After parting ways with the townsfolk of Primm and their spineless deputy, Gekko marched her way back to the NCR camp. The town offered her a place with them for the night, but she had the feeling that if she didn't leave right away, she would have ended up killing Beagle in his sleep. He was probably back at the Vikki and Vance, telling heroic tales to the people about how he rescued himself from his captors and had to save her in the process. Just the thought of that made her even more angry. When she arrived, she spotted Lieutenant Hayes sitting at one of the picnic tables, eating a box of Insta-Mash.
"Powder Gangers are taken care of, and the people are safe. They took refuge in one of their casinos." She flung herself down across from him at the picnic table and rested her head on her arms.
"Well that's one problem off our backs. Thanks for the help."
"Hey Lieutenant, would you be willing to sell me some food? I just realized I have not eaten all day, and I don't have very much on me in the way of food." Her stomach was howling at her.
Hayes gave her an appreciative smile. "With all you just did today, I think I can spare some. No need to pay us for it. Consider it payment if you will. Sorry it is not much, but it is the best I can offer."
"Thanks! Ummm…. I'll take a couple boxes of Insta-Mash."
"Hey, Campbell!" Hayes shouted to a soldier passing by.
"Sir!" the young soldier walked over to Hayes and stood at attention before him.
"Bring me four boxes of mash, two stews, and four bottles of water."
"Sir, yes sir!" The soldier marched into one of the tents and returned a few minutes later with the provisions.
"Thanks again Lieutenant." Gekko smiled as she ripped open two boxes of Insta-Mash.
"Like I said, consider it payment. What you did today is worth more than two boxes of this crap they give us for food. Oh and the water in that pot there should still be hot enough to re-hydrate that for you." He motioned towards a scuffed and dented metal pot sitting on the edge of the picnic table.
Gekko poured the hot water into her Insta-Mash boxes, grabbed a fork from the pile of dishes and flatware nearby and gave each box a good stir. Within a couple of minutes, she had two boxes of lukewarm, runny, glop that tasted nothing like potato, but at least it would fill her up. She looked at it distastefully, before taking a bite. How she wished she had another steak on her.
Lieutenant Hayes tossed his empty box into the fire and watched it quickly burn to ash. "You know, you made my soldiers angry with that steak of yours last night. I just had to tell 'em that this is what they signed up for." He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "The kids we get these days, they mean well, but they just have no constitution what so ever it would seem. Most of them arrive in Nevada thinking the first stop would be fucking New Vegas. Only to find out that there is real work involved here. Many of them whine about everything from the poor food, to the amount of standing around required. Most of these kids haven't even seen real combat yet, though that is not entirely their fault."
Not sure how to respond, Gekko just continued to eat. After a few minutes of silence, she finally spoke up. "Just so you know, Primm is really hurting for help right now. The only law they have in town is a poor excuse for a deputy. Occupying it could give your guys a better base of operations, not to mention a lot of trade comes through this way."
Like hell she was going to travel out of her way, to break some guy out of prison so he can go and play sheriff with their pretend deputy. Nope they can settle for NCR.
"I am well aware of the benefits for helping Primm." He said as he brought a cigarette to his lips and lit it. "Unfortunately I just don't have the authority or the man-power to do anything about it. Maybe if you go and talk to Major Knight at the Mojave Outpost and tell him what you just told me, I can move my guys in and help them out."
Gekko stood up and tossed the two empty boxes of Insta-Mash into the fire. "I'll see what I can do. So, where is this Mojave Outpost anyways?"
"Oh just follow the road and keep heading south. It is 'bout a days walk from here. Closest place you will come across to restock your supplies and get some rest. Next closest place would be Nipton, and that is almost a two day walk from here."
Nipton! She remembered Beagle saying something about the Khans and their pretty boy friend heading through Nipton to meet up with some contact in Novac. She thanked Hayes again for his generosity, gathered up her provisions, and headed to off to bed.
In the morning she packed up and headed on her way to the Mojave Outpost. It was basically one of many uneventful days that involved a lot of walking. Something that she had done a lot of over the past year, working as a courier. The quiet hum of ED-E's motor above her head threw her off a few times, thinking it was a cazadore swarm.
A sign directing her to the NCR Mojave Outpost lead her to a road that ran up into a mountain. The road was completely packed with pre-war cars. Skeletons of the past, left in place to slowly decay. She could tell the story they told. People trying to flee the nuclear hail which headed their way. They probably just grabbed what they could and ran on foot to whatever safety they could find. Whether or not they made it though, she would never know. The cars had obviously been stripped time and time again by scavengers, raiders and prospectors. Taking anything that was left of value. All that stood here were empty shells. A testament to mankind's once former glory.
As she climbed the steep roadway, a pair of statues came into view on the top of it. It was made mostly of bolted together sheets of rusting metal. It appeared to be of two NCR Rangers, one heavily armored, shaking hands. Behind the statue stood the Mojave Outpost. The Outpost consisted of few buildings. The left and right sides of the Outpost were bordered by granite mountain, jutting straight up into the sky. Fences surrounded the area. Brahmin walked around in pens made out of chain link fence, rooting through the dusty earth for food. Two buildings were arranged to the left of the outpost, their entrances flanked by walls of sandbags. Down the middle of the outpost stood what remained of some pre-war toll booth. Rusted out pre-war cars and trucks were pushed aside off the road. Soldiers, mercenaries, traders and caravaneers stood around idly. Some were sitting, drinking and playing cards. All of them looked bored and miserable. A soldier who was leaning against one of the legs of the statue, pushed himself away and walked towards her.
"Comin' from the North? Damn girl you must be crazy to brave those roads" The sergeant greeted her. His nameplate read 'Kilborn' "Welcome to the Mojave Outpost. Watchin' a whole lotta nothing. It has basically become a big Brahmin pen for caravans. They've been stopped up for a while, waiting for the roads North to clear - or their caravan papers to go through."
That explains all the penned up Brahmin and bored traders.
"Sooo… that is a mighty interesting statue you guys have goin' on there." She motioned to the statue behind her.
The sergeant rolled his eyes. "Those two? Supposed to mean unification of the East and West. Mostly they are good for shade. They won't do us much good when the Legion reaches us." He scratched at his large, wooly beard then folded his arms across his chest.
"So the Legion really have come across the river then? I have heard rumors that they are getting bolder in their movements across NCR territory."
"Damn straight they are. And all we can do is sit around here and wait for them to strike first. Almost makes me regret coming here in the first place…"
Gekko decided to abruptly change the subject before it turned into a long story she had been hearing a lot of lately. "Umm… I am looking for Major Knight. Can you tell me where I can find him?"
"Knight? You can find him in the far building on the left. He is the guy standing behind the desk as you enter. Hell of a repairman if find yourself in need." Kilborn said, dejected that Gekko did not want to listen to his rant about the NCR.
I am in need of a lot of things right now…
She made her way to the farther of the two buildings, and pushed open the heavy metal door. Inside the dimly lit building was a large wooden desk. Behind it stood a man, about late 20's to 30ish. He had buzzed off brown hair, a green Major beret and a kind smile.
Speaking of one of those needs… This guy is not too bad looking. Hope he is single! Pretty young for a Major, must be one hell of a soldier.
"Caravaneer, citizen… or?" He looked up, his eyes meeting hers.
"H-huh?" Gekko uttered out, absentmindedly.
"I just need it for a log. Ranger Jackson wants to keep track of everyone who comes through here."
Gekko snapped out of her daze. "Oh right… Courier… I guess."
"Ok…" Major Knight wrote 'courier' down in a small log book. He then closed it and placed it behind the desk. "So, what brings you out to Mojave Outpost?"
A loud bang on the metal door startled both of them. From the other side came a muffled, annoyed series of beeps.
"What in the hell?" Knight began to walk towards the door.
Gekko held up her hand to stop him. "Don't worry, I think I know what it is." She opened the door and in buzzed ED-E.
Oh right, almost forgot all about him.
Knight cocked his eyebrows as he looked up at the robot suspiciously. "What is that thing?"
"Just an eyebot I am supposed to deliver. I told you I am a courier." She let out a flirtatious giggle.
" I see." Knight walked back to his post. "So, what were we talking about again? Oh right, what brought you to the Outpost." He leaned casually on the desk.
"Just passing through mostly." She said nonchalantly. "Although on my way through Primm I took out a few Powder Gangers for you guys. Oh, and Lieutenant Hayes has a message for you."
Knight stood up straight, impressed. "Wow, you took on the Powder Gangers? Thanks a lot! Every little bit with them helps us out. So what did the Lieutenant need?"
"He wants to occupy Primm. The town is in serious need of help, but he does not have the man power or authority to do so. Primm covers a major trade route and could serves as a good base of operations for troop movement." She smiled at him, working the feminine charm.
"I can see the logic in that. I can send over some extra troops then. But Primm will have to register as NCR citizens and pay NCR taxes."
Gekko shrugged. "That will be for them to work out. I am simply a messenger who got them the help they asked for. What happens to Primm from now on is none of my business."
"Alright then, I will put the order through right away. Anything else you need?"
"I am in need of caps and supplies, any work I can do for those?" She gave him a hopeful smile.
"For that you will need to talk to Ranger Jackson. His office is in the back hallway on the left." Knight pointed her to the direction of Jackson's office.