"It's that good huh?", she smiled, watching Dogmeat scarf down another strip of grilled Radstag meat, laid out on a swath of waxed wrapping paper. An affirmative snort was his only response, his snout already buried in another piece.
She sat cross legged, in the shade, against the wall of a blown out third story room. They were short two walls and half a roof. A lovely view of the clear blue sky as the midday sun bore down on the wasteland.
"You know I could never get past the smell of that", she cut another slice of Mutfruit, munching on it as she watched her companion eat. "But I guess I can't afford to be picky anymore, huh?"
"At least it's not Molerat", she muttered thoughtfully. "Maybe…a small piece", she leaned over, pinching an untouched strip.
Biting her lip in apprehension, she stared at the meat between her fingers. "When in Rome…", she opened her mouth, but Dogmeat intercepted, slobbering all over it before returning to the strips in front of him. She stared at the meat dangling between her fingertips, her mouth still hanging open as she crinkled her nose, looking thoroughly unimpressed. "Buddy, now that's just low", she placed it back down, digging into her bag to retrieve a carton of water and a bowl. She filled the bowl and placed it next to him before cutting another slice of Mutfruit.
"Mmmm this tastes sooo good", she hammed it up. "See if I offer you any, though", she stuffed her cheeks. Her companion finally deigning to acknowledge her with a half-bark, quirking his head at the odd display.
The sound of an explosion startling her and snapping her companion to attention. It sounded like it came from a few blocks away. She swallowed, and cut herself another slice of fruit, while Dogmeat ran to a nearby window, his paws on the window sill as he scanned the buildings and street below. His ears perking up at the sound of gunfire in the distance.
"Let it go, boy", she called, nonchalantly.
A high pitched whine when he hopped off the window and turned to her.
"What?", she asked the antsy canine, his tail wagging impatiently. He bolted towards the stairs before turning around and running back to her, his claws scraping on the wooden floor, with an urgent high pitched bark.
"I'd rather not get shot again, pal", she leaned back, munching on another slice, pretending not to notice him as he stared at her, whining.
Another shrill half-bark, before the dog finally bolted down the stairs.
She sighed, closing her eyes and knocking her head back against the wall. "Dammit".
The explosion was deafening, blinding, even in the light of day. Massive plumes of flame and smoke reaching skyward and almost blotting out the sun. The steady, ominous sound of twisting metal bellowed across the city block, as the oil tanker came crashing down upon the cracked asphalt. Dust, smoke and heat, breaking upon his armor like waves crashing upon a rocky shore as he shielded the two remaining soldiers under his command. The severed arm of a feral ghoul hitting his back as he stood and turned to face the smouldering wreckage in front of the Cambridge Police Station.
The tanker belched torrents of black smoke into the sky. Feral Ghouls, writhing on the ground, their bone chilling shrieks filling the air as the flames slowly consumed them. Smouldering body parts littered the street and the courtyard of the station. But still they came. More of them pouring in from all sides, descending upon their position. Another wave scrambling over the barricades and k-rails that enclosed the courtyard. He brought his rifle up, letting loose a torrent of laser fire upon the frenzied horde.
"Sir!", the voice behind him, drowned out by the sound of laser fire and deafening feral shrieks.
"Paladin Danse! Sir!", the woman's voice finally breaking through to him.
"What is it Haylen?", he shouted over the chaos, his voice amplified by the helmet of his power armor.
"Sir, Rhys is down!".
Danse risked a glance over his shoulder. Knight Rhys was slumped against the stairs to the station, clutching his bleeding side as he gritted his teeth, eyes shut tight against the pain. Scribe Haylen kept a hand pressed over his, to stem the bleeding while she unloaded her pistol into the ferals.
"Shrapnel from the explosion Sir! He's bleeding out! We have to get him inside!", she pleaded, panic creeping into her face.
"Dammit!", she screamed as her pistol ran dry. "Sir!"
Paladin Danse cursed under his breath as multiple ferals managed to breach the barricade, pouring in from all directions. Their position was going to be overrun within a matter of seconds. It was hopeless, there was no way they would be able to make it inside in time. But he was damn sure not giving up!
"Fall back to the station!", he growled. Haylen already had her arms slung under Rhys' shoulders as she struggled to drag him up the stairs. He could at least buy his soldiers the time they needed to get to safety. If he could hold the line until his men were inside…
In his Power Armor, he might even be able to survive long enough against the horde to break through and lead them away from his team.
The mission had to be completed. Even without him, they were capable, his team would find a way, they had to.
The first feral lunged at his feet, wrapping its arms around his leg and clawing its way up the grooves in his armor. He slammed the butt of his rifle down on its head just as another freak barreled into him with a dull meaty clang that reverberated through his armor. Growling and grinding his teeth in barely controlled anger, he backhanded the Ghoul, knocking it to the ground and peppering its torso with laser fire. There was no end to them. Another one dove at his legs and yet another barreled into him, hanging off his gun arm.
This was fine. As long as he could keep the ferals focused on him. They just needed a little more time.
Two more ferals closed on him, one clambering up his shoulder, swiping at his helmet.
And the other…
"Haylen!", he heard himself shout, unable to bite back the hint of panic in his voice, as the feral shambled past him. He couldn't turn, couldn't intercept it. His view dominated by the snarling feral clinging to his shoulder.
"No!", Haylen screamed as she stepped in front of Rhys to intercept the Ghoul, a field knife in her hand as she braced herself.
The Ghoul's head jerked violently to the side, a geyser of black blood erupting from its head before it toppled lifelessly unto the steps. Haylen's eyes going wide as the ghoul fell at her feet.
"Sniper!", she frantically scanned the surrounding buildings while she dragged Rhys back and leaned him against the station walls.
Two more shots knocking off the feral on Paladin Danse's shoulder, the bullets ripping through its rotted flesh and bouncing harmlessly off his Power Armor, allowing him to grab the ghoul hanging off his gun arm by the neck and throw it to the ground. A few shots to the torso finished it off, and finally he followed up by bringing his armored foot down on the head of the feral clawing at his legs.
It didn't take him long to pinpoint the source of the shots. He caught a brief glimpse of a muzzle flash from one of the buildings off to the side of the station. Just inside a blown out wall on the second floor. He had no time to give the matter any further thought, as two more ghouls broke through the barricade and made a beeline for him.
Another shot from the mysterious shooter taking the first one down. The second one, he managed to grab by the head, the bright red light of laser fire, reflecting off his armor and cutting into the body of the ghoul as he held it aloft.
"It's a friendly!". "Haylen! Keep him alive! We're getting through this!"
She lay on her stomach, just inside the crumbling apartment wall, the shade as her cover. A perfect view of the Cambridge Police Dept. courtyard. Another ghoul in her scope as she squeezed the trigger. A single shot echoing through the small room.
These people weren't settlers or traders, and definitely not raiders. Gunners maybe? It was true she had yet to run into the infamous gunners, but from what she'd heard, they were an organized, well geared mercenary group. The group that wiped out the Minutemen. What if these were Gunners, should she even be protecting them?
But 'What if' wasn't reason enough to walk away. Especially now, after her canine companion had dragged her this far.
A creak of the floorboards causing her to snap her head over her shoulder.
A leathery hand on the doorframe, before a twisted face peered into the room. A ghoul, most likely attracted by the sound of gunfire.
Shit!
She reached one hand behind her for her sidearm just as Dogmeat bolted in from a side room, his teeth sinking into the creature's ankle, dragging it to the floor with a thud.
A sharp whistle causing her companion to jump back as she unloaded three shots into the ghoul.
"Good boy!", she gushed, resting the pistol next to her and returning her attention to the courtyard.
"Dammit", she muttered under her breath. She'd only turned away for a moment and now there were multiple ghouls tumbling over the barricades. The person in the Power Armor dropped them like flies as they poured into the courtyard, but it wouldn't be enough, with the way they were pouring in, and more approaching from the streets. She pushed herself up on one knee and flicked the switch on the side of her rifle, enabling burst fire.
"Bullets aren't easy to come by", she sighed, taking aim and resting her cheek against the cold steel.
The final feral hit the ground, smoke creeping off of its smoldering corpse. He scanned the street one last time before he allowed himself to relax, letting the laser rifle hang at his side.
"Hmph", he scoffed, at the bodies littering the courtyard, kicking the nearest one and watching as it skidded across the courtyard and crashed against the barricades.
"Freaks…"
He turned towards their mysterious sniper. The figure stood, rifle held in front of her, at the ready as she stared at him. He could barely make out her features at this distance, but it was definitely a woman. He raised an arm in greeting and thanks, watching as she did the same before he made his way towards Scribe Haylen.
"How's our man doing?". Danse stood on the steps of the police station, while Scribe Haylen bandaged the Knight's wound.
"Fit for duty Sir!", Knight Rhys grunted, trying to keep the pain from showing on his face.
"Sit down", Haylen pressed on his shoulder when he tried to stand. "You're not fit for anything, yet".
"Sir, the shrapnel's out. I've given him a stim and stopped the bleeding, but I'd recommend at least a day to recover".
"A day?!", "That's ridiculous, Sir I am ready for action…", Rhys began.
"You had internal bleeding", Haylen scolded. "It's stopped for now, but if you wanna go out there and rip that hole in your gut open again, then I'm not gonna stop you, but don't expect me to fix you up afterwards".
"Understood", Danse replied, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Haylen, take him inside when you're done and see that he…".
"Sir with all due respect, I…", Rhys tried to protest.
"That's an order, Knight".
"Sir, yes Sir", he conceded begrudgingly.
"Paladin Danse", Haylen nodded towards the road. "Company, Sir".
Danse looked over his shoulder at the woman standing on the road in front of the smouldering oil tanker, a large German shepherd at her side. He stepped down the stairs and approached the stranger. The woman followed suit, taking shade underneath the rampart, on the other side of the barricade.
"Citizen", he greeted. "Appreciate the assistance, but what's your business here?"
"Just passing through", she smiled politely. "How's your friend doing?", she nodded over his shoulder.
"He'll make it", he stated flatly. "Now, who are you, exactly?".
"Like I said, I'm just passing through".
"That is not an answer citizen", he said, a little more forcefully. "If you wish to remain on this compound, you will answer my questions. Who are you and what is your business here?".
The 'citizen' thing, and his tone were starting to wear on her.
She dropped her back pack in front of her and fished around inside it for a moment. The Palladin's grip on his rifle tensing in a mix of annoyance and anticipation.
"Here", she tossed him two stimpacks affixed together with a strip of cloth. He deftly caught the bundle, and examined it before calling over his shoulder, "Haylen". The scribe nodding when he tossed it to her.
"Appr…", he turned to the stranger again, but she was already on her feet, walking past the station.
"Citizen!, hold a moment", he called.
"My apologies, your highness", she bowed, with a flourish before falling back in step. "But I wouldn't want to intrude any further on your 'compound'".
Territorial wild dogs, trampling over the ruins of her old world, sticking their flags in the dirt, and claiming ownership of something that wasn't theirs. It was the same for every wastelander she'd met thus far. And while she couldn't blame them, they were all just trying to survive out here, after all. You owned what you could take.
That was law now, wasn't it?
However, she couldn't help but feel slighted every time she visited a familiar place, treaded familiar grounds, only to have a gun pointed at her by its 'new management' and told to 'screw off'.
Perhaps it was her growing bitterness towards this world and its people, maybe a touch of arrogance on her part.
What started off as wide eyed shock at the state of her world in those first few days, slowly changed to reverent mourning with every familiar ruin she visited.
And now?
Resentment.
She refused to acknowledge it at first. It was wrong to feel that way, wasn't it?
But it was there, like a pinprick in the back of her mind. Growing, with every atrocity she witnessed. Every cruelty born of human desperation and depravity. A result of animals fighting over the corpse of a once beautiful world, her world.
Would she become like them, eventually? Would she even notice if she did?
"Wait!", the paladin called again as he weaved past the barricade and caught up to her on the street. His heavy footsteps causing her to turn, a hand on the grip of her holstered sidearm. It was more a reflex than anything, not as if she'd be able to do anything with it if he decided to attack, encased as he was in Power Armor.
She stood there, hand on her sidearm, one eyebrow slightly raised as she waited for him to speak.
"I…apologize if I seemed…".
"Like an ass?", she supplied, helpfully. A cheeky smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"…Suspicious", he clenched his jaw and shot her an unimpressed look. It was probably good that his helmet hid his face. Apologies were not his forte, and this woman wasn't making it easy.
"From the moment we arrived the Commonwealth, we've been constantly under fire".
"Would you mind taking your helmet off? It's really awkward talking with you like this".
He spent all of five seconds giving it some thought before finally sighing, "Very well", and grabbing the base of his helmet.
"…I promise I won't shoot you in the head".
Her words, giving him pause for a moment as he did a double take. She was smirking, her arms folded in front of her chest. It wasn't a threat, she was teasing him, he deduced. At least it seemed that way.
He could never tell with these wastelanders. Though she didn't look like a typical settler or raider. She looked…normal, healthy, and her clothing and gear automatically set her apart from those groups.
Her weight evenly distributed on her legs, gloved arms folded, loosely across her chest. She appeared relaxed, however he could tell she was anything but. Her guard was very much still up.
How quickly could she draw that sidearm? The thought flashing across his mind before he finally lifted his helmet.
A condescending smile on her face, "There you go. A good looking guy like yourself, shouldn't be so shy". Her words throwing him off guard, but he recovered quickly, hoping she didn't notice.
"Ma'am I assure you I…", he stopped himself and sighed in exasperation upon seeing her growing smile.
"Let me start again. As I was saying, we've been under fire every step of the way since entering the Commonwealth. But we have a mission to complete and I intend to see it through. The problem is, I'm down a man, as you can see", he nodded to the courtyard over his shoulder.
"And I don't have the time to wait until he recovers…"
"So you want my help?", she interrupted.
"Yes, in short".
"You helped us out of a tight spot back there and you seem capable enough. I could really use your extra gun at my side, if you're willing to continue pitching in".
"Pitching in?", she looked at him incredulously. "I have no idea who you people are, hell I don't even know your name much less what this mission of yours is".
"Fair point", he conceded. "I am paladin Danse, behind me, Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys. We're with the Brotherhood of steel. We're on re…"
"Fancy name", she mused.
He let out a slow, measured breath, clenching his jaw before continuing. "We're on recon duty in the Commonwealth…".
"Some kind of military organization?", she asked.
"Not exactly, our order seeks to understand the nature of technology, its power and what that means to us as humans. We fight to secure that power from those who would abuse it".
"I see, so you're looters", she concluded.
"You're implying we steal technology to benefit ourselves. I can assure you, our motivations are quite the opposite!", he growled, but refused to give in to her baiting.
"And who are 'those who would abuse it'?" "I'm guessing it's anyone that isn't you?", she added, not bothering to hide her cynical tone.
"The Brotherhood of steel is the only!…".
"And what is it that you want my help with, Paladin Danse?", she cut him off.
His nostrils flared almost imperceptibly, but he bit his tongue. This woman was insufferable, but he needed her help. She was one of the few, apparently able bodied civilians, that hadn't tried to take a shot at them. Were the situation not as dire, he would have certainly given this wastelander an earful for disparaging the Brotherhood of Steel's good name.
"I've been trying to send a distress call to my superiors, but the signal's too weak to reach them. We've modified the radio tower on the roof of the station but it still isn't enough. What we're after is a Deep Range Transmitter, to boost the signal", he paused, trying to judge her disposition, but she simply nodded for him to continue.
"Our target is ArcJet Systems. We infiltrate the facility, secure the transmitter and transport it back here. So what do you say? Are you willing to lend us a hand?"
"That depends. What's the compensation for my help?", she asked.
"So you are a mercenary? Typical", he managed to mask a scowl.
"I'm not here for your convenience, Paladin", she stated flatly.
"Fine, what do you want? We have little in the way of caps, and we're low on rations as it is".
"That's fine. What about weapons? Ammunition? I'm running low, especially after that whole mess", she nodded in the direction of the smoking tanker, and the feral bodies and limbs strewn across the street. Dogmeat playfully dancing around a crippled feral, a dismembered leg in his mouth as the ghoul dragged itself on its belly, taking swipes at the dog.
Well I'm glad 'you're' having fun, she glared at her friend. Dogmeat, seemingly sensing her gaze, turned and quirked his head at her. The leg between his jaws, flopping to the side along with one of his pointed ears.
"That, I can agree to. We've stockpiled a sizable amount of ordnance inside the station. You can take what you need, within reason", the paladin offered.
"Alright Paladin", she turned back to him. "You've got a deal".
"Excellent".
The Cambridge Police Station was a mess. The stale, musty air was now all too familiar to her. She made her way to one of the back rooms and dropped her backpack and rifle on a round wooden table. A dim fluorescent lamp dangling from the ceiling, and daylight pouring through a small louver high on the wall, provided a soft light throughout the room. It felt almost cozy.
She took a moment to look around the room. Broken file cabinets lining the walls, boxes of old, stained folders and papers littering the wooden floor. She could hear the pitter patter of Dogmeat's claws from somewhere nearby, as well as the muffled voices of the Paladin and his people, from the station lobby a few rooms away. The woman, Haylen, seemed amicable enough to her presence. The injured Knight however had looked upon her with a mixture of unconcealed disgust and disdain. As to what his issue with her might be, she didn't care, as long as the Paladin kept him in line.
She threw off her jacket and dug into her pack, trying to decide what she might need on this little excursion.
Approaching bootsteps alerted her before he spoke, "Civilian, we leave in fifteen minutes. I trust that's enough time for you to prepare?". He entered the room, finally out of his power armor, and placed his rifle and a small lockbox on the table.
"Would you stop calling me that, please?", she looked across the table at him.
"You haven't stated your name. What would you like me to call you?".
She stared at him, dumbfounded for the briefest of moments. He was right, she hadn't introduced herself, she realized, and he hadn't asked either. All this time alone in the wastes, her manners were beginning to slip.
"I'm sorry. It's Leona", she muttered, her head in her backpack once more.
He simply nodded. "Alright, Leona. The armory is just down the hall, one room over. Grab what you need when you're ready".
"Mhm", she fumbled around her pack, while he field stripped his rifle. The silence hanging thick in the air for a few minutes, when she retrieved a handful of tin cans, stacking them on the table, one after the other, before pushing the pile over to him.
"What is this?", he asked, examining one of the cans.
"Food. You said you were running low", she explained as she continued sorting through her things. "That should last you a few days if you go easy on it".
He looked over at her, "That's…generous of you. Are you sure?".
She didn't meet his gaze, instead opting to focus on her task, unsure of why she felt as awkward as she did. "Yes. I have enough, and we're on the move a lot, so it shouldn't be a problem to get more".
The cans didn't look tampered with, from what he could tell. Still, he would have Scribe Haylen check them over later.
He honestly couldn't figure this woman out. She didn't need to share her rations. And for all her talk about payment, she didn't act like a merc, or a typical wastelander for that matter. They weren't allies and they had clearly gotten off to a rough start.
So why?
Guns propped against the walls, boxes of ammunition, explosives and other items filled the narrow walkway of the filing room, turned armory. Her rifle and sidearm, she decided, would be good enough for the mission. She just needed ammo.
And payment. She made her way over to the far corner of the small room. A riot shotgun catching her eye.
I'll take that. She hefted it, feeling its weight. Shotguns were something she hadn't had much experience with. But with the surplus of ammo here, she could definitely get some practice in, eventually. She grabbed an empty bag and sat on the floor, tucking the shotgun inside, and filling it with ammo, explosives and other miscellaneous items. Satisfied with her fee. She would have to sort through everything when she got back.
The sound of Dogmeat's claws, and the cold nose on her bare upper arm, startling her. She turned around, face to face with her companion, a stuffed teddy bear in his mouth, his tail kicking up dust behind him as it brushed across the floor.
"Hm, whatcha got there?", she tugged at the teddy bear, eliciting a stubborn growl as he tugged back.
"Give it", she urged, smiling. But the dog refused, at least initially, before he let loose a mighty sneeze right in her face, and finally surrendered the stuffed animal.
"Great, thanks, I…really needed that", she crinkled her nose and wiped her face. But he just sat there, tail wagging, tongue hanging down, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
The bear looked to be in good condition from what she could tell, as she turned it over in her hands. A puff of dust coming off of it when she tapped it.
"So this is your fee huh?", she smiled. "Alright then, I'll hold onto it". And with a pleased half bark he turned around and darted out the room, almost tripping the Paladin as he appeared in the doorway.
"It's almost time, are you all set?"
"Yes, let me get my things", she placed the bear in the duffle bag and stood, making her way to the door just as he entered. He stepped to the side in the narrow doorway, just as she did. "Sorry", he said, steeping to the other side, again just as she did, in an awkward parody of a slow dance. His calloused palms on her bare upper arms to keep from bumping into her. It was a reflex, but he still had to make a conscious effort to keep the embarrassment from his face.
"Apologies".
"Dance…", she muttered, her eyes cast downwards to their feet, avoiding his face.
"Pardon?", he took his hands off of her.
"Nothing", she slid past him, and out the door.
She entered the station lobby dropping her backpack and resting her rifle on the front desk, and noting the stares she received. Especially the glare from the Knight, who stood talking with Paladin Danse.
"Ready", she stated, throwing off her jacket, Dogmeat trotting up next to her.
"Excellent, let's get underway", the Paladin nodded to his team before pulling himself into his Power Armor, the hatch closing with a hiss.
"K, boy", she flashed Dogmeat a smile and grabbed her rifle and backpack. "Let's go play soldier".
"This isn't a game, wastelander", Knight Rhys grabbed her by the arm as she passed.
Vicious barking from Dogmeat, at the perceived threat. But the Knight ignored it, never taking his eyes off of her.
"Let go of me", she stated flatly, narrowing her eyes at him over her shoulder.
"Knight Rhys!, stand down!", Danse ordered.
"Sir, with all due respect, you can't expect this wastelander to…".
"That is enough!", Danse cut him off.
The Knight turned back to her, still maintaining his rough grip on her arm. "If you so much as…".
"Don't make me repeat myself!", Danse growled, his heavy footsteps coming up behind her.
"Yes, Sir…", the knight muttered, releasing his hold, his eyes still on her as he stepped back. She in turn released her grip on her sidearm and turned to face the Paladin.
"Easy, boy", she called to the dog. His growls subsided but didn't stop as he glared daggers at the Knight.
"Ma'am, I'm afraid the canine will have to wait here. I don't want an untrained animal jeopardizing the mission", Danse explained.
"That must be why you're not taking the Knight here", she quipped.
"What did you say?!", Rhys growled, taking a step towards her.
"Rhys!", the Paladin's voice stopping him in his tracks.
"Ma'am could you wait outside? I'll be with you shortly".
She bit her tongue and nodded to the Paladin. "It's alright boy", she knelt in front of the dog, giving him a quick hug, ruffling the fur on his back. "I'll be back soon, I promise". Dogmeat lapping at her cheek before she stood, adjusting the rifle around her shoulder and making her way to the door.
"Knight", she stopped and looked over her shoulder, catching his eye. "If anything happens to my friend while I'm gone", she said, a matter-of-factly, the coldness in her eyes, at odds with her tone. "I'll put another hole in you".
NOTES : 01/07/2017 Apologies for the late chapter, managed to catch the flu last week (yay!). Also the chapter turned out to be longer than I thought, so I'm splitting it into two while I work on the second half. Once chapter 12 is finished, I'll merge them into one chapter. It's been over a week so I felt I should at least put this out for now. I'll settle on a chapter title once the second half is complete.
Regarding these snapshots of Leona's travels through the wasteland. I'm not sure if I've conveyed it properly, but they don't happen directly one after the other. There is time in between. It's meant to be just that, snapshots of notable events on her way to Diamond City.
It's done this way so I can perhaps backtrack and inject a few notable sidequests from the game into the story further down the line, to further develop her character before she reaches DCity. This is very much a work in progress.
Hope my writing didn't suffer too much from my foggy head lol. Regardless I'm constantly re-reading and refining the chapters, so this will definitely be altered to a greater or lesser degree as time goes on.
Also updated the albums for Leona and added the links in my Profile (flickr and myalbum). And I posted all current chapters to AO3 as well.
Minor edits to the first four chapters. And I need to do a bit of work on the 5th chapter I think.
I think that's all for now. If I missed anything, I'll post them here.
If you have any comments or criticisms, feel free, as always. Feedback is always welcome.
Take care XD
