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First Annual Pod Day
WHERE: Vault 66
WHEN: ???? - Day 1
WHAT: The first pods open
WARNINGS:TBD
You awake laying on your back in an, admittedly comfortable, pod. You can't move anything but your eyes, can't even feel your body yet. How you got here or why is a blank. You may have been in the middle of your day, asleep, or even- for what you remember- should be dead. Then a screen directly in front of your face flickers to life and in crisp, black and white displays: DON'T PANIC. The following video then plays:
The screen flickers again and reads: CONGRATULATIONS ON PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE! WELCOME TO VAULT LIFE, CITIZEN. WELCOME TO YEAR: [ERROR]. YOUR PERSONAL BELONGINGS ARE LOCATED IN [FILE CORRUPTED. SEE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR]. ENJOY YOUR STAY AND THANK YOU FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT VAULT-TEC.
The pod then unseals and you are able to, unstably at first, climb out of the pod. Your body may feel foreign for a moment- perhaps entirely foreign if you suddenly find yourself a human, ghoul, or super mutant for the first time. But whatever your form, you have two items on: a bright blue jumpsuit with the number 66 in yellow on the back, and a mechanical device known as a Pip-boy sealed onto your arm. If you click on the buttons it takes you to an instruction screen.
You look around to find yourself in a room of other pods. Some are just opening, other people looking as confused as you climbing out. Others remain closed with the status of 'STASIS' on the screens attached to the pods. The rest of the room is less than impressive. Computer systems that seem out of place compared to the technology level of the pods are scattered across the room, apparently running the chambers. Trying to access them, even for the most talented hacker, will simply result in SEE OVERSEER being displayed. There is large metal door leading to the rest of the vault, a lever on the wall next to it that will cause it to open.
Welcome, dweller, to vault 66.
Outside of the pod room, the rest of the vault is limping along on an emergency power supply. The air is stale from lackluster recycling and deep shadows occupy the corners of rooms and edges of hallways as only the pale maintenance lighting flickers from the ceiling. The pip-boy flashlight helps, but can still only light up a small area, casting anything outside of it into even darker shadows.
In those shadows there is skittering. The noise isn't too noticeable when there are groups of people, but get down to one or two and it's impossible to ignore. Venture into an empty room and you’ll spot a small number, maybe even just one, loitering in what, until today, had more or less been their sole domain: radroaches. Giant, mutated cockroaches that have a hunger for fresh food (like say, new vault dwellers) when it’s available.
The majority of roaches, however, seem to have a destination in mind, mostly ignoring characters unless blocked or directly bothered. This hoard, gathering from all over the vault, all move through the shadows and vents to the kitchen. If a character is unthreatening enough, they can follow the trail unmolested by the creatures.
In the kitchen itself is a whole different matter. Even from down the hall, characters can hear a masculine, slightly French-accented voice exclaim:
“Mais! Get out, out you nasty things!”
After a moment, a burst of flame can be seen through the door, followed by the new yet distinctive sound of mandibles ripping at metal. Those that decide to enter will see over a dozen roaches trying to take down a lone, floating robot. Despite the robot occasionally hitting them with a blast of fire from a small flame-throwing on one of its arms, the roaches appear to be winning.
The source of the fight can be seen behind the robot: a counter full of various kinds of packaged foods, some of them newly opened. One roach has managed to make it to the prize, ripping into a things of what seems to be apples with its mandibles.
OOC NOTES
To talk to a specific NPC one-on-one, leave a comment on their thread below. Note an exception is Louis in Radroach Riot, he will pop up on his own in threads related to him.
Looking for loot in a specific area? Looking for a specific item/kinds of item in general? Ask here and we’ll let you know.
If you have any OOC questions, please leave a comment here!
no subject
"Hey Louis! I found some clothes that I think might be cool to wear...if we washed and stitched them. Do you think you could help me fix them up?"
Not all of these outfits are going to fit of course...and Sandy never really thought of herself as one for girly dresses, but maybe the others would like having some more options then just Vault suits.
no subject
"Cher is, ah, certain she wants to switch to those? Not much the latest fashion, I'm sure."
no subject
Ok he had a point. This stuff was out of date way before she was born in her world. Apparently it was here too.
“Is there some secret closet of the latest fashion around here? I mean I’m not an expert like you. I barely passed home ec when they tried to teach me sewing in school.”
no subject
"Well, suppose there's no wrong in a little learning. Won't much harm the world to use those for practice."
He floats over to a corner of the rec room, reaching his claw to open a drawer.
"Been some time since I've had a call for sewing. We'll need to find the mending bits, needles and such."
no subject
She hadn't thought to bring supplies for sewing, having hoped the Louis would know where it all was in the first place.
no subject
"No, no, they will be here. I simply haven't- I can't rightly recall last time I had need of them."
After a minute or so he starts pulling out supplies, but seems to have completely forgotten she asked about the people before.
no subject
"Say uh...Louis how long have you been down here anyway? What's the earliest memories you have stored in there?"
no subject
He pauses for a moment as he sets the needles and thread out.
"Well, for the most part. Can't say I fancy the peeshwank you were running round with. What of you? Your earliest memory?"
no subject
Does it? She doesn't know how computers work. She's a modern girl sure but she's not about to start trying to fix Louis without guidence. When he says another word she doesn't understand she laughs."
"Peeshwank? I don't know what that means but if you mean Jiro? Yeah I don't like him either. He's a jerk and he shouldn't have been so rude to you."
The question has her look surprised, then a little sullen as she considers it.
"I guess...my parents...I have a lot of memories of my mom...less of my dad. But he used to tell me stories before bed about superheroes from before I was born. His favorite was Spider-man. He and Spider-man used to fight all the time, and sometimes they'd fight together. I remember he was warm and his voice was kinda gravelly but I liked it you know?"
no subject
He tuts to himself and reaches for the first item of clothing, a dress, to hold it up and examine what will need mending.
"An odd thing to call a hero, I should think."
no subject
Was that a super power? It apparently was really useful according her dad.
"There were lots of heroes. Iron Man, Captain America, Dr. Strange. Dad didn't fight all of them but he knew lots of stories."
no subject
He picks up a needle and holds it before her.
"You have threaded before, yes?"
no subject
Opting not to think about what could have been Sandy squints at the needle in front of her.
"Yeah once or twice in school, but it's hard. Is there like a trick to it?" She accepts the needle and twists it back and forth between her fingers studying the hole where the thread is supposed to go.
no subject
And not hover- literally- over her, since it seems to make humans nervous. Rather he spends more time than needed getting the dress ready to mend while she works.
"Hopefully a teacher will wake soon, then you may resume schooling."
no subject
"I did it!" She grinned from ear to ear. "Thanks for waiting."
As for the teacher comment she pulled a face "Yeah because that's really what I've been missing from my life. Spending one on one time with a teacher alone in a class room." Then she realized that Louis might not be totally into sarcasm and scrambled to avoid offending him.
"So far you're a better teacher then the human one I had that tried to teach me sewing. She wasn't as patient."
no subject
He hovers closer again to observe her result and- carefully- pats her on the shoulder with a claw in congratulation. Then passes her the dress, pointing at one simple looking rip.
"Education is often everything. It separates us from the little bebettes fighting for scraps."
no subject
She knew it was a more complicated issue since robots weren't supposed to have feelings but her dad had told her about robot superheroes and villains...maybe Louis was like The Vision?
...hopefully he wasn't like Ultron.
"I guess I should have tried harder in math then. But I'd always forget steps or miss count and then I'd fall behind." She smiled when he patted her shoulder and then took the dress in hand studying the rip intensely.
Slowly...very slowly she pokes the needle into the dress.
no subject
He continues to hover, pointing out how to best hold the needle and the correct way to stitch as she goes along, but not reaching to take over at any point.
no subject
Meanwhile she does her best per his instructions, managing to make an OK first attempt. She does end up pricking her thumb at some point cursing and sticking it in her mouth.
no subject
"Charlotte? I imagine she will do her job now she has one. No more call to practice on the vermin."
no subject
The line about Charlotte made her snort and laugh.
"No way. She was practicing on like rats and stuff? Did they survive?"
no subject
Said with the lofty authority of a robot that lives for gossip.
"Yet, I may suggest you allow another to try her services first. For safety."
no subject
The last comment made Sandy laugh nervously "Y-yeah...maybe that's a good idea. I mean we probably don't have that many supplies to begin with down here with all the skeletons. She probably had her claws full trying to help whoever was here before us."
no subject
He doesn't freeze with that. The skeletons, after all, are easy enough for anyone to see and the logical conclusion easy enough to infer from them.
"Best to stay out of trouble, no?"
no subject
She continued her work for a moment in awkward silence before stopping to look at Louis directly.
"You'd tell us if there was trouble right? You guys are here to keep us safe?"
She didn't know what she was expecting in his answer. If he was programmed, he'd lie right? Was she expecting that she'd be able to tell?
Maybe she was just hoping she would feel better from his answer.
(no subject)
(no subject)
Good ending spot?