(Author's note: First to my (so far) two reviewers, thank you for your pointing out of errors, I believe that I fixed them. The Yao Guai can't just be in Zion and the Capital Wasteland, and I am simply including them as wasteland-creatures-that-want-to-kill-you-for-no-particular-reason. They probably wander around a lot.

I wanted to have Moore be mostly just a fill in character for the moment, and too shocked by the turn of events to really play any part in the endgame of the battle of Hoover Dam. Besides, I always felt that she would obey her direct orders from her superior, particularly when that superior was in the room with her.

Secondly, I apologize for the lack of an update, but I have recently become addicted to Dragon Age, and have been playing that nonstop for the past three weeks. I'm starting to get back into a Fallout mood, so now I will start writing the story again. Hurray and other expressions of joy!

Thirdly, I used the Google translator for all words written in another language, and have absolutely no sense of grammar in any language other than Spanish and English, and very little in Spanish, so please don't rip my head off for that. If you know the correct translations, please, feel free to tell me so and I will fix them as soon as I can

Fourthly, I am terrible at naming things, so I apolagise for the terrible title (and lack of spell check, for some reason it has stopped working on everthing except for my Anthropology Notes Paper (and it doesn't recognise things like Australopithecines)).

A Small Problem

"No"

"Look I understand some restrictions but-"

"No"

"I can be as reasonable as the next guy. Why can't you? Its just a limited supply of-"

"No"

"What do you expect me to do without them! I can't just go all fu-"

"No Cachino! She left instructions that there would be no, and by no I mean N-O drugs on the strip. Period. Finis de Aliquam*," Arcade said, glaring at the head of the Omerta's. Technically, that statement wasn't even true. Nicole had left him instructions to act like it was true to get the imbecile to accept severe restictions on the drug trade, both within the Strip, and throughout the entire Confederacy. He didn't like it but accepted that the Omerta's were unfortunately too important to be been simply kicked off the strip or, perhaps, gunned down in an "accident", but he also knew that that was really just, well not irrational anger, but anger nevertheless speaking. Besides, that's where tyrannical dictatorial reigns came from, not just the quasi dictatorial laissez faire thing that he and Nicole had established following the foundation of the confederacy.

Suppression of the bad guys on semi-trumped up charges would almost inevitably lead to oppression of normal people on seriously trumped up charges after all.

That didn't make him not want to shoot the idiot in front of him, it just gave him a reason to cling to so that he did not actually do it. Or even "convince" one of the many Securitrons to "accidentally" fire a full barrage of missiles at the Casino leader's head. Or perhaps simply "forget" that Cachino was there when he fired a practice shot where his head happened to be. Or, he could-

Nope, nope, get off of that tangent Arcade, it leads to a short term end of exasperation and the knowledge that one more bad guy is dead, but also starts up that whole tyrannical government thing again, he sighed to himself, turning his attention back to the whining Omerta before him.

"-and after your stupid words that no one but that megalomaniac Caesar could possibly understand, you will give me some sort of stupid f-"

"Cachino! Shut up!" Arcade snapped at him. The Omerta glowered at him as he pressed a finger to each side of his brow and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to ward off the headache the other man was giving him. He failed, and sighed, before turning the ire of his gaze back at Cachino.

"You really should just be glad that we are letting you keep your whores," he said.

"Yeah, the whores that are addicted to our fu-"

"For the last time Cachino! This is a political meeting! I don't care what you say when you are not in here, but please! Just keep your words and tone civil, and I will happily get you back to your casino," Cachino scowled at him, but surrendered the point, knowing that he wouldn't get anywhere until he did. Arcade was a stickler for that sort of thing when it came to these meetings, even when they were, as they were now, alone in the room save for four securitrons that stood guard at the two doors. They were in one of the suites in the Lucky 38 that Nicole had reserved for administrative matters. Essentially, Arcade's new home, as he almost never left. The near constant stream of ambassador's, mogul's, officeer's, merchant's, and common citizen's left him almost unable to rest. And he hated it. Not helping people of course, he enjoyed helping people, and not the independance of the nation, he knew that was extremely important. He just hated that he had to be Nicole's deputy, chief minister, and secretary. He liked helping people, and he was glad that Nicole was seriously listeningto his advice and opinions on all matters.

She merrily ignored him whenever he started talking about personal safety and centralized authority at the capital, and she was certainly the authority on military matters, but he was well read on; political matters, economic problems, social behaviors, reforms, laws, legislation, et cetera.

And he also had to deal with slimeballs like the man in front of him whenever Nicole was off adventuring.

"I know that you have many employees with... needs, as well as customers that wish to purchase various products that you...serve. But the stance she gave me is quite clear on this issue. No drugs on the strip save stimpacks and a limited amount of med-x for medicinal purposes. And I mean medicinal,"

"Look, I came into this expecting some limitations, some restrictions, and I had accepted that, but there is no f-...er, no way I am going to accept complete restriction on Gomorrah. Jet, Physco, Med-x, all of those things, are a huge chunk of our income," Cachino looked a little pained saying all of those words without, quite, using any profanity whatsoever.

"Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if we do decide to restrict all drug traffic on the strip?" Arcade asked.

"Well, I can always fall back on old Big Sal and Nero's plan, and sneak a lot of guns into the strip to cause havoc. But that would result in the lot of us getting sent flying out of here with our tails shot off. I know that those fu...er, powerful robots of yours would rip us to shreds even if I got a bunch of Fat Men and mininukes, which doesn't even consider the Queen herself coming into our establishment. I saw how fast she took down the old bosses; quick and nasty, and I really don't want to set any records for how quick she can take a whole Casino down. Besides the bad precedent, we would all be dead," Arcade looked unfazed by the admission, mostly because he was. Cachino would think that first.

"So, if not a poor coup attempt, then what is your grand plan?" he said exasperatedly.

"Well, I don't know. Maybe we just smuggle the goods in, maybe we set up shop down in Freeside, maybe we just knock a hole in the stupid wall and say that the Strip isn't a closed community anymore. Knock a loophole into the looped wall as it were,"

Arcade raised an eyebrow. The last one was almsot sophistaced. For an Omerta, it was actually probably a random moment of genius. Legally at least. It would work well in a semi-static law system like the NCR, where arguments slowed everything down. It wouldn't work however, when the Courier could legally make everyone her slave in the blink of an eye.

It was still a good idea though. Or at least a good idea for the Omerta's. Had one of them finally developed a brain that didn't revolve around whining, betrayal, and money? That wasn't a good sign. At least they had the enthusiastic support of the White Gloves and the Chairmen, not to mention the horde of several thousand securitrons, as well as several other weapons, some hidden throughout the Mojave as a reserve against situations just like that, others being developed at Big Mountain as they spoke.

"That sounds a little... extreme, Cachino,"

"Like I said, this is important for us. If you cut us off, we won't be able to compete with the others. Ultra Luxe has all that "class" nonsense, and admitably good food; Tops has the probably the friendliest tables, and that talking gimic thing they have draws people in like a moth to flame. All we have is our den of vice and sin, and if we lose our drugs we lose half of our market, and our whores all go into withdrawal. And don't even think about saying that is our fault. We do offer free drugs to employee's, but we don't make them take any," Arcade pushed his glasse back up his nose. He really hoped that Cachino didn't notice how nervous he was. This idea was his plan,

"Hmm, perhaps. I will need to discuss this with Nicole when she returns. It isn't my decision of course. I might be able to convince her to just restrict them, but I think either way, the taxes on them will be going up significantly. That's the best I can offer you, Cachino," Now was the moment where he would see if his deception, if he could even call it that, would pay off. He wasn't very good at all of this nonsensical political maneauvering. He understood politics, but the necessity of tip-toeing around truths, and manipulating people for the sake of ideals was alien to him.

"Yeah, alright. I guess I have to take what I can get. If I make her mad enough she'll just swamp me with those stupid robots of hers anyway won't she?"

Arcade almost sighed in relief, and quickly wrapped up the rest of his meeting with the Omerta boss, before having one of the guarding Securitron's escort the man off of the premises. He leaned back in the chair at the end of the table he sat aat and rubbed his temple with his fists and closed his eyes, sighing with relief. He loathed that man. The drug ring the Omerta's had established in the area had been a major factor in the size and strength of the fiends, and had nearly doubled the amount of patients the Follower's of the Apocalypse had to deal with at the Old Morman Fort in Freeside.

After a moment or two of contempaltive thinking to calm himself and prepare him for whatever was next on his agenda to do as the Chief Minister of the confederacy, he opened his eyes.

And lept backwards in his chair, causing it to jump nearly a foot into the air, fall back and unceremoniously dump the doctor flat on his back, under the gleeful gaze of the Queen of the Mojave herself.

She was perched upon the corner of the table he had been sitting at, less than a foot away from where he had been sitting comfortably in his chair.

"Hey Arcade! What are you doing down there?" she asked with very obviously feigned wonder. He grumbled a few choice words that he had just finished admonishing Cachino about, and stumbled to his feet under the glinting eyes of the woman who had almost singlehandedly (baring a few friends, armies, and masses of monowheeled robots) conquored the Mojave. His returning glare had no affect on her save to make her grin widen even further.

"I see that you have returned,"

"Wow, that might just set the record as the most obvious statement of the year!" she gasped and covered her mouth with her left hand in a (failing) attempt to conceal her ever widening smile.

"Yes, perhaps it is. Do you mind telling me about your trip, such as where you went without leaving me anything but a note that said, and I quote, 'I am off exploring'?" Her grin vanished rapidly after that, and she actually looked a little sheepish.

Or he supposed she looked sheepish. he had never actually seen a sheep, so he had to take it for granted.

"Well, I uh, went on a little patrol to the south, you know, around Nipton? Killed a few deathclaw's and stuff up around Sloan, shot some idiot raiders near Wolfhorn Ranch, then came back up through Novac. That's the grand story,"

"Why do you leave me here alone to deal with these things?" The Courier gasped at that.

"Alone? What about the hundreds of Securitrons or Raul?"

"I mean with people that are actually a part of the government, people who can help me deal with problems that arise from managing several groups that are ideologically opposed! Besides, Raul just likes to toy around with that stupid reactor in the basement, he never comes up to talk,"

"When did you become a social little Cazedor?"

"That's not the point Nicole. You need to set up some sort of system. Being in charge does not begin and end in having your robots trundle up and down the highways. You need to deal with public perceptions, economic policies-" he was interrupted by her raised hand.

"First of all, everyone loves me right now. I don't mess with their business, keep the monsters from ripping their faces off, and basically let them go about as they see fit. Secondly, that stuff is your job. Neither of us is a very good public perceptions person, so right now, I deal with big issues, and military and security, you worry about fixing the economy and the basic setting up of an actual industry beyond tourism. I deal with the foreign relationships with the NCR and Zion, and you take care of the day to day business. I'm pretty sure that we have covered this," she looked at him expectantly and hopped off of the desk, stridding to the door and waving over her shoulder for him to follow. He sighed and picked up the chair before catching up to her and then responding to her.

"Yes but I still think-"

"Arcade if you say what I think you are going to say... just don't,"

"But it would solve all of our problems if you would just-"

"No Arcade! I trust you! I am not going to bring someone else in that I don't personally know. And I don't happen to know very many supercharismatic, politicany types that we need right now," They had arrived at the elevator, and Nicole had stabbed the call elevator button. The door opened and she stomped through it crossing her arms underneath her chest and toying with a strand of her blonde hair as she did so. He knew it was her nervous response, the pose she took whenever she was lying or at least not entirely sure about something.

"Nicole, who are you thinking of?" he asked quietly not liking th place where his thoughts were taking him.

"Did you not here me? I said that I-"

"Please Nicole, I'm anti-social, not an idiot. Who are you thinking of?" She grimaced and consiously uncrossed her arms and stared at the wall. It was at that point that she realized she hadn't hit a button yet, and she quickly jabbed the one that would bring them to the Penthouse.

"I think we need to talk to Yes Man, don't you? Get an assesment of the situation and-" she stopped when he grabbed her arm.

"Stop avoiding the question, Nicole! Tell me, now," he growled at her. Most would consider doing what he was doing to the Courier as an act of assisted suicide, but he knew she just didn't want to say what was on her mind.

"Fine. Fine, Arcade! You win," she sighed and resolutely ripped her arm away from his grasp, and looked at the corner of the elevator farthest from her friend and uttured one word.

"Benny,"

(Author's note: I have no idea how obvious that was coming or not, but it is the whole point of this first part, besides showing the situation with the confederacy, and trying to explain what exactly is going on in the Mojave. I have several more parts planed, but again, don't expect any sort of frequent or scheduled updates. I write when I feel like it and when I have time. I don't want to make this a chore (although I really am looking foward to the part after next, I won't say anything besides that).

Hopefully, the next chapter will be out soon. I think it will be better, because it will be in Nicole's perspective again, and I will be discussing less of the same thing over and over again as I have been. Or maybe not, I haven't written it yet, I don't know how it will turn out.

Review please and point out good things, confusing things, flaws, out of character moments, ideas, whatever comes to mind. I LIKE CRITISISM!

Also, my spellcheck is refusing to cooperate and perform its function. Sorry, but I am working on an 8 year old version of Word here.

(* Finis de Aliquam ~= End of story) I have very little knowledge of latin, so please, feel free to correct me, but blame Google translator).