Chapter Summary: The companions head to Hidden Valley to try to convince the Mojave Brotherhood to adopt a more beneficial agenda in the hope of a lasting peace.
Chapter 35: In the Shadow of the Valley
The journey to Hidden Valley took most of the day. Veronica nervously chattered away at Beth as Boone silently followed along behind, diligently watching for danger. They managed to avoid any Legion squads and only had a few radscorpions to take care of closer to the valley.
It took some convincing to get Boone to agree to stay outside while Beth and Veronica went into the Brotherhood bunker. Even if he removed his armor and beret, there was still too much risk of them discovering he was NCR. That probably wouldn't go over well with the elder-that's if they would even get a word in to explain before the Brotherhood started shooting. Eventually, Boone relented.
After getting snarky with security at the door, Veronica led the way inside. There was a strong updraft as the two women descended the long metal staircase into the deep bunker. At the bottom, a stern-looking man was waiting for them, eyeing Beth suspiciously.
"We have passcodes for a reason, Veronica," the man said with irritation.
She rolled her eyes at him and said, "Oh, come on Ramos. Lighten up. Maybe get some sun-it would help with your complexion."
He gave her a tired glare. "You also aren't supposed to bring visitors. You know the rules."
"She's a friend who's here to help. We need to talk to the elder."
"I'm not sure what 'help' an outsider is going to give. But fine, go speak to McNamara. Just remember, Veronica. She's your guest, so you are responsible for her."
"Don't worry. She's much more well-behaved than I am." She flashed him a bright smile.
As unwelcome as she felt, Beth knew things would have been much more difficult had Veronica not been there with her. She did her best to keep her face friendly, despite her apprehension. She did feel bad about using her friendship with Veronica to get into the bunker, but reminded herself it was for the good of everyone, including the scribe. They wanted the same things: for the Brotherhood to have a future and to stop innocent people from dying needlessly.
Leaving Ramos, Beth followed Veronica through the twisting corridors and stairs. The design of this bunker was different from the vaults. It was more like the pre-war military installations the Enclave used as bases back in the Capital Wasteland—industrial and stark. Turrets sat in the larger hallways, standing guard. Everyone they passed was either in armor or scribe robes.
"Hell of a place to grow up," Beth commented. She'd thought Vault 101 was bleak.
"Nah, we don't raise kids here. There's a well-hidden base back in Cal-" She clamped her hand over her mouth, wincing. "Shit. Don't tell anyone I told you that!" she said in a hushed voice, looking around to make sure no one overheard.
"My lips are sealed."
"Thanks." She grimaced.
They continued through an armored doorway and as soon as they stepped through, they were accosted by three large figures in power armor.
"Santangelo," one of them said with more than a hint of disdain. The filtered voice through his helmet added to his imposing figure.
"Crosby," Veronica responded with equal warmth.
"What are you doing bringing this outsider here?"
"She's a friend. We need to talk to the elder."
"Outsiders do not belong in here and certainly should not be talking to the elder. What do you think you're playing at?"
Veronica crossed her arms defiantly. "Ramos let us in. This isn't your business."
"You compromising the Brotherhood is all of our business. That's what being part of the Brotherhood means. You know that. Or at least you should."
"We are trying to save the Brotherhood, not that I need to justify myself to you," she said, raising her voice. "You have a problem, take it up with Ramos or Elder McNamara. Now step aside."
"Fine, go. But know that if you cross the line, you will have to answer for it."
The soldiers stomped off through the door leaving the two women alone.
"Sorry about that," Veronica said quietly to Beth.
"Hmm..." Beth nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that if the power-armor clad soldiers had chosen to fight, she and Veronica wouldn't have stood a chance. She didn't expect to be warmly welcomed, but she didn't expect them to threaten her and Veronica so overtly. Maybe things were worse here than the scribe had let on. "Hopefully the elder will be more accommodating."
"I hope so."
Before they could continue on, one of the soldiers came back through the door and removed their helmet to reveal a woman with rosy cheeks. "Hey, Veronica, I'm sorry about all that." She smoothed her curly blonde hair with her fingers.
"What's going on, Jenny? Why are you backing up Crosby?"
"I joined the Circle," she said proudly. "They recruited me last month."
Veronica's eyes opened wide and she scoffed. "The Circle? Are you kidding me?"
"It's important work. I wish you'd see that. You know, you just keep making things harder for yourself when you're under enough scrutiny already, what with Elijah and your other questionable personal choices." Beth knew what she meant and had to hold herself back from saying something. It was as though they believed Veronica chose to be a lesbian in order to cause problems in the Brotherhood. Jenny looked Beth up and down. "Now you're bringing outsiders in to talk to the elder. You have to see how this looks."
"I thought you were my friend."
"I am! That's why I'm talking to you instead of just making threats like Crosby. I'm trying to help you."
"I don't need your help! I wish you'd see that I am thinking of the good of the Brotherhood, too. We just disagree on what that is."
Jenny shook her head. "We both know there isn't room for disagreement. There's the Codex and the Elder. Nothing else."
"Exactly. That's why we're going to talk to McNamara. It's his decision. Not yours and not the Circle's."
"I certainly hope you know what you're doing." She shook her head with a sigh. "I've said what I came to say. Good luck, Veronica. Don't do anything stupid."
This was met with a sneer from the scribe. Jenny turned and left, the door sliding shut behind her.
"What the hell was all of that?" Beth asked.
"Jenny Rubens. Sorry I didn't introduce you." She scoffed with a twinge of sarcasm. "She and I grew up together. As you might have noticed, we've drifted apart over the years."
That didn't really answer her question. "And the others?"
"The Circle of Steel. Or wannabes, anyway. Bunch of hard-line assholes. The Circle is in charge of settling certain 'problems' within the Brotherhood."
"Such as?"
"Non-compliance with the Codex, primarily."
"I've never heard of them. I don't think they had anything like that in the Lyon's Brotherhood."
"Well they wouldn't, would they? They didn't exactly follow the Codex to the letter."
"I guess not."
"They didn't have much of a presence here either, until some of the more 'dedicated' members got permission to form their own group, even though they aren't strictly official. They think that our current problems stem from not following the Codex closely enough. As though that's going to keep us from starving or suffocating in this hole."
"So what now?"
"We continue with the plan. If we convince McNamara, he'll handle the Circle."
"...Okay." Beth could only hope that Veronica was right, although a sinking feeling in her stomach was still nagging at her. She wished Boone were here, but she was also grateful he had agreed to stay outside. No doubt the confrontation with the soldiers would have gone much worse had he been there. As much as she loved him, she knew House had been right when he called him impetuous.
Even before Veronica said a word to the elder, Beth wasn't feeling optimistic. The office was dimly lit and stuffy, as though they were trying to conserve power. McNamara looked weary, with baggy eyes, a hunched posture, and a sickly complexion.
"Hello, Veronica. Ramos said you wanted to see me. What is this about?" he asked impatiently, massaging his temple with his fingers.
"This is Beth Evans," she answered, but the elder didn't acknowledge the introduction, so she continued. "She's a friend of mine who has been helping me with something important. We brought you a present." Veronica set the holotape on his desk.
"What is it?"
"This disk has technology for growing plants in nearly any conditions, plants that can thrive in the wasteland or even underground with minimal light."
"We aren't botanists, Veronica." Without looking at it, he pushed the tape back toward her. "We've discussed this sort of thing before and I've made my position-the Brotherhood's position-very clear."
"Please, we went to a lot of trouble to get this. You could at least hear us out."
He sighed. "Very well."
"Just think about it. We could grow our own food instead of trading guns for it. We could actually be self-sufficient. And that's just the beginning. With our technological expertise, imagine what we could do. We could grow plants for medicine. We could terraform the surrounding Valley. We could-"
"Farming won't get us Hoover Dam," he interrupted.
Beth's chest tightened sharply at the statement. She hadn't expected him to say that. Trying to get back HELIOS One, maybe, but the Dam? It made her very uneasy. The NCR was already stretched thin fighting the Legion. They couldn't fight the Brotherhood, as well, even if there weren't many of them left.
"It could," Veronica insisted. "If we fed people, they would support us, join us. We wouldn't have to hide anymore."
The way she said it, as though this had been the plan all along, made Beth even more anxious. This was all supposed to be about peace, about stopping the Brotherhood from attacking New Vegas, but what they were talking about now would only lead to more conflict. There was no way the NCR or Mr. House would ever allow the Brotherhood to hold the Dam, no matter what the popular support said.
"What does the Codex say?" the elder asked.
Veronica clenched her fists and her body tensed at the question, as though she had heard it a thousand times. "I don't care! We have to be more than what the Codex says. The Codex is killing us!"
"'We do not help them, or let them in,'" he quoted.
"Close-minded bullshit."
"The Codex gives us direction. Purpose. It has guided us since our founding. Without it, we are lost."
"That's not true. We can evolve, adapt."
McNamara shook his head. "No, we cannot." He sounded almost regretful, as though he didn't believe he had the power to change it. Or maybe he was tired of having this conversation with her.
"We'll die out," Veronica said in a quiet voice.
Then he said something else that Beth didn't expect: "I know."
Beth couldn't stand it anymore. "Seriously?" she said, exasperated. "You would let everyone in this bunker die rather than stray from your interpretation of the Codex? You're responsible for the lives of everyone in your charge. You're dismissing that duty rather lightly."
The elder looked at her, as though just now noticing she was there. "Who are you to speak to me this way?"
"I am Elizabeth Evans, former Knight of the Lyons' Brotherhood of Steel in the Capital Wasteland."
McNamara scoffed derisively and he crossed his arms over his chest. "I see. Now some things are making sense. So it's you who has been filling Veronica's head with all these ideas."
"No. Veronica has her own mind. I just happen to agree with her. And I've seen that adapting can work."
"Evans is not a name I have heard before in the Brotherhood. Who were your parents?"
"My parents were doctors. They were respected by the Lyons' Brotherhood, but they were not members."
"Then you were not brought up in the traditions of the Brotherhood? This is why we don't recruit outsiders," he said patronizingly. "Not chapters that follow the Codex, anyway. You might have been accepted by a rogue chapter and given rank, but you aren't one of us and you never will be, I'm afraid."
Veronica looked far more hurt by the elder's words than Beth felt herself. She didn't need him to tell her she didn't belong with them. She had walked away from the Brotherhood a long time ago of her own accord and hadn't regretted it.
The elder continued, "Owen Lyons' name doesn't hold the respect you may think it does. There was a reason he was sent east. He was too influential and well-liked to be silenced, but too...controversial to be allowed to continue to spread those ideas within the rest of the Brotherhood. Letting him explore eastward was a compromise. A way to get rid of him." Beth hadn't heard that before, but had no way to refute what he was saying. "Yet he still defied what few orders he was given, which led to him being cut off from the rest of the Brotherhood and then to a civil war within his own chapter."
"Yes, I know about the division, although it happened before I knew them. I was familiar with the Outcasts from the chapter, as well." She had helped them unlock the armory by completing the Operation Anchorage simulation. They nearly killed her for her trouble.
"'Outcasts.' Those who followed the Brotherhood's ideals, the Codex, were the outcasts." He shook his head.
Beth felt they were straying from the important subject at hand. "Enough about the past, Elder McNamara. We're here about the future of this chapter. Perhaps talking about taking Hoover Dam keeps your more ambitious members towing the line, hoping you have a plan that will make all this isolation and sacrifice worth it. Perhaps you are counting on the NCR and Legion bloodying each other enough that only one weak victor will be left standing and you can just walk in and take the Dam."
McNamara's eyes widened, as though she had read his mind.
"But that is wishful thinking," she continued. "The NCR and Legion fought before and both were still strong enough to keep you in this hole. Can you tell me your chapter is in a better position now than it was four years ago?"
The elder gritted his teeth, but didn't answer.
"Let's be honest. You don't even have the manpower or the resources to take HELIOS One back from the NCR. The Dam is a pipe dream. Your only chance at survival is to become a part of the world instead of fighting it or hiding from it. This farming technology might not be the solution, but you won't know unless you at least consider it."
"What do we really have to lose by trying?" Veronica asked.
The elder's head bowed for a moment in thought, then he looked Beth in the eye. "Even if I agreed with you, I could never allow an outsider's corrupted ideals from a rogue chapter to take hold here. This chapter would not survive a division like that. I am the elder and I must do what I think is best."
That was it. Whatever hope she and Veronica had held before this had been dashed. If that was truly how he felt, what more could be argued? This was not the Brotherhood she knew. This elder would not be swayed by humanitarian pleas or even logic. There was no room for anything except the Codex in his mind, even if that meant the destruction of his chapter, or the Brotherhood as a whole. She'd thought Mr. House was stubborn and unyielding, but he had relented when she pushed back. She was confident he would do whatever necessary for himself and Vegas to survive, even if that meant making compromises.
Defeated, Veronica picked up the holotape and turned to her friend. "He isn't going to listen," she said softly. "Let's go."
They said curt goodbyes, then Beth followed Veronica out of the office.
Standing in the hallway, the scribe stared with vacant, tearful eyes. "I don't understand. How could he not listen?"
"I don't know." They had both counted on this and had been so hopeful that the plan would work. "I think my mentioning my connection to the Lyons' Brotherhood was a mistake."
"Don't blame yourself. You were just being honest. I think he was just using that as an excuse to get rid of us," she said bitterly.
Beth wasn't sure that was the case and she didn't know what to do now. "Is there someone else we could bring this to?" Maybe there was someone who would have a more reasonable and peaceful agenda.
"No. McNamara is one of the most progressive members we have. If he won't listen, I don't think anyone else will, either." Her shoulders fell. "I can't believe all of this was for nothing. I'm sorry I wasted your time."
"It wasn't for nothing. The Followers can use the tech we found to help a lot of people. At least you know you tried everything you could." She reached out and put a comforting hand on her friend's arm.
"For all the good it did." She sniffled, looking around as though everything was suddenly foreign to her. "I don't know if I can stay." Wiping her eyes, she asked, "What do you think I should do?"
Beth let out a long breath. "Ultimately, it has to be up to you, but I know how difficult things have been for you here. You need to think about yourself and what is going to give you the best chance at the life you want." She knew how it felt to leave the only home she'd ever known. The difference was, Beth hadn't been given a choice either time. Veronica had to decide for herself and there was probably no going back on whatever that decision was. She didn't envy her.
The scribe nodded solemnly. "We're given the chance to leave when we're younger and once we make our choice, it's supposed to be for life, but...I don't know if I have much choice now. You're right. As hard as it would be to leave, I think it would be harder to stay and watch it all decay. Watch us die off, either slowly or all at once. I'm not even sure anyone would miss me if I left."
"If you did leave, what would you want to do?" Beth would offer her a place, a home, but she didn't want to push Veronica more unless it sounded like that's what she wanted. She'd already done enough to bring her to this point.
"I've been thinking a lot about the Followers. Like you've said, they're working for the good of mankind, things I wish the Brotherhood would do. I used to trade at one of their outposts near the 188. I know a couple of people there. I think that's where I'll go." She had a look of grim resolve in her eyes. "It'll be a start, anyway. Somewhere I can be useful."
Beth was relieved that Veronica wasn't asking to go to the Old Mormon Fort. She still didn't want to see Arcade and didn't want to have to explain to Veronica or anyone else that they were talking anymore. "I know where the outpost is. Boone and I will go with you. And any time you need anything, I'm here for you." She gave her arm a squeeze.
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
From his position on the hill, Boone kept watch on the bunker door through his scope. The hot sun was beating down on his back, but he didn't move from his position. It had already been more than 45 minutes since Beth and Veronica had gone inside and he wasn't sure how long they were going to be in there. When he was with First Recon, he often had to wait hours or even days for a target to show up. As a sniper in Novac, he'd spent 12 hours every night for nearly a year and a half staring at the desert, waiting. His patience was not what it used to be, however, and even this short time waiting for Beth now was excruciating. He had no way of knowing if she was safe or how much longer he should expect to wait.
The helpless feeling in the pit of his stomach reminded him too much of how it felt when Carla went missing. He tried to reassure himself that Beth wasn't Carla. Beth could take care of herself. She was strong and capable-probably the most capable person he'd ever met-but it didn't calm his fears. He hadn't felt this alone in a long time.
After several more minutes, the door opened and four figures in power armor emerged. His heart skipped and then thundered in his chest. While he didn't know what was going on, it certainly didn't seem like anything good. He could easily take down that many legionaries at this distance before they could spot his position or get to cover, but he wasn't as confident against Brotherhood soldiers in power armor. He could shoot through it, but not precise enough for a definite one-shot kill.
This was supposed to be a peaceful mission, he reminded himself. He couldn't be sure the soldiers had bad intentions. If he started shooting before he was sure, he could compromise the whole mission and risk all their lives in the process. So he took a deep breath and kept waiting.
The minutes ticked by. There was still no sign of Beth or Veronica. What if things had gone horribly wrong? What if they were in trouble? What should he do? What could he do? He couldn't stand waiting anymore. He needed to move closer to be ready in case the soldiers were planning to attack, but he would have to be careful.
Boone reached down to his waist to check the pulse grenades he had readied as soon as they went into the bunker, the ones he hoped he wouldn't have to use. A well aimed blast from them would at least partially disable power armor, reducing the target's mobility considerably. He had never fought the Brotherhood personally, but they had been enough of a threat to the NCR in the past that it was a routine part of basic training.
Slowly and keeping behind cover, he moved closer, checking with his scope frequently to see if anyone else came through the door. When he was about half way there, the door opened again and to his somewhat relief, Beth and Veronica stepped out, seemingly unharmed. They both looked startled when they saw the soldiers, so Boone hurried towards them with a grenade in his hand as stealthily as he could.
The soldiers didn't see him, as they were facing the other direction, but Beth did. Looking alarmed, she shook her head quickly to signal him to stop. Reluctantly, he complied.
From her body language, he could see that she was trying to talk the soldiers down. As terrified as he was for her safety, he had to trust in her diplomatic skills. Veronica stood next to her, not looking nearly as confident; her face was red and her eyes looked tired. He stood there, barely breathing, until the four armed soldiers finally returned to the bunker.
In an instant, he reached them and Beth embraced him. "Thank you for listening to me," she said. "I was afraid you were going to get yourself killed."
"Get myself killed? What about you?! What the fuck happened in there?!" he demanded.
Veronica sniffled.
"Not now," Beth whispered to him, putting her hand on his chest. "We'll talk about it later. Right now, we're heading to the Follower's Outpost."
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No, no one's hurt. Veronica has decided to leave the Brotherhood and join the Followers."
The Followers were enthusiastic about Veronica's application for membership, as her expertise as a former member of the Brotherhood would make her a valuable asset. The doctor in charge of assignments wouldn't be back to the outpost until tomorrow, however, so they would have to come back. Normally, they would have spent the night at the 188, but Boone wanted somewhere more secure. He was still shaken by what happened at the bunker; plus, the Legion threat was rising. They decided to spend the night at Camp Golf where the NCR was more than happy to accommodate the Courier and her companions.
Veronica said she needed some time alone to think, so she went for a walk by the lake while Beth and Boone stashed their gear in the vacant tent the quartermaster had assigned them.
The second they were alone, Boone asked, "What happened in the bunker?"
Beth sat down on the cot next to her bag and rubbed her tired eyes. Her head was pounding from the stress of the day. "It didn't go well from the second we stepped in there. We got through security, but afterward, a group of them confronted Veronica. Asked why I was there, what we were doing. They didn't like that we were going to talk to the elder, as though we were just trying to make trouble."
Boone crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against a post, looking frustrated, but said nothing.
"Then we went to talk to the elder, but he would barely hear what Veronica had to say. He refused to consider anything except what is in the letter of their Codex." She shook her head with a sigh. "I think my being there just made things worse. I tried to reason with him by bringing up the Lyons' Brotherhood. I was going to argue that they had managed to survive by recruiting new members and protecting the surrounding population, but he didn't want to hear any of it. He made it clear that he saw Elder Lyons' as a traitor, not someone to be emulated. I expected them to be more...traditional, but not to this extent. Some of them were obviously listening to our conversation with McNamara and that's why they stopped us outside."
"What did they say?"
"They made some threats. Said that if it were up to them, they would arrest us both as traitors."
Boone gritted his teeth. "Were those the same ones who confronted you before?"
"I don't know. I think so? They all mostly look the same in power armor. Thankfully, assuring them that Veronica was leaving and we weren't going to interfere in their affairs anymore seemed to appease them."
He took a deep breath and his frustration seemed to calm. "What do we do now?"
"I don't know. Making a peace deal with them doesn't seem possible, like I hoped it would be. The elder didn't want to have anything to do with the tech from Vault 22, but...he also said some particularly unsettling things. It seems that his ultimate goal is to take Hoover Dam."
"Shit."
She nodded. "That was my reaction. The thing is, from what I saw in there and what Veronica has said, they don't have the numbers or resources to take back HELIOS One, let alone the Strip or the Dam. The elder has no interest in recruiting new members or deviating from the letter of the Codex, so their circumstances are only going to get worse. Maybe we don't need to worry."
"So we just leave them alone?"
"I think that's for the best. I don't see the elder changing his mind about the lockdown anytime soon."
"What about House?"
"I know he won't like it. 'Unknown variables' and all that, but he's just going to have to live with it. They aren't a big enough threat to eliminate. If he has an issue with that, then," she shrugged, "that's too bad. He knows he can't make me do anything I don't want to do. Once the Legion is taken care of, he can station some securitrons outside Hidden Valley to keep an eye on them, if it makes him feel better." She sounded more confident than she felt. The truth was that even if she thought eliminating them was the best course of action, she didn't know how she would get back into the bunker.
He sat down next to her and she took his hand. "I'm just glad you're okay."
"I'm sorry I had to leave you outside, but it really was for the best. We all got out of there alive and now it's over. We can focus on the Legion."
"Damn right." He put his arm around her and kissed her on the temple.
"I just wish I knew if Veronica was going to be okay. You should have heard the things they said to her, the way they spoke to her even before we talked to McNamara. Now she's an outcast from the only home she's ever known."
"She's strong. She'll be okay."
"I hope so, but...could you try to make more of an effort to be nicer to her? She's not your favorite person and she gets on your nerves sometimes, I know, but she doesn't have a lot of friends right now."
Boone nodded. "I'll try."
"Thanks. Ugh, I'm starving and I've got one hell of a headache. I could use some dinner and several glasses of water."
"I could bring it back here."
"No, I think I need some fresh air."
Outside, Boone pointed to some vacant picnic tables. "You grab us some seats," he said. "I'll get us some food and water."
"Okay," she replied. "Thanks."
Beth picked a table with a small amount of shade and sat down. Rubbing her eyes, she tried to calm the thoughts running through her mind. She couldn't understand how the Mojave Brotherhood could be in such a dire situation, yet be unwilling to do anything to help themselves. If anything, it seemed to make them even more dogmatic and wary of outsiders.
There was still the matter of what she was going to tell Mr. House. He had been very clear that he wanted something done about the Brotherhood, so leaving them alone wasn't going to go over well. Just thinking about that conversation made her head hurt worse, so she tried to put it out of her mind. She would figure it out tomorrow on the way back to Vegas.
"Excuse me, ma'am," a woman said, breaking Beth out of her thoughts. "Are you the Courier?"
Beth looked up and answered, "Yeah, I guess that's me." She managed a small smile.
"Sorry to bother you. I'm Ranger Stella DeMarco." She tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "I was at Fortification Hill when you and your partner took out the Legion there."
Beth didn't recognize her. "Oh, I see. Please, sit down." She gestured to an empty seat at the table, which the woman took. "And call me Beth."
"It is nice to meet you. Beth."
"I'm sorry, I don't remember seeing you at the Fort."
"You wouldn't. We stayed hidden."
"We?"
"Me and another captive, Sergeant Douglas Andrews. We didn't know what was happening at first. When one of the guards watching me went to investigate some noise, I was able to take out the other and we escaped. When we saw you and your partner head into that brick building, we managed to climb over the outer wall and swim across the river. Only later did we learn who you were."
Talking to this woman was making Beth forget her own problems and her headache was starting to dull. "I'm glad you got out. How are you doing now?"
"I'm a ranger," she said proudly, sitting up straighter with her shoulders back. Then her mouth twitched and she sighed. "I'm better than I was, let's put it that way. They've got a doc here that I've been talking to. Knows about this stuff." She shrugged.
"You're back on duty?"
"Sorta. Brass wanted me to take leave. Even pushed for medical discharge. Chief Hanlon said it was up to me. I told him 'fuck no.' I'm not going anywhere as long as the Legion is a threat. I'm not going to just sit back collecting a pension while good men and women die. I've trained too long and too hard. I fought in the Legion's Arena to stay alive. Those motherfuckers tried to take everything from me, but I'm still here and I'm not quitting!" She slammed her fist on the table, then caught herself. Opening her hand and placing it flat on the table, she took a deep breath. "Sorry. I still..."
"It's okay. I understand."
Stella looked Beth in the eye. "You do, don't you?"
Beth nodded.
"Anyway, I may not be fit for field duty yet, but I can train others who are. They got this squad of troopers who started out as the sorriest bunch this camp had ever seen. But they'll be proper soldiers when I'm done with them."
"I'm sure they will be. Can't get better training than from an NCR ranger who knows how to fight the Legion like you do."
Stella smiled. "Damn straight."
"What happened to Andrews?"
"He'd been injured pretty badly in an Arena fight the day before. Probably why they didn't have more guards on us. He made it to the nearest Ranger station, but..." She shook her head.
"I'm sorry to hear that." If she had known they were there, maybe she could have done something for him.
"At least...at least he died free. And his family knows what happened to him." She let out a shuddering breath and blinked away tears forming in her eyes. "Anyway, I wanted to shake your hand and give you my thanks." She extended her hand and took Beth's in a firm grip as she stood up. "You'd make a damn fine ranger."
Beth grinned broadly. "Thank you. That's a high compliment."
"I know there's probably nothing I can do to repay you for what you've done for me, but if there ever is, let me know. And you watch yourself out there."
"I will," Beth said. "Take care."
With a final nod, the ranger walked away, leaving Beth feeling somewhat hopeful again.