chapter 1

Vault 62 was intended to see how an unfit female population would handle the horrors of a post-apocalyptic world. The brains in Vault Tec knew that a population of people confined to mostly automatous vaults would eventually start to physically deteriorate. However, in the case of Vault 62, an programming error in an automated system (Ironically) didn't run the correct systems to speed up the residents' fattening. In fact, the women of Vault 62 would become some of the most fit in post-apocalyptic America. Until one day when the Vault's central computer started working again, 40 years later after the bombs dropped....


Samantha woke up in the medbay, not remembering anything from the night before. Her sleek body was clad in the standard Vault-issue pajamas, and her long brown hair was unbrushed. Going into the main doctor's office, there was nothing but empty chairs. Doctor O'Brien's office was empty as well. The terminal at her desk had Samantha booked in for three days, but with no listed symptoms, or medication. Also listed was Vera, a wastelander they let in a week ago. (Wastelanders were let into the vault just as long as they were civilised enough and were women)But alas, Vera wasn't here either.
Exploring the atrium, Samantha found nothing. The cafeteria, however, had a huge banner reading, "Vault 62 40th anniversary!", and there were cups everywhere. Each one was obviously used, but completely clean. Taking a new one from a stack, she poured herself some water. Immediately, a strange sensation swept over her; within five minutes, she was filling her cup up with some ration paste. The ration paste was a greyish sludge that served for most meals, and tasted slightly bland. But now, it tasted wonderful.
Samantha continued exploring, and always found herself refilling her cup at a previously unknown ration dispenser. They were littered all over the place; bedrooms, rec rooms, even utility rooms. And Samantha always refilled her cup.
After finding nothing of interest on the main level, she decided to investigate the overseer's office.
In Vault 62, the position of overseer was a popularity contest for the nicest room. Indeed, when Samantha got in there, she found out what the fuss was about: Climate control, electric blanket, mini fridge, and a view of the vault atrium. Soon after, she found herself asleep in the bed's warm covers...

Samantha woke up abruptly to the sound of tank treads on floor tiles. Looking out the overseer's window, she saw a robobrain trundling along, investigating the atrium walls. While Samantha was accustomed to the Ms. Nannies and the protection guards, a robobrain was something she only saw in her old school textbooks. Going down the atrium steps, she approached it cautiously.
"H-hello?" she said with a slight waver in her voice.
The robobrain swerved around, its pristine white chassis turning, raising its left hand in greeting.
"Ah!" It said in a processed feminine voice, "You must be Samantha!"
Samantha let her guard Dow slightly. "Y-yeah. What's going on?"
The robobrain turned around and started trundling down a hall, beckoning for Samantha to come with it.
It led her to a previously unknown side room in one of the dorm halls. Inside was a bed and a small desk with a terminal. On the bed was an overweight Vera. If it wasn't for her tanned skin and deep blue eyes, Samantha would've never recognised her. She was sitting up on a mound of pillows with what seemed to be a hose in her mouth, leading up to a ration dispenser. She smiled at Samantha as she came in. The robobrain logged Samantha into the terminal and said, "Most of Vault 62's info and what is currently going on is on this terminal. Now, I've got work to do, so you should be left to your own devices." before wandering off into the vault again.
Indeed, the terminal did contain a lot of info, as it read:
"Vault 62 of Project Safehouse is a project looking to see how an unfit and weak bodied female populace handles the harsh conditions of a nuclear hellscape. The experiment begins one (1) month after the vault has been sealed. Phase 1 includes the introduction of heavy appetite enhancers to the water systems, inducing people to eat more, and phase 2 includes the introduction of a high-absorption ration meal (99% of the consumed meal is stored as fat in the body). After most vault residents are at a BMI over 27.5, phase 3 is initiated: Robobrain units are deployed and herd their designated residents out of the vault for two weeks. After the two weeks, the vault residents can return to the vault. The population of 100 vault residents will be divided into two groups of 50. One group will be sedated while the other goes forth into phase 1. Once the first group has been escorted out of the vault, the second group can be awakened and commence phase 1."
Samantha took a deep breath after reading the mission statement. Not only was her twin sister out in the wasteland, fighting for her life, but she was going to have to do the same. She then moved onto the first robobrain's log:
"DISASTER! Something happened to the central computer and everything is 40 YEARS LATE! The population (despite having a sperm bank and fertility treatment center) has diminished from 100 to 52! Of course, the mission statement said 'two groups of fifty', but we can only have 1 group of fifty. The other two can only blame their ancestors for not repopulating the vault in accordance with Vault Tec regulation. Anyway, after phase 2 for my group, I saw that everyone was thoroughly plumped up, and equipted them with their required gear for the wasteland and went off with them TRANSMISSION ENDS"
Samantha found comfort in what happened, but was still afraid for her friends. She opened the second robobrain's log:
"There are only two vault residents left. One is a wastelander, and the other one was bred within the vault. While sedating them was easy, the wastelander was more difficult to keep asleep, waking up just as the first group was leaving. Engaging emergency protocols, I decided to use a potent form of the appetite enhancers in a spray bottle. Almost immediately, she searched for nourishment in the cafeteria, distracting her from the others leaving. So far, she has gained a significant amount of weight (20 pounds per hour, as oppose to the 10 pounds per hour those in the first group averaged). The other vault resident woke up and began eating at the expected times. So far, nothing else has gone wrong TRANSMISSION ENDS."
As Samantha finished reading, she heard mechanical spluttering and an exasperated sigh from behind her. Indeed Vera sat up in her bed looking thoughoughly disappointed.
Her body had undergone an insane change: Her breasts were bursting out of her vault suit, her belly went halfway over her thighs and her face was dumpy and fat looking.
"So, you surprised?" she said, heaving herself off the bed. "I am. Thought the vault life would keep me fit, with the gym and all, but now I feel like a human bean bag." Stepping on some scales neaby she laughed. "239 pounds. Even my dumb wasteland ass knows that's a lot."
"Are you not bothered?" Samantha said, "We're gonna be out in the wasteland, all alone, surrounded by whatever is out there. And we're gonna be too fat too run away"
Vera chuckled again. "Don't worry. These parts are pretty safe during the winter. After all how do you think I've lived this long?"
Samantha sighed. "I guess..."