(no subject)

[vance_prime]

Alyx stayed in room 287 overnight, working on a project for Ellen Park. It took longer than she anticipated, but she's happy with the results.

She leaves a small package at the Bar for Ellen, then goes to sit down with a bowl of oatmeal and a tall glass of OJ.


The package contains an SD card and reader, with a plug adapter that matches the one on the Pip-Boy. It contains every single file that Alyx could salvage from Ellen's computer... all but one. The last file is recorded to a mini-disc with a player and headphones.

An accompanying note reads:

Ellen -

The card contains all the files I could get off your Pip-Boy. The plug should work with the computes in your world; if not, let me know and I'll adjust it to work. The music player has the recording of your father's voice. Just put the headphones on and hit the Play button.

Merry Christmas.

- Alyx

[Open to whoever until it scrolls! I might be slow to respond, though, as I have company coming and staying most of the weekend.]

Comments

[vance_prime]

"Let me put it this way," says Alyx. "Whoever invented the chamber pot must have been a pregnant woman."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"I'll keep that in mind," Ellen says. "I'm going to need to remember that someday."

[vance_prime]

Alyx blinks in surprise. "Why? Are you going into medicine or something?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"No, I mean that someday I'm going to have to have children myself, assuming I live through all of this with the Enclave and the purifier," Ellen says. "And it's not like I have a mother to ask about it."

[vance_prime]

"...didn't you once tell me you didn't want to have sex? Like, at all? 'Cause that's kind of a prerequisite to being a mom."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"I know, but it's still a civic duty," Ellen says. "And it's not as if there aren't alternatives. There were women in Vault 101 who didn't want anything to do with men who still managed to have children with a doctor's help."

For Ellen, that's amazingly frank.

[vance_prime]

"You're not in the Vault anymore, Ellen," points out Alyx. "You don't have to abide by their rules anymore."

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"It's still important. An adult ought to contribute to the next generation and the future of humanity both through their actions and through their genes," Ellen says. "If you want society to keep going, you have to do your part. It's like voting or jury duty or military service, before the Great War."

[vance_prime]

"Well, yeah..." Alyx can't really argue with that, but something about it rubs her the wrong way.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"It's okay. It's still a long way off. I have to make it through the fight with the Enclave first and get Dad's purifier running and the water distribution system set up before I can even consider having kids," Ellen says. "I'm just saying- someday."

[vance_prime]

"Fair enough." Alyx nods. "When the time comes, if I'm still around, look me up and I'll help out however I can, okay?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Sure thing," says Ellen. "That'll be helpful. Thank you."

[vance_prime]

"You're welcome, Ellen," says Alyx. "You're always welcome."