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Doctor Hans Memling was a former CTO of ArcJet Systems, professor emeritus at Hamilton University, and the chief engineer of Vault 96.[1] He is deceased as of 2103.

Background[]

Hans Memling was a skilled but eccentric polymath who was highly regarded by his colleagues. He was a principal author of 112 papers on quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, and cryonics. He was a former chief technology officer of ArcJet Systems between 2063 and 2068, leaving to become a distinguished professor at Hamilton University from 2068 until retiring with full tenure in 2075. He was later hired by the Vault-Tec Corporation as the chief engineer of Vault 96.[1] He expected this position not to be an easy assignment in his retirement years, as it required that he would keep the Vault operational on his own. Seeking a challenge, he chose this position over other opportunities, such as Mass Fusion's nuclear fusion beryllium agitator technology or helping ArcJet Systems' Thomas Reinhardt with the Mars Shot Project.[2]

A few months on the job left him disappointed, as besides the mainframe and research laboratory, the rest of the technology of Vault 96 was a few years out of date. This, however, may have been as intended by design. For example, ten Class-VI reactors were installed instead of one Class-XI reactor, and even the Vault's cryogenic pods were faulty leaked helium. He initially saw these problems as opportunities and was excited to begin work on serious improvements within the next year or two.[3]

Eventually the true extent of the Vault's experimentation was revealed. Instead of monitoring post-War surface conditions, the damage caused genetically to local fauna, and reintroducing species to restore ecological balance,[4] the true mission was far more complex. They were to conduct genetic experiments to explore mutated fauna and to develop countermeasures for them. The results of these studies were then to be transmitted to external facilities.[5] Furthermore, they were sealed in permanently and would be eliminated (killed) for failing to meet a quota or attempting to rebel.[6]

As the weeks became months the team struggled to keep up with quotas. The experiments started simple enough, eventually they had to move to speculative experiments.[7] Almost a year into the job, he was asked by Molly Cooper and Nina Valaya to track down something the mysterious "Specimen X-001," which the mainframe wouldn't release from cryo storage. Furthermore, it did not appear as part of the database.[8] Curiosity piqued, Memling decided to take his own inventory of the cryonics bays. At his count there were 85 pods, except at the back of bay 85 there was a door, tungsten-plated with military-grade access controls. When he looked through the grating, it was a single room made completely of concrete with a single pod, labeled "X-001." He believed that he saw something moving within it.[9] By December 2079, he and Jeanette Higgins were more actively helping Nina in the research lab in order to keep up with quotas.[10]

By week 148, due to the lack of access to Specimen X-001 and the lack of ability to improve or stabilize the mutation, Nina was unable to meet the quota of 568 credits and was subsequently killed by the mainframe.[11][12] Memling and the others confronted Overseer Erik DeMarcos, believing him to be responsible. However, after disabling the mainframe's monitoring system in the Overseer's office, Erik made a revelation: he had been just as much a prisoner of the mainframe as everyone else. For more than two years, he had quietly been working on an escape plan and had finalized development of SERAPH, a prototype computer virus originally meant for the Defense Intelligence Agency. SERAPH was capable of taking over and defeating even the powerful mainframe intelligence. The team resolved to find a way to escape. The plan was to use the virus on the mainframe, shutting it down, and escaping the day before quotas were due.[13]

Doctor Memling's job was to cause reactor brownouts during the escape. However, while most events went well on the day of escape, the mainframe's Vault-Tec Emergency Management System automatically activated Superseding Protocol Omega, which resealed the Vault and killed all its residents.[14] However, the virus was ultimately uploaded and successfully shut down the mainframe, leaving the Vault open. This allowed Doctor Edgar Blackburn to occupy the Vault as a new FEV test site by 2104.[15] Doctor Memling's work on the Vault reactor and electrical subsystems gave Blackburn direct access to the Vault's main power.[16]

Notes[]

There are two male Vault 96 dweller corpses, one inside Vault 96 and one inside the hidden crevice at Uncanny Caverns. These would correspond to Hans Memling and Erik DeMarcos, but it is uncertain which one is which or how one of their corpses could have gotten outside Vault 96.

Appearances[]

Hans Memling is mentioned only in Fallout 76, introduced in the Locked & Loaded update and further expanded upon in Steel Reign.

Behind the scenes[]

The terminals on which this character is mentioned existed in the game files since The Legendary Run update.

References[]

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