The Wanderer cautiously approached the settlement making sure that he could be seen by the sentries. So far he had a decent day and would prefer that he not be shot at. The settlement of Big Town had seen its share of problems over the years but things were changing. With all the new improvements to their defenses and getting training from himself Big Town was now one of the safer places to be in the wasteland. So much so, that other people were starting to take notice and settle there, other than those not forced out of Little Lamplight when they became teenagers. When he had first found it there had been a total population of around nine but even within a year it had grown to about twenty or more.

The town was a miniature Megaton with a makeshift wall built between buildings using sheet metal and sand bags. In addition there was now a minefield that covered about two thirds of the surrounding area with marked paths to the main entrance and two unmarked emergency paths leading in other directions for emergency use. In addition the residents had gotten somewhat proficient in using robots and even now could see a couple patrolling the opposite side of the main entrance to the town.

As Noah crested the last knoll before the town he could finally make out the faces of the sentries on duty and they had a clear view to him. He waved at them and they answered in kind. He had to admit he really cared about this place. Crossing the small rope bridge that served as an entrance, many of the town's people waved and a few took the time to come over and chat with him.

After mingling with the locals, the Wanderer headed over to the clinic to find Red, the town's doctor/mayor. He had saved her from captivity and eventual mutation by the Super Mutants just about a year ago and she had been a huge help to him whenever he got injured out in the foot hills of the wastes. The town was kind of isolated because of repeated and attempts by Mutants and slavers to take prisoners made traders wary to come to Big Town. So as it were supplies were very limited but with the new Aqua Pura shipments that clean water was one less worry that they had to deal with. On occasion Noah would stop in and bring with him about a week's worth of food and medical supplies that he had scavenged from places up North.

Entering the clinic on the far side of town he found her doing a checkup on one of the new settlers. Red was dressed in her signature red overalls and red bandana. He had to admit that she was pretty cute with her glasses and short cropped hair and as an added bonus, was really smart to boot. But there was little chance of them ever getting together seeing that he was the Wanderer and she could never leave her town for any real length of time, conflict of interests you see. Red loved her people and the town and the Wanderer had to look out for the entire Capital Wasteland.

Hearing the sound of the door she looked over to see who had come in and upon seeing the Wanderer a big smile appeared on her face.

"Weellll, look what the Yao Gui dragged in…!" She said looking back at the patient.

"How are you doing Red? Looks like you are keeping busy."

"Nothin' serious, just keepin' the plague out."

Finishing up she sent her patient on their way, who was completely oblivious as to Noah's alter ego. Walking into the other room of her clinic she grabbed her canteen off the table and sat down, taking a swig of purified water. "So what brings you here today? Got any cool new wounds for me to stich shut?" She said holding up the canteen offering him a drink.

Taking the canteen he said, "Not today, actually I have a problem that only you can help me with." He lifted the container and took a swig of the clean water and had to admit that Aqua Pura was pretty damn tasty, certainly beat the recycled water in Vault 101.

"Sorry Sugar, a full physical is going to cost you extra…." She said winking at the Wanderer.

"I'm sure you could write it off as charity…." He quipped back. "But seriously there is something going on that I need your help with." He said giving her back the canteen and grabbing a chair across from her. Red looked him dead in the eye trying to see if they would betray is real intentions.

"What could be going on that 'The Lone Wanderer' would need my help with? Hell you pretty much single handedly turned this place around. We seriously owe you one."

Noah was silent for a few moments choosing his words carefully.

"I'm going to destroy the Super Mutants main base in the Capital Wasteland which will hopefully allow the Brotherhood to finally win their war."

Red looked at him in stunned silence. Her entire life there had been a Mutant problem. The idea of them just going away was really hard for her to fathom until she remembered that she was talking to the Wanderer. "That's about the reaction that I get from everyone else I have told." He remarked.

Shaking herself out of shock she asked, "What could I, the person that got kidnapped by Mutants, possibly help you destroy their base?"

"Well you wouldn't be helping me destroy their base, the Brotherhood are doing that. The Mutants are holed up in Vault 87 and which the back entrance to is in Little Lamplight. I am planning using that entrance plant a nuclear bomb to destroy the base because it contains a super virus that is used to create Mutants. The problem I need your help with, is that when I set the bomb off it will most likely destroy Little Lamplight in the process. I need your help to convince the kids there that they need to leave Little Lamplight and was hoping that when they do leave that we could bring them here."

Red's face was blank. Completely devoid of expression showing that this time she really was in a state of shock. He knew what was going through her mind. She had been raised in those caverns and probably loved them more than she did Big Town. The idea of her savior asking her to destroy them was something that she couldn't fully comprehend and was probably going to strike a raw nerve that he couldn't completely plan for.

For over a minute they just sat there and stared at each other.

Eventually she slowly stood up, all the while staring at the Wanderer with no change to her expression. Noah new it was the calm before the storm but there was no way around it and he really needed her help on this one.

Ever so softly she started to speak, "I…can't believe…..you…..of all people….would even consider…..doing such a horrible thing….as destroying Little Lamplight….." The Wanderer didn't move and just stared at her. He had to be firm and show her that it wasn't a death sentence but a necessary sacrifice to save the wasteland, that's if he could get to around to explaining himself.

Tears filled her eyes. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" she shouted at him suddenly. "HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK OF DOING THAT!" She started to panic like she was about to have an anxiety attack. "THAT PLACE WAS MY HOME! A HOME FOR KIDS WITHOUT FAMILIES!" He could see she was about to bolt for the door. "I WON'T HELP YOU!" Her body was acting on its own now and was going to propel her to the door as fast as it could.

Noah jumped to his feet and got her by the arm before she could rush out the door. He looked her dead in her tear filled eyes and said in a steady tone, "I don't want to destroy Little Lamplight but I want to get rid of the Mutants that kill people and your friends. I only want your help so that I can peacefully get the children to leave and stay with you. I will never be able to destroy what Little Lamplight, is just the cavern that it currently resides in. The kids would be a lot better off with people who know them and would sympathize them rather than with people they would regard as strangers." He let her go and she stumbled out of the clinic sobbing.

Great….. Not exactly how I wanted the chat to go but not completely unexpected. God, I would think I was an asshole too…..

He looked around the room and found a couple of pre-war books that he hadn't read yet. Grabbing one he returned to the table and got comfortable. Red was going to need some time to process the information and get her emotions under control. He had expected this and was in no rush, so long as he could convince her before it was too late and he had to meet up with the Brotherhood he was fine.


Lucy entered the shop at just after 8:00 am. Moira was already hard at work cleaning up the shop and was talking to herself a little like normal. It didn't really bother Lucy because it showed her that Moira had some personality and that her brain was always working. Despite the last years in Megaton all she knew about Moira Brown was that she was a very eccentric woman who had originally come from Canterbury Commons and that she had written the Wasteland Survival Guide with the Wanderer. Almost everything else about the girl was a mystery.

The door shut with a sound of a bell on the door and she turned to see Lucy coming in.

"Mornin Sweetie! How is your day, did you know that a frag mine sensor is the nearly the same as the sensor in a protectron… neither did I, I discovered that last night."

All Lucy could do was smile and be happy that Moira survived to see the next morning. Hell she just hoped that her new employer would live to see her next pay day.

"I'm doing well, was just watching the sunrise."

"Good! Hey, while I'm thing about it, I have a new job for yah if you are interested. I am willing to pay you more for it as well!"

The bubbly red head stopped what she was going and walked behind the counter and pulled out a small round object that was brown in color and looked like an odd clump of dirt. Lucy walked over to take a closer look and Moira had a look like she was about to burst if she didn't ask about it.

"So? What is it?"

"A POTATO!" Moira squealed.

"Ah wha..?"

"Don'tcha know, a potato?! Have you never had one before?" Lucy sheepishly shook her head to indicate that she indeed had not.

"Well they are one of the most delicious foods that have ever been discovered by man. The only time I have ever seen them is when the scientists grow them in Rivet City."

"Then how did you get this one?" Lucy asked.

"From Nadine, the Captain of the Duchess Gambit. Once in a while I trade with her and this last time she had sailed way south somewhere in Virginia. I guess there are a few farmers that grow and trade potatoes."

"And what am I supposed to do with the potatoes?"

"Well I made a deal to buy as many potatoes that her boat could carry. I plan on selling the potatoes to everyone I can, I might even up the price for those Tenpenny folks." Moira snickered. "She is due back in the Capital Wastes any day now and I am hiring some security and Brahmin to caravan down to her dock and pick up the shipment from Nadine. Since I am buying the Brahmin out right but have too much going on in the shop, I would like you to herd them for me. In return I will increase your pay and give you a share of the potato profits."

Lucy was speechless. If these potatoes were as good and rare as Moira was taking about this could be a huge opportunity for her but it also meant that she would have to go back to dealing with stinky ass Brahmin again. She had come to the city looking to make something of herself and not be stuck in Arefu.

It only took about five seconds for Lucy to think it over before she had a answer. She thrust her hand over the counter, "You got yourself a deal!"


It had been hours and Red was nowhere to be seen. The Wanderer had moved over to the town hall and was relaxing, content reading his book. He had noticed that as people came and went they would look at him with judging eyes whether or not they knew who he was and some of the newer settlers outright stared at him. Obviously word was making it around town about what had happened between him and Red. It didn't matter. What mattered was getting Red to see things clearly enough he could carry out his plan or he would have to find another way of dealing with MacCready and the other children.

I wonder how they all got there? With every person getting kicked out at the age of sixteen how is it that there are still children living in that cavern? You would think that at some point there wouldn't be any more children to live in Little Lamplight…?

All that he could come up with for an answer was that they somehow managed to take in orphaned kids or other strays. Noah looked down at his watch and saw that it was nearly 10:00pm. He knew that things had to take their course but he was feeling a bit impatient, he only four days to make it up to Fort Constantine.

The door to the town hall opened and walked through was a teenage girl with dirty brown hair. He instantly recognized her, it was Bittercup. Wearing a Brahmin skin top with a pair of pre-war pants and the new makeup he had gotten her which made her look like she was no more than seventeen which she was. She looked around the room briefly and saw him and shot him a big smile.

He remembered the first time he had met Bittercup and how her face was covered in chalk and other substances that she used as makeup. She was well endowed for a young teenager and even with all the chalk she covered her face with she still had looked good. Noah tried to be nice and gave her a small makeup kit he had found in an old department store in the DC ruins but that was a bit of a mistake. After that she almost never left him alone, ever. He knew she had a small crush on him but now it almost felt a bit needy. But today he noticed she had a different demeanor than normal.

Bittercup casually walked over and sat down next to him. "Hey cutie. It's been a while since you came and saw me."

"I've been a little busy."

"I know. I have been hearing the rumors around town." Looking down at her hands in her lap. She looked back up at him with the saddest expression he had ever seen her with. "I know you would never do anything that was unnecessary but do you have to destroy Little Lamplight?"

Oh,boy… Here we go…..

"I'm sorry Bittercup but there is no other way for me get rid of the Super Mutants that will allow me to leave Little Lamplight alone. I have no intention of hurting anyone but if I carry out my plan as is, it will most likely destroy the caverns."

"Is there no other way to do it?"

"If there was another way I would be my first choice, but there isn't. I know it is where you guys grew up and I like it too but don't you guys want to be able to live without the threat of a Mutant attack?"

"Yeah…."she reluctantly agreed.

"Wouldn't you like it if you didn't have to be on guard every night because the Mutants might come for you when you are sleeping?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, everyone else in the wasteland feels the same way. The Mutants are a threat to everybody and I want to make sure you guys are safe. Trust me, I care about you guys and the kids in Little Lamplight but some things have to be sacrificed if you are ever going to feel some sense of security."

Bittercup didn't say anything, only reached over and patted his hand gently and then got up to leave. There was nothing for her to say because she knew he was right. As she walked towards the door through the kitchen a flash of red caught his eye.

Red peered out from behind the wall and gave Bittercup a look. Each of them could read each other just by the moment and understood each other, Bittercup then stepped out of the house. Red stepped out from behind the wall and walked over to him.

Wait, had she been there the whole time?! Damn, she was getting good as sneaking around…!I guess I taught them well.

Walking passed the Wanderer she said, "Come with me I want to talk to you, now." He collected up his things and followed her out of the town hall and back to the clinic. She sat down at the table and cupped her face in her hands. The Wanderer calmly sat down beside her and waited in the soft light of the lanterns.

After a minute or so she finally spoke. "I'm sorry for earlier. For me and everyone else, Little Lamplight is our real home."

Noah reached over and placed his hand on her shoulder trying to express his remorse. She put down her hands and looked at him. "Can you guarantee me that if you destroy this…Vault that you will be able to get rid of the Mutants?"

"I can't guarantee anything. But what I can tell you is that it is the virus in the Vault that the Mutants use to turn normal people into more Mutants. We should destroy the place just on that fact alone to stop them from being able to do that."

That was obviously not the answer she wanted to hear. "But I am very confident that we will be able to win the war against the Mutants if we do this."

She looked into his eyes looking for anything that might betray his confidence in the plan. "What about the children? If we bring them here, our supplies are spread really thin to start with and we might not be able to feed everyone."

The Wanderer turned around and rummaged around in his knaps sack. After a few seconds he hauled out a large sack and set it on the table. "1500 caps." He said. "it isn't much but it should help you out in the short term and once we get rid of the Mutants I will make sure that trade caravans make more runs out to here. "

This was the Wanderer she knew; the kind of man who always seemed to have a plan for everything and always gave them everything that he had to help them. She wished there were more people like him. And now he was asking for her help, with everything that he had done for them and was wanting to do now, how could she live with herself if she turned him down.

"Okay, I give. I will help try to convince the children to leave Little Lamplight. I love that place but I have more people here to think about."

Noah without any expression reached over and gave Red a hug. As he pulled away he gave her a small kiss on her forehead and said, "Thank you, I know how hard this must be for you."

"You have no idea." She said with a sigh.

He stood up and got ready to leave. "I have enough food for us for the next couple of days so we will not have to take anything from your supplies. If we need any resupply I have a few stashes in the Wasteland. Pack a bag with some extra cloths and water. We will leave tomorrow morning after breakfast." She nodded in response. The Wanderer left the clinic and found a spot in the town hall to sleep for the night.

The next morning Noah found Red in getting ready in her clinic. She had traded her signature red jump suite for a wasteland trader's jacket, old pair of jeans and kept her red bandana. On the table was a small knapsack with a hunting rifle. "I'm just about ready."

"We are in no rush, I will meet you at the gate." The Wanderer turned and headed to the rope bridge.

A few minute later Red walked up and he could see that she had an almost excited expression on her face. She walked on by and headed out in front of him with her rifle slung across her back. "What are you so happy about?" he asked.

"Well it's just that this is my first adventure since you rescued me from the Mutants. Don't get me wrong there is a lot of depression in my future but today I am looking at the glass half full. How often do you get to travel with the legendary Lone Wanderer." She said as she turned and shot him a large smile.

They travelled all day only taking breaks every three hours. Red was surprised at the Wanderer. After some brief conversation as they left Big Town, he shut down. He would occasionally take out his sniper rifle and look at something in the distance. On two occasions he killed an overzealous molerat with his combat knife but he did the utmost to avoid confrontation, not that she was looking for any.

Just before dusk they crested a hill and the Wanderer stopped to drink some water. Red could see three very large satellite dishes that had been in view for the last couple of hours. He pointed to some distant buildings that were just visible behind the satellite dishes, "That's where we are headed. We will continue for another two to three hours and then camp for then night." She had barely caught her breath and then they were off again.


So the story is really starting to go somewhere. I can't wait to get to the next couple of chapters. All this was just setting the stage, now we start getting to the good stuff. I can't wait!