jealousy down as more and more women are becoming rivals.