Gun Powder and Maps – Chapter 6 – Let's Get the Ball Rolling
The courier stood solemnly in front of Jacobstown for the first time in a long time, alone. There was no ED-E, no companions, no one. Just her.
A large, green, super mutant strode slowly across the snow covered grass as he involuntarily grimaced. He waved at Brooke as she approached and seemed to smile as best as he could at her. "How are things going, Marcus?" She asked quietly. He gave a snort and responded in a low growl, "Things have been going just fine. Just snow, and the occasional scum-ball mercenaries that wander up here, nothing else." Brooke smiled. "That's good… that's good. "
The vault dweller took a deep breath when Marcus spoke up, "I think someone would like to see you though." She perked up and nodded. Brooke walked away from the mutant and up towards the cabin-like lodge that spread across the cold summit. Butterflies began to fill her stomach and she entered the building, the heavy wooden door creaking as it opened and closed.
"Hey Dr. Henry, how is he doing?" She asked timidly from the door-way to the make-shift clinic. The graying man turned around and flashed a large smile. "Everything is just fine my dear girl! Calamity is actually out with him right now, so they should be back any moment." A wave of relief flushed over the courier. Suddenly a loud bark erupted from behind the vault dweller, making her jump.
She turned around to see the red-haired ghoul walking with a very jolly cyber dog next to her. Brooke raised her brow and asked, "Rex?" The dog cocked its head to the side with a quizzical whimper. "Dogmeat!" She laughed and the dog ran up to her, wagging his tail and jumping up to lick her on the face. Brooke giggled as she scratched behind the dog's ears and cooed at him. It hadn't been awfully long ago since Dogmeat had sustained some major injuries at Hoover Dam, causing him to be rushed to Dr. Henry.
The securiton House had sent along rolled across the crumbling walkway above Hoover Dam, trailing behind Brooke, Dogmeat, and Brooke's friend Boone. Caesar's legion soldiers and legionaries came at the group with spears and charged lances, along with a menagerie of power fists and rebar swords. The enemies dropped like flies as rockets and snipes and laser charges pounded into them. Those that fell but didn't die were quickly taken over by bites to the neck and the ripping of skin from a canine offender.
With the path clear, they trudged down into the bowels of the dam, on a mission to unleash a robotic storm.
As they went deeper and deeper, Boone spoke up slowly, "You're going to kill whoever is down there aren't you?" Brooke felt his eyes upon her and turned to meet them as she said, "Yes, Boone, I am. I'm going to do what needs to be done."
"I don't like it."
"I know you don't."
Only one other time had Boone expressed his dislike of Brooke's actions, and that was letting Vulpes Inculta live. However she had already explained how things were going to happen. He just came along to save her from a few legion bitches.
Two NCR heavy troopers stood guard in front of the control room, one with a flame thrower, the other with a shotgun. Brooke stood in front of the two as the trooper with the shotgun barked, "This area is off limits." She continued to stand there. "I said this area is off limits!" He shouted, but right as he finished his last word, Brooke had flung the rifle from off her back and unloaded a clip into his helmet. The Securitron followed up and sent rocket after rocket upon the one massacring them with flames and the guardians of the computers died. "Come here, Dogmeat" Brooke said as the dog ran to her. She knelt down and scratched behind his ears, "Good boy for staying!" She rose up and entered the large room, rushing to the computer and installing the override chip.
House flickered onto the screen, "I knew you would make it. Resourceful, as always."
Once all of House's requirements had been met, Brooke and her crew headed to the surface in order to meet the Robotic army they had just unleashed. Hordes of NCR, Legion, and Securitrons battled upon the surface as Brooke guided her posse through the debris and bodies. Their guns became warm with use as enemies fell to their ammunition. The lone wanderer snaked her way towards the Legion camp with Dogmeat at her side, shots flying by her.
Upon passing a downed chunk of concrete, a Legion warrior jumped from behind it, his laser pike raised above his head, ready to slice into the Courier. She spun in fear, raising her laser rifle as it whirred to charge when Dogmeat leapt at the man. The rifle unloaded into the legionaries' chest as the pike drove into the dog's side, making him convulse as the wound began to slowly bleed.
The world halted as Brooke stared down at her butchered companion. The fighting drowned away into muffled yells and shots, her heart beat the only thing she could hear. She fell onto her knees, and from within the very depths of her soul emerged a blood-curdling scream. Boone momentarily stopped as he stared behind himself. He had never heard the lone wanderer scream in such a way. Even within himself it provoked an immense emotion of fear and pain that made him sick to his stomach.
Brooke grabbed the pike and wrenched it out of her companion, flinging it far away from herself, and proceeded to pick up Dogmeat in her arms. She yelled at the Securitron and its default soldier face stared at her blankly. Her arms slightly trembled as she held out the limp dog and said, "Take him to Doctor Henry." The robot did nothing upon her request and she spat out with mounting force, "HOUSE! Take The GODDAMN Dog To DOCTOR HENRY!"
She wasn't yelling at the robot any longer. She was yelling at Mr. House… and he heard. The Securitron's arms took the dog and wheeled away at a speed Brooke had never seen before. An unlocked fury had been released and she was practically running towards the Legate's camp, Boone struggling to keep up.
With the King's (and Rex's) consent, Dogmeat was allowed to live in Rex's cyber body in order to stay alive. Dr. Henry transferred Dogmeat's brain into Rex's cranium, and by the looks of it, it seemed to be a success.
The world had suddenly gotten a bit brighter with the reunion, and once more side-by-side, the two friends strode into the desert, rushing towards Primm.
A/N: Story statuses are on my profile page. I try to update them frequently. Thanks for reading and reviewing!