The vault door has never been opened since it was sealed twenty years ago. Swanson refuses to open it. There are rumors that some of the other Colonies have sent explorers up there, but it’s not known for sure what they found. Some say that it is totally desolate; that mankind has been wiped out and Mother Nature has reclaimed the planet. Some say a new civilization has been founded that’s based on the control of natural resources. Others claim that it is a radioactive wasteland from sea to sea, and murderous gangs prey upon the weak. There has even been some wild speculation about mutants and monsters roaming the surface. Who knows what’s bullshit and what isn’t. Unless you can find somebody that has actually been to the surface, it is all just a bunch of theories.”
“I’ll bet Swanson has a pretty good idea what is out there since he is in contact with the other administrators. Do you think he will let me leave the Colony like he says?”
“No,” she replied without hesitation. “Not to the surface, anyway. I don’t think he will open the vault door until he has confirmation that it is safe to repopulate the surface, or if his hand is forced.”
“I have a feeling his hand will be forced. It’s all well and good to think that the world has been swept clean of whatever corrupt society he thinks was out there, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Eventually, he will have to take a gamble and open the vault door. I, however, have seen humanity in its worst and most desperate state, and I know that survival instinct is incredibly powerful. I think the people sheltered inside these bunkers would be shocked at what the surface world could be like.”
“Not everyone,” she said. “It takes quite a bit to shock me. As a scientist, I like to observe and measure things for myself, not take others’ words as gospel. A growing number of people have become more and more vocal in recent days about opening the vault door. Of course, there are those who have grown complacent in the safety within these walls, and are afraid of the unknown. I am firmly in the ‘lets open the door and see what it’s like on the surface’ camp. The effects of impact winter should have ended years ago, so why not get started rebuilding up there?”
Reznik nodded slowly. “You have wisdom beyond your years. Someone like you should be leading these people.”
She laughed. “I’m no politician—I’m blunt and honest to a fault, as I’m sure my father or many others here could tell you.”
Reznik reached out and patted her hand as he saw the sadness in her eyes at the mention of her father. “It will be all right. I’m sure your father is fine.” The lie wasn’t as easy to voice as he had hoped and he knew she could see through it, but she nodded and gave him a sad smile.
“So what is this surprise that Swanson says you have for me?” Reznik asked, anxious to change the subject.
“Surprise? Do you mean the augmentations?”
Reznik looked puzzled. “I’m not sure—Swanson just said it would be something that would give me an advantage over whatever I might find at Colony 13.”
“Must be the augmentations, then. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you see it,” she said, deep green eyes twinkling.
Just then, her eyes lost focus and she cupped her ear with her hand. As she swept her hair behind her ear and turned her head slightly, Reznik saw what looked like a couple small blue LED lights glowing beneath the skin just behind her ear. Myrna was silent for a moment, then nodded and spoke in a low voice. “Keep him calm and bring him down to the med bay. I’ll meet you down there and see what I can do to fix him up,” she said.
The blue lights winked out and she turned back to him. Seeing his puzzled look, she explained, “Datalink implant—it’s pretty standard these days. You don’t have to carry a comm unit or mobile phone, or whatever they called them back in your day.”
“Look, I have to head
“I’ll bet Swanson has a pretty good idea what is out there since he is in contact with the other administrators. Do you think he will let me leave the Colony like he says?”
“No,” she replied without hesitation. “Not to the surface, anyway. I don’t think he will open the vault door until he has confirmation that it is safe to repopulate the surface, or if his hand is forced.”
“I have a feeling his hand will be forced. It’s all well and good to think that the world has been swept clean of whatever corrupt society he thinks was out there, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Eventually, he will have to take a gamble and open the vault door. I, however, have seen humanity in its worst and most desperate state, and I know that survival instinct is incredibly powerful. I think the people sheltered inside these bunkers would be shocked at what the surface world could be like.”
“Not everyone,” she said. “It takes quite a bit to shock me. As a scientist, I like to observe and measure things for myself, not take others’ words as gospel. A growing number of people have become more and more vocal in recent days about opening the vault door. Of course, there are those who have grown complacent in the safety within these walls, and are afraid of the unknown. I am firmly in the ‘lets open the door and see what it’s like on the surface’ camp. The effects of impact winter should have ended years ago, so why not get started rebuilding up there?”
Reznik nodded slowly. “You have wisdom beyond your years. Someone like you should be leading these people.”
She laughed. “I’m no politician—I’m blunt and honest to a fault, as I’m sure my father or many others here could tell you.”
Reznik reached out and patted her hand as he saw the sadness in her eyes at the mention of her father. “It will be all right. I’m sure your father is fine.” The lie wasn’t as easy to voice as he had hoped and he knew she could see through it, but she nodded and gave him a sad smile.
“So what is this surprise that Swanson says you have for me?” Reznik asked, anxious to change the subject.
“Surprise? Do you mean the augmentations?”
Reznik looked puzzled. “I’m not sure—Swanson just said it would be something that would give me an advantage over whatever I might find at Colony 13.”
“Must be the augmentations, then. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you see it,” she said, deep green eyes twinkling.
Just then, her eyes lost focus and she cupped her ear with her hand. As she swept her hair behind her ear and turned her head slightly, Reznik saw what looked like a couple small blue LED lights glowing beneath the skin just behind her ear. Myrna was silent for a moment, then nodded and spoke in a low voice. “Keep him calm and bring him down to the med bay. I’ll meet you down there and see what I can do to fix him up,” she said.
The blue lights winked out and she turned back to him. Seeing his puzzled look, she explained, “Datalink implant—it’s pretty standard these days. You don’t have to carry a comm unit or mobile phone, or whatever they called them back in your day.”
“Look, I have to head
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