Fallout 3: Radiation

The Surprise

NINE YEARS LATER

"These experiments are a waste of time..."

"Teacher's pet!"

"It's a pleasure. I'm Jonas. Um... I guess... I'm your new assistant."

"The experiments are to prepare..."

"You gonna cry? Waah!"

"I don't know why you don't understand..."

"I'm so sorry..."

"Surprise!"

"Surprise!"

"Surprise."

"Surprise!"

"Stanley. You turned the lights on too fast. You blinded the poor kid!" Officer Gomez chuckled as he claps along with everyone else. Stanley looks slightly sheepish and rubs the back of his neck apologetically.

"Happy Birthday!"

Andromeda blinks, her eyes still adjusting to the bright lights as she lowers her arms.

A banner spelling the words 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' was strung in between two large pipes, one water one gas. A couple of balloons float in a corner, each a different color, and a small cake (is that real icing?!) sits on the counter beside some pointy party hats.

There are 9 guests in all, only 5 of which she was actually happy to see.

In front of her stands her father, wearing his signature white lab coat, his beard growing longer and more unkempt by the day. He looks tired, but he's smiling, his green eyes, so like hers, twinkling with love and joy.

She can't help but smile back.

She's 10. Today is her 10th birthday. July 13, 2268. What is there not to be happy about?

"Can you believe it? She is growing up so fast."

That's Old Lady Palmer, the oldest resident of Vault 101. She sits in one of the booths and smiles her gappy smile, a red polkadotted party hat on her gray hair. Andromeda always liked her. She was the closest thing she had to a Grandmother. Closest thing any of them had to a Grandmother.

"Happy birthday, honey!" her father congratulated. "I can't believe you're already 10. I'm so proud of you."

For what? Surviving?

"If only your mother..."

The unspoken meaning hangs in the air between them as her father looks anywhere but at her. It's always like that. Anytime her mother comes up he trails off, becoming silent and staring at anything but her, almost as though to look at her would make everything too real, before he goes back to acting as though nothing happened.

He's never blamed her for her mother's death, but the guilt always claws at her.

"Congratulations, young lady!" Overseer Almodovar said in his usual condescending tone, and for once in her life, Andromeda was actually happy he was here, if just to save her from the uncomfortable silence of her father's memories. "I don't have to tell you how special this day is, do I?"

No, of course not. This is the day every Vault resident under 10 dreams of. It's really the only thing to look forward too.

At age 10, every Vault 101 resident receives a Pip-Boy 3000.

"Down here in Vault 101, when you turn 10, well, you're ready to take your first official Vault responsibilities," the Overseer continued as he reached behind him and brought out a Pip-Boy, which he proceeded to hold out to her. "So here you are. As Overseer, I hereby present to you your very own Pip-Boy 3000! Get used to it."