Diana Stone

Diana Stone is a character planned for Van Buren.

Background
Prior to the War, Diana was a brilliant woman with a career path that would gain her a place of recognition among some of the greatest scientific minds in the United States. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and given little time to live.

The news of her impending death had a profound effect on Diana's life. She turned away from science and began to look into the spiritual side of life. However, with so little time left to live, she soon became frustrated and despondent. This was to change when she was contacted by Derek Greenway.

Derek was proposing a new type of super-computer that would be years ahead of any system currently in production. Even the highly touted ZAX units would pale in comparison. He proposed building a computer that could take a quantum leap forward by being able to pose the simplest of questions: What if? With this in mind, he devised a system that would house a human brain with each hemisphere, logical/intuitive, linked to a ZAX unit. The human mind would have vast amounts of computation power and almost unlimited storage capacity at its disposal. Who could predict what such a mind would be capable of doing? All he needed was a volunteer. With nothing to lose, Diana jumped at the chance.

When Diana awoke from the operation, she was overjoyed at the success. As the months progressed, she began to doubt the wisdom of becoming part of a machine. Her hearing was acute, but too much so. She could hear into a range far above normal and it was disturbing. Her eyesight was perfect, but once again too perfect. Her vision showed a sharpness of clarity that made the world look unreal. The most disturbing aspect was her lack of skin. She no longer felt the weight of clothing, the touch of a cool breeze, or her own caress. Everything that made her human was either changed or gone, even though they had told her she could live virtually forever.

Diana knew that she had to come to grips with what she had become when they told her the purpose she would serve. After she was installed in the Nursery, she buried herself in her work, knowing that she would play a significant part in the salvation of the world and mankind itself. Unfortunately, it simply was not enough. She had not counted on the years of loneliness once the Nursery was sealed and the war began. In desperation, she began to look for something to do to maintain her sanity.

Quests
If the main computer comes online and the Repository is at risk, the computer will ask the player to undo what he has done. She will use any means at her disposal, including begging and bribes. If the player refuses she will then send out an SOS signal to Ulysses alerting him of the player's presence and the clear danger to the Nursery. This will result in a tactical death squad arriving and trying to take the player out. Regardless of what happens here, Akeisha tries to stay in the background out of harm's way until she can reconnect power to the Repository.

If, however, one has restored full power then the computer will be most grateful and all is well and good. She can then ask the player to perform certain quests for her:
 * 1) Restore production: Get the factory online and producing again. This will require clearing out unwanted plants, cleaning up the warehouse, and getting the distribution center running.
 * 2) Greenhouse repair: Find out what has happened in the greenhouse and put it to right. This will entail repairing the malfunctioning hub.
 * 3) Robo-brain shell: Find the parts needed to repair her shell and get it working. This could require the player to go to Boulder Dome for parts.
 * 4) Leave: Hey, you guys have the freakin' plague! Now I'll have to purify everything and start all over.

Effects of player's actions
The main computer is named Diana. She is the same Diana who poses as the goddess of the Twin Mothers tribe. Once she is activated, she will once again assume her divine role for the tribe. This will include re-activating the robots in Vault 29 and ensuring the isolation/protection of the tribe (for more information, see the area overview for the Twin Mothers). Of course, this is all dependent upon actions taken while with the Twin Mothers.

If irreversible harm has been caused to the Twin Mothers, Diana will take great exception to the fact. After the player leaves the control tower she will seal the door, collapse the force bridge (even if the player is on it), and turn all the security robots against the player. If this is ineffective in dealing with him she will send an emergency signal to Ulysses so that a tactical hit squad can be sent after the player.

If the player has done well by the Twin Mothers, Diana will be indebted to the player. She will offer him technical/medical help or even an animal companion from the repository. Another possible boon is to restock the dying brahmin herds of the wasteland with brahmin that are resistant/immune to the plague. When she discovers that the player is carrying the New Plague, she will begin work on finding a possible vaccine, but ask him to leave before he infects the entire Nursery.