When Joshua saw over a dozen armed members of the Sorrows tribe freely enter their settlement with Mary and Ash in tow, he feared there was going to be trouble. He was wrong; the situation was even more critical than he could have imagined.
The Sorrows had been faced with waves of attacks by the White Legs just as they had experienced at New Canaan, who seemed to believe that because the Sorrows shared favourable relations with the New Canaanites that they were hiding them. After spending the better part of the day gathered in the Church in talks with Waking Cloud and her people, they had come to an agreement: the New Canaanites were going to do everything they could to help deal with the enemy and would provide support in the form of training, supplies and shelter if needed. First they needed to help the Sorrows relocate to a safer position, one where the White Legs wouldn't be able to reach them as easily.
"Very well, it's decided then", Joshua stood up from the negotiation table, "We're going to need some volunteers to help the Sorrows. But be aware that this could be a potentially dangerous endeavour; we can't know for certain if and when the White Legs will launch another attack, so make sure that you are well armed if you choose to help".
Aelius was the first to step forward and volunteer, his tall frame moving to stand between Joshua and the Sorrows. Three other men followed suit and stepped forward, volunteering for the mission.
With a critical glance and some hesitation, Joshua nodded in approval, "Very well. For anyone else considering, we move a first light tomorrow. We'll meet here at the Church before moving out".
Active chatter filled the room as Joshua dismissed everyone, leaving Aelius to discuss the plan for next morning's activities with the other three men.
Joshua could see Mary's concerned look in the back of the crowd and he knew that, if an attack broke out, he'd be putting her in another difficult situation. Their medical supplies were already stretched thin and, even though the new supplies she and Ash were able to procure from the cave, it still wouldn't be enough to treat everyone. He hoped that when they set out in the early morning it wouldn't be too late.
Major Polatli was a stern man. This Olivia could easily discern from his features; from the permanently imprinted creases on his brow to the critical look in his eyes as he studied her and Drew sitting across his desk. She tried to heed Drew's suggestions about her body language when meeting the camp's leader, keeping her back straight in her seat, shoulders relaxed and a steady gaze focused on the Major, even though it felt uncomfortable to be under such a scrutinizing gaze.
"Andrew said you're quite handy when it comes to machinery and robotics", Major Polatli finally spoke, "And that you want to help with our efforts in fighting the Legion".
"Yes…sir", Olivia gave a curt nod.
The lines around Polatli's eyes deepened and he cocked his head, "I have to say I am not surprised to receive your application. If I were in your place, I'd want to kick as many Legion assess as possible ". He took the papers that Drew had prepared for the meeting and placed them in a folder, handing them over to his administrator who stood beside him. "But we would have to find a place to put you. Since you don't have combat experience, it's going to be a challenge to find the right fit; even our engineers have combat training. But first things first, let's see what you can do with the skills you do have", he stood up and motioned for them to follow him.
Feeling her heart beat in her throat, Olivia followed closely behind with Drew and wondered what was in store for her. Winding his way to the back of the camp near the cliffs where a single weathered tent stood. When the Major pulled back the flap to show them what lay inside, Olivia's expression brightened.
"This here's one of our old NCR sentry bots that kicked the bucket a while ago. We've had some engineers take a look at it a while back but they couldn't figure out how to fix it. Said we'd have better luck getting it to work if we tossed it off the cliff but…I still hold out hope that it can be salvaged. It's been sitting here rusting a while, but if you can figure out what's wrong with it and, dare I say, repair it…well, then I'll happily look into placing you in our ranks".
He handed her a clipboard filled with a stack of notes from the previous engineers who tried and failed to make the necessary repairs, gave her a curt not and left her to it.
Olivia got to work right away, circling the sentry bot and examining it with a fascinated gaze. Externally it was different than the conventional sentry bots she came across, dark green in colour with a white star on its torso to distinguish it as being an NCR combat robot, but Olivia had a feeling that its motors and circuitry were no different than that of the ones she encountered before the Legion.
"So… You think you can fix this hunk of metal?" Drew shifted on his feet, examining the machine cautiously.
"I think so!" Olivia answered excitedly, opening a side panel with a pop and checking the wiring.
"Do you need anything?" Drew asked, looking around awkwardly as he tried to think of a way to make himself useful.
"I don't know yet…" her brow furrowed when she yanked out several cables that seemed to crumbled before his eyes, "Need to see if I can find what's gone wrong. Sentry bots have problems with microcircuits corroding away, and much of the wiring isn't insulated properly so many times you get a positive and a negative wire touching, which can fry some of the processing chips".
Having no experience with electronics or repair work other than his rifles, Drew simply blinked at her with a blank expression, "Ok, I guess I'll…I'll leave you to it then".
Nodding absentmindedly, Olivia was too enthralled in her work to notice him leave; in fact, after she completed her full inspection and jotted down a list of materials and components she would need to fix the bot, it was on 10AM. She pulled back the tent flap and, now feeling more confident in herself, walked straight into the Major and presented him with her findings.
"That was quick!" Polatli's eyebrows rose slightly as he examined her list, "I have to be honest, I didn't think you'd be able to figure it out. It took almost two days for our engineers just to say they weren't be able to do anything with it other than take it apart for scraps".
"I had a lot of experience with these robots in the past. They can be tricky if you don't know what you're looking for", Olivia gave a curt nod.
"And if you had all of these items, you sayin' you could make the necessary repairs?" Polatli scanned through her list.
"Yes, sir".
"Hmm…." He rubbed his chin and Olivia watched with some trepidation as the lines on his brow deepened, "I'm afraid we don't have many of these items lying around camp. You would need to check with Carl Mayes, our quartermaster. If he doesn't have these items he will certainly know how to procure them".
Although the very thought of conversing with more men in the camp - men who weren't Drew - made Olivia feel a pit grow in her stomach, she didn't let it show. She gave the Major a nod, thanked him for the information, and stepped back out into the cold. Not knowing where the quartermaster's tent was, she wandered through the camp trying not to look like she was lost or nosy so that others wouldn't approach and try to speak with her. She was still finding it difficult to trust others in the camp, especially men. Years of facing physical and psychological abuse in the Legion had made her skittish and wary of men; all except Drew. His was the only friendly and kind face she looked forward to seeing every day, and she hoped that whatever happened with the war against the Legion that at least he would stay safe.
Finally after her second pass around camp she stumbled upon Carl. He was a man 6' tall, with dark skin, buzz cut hair and a scruffy beard. He was hauling a full crate of Sunset Sarsaparilla from a recent delivery when he noticed her hesitantly examining his tent several paces away.
"Morning! Can I help you?" he brushed his dusty hands off on his worn combat trousers.
"I'm looking for the quartermaster… Carl Mayes?"
"You've found him", he nodded, "What can I do for you?"
"I'm making repairs to the NCR sentry bot. There are a few items I need before I can complete my task", she handed him a clipboard with the items she was looking for.
"Alright, let's take a look", he examined the items on the paper as he strolled into his tent, brow furrowing at some of components, "Hmm… We have most of the items that you need, but these three…" he pointed in the list, "I don't think we've ever stocked these items".
"Oh…", she exhaled, feeling her stomach drop with disappointment. If he didn't have the components she needed to fix the machinery, how was she supposed to complete her task?
'This was pointless then… They sent you to do an errand even they couldn't accomplish', she thought, her disappointment visible, 'Did you really think they were going to let you join their group? You? A former slave in the Legion?'
"Hey now, don't feel discouraged!" Mayes added enthusiastically, pulling up his chair, "If I don't have it, someone surely will. Now, let me think…"
Standing patiently out of the way while Mayes rummaged around some paperwork, Olivia tried not to let her hopes get too high. After all, if she did somehow manage to get the items she needed, there was still the issue of fixing the damned thing.
"Okay! Here we go!" Mayes spread out some paperwork on his desk, "Looks like we might have what you need… At Helios One".
"…Helios One?" she cocked her head.
"Yes. They have catalogued some pre-war spare parts that might be suitable. Now this was done about 6 months ago so I'm not sure if they still have these items in stock. You'd have to go there and talk to them yourself".
"Oh", Olivia felt her stomach drop, "Is it nearby?"
"Well… No, not really", Mayes' voice strained, "It's about a half hour trek from here as the crow flies. It takes a supply patrol roughly 45 minutes to get from here to their doorstep".
This was becoming ridiculous.
"Alright… Well, do you have a map I could use or something? I really need to get those parts".
"I don't have any spare maps I'm afraid", he quickly shuffled through the paperwork to see if by any chance one was lying around, "But… I think I have a better idea".
He explained that the Courier had been in his tent earlier that day and was going to set off soon to find a missing supply run between Helios One and the camp. Seeing as she had another mission from high command to investigate a power output issue at Helios One, Olivia could ask to join her on this excursion. She thanked Mayes for his help and rushed through the camp to find Six, roughly bumping into Drew on the way.
"Whoa! Easy there", he grinned trying to hide his pained grimace, "Where's the rush?"
"I have to go to Helios One to collect parts for the repairs", she said out of breath, "Mayes said Six was headed in that direction and that he thinks he remembers overhearing her talking with her companion about going there directly on some other business. So I gotta go find her before she leaves!"
"Okay, no need to rush, she's just finishing up her coffee at the food tent", Drew nodded behind him, "And…wait, how are you coming back then?"
"Uhh…" Olivia hesitated; she hadn't thought that far ahead, "I think they're coming back after they finish…"
"But you're not sure", Drew sighed, "I can see about switching shifts with someone else and come with you now".
"No! No, there's no need", she shook her head fervently, "You've already done so much for me already, I don't want to get you into any trouble. And besides, it's time I started doing things for myself".
"Alright", he relented, still feeling a conflicting knot twist in his chest. He knew that she was capable of fending for herself and that she wouldn't be travelling alone, but that still didn't ease his protective feelings for her. Though he understood that after what she'd been put through in her life she needed and wanted to find her footing in this new situation, there was still the very real threat of the Legion out there.
'At least she's not going alone and there will be a 1st Recon sniper close by' he tried to reassure himself.
Olivia smiled in appreciation and quickly hurried in the direction of the mess tent, not wanting to accidentally miss the Courier. Sure enough she found Six with her companion just about ready to set out on their trek.
"Six! Wait!" she called behind them.
"Hey there", Six smiled at her, "Come to see us off?"
"I was wondering if I could come with you", Olivia panted, holding her left side in an attempt to stifle a stitch, "Actually… no, I need to come with you".
The frown in the companion's brow deepened, and since Olivia couldn't see much from the aviator sunglasses hiding his eyes, she was going to assume that it was a frown of disapproval.
"Okay! That's fine with me" Six answered enthusiastically, "Got your gear?"
"My…gear?"
"Yeah. Your supplies for the trip".
"Oh… I don't have any", she sighed.
"That's alright. Here, you can take one of my old bags", Six pulled out a faded khaki coloured canvas over the shoulder bag with a white circle and a red cross in the middle, "Don't have much use for it, been keeping it as a spare. I suggest you get to the infirmary and tell the Doc you'll be needing a basic first aid kit. I'll pick you up some water and MREs from the canteen and then we'll be on our way".
"Thank you!" Olivia smiled, feeling the weight lift off her shoulders, and in less than ten minutes she was all packed and ready to set off with her new comrades.
Stepping past the sandbags and the guard at the entrance to the camp sent a shiver down her spine. Everything past this point was going to be new grounds for her; she was headed into unknown territory on a mission she didn't even know if she could complete, but she was certainly going to give her best. If she succeeded, it would bring her one step closer to be reunited with her family.
Dragging his feet up the hill and into their cabin, Aelius dropped his satchel and kicked off his dusty boots in the corner, wiping the sweat off his brow as he collapsed onto the couch in the living room. It had been a long and gruelling day relocating the Sorrows tribe to a much safer location and he was glad it was over. Well… almost over.
The sun had set about two hours earlier and he could hear and smell people preparing to have their dinners; he didn't realise how hungry he was until the smells of cooking food from their neighbours wafted in through their windows. A loud grumble escaped his stomach and he could feel it churning in anticipation.
From the empty state of the cabin it was clear Ash hadn't been in for a while.
'Must be working on the aqueduct with the others' he thought, propping himself up on an elbow as he looked around the empty space.
When Ash found out that he had volunteered to help the Sorrows with Joshua, Daniel, and several other men, she eagerly wanted to join. The prospect of working on a task together again was enticing for Aelius as well, though the idea didn't sit well with Joshua. Much to both their disappointment, Joshua refused to allow Ash to participate and, although Ash wasn't one to let someone else make the terms for her, in this case she was left with no choice but to relent. It was a disturbingly odd reaction to see from Joshua; it made Aelius wonder whether it was simply because he was protective of her, or if it had something to do with the ideals and principles he picked up in the Legion. Still, it was no excuse for the disrespectful way he spoke to her. The entire exchange made her visibly upset, but she insisted that Aelius go and offer his help where he could. He made it a point to speak with Ash about today when she eventually returned.
Hunger pangs still gnawing at him like a rabid dog, Aelius got back on his sore feet with an exhausted groan and made his way into the kitchen on stiff and cramping legs. Checking their fridge, he took out some fresh gecko meat he'd caught earlier that morning before setting off to help the Sorrows, along with some yucca, pinion nuts and peppers. He was going to make gecko steaks with yucca fries cooked in some vegetable oil he'd found on a supply run not long ago, along with fire roasted peppers and chopped pinion nuts. Setting the ingredients out on the kitchen countertop in an organised layout, he got to work preparing the evening meal for him, Ash and Gael, making sure to cook everyone's steaks the way they liked it. Just as the yucca fries and gecko steaks finished cooking and Aelius was about ready to start plating, he heard the door open and Ash's familiar footsteps trudge into the living room.
"Aelius?"
"In the kitchen", he answered, "Are you hungry?"
"Starving", she exhaled, wandering in to offer help carrying the food out. She looked even more exhausted than he did and it made him feel glad that he could do something as easy as preparing a meal to help her feel better.
They sat together on the couch, resting their plates on their laps as they ate.
"Where's Gael?" Aelius asked, hesitating with his fork piled with food as he looked around for the boy.
"He had a busy day at my mother's", Ash answered between big mouthfuls of food, "Fell asleep on her couch".
"Oh… I'll store his dinner after we're done then", he said, digging in to this meal. They ate in silence with only the sounds of their cutlery disturbing the peace and quiet of their cabin. Aelius reckoned it was about 8PM by his estimates, so Ash must have been out since he left with the others earlier that morning.
Polishing the food off her plate, Ash thanked Aelius for the meal and took their empty dishes back in the kitchen to soak.
"Everything alright?" he asked, following some paces behind her and leaning his shoulder on the doorway as he watched her trying to keep busy. After living together for as long as they have, he was beginning to pick up certain cues and quirks from her; judging by her current demeaner and body language, he could tell that something had greatly upset her.
She shrugged, offering no verbal response.
"Not like you to stay quiet", he said worryingly, "Whatever it is, you can talk to me about it".
"I know", she wiped her damp hands on a clean towel and tossed it to the side on the counter top, "But there's no use talking about it".
"Why?"
"Because I'm done talking. I want to do something!"
"Alright", Aelius gave a nod of support, "Let's do something then".
She shook her head, "No, I don't think you understand… I can't take it here anymore".
Aelius stood up straighter and took a couple of steps closer to her, "This is about this morning…"
"Oh, no. This morning was just the straw that broke the camel's back", Ash shook her head.
Aelius shifted on his feet, uncertain of what she wanted to do.
"…Are you saying want to leave? Again?" he asked uncertainly.
"… No…" she hesitated, her brow furrowing as she tried to concentrate on anything except for him, because she knew that if she looked into his eyes she'd lose her composure and crumble away, "I… I don't know… Maybe".
A still silence enveloped them for what felt like an eternity.
"What about your family here?" he asked, "What about your mother? And Joshua?"
"Fuck Joshua", bitterness and anger rushed from her lips, "And as for my mother, well… She was never good at that job. I mean, look at me", she laughed cynically and shook her head, "Look at what a mess I turned out to be".
"No, not a mess", Aelius smiled, wrapping his arms around her. He felt her tense body ease a little and she reciprocated his hug, burying her head in his chest. "A little hot headed and stubborn at times, but never a mess".
She chuckled and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. Aelius could feel the tension in her tone and composure soften.
"You don't know the half of it!" she pulled away after a while and put Gael's food in the fridge, "But in all seriousness; I really can't take it here anymore. I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to pack up and hoof it all the way back to New Canaan… What's left of it anyway".
"Have you spoken about this to anybody?"
"No, you're the first", she folded her arms across her chest, "Honestly I can't think of what I would say to the others. 'Hey everyone, thanks for having me but being here and living amongst you all has reminded me what a horrible thing that part of my life was while I was growing up so….bye!'?"
Aelius could see her dilemma but didn't know what words of advice he could offer. He himself didn't feel like he truly belonged here, so who was he to even have any valid guidance?
"Do you want to go back to NCR territory?"
"No!" she replied emphatically, running her fingers through her dusty hair, "No, I didn't feel like I belonged there anyway. The only reason I stayed for as long as I did was because of Jack".
The mention of her husband's name felt like a jab in the gut; suddenly Aelius felt like he should feel guilty and ashamed for his feelings that had blossomed for Ash.
"I don't know what to do Aelius… I feel like a cornered Big Horner".
"When you don't know what to do in a situation, sleep on it", he said candidly, "You'll make better decisions and feel calmer after a good night's rest".
"Where'd you get that notion?" She cocked her head with an interested glimmer in her tired eyes.
"Dunno… Just something I remember someone saying once", Aelius shrugged as he started getting the warm blankets out of the drawers.
"S'pose you're right", she bit her lower lip, her eyes feeling painful from the long and arduous day she endured. They decided to call it a day and get some rest; they would figure out what to do in the morning.
Even though it was still early by the time they got into bed, Aelius could feel relief spread through every aching muscle in his body as soon as he settled in on the springy mattress. The cool clean sheets felt soothing on his skin, helping him to relax from the day's hard work. Ash snuggled close by his side with her head resting on his chest and he wrapped his arm around her waist; it wasn't long before she was fast asleep, while Aelius still found himself reluctantly awake. His mind wandered, swimming in memories and thoughts of the past and present. The situation with Ash was gnawing at him; he couldn't understand why she suddenly had a change of heart. Sure Joshua and some of the other men could be overbearing and stubborn, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be handled with a diplomatic approach. He wondered whether he should find some time to speak with Joshua in the morning and explain the situation from his perspective. Neither of them were exactly on friendly terms, but there was an understanding between them: if Aelius follows their rules and causes no trouble or harm to fall onto others, then there would be no issues between them. So far he had proven himself to be an exemplary guest, went above and beyond to help the New Canaanites, and from what he could gather Ash's mother seemed to approve of him.
He glanced down affectionately at Ash who was sound asleep, her features content and no longer contorted with exhaustion and worry; he would do anything for her and Gael, travel to the ends of the Earth if that's what it took to make them happy.
It was decided. Even though he wasn't looking forward to it, he would go speak to Joshua in the morning and try to come to some sort of agreement.
"Shit…" Six muttered under her breath, a grave expression on her fine features, "I don't like this Boone".
They found the supply transport… Or rather what was left of them. Four NCR soldiers were sprawled in a depression in the ground about a mile outside of Forlorn Hope, what little skin they had exposed from their uniforms was a sickening grey white colour. Their bodies must have been sitting out in the elements for over a day. Olivia averted her eyes when Six and Boone turned the men over to check how they sustained their deadly injuries and to collect their dog tags, feeling her stomach churn uncomfortably at the glimpse of dried blood that was spattered all over their uniforms.
"Legion?" Six looked uncertainly up at Boone.
"Yeah", the sniper nodded gravely, "We better move".
"Agreed", Six pulled a note from the inner pocket of one of the deceased soldiers. Quickly glancing over it she found it had information about the supplies, which would be useful for Mayes. "We're going to have to come back for the supplies after we finish at Helios".
A flash nearby caught Olivia's attention and she trained her eyes to the West, feeling her heartbeat and breathing quicken. She thought she saw the familiar crimson red worn by Legionary assassins…but there was nothing there.
"Hey, you alright?" Six asked in concern, "See something?"
"No… Maybe… I can't be sure", Olivia answered in a hushed voice. Maybe she was being paranoid and her eyes were playing tricks on her. Even though she was free from the Legion, Olivia wasn't under any illusion that she was safe; from the conversations she overheard by the soldiers during their breaks, she knew that they regularly ventured into NCR lands, hitting key military targets as they travelled.
"Let's keep moving", Six answered in a low tone, and began the march to the power plant. As they quickly started closing the gap between them and their destination, Olivia couldn't help but feel as though they were being watched. The hackles on the back of her head rose and her gut told her to look behind.
She stopped in her tracks, eyes squinting in the bright light as she scanned all around her… Nothing.
… Until…
A bright flash of light and Olivia followed the deadly arch of a spear flying through the air seemingly out of nowhere in Six's direction.
"Watch out!" she yelled and launched herself at Six, knocking her to the ground as the weapon flew a few inches past her head. Half a dozen Legionary assassins were sprinting towards them less than 150 feet from their current position.
"Company!" Boone yelled, raising his sniper and taking aim, "Spotted!". A split second later and a deafening boom echoed through the air as the sniper made his kill. Six jumped back up and pulled out her hunting rifle, taking down another one. Not having any combat training, all Olivia could do was keep out of their way and hope they somehow made it out of this alive.
Another spear flew overhead just missing Boone before Olivia heard machine gun fire.
"Shit! Take cover!" Six shouter and grabbed Olivia by the arm, dragging her away from the line of fire. They pressed themselves behind a broken concrete roadblock, flinching as several bullets buried themselves into the dirt and concrete releasing plumes of dust.
"Keep your head down!" Six instructed her over the gunfire.
"What about you?!"
"Don't worry! This ain't my first fight", she answered confidently, taking aim around the corner from their cover and killing another assassin with two shots, "Only three to go!"
Olivia saw Boone break his cover, take aim to gun one of the Legionaries down and his fourth a split second after. The last assassin came running full pelt at him, roaring with rage as he jumped and swung his machete at Boone.
The sniper parried the blow with his rifle and quickly knocked him to the ground, plunging a military combat knife in his back and through his chest. The sheer brutality and gore of it all made her stomach feel like it was doing back flips; she couldn't hold it back.
"Alright Boone!" Six raised her fist in triumph above her head, completely unphased by the whole ordeal.
With the assassins dealt with, Six helped Olivia back on her feet and offered her a kerchief and some of her own water.
"Thanks", Olivia groaned, feeling the bile she just regurgitated burning her throat. If she couldn't handle combat like this, how on Earth was she going to make it through into the NCR ranks? It made her wonder what the hell she was doing here in the first place and if she was making an awful mistake, though as soon as they reached HELIOS One all her doubts and fears were replaced with awe and fascination. The base and building itself wasn't that impressive, it was the enormous tower and countless reflective mirrors surrounding it in a circle that caught her attention. She wondered what it was, how it operated, and what its purpose was.
As they approached, a soldier stopped to address them.
"This is a restricted area. State your business".
"I'm with the NCR. Anything I can do to help?" Six asked.
"Your being here is a start, soldier. We aren't exactly overflowing with troopers here. But if you really want to help us, talk to the idiot with sunglasses in the back of the plant building. He's been trying to get this place running for months and hasn't made any forward progress".
"Will do, thank you", Six gave the Lt. a curt nod and proceeded inside the building. They made their way up several flights of stairs, past a few soldiers who didn't even seem to mind or question their presence. Making their way gingerly down a dark hallway, they reached a warmly lit room filled with control panels and computers from wall to wall; and a rather unusual looking man muttering to himself as he pushed and turned random switches and dials.
"Who the hell are you? They bring you in to replace me? They're replacing me, aren't they?"
"Settle down. I'm not here to replace anyone."
"Damn right you're not. Goddamn right. Why would they? You can't top this guy. Just a little more time. You can't keep Fantastic down for long".
"Why are you worried about being replaced?"
"Worried? Do I look worried to you? I've got this under control, baby. No one else can do what I do here".
"What exactly do you do here?"
"Fuck, man. Everything. I push buttons. I turn dials. I read numbers. Sometimes I make up little stories in my head about what the numbers mean. Like one time I imagined they were a code to get into a vault full of naked woman. Man, how cool would that be?"
Six couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"How did you get this job?"
"It was easy, man. They were going door to door asking if anyone knew any scientists. I said look no further. They asked me if I knew anything about power plants. I said as much as anyone I'd ever met. They asked me how well I understood theoretical physics. I said I had a theoretical degree in physics. They said welcome aboard".
Olivia felt herself shudder in disgust and fear, and her mind swam in thoughts of all the chaos he could unravel just by pressing a wrong button. They were all lucky to still be alive!
"So you have no idea what you're doing", Six exhaled.
"No, man. I know exactly what I'm doing. I just don't know what effect it's going to have. Over there controls power in this building. That station has readouts on the computer network. That big knob there makes a crazy noise. Sparks come out of that slot if you put stuff in it. And I'm learning more every day".
"Riiight", Boone muttered sarcastically under his breath.
After an agonising five minutes of listening to Fantastic speak, Six and Olivia finally got the information they were looking for, but there was a catch. Past the control room the automated defence systems were active, and if what Fantastic told them was true they were going to have to fight their way through.
"Alright, here's the plan", Six rubbed her forehead, her mind swimming in what tactics they could use, "Boone and I will go in first, you follow directly behind us", Six nodded to Olivia, "If either one of us goes down, don't play the hero. Get out and get help. Understood?"
"Y-yes", Olivia nodded, feeling a pit of dread in her stomach swallowing her up from the inside out and drowning her in doubt; but there was no alternative. The door opened with a screech and the three of them quickly proceeded inside. Almost immediately three turrets activated and Olivia could hear their internal mechanisms training their sights onto them.
"Hide!" Six pulled her into a nearby room with Boone taking position behind a metal support beam. He waited until the turrets stopped moving, and with two swift shots of his high calibre sniper rifle he eliminated one of them. When the turrets zoned in in Boone's direction and began firing, it gave Six the opportunity to eliminate the other two with explosive rounds.
"You good Boone?" Six called from the other side of the hallway.
"Yeah", his gruff voice groaned.
"Let's keep moving", Six nodded to Olivia, who was as pale as a sheet at this point. Nothing in her life had prepared her for this kind of life, not even the Legion.
'You're already here! Don't think about quitting now!' she thought, pulling herself together.
Six and Boone quickly dispatched several Protectrons that were patrolling the walkways and hallways while Olivia salvaged any and all useful components from them.
"You got what you need?" Six knelt next to Olivia, keeping an eye out for any more surprised.
"Uhh, not quite…", Olivia bit her lower lip, "The chips in these Protectrons don't have the right sockets for what I need, and they can't handle the voltage requirements for a sentry bot".
Six hung her head; she was hoping that they wouldn't have to go messing about with the Sentry bot that was sitting in its cage at the bottom of the walkway they were standing on. Luckily they were stealthy enough with their movement and their kills that it didn't provoke the slumbering beast. Her body shuddered as she remembered the last encounter she had with a sentry bot. It didn't end well…
"Alright, I'll do it", she exhaled, "You two stay here. Boone, if that thing so much as twitches –"
"Yeah", he answered, pulling his rifle out and aiming his sights at its head.
Even though Olivia insisted she wanted to go with Six to help, the Courier explained that she was quicker and stealthier if she worked on her own, and she wasn't going to change her mind. Realising she wasn't going to get anywhere arguing with her, Olivia took her through the steps Six needed to take to disable the robot, and thanked her for the help.
"Anytime", Six winked at her and furtively proceeded down the stairs.
Olivia watched with baited breath as the brave woman approached the deadly machine. Boone shifted slightly on his feet but his aim never wavered; so far everything was going well.
Approaching from the back of the robot, Six reached her arm out between the gaps in the cage to a panel in its back and pried it open. A minute or two later and the job was done. Now with the sentry bot disabled, Olivia could collect the parts she needed to finish her mission.
"There! Nothing to it!" Six dusted her hands off on her dirty coat, "Have at it. Boone and I are going to go check out the power output and see what we can do to help out. We'll meet up out front when we're done and can take you back to camp".
"Thanks Six", Olivia nodded, proceeding with her work while she and Boone went to finish theirs.
It didn't take long to get all the components that she required, so after she finished she tried to find a place to stay out of the way from the other soldiers and workers, waiting near the front of the building for Six and Boone. By the time the sun began to set she started getting worried. She decided to approach one of the soldiers and ask if they would be able to give her some information.
"Excuse me, have you seen a woman in a long duster jacket and a man with a red beret around?"
The man gave her question a moment of thought before shaking his head, "Were they with you?"
"Yes, we went in together but now I can't find them".
"Hmm…", he rubbed his chin, "I'll ask around and see if anyone's spotted your friends. If you stay here… Oh, wait, I think I see one of them", the soldier peered over Olivia's shoulder, prompting her to focus her attention in his line of sight.
It was Drew! He was speaking with another soldier and appeared to be in search of something, or someone.
Even though he wasn't the person she'd been looking for, she thanked the soldier who helped her and headed in Drew's direction. She could see the soldier he was talking to look at her and point in her direction. When Drew turned and their eyes met, he had the widest smile and look of relief on his freckled face.
"Hey! You were gone a long time. And when I saw those dead Legionary assassins on the road I got worried", Drew exhaled, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, fine", Olivia nodded.
"Where are the other two?"
"I honestly don't know", she shrugged, looking behind her shoulder one last time, "I've been waiting for hours".
Drew looked visibly disgruntled at her response, "Really? What the hell could they be doing?"
Olivia shrugged again, unsure of what to say. She did find it odd that the Courier and her companion were gone for such a long time, but that was probably normal for them. They were most likely so engrossed in their tasks that they forgot about her.
"They're probably busy with their work. I overheard that they need to get the power supply to the NCR ready. It's probably just taking longer than usual".
"Still, they shouldn't have just left you here alone", Drew shook his head disapprovingly, "Seeing as they're still MIA, I suggest we start heading back before it gets too late. What do you say?"
Shifting uncertainly on her feet, Olivia was torn with the idea, "What if they come back and try to find me? They did agree to bring me back".
Drew turned to the soldiers behind him and instructed them to spread the word that, if they should come across Six and Boone, to notify them that Olivia has been escorted back to Forlorn Hope. Satisfied with the outcome and relieved to know that her new friends would be properly informed, Olivia walked back to the NCR camp with Drew, chatting happily about the adventures she experienced.
That night Drew volunteered to keep watch at the camp, despite the recommendations of his superior that he should get some rest as he had already stood watch the previous night. He stood on a platform towards the end of the camp, his binoculars in hand checking the perimeter from time to time. After the long day he had and the worry he felt with Olivia, it was difficult for him to get any kind of meaningful sleep. His mind raced with thoughts and memories, but even though he was still infuriated with the Courier and her 1st Recon companion abandoning Olivia for hours, he was glad that he found her safe and sound. Not only that, but after they returned she finished her repairs to the NCR sentry bot and, much to everyone's surprise, brought it back online. Polatli was most impressed with her and assigned her to the engineering crew without hesitation, though she would need to spend about a month at Camp Golf training with firearms and explosive devices before being allowed to enter active duty.
Faint shadows in the distance caught Drew's attention and he quickly scanned the land with his binoculars. Two dark figures were steadily making their way toward the camp, but he couldn't tell if they were friend or foe.
"Shit", he muttered under his breath as he aimed his rifle in the direction of the figures. Making some quick adjustments to his scope, he was able to get a better look out there. Luckily he had recently upgraded his rifle to include a scope with sensors that detected and highlighted living creatures. From what he could discern, one of them was male, wearing a beret and had a familiar rifle slung over his shoulders. The other was of shorter stature, wearing a long duster oat and ranger helmet with mask. It was the Courier and her companion, the 1st Recon sniper.
'Took you long enough', he thought, feeling his jaw clench in annoyance. Following their progress, he saw them come into camp and head straight for the Major's tent, only to emerge a few minutes later with the Courier making her way toward him while Boone went off to the supply tent.
"Hey! Keeping watch again tonight?" she asked in a lively voice.
"Yeah", Drew answered, looking through his binoculars in the distance pretending to keep busy so he didn't have to look back.
"Was surprised to hear you came to HELIOS", Six continued.
"Yeah, well, you were all gone a long time", Drew answered halfheartedly, trying to keep his tone flat so as not to revealed his agitation.
"You were worried", Six said and Drew could hear he climbing up the steps to the platform.
"I'm on duty, you shouldn't be climbing up here".
"Right", Six looked him up and down with an amused expression on her features that Drew tried to ignore, "You really like her, don't you?"
"Who?"
"I think you know who I'm referring to", Six folded her arms in front of her chest, "You like her, and you were worried about her when we didn't show on time".
"With all due respect, but you know nothing about me", he answered with acerbity in his tone, "I suggest you drop this and keep out of other people's business".
"Right…", Six responded somewhat sullenly. Drew could tell from the tone of her voice that his words affected her. She hung her head slightly and was about to leave before she faced him to have her final say, "You're right though, I don't know you, Olivia, or anyone else here well at all. But I saw the way you would look at her when you thought no one was watching; and I don't have to be your best friend to know what that was". She made her way down the steep ramp, leaving Drew feeling flushed with embarrassment and frustration, "For the record Olivia can take care of herself very well. She handled the attack with the Legion like a pro. So don't go treating her like a wallflower, she's tougher than nails. Just thought you outta know".
Drew exhaled in frustration as he stood watch and listened to the Courier's footsteps disappear behind him. She was right about Olivia though; Drew couldn't fathom going through what she did, day in and day out, and still come out of it with even a shred of hope and humanity left in him. That was something he greatly admired about her: her strength and courage in the face of insurmountable odds, and dogged determination. Though he'd watched her from afar for many months, relaying the information she was providing on Legion movements, he developed an attachment for her instantly. And now that she was free of the Legion and here with him, he noticed he was developing deeper feelings for her, which were beginning to affect the way he behaved around her and others.
'Keep it together, Drew', he thought, 'You can't go losing your head like that, or you might end up losing her...'.