The look of absolute, abject horror on Jimmy's face before Badger leaves will remain in Badger's memory. He has, quite possibly, scarred the young man for life.
Jameson nods to another scribe, who runs up to help Badger purchase what he needs as he walks into the base itself away from the visitor's center.
"A town full of robots, huh? God, I hope none of them are like McCarthy-bot over there. Oh, well, I'm sure we can figure how to get them working for us with a little rewiring. That's a nice set of t-45d you have there. Not bad...not bad at all. Seems you did a good job retrofititng...what the hell, is that a fusion core from a ThunderCoogerFalconbird? The soldering could use a touch up, but your configures are elegant."
He nods, as Marcus laments about the situation with mutants and ghouls and the BoS's KoS policy.
"Yeah, well, you know an Elder can't be removed unless he's done something...pretty bad. Like 'Murder Brotherhood Members' bad. There's only been four instances of it happening in our history, and one was a loophole out in Vegas some outsider lawyered his way through about. We just have to find our best ways to wiggle through the rules, ourselves, until the Elder passes, and hope someone a bit more open hearted like the Head Knight gets the job, instead of the Head Paladin or Scribe. Speaking of which, I think you should report what you found to your Senior Knight. That's some damn good scouting, and scouting is what you guys usually do best...and f&#@ing move heavy ass boxes for me." He laughs a bit.
Mickey face palms during Jameson's explanation of the "commies". And he even glares at him, which given his fresh scar must be particularly jarring.
"EH-RK, fire only when you are being fired upon or when receiving direct orders. You could be endangering a, uh, CIA operation. If you fail to follow these guidelines, we will assume you're, uh, programming has been compromised by communist code - or whatever. And we will take appropriate measures."
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"I will, J, I will... later I'll come back and pick up a plasma rifle. I trust you to choose me one with lotsa punch. Oh, I almost forgot it! Lemme introduce ya to Maria." he says as he brandish his chainsword. "I haven't tested it yet on a living target, but I betcha this bad babe can chew through power armor plating like it's brahmin muttbutter. I tell ya, if you can produce a few and arm some of our boys with 'em the mutts will have something to fear." after writing down the blueprint of the chainsword and the shopping list needed to build one, Marcus leaves Jameson thinking about the future of the Brotherhood.
He searches the Senior Knight and waits till he's free to report.
"Sir, Knight Edwards reporting in. As you already know I was headed to the supposedly empty Vault with the Class B vaulties to help them retrieve it and establish there. On our way we were ambushed by a group of Muties waiting on an ambush. They were organised, prepared and used guerrilla tactics. We remained victorious but our vehicle suffer damage so we retreated to Dome for much needed repairs. While there we heard of a Deathclaw threathening the trading routes and moved to secure them." he produces the coordinates he copied later "We followed the track there and first inspected the Police Station. There we were greeted by functional robotic guards directed by a technochief embedded into the building itself. I managed to convince him we were Army troops and he provided support to hunt the Deathclaw. I could see at least two dozens protectrons and a couple SWAT labelled Sentrybots. The station also had supplies, weapons and assorted technological pieces. We weathered the hurricane inside the City Hall after killing the Deathclaw and a dozen cubs. We had woundeds so we returned to Dome without having time to inspect the other buildings, like the Firefighter's Station."
"And that's all, sir. Well, there's also this." he says giving the chainsword to the CO for inspection "I already told Jameson how to build more, and I found this T-45d and managed to restore it to working condition."
Spencer starts looking pretty green as the group passes Miami, and requests a quick stop-off at Dome so he can get a purge. He comes back, looking almost as nauseous, but the radiation's out of his system, at least.
Back at the BoS base, Spencer unloads with the others. He snickers a little at Jameson's talk of communist uniforms, but nods with Mickey's assessment. "Sometimes we engage in undercover operations against the commies," he says to the robot, backing up his friend's story. "We can deal more damage to them with a little thought and patience. As hard as it is, we don't want to shoot all of them on sight, sometimes. We'll all know when to open fire, believe us."
Heading off with Badger for supplies, she mentally went over the list she made on the drive over. As they arrived at the trading tent, she looked for something that indicated medical supplies and walked over. "Need buy med items, please. Med kit, stimpaks, Med-X, antivenom, and brace. Group not good at staying healthy. And some good water if here."
After getting the med supplies she thought would be necessary, Aeryicka went to the armoury. Though she liked the make-shift spear she made, she realized that it would be useful to have another weapon as back-up. "Need buy weapon, looking for machete. Also, light-weight armor, not hinder movement."
Marcus's CO, Senior Knight Miguel listens eagerly to Marcus's report.
"A town full of robots, huh? Interesting. I'll run this up the chain - I wouldn't be surprised if they sent two or three patrols of paladins in there to clean the place up. Good job, Marcus, real good job! The mutants are a surprise. I haven't heard of organized mutants, especially not on the east coast...I mean, there was that mess with "The Master" when they first started showing up on the west coast, but usually they're just...savages. This is disconcerting. And these new folks you found are the same ones who saved Phillip's crew? We just got the radio fixed up and heard about that and their radio transfer. Mac's boss made those folks pretty damn rich! Mac always was insisting people out of that Vault 2 were good folks. Maybe we should see about finding where that place is and opening communications?"
He stops, scratches his chin, and then looks over the blade Marcus made. "This is damn impressive. Wasn't your father a scribe? Take after the old man, you do. Too bad you're too useful as a scout, or I'd put you in for transfer. I want you to keep running with this crew and keep us posted on what you find out there, but try to maintain radio silence as long as you can. I don't think we want anyone tracking our positions out there, and from what Mac said, there's someone out there pissed at us with gear...well, s~$@, man, I haven't heard of tech like this since we blew the Enclave to s#@# a decade ago up in DC. We just sent a Humvee to pick him and his crew up, by the way...sounds like they're in good shape, but Phillip seems to want to transfer Mac under our umbrella. Hard ass puto, that man."
As the rest of the group is shopping and Marcus is talking to the Brotherhood leadership, inexplicably both PipBoys start flashing and making noise, and suddenly your faction status pops up IDOLIZED and Jameson, who by now has returned to the shop, looks at his own status board. "Hey, you guys still have those holotags I gave you?" As soon as someone hands him one, he scans them into the system.
"Well, if that ain't something. I don't know what Marcus told his boss, but welcome to the A-Class ladies and gentlemen. Seems I just got a message to open you up to the good stuff." He whistles appreciatively, and grins. "You seem to have friends somewhere."
After Marcus returns to the party, Miguel chases him down, "Hey, you need to go talk to the Head Knight. He wants to see you - like...right now!" Miguel is grinning ear to ear.
Badger flips through the inventory, making a list.
"Let's see here... yeah, Recon armor is probably good- do you have it in camo or black? I guess camo or army green is best given the heat... The Needler is silent, but I want the Desert Eagle too if the shotty isn't cutting it... We're going to a Vault, so I'll take those electronic lockpicks, too. And a box of bobby pins, case I want to get creative with my hair."
The Pipboy screen lights up and Badger flashes it to Aeryicka and Thomas.
"See, they love us already!"
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Thanks to his stoicism and rigorous training, Marcus receives the praises and advancement humbly and elegantly, insisting that the Brotherhood is above any personal glory and how much of an honour is to be a part of this fine organization.
That's it until he exits the base and moves towards Jameson's post. Marcus walks the last meters with all the swag and bragging attitude he can muster and simply posses while they finish their purchases.
He only says "Can I get my plasma rifle engraved with "Senior Knight's Boomstick"?"
"Okay, EH-RK, check this - these..." he pulls out a picture of a super mutant, "These are the new Russian uniforms. Okay? They're almost all dirty stinky nasty disgusting communist bastards, straight from Stalingrad and wanting to make us have free universal healthcare and, god forbid, free bread. Can you believe that crap? They don't even read Ayn Rand over there, it's all Lenin and Marx. Absolutely disgusting. You may, rarely, I mean super rarely and probably not ever, meet one of these pieces of crap that isn't quite communist, but is definitely at least socialist, so you can probably fire at will at these pinko bastards."
He pulls out another photo of ghouls and raises it up, "This is the new Chinese uniform,...
"Ah, yes, EH-RK, keep in mind that we have a few 'defectors' on our side as well. Particularly, we have allies in a village named Palatka who just happen to look like 'communists', but work with us in our mission to spread freedom."
"Please refrain from firing unless fired upon or ordered to do so."
"Well, if that ain't something. I don't know what Marcus told his boss, but welcome to the A-Class ladies and gentlemen. Seems I just got a message to open you up to the good stuff." He whistles appreciatively, and grins. "You seem to have friends somewhere."
"Excellent news! I half expected Marcus to incur the wrath of his superiors. He is a bit, eh, unorthodox compared to some of the other Brotherhood members we've met."
"As thanks for your trust, I believe we're going to handle that 'Mesmetron' issue immediately. Its mere existence has been making us all antsy for a while in any case."
"First, however, I have some projects to complete..."
While everyone else is shopping, and being so excited he barely even stops to congratulate Marcus, he runs to an open workshop.
After getting her purchases, and finding a suitable place to put on her new leather armor, Aeryicka made it back to the van in time to see the large Knight swagger back. Cocking her head as Cray landed once more on her shoulder after going who-knows-where, she asked, "Something good happen?"
Confused Expression: What gave any of you the idea that I would respond to orders? My superiors are the Good Ole You Ess of AY!
Mocking Laughter: Just kidding.
Serious Tone: Not really.
EH-RK stands really, uncomfortably close to Mickey and emits.
Conspiratorial Whisper: The CIA huh. Okay then, which one of these clowns is a Commie?
Conspiratorial Whisper: The CIA huh. Okay then, which one of these clowns is a Commie?
Mickey shrugs and says something he remembers from a spy novel he read back in the vault, "That's need to know."
He then walks off to get some food.
***
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Intrigued: Will stand by for Communist threat detection and elimination Agent Mickey Rios. EH-RK emits loudly
EH-RK then busies himself walking around to people and emiting
Statement: Facial scanning commencing. Stand still citizen, I am comparing your features to known Communist sympathizers.
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Tom shakes Jimmy's hand. He seems to know before he says anything. The man who always has something to say is now at a loss for words. He just says, "You'll be fine."
As he turns to go Jimmy stops him. The boy takes off his pads and hands them over. "I'll be safe here. You'll be neither. For some reason the zombie-lady already offered me my own room. I think she called me 'son' at one point. Don't know why, but she's really taken a liking to me. "
Tom just nods. The Irish have a wise saying: 'It's not who you meet and know, it's who you eat and blow.'
"I'll be back someday, kid. Be seeing you."
As he leaves the village he tries to find Jimmy to shake his hand one last time, but he seems to be avoiding him for some reason. Ah, well.
Tom looks among the weapons, and looks to trade his laser pistol for a plasma pistol.
The party all shop around, talk it up, and scrounge down some food in the tents before resting up the night, ready to load into the van and conquer their next target...
Spencer grins at the upgrade to Class A and slaps Marcus on the shoulder in congratulations, but being short on caps and good on gear, he contents himself with walking around with the others and getting some food. "Well, all things considered, I think Tampa might be our next stop. Although if it's supposed to be a hot area we may want to use some group funds and buy some rad suits."
Badger, kitted out with new gear, returns to the assembled group.
"Tampa, eh? That sounds like a plan. We can see if there's any naked pirates left.", he says, flipping up his matchbook with the nudie pirate lady on it that says "Tampa Buck-Naked-A-Neers".
The crew loads up into the van and begins to head west across the state on the remnants of 528, and it's only after you pass a few signs that say "ORLANDO" The KinGDoM in graffiti that you realize you're going to have to pass by Kingdom or even through it to get to Tampa. This helps to explain yet another reason the Brotherhood was not eager to provoke war with the raider city.
As you're traveling down the highway towards the town, begin to hit the ruins of old Orlando. There aren't as many high rises, or destroyed buildings, as you would likely see in Miami, but there remain a few skeletons standing in the wind of the post-apocalypse, and as you drive closer, you can see they are just that - skeletons. Most of the walls are ruined, floors filled with holes, and the steel structures and occasional chunks of concrete are all the hold it together.
The road to Kingdom itself, (which if you pass by it and is still the fastest route to Tampa) becomes much slower traveled as you continue on. Massive chunks of building debris litter the road. It seems Orlando itself was hit with several direct blasts, although you don't seem to have your Geiger counters going off in either of the PipBoys, meaning this must have been a more traditional explosive carpet bombing. You can also see rebar and shattered glass...frankly, everywhere...and again this becomes a point where you're forced to slow the van down to nearly a crawl just to avoid the hazards.
Along the way you see a fork in the road. There's a picture of a silhouetted mouse head with an arrow pointing south, or the PipBoy states if you continue straight west you will head towards Tampa.
You begin to notice movement in the buildings alongside the road. You're not sure what. Something seems...off.
Badger's mind has drifted off, staring out the window at the remains of the state his great grandparents called home.
"Hm. It appears we have company, gentleman. Ghouls by the dozen, and they seem to be less friendly than our usual experience with them."
"And something from teh south as well...it's hard to tell, the sound is so faint. I'm not sure if it's just there, or approaching us."
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Tom lays in the back of the van with his fashionable hat pulled over his fashionable eyes. He speaks up and answers Fitz, "Well, if you wanted to stop I could probably speak to them. Maybe get some information out of them. Possibly even a guide or two. However if you want to just blow the begeezes out of them you don't need me for that."
It's unclear why Tom is so recently testy about the topic of ghouls.
The tell-tale call of the feral ghoul is suddenly heard reverberating around you, and by the dozens upon dozens...it sounds like a hundred throats gargling just the slightest bit of salt water at the same time. You see some of them start to approach...and then break into a run...
Marcus deftly maneuvers the van around some tight turns, but now comes to a point where he has to decide direction, and unfortunately speed is just not really possible in the not-very-maneuverable van given all the tight turns (see map - moved you guys ahead).
"Papa, keep your focus on the road," Spencer says, rolling open a window and leaning out with his carbine. "We'll take care of the nasties." He glances to EH-RK. "And by the way, tin can: these are Commies." With that, he opens fire.
Mickey moves up to a window and sighs when he sees the ghouls. "Poor bastards," he whispers.
"Let's try to maneuver out of here, Papa. I'd rather avoid a fight if possible."
But Mickey was no fool, and so he drew his new grenade launcher.
Badger leans out the window and fires at the oncoming ghouls with his brand new pistol.
"This is America! No free rides, ya filthy animals!"
"Told you they were commies! Carpooling is the most Marxist thing I can think of."
Gleeful Exuberance: Communist threat detected. Please stop the vehicle so that I might dismember it. and then Veiled Threat: If I am a "tin can" then you are a flesh covered blood sac Spencer Collin.
EH-RK will wait and not attempt to use his head laser.
Spencer puts a slug into a ghoul that staggers back, but doesn't fall . Badger, meanwhile, plugs a ghoul clear through the chest, and the huge bullet of the Desert Eagle puts a hole in it that it won't recover from, and the light leaves it's eyes. Thomas as well manages to connect with his target, but unfortunately only stuns it.
Aeyricka and Fitz seem to be distracted
The ghouls begin to sprint towards the vehicle, and those close enough, start to try and reach through the open windows to grab at their targets.
One ghoul of the two that was stunned seems to shake it off and joins the others in sprinting to the van.
Completely oblivious to the fact that it's a moving vehicle, or perhaps simply because it's moving slow to get around teh debris, they charge from all direction, even from in front of the van.
Three ghouls shatter the windows of the van and reach in to grab Marcus and pull him through the window
Again, the ghouls completely shatter the side window and reach in trying to pull Fitz out.
The rest of the ghouls around the van leap and attack at the end of their sprint, simply looking to connect with claws rather than pull out their potential meals just yet.
The ghoul is too weak to really connect with Spencer after his run..
The ghoul at the back manages to leap up and smash a hand through the glass, wickedly raking at Badger, but it's not enough to pierce his armor.
Another ghoul leaps through the back and rakes at Aeryicka, cutting at her but barely stopped by her armor.
The two ghouls to the northwest of the van seem near suicidal, and one leaps through the window and digs his claws deep into Mickey's flesh, attempting to rend through the cracks in his armor, and pull at the soft skin beneath.
Fitz braces his feet against the floor of the van and lashes out at the ghoul grabbing him with his newly artificial arm.
"You're lucky I haven't had time to modify this yet..." Fitz grumbles.
"You not eat me!" Aeryicka screamed as she lashed out with her new blade.
Aeryicka manages to stun the creature attacking her, but not much more unfortunately...
Aeryicka - 3 hearts
Badger - 10 hearts
Fitz - 8 diamonds
Marcus - 4 spades
Mickey - 3 clubs
Spencer - Queen Clubs
Thomas - King Hearts and 3 Diamonds
Badguys - 2 clubs
You think you might, maybe, be able to make out that noise coming from the south...
It sounds like...music...is playing from a loudspeaker being blasted, and it's getting closer.