Fallout 4 Fan Fiction: Vault 96 and the S3 Program

Segregation, Subjugation and Servitude; these were the three prime objectives of the S3 Program devised by the Enclave for Vault 96. The Vault-Tec Corporation made a deal with the United States government before the Great War commenced which was classified above top secret; that Vault 96 would be handed over to the government to use for their own nefarious needs after the radioactive fallout had subsided. To ensure the plan would begin smoothly the government planted a member of their special forces to serve as Overseer, Captain Jenna Nillson, as well as fifty other soldiers to serve as vault security. When Vault 96 was sealed shut, things were kept as normal and homely as possible, leaving no suspicions of the Enclave’s true motives.

Vault 96 was one of the largest vaults ever built; it housed 1800 occupants as opposed to the usual 1000 and had a vast array of top-of-the-line facilities, some of which were hidden from the Vault dwellers. Fifteen years after the Great War, the radiation had mostly subsided and the Enclave dispatched a contingent of 100 soldiers, scientists and combat robots to Vault 96; they entered the vault, rounded up the entire population and began the S3 program. The vault dwellers were split up into sections; children were brutally trained and worked into the Enclave’s ranks, adults were used for either breeding or hard labour while the elderly were used for experimentation or executed. Anyone who disobeyed or even angered Nillson and her men was punished severely and over the decades that followed, the vault population knew nothing but pain, suffering and fear under their so-called “masters”. A never-ending message was seared into their minds; “Your servitude and obedience are the most important steps towards rebuilding our great nation and the only way we can avoid repeating the actions that destroyed the old world”.

The Enclave’s original plan was to build an army in Vault 96, an unstoppable force that would sweep across the wasteland, destroying anyone and anything that didn’t fit their definition of a true American while also imposing complete and utter control over those who were “uncontaminated” by nuclear fallout. Some of the key components of this plan involved constructing a massive fleet of Vertibirds and mind control devices similar to the ones in the Capital Wasteland were also developed for use on any uncooperative human subjects. However, the order to emerge from the Vault never came, so instead the Vault 96 contingent remained below ground and continued their work, assuming that their superiors would eventually commence the operation they had spent decades preparing for. To ensure her authority would endure, the aging Captain Nillson uploaded her consciousness to the Vault’s computer systems before passing on; to this day, her static face on all the computer screens is a constant reminder to the Vault dwellers that they are being constantly monitored and controlled.

Even as the Enclave crumbled thanks to the actions of both The Chosen One and The Lone Wanderer, the Vault 96 contingent continued their sadistic power fantasy, adamant that their rule would not be challenged or ended. Perhaps they may have sought to overtake their defeated superiors to become the de-facto leaders of the Enclave, keeping the organisation alive no matter the cost. The leaders of the contingent remained inside their vault, with their only interactions being the use of proxy factions and disguised individuals who were selected to obtain useful technologies and information from The Institute at the Vault’s neighbouring city, Boston. Knowing that any major operations on the surface would draw the attention of the Brotherhood of Steel, each of these individuals was fitted with an automatic counter-measure to ensure the secrets of Vault 96 would never be revealed. If any key words were uttered outside of the vault, then the Enclave operative and everything he or she was carrying would be reduced to ash instantaneously.

After nearly two centuries of secrecy, a critical flaw in the Enclave’s plan has occurred; at a chance meeting with the Sole Survivor at the Diamond City trading hub, an operative of Vault 96 triggered the failsafe; while their body was turned to ashes, their belongings were left mostly intact. The Sole Survivor discovers several notes on holotapes as well as a map showing the location of Vault 96’s location. Curiosity gets the better of the Sole Survivor as he or she discovers the Vault door, only to be knocked out, captured by the Enclave and placed in the living quarters with the other vault dwellers. Here, the Sole Survivor learns first-hand of the brutal regime the Enclave holds over the vault and resolves to escape while also assisting (or hindering) the fellow vault dwellers in the process.

The Enclave officer encounter occurs at level 25 and as the player character; you decide how to deal with Vault 96. You have several choices as to how to escape or deal with the last remaining Enclave stronghold on the East Coast. You can choose between…

A. The Great Escape: Rally and inspire the Vault dwellers together to form a rebellion and escape the Vault, potentially incorporating them into your settlements on the surface. The Vault will still be accessible for loot and other story snippets (Very good Karma): Tactics for the escape depend on skills alongside preparatory quests such as using speech to sway dwellers to work together. A strong skill in guns or energy weapons is very beneficial towards training the dwellers to fight with you.

B. A plea for assistance: Use the Vault’s communication systems whilst sabotaging defences to inform the Brotherhood of Steel of the Enclave’s presence, prompting them to launch an assault on the vault to rescue the dwellers. This however will cause the Brotherhood to take on the dwellers into their ranks and take all the technology, reducing the Vault to rubble after the rescue is completed. If you are allied with the Brotherhood, you can change their minds about going through with this. (Good Karma): Science or Lockpick alongside sabotage quests to make the Brotherhood assault more likely to succeed.

C. The only way out is my own… Deactivate or sneak past the security systems and sneak out of the Vault or steal one of the vertibirds, leaving the dwellers to their fate. Alternatively you can also trick the Enclave into sending you above ground and deactivate the countermeasure while above ground. This is the simplest way to complete the overall story but will also result in Enclave squads being dispatched to find you. (Neutral Karma): Sneak alongside deactivation quests to aid the Sole Survivor and make the escape go more smoothly.

D. A merciful end? Set Vault 96 to self-destruct with either the Vault central computer or by rigging key areas with explosives; this will rid the Commonwealth of the Enclave for good but will also kill the entire Vault population, effectively freeing them of their torment and making it seem as if neither of the two sides existed. The Vault will be inaccessible and its contents will also be destroyed in the cave-in. (Evil Karma) Explosives and rigging quests to target vulnerable points in the vault.

E. The Queen has fallen… Disable or destroy Jenna Nillson’s AI, assassinate or enslave the Enclave troopers with their own mind control devices, take command of the automated systems and seize control of the vault for yourself, using the vault dwellers for your own nefarious means. With this ending, you can come and go from Vault 96 as you please as it becomes your own twisted settlement, but having one ruler as opposed to an army means the dwellers are more volatile and you will also need to put down any rebellions that spring up. (Very evil karma) Science and repair alongside preparatory quests to both seize control and enforce the Sole Survivor’s rule afterwards.