The city of Drybed was astonishing and rivaled the fabulous Strip back home, yet everywhere the Courier looked, people pointed at him and whispered, as if he were some sort of anomaly among the people. He did notice they weren't as battle-worn as he was, but he doubted that many people in the Interior were, considering how peaceful the area had been for a long time due to the seven Dukes' proper diplomacy. The Courier listened quietly to the sounds of the people.
"Come one, come all! The food selection at The Hot Stop is unrivaled anywhere in the city!"
"You there, young man! You look like you could use some purified water!"
"Excuse me," said a voice from behind the Courier, so the Courier turned around to face a man dressed in full Power Armor with the seal of the Knights on the chest. "You are the Courier of whom I was informed, I presume? I suspect you are wondering who I am. I am Sir Arthur, Lieutenant in His Majesty's Royal Corps, and I have been told to join you in your journeys."
"Excellent," the Courier said to Arthur, "I presume you come with arms included?"
"Yes," said Sir Arthur, "All Knights in the Royal Corps are issued a plasma rifle and a laser pistol along with any weapon they can scavenge of those troublemakers we so willingly put down. I, however, think that is a barbaric practice best left back east. You see, only the best of Sir Roland's Knights may join the Royal Corps, but so often does the Duke choose such trigger-happy buffoons. It's a disgrace to be put in the same group as them."
"Oh, you'd hate to see what I did back in the Mojave then," the Courier said, laughing to himself. "I had an entire army of armed robots slaughter Caesar's Legion and then took the Hoover Dam for myself."
"Aye, but Caesar's Legion is my one true exception. Now, you must be seeing the Council of Elders, I presume. They dwell inside the building on the top of the hill there, The Forum," Sir Arthur said, pointing to a rather large building upon a tall hill. "The Elders vote on propositions made by the younger groups of individuals within the town, and once an idea gains a majority within the Council, it is put into law. Rather like the Congress in the Old Country, except less corrupt."
The Courier started to walk towards the Forum, thinking of what he would say to the Elders of Drybed. He never had to deal with a body of elected officials on this scale before, so he was completely clueless. Let's wing it, the Courier thought to himself, It's worked before.
Upon arriving at the Forum, the Courier was once again stopped by the security of Drybed and asked a few mundane, typical security guard questions, but when the guard saw Arthur, he immediately stopped. "Go right ahead, sirs," the security guard said, saluting to the both of them and opening the large oak doors.
The Forum was brilliantly painted with frescoes and sculptures lining the walls artistically until the hallway opened to one large, circular room where men and women sat quietly, listening to the man in the center talk about some kind of healthcare idea from a borough in the Southern Marketing District. "All in favor, raise your right hand," said the man, as a younger man next to him tallied up the raised hands and input them into an old-looking RobCo terminal. "Lepidus, is that a majority?"
"Yes sir," said the young man at the computer, as he fixed his glasses. "Healthcare Bill A18-2C will need further discussion as well as revision, though, before we can put it into law."
"Good, Lepidus," said the older man as he moved to a large seat in the middle of the Forum floor. "Now, it would seem we have a visitor. Sir Arthur, it is good, as always, to see you. Who may I ask is your guest who also bears the symbol of the Duke?"
"This is the Courier of the Mojave Express, vanquisher of the Legion and friend of the Duke," said Sir Arthur, glorifying the Courier's title a bit with each word. "He wishes to speak with the leaders of the Council as soon as possible, so as to foster a good relationship with the Duke's people."
"A friend of the Duke's is a friend of the Council," said the spokesperson in the middle of the room. "I believe our meeting is finished, so now we must adjourn. After that, Sir Arthur, you and your guest may take the floor for the leaders' ears."
As the elderly council members, ranging from 45 to 60 years of age, shuffled out of the Forum, only a group of three remained: the spokesperson, an elderly woman who seemed to be advanced in age, and Lepidus. Lepidus, who had been rather quiet up until this point, stood and spoke directly to the Courier. "We welcome you, Courier, to our city of Drybed and wish you the best of health for your future."
"Aye," said the elderly woman, "Health and wealth do not make a good man, however, Lepidus. Virtue and honor are what make a man. It is a lesson you will learn when you are as old as I."
"Yes, mother, your lessons are wise," said Lepidus, though the Courier could sense a string of sarcasm running through the words. "This, Courier, is my mother, as well as the Elder Mother for the City. She is one of the few people who are still alive from the founding of the city and as such has great honor bestowed upon her. I am the youngest member of the Council, but because of my lineage and the number of bills I have submitted to the Council that have been passed, I was put up for leadership when our last elected leader died."
"Yes, Othello, may he rest in peace," said the spokesperson. "And I am Cicero, the head Councilman of the People, elected by the masses."
The three leaders of the Council of Elders had introduced themselves, so the Courier decided to continue with his request. "Do you know of any place in your city I may receive food and lodging?"
"There is always the Arête Hotel in the Northern District, or the Knight's Bunkers just outside town," said Lepidus. "The Knight's Bunkers aren't as good in quality as the Arête Hotel, but you will be able to lodge there for free."
"Before we divulge you with any more information, Courier, you are here to foster good relations with the Duke's people. We aren't the mass of the people, even if we do represent them. I suggest you talk around with leaders of different groups within the city instead of reporting directly to us," Cicero said. "However, I do have a request from you. Rumors spread quickly within the Wasteland just as they did before the war, and I have heard much of your prowess in extermination."
"What do you want me to do, Councilman Cicero?"the Courier asked questioningly. Organized government normally didn't hire hit-men to do their dirty work, did they?
"There has been a group of anti-governmental 'activists' who have been causing havoc in our Northern District near the Arete Hotel. They are forbidding guests from entering the hotel and there have been many requests made by the people of our city to have the guards execute them. We don't have any hard evidence against their leader though, so they just keep sending more men whenever we arrest some," Cicero said. "I want you to deal with their leader, who calls himself Kasper, as soon as possible."
"Yes sir," said the Courier.