Chapter 11 : Respite
"After all, they say, everyone knows how to make another human, but the secrets to making a P94 Plasma Rifle are all but lost." – Elder Lyons
Protector Henry Casdin had seen many faces during his tenor as a squad leader of the Brotherhood, and the young weathered woman who walked towards him was no different. She strode confidently, unphased by the presence of armored soldiers nearby or uninterested. Her eyes carried with them experience that was well beyond her years. Unlike the others who had succumbed to the wasteland, she was strong enough to withstand it, and she knew it too.
The ghoul was no different, and Casdin noted the professional demeanor he kept as he entered the gates of Independence with her. Although his weapon was holstered, there was no doubt that the Ghoul could have pulled it out and fired at them all within an instant. There was a sort of tension with the man, who seemed to never let his guard down.
Defender Rockfowl pulled himself from working on the rusty old truck, watching curiously as the young woman and her ghoul body guard stopped right in front of the protector.
"Hi, I'm looking for someone named Casdin." The young woman said nonchalantly as she stopped right in front of the protector.
Casdin felt a slight annoyance at her casual demeanor, but nonetheless he begrudgingly admired the girl's grit.
"It's Protector Henry Casdin, Leader of the Brotherhood Outcasts. This had better be good. Normally I wouldn't be wasting my time talking to a local, but Morgan tells me you can make yourself useful."
"It can't be any worse than some of the other crazy tasks people have been getting me to do." The girl said casually.
"How is your combat experience?"
"Enough." The girl nudged her head towards the ghoul body guard, who just grunted in response.
"I see." The Protector gauged the unlikely pair, if the reports from Three Dog had any semblance of truth in them, he was probably looking at the most dangerous people to ever walk the Capital Wasteland right now. There was no doubt in his mind that this local had a run in with Lyons' Brotherhood, what she thought of them would be a subject for another time, there was no need to complicate this transaction with unnecessary distractions.
"So interested in collecting technology for us?" Casdin asked, getting straight to the point.
"Of course, what sorts of technology are you looking for?" The girl shifted slightly in her armor, the heat was getting a bit unbearable.
"The usual." Casdin replied, "Plasma rifles, Laser rifles. Fusion cells The works. I'll pay you a premium on any power armor that you bring in as well. "
The wanderer smirked, evidently eager to continue on with her journey to where ever she was going.
"I'll get started immediately." Before the wanderer turned around though, Casdin noticed the green wrist computer strapped on her arm.
"There's one more thing local." The Protector added in.
"And that is?"
"If you ever find yourself at Bailey's crossroads, we have an outpost there that could use your assistance, I don't need to mention that if you help us there, it will be worth your while. I'll let my men know of your presence."
The lone wanderer seemed to hesitate for a second, but ultimately decided that it was legit.
"I'll think on it."
Casdin nodded with approval. "That's what I like to hear. You can start immediately. You'll report directly to me, I'll take in your gear and dole out your pay. Get a move on."
"Don't have to tell me twice, let's get going Charon, we're late enough as it is, Dad is expecting us back at the memorial." She jerked her head to her Ghoul partner, and before Casdin could say any more, the wandering pair left the compounds of independence, heading eastwards.
Defender Rockfowl was the first to raise his objections
"Do you think it was wise to contract her Casdin? For all we know she could be sympathetic to Lyons. A spy."
"It's a standard collection job, so there's nothing to worry about. If anything, she may prove to be quite useful in the future."
With that ambiguous thought, Casdin gave the worrying Rockfowl a pat on the shoulder before walking back to independence. The sun was setting soon, and there was much to be done before night fell.
Protector Fitts watched the campfire blankly as he sat, rifle leaning against his shoulder. It had been two days since the battle at Falls Church, and the strain was already getting to him.
Around him, Kesler and Farsight had already gotten to work, securing the last of the dead mutants and piling them up behind the steel barricade. They had moved across the ruins quietly, avoiding the battles between the Brotherhood and the Supermutants, staying to the sidelines, avoiding detection. The way towards the National Guard Depot was wraught with dangers, from Sentry Bots, Talon patrols, to full out super mutant packs.
Tonight, they had taken shelter within one of the makeshift supermutant strongholds, a circular fortress that was carved out of the street, made from twisted steel girders and concrete rubble. The former inhabitants were dead, their bodies piling near the ends of the barricades along with the corpses of their wasteland victims.
"Enjoying the view Protector?" Fitts looked up to catch a glimpse of Defender Farsight, her black armor casting dark shadows in the firelight. Her helmet was off, and she let her lush brown hair flow, running down the back of her shoulders.
"Just thinking is all Farsight." The Protector replied, frowning at the sudden interruption of said thoughts.
"Mind if I join you sir? Kesler has the first watch." She let the rifle rest against the makeshift shelter they had constructed, confident that nothing would get past a specialist such as Defender Kesler.
"You'd best get some sleep, we have a long day ahead." Fitts remarked.
"I can say the same to you sir." Farsight said, abeit uneasily, it was a tough thing to get close to her commander, the wall he built up always there.
"Well, I appreciate your concern for my well being." Fitts threw another stick into the fire, not feeling the energy to argue with his subordinate. "So what brings you to my little happy corner of the world?"
"Nothing sir, just talk that's all. It has been a while since we've exchanged anything other than orders."
"Comes with the job." The Protector replied in his usual laconic tone.
"You can't be working all the time." Farsight chuckled. "There must be a time when even the mighty Protector Fitts lets his guard down."
Fitts was almost tempted to reply with anything, even a cliched line, but he simply chuckled, grateful to at least be talking after so many days of dreadful silence, and thinking. A small part of that weight had at least parted.
"Sometimes, I wish I could." Fitts almost whispered, surprised the words had even come out of his mouth like that.
"Why is that sir?" Defender Farsight asked, with just as much curiosity.
"In all honesty, when this is over Defender….. I don't think I want to go back. Maybe not even back west. I'm tired, tired of this wasteland and the fighting."
Farsighted shook her head. "Fuck, you do need a vacation sir."
Fitts wanted to chuckle at that joke, but he simply settled down, staring once again into the fire, thoughts still heavy on his mind.
"It's about Colt. Isn't it?" Fitts asked, having already guessed the purpose behind the whole campfire sit down. Hell, he never chatted it up with anyone in his squad before. He supposed that made him a bad leader, but having lost so many of his men in the past, he never wanted to get attached to anyone. Let alone another squad mate who happened to be very attractive in the low glow of the campfire.
"If that is what you want to talk about. Then yes." Farsight said patiently, "I know he was the first of us to join your squad. You two had quite a history I hear."
Fitts, relieved at the temporary distraction, chuckled at the memory, still remembering the wet-between-the-ears look Colt had when he saw his first set of Power armor.
"You could say that, we had trained together in our first days as recon units. He was always a joker that one, always wanted the biggest, baddest heavy weaponry, I bet you snipers would have a field day with him." Fitts grinned, recalling the days when things were simpler.
"Never did get a chance to break out that 'compensating for something' joke." Farsight snickered. "I guess there's more to this story?"
"You could say that, our first meeting was just a routine patrol we had somewhere far away from the Capital Wasteland, to procure lost Technology."
"Heh, I hardly knew you guys back then, I think Gunny was still kicking my ass as an initiate for not doing enough 'girly push ups', rat bastard." She kicked a cloud of dirt into the fire at the exclamation.
"I could use a good campfire story though." Farsight smirked, tucking her knees under her chin, relaxing herself while watching playfully as the flames danced
Fitts sighed, not really feel like retelling it, but he found that it helped him get his mind off a few things.
"Well, I guess i should start from the beginning...ever heard of a place called Point Lookout?"
A short chapter, to set up for what I have planned ahead...
Sabor364 - Thanks sabor! Yes, it's a shame the Outcasts didn't figure more into the main quest, considering how much vested interest they have in who controls the Capital Wasteland. Something I will address more on later ;)
DeathSidhe: Sibley was always a jerk, and yes, i had to incorporate the Lone wanderer somehow since he/she does interact with the Outcasts personally, don't expect to have any more focus on her though, this is the Outcasts's story. Thanks for the info on the tapes...i'll see if I can make good use of that :) I also think it was a tragically missed opportunity that Casdin and Lyons never saw each other during the game...