Trouble on the Homefront

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

The door opens into the dusty, metal-smelling interior of a house built from the parts of long-ago airplanes. Light leaks into the room through the greased-paper covering over a few windows, and through the chinks in the metal walls. Ahead, a set of dented lockers takes up one wall. An alcove in the back seems to hold dishes and possibly an ancient refrigerator. There's a workbench off to the left, and stairs leading upward off to the right. "Well," Ellen says, "this is it. Home sweet home."

"Welcome back, mistress!" comes a tinny, mechanical voice from upstairs. "You weren't gone long at all that time..."

Comments

[basic_powers]

..That might just be because Mrs. Palmer is a wise old lady.

Tyler's just beaming...this should be a very bright start for the Vault 101.

"...Ellen, I'm gonna see if I can find Winston, I think he ran off to find more rad roaches."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Good idea," says Ellen. "I think I need to find Reverend Avellone. If that's all right, of course."

"Oh- sure," says Amata. "But don't go far. There's some things I need to do anyway, but we really need to talk."

[basic_powers]

"Yes, Miss Amata."


-------------------------------

It's took a while to find Winston, and just a bit longer to find his way back to the clinic.

Winston however, is covered from head to tail in various gooey bits of roach, as well as carrying a good-sized portion of a leg in his mouth.

Definitely giving the little bugger a bath.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Ellen's arrived back in the clinic by the time Winston and Tyler return. "Amata?" she calls.

"Over here," says the other young woman, who's seated at a makeshift desk that used to be an examining table. "Ellen... this is all so sudden. I can hardly believe it."

"I can imagine," Ellen says with a smile. "But I think you can do the right thing for the Vault."

Amata nods. "Oh, I will, believe me. We can open up limited trade with nearby settlements and other areas, and see the world we've been missing." She glances at the other people moving in and out of the room. "But it's still important that I protect our Vault, and keep the people within it safe from the dangers of the Wasteland. Even when those dangers have helped us in the past. And that makes the rest of this even harder."

[basic_powers]

"...we're being kicked out, aren't we?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

Amata's expression turns ineffably sad.

"You saved us. But a lot of people here still blame you and your father for... well, everything that happened. I know it's unfair, but if you stay, it'll tear this place apart. I guess it's a bit familiar. You've already been forced out of the Vault once before. At least now you know what's out there.

"I'm sorry. You're a hero... and you have to leave."

Ellen closes her eyes a long moment. Finally, though, she nods. "All right," she says. "I guess... I guess I understand. Good luck, Amata... everyone."

"Good luck out there yourself, Ellen."

"Tyler," Ellen says, "we'd better go."

[basic_powers]

"...Winston....heel." The raptor turns his head and kroaks softly falling into step at the boy's side.

"...I hope someday...things'll get better."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"That makes two of us."