I don't know much besides that it happened, honestly. I believe the whole world was fighting over the last remaining natural resources, the Resource War lasted about ten years -- each nation invading other countries to claim what they had. We don't know who launched their nuclear weapons first, only that everyone else followed suit. Two hours of humanity nuking each other with their entire arsenals, and that was enough to destroy everything. To turn the whole planet into a wasteland.

[ It may have been before his time, but humanity hasn't really changed much, a fact that DiMA knows all too well. He sounds sad as he recounts the tale. ]

At least many communities were prepared for it. The Vaults could hold up to a thousand people each, but they weren't exactly just for protection. They were also government experiments, and many failed. Some people did manage to survive on the outside, but they were altered by the radiation.

[ As for her last question..... well. ]

Not exactly. We are slaves, but not to humans in general. Only to the Institute, who created us. To the rest of humanity, we are a threat. Weapons sent to destroy them. They fear us.