Redemption
Prologue
Who was he? He didn't even know. In reality, he was Damon Knight, former Paladin of the Brotherhood of Steel. Then, after that, he was Damon Knight, Outcast Protector. Now, well now he is just Damon Knight, Outcast. He was exiled from the Outcasts when he went against an order from Casdin. When he was exiled, he was allowed to leave with only his AER9 Laser Rifle, his AEP7 Laser Pistol, and a suit of T-45d Outcast power armor in disrepair. Because he was generally well liked in the Outcasts, he was given rations, bottlecaps, and ammunition; at least enough to survive on. Now, being an outcast, he must live and survive on his own. That was six months ago. Six long, long months ago. Now, he is a mercenary, usually guarding Caravans as they make their trade routes across the wastelands.
Chapter One
"Wake up!" Shouted the voice. Damon was up in an instant, Laser Pistol out, ready to shoot whatever was attacking. Sadly, it was only Lucky Harith. Too bad, he wanted to kill something. "Whoa, whoa now." Said Harith, holding up his hands. "Calm down. Its just time to go. We're almost to Evergreen Mills."
Damon sighed. Evergreen Mills was the worst place for a caravaner to go. But, hey, where they have caps, a trader will sell. He holstered his Pistol and stretched, his Power Armor squeaking. It wasn't comfortable to sleep in, but he felt naked without it on.
The day proceeded to start like any other. Lucky proceeded to cook up a small meal for them before packing up and starting towards Evergreen Mills.
They had camped just out of sight of Fort Bannister. Even though neither of them had done anything to attract the Talon Merc's attention, they were both still a bit jumpy about being that close to the mercenaries. Ironically, a few came to trade as they passed south of the Fort. They sold off some junk and bought a few guns and some ammo. The entire time, their eyes never left Damon and Damon's eyes never left them.
The rest of the trip to Evergreen Mills was uneventful. The Wasteland was open and barren and nobody seemed like they wanted to be out today. There wasn't even any Mole Rats in evidence.
About midday they came within sight of Evergreen Mills. Immediately, Damon drew his rifle and scanned the horizon for threats. The raiders may need to trade but not all of them wanted to spend caps. That's where Damon comes in. Even the most bloodthirsty raider thought twice when seeing a man in full Outcast Power Armor with a Laser Rifle.
As they drew nearer to the gap in the cliffs that was the entrance, and exit, to Evergreen Mills, a group of ten raider came out to meet them. They were armed with an assortment of weapons, though most appeared to just have pistols. The local merchant, Smiling Jack, also came with them. He was probably one of the main reasons, besides Damon, that the raiders didn't attack.
"Lucky Harith! How are ya?" He called as his group drew nearer.
"Jack! How are you my friend!" He said when Jack and his raiders got closer. They shook hands. Smiling Jack's smile stopped when he looked past Harith and saw Damon.
"Now, who might that be?" The raiders had already seen Damon and were a little tense. A few were muttering to each other and making gestures with their weapons.
"Who? Oh him?" Said Harith, pointing at Damon. "He's just my guard. Isn't that right Damon?"
"As long as I get paid, I'll be whatever you want me to be." Said Damon jokingly. Even an Outcast has a sense of humor.
Smiling Jack and Harith laughed like old friends and the raiders' tension lowered a little bit.
Well, Damon thought, maybe we can get through this without me having to fry somebody.
"So, what have you got today, Harith?"
"That depends, how many caps do you have Jack?" He said, earning another laugh from Jack.
They walked over to the Brahmin to look at Harith's wares, and so that Jack could sell some of his "acquired" wares, leaving Damon and the raiders to look at each other menacingly(as menacingly as Damon can look under his Power Armor).
"Well look at the big scary metal man." Said one of the raiders tauntingly. "I bet the only reason he's in that armor is because he's too big of a pansy to fight without it!" This was followed by much laughter from the other raiders. Not wanting to cause trouble, Damon kept quiet. "So, you can't talk either? I bet you won't talk because you don't want to give away that you are nothing but a little girl in Power Armor. Hey, how do you fit in such a big suit little girl?"
This is ridiculous. At the very least he could come up with better insults. Damon wasn't bothered by these insults in the least, partly because they could hardly be called insults, but mostly because he HAD been called much, much worse things, usually by people that had at one point been friends.
The raiders carried on with their insults once they learned that Damon would not retaliate. Finally, after what seemed like hours but must have been at most ten minutes, Lucky Harith and Smiling Jack finished trading.
"You know Jugs," Said Jack as he walked back from the Brahmin, "I bet that Damon can take you one on one."
The raider known as Jugs chuckled. "Ya, and Deathclaws can be tamed. I'll take him on, that is, if he isn't chicken." Then he proceed to do what many children in elementary school used to do: Flap his arms and cluck. Damon just laughed.
"Even though I'd raise the IQ of the planet by wiping this bug off the face of the planet, Harith is paying me, and if I don't do what he says, I don't get paid. Too bad, I wanted to kill something."
" Damon, I do feel up to a little entertainment. What the hell? Go ahead, an extra one hundred caps if you can beat him."
"Now there's a deal! Where, when, and what?" Said Damon excitedly.
"Evergreen Mills, an hour, with whatever you want."
"You've got yourself a deal." And then Damon did something he thought he'd never do: shake hands with a raider.