Cambridge Polymer Labs, LLC was a pre-War company operating the Cambridge Polymer Labs. It had multiple lucrative contracts with the United States military, specializing in nanotechnological research and robotics.[1]
Background
Cambridge Polymer Labs, LLC was a privately-owned company established by Jon Elwood, Ericka Woolum, and Wilfred Bergman in 2074 for research into experimental smart materials and robotics that could support the U.S. military. It was made possible by a generous grant from Col. George Kemp via the Defense Experimental Research Project Initiative, after their research into nucleostrictive and piezoelectric polymers caught their eye.[2][Non-game 1][3]
Nucleostrictive Lining Project
Its last contract before the war was the Nucleostrictive Lining Project, developing a smart material for power armor that would allow the power armor's lining to convert ionizing radiation into electrical energy fed directly into the suit's batteries. Initial studies led the research team under Jon's wife, D.Eng Ericka Elwood-Woolum, to hypothesize that by taking a piezoelectric material, lead zirconium titanite (PZT), and applying a polymer of gold and lithium hydride could produce the desired effect.[4]
Initial tests proved the method to be sound, but numerous setbacks in the research pushed the project behind schedule and earned the ire of Col. Kemp, who even threatened to pull the company's funding after a particularly disappointing failure.[5][6] The research team spent the remaining weeks leading up to the Great War stuck, puzzling over the final hurdle of thermal dissipation blocking their way to a successful prototype.
Post-War
The Great War did not immediately ruin the company and its research, as while Cambridge received a direct nuclear hit, the laboratory building was spared the nuclear devastation. The entire research team survived, as Director Elwood had ordered them all to stay in the lab, forewarned by a phone call from Col. Kemp.[7] Elwood immediately issued an e-mail to the entire team, mandating overtime and lying that the project was nearing completion. In the meantime, he scrambled to find a ham radio and re-establish contact with the military, as all external connections were fried by the EMP.[8][9] Only one person on the team was privy to the truth: His wife. He asked her to maintain the lie to avoid a panic among the researchers and ensure the completion of the project, as it was the only thing the military was willing to accept in return for extraction. Conning them was out of the question, as lying about the possession of vital military assets or intelligence was tantamount to treason.[10]
The team scrambled in vain to produce a working prototype, but a combination of various factors, including Elwood's injuries sustained from his trip outside the lab and the mental strain of prolonged isolation culminated in the total destruction of the company. Several researchers resorted to escape attempts, including Wil Bergman. Bergman's own comments about taking "a more oblique angle" to escape inspired Ericka to find a theoretical solution that could complete the project, but this was as far as the company would get.[11] Bergman, realizing radiation was leaking into the lab, sealed off what he believed to be its source and inadvertedly cut off access to the samples the team needed to finish their work, as well as trapping Mary Goodman inside the chamber. He proceeded to hack into the facility's systems to steal control from Jon Elwood, intending to open the exit by triggering the facility's defenses and fighting his way out. His colleagues, having no combat training, realized the only they could stop Bergman would be to ambush him in his office.[12][13]
Ultimately, these events resulted in the demise of the entire research team. Jon succumbed to an infected gunshot wound sustained during his trip outside the lab. Ericka was killed by a rigged gun that Bergman had set up for self-defense. Tom Franklin, dying from radiation poisoning, chose to commit suicide. Bergman's plan failed, as the facility remained in lockdown for the following two centuries. Trapped, the remaining staff would also suffer the effects of radiation poisoning. By 2287, the only living things inside the labs are feral ghouls, including Jon Elwood and Wilfred Bergman thmselves.[14][15]
Known products
Appearances
Cambridge Polymer Labs, LLC appears only in Fallout 4.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 P.A.M.: "Preliminary analysis complete."
Desdemona: "Anything we need to move on?"
P.A.M.: "Affirmative. Code name Patriot requires admin credentials for Code Defender security software. Cross-indexing CIT Security Administrators with 2077 Commonwealth Census Records. Filtering by surviving structures. One match found. Bergman, Wilfred. Bergman, Wilfred registered as co-owner of Cambridge Polymer Labs. Estimated 81% chance of login credentials being located at this facility."
The Sole Survivor: "What's at Cambridge Polymer?"
P.A.M.: "Cambridge Polymer Labs, LLC had several active military contracts. Specializing in robotics. The region is currently classified as "Extremely Dangerous"."
Desdemona: "After you get the password report back here. With any luck, we'll have a game plan by then."
(PAM.txt, Desdemona.txt) - ↑ Molly: "The genesis of Cambridge Polymer Labs lies in the research of a group brilliant graduate students. Jon Elwood, Ericka Woolum, and Wilfred Bergman met during their time together at CIT. This slide shows them at their graduation. Their research into nucleostrictive and piezoelectric polymers caught the attention of Col. George Kemp in the fall of 2073. In the spring of 2074 the company was founded, with a generous grant provided by the Defense Experimental Research Project Initiative. The research produced here has resulted in several of components used in the Liberty Prime project that led to the successful defense of Anchorage. The company enjoys a strong relationship with the military and welcomes your addition to the research team that helps build a better America."
(DN015 Robot.txt) - ↑ Sole Survivor: "What's at Cambridge Polymer?"
P.A.M.: "Cambridge Polymer Labs, LLC had several active military contracts. Specializing in robotics. The region is currently classified as "Extremely Dangerous"."
(P.A.M.'s dialogue) - ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Ericka's terminal, Project Thesis
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Ericka's terminal, Thermal dissipation
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Ericka's terminal, Tensile strain
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Bergman's terminal, Call from Kemp
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Director's terminal, It was a warning
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Bergman's terminal, [J.Elwood] - Mandatory Overtime
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Ericka's terminal, [J.Elwood] - Confidential
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Ericka's terminal, Trapped
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Ericka's terminal, We're so close
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Ericka's terminal, [W.Bergman] - I'm getting us out
- ↑ Cambridge Polymer Labs terminal entries; Director's terminal, Ericka, please read
- ↑ Suicide note
Non-game
- ↑ Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide p. 407: "[7.08] CAMBRIDGE POLYMER LABS
This laboratory was a research facility looking into the development of Smart Materials to convert radiation. It appears to have suffered a catastrophic failure after the bombs fell."
(Fallout 4 Vault Dweller's Survival Guide Map)
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