HELLO! After a huge ass Hiatus I'm back, and ready to get back to work on completing this story. *not that anyone cares. So after a year of real life and OC work getting in the way I hope you all enjoy United Under Two skies.
The sun baked the small square outside the hospital and the small gathering of reporters and well-wishers fought for shade beneath the young trees scattered around the square. A half legion of Securitrons stood vigil at the edges of the square, and dozens of snipers stood vigil on the surrounding roof tops. In front of the hospital stood a raised platform with a podium and was guarded by body armor clad Mojave special ops soldiers.
Beyond the ring of Securitrons a crowd of onlookers pushed against the robots as they struggled to see into the square. Then the hospitals doors opened and the crowds both in the square and out went silent as the Courier stepped out into the blazing sun. He looked like a skeleton in the too loose clothing, and as he climbed the stairs up the platform he used a cane to keep himself steady.
Veronica Santangelo, The Courier's second in command, walked behind them within arm's reach in case he fell. Another woman tattooed and toting a shotgun, walked at the Courier's side and held him by the arm as they climbed the steps. When he reached the podium, The Courier kissed the woman and turned to regard the square. His gray eyes swept across the square and looked out beyond the lines of Securitrons, and a smile cracked across his thin face.
"Now I want to make a statement to all of my people." The Courier said beckoning the crowds forward; his voice amplified by an unseen microphone "Securitrons Let the people in!"
A cheer rose from the crowd outside the square as the Securitrons lowered their arms and the masses streamed in to the square. As the square filled the Courier's companions shot him a look, and he winked at them before turning to the crowd. He raised his hands and the roar of the crowd gradually silenced as the onlookers locked their gazes on the Courier.
"Now this is what I'm talking about" The Courier said his grin widening "It does my heart good to know that all of you fine people came out to see little old me get released. Almost makes me want to lower taxes, almost. Now, I know that the last few days have been a bit hectic; we were attacked in our home by men with a personal vendetta against me. These were men who fought in the second battle for the hoover dam against the Legion. Men who we must not forget fought that savage horde even if we once called them adversary."
"Some would take this as an act of war from the NCR, but I believe this to be an opportunity to strengthen our bonds with our western neighbor. The NCR fought the Legion for years before I came along, and while it was necessary to expel them from the Mojave it is never acceptable to forget the blood and bodies they sacrificed. That is why today I'm announcing the establishment of the Forgotten Warrior project."
"In the next few weeks the fine folks over at Big MT. will begin working with our friends, the Followers of the Apocalypse. Any NCR or Mojave soldier wounded in the long war with the Legion will not only be eligible for free general healthcare for the rest of their lives, but also mechanical prosthesis to replace any limbs or organs damaged in the line of duty.'
The crowd applauded and the Courier relished in it for just a moment before raising his hand to quiet them:
"This is a time of change for not just the Mojave, but the known world. The new Legion has been decimated, and those some call the Turncoat Legion have begun the first steps towards progress, and have joined us as proud citizens of the Mojave. With the advent of new fusion reactors, the Mojave can now boast a power surplus that will supply not only the heartland here in the Mojave and our new citizens in the east, but also supplying power at a competitive rate to our friends in the NCR."
"Though there are forces who would love to see us fail, enemies of prosperity and diversity that would steal the fruits of our labor. Whatever is thrown at this nation know this, there is nothing in this world that I have more faith in then the citizens of the Mojave. Today I am sending a message to all that believe the Mojave and her sons and daughters will acquiesce to terrorists and killers. Though we live in the ashes of the old world our children will inherit a nation greater than any that have come before."
"Together we will rise hand in hand to heights greater than any that have come before. As one nation, we will step into the future denied by the Great War. We will rise alongside those we once called enemies or if they cannot see the light remember their place as a footnote in the annals of history. Here today I, Rex Craster, tell the world that the Mojave and her people will not bow to the machinations of terrorists or foreign powers! We will build a bridge to connect with our adversaries and as one people build a world for all to live in peace and prosperity. Long live the Mojave! Long live the People! "
The Courier raised his fist and the crowd erupted into cheers. His smile was filled with warmth as the square cheered and hooted. Then the Courier brought his hands together above his head and clacked his palms together disappearing in a flash of blue light leaving the platform empty. For a few pregnant moments the square was awestruck by the display before another round of cheering began in earnest as the soldiers and Securitrons corralled the crowds toward exits.
On a rooftop overlooking the square Roxanne leaned into the shadow of a half boarded vent. Her red hair tied into a braid that shivered in the hot wind of the Mojave as she allowed herself a smile. She lit a cigarette and turned away from the square letting the smoke fill her lungs before she exhaled thick grey smoke into the air. As the nicotine hit her system, Roxanne shivered and let a small chuckle escape her lips.
"I always knew you'd do well in politics gearhead," She said as she crushed a white tablet and disappearing into a ball of white flame.
/
"Would it kill you to stick to a script for once?" Veronica asked sloshing her Nuka Kola as she pointed at Rex.
"I was playing the crowd." Rex said ripping into a Protectron and fishing out a small silver part "The people need to know their leader isn't just licking his wounds. Besides, the Forgotten Warrior project will endear us to all those NCR veterans Voorhees has in his back pocket."
"And help thousands of wounded soldiers." Veronica said raising an eyebrow.
"See? It's a win-win." Rex said limping over to a workbench covered in half drawn schematics.
They stood in the shadow of Rex's living space in his workshop. Alena had claimed a small work space in a side room a few days before and had retreated to a workbench in a quiet corner the moment they'd gotten home. Jack had gone up to the living space to shower complaining about smelling like a hospital. Rex, clad in mechanized braces had gone to work on drawing a set of schematics for a special project he'd put off for too long.
"You know for someone who apparently hates being a politician you certainly excel at propaganda speeches." Veronica said giving her best disappointed glare.
"Oh, I'm sorry should I have just read off the card?" Rex said batting his eyes "Anyway I'm on vacation."
"Speaking of which," Veronica said snatching the blueprint from the workbench "The most strenuous thing you can do for the next two weeks is paper work. Got it?"
"Yes Mom," Rex said sticking his tongue out at her. "I have plenty of things to keep me busy, and I might just be able to get Mean Sonofabitch to help with the heavy lifting."
"Finally starting that project, eh?" Veronica said looking down at the schematic "I'm surprised it's taken you this long honestly."
"Yep, EDI gave me the schematics for several hundred varieties of robots." Rex explained taking the schematic back and smoothing it out on the table. "And after reviewing every scrap of research on swarm robotics in her data banks; I think I'm ready to start."
"That has to be thousands of documents." Veronica said.
"Veronica I was stuck in that hospital for three whole days." Rex said scribbling something onto the margins of the schematic. "You know how far I'm willing to go to avoid boredom."
"All too well buddy." Veronica said shuddering as memories of the Perpetual Kola machine filled her mind. "Well I have to go do some actual work, but I'll be by tonight with a fresh stack of paper work and proposals to go over."
"Don't threaten me," Rex said, as he squinted in mock anger before returning to his schematic. "Hugs and kisses and all that."
"You know keep saying things like that and one day I might get the wrong impression that you care." Veronica said before turning to Alena, barely visible in the doorway of her workspace. "Make sure he doesn't kill himself, alright?"
"Um yes ma'am" Alena said looking up from the carcass of a robo scorpion.
Veronica gave the girl a smile and left the workshop leaving Rex relatively alone with his daughter. Rex looked back at the girl and couldn't help but smile. Alena had returned to work on the rad-scorpion and was lost in thought as she tore apart the circuit boards for components. Rex saw a little of himself in the quick yet methodical way she loosened screws and ripped out wiring. Every so often she'd lift her goggles up to take a better look at a component and smile as she manipulated it.
Memories of working on the corpses of robots with his mother filled his mind. They'd spend hours soaked in motor oil or grease methodically working on their special projects. His hand slid down to his pocket and he fingered the small locket within as a sad smile spread across his lips. Rex closed his eyes and for just a moment he was back there.
His mother's hand on his back as they read over an old manual, her tone almost reverent as they thumbed through pages of technical jargon. He could even smell her homemade perfume on the air; Vanilla and lilac with just a hint of motor oil. Taking one last deep breath of his past, Rex opened his eyes and withdrew his hand from his pocket. The past was sweet but he preferred the taste of the present to candied nostalgia.
Ignoring the protests of his healing body, Rex shuffled across the workshop and dug into a small crate stashed under a workbench. After a few minutes of digging, Rex withdrew a small red book from its depths. Its title had weathered away long before Rex had even been born, but he knew its name by heart.
Basic Principles of Mechanical Engineering: A novice's guide to the ins and outs of engineering.
He cracked the book open and thumbed through the yellowed pages. Each page was almost entirely covered in words; only some of it the original print. Supposedly, the book had been passed down through his mother's side of the family for generations. Rex flipped through the pages and found the back cover; names of all the previous owners were scrawled in faded ink. His own sat underneath his mother's and with something like reverence Rex traced a finger down the faded names.
"Now I'm getting sentimental." Rex said standing up wincing as his legs protested.
He walked to Alena's room, and knocked on the doorjamb. The girl shot to attention and stared at her father with the radstag in headlights look he'd come to expect.
"If I remember correctly, I promised you I'd teach you how to solder." Rex said, "If you're not busy, I'd thought I'd teach you the basics."
"Ugm, I'd like that." Alena said placing her wrench down.
/
Jack exited the shower and wrapped her tattooed body in a towel letting the fabric soak the water off her body. After stringing together a few curses as she stubbed her toe on an old tech manual jack threw her clothes on and looked at her reflection. In the months she'd spent trapped in the Mojave she hadn't buzzed her hair and as a result she had actual hair to run her fingers through.
"So much for that look," Jack told herself, as she wetted down the uncooperative hair and left the small bathroom.
She made a mental note to kick Rex's ass into gear about expanding the cracker box he called a living space. It was fun when they'd first started sleeping together; always bumping into each other as they changed and "accidentally" getting tangled as they each took turns with the single shower. Now that they were essentially living together it was more annoying then fun.
Grabbing her jacket, Jack left the small room and looked down at the workshop below. Standing on the small catwalk leading down into the workshop proper she saw Rex leaning over Alena as she held a soldering iron to a circuit board. Leaning forward against the railing she smiled at the sight and just watched the pair. Just a man teaching his daughter a skill it was so sweet it almost made her throw up but it was kind of nice to see too. Interpersonal relationships were still a new thing for Jack, Shepard was probably the closest thing she had to a close friend, the first in a long time. Rex was…
To be honest she didn't quite know what a future with Rex held just yet, despite their living situation. She ran her fingers over the black fuzz that was her hair and considered her skinny red head. There was love for him in her of course, The fact that she was entertaining any thoughts of a future with him confirmed that at least. Yet as she watched the pair below Jack felt a sliver of doubt slip into her mind as her fingers gripped the metal railing, her knuckles going white.
He's using you.
"No…"
You're nothing, barely useful as anything more than a rabid dog or a piece of meat.
"Shut the fuck up…" Jack murmured as she shut her eyes.
You know it. He knows it. Even the girl knows it.
Jack gripped the railing harder and harder until her fingers screamed in pain. Clenching her jaw, Jack forced a breath of fresh air into her lungs and forced the icy blade of those thoughts down back into their dark corner. With a final deep inhale Jack straightened and exhaled opening her eyes as she did to find Rex at her side. Those stupidly deep gray eyes were looking at her with concern as he placed his metal hand on hers.
"Are you alright?"
"Rex…." She said as her fingers reflexively entwined with his.
He leaned close and pressed his forehead against hers to stare directly into her eyes. Jack let her muscles relax and she leaned into him. Neither said a word. They didn't need to. After a few minutes Rex and Jack descended the stairs to where Alena sat soldering components to a circuit board. They stood to either side of the girl. Rex on her left and Jack on her right; their hands still linked behind Alena's back.
"So how do you use that thing anyway?" Jack asked.
"Oh, well you just touch the copper on the board with the solder and your gun for just a second then…"
?
Veronica sat in Rex's office looking over paperwork when a knock came at the door. She looked to the guard posted at the back of the office and nodded. Veronica had cleared her day of appointments save for one, but she wouldn't arrive for another thirty minutes. The guard opened the door and a Big Mt. researcher entered the room. She wore the standard lab coat getup, but her hair was a Technicolor river of shimmering locks. The crest on her chest revealed her as a member of the bio division.
"What can I help you with, miss?" Veronica asked.
"Salton, Ma'am. I'm from the biological science division." The woman replied with a curt nod. "I'm here today to talk to you about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault."
"Svalbard? Sounds like a vacuum cleaner brand." Veronica said leaning back.
"Not quite. Long before the Great War broke out the European Commonwealth established a global repository of seeds in case of nuclear war." Salton explained. "As tensions between China and America heated up and the European Commonwealth-Middle East War ended; private elements within the Commonwealth expanded the project beyond its initial scope. Prewar intelligence reported that the vault was expanded and upgraded to hold not just seeds but the genetic samples of countless species. In their vast library you've got your standard collection of animals, fish, insects, and even microscopic organisms like bacteria and viruses."
"Now that's quite a catalog." Veronica said sitting forward. "Could the Vault still exist?"
"I believe so, Ma'am." Salton said a smile breaking across her face. "Much like Vault Tech's Vaults here in the states, the seed vault was retrofitted to weather long term nuclear fallout sans any unethical experimentation."
"If the vault still exists it would be a major boon for anyone who could claim its contents," Veronica said. The Mojave had enough plant and animal life to encourage the bare minimum of diversity, but if the countless species lost in the Great War could be resurrected…
"Do you have a location for this magical vault?"
"Yes actually," Salton said handing Veronica a faded piece of paper. "Apparently one of the researchers at Big Mt. was a secret pen pal with a Swedish scientist working on the seed vault. When the bombs dropped she managed to send the coordinates to the Big Empty."
"Do you have any idea of the Vault's actual inventory?" Veronica said as she scanned the print out.
"I found several dozen letters and digital correspondence detailing the goings on at the Seed vault. Judging from their correspondence I'd say thousands upon thousands of plant species alongside samples of every other kind of organism, from whales to bacteria." Salton explained.
"Europe's a wasteland and not just the nuclear kind." Veronica said looking over the paper "If you're right, then there wouldn't be many factions scavenging in the area. I'll talk this over with Rex and the Council at the next meeting."
"Please do Ma'am." Salton said. "This might be bigger than building a G.E.C.K."
"I want every scrap of info you have on the vault on my desk by the end of the day." Veronica ordered before the guard showed her out.
She tapped her fingertips against the desktop mulling over the possibilities of the vault. Veronica had to admit it would be nice to eat something that wasn't a variation on the limited selection of fruits and vegetables available to the hungry shoppers of the wasteland. But something gave her pause about Salton's info. Supposedly there was a stockpile of microscopic samples somewhere deep within the vault.
That meant bacteria and viruses. Which of course meant someone would try to weaponize them or exploit them for personal gain. Veronica hated the idea of something smaller than a grain of sand could kill her. One of the few policies of the Brotherhood that she didn't question had been the mandatory cleansings; At least when they had the resources to maintain the Sanitization room.
She mulled in memories of disinfectant mist and long quarantines with Christine until her next appointment arrived. The soldier allowed her in and Veronica dismissed him before turning to Jill Verona, head of one of the many work crews running building operations across the Mojave. She was a stout woman who seemed to be constantly wearing oil stained jump suits.
"What we discuss in this room doesn't leave, got it?" Veronica asked.
"Even the Courier?" Jill asked taking a seat in front of the desk.
"For now, I don't want Rex knowing about my little surprise until it's too late to stop it." Veronica said sliding a holodisk across the table. "The plans are on the disk. You won't need Zeta until the final stages of construction, but if you encounter any troubles give me a call. Do not contact any other team."
"Understood ma'am as long as you keep the metal and construction drones coming, my boys and I will build her for ya." Jill said taking the holodisk. "What do I say when people start asking why one of the largest tech crews in the Mojave up and disappears?"
"Tell them you're working on a private project." Veronica said scratching under her eyepatch. "I'll create a few shell companies in the records. Rex won't look too deep unless he thinks you're tied to the NCR."
"Ugh Alright ma'am," Jill said her eyes darting between the holodisk and Veronica. "If I'm not overstepping my bounds, but why are you keeping such a big secret from the Courier? This is the largest construction project undertaken since the bombs fell after all. I would think he'd want to be involved."
"He has his projects, and I have mine." Veronica said raising an eyebrow. "If that's all, I want you to get to work immediately at the Delta sight. You're first shipment of construction drones will arrive within the week."
"Understood." Jill said standing to leave the room.
Veronica turned in her chair to gaze out at the Mojave. The city of New Vegas glittered in the late morning sun, and beyond the outskirts of the city the desert stretched out to the horizon. Holding her fingertips together Veronica looked out across the sands trying to decide if she was doing the right thing.
"He has his secrets and I have mine." She muttered leaning back in the chair.
/
Three days later…
Shepard looked out across the burning sands of the Mojave as she drove down a forgotten strip of highway. Dust devils of sand whipped through the air all around the car as it roared down the asphalt screaming into the emptiness. The steering wheel felt good in her hands and was a definite improvement over the last terrestrial vehicle she'd driven; though she did miss the Mako's booster rockets.
She checked her omni-tool and looked over the vague road map it displayed. Shepard slowed the car down and pulled it to the side of the road before getting out and looking over the flat desert spread out before her. Vast, empty and lifeless the desert stretched out before her devoid of anything save for rocks and a soaring radio tower stabbing into the blue sky like a dull iron spike. Her omni-tool beeped and Shepard saw an orange arrow appear pointing towards the radio tower.
Shepard walked across the baking hot sand towards the radio tower but stopped when a crow landed in front of her. It looked at her quizzically for a moment and Shepard felt a strange intelligence behind the bird's eyes. She placed her hand on her gun and the crow cawed at her before fleeing up into the sky. Shaking her head, Shepard lifted her hand and wiped sweat off her brow.
"Ooh, Jane watch out it's a deadly crow." She muttered to herself as she walked the final few yards towards the radio tower.
At the base of the tower was a flat metal hatch painted to blend in with the surrounding sand. Shepard bent down and opened the heavy metal hatch to gaze down into the shaft. A simple steel ladder descended down onto blank gray concrete barely visible in the glare from the desert sun. She climbed down the ladder, making sure to close the hatch behind her, and when Shepard's feet hit the ground the smell of strong coffee and gun powder assaulted her nose. Turning around, Shepard examined the bunker and its two inhabitants.
It was spacious as bunkers go with a single cavernous central room and eight smaller side rooms. Every inch of space was occupied with computers, either from the Normandy or Mojave terminals, tables strewn with equipment and supplies, and books. Standing in the center of the organized chaos was Miranda reading from a data pad and sipping a cup of steaming coffee. Jacob was situated at one of the tables cleaning a rifle and nodded when he noticed Shepard.
"Settling in okay?" Shepard asked.
"We're making due." Miranda said looking up from her data pad. "Like everything in the bloody universe it took three times as long to get working."
"She's neglecting to mention the raiders we had to evict, commander." Jacob said with a chuckle.
"Raiders?"
"It was nothing serious, just some local upstarts using the bunker as a base," Miranda explained. "At first they just holed up in here like rats. Then we found the exhaust for the ventilation system and decided to pump just a smidge of chloroform. After the first few started to drop they decided it was wiser to simply give us the bunker."
"Isn't chloroform toxic in high doses?" Shepard asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, why do you ask?" Miranda said with a smile.
"I know I've said this before, but remind me not to piss you off Miranda." Shepard said shaking her head. "So why was taking over this specific bunker important?"
"The radio tower above us is powerful enough to transmit and receive signals from all across the wasteland. Now that we've installed a communication array modeled after the Normandy's we're using it to monitor chatter and communications; both terrestrial and extraterrestrial." Miranda explained pointing to a bank of radio receivers and computer displays before turning back to Shepard. "We're also located far enough away from any Mojave township or military facility to comfortably operate without detection.
"Okay, but why do you need all that?" Shepard asked. "The people of the Mojave are our allies I'd rather not have you spying on them."
"This isn't about spying. Shepard, have you thought about what happens after we get the device working?" Miranda asked.
"We go home, preferably carrying a metric fuckton of weapons and war supplies to curb stomp the Reapers." Shepard answered. "Ticker tape parades to follow after a light brunch."
"Alright, but have you considered using this world as a war resource?" Miranda asked activating a holographic display of the Mojaveverse's earth. "Global populations are incredibly low and the available land mass is astronomically vast. Shepard, if we can get the device working again we could use this earth as an evacuation center and command base."
Segments of the display lit up green and Shepard recognized the highlighted areas as population centers. Most of the light was focused in the continental United States, but there were small almost invisible specks of green scattered around the rest of North America. South America was completely black as was most of Asia, but there were small chunks of Africa and Europe populated by small clusters of green dots.
"This is a light pollution map put together by the crew of Mothership Zeta." Miranda explained. "The continental united states seems to be the only population with an actual industrial base due in part to the Vaults and micro fusion technology. So, if you're worried about overstepping our bounds there is an abundance of free space."
"Most of which is irradiated wasteland." Shepard reminded her.
It wasn't that she hadn't thought of the same idea. Shepard was hoping that the Mojave would agree to help support the war effort in exchange for tech when the time to go home came. But what Miranda was proposing was far more involved then Shepard was considering. The sheer logistical challenge of securing, sanitizing and developing the space would be a near impossible task. Of course, if they could figure the machine out and somehow keep a stable portal between the two universes open the possibilities became a little more possible.
"This universe was kind enough to provide a counter measure." Miranda said tapping a few commands into the display's controls and a holographic display of a G.E.C.K appeared. "If we can obtain several G.E. I believe we can re-terraform a large enough swath of this earth to serve as an operating base and temporary refugee housing in the event our Earth is invaded."
"When the Earth is invaded," Shepard corrected, her mind flashing back to her last words with the Reaper known as Harbinger. "Something tells me the Reapers might take our actions the last few times we've crossed paths personally."
"All the more reason to take precautions while we're here," Miranda said as she switched the display back to the globe. "If I might suggest, I believe we should consider the African continent. It seems to have been spared from most of the direct strikes and there are large swathes of land seemingly unpopulated by any humans."
"I don't know feels a little imperialistic to me." Shepard said as she considered Miranda's words. "Just to sate my curiosity, do you have any spots in mind?"
"Nothing yet Shepard, if you could talk to Veronica into allowing us to use one of the drop ships we can begin scouting locations." Miranda replied.
"I'll see what I can do." Shepard said stroking her chin. "It's not like she and Rex have a million other things to worry about."
"How is the Courier? From what I've heard from Mordin and Doctor Chakwas he's had quite the interesting week." Miranda asked pouring a cup of coffee from a beat up pot.
"Who would have thought almost getting killed by a super mutant would be the least interesting thing to happen to a guy in the span of a week?" Jacob chuckled as he cleaned his weapons.
"He's improving. He's a little shaken, but he has Jack with him." Shepard said smiling as she thought about her friend. "This stays between us, but I've never seen her happier than she's been lately. I think she and Rex are good for each other."
"Who would have thought Jack just needed someone to love her." Miranda said with a healthy dose of sarcasm. "As far as I'm concerned they deserve each other, one's a pompous urchin and the other's a lunatic. A match made in heaven."
"Who's who?"
"Exactly," Miranda replied with a chuckle. "Jack and I have our problems but believe it or not I am happy for her; at least in the sense that as long as she's involved with the Courier she won't be annoying me."
"Ah Miranda, I knew that under your icy facade is the heart full of love and concern." Shepard said going for a hug that Miranda deftly dodged away from.
/
Alena stood on the street corner across from the school building with a sick feeling in her stomach and cold nervous energy in her muscles. Today was her first day of school and at her father's insistence she was attending the special courses the Legion heirs attended. A backpack, stuffed with blank notebooks and an arsenal of school supplies, hung from dull green straps on her back. She held her lunch bag filled with oatcakes, jerky and hard cheese, in one hand while the other nervously fiddled with a stray thread on her pants.
Beside her stood her Father, he had walked all the way from his home at the center of the Strip despite needing a cane to walk more than a few yards. Warm Mojave wind rustled the floral print shirt that barely hung from his too thin frame and almost sent the large straw hat he wore flying. A metal hand shot up to hold the hat down, and her father cursed the wind under his breath. Alena looked up at him and when he noticed her gaze he winked down at her.
"Do I have to go?" She asked. "Can't you teach me?"
Her father had spent the last few days showing her all kinds of interesting things and teaching her how to use his tools. He had even given her a sacred book passed down from one generation to the next full of mechanical knowledge. Most of it she knew from other books or trial and error in the village workshop, but the hand written notes were almost always new and interesting. There were even notes from people who lived in a vault generations ago.
"I wish I could, but I have a metric fuc… crapton of work to get done." Her father explained kneeling down with an audible grunt of exertion. "Besides, you'll learn things here that I can never teach, probably because I've forgotten most of it."
"What if they call me names or beat me?" Alena asked shivering as she remembered the children of the village's favorite game. Pin the tail on the mutant.
"Then I'll shoot them out of a cannon." Her father said with a grin. "Alena, if anyone gives you a hard time you don't have to be afraid of them. If you can, stand and fight, but if you can't there's nothing wrong with a tactical retreat. Just remember this, you are my daughter and you've got my blood flowing through your veins. More importantly you're your mother's daughter and if you have half the strength and gumption she had than there's no one on this earth who can stand in your way."
He wrapped her in a hug then and she returned it. His metal arms were warm from the sunlight and she felt a little safer as their warmth dispelled some of the cold nervous energy. When he released her, Alena felt that some of the sick feeling in her stomach was gone and the cold in her nerves had been completely dispelled. She helped him stand back up and as he rose he planted a kiss on her forehead before pushing her towards the school.
"May your flame burn bright daughter of Kella." He said with a reassuring smile.
"Lend me your strength Father of mine." Alena replied with a nervous smile.
"Always." He said as she turned and walked towards the school.
Once inside, a custodian pointed her to her classroom and Alena stepped into the noisy room. The room was occupied by twelve other students, besides a single girl the class was filled with boys of various ages. Most looked like they were her age but three looked to be in their late teens and one looked to be older then her father. Looking down to avoid any curious stares, Alena took the only open seat next to the only other girl in the class. She had long black hair, tanned skin, and mismatched green and blue eyes that stared curiously at Alena as she sat.
"Hi, I'm Mara." The girl said extending a hand. "Heir to Ashe Moorland; what's your name?"
"Ugm, Alena." Alena muttered as she returned the handshake.
"What clan are you heir to? I didn't know there was another clan in the legion who allowed female heirs." Mara asked.
"I'm not an heir or anything like that." Alena said looking at the girl. "But I belong to clan Craster I guess."
"Craster…" Mara said before leaning in and whispering. "Isn't that the Courier's last name?"
"Ye…." Alena began before the words died in her mouth with a squeak, how would the children of the Legion's leaders treat her if they knew she was a mutant and the Courier's daughter?
"Wait a minute." Mara whispered as she intensely examined Alena before a conspiratorial smile spread across her face. "Are you the Courier's daughter?"
"Um…I don't think I…" Alena began before being cut off by Mara.
"That's great!" The girl yelled before excitedly crowding close to Alena. "What's he like? He can't spit fire can he?"
"Um…He's ah…. I don't think he can spit fire or anything like that." Alena said as she frantically tried to retreat further into her school desk. "Where would you get an idea like that?"
"My big brother died in the second battle for the Hoover Dam, my cousin Olfo said the Courier spit burning flames that burned my brother to a crisp." Mara said as casually as someone describing how her brother sprained his ankle. "Olfo must have been lying if you say the Courier can't spit fire."
"Aren't you mad that my father killed your brother?" Alena asked shock dripping in her voice.
"No, he was an idiot to be honest." Mara said with a shrug. "Always locking me in crates or burning my books. Besides, when he died and the Legion fell my papa made me heir."
"Oh, that's good?" Alena said turning to examine the chalkboard.
"I'll say! Now not only do I get to run the village when Papa dies, but I get to go to school!" Mara exclaimed drawing a few scowls and stares from the assembled students.
Alena looked at Mara for a moment and wondered if she could ever be as happy about anything as much as Mara felt about going to school. Her musings were cut short as the teacher entered the room, a tall young woman with short cut blond hair that fell to one side of her face in a braid. A long yellow sundress fluttered around her as she walked and Alena saw she was wearing combat boots. She would have been pretty save for two curved scars on either side of her mouth forming a grotesque smiley face.
"Good morning class." The teacher said with a voice that while soft and warm demanded attention. "My name is Mrs. Smiley, and yes I had the name before the scars. Welcome to the first day of classes, are there any questions before we start introductions?"
Most of the class raised their hands.
"Any not pertaining to my scars?"
At least two thirds of the class lowered their hands.
"How about you?" Mrs. Smiley said pointing to the older man.
"Why am I in a room full of children?" the man asked. "I was told there were classes for adults."
"Unfortunately most of the tribes and clans lost their older heirs in the Second battle for the Hoover dam." Mrs. Smiley explained with what looked like a satisfied sparkle in her blue eyes. "There's not enough willing adults to form a single class so we had to consolidate. You did have the option of work study, mister…?"
"Fein Iwil, of the mighty Iwil raiders," The older man growled before realization crossed his face. "Wait, if most of the adults chose work study than that means I will have a more exclusive experience."
"Exactly." Mrs. Smiley said with a smile made only slightly ghoulish by her scars. "You all will receive a structured education that will help all of you become better leaders for your peoples. Those who chose work study will bring skills and industry to their people, but they'll lack the open mind and intellect I hope to instill in each and every one of you."
Fein raised his hand again.
"Yes Fein?"
"What does consolidate mean?"
/
Rex made his slow way across the burning asphalt of New Vegas, his Hawaiian print shirt billowing in the wind as it hung off his thin frame. He'd taken to wearing them during his recovery after finding the shirts in an ancient suitcase buried under a stack of reclaimed junk from the airport. They were comfy and he liked the look and it almost didn't matter they three sizes too big.
As he crossed the slowly busying blocks Rex looked back towards the school and sighed. He'd meant it when he told Alena could do anything, but part of him worried about the girl nonetheless. She was timid and had the general demeanor of a beaten puppy most of the time. There was steel in her though, the few times she'd raised her voice to him proved that Alena was quite a force when she got angry. Of course of all the things she could inherit from him, Rex cursed himself that she got that.
Pushing his daughter from his mind, Rex walked the last few block in silence to steel himself against what he'd find at his destination. A small refurbished building sat between a clothing shop and a bookstore. One of his Newsmen sat in front of the building on a bench using the front wall of the building as a back support as she flicked through the Mojave times. As he approached, Rex noted that the front, second, and third pages were dog eared together. That meant that three guards were on duty inside.
The woman nodded to Rex as he passed and he "accidentally" dropped a fifty cap piece on the ground. Then making as if to scratch her leg the women bent forward and smoothly collected the piece before returning to her newspaper. Rex walked up to the buildings main door and knocked three times and muttered into a speaker box. After a few moments the door swung open and Rex was blasted with a gust of cold sterile air.
A guard greeted him in the entryway and led him into the building as the door shut behind them. The guard led Rex through a hallway, it's walls fortified with steel shutters and gun turrets on the ceiling aimed directly at the door at the end of the hall. Two more guards sat in a side room playing cards and smoking as their bored gazes flicked to the video monitor then back to their cards. Rex felt his internal filter activate as he breathed in the smoke coiling off the cigarettes and sighed as the memory of his recent battle with nicotine withdrawal gave him a headache.
"One going in." The guard who led Rex in said trying to rouse his coworkers.
One looked up, saw Rex standing in the hallway and almost choked on his cigarette as he jumped up and saluted before hitting a small button. With a whir the turrets deactivated, and Rex nodded to the guards before walking down the hall towards the door. When he reached the deep green metal of the door he heard the lock disengage and took a deep breath to settle himself before the slid open and he stepped in.
He entered a small sterile room, its white walls lined in medical equipment and racks of supplies. A woman in a doctor's coat stood in front of a one way window looking in on simple grey hued bedroom. One of two assistants sat a terminal typing up a report while the other nodded to Rex and tapped the doctor on the shoulder. The doctor turned and greeted Rex.
"Hello sir, Thank you for coming."
"How's she doing?" Rex asked as he peered into the room. The room was in complete disarray save for a neat stack of books on the night stand. He couldn't help but smile when he saw they were all books on animals.
"Physically she's the healthiest woman I've ever examined. If she still had her legs she could outrun a death claw; hell, she could probably win a boxing match with one." The doctor explained as a door opened and Rex watched Rose wheel herself out of the bathroom on a wheel chair; Making sure not to snag her yellow sundress on the wheels.
"How's her head?" Rex asked as he watched the woman who was biologically his sister pull herself up off the wheelchair and onto the bed. The outline of her leg stumps stood out as the dress rested across her form and the bed.
"Once her system processed the last dregs of the drug Reximus was using to keep the Artemis personality dominant Rose started to take back control. She's… damaged, but she's a fighter and has an unbelievable amount of energy." The doctor said as a smile broke across her lips. "She's definitely a fighter your sister."
"Any relapses?" Rex asked not bothering to correct the doctor who insisted on referring to their blood connection.
"None that we can see, it's been almost two months and she hasn't tried to kill us or escape once." The doctor continued. "I've been grilling her every day and while she does remember some of what the Artemis personality did and experienced it's clear at least in my opinion that I've been talking to a young girl trapped in a woman's body."
"Your message said she asked for me, why?" Rex asked forcing the ghost of a smile from his lips as he watched Rose.
"My theory is that you're probably the closest thing she has to family and she's reaching out for comfort." The doctor explained. "She knows you're the one who took her legs but she also know you killed Reximus. I think she wants to meet you to get over this conflict."
"I didn't kill Reximus." Rex muttered before asking. "Are you on board with this?"
"I think it will help her sir." The doctor said with a nod. "She needs something to hold onto and you are her blood relative. There are things she won't tell me that I think she might share with you."
Rex stared into the room for another few silent moments. Within that room sat a very complicated situation that Rex didn't know he had the strength to face. He'd buried Rose yeas before and carried only her ghost to remind him of the little girl he had loved more than anything. Now, staring at an alternate and adult version of his sister Rex felt that old love start to rear its head.
No, she's not Rose. Rex thought to himself as the Doctor watched him.
"I'll talk to her." Rex said and the doctor nodded to one of her assistants.
After giving up his ten millimeter and anything sharp or metallic Rex was led through a side hall to a reinforced door. As the aide entered the code to open the door, Rex closed his eyes and took several deep breaths and steadied himself, but his work was undone when he felt a phantom sensation on his metal left hand. He opened his eyes and looked down to see his Rose holding his hand; she looked like she did the night she died. Broken and emaciated with her long red hair, once the color of red flame, falling across her skeletal frame in dirty tattered dreadlocks.
She looked up at him with blank eyes and pulled him forward towards the door. Ignoring the strange look from the aide Rex allowed his delusion to pull him into the room. The door shut and sealed behind him and the phantom of his dead sister let go of his hand and jumped up to kiss his cheek before disappearing. For a moment Rex stood at the doorway as he and the woman who wasn't his Rose stared at each other. She looked at him with a mixture of suspicion and anticipation in her wounded gray green eyes and Rex's heart skipped a beat when her lips formed into a familiar smile.
"Rex." She said her smile widening.
"Rose." Rex replied with a less convincing smile.
"I'm glad you're alright they told me you were injured." Rose said her smile fading into a dejected pout.
"You should see the other guy." Rex said taking a tentative step towards the bed. "How are you?"
"I'm great! Doctor Hopkins gave me some books and they all take good care of me." Rose began her face brightening again before going dark again. "That's not what you meant is it? It's strange being in control again and sometimes I remember what heand Penelope did to me and…and…"
Her voice cracked into a sob that stabbed into Rex's heart, and after a few moments Rose steadied herself and continued.
"It upsets me. Sometimes I can feel the needles under my skin or how cold it was when Artemis took over, but the Doctor says that will pass."
"Anything left of Artemis?" Rex asked taking another tentative step towards Rose.
"No, Rexi… no, Reximus, he stopped being Rexi a long time ago, without the drug she doesn't take control anymore." Rose explained shaking her head slightly. "Not that she ever knew I existed, that horrible woman thought she was the only one in our head."
"Good… Good." Rex said looking around the room. "Rose, why did you want to see me?"
"I don't know." She admitted her eyes staring downward. "I just remembered what I used to do when I got in trouble with momm…Mom or dad."
"You came to me." Rex said with a sigh that was more sad than annoyed. "I'm not really your brother Rose and you're not my Rose."
"But…If you lost your Rose and I lost my Rex maybe…maybe…" Rose's words were lost in a childlike sob banishing the façade of a woman to be replaced by a little girl.
Tears streamed down her face and Rose trembled as her breathing grew ragged and labored. Unable to stop himself, Rex moved forward and sat on the side of the bed throwing any reservations he'd entertained away. He wrapped his metal arms around her and pulled her close as he did when his own Rose had woken from a nightmare. She latched onto him and sobbed into his shoulder and started to shiver violently as raw emotion stormed out of her.
"It's okay Rosie." Rex said taking one hand and cradling her head. "I'm here."
"Rexiiiiii…" She sobbed into his chest.
Warmth streaked down Rex's cheeks and he tried to scowl away the tears. His arms tightened around her and Rex let out a single hoarse sob as he held the woman who was both his sister and a doppelganger. A murderous war criminal and a frightened girl tied together by the machinations of a madman. His Rose was never coming back, he'd lost her to the wastes and the evil he'd once worked for, and he'd never forgive himself for that. Now though, there was a chance to save a small piece of Rose even if she wasn't his Rose.
Lost in thought he didn't notice Rose's hand sliding behind him to withdraw something sharp from behind her pillow. A tooth brush carved into a make shift shiv flashed out and Rex only had time to wince as it flew towards his eye. Only for it to stop less than an inch from his left eye giving him the chance to violently push Rose off him as he jumped off the bed.
"NOOOOOO!" Rose screamed throwing the tooth brush away. "I won't let you hurt anyone again."
"Quit you whimpering brat!" Artemis's voice said from Rose's lips turning Rex's blood cold. "He's not your precious Rexi; he's a future corpse."
Rose writhed on the floor as if she was fighting off a demon. Rex watched as she contorted and screamed in two different voices before withdrawing their mother's locket from his pocket. Letting her balled fists batter him, Rex moved forward on his knees to sit above Rose and opened the locket showing her the picture of the younger versions of themselves and used a metal hand to hold her head in place.
"Rose, look at this picture and hear my voice." Rex yelled as the door to the room bust open and two aides rushed in. "You are Roslyn Craster, my little sister, and I will not let you go. Remember our parents, remember Dust and all the people who lived there and loved you."
"Fuck you." Artemis's voice snarled as she spat in his face before she tried to claw his eyes out.
"I remember." Rose's voice called soft at first but as she spoke her quiet voice grew stronger. "I remember Mrs. Flynn's sweet rolls…"
"I remember what her corpse looked like as she rotted in the sun." Artemis screamed as she tried and failed to resist the aides as they held down her arms.
"I remember Mommy and I remember Daddy, Rexi lied to me." Rose's voice cracked back louder and more forceful than before. "They loved me just as much as he did."
"Lier! They never cared about us." Artemis screeched back but her voice was cracking and her flailing limbs slowed. .
"There isn't an us! Just me you bitch." Rose yelled her voice vibrating with strength. "Get out of my head!"
Then one of the aides was kneeling above her and stuck a needle in her arm and Rose went limp. The aides and Rex felt no resistance as they pulled her up placed her on the bed. Taking no risks the aides secured her to the bed with previously unseen medical restraints. Rex wiped the spit from his face and stared at the unconscious woman in the bed as the doctor rushed in. Ignoring Rex, the doctor checked Rose's vitals and made sure her restraints were secure before she caught Rex's gaze.
"She's definitely a fighter." Rex said clenching his metal fists till he heard the metal start to bend.
"I'm so sorry sir; I honestly thought Artemis was gone." The doctor replied.
"Keep her sedated or restrained until we can figure something out." Rex ordered before turning and walking out the door.
He made it halfway down the hall before he drove his fist into the wall; his metal hand breaking through the drywall with a loud crack sound. A cocktail of anger, regret, and strange elation coated his stomach like battery acid and a barking laugh escaped his lips as hot tears fell down his thin cheeks. Rose had stopped Artemis from killing him and she'd fought her alter ego to the bitter end. She was strong enough to fight her off, but he had to find a way to eliminate Artemis completely.
"Stay strong Rose, I'm coming for you." Rex muttered to himself as he left the hall.
/
Alena sat in the classroom munching on her lunch as the other students chittered all around her. Mara had insisted they eat together, and thankfully did most of the talking. Not that Mara seemed to mind, she filled their lunch break with stories about her cousins or the Rad scorpion she sometimes fed table scraps when no one was looking. All of that was interesting of course, but Alena had spent most of her lunch flicking through the sacred book as the other girl prattled on. At least she was until someone snatched the book off her desk.
"Hey!" She exclaimed her mouth filled with oatcake.
One of the boys near her age, Carth, had the book in his hands. It was upside down and he looked like he was struggling to read it. Anger and fear bubbled together in her stomach like a toxic cocktail as Alena fought polar instincts to grab back her book or bow her head. Fortunately Mara decided to make that choice for her. Before Alena could even say another word the feisty little tween jumped over her desk and tackled the boy.
Alena's long beaten in instincts to run tried to force her out of the seat and into the smallest hiding place she could fit into. Something stopped that however, she felt her father's hand on her shoulder and his words rang through her ears like a bell toll.
You're your mother's daughter.
She watched as Mara wrestled the book from the boy's hands and with a breath Alena jumped over the desk. Her goggles slipped off her head and for a single moment time slowed as she grasped her pencil and balanced it in her hand. Bisected pupils dilated and she locked eyes with the thief as her arm extended sending the sharpened pencil flying through the air. Just as it stabbed into the boy's arm time returned to normal and Alena felt arms wrap around her and someone forcing her to the ground.
Alena recognized one of the other boys atop her just before his fist clacked against her skull. Pain washed over her as the wind was knocked out of her chest and the punch scattered her thoughts. Before that could truly register another punch sent spittle and blood flying before a loud crack reached her ears and the weight was lifted off her chest. Through fuzzy vision she looked up to see Mara standing over her with the sacred book in her hand.
"You alright?" Mara asked, her lip was split open and blood trickled down her chin.
Alena just stared up at the girl with a mixture of awe and shock on her face. Ears still ringing she sat up and blankly stared at Mara while the smaller girl then at the groaning boy on the ground. Three of his front teeth were missing and both his eyes were blackened and closed in pain as he pried the pencil from his arm. Regaining some semblance of coherent thought, Alena looked back to Mara and nodded and let Mara help her up.
"That was quite the fight little ones," Fein commented with a thunderous laugh as he chewed on a massive tuber. "You bring dishonor on the whelps!"
"Shut up old man!" the boy yelled his voice cracking with pain as he drew a pocket knife from his pants. "I'll cut those lips right off your face."
"Dak!"
Alena turned and saw Mrs. Smiley standing in the doorway. Gone was the pleasant expression that gave her a friendly demeanor. In its place was a look that somehow accented her facial scars making them seem far more sinister than simple scars. Her blue eyes had lost all warmth and she stared at the boy for a solid minute until he blinked and lowered the knife timidly.
"Give me the knife." She ordered in a tone that reminded Alena of some of the more hardened hunters back in the village.
"No…it's…." Dak tried to protest but those icy blue eyes seemed to be digging into him like ice picks and after a few moments he reluctantly handed her the pocket knife.
"Thank you Dak," Mrs. Smiley said letting her warm demeanor slip back in. "Now, if someone could kindly tell me what caused this situation to escalate to fisticuffs and armed combat."
"These idiots stole Alena's book!" Mara exclaimed pointing at Dak as she flashed him a murderous glare. "Then I had to knock his head to get it back."
"Is this true Alena?" Mrs. Smiley asked turning to Alena.
"Um…." Alena looked to the now blood stained cover of the book in Mara's hand and back to Mrs. Smiley. "Yes ma'am, they stole my book."
"Dak, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"I was just borrowing it," He insisted as he tried to avoid looking Mrs. Smiley in the eyes.
"Oh I'm sure," Mara said rolling her eyes "Can you even read?"
"Shut up you little bit..."
"Dak," Mrs. Smiley said in a soft voice that threatened to give Alena's ears frost bite. "I'd recommend you keep your tone and language in mind before I decide your punishment. Now, can anyone else corroborate their stories?"
"Aye, he stole the Copper head's book and the little one jumped him for it," Fein said eliciting nods from the other older students. "Then his mediocre ally jumped into the fray and suffered the same ass kicking as the little shit there."
"Thank you Fein," Mrs. Smiley said with an appreciative nod before turning to Dak. "Dak, you and your friend here will not be allowed an afternoon break and you both will stay behind when school is done to help me clean the classroom and sort the text books for the next month. Now, you will apologize to Alena and Mara or you will I will make sure your brother hears of the dishonor you've brought on your family."
"There is no way I'm doing that! And you won't tell my brother anything," Dak yelled before rushed at Mrs. Smiley his timidity forgotten.
Mrs. Smiley easily side stepped the rushing boy and grabbed him by the collar to use his own momentum to pivot and send him running through the open door. A loud bang came from the hallway followed by a groan and a string of muddled curses. Crossing her arms, Mrs. Smiley watched the open doorway where a dust covered Dak entered looking like a scolded dog. He didn't look up as walked over to stand in front of Mrs. Smiley.
"Anything to say, Dak?
"sorry…" Dak muttered.
"Oh did you say something or was that whimper of some kind?" Mara asked with a sneer.
"I'm sorry Mara and Alena," Dak said his teeth grinding together as he glared at Mara.
"Don't grind your teeth dear," Mrs. Smiley said with a smile halfway between comforting and mocking.
"Yes Mrs. Smiley," Dak muttered trying and failing to unclench his jaw.
"Now that we've finished playing at being threatening I want all of you to report to the nurse's office," Mrs. Smiley said bending over to examine Alena's face. "You have a black eye and Mara…"
She looked over at the bruised Mara who smiled happily.
"Alright, you girls head to the nurses office and get yourselves patched up," Mrs. Smiley ordered. "We'll work on what we've already went over today and when you get back I'll send Dak and his cohort."
With a last reassuring pat Mrs. Smiley sent the girls off in the direction of the school's nurse. After the last dregs of adrenaline burnt out in her blood Alena started to feel a throbbing pain in her face and chest. She could feel the beginnings of a head ache licking at her brain and part of her just wanted to find a corner to hide in until her the world forgot about her.
"That was Glorious!" Mara yelled as she grabbed Alena by the arm. "Those stupid boys will remember the day they were beaten by Mara and Alena, battle sisters of New Vegas!"
"Uh….battle sisters?" Alena asked as her entire body seemed to blush.
"We've shed blood fighting alongside each other," Mara said clasping Alena's lower arm and pulling her forward to press their foreheads together "That makes you and I battle sisters!"
"Wh…wha….what does that mean?" Alena said shrinking away from Mara's enthusiastic touch.
"It means…" Mara said letting go of Alena's arm to grip her shoulders stopping her retreat "That you and I are gonna be great friends and will bring ruin on our enemies."
"En…Enemies?" Alena stammered.
"Those stupid boys of course," Mara said rolling her eyes as she release Alena's shoulders and grabbed her hand. "You just know they won't let this go, and neither will we my friend. By the time this is all over they'll be sitting at our feet questioning the day they decided to cross us!'
"uh…uh…ah," Alena stammered as Mara dragged her off towards the nurse.
She almost pulled away from Mara's grip but then she thought about what happened. The look on Dak's face lingered in her memory and she recognized the anger in his eyes. It was an anger she'd seen on the faces of all the other village children when her mother would stop them from hurting her. A shudder passed through Alena as she remembered that anger being released upon her as her mother lay dying, too weak to defend her.
You are your mother's daughter…My blood flows through your veins…
Alena clenched her fists and looked at Mara through her goggles. Her mother was gone and she couldn't protect her any longer, and Alena didn't want to her father to be burdened because she was weak. No, this was her problem and she would solve it. If she spent the rest of her life cowering in fear then the bullies like Dak or the people back in the village would win. There was no way Alena, the Daughter of Rex Craster and Kella Starreader, would let them.
"W…wa…war it is then," She said eliciting a wide smile from Mara.
"I knew there was a reason I liked you," Mara said as she led Alena down the hall to the nurse's office whispering conspiratorially the whole way.
/
Jack walked down the sidewalk letting the late afternoon sun warm the chill of the Normandy's construction hanger from her skin. She'd spent the day in the climate controlled hanger helping Shepard keep the Normandy's crewmen and the Mojave techs from killing each other, intentionally or not. Jack had to admit for a burnt out wasteland, The Mojave had some very smart and talented people. The only problem being that wasteland bred fucking mad scientists like cockroaches. Naturally the very by the book and professional crew of the Normandy found it a little tiring to constantly watch if their coworkers are jury rigging a doomsday weapon in the janitor's closet.
"Serves them right," Jack laughed as she strode down the street from the teleport terminals.
As she walked she noted several men and women carrying bulky cameras and watching her from the other side of the street. Several tabloids had popped up across the wasteland and their seemingly inexhaustible supply of paparazzi had descended upon New Vegas. Suppressing a growl, Jack flipped off the reporters and continued down the street towards Rex's place. The bottom feeders followed her of course, but stayed at least a hundred feet behind her.
They'd learnt their lesson the day after Rex left the hospital and they cornered her and assaulting her with questions. So, as any reasonable person would, Jack decided to assault them with her fists. Two at a time until the rest of the bottom feeders got the message and decided that maybe it wasn't a good idea to test her patience. She even got a decent workout chasing them down for their film, so the ass chewing from Shepard afterward was almost worth it. After a few more blocks of walking Jack arrived to Rex's workshop home and greeted the stern Mojave soldiers at his door.
"Evening boy scouts," Jack said giving them a limp wristed salute before stepping through the door.
The moment she stepped inside the work shop she almost jumped back out as a dozens of slivery snakes writhed all over the entryway floor. She drew her shotgun and aimed it the mass of metallic snakes only for legion to appear in the entry way waving its arms.
"Cease hostility, these units pose no threat."
"What in the fuck are metal snakes doing in here?" Jack asked loosening her grip but not holstering her shotgun.
"These units are part of CourierRex's attempts to utilize swarm robotics and unified platform protocols." Legion replied as the mass of snakes coiled together to for a large circular construct like a chain necklace and spun across the ground deeper into the workshop.
"Oh right," Jack said with an annoyed growl in her throat "Where is Rex? I'd like to lodge a complaint with my foot in his ass."
"This unit advises not to take any course of action that would compromise the anal structure of another organic."
"Figure of speech Legion," Jack said rolling her eyes and stepping around the Geth and into the workshop proper.
The workshop looked like someone had ransacked it, with tools, parts, and material strewn all over the floor and workbenches. A massive crablike robot stood in the center of the room with what looked like a vending machine in its core and seemingly a thousand types of tools on multitude of arms. Tali, Rex, and Mordin stood at the main work bench looking over paper schematics and a holographic display. The display was of a headset and as Jack stepped up to the workbench she noted the blueprints were for an egg shaped capsule.
"If we merge the interface with memory lounger tech I think we can miniaturize the necessary equipment," Tali said as jack stepped up to the table. "Oh hello Jack, Shepard finally let you off duty?"
"Yeah, after running my ass around the Mojave all fuckin day," Jack said as she crossed her arms. "How's fixing the device coming?"
"Close to understanding problem, needed brake" Mordin said, gesturing to the display "Side projects always good for mental health."
"What are you working on besides an army of metal snakes?" Jacks asked drawing a shit eating grin from Rex.
"I want to create supped up and miniaturized version of the memory lounger/simulation tech," Rex explained. "I think it could really help with treating mental illness by allowing direct access to memory."
"Is that right?" Jack said narrowing her eyes at Rex. Very rarely did Rex build anything that didn't benefit him or sate his curiosity. "Doing it out of the kindness of your heart are we Carrot top?"
"Not in the slightest," Rex said with a wink before his expression darkened "I want to use it as an interrogation tool and if there are therapeutic applications then by all means we'll use it as such. Now Mordin, Tali I loved our little brainstorming session but I believe it's about time to pick Alena up from school. So, if you two don't mind I'd like a little alone time with Jack."
"Of course," Tali and Mordin said as they made their goodbyes.
Once they were alone Rex planted a kiss on Jack's lips and hobbled over to a small pile of clean shirts and replaced his grease stained Hawaiian print with a sun flower print version.
"So, what's the visor for?" jack asked as she looked at the hologram.
"I need it to help Rose," Rex admitted as he buttoned his shirt and sighed deeply.
"Oh? You mean the psycho bitch who got off on killing? The one who's legs you shot off at the knees?" Jack asked, keeping the malice in her tone to a minimum as she watched Rex's face. "Rex she's…"
"Not my sister?" He asked his grey eyes softening as he slunk back into a workbench. "She's not, and yes Artemis is still in her, but there's something of the old Rose still alive inside her. It's foolish and overly sentimental, but Jack, if even a small part of my sister is alive I have to save her."
"Why?" Jack asked, her jaw tightening. "Why do you have to be the one then? Because you think you failed your Rose all those years ago? To be honest, I think it's fucking great that you can find in your heart to help her like this, but you don't have to be the one to save her Rex. Let the techs at the Big Empty handle her, and stay away from this, for your sake and hers."
"I can't…." Rex began but he stopped mid-sentence.
Then Jack witnessed something she and a handful of others had ever seen. He closed his eyes and all of Rex's defenses came down, even those he kept against himself Jack knew, and any illusion of his normal cold composure was dispelled. As if the stresses of the last few weeks came crashing down all at once Rex slumped to the ground in a crumpled heap of metal and man. She'd seen him this vulnerable only twice before, the first when he revealed his past and the second in the hospital after the attack.
An old part of her, the hard cold piece that whispered doubts into her ear, hated that vulnerability. It hated how she could so easily understand why he threw up wall after wall of resistance. Jack was better than that piece though, no longer the animal she'd once thought she was, and as she knelt down to pull his face up to look at hers she knew that she loved his willingness to show her his vulnerable side.
"You're an idiot you know that?" She asked as he looked up at her. "You almost died, not for the first time, and all you want to do is keep adding things to your plate. Try to save everyone and you'll end up killing yourself
"I'm a somewhat likeable idiot at least, but you're right," Rex said with a sigh as he leaned back against the work bench. "I'll transfer all the notes and schematics to someone at the Big Empty as soon as possible. Maybe move her to another Black site while I'm at it."
"Good," Jack standing up and offering him a hand not believing for a second he actually would stay out of it. "Now that you've seen some reason let's go grab the kid and I'll let you buy me dinner."
"Oh I'm buying dinner?" Rex said his usual aloof confidence slipping back as he took her hand in his and rising shakily to his feet.
"Yeah, dick, you do own the city," Jack said slugging him in the arm before wrapping hers around his.
"More of a lease sort of deal, but I get your point." Rex said as he slipped his straw hat on as they stepped out the door.
/
The doors opened and Alena and her class streamed out onto the street. Alena stood at the top of the entryway steps and watched as most of her class was loaded onto a truck for transportation back to the dorms. Most of the adults and older teens dispersed in various directions be it to the arcades or bars. Dak and his stooge had been spared clean up duty when Dak's older brother collected them both from School. Turns out the older brother wouldn't entertain his little brother ruining his chances at doing well in New Vegas.
"…and then my cousin threw my favorite rock into the pond, so I threw her into the pond," Mara said as she stepped out of the school cackling with Mrs. Smiley at her side.
"How did that turn out for you?" Smiley asked with a chuckle.
"Her father threw me into the mud and I had to go and save her because apparently she couldn't swim," Mara replied before she looked out past Alena and her eyes widened.
Alena turned to see what Mara was ogling and she slipped her goggles up to stare out into the sunset stained street. There was a large clump of people a block away; she had to look away as flashbulbs went off like super novas in her enhanced eyes but not before she caught sight of something flying in the wind. A straw hat that was identical to the one her father had worn that morning flicked through the air as a strong gust of wind sent it flying out of sight. Her breath caught and ice flooded her veins as Alena darted off towards the crowd. She had to squeeze between camera toting civilians and soldiers to get through but once she did Alena had to bite back a scream.
Her father lay on his hands and knees with bloody bile strewn across the asphalt. Alena gasped as she watched Jack try to support her father and fight back the crowd of on onlookers as they swelled against the soldiers. Their eyes met as a medic and two soldiers carved a path through the crowd to a waiting truck. As her father was loaded onto a stretcher Jack grabbed her hand and shielded her from the crowd as they darted towards a waiting truck. As they passed through the crowd something odd cut through the icy shock, a smell of something she couldn't quite place in her frazzled state.
Then she was in the truck clutching her father's metal hand as he stared blankly up into the dark sky unresponsive. As they screamed through the streets of New Vegas Alena's shock turned to panic as she watched her father slip in and out of consciousness. Yet there was something else nagging at her as well, the strange yet familiar smell she picked up back where she found her father. No matter how much she wanted to succumb to the pure panic something about that smell turned at least some of her thoughts to that.
As soon as they reached the hospital Alena and Jack were moved aside as medical personnel grabbed her father and rushed him inside. Once again Jack and Alena were left in the spacious waiting room, Jack spent most of the next few hours talking to Mojave personnel while Alena hugged her knees as her Father's friends and allies gradually began to appear. All had kind words of support for both Jack and Alena, but Alena paid them only the bare minimum of attention required. Her mind was too working through what that strangely familiar smell to actually pay the well-wishers any heed.
Three hours passed by as Alena racked her memory for whatever fragment of recollection made the smell so familiar. When her head started to hurt, she sat back and sighed deeply and looked over the people in the room as her racing mind calmed. She'd met most of her father's former companions that lived near New Vegas but there were a few she'd only met once or knew by description. One of which was ghoul named Dean Domino. Apparently he was in town to sample the hospitalities of the white glove society, whatever that meant.
"So there I was in front of three thousand very wealthy smucks waiting for yours truly to enlighten them as to what true entertainment was," Dean said as he took a draw off a flask offered by the woman called Cass. "Now, I had promised an exclusive debut of some new music, real experimental stuff, and of course after paying my premium rate plus travel this crowd was practically frothing at the mouth for it."
"I'm gonna take a guess and say that there wasn't a new album," Cass said taking the flask back and draining it in a gulp.
"Correct my desert chickadee," Dean said snapping at her. "Meant to write it on the trip in but you will not believe the quality of the liquor or the women when you've got oligarchs bank rolling your travel expenses. So, seeing as I had no plans on paying the exorbitant travel and appearances fees they already played I used an old trick from my brief stint in theater school and whipped up some fake blood. My assistant took a little fall with a plastic baggie full of the gunk on his stomach and…"
Alena tilted her head as an old memory slipped up from the murky depths of her memory. Near forgotten sensation came to life in her mind's eye; White snow falling all around her, her mother's arms wrapped around her, and thick red liquid all over the ground filling the air with pungent steam. Her legs fell to the ground as Alen sat up, her eyes staring off into the oblivion of memory as she lets the memory slip around her.
"Look Alena," She heard her mother say, her voice warm and soft in memory as it was in life. "The warrior's done it. He's slain the bea…"
"Ahem."
Alena looked over to see Veronica and Arcade standing in the door way of the waiting room.
"Alright everybody, Rex is out of the woods for now," Arcade with a characteristic shrug "There was a clog in one of his artificial valves that ruptured. He's alright now but he's on mandatory rest for the next two months until we can be sure we've worked through the kinks in his system."
"Which is why I'll be assuming all of Rex's duties until he's cleared," Veronica said with a annoyed huff "More paper work for me but it has to be done. Now, Rex is only coherent enough for a couple of visitors tonight, so Jack and Alena you can see him if you like. Everyone else, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here."
The collected companions and allies offered a few final words of comfort as they slipped out and Jack and Alena followed Arcade into her father's room. Her father sat shirtless in his hospital bed looking tired and half sedated while Arcade checked over his vitals. His grey eyes stared lazily at them as they stepped through the door and into the room. A weak smile spread across his lips as her father recognized them.
"Don't think I'll be getting dinner tonight," He croaked as Jack came to stand at his bedside.
"Don't make me hit a cripple carrot top," Jack said, suppressing an annoyed chuckle as she came to stand at his bedside. She clasped his hand and they looked at each other for several long seconds before she continued, "You scared the shit out of me."
"Sorry," Her father said with an apologetic squeeze of her hand.
"Jack…" Arcade said from the corner "If you've got a minute, I want to tell you about some of the precautions I'm taking with Rex and how it will affect Rex in the next few months."
"Sure," Jack said giving he father's hand one last squeeze before walking over to Arcade.
As soon as Jack was out of ear shot Alena looked to her father and he examined her expression. The sedated look left his eyes and he tilted his and raised an eyebrow. Alena's un-goggled eyes stared into his and she stepped forward to whisper to her father:
"That wasn't blood was it?"
The ghost of a smile touched her father's lips and he winked at her as Jack turned back around. He slumped into his pillows and the sedated look washed over his eyes again. Alena stepped back and slipped her goggles over her eyes as her face twisted into a confused frown. Did her father fake his condition? Why would he put on a show of weakness in front of all the cameramen? Why put on a big show like this? Her mind raced with the possibilities of that question, yet another soon replaced it and filled her with curious dread.
Who was the show for?