Research Lab

The research lab is a section of Mothership Zeta in 2277.

Background
The research lab is an area of Mothership Zeta accessible via the cargo hold. It is unnecessary to visit the research lab to gain access to the Bridge and further the main questline. However, the area becomes inaccessible after leaving the engineering core and all chance of retrieving captive recordings towards the Alien Archivist goal will be permanently lost if not explored before taking the teleporter to the Bridge. One should enter the research lab via the door in the southwest of the cargo hold (Note: the door leading to the research lab next to where one first enters the cargo hold will be initially locked. It can be unlocked by pressing the button on the other side of the door - this requires accessing the research lab through the southwest door in the cargo hold.)

At first glance, the research lab appears to be where the aliens analyze Earth's vehicular technology. Displays of cars, motorcycles, and Colonel Hartigan's space pod. Deeper in the labs however, one discovers a warehouse-scale collection of Giddyup Buttercups and related memorabilia in various states of storage. It appears that the aliens are fascinated with the pre-War toy. One room houses a lone Giddyup Buttercup surrounded by dead test subjects with observation rooms on either side. Upon making contact with the dais on which the horse rests, its eyes flash red four times. A workbench can be found with a disassembled Buttercup and some pulse grenades.

Layout
The research lab consists of two large main areas that are connected by a hallway. Upon entering, the player character finds themselves in the vehicular research area. This area contains a single large room with various vehicles and mechanical devices. The hallway leading to the Giddyup Buttercup research area is immediately south from the entrance to this room.

The Giddyup Buttercup research area has two levels and is comprised of a large room with three connected smaller rooms. The southernmost room in this area contains a teleportation matrix that the player character can activate in order to return to the cargo hold.

Notable loot
In the first section (vehicular study):
 * Alien captive recorded log 13 across from the warehouse door.
 * There are 37 toy cars in the entrance to the hallway that connects the vehicular study area to the Buttercup warehouse area.

In the second section (Buttercup warehouse):
 * Alien captive recorded log 21 across from the healing archway.
 * In the larger Buttercup warehouse, Southwest corner: Buttercup toy (across from a work table on the second level of the storage shelf)

Appearances
Research lab appears only in the Fallout 3 add-on Mothership Zeta.