I return to Novac and go right to sleep. Before doing that though I do stop by Manny's room to find out where Beny and the Khans he was working with went. Boulder city. That place is a dump but what isn't these days? The next day we head out. The pain of the heat is starting to get to me. Makes me want to drink a beer to numb it but I know that will just dehydrate me so I just drink water.
I stop by this bridge that has a little rest stop for lunch. Before sitting down to order my food I notice a girl in what looks to be a scavenger outfit looking at me with interest. Strangely she is also armed with a power fist.
"What do you want?" I ask. "Nothing really, you just seem different than those who normally come through here. Where are you from?" "A hole in the ground over in the Capital Wasteland." "My name's Veronica and I live in a hole in the ground too with my family." "Name's Aaron and how big is this family?" "It's pretty big. Hey would you mind if I tag along, see the wastes with ya?" "Sure." "Great also, I had a run in with this group calling themselves the Brotherhood of Steel what to you..." "Cut the shit sister I know you're a scribe." "How can you tell?" "Only two types of people use power fists, members of the Brotherhood and idiots. And you don't strike me as a idiot." "Fine you got me but how did you know I was a scribe?" "I been a member long enough to know." "Wait you're Brotherhood? What Chapter?" "East Coast, based out of DC." "I didn't know we had a Chapter out there." "I think they were disavowed before I joined up. Bending the Codex to suit the situation in DC." "Like what?" "Conscripting like minded wastelanders and treating protecting the people as important as finding technology. Of course there is a massive super mutant problem over there and the only way to make it safe to look for new technology is to try to clear out the DC ruins of them." "I wish our elder would do stuff like that." "Elder Lyons was a great man. I will continue to talk about that after I get something to eat and we get going." "Got it."
After eating and stocking up on more water we head out to Boulder City. "Lyons does sound familiar. Tell me what happened to him?" Veronica asks. "He died of old age and his daughter the only person people really had in mind as a good successor died in combat not long after. So we had a series of ineffective Elders, some only lasting a week before stepping down. I was planning on leaving to look for something new to do, part of the reason I am here. But when Sarah died I decided to stay to be that pillar of stability until our chapter got its shit together." "What happened next?" "Then at the age of 16 we choose Arthur Maxson. Now some might say throwing leadership onto a teenager is not the wisest thing to do but he had already proven himself to be a decent leader and he was the last living Maxson. I stayed abit longer to help him stabilize things, he even wanted to make me his Sentinel. But I had to leave and look for new adventure. I am known as the Lone wander for a reason. Plus I needed to get as far away from where my dad was killed as possible until I got my shit together." "What happened to him?" "He died keeping the Enclave from taking control over this water purifier that removes radiation from the water." "I know how it feels to lose a loved one one way or another. Your father though was a hero." "Yeah he was in his own way."
It wasn't long until we got to Boulder City. Walking past a guy standing at a giant stone slab. NCR blemish on American Soil I think to myself. We find what looks to be a bericade and a NCR officer standing outside. "What's the situation?" Ask. "We are dealing with some Great Khans right now." "Let me negotiate with them. I think they have something of mine." "Fine just don't get shot." We go in and head to what looks to be a prewar store front.
"Hey you're that courier Benny wasted." Their leader says. "I am back from the grave and I want my shit back." "Here's what's left but Benny ran off with the chip." "You know where I can find him?" "Yeah on the strip." "I can get you out of here but you need to let the hostages go." "How can I be sure the NCR will keep their end of the deal?" "I will make them. Even though I prefer them over the Legion I will not hesitate to shoot them if it comes to it." "Fine."
We head back out to talk to the officer. "Thanks for getting my guys out but I have orders to take them out." "If you have any honor you will let them go." "Your right."
After the Khans escape we leave. "So where to next?" Veronica asks as she pets Dogmeat. "Freeside, I need to check on some stuff before heading to the strip." "Alright."