Vault 69/Decon-doctor/Boom/Stay/Talk to Dad
You put the radiation suit on while your mother helps to make sure it's on properly. After you're completely protected, she puts on her own suit and shows you out of the lead curtain protected area through a air-lock style double curtain system. As you walk down the hall, nothing seems strange to you at all; but the external radiation sensor on the suit is going crazy. Ten rads per second, twelve, twenty-two!? The suit seems to be doing its part as there are no rads currently leaking through. When you turn the corner you finally see the issue. The entire corridor has collapsed. There are severed wires still casting sparks; and burst pipes that seem to have been sealed, and the water cleaned up. It's a total wreck. You stop before you get much closer as your mother guides you into the Communications Room.
The room is filled with electronic equipment, but only one of the monitors is active. On the monitor, in living black and white, is your father; who is also in a radiation suit. You pull away from your mom, and dash over to the console. You sit at the chair and stare into the monitor.
"I'll leave you two alone," says your mom. "Do you know your way back when you're done Tay?"
"Yes ma'am," you say.
"Okay, well message me with your Pip-Boy if you need help." With that she leaves the room.
You look at your father for a few moments, not sure what you should say. He takes the initiative and breaks the awkward silence first.
"How are you holding up, Champ?" he asks.
"I've been better," you say. "I'll be alright though. I just can't believe this is the last time we're going to talk." You imagine that he'll try to give you hope like your mom did; but instead he just nods his head.
"I know this is hard on you, Tay; but you have to be strong. Your mom isn't as strong as she likes everyone to think. She'll need to lean on you now that I'm gone. Your sisters are going to need you too. I know it's selfish of me, but could you stay strong for them? I know it's cliche, but you're the man of the house now . . . hell, you're the man of the vault now. Can you be strong for me?"
You choke back a tear and nod. You dare not speak, feeling that your voice will crack and your semblance of strength come crashing down around you.
"I heard you're the last one here because you were helping everyone get through decontamination?"
"Yeah," you say softly, "I figured everything would go faster with me helping."
"I'm very proud of you, son. I couldn't have asked any more from you if I tried. You're already the man I've been trying to mold you into. Your integrity speaks volumes."
"Thanks dad . . . but I didn't really do it for you."
"That makes me even prouder." Your dad seems to be thinking about something, and is quiet for quite a while. You're about to speak when he finally continues. "Now there's likely going to be some big changes in your future, son. The only way that vault continues is with children . . . and you're the only one who can make them."
You blush heavily, and hope he can't tell through the mask.
"I know your mom and I have told you that you have to find the right woman and settle down one day; but that has to change now. You don't have the luxury of having one wife. You need to be the husband of ever woman in that vault. That's a tall order, Tay. Most men can't handle one woman; but you're going to be responsible for nine hundred ninety-nine of them. I know it's a lot to handle; but I have faith in you."
"Umm, thanks?"
"Don't worry," says your dad with a chuckle, "the enormity of it will probably hit you later. Just know that I'm proud of you; and I believe in you."
"Thanks dad," you say, choking back a tear, "I'll always remember your advice."
"You don't need to remember all that," he says, "just remember that I love you." Something starts beeping on his end of the screen. "Damn, the radiation is starting to get through the shielding. This is it Tay. The last things we'll say to each other. I love you son."
"I love you too dad," you sob as the damn breaks and the tears start to stream.
"Take care of your mother and sisters. You have to be a man now. I know it isn't fair, but life isn't always fair. I'll think about you every day."
"I'll never forget you daddy."
"Alright," says your father urgently, "that's it. Hurry back to the shielding, son. I love you and I'll miss you. Now GO!"
You turn and hurry toward the lead blankets. Your suit monitor starts to beep just before you enter the double blanket radiation lock. You stop and try to calm yourself down before going through the second set of blankets. You have to be strong for your mom. You enter the area, and she is waiting for you with her radiation suit still on. She takes you by the hand and guides you into some decon showers that have been set up in an adjacent room. You scrub down the suits until they register no radiation, then finally take them off. Even after all that, you know your mom can tell that you were crying. You put on a tough expression anyway to show your strength. Your mom smiles down at you and takes you through another room back to the elevators. She holds your hand as she enters the elevators and presses one of the buttons. As the elevator starts its ascent she pulls up her Pip-Boy.
"We're clear," she says, "seal it up." You hear the popping of several small explosions and a rushing, foaming sound.
"What was that?" you ask.
"Lead-cement foam. It's an expanding lead-based polymer foam that will keep the radiation from contaminating the vault. Unfortunately it will permanently block any chance of radio communication and the only hard lines will be crushed to unusability by it's mass. It seems they're made of a glass fiber instead of good old copper . . . glass doesn't transmit radiation as well as metal. They're crushed by now; so we're totally cut off."
"We're going to be okay, mom," you say softly. "I'll take care of you."
"I know you will, sweetheart," she says. "I know you will."
She takes you to your family quarters in silence. As soon as your head hits the pillow you are out.