the story in which Alex Seattle Geer is right for hating enclosed spaces,

[doubletap]

and Neil Park is blamed for his knowledge of vaults.

---

Terminal Entries:

1st Floor, Vault Entry-Room Computer:
- Data Entry 1: Year 20XX, Month XX; There's no escape.
- Holotape Entry 1: Y#4@ SDhig^8705 H98 [data corrupted]; This is hell and I want out of it.

1st Floor, Cafeteria Luncheon:
- Holotape Entry 2: Private Recording; I've had better?

1st Floor, Cafeteria Supply Room:
- Inventory List: Inventory List; A list of food....
- Data Entry 2: Shift Notes; Maybe I should tear the walls down.

1st Floor, Broken Cave:
- Data Entry 3: Preparations; Everything's fine.
- Data Entry 4: Near the End; I'll tell you the truth, but I won't give up my soul.
- Data Entry 5: Finally, the End is at Hand.; This is far enough.

1st Floor, Office:
- Data Entry 6: Vault-Wide Public Service Announcement; Get back to work everyone.
- Data Entry 7: Locked Administrative Reply; You're reaching for straws.

1st Floor, Administrative Secretary's Office:
- Data Entry 8: Drama Hoes; It is sort of funny that people aren't able to lie, though.
- Holotape Entry 3: Bill Self-Log; Byron's access still works everywhere.

Comments

[simpleagain]

Terminal Entries:

- Year 20XX, Month XX
- Y#4@ SDhig^8705 H98 [data corrupted]

... Loading Year 20XX, Month XX

"No, it's no use at all. Why did I even keep going all this time? This place eats everyone alive, and even after everything... I'm going to end up being no different.

It's so funny. It really is. The Vault protects us from the outside.

But it can only be opened from the outside. We can't get out. I can't get out.

There's nothing left."

[goodfight]

[He occupies the space offered, dipping his head down to read the text. The aforementioned problem has the potential to be severe, and an alarm goes off in Neil's damaged brain. Death, it seems, might be more likely than one might think.]

Trapped, huh?

[There is, however, an option to explore. His fingers slip over the keyboard, moving back to the corrupted entry. Using what intelligence, experience, and familial insight have afforded him, he attempts to salvage any remaining data through the backends of the Unified Operating System.]

[simpleagain]

The recording downloads to the Lone Wanderer's PipBoy amidst a score of static and creaking. A man's voice is barely heard, rushed and maddened.

"Ther--###--and I wante--###--

She said that--###--

They get to you--###

But I kno--###--

This is hell, and I want out of it. Then things will be simple again."

The crash of a gunshot.

[doubletap]

[ There's a beat. ]

Well, that's happy.

[ The lethargy loosens its hold, and Alex allows himself to look around the empty room for whatever demons that man was haunted by. ]

Are all Vaults just full of shiny goodness and delight?

[goodfight]

[There is partial success, which does nothing to quell the sirens in Neil's head. He pops out the holodisk and stows it into his jacket pocket.]

And unicorns and rainbows and caps as far as the eyes can see.

[Which this vault has nothing of. Neil straightens to stand, eyes looking to the ways leading further in.]

If there is a ticket out, it would probably be in the Overseer's office.

[doubletap]

And Overseers are always trustworthy.

[ Comes the mutter. Alex is apparently ill-humored at this change of pace. ]

Either way, it'll probably be the hardest room to find. We had better get started or ED-E will have to feed Dogmeat again.

[ He looks at the corpses at the floor, and the apparently untouched room and the singular hall that leads from it.

He pulls the survivalist rifle from over his shoulder to hold at his side. ]

[goodfight]

[Neil nearly smirks at the sarcasm, at the memories entwined with the statement, before catching himself. He manages a weak, noncommittal groan instead.

Along with a more intense, noncommittal complaint.]

Your robotic child has spoiled my dog on cooked meat, you know that? Now Dogmeat won't touch anything else. I hold you completely responsible.

[His dark eyes follow Alex's line of sight. It is when it settles on the hall that Neil thinks to walk forward. As an afterthought, he unholsters his assault rifle.]

[doubletap]

[ Assured at Neil's movements, Alex steps in line behind, content to allow Neil to explore while Alex watches the sides and back. It's a method they've used before and it works fine--especially when one has more experience in Vaults than the other.

Unsettled by the recording and entry, by the memories of Vault 11, of 22 and 34, Alex is content for the lightness the conversation offers. ]

How else do you expect him to feed your dog? Deep-fried gecko it is.

[goodfight]

[The hall, like all halls in a vault, are narrow and dreary. Their footsteps echo around them, distorting the sound. It is these details that muffle the warnings in his head and allow him to carry on the conversation.]

ED-E might have no qualms about deep-frying a gecko, but I have a budget and a limited quantity of microfusion cells.

[Soon, they arrive at what Neil believes to be a cafeteria. The corridor continues to their left. He glances between them, searching for signs of a third presence. Nothing comes up so far.

Although they have a task before them, the man points to room, indicating his desire to enter.]

Do you mind?