He must have looked certainly like a fool with nothing but a Pipboy and a vault jumpsuit on. He pushed his way into the Saloon and was greeted with a bark. He didn't jump, but smiled, seeing the large hound staring at him. He knelt down and the dog tilted its head and wandered over, nuzzling into his shoulder. Connor had always been a fan of dogs even to the point of not killing the wild ones back in DC. Dogmeat was his longest lived companion back in DC. Another twinge of a headache slapped into the back of his neck but he distracted himself by scratching behind the dog's ear.

"She won't bite unless I tell her to."

He peered up at a shorter Hispanic woman with a smile on her face, a fitting name considering how bright it truly was. "You must be Sunny Smiles, nice to meet you." It was the first real sentence he said since the Doc's. His voice was raspy sounding, but he recalled Nova saying that it had a smooth lilt.

"And by that gear you have I saw you're Doc Mitchell's patient?"

He nodded and slid to his feet. The world nearly toppled on its side again but he managed to stay upright. "He mentioned you could help me get established here. Is there any work I can do?"

"Not work, but… there is an old school house near by if you're up for a bit of salvaging."

She handed him a few bobby pins and a magazine detailing a few locks. He lofted a brow at her. "I know what the pins are for, but the magazine?"

"It may give you some knowledge on the lock you're dealing with, never bothered with it myself."

"Understandable, now as for myself helping you?"

Sunny tilted her head in thought. "Well, there are a few watering holes around here that are under the constant threat of geckos. Doc treats more bites from those nasty beasts then anything else. But come with me out back first, need to see if you shoot."

Connor would admit that his eyes strayed down to her hips through most of that short walk. She handed him a rifle similar to her own, bolt action and rather thin looking, before she set herself up on a small hill. She offered another smile as she gestured to some bottles lined up on the fence.

"Now, let's see you shoot three of those."

Connor had the rifle at hip level when he fired and missed the first target. He then aimed down the sights, knocking a bottle from the fence and then crouched down, shattering a second. He then stood up and held the rifle at the ready.

"That was some nice shootin'. Let's see you use those skills of yours one some geckos."

Connor followed again and he already went into the mindset he had back in DC. He followed the example of the military books he read, scanning around and keeping a finger near the trigger. Cheyenne was jumping and bounding around between them and Connor managed a smile. It wasn't long after that Sunny kneeled down, Connor followed suit.

"Hear that?" she whispered, "they're just beyond this ridge, sneak up and you can get the drop on them. Let's see what you can do."

He frowned and trudged forward anyway. He felt her eyes on his back but paid them no mind. He was around the ridge when he saw what a gecko actually was. They were large reptiles on two legs and a fierce glint to their eyes. They saw him only as good source of food. It took him three shots. Three geckos were now twitching on the ground minus a head. He returned to Sunny Smiles who commended his work it seemed by the raised eyebrows.

"Alright, think you can help me with the other two? Won't take us long with you me and Cheyenne here."

He nodded and smiled. "Won't mind at all."

It was quick work for the last two wells. Sunny and Connor even managed to save a Goodsprings Settler and Connor was given a bottle of purified water for the save. He wondered why she didn't give Sunny one. When she left he held out the bottle to her.

"Not too thirsty, and you do this enough."

She seemed reluctant at first but seemed thankful by how eagerly she drank it. She even gave some to Cheyenne before she spilled the rest on her face and hair. Connor stared a moment as she sighed softly, enjoying the pure water relief for a moment. The Wasteland back in DC was harsh but in the desert? He imagined it would be even worse.

"Now then, I figure since you do already know how to handle a rifle you need to learn how to live off the land, right?"

He frowned at her and then shook his head. "I put you through enough I think."

"Then I should mention one last thing, you should say hello to Trudy. She's back at the Saloon, kind of like the mother of this place. She'd scold me for not having you come introduce yourself."

He chuckled quietly. "I'll be sure to do that… Where is the rest of my clothing? Gear? I doubt I was found naked."

He saw Sunny's cheeks darken at that but she still managed to keep an even look. "Probably the Doc still has them."

"Thanks, Sunny… Figure I'll see you in the Saloon?"

She nodded. "Yes, figure you will."

He kneeled down and scratched behind Cheyenne's ear gently before he trudged off to Doc Mitchell's house. The sun was high in the sky, burning his messy hair and exposed neck. He knocked only once before the Doc opened the door with a lofted brow on his worn, wrinkled features.

"Well, never thought I'd see you come back here. Something wrong?"

"My gear…what I was buried with…Where is it?"

The Doc frowned at him and ushered him inside. "I looked through what you had, to try and find a next of kin or anything, but it seemed who ever shot ya didn't care about what you had."

"I don't appreciate you going through my things, Doc."

"I know, I know… Everything is in the other room, including a note, seemed to be a delivery order of some kind."

He nodded his thanks before pushing into the guest room. His things were unpacked neatly and he looked all of it over with nothing but nostalgia. His hands traced along the beaten up Sheriff's duster that he took from Simms, more so his body, after a sleaze named Burke shot him in the back. He was a young, foolish boy then but he kept the duster, wearing it proudly and as a reminder to his first mistake. He also had a pre-war hat in the form of a fedora as he placed it on his head. He only had a few other items which included some stimpacks, his duffle bag, a few bobby pins and a weathered, but reliable, 10mm pistol. He placed them all on and with a tip of his hat he made his way to the Saloon.

It was only Sunny and Cheyenne by some of the pool tables. The former had a worried look on her face.

"…I'm warning you, Trudy. We're going to find Ringo, and if ya don't give him up. We're burning all of Goodsprings down."

A man pushed passed him, a large revolver at his hip and a snarl on his lip. He turned and he had his fist cocked, but he let it drop. This wasn't his problem, at least not yet. He made his way to the bar under the wary, drunken eye of a patron and the lofted brow of Trudy. She was an older woman, wearing a sundress that hugged her form in the right places. He managed to offer a smile.

"Well now, you must be the new one Sunny is all in a tizzy about."

Connor lofted a brow. "I am I suppose, who was that?"

Her eyes rolled. "Joe Cobb, leader of some folk called the Powder Gangers."

"Name doesn't mean anything to me, mind explaining?"

"They used to be workers for the NCR, slaves more like, and in charge of making railroad tracks. Eventually they realized giving a bunch of pissed off ex-cons some dynamite was a bad idea. They're hold in the NCR Correctional Facility south-east of here."

"Noted, and who's…Ringo? Is that who Joe mentioned?"

"Some trader of sorts… He came here all panicked saying they were going to kill him, so we let him lay low here for a bit. Turns out he wasn't kidding."

"Where is he now?"

"At the old gas station, just up the road."

He nodded, but then noticed the lack of music in this room. There was plenty coming from the pool hall though. "Is there uh…something wrong with your radio?"

She blinked and looked back at the one on the bar. "Yeah, the damned thing won't work no matter what I try…"

"Mind if I take a look at it?"

She placed it in front of him, shrugging. "Feel free."

He turned the radio around and using a bobby pin as a makeshift screwdriver he removed the back panel. Turns out one of the wires disconnected. He carefully brought the wires out and twisted them about each other. His pale hazel eyes stared at Trudy for a moment. "Got any duct tape?"

She produced a roll and he took a well sized strand, wrapping it around the joined wires and a finger's width to either side of it. He then replaced the back panel and pressed it. The sound of Blue Moon by Frank Sinatra sputtered to life in front of him. The song was one that Connor quickly grew fond of even as he handed the radio back to her.

"Oh my, thank you! I have some cap-"

"Don't bother, ma'am." Connor quickly said. "It's fine really. Everyone deserves a bit of music from time to time."

She offered a smile and the smallest hint of a blush touched her cheeks. "Well, I have a special discount for you then if you ever find yourself thirsty."

He stood up, checking his belongings before tipping his hat. "I'll be sure to take you up on that."

He left the Saloon after giving Cheyenne another loving scratch behind the ear. The walk to the gas station was small and Connor could not help but notice a flickering Sunset Sarsaparilla vending machine. With his Pip-boy clad arm he slammed it and was greeted with a still cool bottle tumbling out. It tasted mildly like Nuka-Cola to him, but still after a few healthy gulps he threw the bottle to the side and pushed into the station. To his surprise, he was greeted with a shorter man with goggles around his neck and swept back dark hair pointing a 9mm pistol at him.

"Now don't you come any closer." Ringo warned.

"If you're going to shoot, better make sure I'm dead." Connor stated flatly, not the first time he looked down the barrel of a gun, his head throbbed remembering the checker coated man. His hand reached up to rub at his temple.

"I-I…look we got off on the wrong foot here. I'm Ringo."

"Good to meet you, I heard from Trudy you were in trouble? Perhaps I could help?"

Ringo gave a quiet laugh then. "We'll need help, ask Sunny Smiles I'm sure she'll be willing to."

"Will do, sit tight."

Ringo nodded and slumped down, grabbing a bottle of whiskey off the shelf. Connor left him there and trotted back to the Saloon. He offered the smallest of looks to Sunny as he approached, petting Cheyenne's head idly. "Ringo and I could use your help with J-"

"I'll do it."

A brow lofted on his face. "That easy?"

"That easy, we'll have to fight Joe sooner or later, might as well make it sooner. Between you, Ringo and I however don't think we can make an army. Talk to Trudy, silver tongue her about this whole thing. Easy Pete has some dynamite, and I know Chet has some leather armor. No doubt the Doc can sacrifice a few more stimpaks."

With that list in mind he came over to Trudy. He waved her over, seeing as the bar was a bit busier then he figured. When she approached she leaned in, one for secrecy it seemed. "Sunny, Ringo and I are going to need your help Trudy. The town is going to have to defend itself at some point. It might as well stand straight then get shot while sitting."

She frowned at him, but there was a bit of a spark in her eye. "I intended on sitting this one out but something about you has me intrigued. I'll see who I can round up."

He winked at her playfully and went into the general store. Chet was there, tinkering over something. He peered up at him and jumped to his feet. He had some goggles around his neck and some oil stains on his hands. "Well hi there, welcome to Goodspring General Store, how can-"

"I heard you have some extra supplies, Trudy and the rest of Goodsprings is going to need them I think, especially the armor I see in your back room there." Connor interrupted, not rudely, but enough to get his point across.

"Now wait justa minute here, you can't expect me to give up product easily-"

"Do you want Joe and his crew to waltz in here and start shooting? Imagine what they can do to your shop. Who knows, maybe a few of the kind folk of Goodsprings may be grateful enough to give you some caps for the loaned armor."

Chet seemed at a loss for words for a moment. "I… well… alright, I'll see what I can get, but I'll be guarding the shop during this mark my words."

Connor suppressed the urge to roll his eyes as he made his way out. He marched up to the Doc's. Easy Pete, who he assumed was the older man just outside of the Saloon, could keep his dynamite. He always found explosives too dangerous, in close quarters or pitched fights. The Doc was on his porch and one of his bushy brows was lofted. "Well now, what brings you back here?"

He set his bag down a moment, rubbing at his shoulder. "Goodsprings is going to be under attack, and soon, by Joe and his gang. Sunny and I are worried for the folk here and could use your help."

His face paled a few shades when he was informed. "Well I'm damned useless in a fight, but I can give you a few stimpaks."

He disappeared inside and came back out with another four. Connor carefully placed them in his bag and slung it over his shoulders again. He shook the Doc's hand and made his way to the gas station. Ringo was checking the clip of his pistol when he came in. He gave a hopeful glance up at him.

"Well?"

"Sunny agreed to help."

"Good! Good…Maybe we stand a chance, come on. Let's get outside and wait for the bastards."

"No need."

Connor would have jumped out of his boots then, but he kept a lid on himself as he peered at Sunny who looked like she just ran a marathon. Apparently she was busy while Connor was doing his quick run around. "They're here."

He brought up his weathered 10mm pistol, checking the clip and holding it loosely in his grip. "How many?"

"Joe plus…I don't know, five or six others?"

"Where are the rest of the townsfolk?"

"Already taking cover."

Connor nodded and gestured forward. "Lead on."

He and Ringo kept good place with Sunny as she took position behind an overturned cart. He saw Trudy and Chet out there. Even Easy Pete held a revolver in his worn grip. He slid his back under the back entrance of the Saloon and brought his pistol up in both hands as he waited behind the stone. He could see Joe and his men approaching. Some of them wore NCRCF uniforms, others wore nothing more then a bandolier of chems over their chest with a beaten up pistol in their grip. Connor didn't like it.

"Stay low." He murmured to Sunny.

"What?"

Connor narrowed his pale hazel orbs on her. "Tell everyone to stay low."

She gave a meek nod and Connor circled around to a stone closer to the group on their right flank. He took a deep breath and then rose up from behind it. He fired three shots off rapidly. It plucked one man clean in the side of the head, sending him to the ground in a tumble while it took the leg and chest of another. The second shot was absorbed barely by the armor. Connor plugged two more into him and sent him down.

Joe and the others spread out now, firing off shots wildly. Sunny and the people of Goodsprings sent a few shots their way but they were listening to Connor. The Wanderer was glad for that. One of the Gangers charged at him, a crazed look in his eye as he brought his baseball bat around. He leaned back, kicking into his stomach, pistol whipped him across the back of the neck and shot him in the back of the head on the way down before bringing his pistol back up and emptying the rest of his clip to keep their heads down.

He reloaded quickly and approached slowly. He saw Ringo peer over the sign he took refuge behind and gave him a nod. Connor picked up his pace and then rolled behind another large stone. A Ganger came around then and with his pistol tried to jab it under Connor's chin. He kicked the gun away and then jabbed his heel into his kneecap. Everyone heard the pop and with another kick he got him still. He managed to scramble to a crouch when he saw Sunny running over to where he was. He got to his knees now, his back was aching from the rough gravel stabbing into it through his duster.

"Sunny, no!"

A gunshot rung out, .357 magnum, a shot that could chill a man to the bone or in this case send Sunny to the ground wailing in agony at her bled out side. The Ganger that tried to take advantage of her being on the ground was quickly filled with 5.56 and 9mm rounds compliments of Trudy and Ringo. That left just him and Cobb.

He felt a small burning sensation in his stomach as he slid to his feet. Joe was already scrambling deeper into town. He kept up the pursuit in a calm manner, bringing his left hand up and firing shots to keep the coward running. He stopped and turned, firing another pair of shots. One passed harmlessly through the looser sides of the duster, but the second slammed right into his thigh. Connor stumbled a moment, the shot was a through and through and he stood straight and kept walking bleeding and with a limp.

"Why won't you drop?"

Connor took cover this time as Joe fired three more shots, taking nice handfuls of wood out of a ruined building. The Wanderer was being careful, he counted Joe's shots. He was out. He came around then, a dark vengeance burning in his pale hazel orbs as Joe ran away from Goodsprings. Connor fired once, taking Joe to the ground and he planted a hand on his lower back, pressing his other foot on the back of Joe's knee.

"I-I give! Ya got me I give!"

Connor thought for only a moment to bring him in. He then heard Sunny wail out again. He put five rounds into Joe's head, sending a brain splatter up his pant leg and some onto his bare right hand. He holstered the pistol, and ran back towards the town, seeing Sunny there holding her side. The Doc was trying to keep her down as he tried to dig out the bullet. They barely noticed the blood on his dark duster. One of his hands kept Sunny to the ground as the other gripped her other hand.

"Look at me Sunny." He snapped.

She did, staring right into his orbs with her brown pair.

"Just keep looking." He stated in that commanding tone, squeezing her hand tight.

She cried out then as the bullet was removed and the Doc immediately applied a stimpak.

"She's going to be fine, just try nothing too strenuous such as getting shot."

They all shared a small laugh at that. Goodsprings without their hunter meant no protection for the town. Cheyenne showered Sunny's face with licks. Connor didn't smile. He made his way to his bag and checked his belongings before shrugging it over his shoulders and tightening the straps. Ringo ran up to him holding a hand up.

"Thank you…so much, really, you have no idea. Here, I can pay you the rest when you come to the Crimson Caravan. They do good work, and with someone like you guarding a caravan? My God, they'd be in good hands."

Connor palmed the caps for a moment and then handed Ringo back half before placing the rest in an inner pocket of the duster. "Don't need much, keep an eye on her."

Ringo gave a mute nod before he looked to the south, slipping by the worried crowd. By the time Ringo explained what happened to the rest of the town and went to bring him forward as a gesture of thanks, Connor the Lone Wanderer and once Courier was no where to be seen, nothing by a dust trail in his wake.