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

[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?