Fallout Play-By-Post

[amaranthineamusement]

Nine

His area of interest? Indeed, he had seen a good amount of bodies and bullet holes... But not many skeletons, unless in abandoned areas or buildings. He couldn't tell anything just by looking at the bones. The pistol is a 10mm combat one, standard issue sidearm, with no visible modifications or extras. It packs a punch, particularly on unarmoured targets, and is reliable. Not much to say besides that, could be military or civilian.

Just one body and five shots fired, as far as they could see. It wasn't exactly a battle. More like a confrontation, probably between just two persons. Nine doesn't see any useful information on all that, and turns to the others. It seems there's nothing of special interest, besides those people in the pods being, allegedly, dead.

Well, at least they now have a weapon and a pip. And they know there's no exit this way. Nine walks around the room, looking carefully. He sees the glint of metal behind one pod and crouches to check what it is. A crowbar! Nine raises it to eye level, feeling the cold and solid metal on his hand. A nice piece! There's a good, primitive feeling on having something to defend himself, even if it's not a firearm. He approaches the others, showing the crowbar. "Hey, look what I found. Jay, if you really want to open something this may be a solution."

Then Robin speaks. She wants to go back to the other room with the pip. Makes sense. "All right, but I go with you. I don't want anyone walking alone." Nine looks at the others. "You could look around while we go there. If I found this you may found something else." Opening the door he checks the corridor, that remains empty, and waits for her.

"I do like a good crowbar when the mood strikes me." Jay looks around the room himself.

Charlie nods and hands him the last wrench. She turns to the others.

"In case anyone wants it, here is a hammer. If not, I´ll just leave it here."

With that she follows into the new hallway.

Creepy hallway. Bulletholes in the walls and body-bags at the end. What the heck happened here? Faust signals her to stay behind, which she has no problem with. She has absolutely no desire to look into one of the bags. Instead she focusses on the screwdriver still in her hand. Hm. It´s kinda unhandy to just hold it, and the weird suit she´s wearing has no pockets...

Unceremoniously she gathers her hair, pulls it up into a bun and fixates it with the tool. Perfect, now two problems are solved in one. No hair in her face, and a free hand.

Faust seems to be done examining the dead people, without finding something significant. She takes that as her cue to enter the room the others went into.

"Sounds good to me. I´ve never shot a gun and don´t really intend on changing that, so good when people who know how to use them properly have them. If anything comes my way, I´ll hit it with this."

She holds up her wrench again.

"Yeah, we should."

While looking around in the room, Charlie starts wondering whether the vault-people kept any of their personal stuff. Even if, a lot of it would probably have decomposed, especially clothing. But maybe there was a small chance that some things survived. It wasn´t like Charlie brought anything particularly useful or valuable to this place, but it´s still her things. If the opportunity was given, she would like to have them back.

Oh, another terminal. She walks over.

"Has someone checked this already?"

She turns it on.

"I'll take the hammer." Better than nothing. Jay sticks it into his belt, then watches as they spread out to scout. He's been hanging back and staying quiet, trying to get a handle on the situation. At least there hasn't been any personal drama yet.

Jay follows the others into the new room, checking the mechanisms on the door and looking into the bags. Dead people. Bummer.

[Songbird]

Robin

"Arthur should have the vest, then?" he suggests. "He is with you in the front."

Robin nods.

Nine

He hears Robin telling they would need to pass the generator room. "I don't think that's a good idea. Those generators are discharging at random at walls and ground. If one of these hits... I don't know if the stimpack will be enough. Also, I think I saw something between the generators. I'm not sure what it was, it didn't seem to move, but... I have a bad feeling about this."

Nine points at the map. "Maybe we should first check the other rooms." He raises the gun. "This looks in good shape. Maybe the place was occupied until a few years ago, and we could find some food and water."

"You saw what?" She takes a few steps towards the door, straining to look into the windows. It's wasted effort for she saw nothing when standing right in front of them—spotting something from this distance would be a feat. "I agree we should search the other rooms first but I can't see how leave this place without going through the other room."

Robin hesitates for a moment and mumbles more to herself than the others, "Well, it wasn't moving. Should be safe to ignore for a moment. But someone should keep watch." She really doesn't like the idea of having something unidentified prowling in a nearby room, but she dislikes the idea of entering the said room full of twisting bolts of uncontrolled energy even more. Returning to the desk, she stuffs the ammunition box inside the bag, followed by the map once she's sure no one else wants to take a look. Nine took the gun, Charlie didn't seem interested in the bag nor did Jay. Robin tracks them with her eyes.

"Has someone checked this already?"

She turns it on.

"Not yet," she replies, noticing the screwdriver in her hair. She hadn't paid close attention to Charlie until now. She seemed fit, and using her hair as storage? That's clever! But she did scout the previous hallway first, if Robin remembered it right, and she didn't know how inclined Charlie felt to do it again. That left one person to carry the bag and its precious contents.

Robin bids her time, holding the shoulder bag quietly. The moment Jay walks past her she tries to pass the bag strap over his head.

[Kitty]

"Hmm..." Faust takes a look at the map that Robin found. "Considering we have been through the majority of the compound so far, not including the kitchen, I think it's safe to say there is nothing with us right now." He gives a nod of agreement to Robin. "Someone with a gun should stand guard in front of the generator room, in case whatever Grey saw was dangerous. Or starts moving. And the only other point of entrance is closed for us." He taps the map. "If someone opens it... perhaps another person should stand guard there...? Or perhaps figure out a way to open it? Or, do you think it can only be opened from the overseer room...?"

[Ragnarok]

While looking around in the room, Charlie starts wondering whether the vault-people kept any of their personal stuff. Even if, a lot of it would probably have decomposed, especially clothing. But maybe there was a small chance that some things survived. It wasn´t like Charlie brought anything particularly useful or valuable to this place, but it´s still her things. If the opportunity was given, she would like to have them back.

Oh, another terminal. She walks over.

"Has someone checked this already?"

She turns it on.

The terminal lights up, displaying the following.

Welcome to ROBCO Industries (TM) Termlink
Clearance: VAULT-TEC SECURITY
Log Off | Refresh | Go To >

[SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS]
[SECURITY LOGS]
[SECURITY STATUS]
[GENERATOR STATUS]

Alert: Security Protocols engaged for: Cryo Room 1.
Alert: Evacuation Protocol engaged. Please follow evacuation instructions.

Holotape inserted: ID: AUDIO LOG EXCAVATION

[Mirasol]

The terminal lights up, displaying the following.

Welcome to ROBCO Industries (TM) Termlink
Clearance: VAULT-TEC SECURITY
Log Off | Refresh | Go To >

[SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS]
[SECURITY LOGS]
[SECURITY STATUS]
[GENERATOR STATUS]

Alert: Security Protocols engaged for: Cryo Room 1.
Alert: Evacuation Protocol engaged. Please follow evacuation instructions.

Holotape inserted: ID: AUDIO LOG EXCAVATION

Charlie skimms the screen. Ok, the two alerts probably refer to the room they woke up in, nothing new there. All the other things could be interesting. But what catches her eyes the most is the last point on the menu. What would someone excavate here?

"Hey look, here´s an audio log! It says 'Excavation'."

When she´s sure the others are listening, she clicks on it.

[Ragnarok]

Charlie skimms the screen. Ok, the two alerts probably refer to the room they woke up in, nothing new there. All the other things could be interesting. But what catches her eyes the most is the last point on the menu. What would someone excavate here?

"Hey look, here´s an audio log! It says 'Excavation'."

When she´s sure the others are listening, she clicks on it.

"Doctor Ryan here. Well, this is the second log. Managed to find an old terminal to use this time, rather than having to mess with Con's Pip-Boy. We've finally finished fixing up the main elevator and getting the bodies cleared in the main rooms. That, and curtailing the damn radroach infestation. Still, at least we won't be stuck in this wreck. Judging from the logs and some of the bodies we've found, looks like people decided to be idiots. We've collected most of the useful gear for the moment near the entrance, waiting for pickup and decon to deal with them since we don't want to risk an unknown disease hazard from any of them. Hard enough managing surface-dweller interaction as it is without risking some Vault-brewed nonsense adding in. But we'll be moving the remaining survivors out quickly enough, those we can reach at least. We'll have to bring in heavy equipment to dig out that staircase, but the Overseer's terminal says most of the pods in that buried room are still working and the people in them are still alive. Right now, though, we'll be opening up the priority cases and the family first - I don't think it's healthy to keep a baby in cryo for too long, and this John Doe's records...eh, not my department, I'm just here to make sure the reactors stay up. Programmed a generator control into this thing to make sure we can monitor and control them, since if they go haywire the consoles in the room are useless. Typical Vault-Tec design.
Wish we could have gotten here sooner, though. Judging from what uncorrupted records we've been able to dig up, most of the ones who died in the pods bit it in a power surge a few years ago. Well...we're here, now. That's what matters, right?"

An alarm noise begins to play over the tape.

"What the hell? Who -"

Gunfire began to sound on the tape, and the log cut off.

[R.M.S.N.P]

As the group walks onward, there is a few body bags at the end of the hallway.
Hmmmm...

Some timeline would be nice. The man (? Or a woman. He's not judging.) back in the other pod room was a skeleton, and he died in what he assumed was a shootout. There are lots of bullet holes around... Perhaps it was a cleanup of the entire site? If so, why?
Was the goal, perhaps, to get everybody on ice, and then dispose of the people who did it? That means the cleanup happened 200 years ago, and it begs the question - why? If it was higher-ups getting rid of the people who knew too much, they would surely take the bodies out. If it was someone else, out to stop them or deal with them, why did they leave people in the pods? Perhaps they killed everyone who could open them...
Alternatively, if the shootout happened only 60 years ago... why did they leave the six of them locked up. Very rude.

He waves at Charlie to keep her distance as he approaches the body bags. He gives one a very careful poke. Not soup, solid. Bones.

With his arm in front of his face as an extra bit of precaution, he carefully unzips a few centimeters of the bag. Skull. It still smells, though. Decomposition in a small, closed bag was bound to, but it's not bad enough to make him puke.

He respectfully closes the bag. Dead should rest in peace and not stink up the hallway.

All he got from this is that they died at about the same time. He still has no clue if bodies can turn to skeletons within 60 years... Eh.

Faust turns to Grey while he talks.
"I agree, give the kid the magic healing thing" he says. "And take the gun, too."

He accepts the crowbar with a smile. "Thanks. I guess it runs in the family... I won't be much use with it, though." It is a nice, reassuring feeling though.

"Arthur should have the vest, then?" he suggests. "He is with you in the front."

"Well, duck."

As "Faust" mentions Arthur taking the vest, Arthur already has it on, adjusting the straps. When it's on, he goes back to covering Robin.

[Kitty]

"Doctor Ryan here. Well, this is the second log. Managed to find an old terminal to use this time, rather than having to mess with Con's Pip-Boy. We've finally finished fixing up the main elevator and getting the bodies cleared in the main rooms. That, and curtailing the damn radroach infestation. Still, at least we won't be stuck in this wreck. Judging from the logs and some of the bodies we've found, looks like people decided to be idiots. We've collected most of the useful gear for the moment near the entrance, waiting for pickup and decon to deal with them since we don't want to risk an unknown disease hazard from any of them. Hard enough managing surface-dweller interaction as it is without risking some Vault-brewed nonsense adding in. But we'll be moving the remaining survivors out quickly enough, those we can reach at least. We'll have to bring in heavy equipment to dig out that staircase, but the Overseer's terminal says most of the pods in that buried room are still working and the people in them are still alive. Right now, though, we'll be opening up the priority cases and the family first - I don't think it's healthy to keep a baby in cryo for too long, and this John Doe's records...eh, not my department, I'm just here to make sure the reactors stay up. Programmed a generator control into this thing to make sure we can monitor and control them, since if they go haywire the consoles in the room are useless. Typical Vault-Tec design.
Wish we could have gotten here sooner, though. Judging from what uncorrupted records we've been able to dig up, most of the ones who died in the pods bit it in a power surge a few years ago. Well...we're here, now. That's what matters, right?"

An alarm noise begins to play over the tape.

"What the hell? Who -"

Gunfire began to sound on the tape, and the log cut off.

Faust leans on the wall while the recording plays. He listens in silence, growing a case of bad mood.

Okay, so, they came for them. Neat.

Something killed them. Less neat.

There are more pods below that buried staircase. That is positively ducked.

He feels a twinge of anger, fury even, completely valid but not constructive. So he is just breathing, waiting for it to pass. Waiting for others in the group to make some observations, probably better than what he will with his very limited information.
'You'll get your memory back', they said. In his experience, a drunken blackout is a drunken blackout and that was that. He'll have to get them all to tell him all that happened in detail. Once they're out.

[Mirasol]

"Doctor Ryan here. Well, this is the second log. Managed to find an old terminal to use this time, rather than having to mess with Con's Pip-Boy. We've finally finished fixing up the main elevator and getting the bodies cleared in the main rooms. That, and curtailing the damn radroach infestation. Still, at least we won't be stuck in this wreck. Judging from the logs and some of the bodies we've found, looks like people decided to be idiots. We've collected most of the useful gear for the moment near the entrance, waiting for pickup and decon to deal with them since we don't want to risk an unknown disease hazard from any of them. Hard enough managing surface-dweller interaction as it is without risking some Vault-brewed nonsense adding in. But we'll be moving the remaining survivors out quickly enough, those we can reach at least. We'll have to bring in heavy equipment to dig out that staircase, but the Overseer's terminal says most of the pods in that buried room are still working and the people in them are still alive. Right now, though, we'll be opening up the priority cases and the family first - I don't think it's healthy to keep a baby in cryo for too long, and this John Doe's records...eh, not my department, I'm just here to make sure the reactors stay up. Programmed a generator control into this thing to make sure we can monitor and control them, since if they go haywire the consoles in the room are useless. Typical Vault-Tec design.
Wish we could have gotten here sooner, though. Judging from what uncorrupted records we've been able to dig up, most of the ones who died in the pods bit it in a power surge a few years ago. Well...we're here, now. That's what matters, right?"

An alarm noise begins to play over the tape.

"What the hell? Who -"

Gunfire began to sound on the tape, and the log cut off.

After the tape is over, Charlie needs a moment to find her voice again. This is bad news, very bad news.

But then again, there are no bodies here besides the ones in the body-bags, which were already mentioned on the tape, and she doubts an attacker would have properly cleaned up after themselves. Perhaps the people here got out alive. Or there were no bodies left to dispose of - NO. No. She isn´t in a Horror movie (though this tape sure sounds like it...), monsters still aren´t real. What would even be able to eat several people whole??? ...she shouldn´t have tried to imagine that.

Anyways. She plays the tape again, searching for anything positive this time..

"So... the good news is, there´s a way we can turn off these generators you mentioned."

Also the mission that tried to rescue them couldn´t do so because they were attacked by someone or something that is hopefully very dead by now, and there´s at least one more room with Cryo-pods no one can access and the people in there are left to die.

She tries a not very convincing smile, then she clicks on "security instructions".

[Kitty]

"So... the good news is, there´s a way we can turn off these generators you mentioned."

Also the mission that tried to rescue them couldn´t do so because they were attacked by someone or something that is hopefully very dead by now, and there´s at least one more room with Cryo-pods no one can access and the people in there are left to die.

She tries a not very convincing smile, then she clicks on "security instructions".

"Wait, what do you mean by turning off? Aren't they powering the cryo-pods?" Faust asks.

[Ragnarok]

After the tape is over, Charlie needs a moment to find her voice again. This is bad news, very bad news.

But then again, there are no bodies here besides the ones in the body-bags, which were already mentioned on the tape, and she doubts an attacker would have properly cleaned up after themselves. Perhaps the people here got out alive. Or there were no bodies left to dispose of - NO. No. She isn´t in a Horror movie (though this tape sure sounds like it...), monsters still aren´t real. What would even be able to eat several people whole??? ...she shouldn´t have tried to imagine that.

Anyways. She plays the tape again, searching for anything positive this time..

"So... the good news is, there´s a way we can turn off these generators you mentioned."

Also the mission that tried to rescue them couldn´t do so because they were attacked by someone or something that is hopefully very dead by now, and there´s at least one more room with Cryo-pods no one can access and the people in there are left to die.

She tries a not very convincing smile, then she clicks on "security instructions".

< Back | Refresh | N/A

CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY EYES ONLY | VIOLATION VTP-01011

Vault 111 is designed to test the long-term effects of suspended animation on unaware, human subjects. Security staff are responsible for maintaining installation integrity and monitoring science staff activity.

Under no circumstances are staff allowed to deviate from assigned duties. Insubordination or interference with vault operations are capital offenses. Security staff are authorized to use lethal force.

OPERATIONS PROTOCOL MANUAL

Resident Admittance
Upon Activation Notice from Vault-Tec, all personnel are required to report to the Entry Area and assist with admittance of Vault Residents. Security Personnel will maintain order and ensure that no personnel or residents attempt to evacuate the Vault.

Research staff will be responsible for resident intake and escort each to the designated cryogenic pod. Residents not accounted for in the manifest should be asked to step aside and detained forcefully by security if necessary.

Once all residents have been sealed into their preservation chambers dispose of any detainees. Vault entryway must remain sealed under any circumstances.

Staff Duties

Science Staff
Members of the research team must daily monitor the vital signs of cryogenically preserved residents. Cardiopulmonary and cognitive activity in particular must be recorded hourly.

Life-saving intervention is only permitted if greater than 80% of the resident population has perished while in cryogenic suspension, and must not interrupt suspension.

Independent research is encouraged, and left to Overseer discretion.

Security Personnel
Security patrols are to be carried out on a constant eight-hour rotation. Security priorities include:

- Monitoring for signs of intrusion
- Checking for atmosphere leaks
- Settling disputes among personnel
- Enforcement of regulations set forth by the Overseer
- Enforcement of regulations set forth by Vault-Tec

Facility Services & Maintenance
Due to the nature of Vault 111, personnel will be expected to perform duties outside of their normal qualifications, such as janitorial duties and food preparation.

The exact distribution of these roles is left to Overseer discretion.


All Clear & Evacuation

All-Clear Message
Following a nuclear event, Vault-Tec will monitor hazards such as radiation levels, enemy invasion, subsequent attacks, and other factors. Once conditions are deemed safe, this terminal will receive an all-clear notice.

Upon receiving the all-clear notice, Vault-Tec personnel may be evacuated at Overseer discretion. Disregard any notices from organizations or individuals not associated with Vault-Tec, including government and military. Residents are not to be disrupted or evacuated. Vault-Tec will attend to their needs remotely once Vault 111 staff has been evacuated.

Mandatory Shelter Period
Vault 111 is classified as a short-term assignment. Non-resident personnel are expected to carry out research duties and basic maintenance of the Vault while awaiting the All-Clear signal to evacuate.

In the absence of an All-Clear message from Vault-Tec, the Overseer may elect to evacuate staff after a mandatory shelter period of 180 days of containment. Under no circumstance may Vault 111 staff evacuate during this shelter period, unless receiving the All-Clear message from Vault-Tec.

[thegreyarea]

Nine

Nine hears the tape. In the silence that follows he sits, grabs a pencil and a sheet of paper. He's about to ask Charlie to play it again when she does exactly that, making he smile briefly. As the log plays he takes some notes and tries to connect the information.

"Ok, that's a lot. Let me see if I got it right." Everybody looks at him, making it a bit uncomfortable. But somebody must do it. "These people called this place a wreck, fixed the elevator and collected the useful gear near it, at the entrance, waiting for pickup and, most relevant, decon. They talk as if there's a chance of some disease brewing here. So the entrance is, indeed, the place we want to reach, and let's be extra careful, just in case, particularly with bodies. I suggest no one tries to open body bags or touch bodies in any way, unless it's really necessary. Also, anyone understood what they meant by "surface-dweller interaction"?"

"They also cleared the bodies and..." He stops for a moment, flooded by the memory of dozens of body bags containing his comrades after they were ambushed. It wasn't even a combat mission, they were there just to train local troops... He notices that everybody is looking at him. "Sorry, bad memories... And they curtailed the radroach infestation. I suppose cockroaches did their best to deserve the fame of being so hard to kill. But how dangerous were those critters? Are some still around?"

"And what they meant by people acting like idiots? They started to fight each other? Anyway they decided to move survivors out, and some where at that buried room. Then this doctor Ryan tells they will open priorities first, including the baby and John Doe. Connecting it with the logs we saw before it means that this log is also 60 years old. And then... Then things went downhill very fast."

Nine raises from the chair. "Unless we find that overseers terminal we have no way to tell if those people in the buried room are still alive in their pods, so we must be careful about what we do to the generators. It seems that we can control them using this terminal, so maybe we can just reduce power levels to make it safer to cross the room, or turn off just one of them, since they are probably redundant... I don't know."

"Anyway that's a lot of things we don't know. I suggest we check the other logs, and then move to the kitchen and residence area before deciding anything. We can also try to look through those windows again. Everyone agrees? Any suggestions?"

[Kitty]

Nine

Nine hears the tape. In the silence that follows he sits, grabs a pencil and a sheet of paper. He's about to ask Charlie to play it again when she does exactly that, making he smile briefly. As the log plays he takes some notes and tries to connect the information.

"Ok, that's a lot. Let me see if I got it right." Everybody looks at him, making it a bit uncomfortable. But somebody must do it. "These people called this place a wreck, fixed the elevator and collected the useful gear near it, at the entrance, waiting for pickup and, most relevant, decon. They talk as if there's a chance of some disease brewing here. So the entrance is, indeed, the place we want to reach, and let's be extra careful, just in case, particularly with bodies. I suggest no one tries to open body bags or touch bodies in any way, unless it's really necessary. Also, anyone understood what they meant by "surface-dweller interaction"?"

"They also cleared the bodies and..." He stops for a moment, flooded by the memory of dozens of body bags containing his comrades after they were ambushed. It wasn't even a combat mission, they were there just to train local troops... He notices that everybody is looking at him. "Sorry, bad memories... And they curtailed the radroach infestation. I suppose cockroaches did their best to deserve the fame of being so hard to kill. But how dangerous were those critters? Are some still around?"

"And what they meant by people acting like idiots? They started to fight each other? Anyway they decided to move survivors out, and some where at that buried room. Then this doctor Ryan tells they will open priorities first, including the baby and John Doe. Connecting it with the logs we saw before it means that this log is also 60 years old. And then... Then things went downhill very fast."

Nine raises from the chair. "Unless we find that overseers terminal we have no way to tell if those people in the buried room are still alive in their pods, so we must be careful about what we do to the generators. It seems that we can control them using this terminal, so maybe we can just reduce power levels to make it safer to cross the room, or turn off just one of them, since they are probably redundant... I don't know."

"Anyway that's a lot of things we don't know. I suggest we check the other logs, and then move to the kitchen and residence area before deciding anything. We can also try to look through those windows again. Everyone agrees? Any suggestions?"

Ah. Shit.
"I agree, but I have to say I opened a body bag. I closed it immediately. I thought I could maybe get something from it and figure out a timeline and we didn't listen to the tape yet so I had no way to know. Still. Exceptionally idiotic on my part. I apologize. I won't touch anything else. I can keep distance from everyone, if you want me to" he says.

[thegreyarea]

Nine

Nine looks at Faust, less than a feet away from him. "Hum... You said it's just a skeleton inside, right? I'm no specialist, but I doubt any disease could survive in a closed bag for 60 years. And we also messed with that other body in the first room, even took things from it... I wouldn't worry too much, unless we find something... meatier." He points at his own chest, looking at the others. "It's just that one of the main reasons I'm alive and talking to you is that I'm very cautious. Even too much, sometimes." He looks back at Faust. "So, no need to apologize or staying away, I think."

[Kitty]

Faust gives him a shrug as his brain kicks into some gears. "If the tapes are the last thing that happened here before whatever that shooting was for, they never decontaminated this place anyway... And those corpses were outside the body bags for what, a century and a half... Which means we were actually already exposed, if bodies had whatever. If there's still survivors outside, we should probably just quarantine ourselves."