Fallout Shelter Fourteen

Fallout Shelter Fourteen
Chapter 2 - Kicking The B.U.C.K.E.T.

2276

My Cutie Mark! I got it, I finally got it. At the age of nine, I wasn’t last place, but I was pretty far back in the pack. It didn’t show anything special, it was just a circle with a line that swirled towards the centre. I myself wasn’t entirely sure what I meant. But it was time to finally get my own PipBuck.

When I couldn’t even tell the Overseer what it meant, and my parents couldn’t figure it out either, after I had taken a series of tests to determine what I’d be doing here in the Vault. I scored better in math, as I happened to find a book that taught some advanced techniques in the secret library, and I had been studying the computer terminals so I was fairly sure how they worked, I just hadn’t been able to access a working one. I wasn’t too great in the endurance run, but over short distances I could run like the wind. I got the wonderful job of working maintenance after a few lessons in computer terminals. I didn’t know how to fix anything, but they said that’d come as the job went on.

I wouldn’t even be typing this out if I hadn’t been put in maintenance, because I wouldn’t have known how to use a computer otherwise. And that was thanks to my mentor, Engi.

He was pretty nice. I was one of the few ponies that were allowed to access other parts of the Vault. I was finally able to see level 4 (I had seen part of it, ONCE before), where most of the pumping systems and de-radiators were, in addition to the Vault’s magical reactor core. I had been on level 2 a few times to fix some terminals what weren’t working properly either.

One day I decided to work on a project, when I was Eleven (2278), I started throwing parts together. After a few weeks I had finished making a portable power source. Using a bunch of MF (Magical Fusion) cells in series I was able to deliver a large amount of magical current to anything I hooked up the jumper cables too. It was pretty heavy, but compact so I could carry one around in a saddlebag without anypony getting suspicious, what made them so heavy is that they also had single lamp built into it. I had taken most of the MF cells from flashlights we had been given that were broken. I did the repair, but told them it also needed new cells in it as well. It lit up like it was new, I had more cells to work with, and the customer was happy. (I couldn’t be caught dead stealing Vault supplies, so I took ‘dead’ ones instead.) Flashlights, why did we still use them if we had a PipBuck? I wasn’t complaining but still. Curiously, I turned on my PipBuck light. It was formidable, but not splendid. I was starting to understand why we still used flashlights whenever the generator decided to stop working.

Did I not mention that? Our main power generator, a Magical Reactor had been on the fritz for awhile now. Since I was 5, we’ve kept it working this long. Blackouts were becoming more common; however It surviving this long was impressive in itself, but I had a feeling it would one day, shut off and never turn back on again. The Vault had the minimum amount of power consumption so, that should maximize the time we got out of it.

Anyways, with my new source of light. I would stay in the library whenever I didn’t need to do anything. The jumper cables successfully allowed me to power up one of the terminals. It was in the back left of library and separate from every other one, so I thought it might be the master terminal. When I turned it on, I found it was password encrypted. So I prompted the computer to use the backdoor instead. I looked at the screen; the password was eight characters in length. I had remembered what Engi had told me about these terminals, the backdoor password would reset every time you shut it off, but this could be used to your advantage.

I found one I thought would be suiting.

Outflank [1/8 Correct]

Well, that’s a great start.

Plushier [2/8 Correct]

That didn’t help much either.

Overcast [4/8 Correct] [Warning, Lockout Imminent]

Okay, that could be of some use.

Strangely, when I went over some bracketed text, I got an input option.

<*,;%-> [Allowance Replenished]

Hot damn! I assumed from Overcast that the password had ‘Over’ in it. That would explain the ‘O’ from Outflank. My list of O words wasn’t that expansive.

Overland
Overlaid
Overpaid
Overseer

Well that wasn’t obvious.

Overseer [8/8 Correct] [Password Accepted]

I typed the password in again and surprisingly got access to the Vault’s manifest. I skimmed through some of the logs but found one that was oddly interesting.

A Message From Stable-Tec

Stable-Tec? Wait what? This place was built by Vault-Tec. The whole point was to keep ponies safe, as if we were in a vault, until we could return to the surface... oh, it’s a pun. I get it. Continuing on...

A Message From Stable-Tec

Stable 14, we regret to inform you, that your Stable will not be supplied with a B.U.C.K.E.T, we hope this does not cause any inconvenience. In the event you do need to find one, please collaborate with Stable 8 or 21. Both have been issued one (1) B.U.C.K.E.T for their Stable’s projected needs.

-Overwatch

The message had also been time stamped when it was sent. May, 7th, 2074 @ 21:00. That was old, over 200 years old! I looked at my PipBuck, it had the date on it in a different format, 07/12/2278 22:51

I saved the password on the terminal and shut it off, I went to go power up another terminal, I passed by the Overseer’s office window light. I shook my head. I would get in so much trouble if I ever got caught.

Powering on this terminal gave me the Library’s records. At least it didn’t have a stupid password like the last one did.

Curiously, I typed a search into the prompt line...

Search>B.U.C.K.E.T

2 Item(s) Found: NEW-3780 (CAB), TWI-0210 (SLF)

Right, in Alphabetical Order by author’s name. I wasn’t sure why it meant by SLF in brackets though. I typed that into the prompt instead of putting Search before..

>(SLF)

Item found on shelf, for more terms type in (LST)

>(LST)

(CAB) - Item found in cabinet
(SLF) - Item found on shelf
(ARC) - Item archived
(IDX) - Item indexed but not sorted
(CLS) - Classified

That wasn’t important right now, but it was helpful. The item was in T section on a shelf. That’s what I cared about. Leaving the terminal powered up, I used my PipBuck light instead because I didn’t bring the generator with me.

Tee, tee. Where are you? I passed by Aitch, and then Gee... I was going the wrong way.

I scampered down to the other end. There was Que, Are, Ess, Tee. There it was. T section. At least I was on the end that started in TZZ, so I wasn’t that far away from TWI. When I finally found it, it was a tiny book, no, a pamphlet. I took it out and brought it back to the desk where my generator was. I made sure that I wasn’t in direct sight of the Overseer’s window. Then I flicked the lamp I installed into the generator on, and turned the dial down to make it dim. I started to read the pamphlet.

Beautiful Uncanny Craftors Kit for Environmental Terraforming

B.U.C.K.E.T

Use it to bring life to the dead earth. We’ve tried it! It works! (Just don’t be close to it when it turns on)
The standard issue B.U.C.K.E.T will be given to select Vaults/Stables that are set to open.

Always remember, look out for your fellow Stabledwellers, if your Stable doesn’t have one, the others will share!
If your Stable/Vault does, spread it around!
Results may vary

This message brought to you by Overwatch and the Administrator of the O.F.E

They swapped between the terms Stable and Vault a few times, so I was starting to see that either term could be used. I was betting the term Stable was just a code-name or joke. I had seen in the things I had about the ideas for the Stable, and the Vault.. erm, Stable Door. It looked like a Bank Vault door to me. Or at least the one I had seen on the cover for the book, Midnight Heist in Manehattan.

That raised a few questions with me. They said IF your Vault was set to open. Well, to be honest, now that I had hope for the outside world I wanted to see if we could get out there and find a B.U.C.K.E.T I bet that would make everypony happy. But our Vault, dammit Stable. I mean, you know what? Screw it.

Our Stable, Stable 14, didn’t have a B.U.C.K.E.T, that could have meant one of two things. We were set to open but didn’t get one, or we were never meant to open ever. That was depressing. I wanted to see what it was like outside, I bet all the other Stables with B.U.C.K.E.T’s had returned Equestria back to a flourishing state by now. I mean, it had been 200 years since the war.

I sighed, it was getting late again. I turned off the generator and left it there. That night I had some questions for my dad.

***

“Hey, um dad. Can I ask a question?” I said.

“You just did.” He smirked, he could be so irritating.

I huffed, “I mean, another question.”

He smiled, “Ask away.”

“Will we ever leave the Vault?” I asked.

Until that moment, I had no idea that such a simple question could cause such a displacement among my family.

The first pony to speak was my older brother. White Night

“Yeah! I’ve been wondering that for awhile now.” He said that with a bunch of food in his mouth.

For some reason, the question or the idea horrified my mother, she didn’t say anything but I had seen her scared before.

My dad sighed, then took in a large breath.

“What gave you the idea of leaving?”

Telling the truth would require me to admit the library, so... I lied.

“It’s just something I’ve always wondered about. Why can’t we leave?” I lied, well it was kinda the truth.

“I occasionally run tests to see if the radiation has finally passed topside.” My father replied.

“And it hasn’t yet?”

“No, it’s still very much lethal. Within a couple minutes you’d have taken enough radiation that you accumulate over a lifetime, does that answer your question?”

“Yes. Yes it does.” I felt like dying.

After dinner I did my duties in maintenance and returned to the library for a few more hours. At least I wouldn’t be bored ever in my lifetime in the Stable.

***

2279

One day I had decided to go back to the manifest terminal, I booted it back up. There was a question I was dying to have answered and it had been bugging me for awhile. I had since made two more generators, so I could have multiple terminals turned on at once. I found that with multiple jumper cables or alligator clips I could run several terminals off of one generator. I had also done some restructuring. I had moved most of computer terminals, the ones that weren’t bolted to a desk, to a room or section I had found at the back of the library. The room I had found lead to another floor up that had all the cabinets, these were just in Alphabetical Order. I had read so much stuff in the last year. I was almost 13 now.

After booting up the manifest terminal, the password after a year was still ‘Overseer’ I browsed it again. After doing some searching and narrowing down the list of stuff I had access to I found something that was supposed to be for the Overseer. Not what I was looking for, but I read it anyway.

To: Stable 14 Overseer
Re: Lockdown

Stable 14, this is a remote message from Stable-Tec’s automated systems. One of our control groups (Stable 33) has gone dark, all linkages to the orbital network have since been severed and any attempts to recontact or otherwise confirm their status have failed. We can only assume the worst. From this point on you are their replacement. Enter Lockdown mode immediately. If you haven’t left already. Otherwise, ignore this message or confirm lockdown status.

Never open the door.

-Overwatch automated message
February, 21st, 2278 @ 16:38
Message Confirmed by Overseer, 02/21/2278 @ 16:57

Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable. I didn’t wanna get locked up in here for the rest of my life. What was that supposed to mean? That was recent too, sure I was like 11 but still, but still that was just over a year ago. It made me wonder if this terminal had more access than I originally believed. Why would the manifest terminal get a message like this?

I scrolled down the list some more. I found another message.

Bird Is Ready To Fly

This is an automated message from Stable-Tec, it has been exactly 200 years since your Stable was closed. Please run a topside RAD test via the Radiation Tracking Spreadsheet, if everything checks out with the predictions spreadsheet included with the program, you are now allowed to leave the Vault. Please use extreme caution.

-Overwatch Automated Message System
May, 9th, 2277 @ 00:00

WHAT?!! We got this message a year sooner than the lockdown message and we’re not out? What is this? I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. We could have been outside helping the world rebuild with what we had here. But instead we’re cooped up in here because some computer says not to open a door. That didn’t explain why the Overseer hadn’t let us out in 2277. I vaguely recalled the old Overseer dying and replaced with the current one, his daughter.

No, no no. The topside radiation must have still be high. Yeah, that explains it. If it’s too high then we couldn’t leave. The logical thought crushed me.

But I did type in the search prompt.

Search>”Radiation Tracking Spreadsheet”

I got numerous citations to whatever it was. But I did find what I was looking for, and it was the answer to both of my questions. What’s the Radiation Track Spreadsheet and if it’s for what I think it’s for, can that tell me what I was wondering. I found it after some scrolling.

>Radiation Tracking Spreadsheet (Executable Program) “RTS.exe”

Radiation Tracking Spreadsheet “RTS”

I pressed enter on the keyboard. I got a single line of text. Something was telling me I wouldn’t like the results, no matter how they turned out.

Topside Radiation Probe... Online.
Run test, Y/N?
>Y
Measurement: “RADx10” (Yearly Dosage)
+10 000 = Immediately Lethal
+5 000 = Severe Radiation Sickness
+1 000 = Minor Radiation Poisoning

Please wait...
Projected estimates:

Assumed - Measurement
Actual - Measurement
* - Lethal
~ - Prolonged Exposure Is Not Advised

Record Logs,
Displayed statistics are average by mean across all tests ran in a single year.
2077 - 20 000 RAD* 2080 - 5000 RAD* 2090 - 700 RAD~ 2100 - 100 RAD~
2077 - 38 000 RAD* 2080 - 6800 RAD* 2090 - 400 RAD~ 2100 - 20 RAD

2150 - 7 RAD 2250 - 2 RAD 2277 - 1 RAD 2278 - 1 RAD
2150 - 3 RAD 2250 - 1 RAD 2277 - 1 RAD 2278 - 1 RAD

Radiation scan finished...
Displaying results...

Year: 2279
Estimated Topside RAD: 1 + Yearly Solar Exposure
Actual Topside RAD: 1 + Yearly Solar Exposure
Conclusion: Safe
-Note- No change from previous test performed on November, 8, 2279.

Adding scan to record logs...

The computer continued to spit out information that I couldn’t even begin to grasp. But I could understand what was being displayed here extremely well. Within 20 years of the End, the levels of radiation were well within habitable means. I can understand wanting to wait, but we had no reason to be staying here. More so with the reactor becoming more shoddily fixed every day. Engi could work miracles but the reactor was on its last legs.

That also made me wonder. Who ran the previous scans?

“I occasionally run tests to see if the radiation has finally passed topside.”

He... he knew! He had to know! Unless he was wrong. Or I was wrong. But the logs said... I... I don’t know. It didn’t matter right now though.

I wondered who I could trust with this? Who could I tell that it was fine on the surface? I didn’t know, but I did know something. I wasn’t staying here any longer than I had too. I made a print off to a dry ink printer that I found and put the paper in a pile that would grow in size over the next year.