A victim of the Experimental Radiation Treatment
- “Had to conduct ANOTHER training seminar on the proper usage of the new batch of Rad-X. Apparently some half-witted private OD'd by taking the capsules directly, despite all of the warning labels printed directly onto the jar. [...]
I'm getting real tired of explaining this. [...]” - —Journal
The development of Experimental Radiation Treatment refers to Royst-Bernard research staff inside the Lucky 38 Labs and Vault 21 developing anti-radiation treatments prior to the events of The Fall, which is assumed to be one of the reasons for the formation of the Royst-Bernard Expedition after The Fall.
Background[]
In the wake of the Legion-NCR war, NCR research teams were given a mandate to develop improved treatments and countermeasures against radiation sickness as many NCR personnel had been stricken in incidents such as the dirty bomb attack on Camp Searchlight.
Through extremely questionable research practices on living test subjects, ultimately leading to Royst being incarcerated and scheduled for trial by the NCR, this project eventually bore fruit: Experimental Rad-X and Experimental RadAway.
While initially promising, the compounds developed proved categorically lethal to human life and were abandoned along with many of the other scientific endeavors of the Lucky 38 research staff.
One of the Vault 21 custodians discovered the research practices the NCR were performing and sabotaged it, causing the destruction of Vault 21, which resulted in the NCR dumping radioactive waste in the vault entrance to cover up the event.
During The Fall, the Freeside rebels rushed to the Lucky 38, and destroyed the labs, though suffering heavy casualties.
During the Royst-Bernard expeditions foray into the Mojave wasteland in the aftermath of The Fall, the researchers accompanying them made an interesting discovery. Beyond its original intended effects, the experimental Rad-X proved capable of decontaminating irradiated water at low concentrations, a theory first put into practice with the reservoir at Camp Golf.
Because of the implications of this discovery, Royst's supporters believe that it alone is sufficient to absolve Royst of all charges filed against him.
Trivia[]
- Despite Edwin Royst being incarcerated and thus not being part of the expedition formed after The Fall, it still carries his name alongside that of his former assistant Lydia Bernard: Royst-Bernard Expedition