Animus stared at her with wide eyes.
He quickly turned around and stared at the crowd.
The incongruence hit him fast.
There were only women no matter where he looked. A sea of women with not a single man in sight.
'No. No! No, damn it! This is Vault 69! Infamous for the social experiment where 999 women and 1 man occupy a whole vault! It meets a horrible end! In the lore, the women go crazy from isolation and the man is tortured, being used as a toy before eventually dying.' Animus thought with fear.
He grew pale.
"Sir, please move down the stairs. Compliance with our instructions will ensure a smooth onboarding experience for you." The woman behind him said.
'Did she just call surviving the nuclear war in a vault an onboarding experience?' He thought. Suddenly, Animus wanted to strangle the woman. Even Zoe stared at the woman weirdly.
Animus looked at her. The woman smiled as if the world had not just ended. He moved down the stairs quietly, holding his sister's hand.
'She is either a lunatic or... Never mind, she is a lunatic.' Animus decided.
A small group of women in blue jumpsuits emerged behind the blonde woman. Their clothes had the gear symbol of Vault-Tec on their left breast and the numbers 69 in bold yellow on their back. They ushered everyone in several lines. Within twenty minutes, they organized the distraught, the lost, and the hysterical people of the vault before walking them in groups to a chamber with steel doors on the left, away from the central passage.
'That must be a decontamination chamber. Considering this woman's authority, she is most likely the Overseer assigned by Vault-Tec to ensure the experiment runs well. That means she has full control over the vault's administration, air filters, water purifiers, energy systems, food, and even the weapons inside.' Animus thought grimly.
It was soon Animus and Zoe's turn.
A staff member holding a baton stopped Animus. Animus stared at the baton and then the guard.
'You will be stripped of your clothing after entering the chamber. For the sake of the comfort of the rest in your group, please wait in line. We will send you separately," The staff member said.
Animus frowned.
"I-I don't want to be separated from you." Zoe pleaded, tugging his arm.
"We can't help it, Zo. It will only be for a minute or two. Wait for me outside the chamber." Animus shook his head, calling his little sister by her nickname.
Reluctant, but left with no choice, Zoe accepted with a sad "Okay..." and went inside the chamber with several women, her shoulders drooping.
'I have always wanted a little sister. I can't believe my wish came true like that. It must have been Robert's doing. I think I told him about my desire for a younger sibling when we were talking about life.' Animus smiled sadly.
After a minute, the staff member let Animus go alone. The steel doors gave way to a large, clinical chamber. A box on the left said "Clothes" and a box on the right said "Belongings". A staff member stood behind the box on each side.
"Please keep your bags on the right and take off your clothes to leave them in the box!" The staff member on the left said with a professional smile.
"This is absurd..." Animus couldn't help but mutter.
'I don't want to part with my weapons, but there is no other option right now. I need to trick one of the staff members to let me access my stuff again sometime.' He thought.
He couldn't believe this was happening.
Unwilling, but left with no choice, Animus left his bags on the right. His body creaked and groaned. His shoulders clicked. His nerves pulled and muscles ached. He shuddered a little.
'Disgusting. I hate this weakness. I will break my body and reforge it into something worthy once I am inside.' He thought even as his body groaned in pain.
Animus started taking off his clothes in a slow, exhausted fashion. It was only now that he had taken a good look at his body. He was fair, lean, and possessed a frail build. His arms and legs resembled twigs. His ribs poked out. He was lanky, around six feet in height. His fingers were slender and long. But as he looked down, Animus stared in shock. He was rather...impressed with his...assets.
'Robert, my friend, you didn't pull any punches when taking liberties with my body, eh? I remember selecting for an above average option, but you went and added a V16 to a 1985 Cadillac.' Animus thought with a raised eyebrow.
He heard a gasp on the left. The staff member was looking at him with a covered mouth. Animus looked at her weirdly. He could also feel the staff member on the right staring at his lower half.
'This is uncomfortable. I'm right here, you know?' Animus thought before moving inside the chamber.
He crossed a pair of glass doors. He was now surrounded by several machines and nozzles. They proceeded to spray him, covering him in various agents that removed radiation. Animus held his breath. The water and chemicals stung. His endurance was already below average, so the pain hurt more than it should. He grunted a little.
Ding
The nozzles turned off.
'I suppose that's my cue to leave.' He thought as a panel in front of him turned green.
He walked toward another set of glass doors, which opened to a chamber manned by another staff member of Vault-Tec. She had dark skin and curly hair.
'Even the staff is all-female. I remember counting 10 of them in total, including the smiling, crazy woman with the megaphone.' Animus thought.
The staff member averted her gaze with a blush.
'At least this one did not gasp or stare at me.' He thought. That alone made her marginally more favourable than the rest.
"P-Please take your Vault-Tec issued suit and Pip-Boy!" The woman said with a high pitch near the end. She held a crate with a blue and yellow jumpsuit and a metallic gauntlet with a small green screen.
'There it is.' Animus thought. His gaze sharpened. A smile threatened to break out on his face. 'The Personal Information Processor, a wrist-mounted computer made by one of the mega corporations in cooperation with Vault-Tec. It can scan vitals, detect radiation, help increase weapon accuracy, produce maps, keep notes, and conduct calls by functioning like a communications radio. But most importantly... it will help me access my system.'
He quickly zipped on his jumpsuit. He saw the woman's shoulders relax. He wore the sleek metal gauntlet on his left wrist. He clicked the clasp shut. It activated on its own with a chime. The silver gauntlet had a green monochrome cathode ray tube monitor. The monitor hummed to life with a brief flash and scanning lines running diagnostics. Lines of green code rapidly cascaded down the monitor. The screen shifted to display copyright information for a company called RobCo Industries.
'Is that the company that made the Pip-Boy? I remember checking it out in the wiki. Didn't I see it in the TV show too?' Animus thought, trying to recall memories.
The screen changed to reveal the system specs, grabbing Animus' attention.
[Product Name: Pip-Boy 3000 Mk V]
[Operating System: PIP-OS V7.2.0.0]
[Total RAM: 64,000 bytes]
[Free RAM: 48,000 bytes]
[Functions: Vitals, V.A.T.S., Navigation, Adapter Plug, Radio, Messaging, Calls, Notes, Tracking, Games]
His eyes opened wide in interest.
Suddenly, a smiling young man popped on the screen, giving Animus a thumbs-up. It was the mascot of Vault-Tec, called Vault Boy. Under it, the word "SUCCESS!" was written in all caps.
Then the screen abruptly turned blank.
"T-That shouldn't have happened," The staff member said with uncertainty.
The screen quickly returned, but this time not with just the mascot symbol of the soulless, vile megacorporate called Vault-Tec. A robed man with a familiar face kicked Vault Boy out of the screen and waved at Animus before the screen shifted to show him something new.
'Robert!' Animus grinned.
A menu.
[Character Menu]
[Stats]
[Skills]
[Traits]
[Map]
[Comms]
[Click to Expand]
'Good. This is working. That means none of this is a dream.' Animus thought, joking inside his mind.
"Ah! Is it working now? Or should we get you a new one?" The staff member asked.
"It's working fine. Thank you," Animus replied smoothly.
"Okay. You may move on to the elevator area. Once everyone has been screened, we shall group up with the Overseer." The staff member said.
"Alright. Thanks." Animus nodded and left.
Animus exited the steel doors of the chamber. It opened up to the same huge open area. He was still in the entrance of the Vault, just on the other side of it now.
'I don't think this is standard Vault-Tec structure. The entrance doesn't usually have a decontamination chamber, if I remember the events of the TV show correctly. Is this Vault high-end? I wouldn't be surprised if some vaults are just better off compared to the rest. After all, Vault-Tec is notorious for its inconsistency.' Animus thought.
In Fallout, several mega corporations collaborated to construct over a hundred Vaults to protect the last remnants of humanity should a nuclear war destroy the planet. Vault-Tec was the primary organization involved in the construction and operation of the vaults. The truth, however, was much darker.
'The Overseer and the staff members should be employees of Vault-Tec sent to administer and monitor the vault.' Animus thought.
He soon spotted Zoe, clad in the same blue and yellow jumpsuit as him. She was standing near the exit of the chamber while waiting for him.
"Bro! I'm here!" She waved.
Animus waved and walked over to her.
"What are they going to do to us? Will we be safe here?" She asked, her face full of worry.
"We should be fine inside the vault. I think Mom and Dad should be fine, too." He replied while looking at her before glancing around. Animus mentioned their parents to keep Zoe grounded.
"Alright, since you are saying." She sighed.
Zoe's shoulders visibly sagged in relief.
Animus observed her silently.
'It looks like her trust in me is quite strong. My dormant self has done well.' He thought.
At the mention of his dormant soul, memories and feelings once again threatened to overwhelm him. Once again, Animus pushed them back. Now was not the time. While lost in his own thoughts, the same blond woman from earlier appeared in front of everyone, walking from the central passage to stand before the rest.
"Once again, you are all welcome to Vault 69. My name is Rachel, and I am the Overseer of this Vault. I will be responsible for ensuring your lives remain peaceful and safe." The blond woman, now known as Rachel, said with a practiced smile.
'That is one of fiction's worst names. I wonder who she will betray next.' Animus thought, bemused.
"We will be taking the elevator in groups now. You will all be moved to the residential areas and given home units to occupy. Please do not worry for your life here. We have power generators, water purifiers, and food for centuries. Us and our future generations can stay here for as long as necessary until the land above becomes safe for living once more." Rachel said, her speech sounding like it was rehearsed.
People broke out into whispers and chatter. Some relieved, many curious, and few still worried. Animus began to notice some peculiarities in the large group of nearly a thousand women.
'No way, right?' He thought.
'Some of the women look awfully familiar. But how is that possible?' He wondered. He was only able to notice them due to their striking beauty and the fact that other women seemed to gravitate around them.
'Moreover, there are social cliques already forming with certain women as the center. This is not going to be easy. I need to start taking action soon.' He thought with a frown.
Rachel raised a hand to signal to her staff members, who were now breaking the people into groups to take them to the elevator and the residential units.
A staff member approached the sibling duo. It was the same lady with curly hair who gave Animus his clothes and Pip-Boy.
"Greetings. Please form a group of 20 people with those around you." She smiled.
Animus quickly held Zoe's hand and bunched up with some of the people around him. The staff member swept her gaze over them and nodded.
"Please follow me to the elevator." She said before turning around and walking forward.
Animus' group followed behind her. They reached the end of the central passage, where a large elevator built into the earth and around an open cavity awaited the curious onlookers. The people only now realized that the end of the passage opened up to a massive cave system built by human hands.
"Whoa. Not bad." Animus whispered.
Zoe peeked over the edge.
"Eep!" She exclaimed before being dragged like an irresponsible kitten by her older brother.
"Bad Zo." Animus said, looking amused.
Zoe pouted at him. He ruffled her hair. She made a sound of frustration before pawing his hands away.
"Rawr!" Zoe grunted.
Animus chuckled.
'At least she is behaving more like herself now.' He thought.
Soon, it was their group's turn. Animus, Zoe, and the group of women entered the large elevator. As its steel doors closed, a jingle played. Animus turned his eyes to the control panel. The staff member had pressed the number 5. There were nine buttons on the elevator.
"Nine levels... What all do we have in the vault?" Animus asked the staff member.
She gave him an awkward smile, likely remembering their previous encounter, before speaking, "The vault is equipped with everything you may need to sustain life beneath the surface. We have the vault doors on the first level, water purifiers on the second level, recreation rooms on the third level, medical stations on the fourth level, and so on. Right now, we are heading to the fifth level, where the residential areas are located."
"I see. Thanks," Animus replied.
The elevator reached the fifth level quickly.
'Forty-nine, fifty. It takes fifty seconds to cross from level one to level five.' Animus noted, his eyes narrowed.
The elevator opened with a chime. The staff member stepped forward and led the group.
"Please follow me to your designated residential units. You will be given 30 minutes to settle in. Once you are settled, the Overseer will call everyone for an induction meeting." The staff member with curly hair said.
'How can these people talk so leisurely? Their corporate lingo is getting on my nerves.' Animus thought, irritated.
The residential areas were a sprawling labyrinth of halls with home units on either side. Animus scrutinized every inch of the architecture. The corridor was cold and practical. Steel pipes ran on both sides of the walls and the ceiling. Corrugated steel arches and heavy bulkhead blast doors covered every major floor or section's entry points. The doors to each unit consisted of sliding metal panels. Animus guessed that the inside would look like a 1950s household. The America in Fallout considered that time period to be their golden age. They chose to remain stuck in that memory that grow out of it.
'This place is exactly what Fallout is supposed to be. How jarring. This world never really grew to become truly futuristic due to the scientific focus on nuclear energy instead of miniaturization. The transistor was never developed here. Though I remember rumors on some Reddit forums and wikis claiming that the transistor was developed near the end of the Sino-American War. It just never became popular, because the nuclear war occurred soon after.' Animus thought.
The staff member's next words brought Animus out of his reverie.
"Once assigned, your unit can either be opened with the green button on the right of every unit's entrance or designated to open only with registered Pip-Boys. You can choose whom to grant permissions. For everyone's safety, the Overseer has master key permissions to access all units." The staff member said, assigning units to everyone.
"You will now see a Unit Number on your Pip-Boy," She said.
A number popped up on everyone's screens except for Animus. He stared at his screen. It was blank, except for the occasional record of his vitals. His look turned deadpan.
'Damn it, Robert. Did you kick the normal functions out of my Pip-Boy while kicking out the Vault Boy mascot?!' He groaned internally.
He looked at Zoe.
"Zoe, what's your unit?" He asked.
"356. What's yours, Bro?" She asked.
"I don't know. It didn't pop up for me. Guess I am sleeping outside." Animus shrugged.
Zoe slapped his shoulder. "Don't joke about that."
The staff member turned to look at Animus with concern.
"I knew there was something wrong with your Pip-Boy. This is supposed to be the latest Pip-Boy 3000 Mk V! Unbelievable. We should get you another one." She sighed.
"No need. Can you tell me where my assigned unit could be?" Animus asked quickly.
He had no idea if the Pip-Boy System he possessed would disappear with another Pip-Boy or not. The staff could also discover his system if he removes his Pip-Boy. There was no way Animus was risking any of it.
"Sure, but we should still get you another one. How will you receive communications? Follow me. I will take you to your assigned unit." She said, looking bemused.
"It's fine." He waved and started walking behind her before feeling a tug on his shirt.
"Bro, do we really need to be in different units? You could share mine." Zoe said with a pleading look.
"It's okay, Zoe. You can spend your time at my unit. Having multiple units most likely means separate rations, which should help us in the long run. Is that right?" He said, looking at the staff member.
The staff member nodded, confirming his words.
"That settles it. I'll see you in a bit?" He asked.
"Okay. I'll see you soon." She said before beginning to drag her feet to find her unit.
"Come here." Animus said and pulled her in a hug.
Zoe wrapped her arms around his back.
"No matter what, I will be with you. Nothing can separate us. Don't let it weigh on you. We'll be living together in one of our units." He said, reassuring her.
"Okay! Tee-hee!" Zoe grinned and parted the hug. She skipped back and started looking for her unit.
'I bet that was her plan. Cheeky sister.' Animus rolled his eyes in affection.
"Alright, let's go." The staff member urged.
The two walked to the far end of the corridor, going through several turns until they reached the very end. Animus and the staff member were right next to the entrance to another elevator at the corner. The number of the unit was painted in yellow at the center of the large steel door.
Unit – 01
Animus turned to look at her.
"Is this my unit?" He asked.
The staff member nodded. "Yes. Unit assignments are random, and it seems you got Unit 01. It is right next to one of the vault's elevators, too. Quite convenient. Have a good stay."
She promptly turned and left.
Animus squinted at her.
'She was lying. I think I have Unit 01 for other reasons. Most likely, it's because I am the only man in the vault...and the center of its experiment.' He thought grimly.
**
Author's Note
Hello everyone! This is Tales Bringer! I hope you are liking the story so far. With this chapter, we have crossed 15,000 words! I request you to comment and review! I really love constructive and exciting comments and reviews!