Chapter 255 - Dread

With the gas ignited and most Spores dead, Afton considered it time to inspect the last unexplored place in the Vault to hopefully find something to cure him... But, before he even leaves the mainframe room Keely stops him.

"Wait..."​​

Raising a brow, he turns to look at the ghoul, "What? You aren't going to try and lock me in the Vault are you? Because that'd end badly for both of us." he says, not wishing to kill her for trying.

Keely shakes her head and points to the mainframe terminal, "Did you access the former-residents research?"

"Yeah, why?" he broaches, already knowing where Keely was going with this.

...

"You need to destroy it. It doesn't matter if you don't intend to use the research maliciously, any risk of this happening again needs to be nipped in the bud. Especially since you will likely not survive for much longer, anyone could walk up and steal the Pipboy from your corpse." she explains.

It was true, Afton himself had no need for the research as nothing about it actually concerned curing the disease, only the methods they used to modify and enhance it. Strangely he'd only just noticed this now, but the fungus responsible for the outbreak didn't seem to be created here...

Regardless, Afton would keep the research, it was a one in a million chance but if it could prove useful in somehow curing him, he wouldn't be caught without it. "I can't do that Keely, besides, the research here wasn't even responsible for the fungus, all they did here was develop ways to enhance plants... I can see many, many ways of utilising such knowledge, so I think you're overreacting." he states, deciding to go the logical route that would most likely sway the scientist.

Keely glowers momentarily before glancing through the research on the mainframe terminal, apparently, she hadn't actually gotten to take a look at the backup and just assumed that the people here were the ones responsible for the fungus. The only actual thing they were responsible for was their negligence and complete misunderstanding of the organism they were studying.

After a minute or so of her skimming through the research she sighs, "I see what you mean... Fine! Besides, these terrified logs from the scientists succumbing to the fungus should set anyone attempting it again straight. Or at least, force them to set up better containment facilities."

Afton nods and gets to his feet, coughing slightly as he rests against the wall for a moment to catch his breath... His lungs were certainly taking the brunt of the infection... "Anja, could you help Keely for now?" he asks, not wanting to exert himself any more than he has to. Perhaps it would help slow the onset of the infection...

With that the group leave the mainframe room, glancing around the scorched hallway... Almost all of the plants had been entirely reduced to ash, with the exception of a few here and there. Though they wouldn't live much longer judging by the damage done to them.

They start heading up the floors, Keely had wanted to try and repair the elevator, but Afton refused. He wasn't expecting to return so taking a couple hours of his now rather limit time to repair an elevator was pointless.

Instead, they ascended the stairs and Afton marvelled at the now cleared common room covered in ash. It was a massive deviation from the previously forest-like room, but not an unwelcome one. He was somewhat happy he lived in the Wasteland and wouldn't have to see the colour green for quite some time.

They continued up the floors until they reached the Oxygen recycling room, "Hang on, there's one last place I need to check." Afton suddenly says, leading them to the cavern access and opening it with a keycard.

The airlock-like door slowly swings open, revealing a scorched and slightly melted cave passage. They walk through it, up an incline and eventually reach another opening into the Vault, more specifically a room that'd been blocked off for some reason.

Inside he, unfortunately, found most of the machinery inside too damaged to actually be of any use... It seemed that their attempts at ridding the place of Spores had taken its toll on everything else. Afton was pretty melancholic when he saw it, even if he took the time to try and repair everything with his [Mechanicus] Perk, he didn't know if the information would still be accessible, or even relevant...

Regardless, he searches the room with dipped shoulders, not finding anything of value... However, one he opened a lock he was greeted with six scorched and slightly melted cartridges, as well as a quest notification.

[Quest updated! Find parts to repair Bunkers ventilation systems. 2/3]

He blinks a couple times to confirm it before grinning, his previously dour attitude slowly washing away to reveal his determination to survive. After all, almost everything hung on his choices, he couldn't just let the people relying on him down!

"There's nothing here, let's go." he states, ignoring the other two's consolations. They backtrack through the facility and eventually find themselves back at the entrance of the place. Sun rays crawling through the gap in the door.

Most of the plant life here had been reduced to ash, but there were still a few petrified roots holding it open. Afton gave Anja his axe so she could cut through it, hopefully they'd be able to get the door control working so they could seal this tomb forever.

Eventually, they did manage to fix the door controls, (with not a small amount of assistance from [Mechanicus], after all, melted electronics don't usually just fix themselves.). Afterwards the group exits the Vault into the wasteland where a few plants still grew, though they seemed to be much weaker now than ever.

Afton utilises the outside door control panel and closes the Vaults gear-like door, afterwards destroying the panel to permanently seal the place.