Michelle Dallian

Michelle Dallian was a citizen of Vault 3 and the head of its External Associations Committee before its invasion by the Fiends.

Background[]

Note: The summary below uses a number of terminal entries which are unused in-game, alongside ones which are not. Unused terminal entries will be marked by the icon in the reference.

During Lincoln Davis' tenure as overseer, Vault 3 experienced a major water leakage issue which led to water rationing being implemented. Lincoln and Michelle decided that the only solution to their problem was to open the Vault to trade with the surface for necessary resources. With Lincoln's support, Michelle decided to form the External Associations Committee, which would manage the Vault's affairs with the surface world. She promptly took charge of the new committee, dedicated to forming friendly and long-lasting relationships with those on the surface.^[1][2]

This announcement was met by resistance from some in the Vault, who felt that opening their doors would threaten their safety. These people became called the Isolationists, with Michael Robinson being one of the most outspoken.^[3] With Lincoln's term soon coming to an end, Michael tried to run for overseer against George Stault, who supported the plan of opening the Vault. Luckily for Michelle, George won the election, allowing their plan to open the Vault to continue,^[4] especially as Michael's supporters dwindled, convinced to join Michelle's side instead.^[5]

Michelle wasted no time, putting out an email to everyone in the Vault encouraging them to volunteer for the committee. She recruited Sarah Kimper, George's sister, to help her lead the committee and organize the volunteers into teams who would handle various aspects of their external affairs: trading, politics, and more.^[6][7] However, she was very adamant about one thing: there would be no security team for the Vault, nor would any of the teams carry weapons. The teams (as well as anyone else) would also be free to come and go from the Vault as they pleased. This was because Michelle, not knowing anything about the outside world, believed that carrying weaponry outside would make Vault 3 seem belligerent and hamper diplomacy.^[8]

Michael, ever cautious, repeatedly tried and failed to change Michelle's mind, proposing that the door should only be opened when necessary,^[9] or at least that the teams should be allowed to carry weapons to defend themselves.^[10] What he got instead was an agreement between Michelle and George to store all of Vault 3's weapons in two submerged storerooms in the living quarters to keep them out of his hands, as they believed he would try to cause an incident to prevent the Vault door's opening.^[11]

No such incident occurred. After the Vault opened, there was so much initial success dealing with the surrounding communities that the Vault was determined to soon be able to return to full operation. Even Michael was forced to admit to Michelle, grudgingly, that he was wrong about the outside world. With their success, Michelle began planning further activities for the outside, such as working with headmaster Daniel Raati to find schools on the surface to accommodate the Vault's teachers and students.^[12] She became even less willing to listen to Michael, who continued to advocate for defense in the wake of numerous sightings of "strange helmeted freaks" getting closer to the Vault every day.^[13]

Even to the very end, Michelle remained oblivious to the dangers of the outside world. When the Vault's trading team failed to report back one day, Michelle reassured Nara Robinson that the team was likely just running late, and that the door would be kept open for them no matter what.^[14][15] Soon, this open door policy would allow the Fiends (the strange helmeted freaks) to enter the Vault, kill everyone inside, and take over.

Appearances[]

Michelle Dallian is mentioned only in Fallout: New Vegas.

References[]