And thus we finally catch up to the main plot. Do we?
NEW VEGAS BLUES
ROUND 3, GHOST TOWN GUNFIGHT
Kate was still out cold, that much he knew.
Of all the people he met over the past few months, she was the friendliest one around, always charming and easygoing. Most of the her problems she solved by talking as opposed to the general policy everyone had, which was to threaten, wave your gun around and even shoot the guilty party.
With an natural opposite like that before him, he couldn´t help but to hang out with her on a couple of odd jobs. Still, they never got far, since she too was quite like him in one regard. She kept her past mostly to herself. As he doesn´t a habit of asking about past of others, she seemed fine with his company.
It was an odd, but functional companionship. Maybe even friendship, he wasn´t quite sure himself.
Much to his chagrin, nobody knew much about folks that shot her in the head and left her for dead. Only things he knew were that there was a man in a checkered coat, most likely from New Vegas and several members of Great Khans.
Robot who fancies himself a cowboy and calls himself Victor didn´t tell him much either, so all Vincent did these last two days besides that small job for Doc was sitting around in the local bar, drinking water or warm beer and talking with the local ´ranger´, a pint sized girl called Sunny Smiles or the bar owned Trudy.
One good thing was that there was no sight of Powder Gangers. Vincent made a mental note to make fun off the name when he runs into one of them next time.
Still, that didn´t take the edge off Ringo, who was still hiding in the old gas station, with Emily as company. The merchant still believed they would show up, looking for them. Vincent merely shrugged on the notion. Whether they come or not, it´s not going to make a difference in the end, as nobody in town is going to rat out on Ringo and Emily.
But, today was different. As he was returning to Goodsprings after visiting that bunker to get more supplies, a familiar voice called his name.
´Vincent!´ he stopped in his tracks, looking over the shoulder at the approaching figure.
´Kate.´ he turned to get a better look at her. She was wearing some old, dark blue jumpsuit that was modified with pieces of armor for better protection. A 10mm pistol was in a holster hanging by her hip, shotgun strapped over her shoulder, along with an grenade launcher. She looked better by all accounts.
´That´s it? A deadpan ´Kate´? ´ she sighed, continuing. ´You´re not going to say you´re happy to see me up and alive?´
´It´s good to see you up and running again.´ he repeated after her, glad that she still had her sense of humor.
´So, been worried ´bout little old me?´ she teased.
´Not particularly. After all, you did survive being shot in the head twice. It was only a matter of time till you got up.´
´Such a heartless jerk.´ she grinned. ´But you did stay because of me.´ it wasn´t a question.
´Seemed proper.´ he replied, suddenly serious. ´So, are you going after them?´
´Need you ask? I got shot over some Platinum Chip. I want to know why.´
´Platinum Chip?´ he never heard of a chip made of platinum.
´Yeah, it was something I was to deliver to the Strip. But I got ambushed by those bastards. Stupid little thing to try to kill someone over, don´t you think?´
´I suppose so. Old man Nash gave you the job?´ he didn´t know what to think of the matter. Must be some special chip, he thought.
´Yeah, it was a big one, there were six couriers hired to do it.´ she said, looking at him questionably afterwards. ´That reminds me, where were you when we got that job? A job of your own?´
´Yeah, had some stuff to deliver. But along the way, I tangled with Powder Gangers that ambushed and killed a Crimson Caravan traders. Only ones that survived were Ringo and Emily. They´re up in the gas station.´ he explained.
´Powder Gangers? Hah! That´s a stupidest thing I´ve heard in a while. But I´ll make sure to talk with those two... Ringo and Emily, you said? Maybe they saw something that others didn´t...´ she started walking towards Prospectors Saloon.
´Kate... is it really okay for you to be up and around?´
´Sure it is. Doc said so. I´ve already gone hunting geckos with Sunny earlier today. How come I didn´t come across you earlier? If Sunny hadn´t mentioned you by an off-hand comment about firmness of your ass, I wouldn´t have known you were here.´ she chuckled afterwards, glancing at his ass.
´Hey, stop checking out my ass.´ he reprimanded her, making her chuckle again. ´Anyhow... I went to get some leftover ammo from an old supply cache.´ he answered her earlier question.
´So, you coming with me to Primm? I have an urge to find out more about this job.´
´I thought you´d never ask.´ he wryly smiled as they entered the saloon, where their attention was immediately caught by raised voices.
There was some imposing black guy in an prison riot armor talking with Trudy. More like threatening her actually.
´Woman, don´t play coy with me, I know you´re hiding that caravaneer.´ he was bald, with an nasty scar going over his right eye to the jaw. Scruffy beard was covering a part of it, but he couldn´t hide it completely. His only weapon was a 9mm pistol, which he was currently lying his hand on.
´I´m telling you, I don´t know what you´re talking about.´ Trudy replied, scowling at him with her arms crossed across her chest.
´Their gunman took a couple of my boys. I ain´t letting this slide.´ Vincent exchanged a swift glance with Kate, realizing he might have done more harm than good by getting involved. That convict continued, still unaware of Vincent and Kate who were standing at the door, listening the exchange. ´I´m comin back here with my boys and we will have him. Might even burn down this pathetic little town if you don´t hand him over. Nobody messes with Joe Cobb and the Powder Gangers.´
´Fine. If you´re not buying anything, get out.´ Trudy replied coldly, still scowling at the man.
Joe Cobb turned on his heel and walked out, glancing suspiciously at Vincent. When they looked each other in the eyes, Joe smirked viciously, his eyes glistening with malice and realization. Vincent had nothing but pure disgust for the man in his eyes, but he kept his mouth shut this time.
´Trudy, what are you going to do now?´ Kate asked with concern. Trudy was looking at Vincent.
´Ask your friend. He is the one that shot those convicts to save Emily. It isn´t unexpected that Powder Gangers would come looking here and lies might have kept them away, but that Joe Cobb is bad news.´
´You did what?´ Kate was now looking at him too.
´I killed them to save the girl. Didn´t think it would end up this serious. I mean, trash like that guy die all the time.´ he replied defensively. Kate sighed, rubbing her temple.
´With you it´s always kill people or don´t kill people. Don´t you know how to talk things trough?´ she asked him, suddenly annoyed.
´I can´t be like you Kate, charming and with a silver tongue. Besides, those guys weren´t in mood to listen.´ he shot back.
´Then what should we do? Kill them? They´re a big group, by the sound of it.´ Kate sat down on one of the bar stools.
´I suppose I will give myself in then.´ Ringo cut in, entering the saloon from the back door.
´No.´ Kate and Trudy said at the same time. Vincent rubbed his jaw, noting how Ringo stood straighter, like a proper man ready to carry his burdens.
´It´s for the best. I don´t want people of Goodsprings to suffer because of me and Emily stays safe. He said he was looking for one caravaneer who he thinks killed his fellows.´
´I don´t think he´ll buy it. You don´t look capable of killing three of his men with straight headshots between the eyes at point blank range.´ Vincent told him.
´That´s an awfully specific description. It sounds like you practically executed them.´ Kate noted, glancing at him with an raised eyebrow. Vincent shrugged at her.
´What do you propose we do then?´ Trudy asked.
´It´s quite simple. We...´ Kate started, looking at the two.
´...fight back.´ Vincent finished, prompting Kate to smile. She knew he´d finish her line.
´This just a small town. We are not soldiers.´ Trudy glanced between them as if they went mad.
´Then don´t fight. Those who want to can fight with us. Others don´t have to.´ Vincent said.
´I am not about to let others fight for us. I will see if others wish to help.´ Trudy told him, walking out of the bar afterwards. Ringo went along with her.
´Hmph... and you say I have a silver tongue.´ remarked Kate when they left.
´I do what I have to in order to win.´ he quoted a man he once knew.
´I´ll go and talk around the town with people willing to fight. Sunny most likely will. Got to stop by the gas station and ask Ringo about that guy that shot me too. Maybe you should see Doc and ask him for some stimpaks?´ she jumped of the stool. He stopped her as she was passing by him.
´Are you fine with this?´ he asked. Neither were looking at each other, each looking straight ahead.
´No. But I don´t see any other way to settle this. Sometimes your way is the best one.´ she said quietly, walking out of the saloon.
´Yeah...´
...
Doc Mitchell didn´t help much. He spared a few stimpaks, but he won´t be joining the fact because of his bad leg. Vincent didn´t hold it against him.
He took his rifle, filled a few clips and strapped them in the bandolier. After doing the same with the ammo for the Colt, he walked out of Docs home, just in time to see Sunny going up the slope to meet him.
´They´re coming. At least a dozen, if not two dozens of them, armed to the teeth and filthy. Trudy and some others will set up at the saloon and Kate is going to be shooting at them with me from the roof of the saloon. We also have some dynamite, do you want a few?´ she explained the situation as they walked down to the saloon towards Kate.
´Okay. I´ll set up over there.´ he pointed to the one of the bigger rocks halfway up the hill to where the graveyard is. He should have a nice vintage point from there once those bastards come into view and should be well out of range for buckshot or those little pistols. ´Keep the dynamite, I don´t want to end up blowing my hands off.´
´Okay. Good luck!´ she ran off to her position.
´All set?´ he asked Kate.
´Yeah. Good to go. You?´ he nodded.
´Kate?´ she looked a bit troubled. It is to be expected, but still, he had to ask.
´Nothing... it´s nothing. Don´t get killed.´ she said, wandering off to her post.
´I don´t plan to.´ he said to himself as he ran over to his picked position.
He knelt down and aimed his rifle down the road, partially obscured from the sight by the dry bush.
Sunny was right. There he counted seventeen of them. It is going to be tight one, as townsfolk numbered nine, Vincent and Kate included. But they had the element of surprise.
Everyone said hidden as the convicts approached. Vicent picked his target, one small guy that was carrying a lot of dynamite on him. Others were armed with police batons, 9mm pistols or those useless one shot shotguns. They weren´t armored. Only Joe Cobb and couple of others had some semblance of armor. Others were still in their prisoner clothes, or entirely shirtless.
Just as they entered the range of townsfolk guns, that dynamite packing guy lit one of the fuses.
Vincent pulled the trigger and hit his mark. Convict dropped over like a sack, lit dynamite tumbling from his hand. His companions immediately started fleeing around to any semblance of cover they could find, taking a few potshots at him. He instinctively ducked behind cover as the dynamite exploded, blowing away two more of the Powder Gangers.
Now the townsfolk started shooting too, downing four more convicts before they got organized. Falling behind cover the ruined houses and rocks could offer, Powder Gangers started to fight back.
Vincent shot again, killing one of those shotgun totting convicts that were coming too close to saloon. Another convict started shooting at him from some old automatic, scattering chunks of ricochet and stone all over Vincents meager cover for a few moments before Sunny placed a hole in his hand. Man started screaming, falling out of his cover, after which several people shot at him. He fell over, his blood soaking the dry earth and sand.
Conflict wasn´t without victims on the townsfolk side either. One of the villagers caught a pistol round in his gut, after which Ringo dragged him away to safety. Emily, who was shooting with an old varmint rifle from the cover of the old dumpster, was shot in the shoulder. Luckily, thanks to leather armor Chet the town merchant provided, it was merely a flesh wound.
Vincent just shot another one when someone yelled for everyone to take cover and lunged at least four dynamites in convicts direction. Following the ear piercing explosions, those few Powder gangers that survived started to run.
They didn´t get very far, because Kate and Sunny had good aim.
Only one that did get away down the road and out of range of townsfolk guns was the Joe Cobb himself, a robber, arsonist and murderer without regrets. Even as he was running, he swore to himself to be back with more lads Eddie will surely provide to kill every last one of the sons of bitches that lived in Goodsprings.
Vincent, upon seeing that he was getting away, stood out of his cover and shot at him. In his haste, the missed, but Joe Cobb didn´t notice, his hearing still dulled by the explosion earlier.
Cursing himself for his rashness, he took aim again.
His breathing was steady. He didn´t think about the distance. Only thing that existed was his target, the steady beat of his own heart and the sights of his rifle, just as his father had thought him, years ago.
He looked down the sight, held his breath and squeezed the trigger.
And with that single shot, legend of Ghost Town Gunfight was born.
Author Notes:
Kate is the Courier, main character of Fallout New Vegas. I found the notion of leaving the name Courier stupid. It is easier to relate and develop a bond with a character that has a proper name.
I deliberately increased the number of Powder Gangers that came. In game, there is less Gangers than people in the town. It felt better to increase their number, to back up Cobbs claims that he has enough manpower to actually burn the town down and to further add to their overconfidence. Seven people strolling in down the road isn´t very scary.