((Collab post between Letter Bee and Ciphra))

Enclave Scientist Jose Barre was supervising a pair of maintenance droids as he began the retrofitting of the Vault’s fabricators for military use. He already disliked the inhabitants already; as far as he was concerned, drug-altered Vaulties were just as bad as Mutants.

He could spare some sympathy for the women, though; some things, even the Enclave didn’t do, at least not until that goddamn libertine Alan had taken over. He sighed, to think that Pure Humanity had come to this…

As he wallowed in his grief, he saw a young woman, 18 years old, provocatively dressed, moving outside, apparently to ‘please’ one of the men. Ugh…

Seeing that he had nothing to do, Jose, a black man who looked about middle-aged, gestured to the young woman to come to him; if she came near, he would ask:

“You, tell me the directions to the medical bay; I want to know more about that drug you Vaulties use.”

Alayna was finally free to do her own thing so she had been going back to her room to probably lay down or just relax, maybe read a book or something, when one of the new people around here called over to her. Alayna quickly smiled and walked over to the man before finally responding. 

“Why sure, I could gladly help you with that. Would you like me to show you? It might be a little easier for someone new to the vault.” She offered kindly still smiling and acting pretty innocent considering all things. 

“All right,” Jose allowed the woman to guide him, then. After that, he spent several minutes gathering samples of the Fertility Drug and analyzing it, his nostrils flared and chin jutting out; a sign of disgust. Then, he said:

“We’re going to the Overseer.” He then walked off to the Overseer’s office, and after a brief, hurried conversation, in which Alayna can see that Jose was doing some fast talking of his own, the man then said:

“All right; but I want ten Plasma Rifles.”

Jose nodded...then began leading Aylana, as well as his samples of Fertility Drug, [i]out[/i] of the Vault and onto a small salvaged atomic car. 

He would then drive her into the middle of the Wasteland, before speaking:

“I told the Overseer that I can make a [i]perfect[/i] version of his drug, one that would allow the men of the Vault to sire more males. I also told him that I needed a test subject, which is you.” The black man then stared into her eyes.

“I lied about that second part; I plan to make a perfect version of the drug, but I didn’t need you except to salve what remains of my conscience. What does that mean?” He would then hand her a Pistol and a Carbine - nothing fancy, just ordinary stuff - as well as a pack of food and water and a Stimpack, just one.

“That means you’re free to go, wherever you want, as long as you and I never see each other again, [i]Mutie[/i]. If you want directions, west is Liberty Island, where more of your kind live.” He then gently pushed her out of the car, then drove off abruptly.

Blinking in heavy confusion as she watched the car drive off Alayna stood there for a moment trying to process what the hell had just happened to her. Was her dream really answered? Could it really have been that simple? And without any cost? Was this a test? That couldn’t be it. So as she tried to process the events that had just unfolded Alayna turned and started walking west, still wondering why it was [i]her[/i]. The man could’ve saved anyone of the girls, one of the younger ones, but he chose her. From what he said though they should never see each other again, so she turned slightly and looked back in the direction in which the man had come from.

“Thank you…” She said softly to the empty horizon set before her as she turned and continued to walk towards Liberty whatever the place was.