There Stands the Grass

There Stands the Grass is a quest in Fallout: New Vegas.

Quick walkthrough

 * Enter Vault 22 and download the research data found there.


 * (Optional)Find Keely, a researcher who has gone missing at Vault 22.


 * Meet Keely at her base of operations on the second level.


 * Find the vents Keely is pumping gas through and somehow ignite the gas.


 * Return to Keely and let her know the spores have been purged.


 * Return to Dr. Hildern at Camp McCarran with the research data.


 * Return to Cam McCarran and tell Dr. Williams that Keely is safe.

Detailed walkthrough
To start the quest, you have to speak to Dr. Hildern in the Camp McCarran station. After speaking to him, he will give you the location to Vault 22. Make sure to speak to Dr. Williams so you get an optional objective to find Keely, a researcher who went to the vault before and has become missing.

Getting to the vault is pretty easy, just make sure to watch out for the Cazadors who roam around and just follow the marker. Once inside, make your way to the Pest Control level. Inside the Vault are numerous Mantis (Fallout: New Vegas) and what are known as Spore carriers. In the Pest Control there are Spore plant (Fallout: New Vegas) who shoot toxic vomit much like the Centaur (Fallout 3) are known for. Use the computer in the Overseer's office to unlock the doors on the Pest Control level. Follow the marker into the computer room and download the files. There is a door with a hard lock on it. Don't waste any magazines on it as it can be opened from the other side which you will end up going anyway. The same goes for the elevator unless you really hate running around.

Finding Keely is a bit more difficult. It is recommended you have followers as the area where she is is littered with Spore plants and Mantis. Eventually she'll be found on the south end of a cavern and she'll talk about a plan to burn all the spores. Follow her to the second floor and make sure you have a Flamer (Fallout: New Vegas) or some sort of explosive/energy weapon. You are supposed to find two vents next to each other. These are circular vents that are right next to the entrance of the cavern on the Pest Control level. Make sure to stand in the computer room where you downloaded the files earlier so you don't get killed from the blast.

After all that, return to Keely for your reward. She'll talk about destroying the files from the computer. She'll discover they were downloaded and you have multiple options from here:


 * Tell her the truth and destroy the codes for good karma. If she lives you will get caps or Karma depending on what you bartered with Dr. Williams.
 * With a sufficiently high Science check(70), you can convince Keely to save the data.


 * Tell her the truth and refuse to destroy where she will become hostile. Killing gives you her password to leave. Make sure to use her computer to unlock the door. This gives you New California Republic infamy.


 * Lie and let her live. You will lose karma for lying but gain it for saving her.

After that, whatever you chose you must return to Dr. Hildern.


 * If you saved the data he will give you 1200 caps and you can get an additional 600 with a high enough Barter or Speech skill.


 * If you deleted the data, the quest will end with you informing Dr. Williams that Keely is safe or dead.


 * If Keely died, you can tell Dr. Williams a lie with a speech check. You get 800 caps and lose Karma this way. If you don't, you won't get anything but you won't lose karma.

Any of the ways gets you a cool 1500 xp if you finish it and your infamy with the NCR will be raised.