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

[goodfight]

[What unfolds before his eyes touches on sacred ground, on the profane, and Neil wonders how one can keep his mouth shut in a vault that refuses reticence.

He can't, of course.]

...Is this your home? The Mojave?

[doubletap]

[ Alex turns back to Neil, and something dead slips behind his eyes. ]

No.

[ It's simple, without fault or complicity. It never is, for things like that. ]

My home is gone.

[goodfight]

[Neil watches. Recognizes the expression shown. That death.

It was once his own.]

...How about we take a break?

[Step back from the possibility of loss.]

And figure out where we're headed to next?

[doubletap]

[ The rest of the room is raided in near silence, and it's only when they've exhausted the containers present that Alex recalls he holds a holotape--and hacked a computer without looking much at the contents. ]

...Man, I'm really off.

[ Is the murmur, after a long stretch of silence. ]

There's a terminal up and running. Wanna look at what's on it?

[goodfight]

[Loot isn't quite the distraction Neil had hoped it would be, but Alex presents an opportunity for learning more about this wretched vault. And learning's always nice.]

Sure.

[He steps toward the terminal in question.]

[simpleagain]

... Loading Year 20XX, Month XX: Drama Hoes

"I'm so glad Overseer Gibson was nice enough to make that announcement. I mean, it's not like I believed anything people were saying, but knowing that our Overseer was willing to clarify what's going on was really reassuring. I Some people thought it might be serious, but I'm so glad it's not.

It is sort of funny that people aren't able to lie, though. Julie got what's coming to her, that smug little bitch. Always thinking she's better than everyone, and then Ken tells her like it is--right after sex, too! People heard that crash around the whole vault.

Oh, well. Better for me. Ken and Kendra, doesn't that sound great?~<3"

[doubletap]

[ He reads with rapidly narrowing eyes, and once they are through, snaps the terminal off. ]

Well, hopefully she was one of the first to kick it. Guess we know who our "I had better" pair is now.

[goodfight]

[On the other hand, Neil's just perplexed. This whole romantic web is beginning confuse the heck out of him. Never mind that there's only three people involved.

He scratches the back of his head, mumbling mostly to himself.]

He was banging two women? How does he even have the time and the energy for that?

[doubletap]

[ This part is simple, and it gives Alex something meaningless to think about that's not his past.

That's not the nameless city in the Divide.

He backs to lean against wall, something the cleanliness based Courier is not apt to do in vaults above all. He looks wiped. ]

Nah, it was straightforward. Secretary bitch--

[ He states, inclining his chin to the terminal. ]

Had it bad for mister asshole who was tapping Jules. Probably no more after that time. The secretary was just jealous.

[goodfight]

[He's no good at these scenarios, and the explanation shows clearly.

Alex, however, seems tired, and that is what pulls Neil's attention. Not the stupid jealousy and sex shit.]

Hey, you okay?

[doubletap]

[ Again the "yeah," and "of course" sticks in his throat, and he doesn't try to fight through it. ]

Worse than the usual and I'm not even hurt, but nothing I can't deal with.

[ The emotional hits are hard enough to take a piece of him with every step, but he'll keep going. That's what he does. ]

[goodfight]

[Neil watches Alex. Watches for what seems like the first time.]

Guess let me know if there's anything that can be made better.

[His eyes glance to the time on his HUD. Two days they've spent in this vault. Two days too many. Getting the hell outta here might be the only thing that helps, but they're no closer to that than they were when they began.

Neil exhales slowly.]

[doubletap]

[ Neil watches him and offers aid, and Alex feels something twist in his chest.

It makes him take out the holotape he pocketed, and instead of playing it, tosses it to Neil instead. ]

Next up on "Vault-Tec Crazies Today"...

[goodfight]

[Alex tosses him a holotape. The same bloody holotape the older man had pocketed when something else caught his attention. A surprised Neil catches it neatly.]

Jesus, finally.

[With care, he inserts the holotape into his Pip-Boy.]

[simpleagain]

There's no delay, no subterfuge in this holotape. A man's voice comes on, confident, alert, and tone the crackly rasp of a smoker.

--esting. Testing. There we go. Okay, self-log. Byron's access still works everywhere. Surprised Gibson didn't shut it down after that email last week. Maybe he's been too busy with hellweek to worry about me.

That's fine. Perfectly. Then I can move on my own here.

There's the rattle and rasp of supplies being shifted, then, quieter:

...God, stay safe, Byron. Just... stay by the entrance like I told you. Please, brother. We can get out of here. I just have to--

Static.



This tape unlocks a password in the Lone Wanderer's Pipboy. "Byron's Password: SurgericalSt33l"

[doubletap]

[ For some reason, this-- ]

...This one creeps me out more than the rest. Don't know... Don't think I know why. Guessing that's our hacker friend Bill, though.

[goodfight]

[This must be Bill. The reference to the email gives it away.

Furthermore...]

Holotape also has Bryon's password.

[Here, he shifts his arm for Alex to see on his Pip-Boy.]

[doubletap]

Surgical steel....

[ Alex reads out loud, then snorts loudly. ]

Twenty caps says he's talking about his cock.

[goodfight]

[Upon realization, Neil makes a face.]

What the fuck is up with men's obsessions with their cocks?

[Never mind Neil is a man.]

[doubletap]

[ Unable to resist, Alex leans and touches a finger to the tip of Neil's scrunched up nose, then grins, looking a little more like himself. ]

What is up with your obsession with my cock?

[goodfight]

[...Okay, he practically walked into that. Neil can't help the responding laugh.]

But I wouldn't create a password out of your cock!

[doubletap]

[ The laugh makes something lighter, and he swings an arm over Neil's shoulders to turn them toward the door. ]

But what would you call it? Hail, Destroyer of Assholes? The Mighty Midget? Alex's Special Little Helper?

[goodfight]

[Neil grins as they walk toward the door.]

Always at Attention.

[doubletap]

[ He leans over, laughs out loud, before hauling himself back up. Alex leans to Neil, nips at an ear. ]

Only for you.

[goodfight]

[Alex bursts out laughing, and tension fizzled, Neil breathes a little easier.]

It's like I'm your commanding officer with all the saluting.