Fandom »VAULT 76« IC

[Xx-Katherine-xX]

ONE YEAR LATER



​

Saige's eyes shifted around the now empty room. Today was the day. They were opening the Vault. In some ways, Saige was ecstatic, but in other ways, she was completely terrified. There was no way of telling what, or who, was out there. As children, they had all heard the stories.


How the world had been torn apart by nuclear war. How when the men and women who first came into their Vault had been the few and the lucky. Vaults were for the wealthy, you were lucky if you could afford a single spot, let alone multiple spots.


Saige sighed and rubbed her tired eyes, there hadn't been much sleeping for her last night. She had laid awake and stared at the ceiling for hours thinking about the events of today. Her hands fumbled for her knapsack, which was packed with her most prized possessions. Her gun rested once again at her hip and she fingered the cold metal as she exited the room. The halls were full of people rushing around, gathering their things. There seemed to be a general anxiety that filled everyone in Vault 76.


She pushed past people as she headed downstairs to the old storage room. All she needed now was a bottle of whiskey for the road, right?

 

[ryanpk200]

Charlie was split on his feelings on the opening of the vault. He liked it in the vault. He was safe in the vault. However leaving the vault would mean he wouldn't have to work in Waste Management anymore. "There's a plus." He thought. For the most part he hated the job and he always smelled like crap. The only good thing was that he was able to grab parts for his repair projects. Charlie wondered what was on the other side of the vault door. Had civilization been rebuilt? Was the outside full of radiated monsters? Charlie knew these questions would be answered soon. He hadn't been able to sleep for most of the night so he spent most of the night working on his projects. Sadly most of the things he fixed wouldn't help outside the vault. The diversion helped take his mind off the approaching day. Charlie got a few hours of sleep, when he woke up he got his things together left his room. Charlie wandered through the vault and ended up in the storage room. "Maybe I could grab something that can help outside" He thought.


@Xx\-Katherine\-xX

 

[Xx-Katherine-xX]

Saige reached the old storage room where her and the boys had spent most of their time when they were younger. For the last year though, it had been mostly abandoned. There hadn't been much time to hang out and mess around anymore. There was work to be done. Her hand ran over the smooth metal door as she pushed it open.


She was surprised to find someone already there. Of course, Saige, Terry and Richie hadn't been the only ones to ever hang out in the storage rooms, and this had been the site for many of their "Fight Club" antics. She remembered countless times that a group of them would come down here, she was one of the few girls in the group, and fight and take bets. Although their best weren't worth much. It was usually things like comic books or Nuka-Colas, occasionally a bottle of alcohol some kid had slipped from their parents.


"I'm so sorry. I had no idea anyone was down here."


Saige chuckled and bit her lip, this boy seemed awfully familiar. Of course he seems familiar, she chided herself, you've grown up with all of these people. They're the only thing you know. She smiled though, "I just came down to grab something. I'll out of your way soon." Her fingers tucked a piece of short blonde hair behind her ear as she turned to look for the whiskey.

 

[Karcen]

Goras had wandered the wastes for nearly years now not accounting for time spent in the future or rather he only counted time in the past as he saw it. He had found the monster and nightmares were very much in full swing humans it had seemed were a dying breed here. Still Goras did what he could what he was best at killing. He killed but those he killed deserved it they were the ghouls that lost reason, the idiot super mutants, and the raider scum that seemed endless. In the future this place might have power armored knights but for now it was wild and untamed.


It was during this wandering that Goras heard a siren a vault was opening and if he heard it then raiders would and they would tear though the vault meat and take everything as was their way. He needed to help if that did happen of course he would need his tattered cloak to hide his for some visage despite the vault dwellers having no way of knowing what he was, he still knew they would fear the monster he appeared to be.

 

[ryanpk200]

Charlie was surprised when he entered the storage room and saw that it was mostly abandoned. "When I heard the room was called storage room, I imagined a much different place." He said to himself.


Charlie saw the girl enter the room. "It's fine." Charlie said to the girl. "I've never been down here and I decided to take a look. I thought I might be able to take something for when we leave the vault. I was expecting a more maintained room." Charlie noticed pistol on her hip. "That's gun is in pretty bad shape. I like repairing things. Do you mind if I try to fix it?" He asked.


@Xx\-Katherine\-xX

 

[Xx-Katherine-xX]

Saige glanced down at her pistol. She had never had much issues with it, although it was definitely pretty busted up. Her father had given it to her when she was first turned sixteen, it was some sort of family heirloom. Never the less, she was eager to hand it over. If he could fix it, all the better. Who knew what they'd encounter outside.


"Yeah, of course. Take a look."


She grabbed the whiskey off a shelf and pushed herself up on one of the metal tables.


"Yeah, this place has been pretty empty for a while. It eventually just became a hang out space."


She laughed, the sound light and airy against the cold, harsh metal of the room.


"I can't even think of the last time there was actually anything useful in here. We mostly came down here and drank or fought. You weren't part of that crowd, were you?"


@ryanpk200

 

[ryanpk200]

@ryanpk200[/URL]

Charlie took the gun and sat down at a table. He took several tools from his things and took the gun apart. As he worked Charlie answered her question. "I haven't really been a part of any crowd. I don't have much in terms of people skills and for the most part I've kept to myself. I've picked up repairing things as a hobby. I prefer doing that instead of hanging out with people." Charlie had amassed a small collection of gun parts over the years. He never built anything with them but kept them just in case. "This is a good time to use them he thought." He thought. Charlie cleaned, fixed, and replaced what he could and he put the pistol back together. Charlie handed the gun back. "Here, it should work a little better now." He stated.

 

[Xx-Katherine-xX]

Saige nodded as he spoke, leaning against the wall. The cold metal made her skin prickle.


"I wondered why you didn't seem as familiar as everyone else."


She knew most of the kids around the Vault, but he didn't strike her as someone she had talked to much. She was good with names and faces, but his was hard to match up. She studied it as he fiddled with her gun. When he was done, she took it in her hand. She aimed at a tin can resting on one the shelves and shot.


The trigger didn't stick as bad anymore, and it was definitely more accurate, she noticed. The can rattled to the floor and she turned and smiled at the guy, "Thanks so much. It's a lot better." She stuck her hand out. "I'm Saige, by the way."


@ryanpk200

 

[Karcen]

Goras followed the sounds of the warning of the vault door down into the hidden area where the vault was secreted away. It was just as Goras had expected raiders and a closed door, the vault must be taking its sweet time opening the door, no doubt getting everything arranged though why they would set the alarm off so early he didn't know, it must be a vault thing. The raiders seemed to be lightly armed and armored, just the dregs of the dregs of society. The raiders were trying to open the vault early or just waiting Goras didn't really care he just knew what he had to do, kill them they would be no challenge.


Goras moved towards the raiders not even bothering to try to be stealthy as that would be a waste of time and he didn't need stealth he was a demon of the wastes a monster that all feared he did not need stealth. The raiders noticed him after a few steps and a few that were most likely on whatever chems they could get as things like jet were centuries away actually didn't seem to notice he was 12 feet tall and let out their usual threats. These threats were ended when Goras threw off his cloak revealing his full muscular yet lean form.


" You should leave now if you do you will live but know that one day your sins will come back to hunt you and their form shall be mine" He said speaking in a odd tone as he had no vocal cords yet he could speak though a strange mimicry, he also used a rather flowery wording.


The raiders in response ran, well 3 of them ran apparently they were the smart ones the rest raised their weapons a few even manged to fire before Goras rushed them. The raiders screamed as their nightmare barreled into them a few scoring hits that didn't pierce his hide though a few did scratch him. However he was upon them and in and instant he drove his clawed into and though one of the raiders, his claws were so sharp they could cleave though power armor made short work of leather and thin metal. He then threw the man he impaled into another stopping him from firing though he still got peppered with bullets though very few got though his thick hide.


Goras slashed the fallen man and killed him before rushing at another man that shot at him grabbing him and using him as a shield as another volley of bullets came at him, the raider was needless to say dead after that. Goras then tossed him at another man while he ran at another grabbing the woman and slamming her into the ground before driving a talon-ed claw into her gut killing her leaving just one man. Said man was screaming abotu the demon before him.


Goras moved to him slowly " There is no demon here but that of your own making, you chose your fate and i am the knight bearing your fate. Death, death that you can not run from " he said and with a swift movement he removed the raiders head from his body " Doom has come for all those that would hurt the weak, that is the duty of a knight to bring the fate of doom to all the wicked of the world" he continued though no one was there to hear him as he put his cloak back on and waited.

 

[Endless Winter]

David had had a long day in the office. The past couple of years in the vault had seemed like a hazy dream in the face of what was coming. Everyone wanted to go outside. The adults who had been there before the war wanted to see what was left of the old world. The children wanted to see what new life they could have in what they had been told was a world of endless opportunities after being cooped up in a tomb for the better part of their lives. The overseer was worried about the exodus from the vault and busied himself with making sure the few remaining supplies were being kept locked up. As much as everyone wanted out, the radiation levels were still lethal in most places, and most plant life had died. Whatever had been born in the fire of nuclear war was most likely inedible, and as such the task of the initial foray was to find parts for the vaults failed water purification systems, as well as medicine and food.


Despite Vault-Tec corporate's intention for the entire vault population to leave the vault behind completely, it was highly defensible, and if the water system could be restored it would be vital to the restoration of above ground society and a bulwark against ambient radiation poisoning. David was the newest medical officer in the vault and also the most expendable, thus he was being sent with the security team to identify and evaluate medical supplies, as well as conduct some experiments on the ambient radiation levels in the air, water, and ground. The experiments' focus was to identify areas that might be suitable for long-term civilization, and that required not settling down in near a radioactive lake or growing toxic corn or being in a valley that was flooded with nuclear fallout when a breeze passed by. David paced. He had already had assembled a mostly complete medic's kit from the remnants of the rest he had picked through in the past four years. His kit was ready, but he was too busy thinking about whether or not he would be able to find the more popular drugs. He decided to do his pacing in his shared room and left for the comforting smell of cigarette smoke and laundry. Maybe he could soothe his anxiety a different way.


@Blarg222

 

[kaito9049]

Terry ran a hand over one of the four walls that had made up his room for his whole life. To be honest, he was more than a little nervous at what lay out there. His parents were split on the matter: the father couldn't understand why anyone would want to "live in a giant radiation cake", while his mother was certain that the vault was too small for their interests. Personally...Terry wasn't sure what he wanted to do. He wanted to keep the people in the vault safe, but at the same time there could be so many advances in the outside world. Who knew? Maybe diseases that they suffered from daily had been eradicated by some doctor in a shack. Yet stepping outside the vault doors necessitated a shift in one's thinking; the previous societal roles might no longer apply.


In any case, the decision was out of Terry's hands, and so the only think he could do was pray for the vault dwellers. After taking one last look around at the place were he had shed so many tears and had achieved several victories, the young man took a deep breath and left.


Terry walked through the steel halls of the vault. They would soon be gathering people to exit, but until then, it was his duty to remain at the chapel. During times of uncertainty, the citizens needed someone to look to.

 

[Supabad.45]

*Richie stared at himself in the mirror, a never ending glance of the one who was by himself. Many years wasted in a vault, few years on a job that only a test could foresee. All wasted and it's time to leave.... good riddance. Once he was out; he could could go wherever and take what the outside has to offer. Away from Saige... Terry.... the overseer.... the folks. It's time for a new start, he wouldn't be crazy no more. He would make a difference. Richie tightened his old pre-war duster and slung his Vault 111 duffel over his shoulder. He had only three weapons he could bear taking; A old .357 revolver he'd won in a Caravan game, a switch blade with a eye on the handle, and a single barrel shotgun he stole from the armory. That was definitely a 'must' to hide. Saige wound be a thoughtful memory, Terry's would be an envious one. Terry will not float away from Richie's mind although, he had plans for him later on in life. After exiting his dorm, for the last time, he strutted through these steel halls. Not anxious to return.

 

[Xx-Katherine-xX]

Over the next few hours, Saige would roam the halls. She'd say hello to everyone and wish them all luck. Eventually, she found her way to the chapel. She knew Terry would be there. It was a chaplains duty to remain in the chapel in times of trouble, as it was hers to continue monitoring the behavior of the people. What better place to do that than here?


The chapel was where people came to show their darkest secrets and their most shameful thoughts. She would never ask Terry, or any of the chaplains, to divulge any of that information to her, but if she just happened to over hear it....Saige shook that thought from her head. That was wrong. If she was going to be the campaign's girlfriend, she really needed to shape up.


Her hands trailed across the edges of the pews as she walked down the aisle. She could see Terry up ahead, although he had his back to her. She walked up behind him, sliding into the pew, and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Hey..." she whispered. She wasn't sure why but anytime she was here she felt the urge to whisper. Maybe it was because every time she had been here, something bad had happened. Her mother's death, her cousin, sometimes even people she barely knew. Her father hadn't been religious, or maybe he just didn't have time for it, but unless someone had died, she just didn't come to chapel.


@kaito9049

 

[Eagleye415]

Lynch stumbled his way up a hill and sat down against a broken bit of fence. The job he'd finished was done and his payment was handed over. But, there were no booze in town so he had decided to move on. Lynch went through his bag and pulled out his empty bottle of Vodka. He groaned at its emptiness and started to throw it, but stopped. Lynch got back to his feet and carefully balanced the bottle on the fence. He removed his 10mm pistol out of its holster and grabbed a box of Blamco Mac and Cheese. Lynch walked a good ten feet away and stopped, turning to face his target. He focused in on the bottle and slowly raised the gun. It was like the sounds of the wasteland completely faded away as he took aim. Lynch tossed the box of Blamco toward the empty Vodka Bottle. Time seemed to slow down for him as he only saw the bottle and listened to the box move through the air. Lynch took in a deep breath and took the shot. There was a sound of glass shattering followed by a dull thud. He walked forward seeing the broken bottle and then picked up the Blamco box. The bullet he just shot protruded from the front of the box, obscuring the 'Mac' on the box. Lynch chuckled to himself and fell on his back, looking at the sky.

 

[Karcen]

Goras stood and waited for this vault to open in truth he was wondering if this was one of those vaults that was made to fail and if everyone inside was already dead that explained why they were taking hours to come out and let the armed forces of the world know where they were. It was stupidity to let the world know so much it was this reason that so many vaults had died when they opened they were not ready for the outside world, they were children wandering into a world of adults. Yes it would be better for these humans to remain sealed away in their vault if they could not do things swiftly.


To prove this at Goras's feet were a gaggle of ghouls around 20 ferals all brought here by the noise, their kind were common and if not for him these fools would have been walking right into a waiting army of the undead. Truly Goras had done more for these ignorant humans than any they might find in wastes he had slain every threat that had been gathered by their insistence on taking all day to open their vault. It was this kid of indecision that would get them killed the world was worse now than it had ever been in his time ghouls were at an all time high no place was safe massive storms of radiation rolled out randomly, only raiders now survived it seemed, the super mutants had been freed early and his kind were roaming free as hushed rumors.


Times were hard for humans and they would remain so for some time the brotherhood were still locked away, the vault dweller had yet to be born and no nation existed, it was truly a free for all chaos ruled and these vault dwellers would need to understand that . They needed a guide but such a book was a long way from being printed they needed someone who knew the wastes, someone who had wandered them for years now and knew of kindness for kindness's sake. That in the end was him he knew how to survive and he had wandered the wastes an undisputed master of wherever he had stayed. Yes they needed him but first he needed a meal waiting for hours was hungry work after all.


This was a bit of a problem as there was little prey here and while yao guai was rather plentiful they were not here and Goras did not carry anything with him, so he would have to make do with what he had. That being humans and ghouls and ghouls tended to have a horrid taste. This left the raiders, which left Goras with a slight challenge he had to butcher the humans as there were several parts he couldn't or rather shouldn't eat. First he had to removed the heads and with one of the raiders already beheaded he could use that one. The reason he didn't use the heads was because the brain contained many of the chems that the raider ingested which could somewhat affect him. This was the same with the guts, so Goras had to disembowel the raider leaving the extra in a pile in the corner. Now the raider was almost done, with a flick Goras tore though the butchered raiders ribs leaving the body cut up and ready to eat.


Goras quickly gulped tore the raider's meat as he slowly tore apart the body, hopefully these vault dwellers would hurry up before he had to make another meal.

 

[kaito9049]

Terry jolted up, caught off guard by Saige's touch. He hadn't been sleeping...mostly. He hadn't been praying either; it was a sort of trance, he supposed, though he wasn't really meditating. In the recent year, he had found it easier to rest in the chapel. It was usually quiet, and something about the atmosphere made him feel like he could drop his stress at the door. He would miss the old place when the vault doors opened.


The young man gently touched Saige's hand. He was a little surprised to see her here. He had sometimes asked her if she wanted to come to services, but she hadn't really seemed interested, so he had let the matter drop. Nonetheless, it was nice to see her here. "Hey," he replied, smiling slightly, turning to her. "Sorry, I was just...thinking." Even now, after they had been together for about a year, he still wasn't completely sure how he should speak to Saige. He had enough speaking talent to seem more or less comfortable, but talking to one's girlfriend was a lot different than talking to, say, a co-worker. Even so, he did really enjoy spending time with her.


"Do you have everything you need?" Terry asked. He himself didn't have much to take with him; mostly a lockbox that contained his cap savings and some sentimental trinkets, plus an old varmint rifle.


@Xx\-Katherine\-xX

 

[Xx-Katherine-xX]

Saige was surprised by Terry's jolting. She hadn't meant to scare him. Her hands worked the muscles in his shoulders as he spoke. She glanced around the chapel at the people milling around. There weren't many but there was definitely more than there usually were.


"It's fine," she said as his hand grabbed hers. She came around and sat next to him. She supposed things were different, although not much. They were dating, yes, but they still acted the same around each other. Sometimes things could be awkward, depending on the subject, but she was just as comfortable around him as she had always been.


"Yeah." She held up the bottle she had snagged from the old storage. "Everything I need and a bottle of whiskey. Mom always said that if you're ever going to travel, you gotta have a suitcase full and a bottle of alcohol."


There was a sudden blaring of an alarm. It was time. The Vault was opening. Saige turned and looked at Terry, biting her lip, "Here we go."


@kaito9049

 

[kaito9049]

Terry allowed himself a slight smirk as he glanced at the container of amber liquid. He had rarely taken a sip of alcohol, except for the occasional communion or social gathering. The first time his father had given him a drink, his mother had slapped it out of Terry's hand and yelled at the both of them. "I'm not having your habit kill our son's brain cells!" she had told them. That had been a particularly rough night; before long, Terry had found himself wishing that he had gulped down the stuff.


"Oh, goody," Terry replied with just a hint of sarcasm. "We'll be prepared for anything, then." Yeesh. Maybe Saige was rubbing off on him more than he had thought. He wasn't sure whether she was as apprehensive about the whole "let's go run around an apocalyptic wasteland" thing as he was. Probably not; she was the kind of person who sought out adventure. In a way, that was one of the things he admired-and envied-about her.


"My parents were arguing over whether or not they should bring my grandma's ashes," the chaplain told her, stretching his neck. "Honestly, I'm like, 97% sure that there's nothing inside the jar--I don't even know how they'd get some radioactive goop from outside the vault into a container--but I'm not about to tell them that."


Terry looked up at the alarm. The other people in the chapel--most of them giving their prayers as offerings for protection--began to bustle out. He stood up. "Shall we?" he said, sounding braver than he felt.


@Xx\-Katherine\-xX

 

[Blarg222]

Max finished equipping her new armaments for the journey, thanking whatever deity that remained on this god-forsaken earth. She could finally leave and explore the world as it was, no more flipping burgers and low commissary pay. Though despite this she couldn't help but anxious at the situation, for all she knew the world was just a big desert or worse. She finally fitted everything when she heard familiar footsteps coming domn the hall and she could already guess who it was. She smirked in glee and put out her smoke in the nearby ashtray, waiting for her guest.


(Sorry its kinda short I got held up with the new Fallout game)


@Endless Winter

 

[Endless Winter]

David hit the open button on the sliding door into his shared apartment and found Max already preparing to leave.


"Hey! I was hoping you would be here. The science team is just about ready to leave the vault, yours truly included. Check this out!" David unhooked the laser pistol the security team had given him as a sidearm for self-defense.


"Pretty slick right?" He said, grinning. He picked up the still smoldering cigarette and took a drag. He sat down on their bed before continuing.


"We'll be heading for the Sentara Obici Hospital, if it even exists anymore. If we find any recognizable pharmaceutical stores on the way it's my job to take anything useful. What are you gonna do?" He asked, exhaling a wispy cloud of smoke that curled around his hair.


@Blarg222


(I just finished my first play through yesterday)

 

[Xx-Katherine-xX]

Saige stood quickly behind him. She was definitely scared, but she was more excited than anything. The idea of a new world, something different was incredible to her. She took Terry's hand and looked up at him, their height difference causing her to crane her neck.


"Ready as I'll ever be."


They walked together to the door of the Vault, where a small group of people had already arrived. Saige felt a gasp escape her mouth. Though the world outside looked like she had expected, ravaged and destroyed, it was still beautiful to her. There were still trees everywhere and everything was rather green for being a nuclear wasteland.


@kaito9049

 

[kaito9049]

"Wow, okay, I was not as ready as I was expecting," Terry mumbled, shielding his eyes from the light of the sun. Natural light. It was something that seemed to only be talked about in legends, like...air-gold, or something. Maybe Terry wasn't as good at similes as he would have liked. As his pupils slowly adjusted to the change in atmosphere, Terry gazed out into the distance as far as his vision could allow. This was their life now. He didn't know how many people survived the bombs, or if...were they the only ones left? That was a disturbing thought. No, there were other Vaults...there had to be other people, somewhere.


Now was the time to figure out where to go. Undoubtedly some of the Vault dwellers would break off to go solo, or to head out with their families, but as for Terry...now was his chance. He could leave with Saige and a few others, escape the constant race to be successful (what did that word even mean anymore, in such an environment?). It was a terribly frightening possibility, but also exhilarating.


@Xx-Katherine-xX @Karcen

 

[Supabad.45]

*Richie entered quietly, he made it in time for the opening. The blood in his veins raced. Adventure, envy, opportunity, death, it's all coming to light. In the far right, Terry and Saige were huddled up together... feeling the same excitement as he. No matter, whatever was out there, he'd be sure to put many miles between he and them. Richie took pace toward the large rolling door, passing the crowd in front. The slightest chuckle escaped his throat and he reached out.*


"Wasteland, take me."

 

[Xx-Katherine-xX]

Saige squeezed his hand as they stood there staring out at the building sun flinging off the green leaves of trees. While Saige had never seen the outside world, she wasn't entirely ignorant of her new surroundings. Her parents had been raised outside and they had photos and stories they had told her.


She yearned to walk outside. The day was finally here. The day they would leave. Saige couldn't believe it. She had expected so much less, but this world was incredibly intact. She had expected destruction, flat lands, darkness but yet here was this almost perfect landscape with grass and trees. Nothing seemed damaged. Who knew what lay on the other side of the hill though. She turned to Terry, taking a deep breath, "You ready?"


@kaito9049

 

[kaito9049]

This is it. Terry thought. They were about to leave everything behind. Their whole lives, gone with a step. There was no way to know what would happen in the next year, or week, or hour. They could be killed by bandits, walk off the side of a cliff, or glitch trip into a irradiated hole in the ground. The vault had plenty of dangers, but at least they were familiar. What they were about to face was entirely unknown. Yet...there was a sense of tangible excitement for Terry. At the very least, he wouldn't be alone.


"Not really," he admitted. "Actually, I think I forgot something back in--ah, never mind." The young man smiled at Saige. "So? Where are we headed?" He pointed in some arbitrary direction. "I think that's...north? Or maybe it's west? Whatever. It's a good place to start as any, unless we have some sort of navigational aid." Cardinal directions were never really used by vault dwellers; there wasn't much of a need, since there was no...space. This was going to take some time to get used to.


@Xx\-Katherine\-xX