A frontier away

Chapter 1

Safe passage

Victoria rested her back against the truck as she let out a long sigh, she had politely refused to wear the eyesore of an outfit that they had given her.

Wearing white was just not her style and even if she was technically part of the NCR she always thought that their sense of dress code needed a lot of help, but maybe she was just being mean. This guys after all had a working vehicle, a rarity on this part of the wasteland.

Her recruiter, Grey, had also boarded the vehicle with them. They seemed worried about something even if she really didn't know why they would be this area was as safe as it could be, the NCR now had tight grip on the city of New Vegas and the surrounding area (thanks to her and Driver Nephi's golf club, rot in hell House).

"Sooooo… how's the weather in the frontier?" Victoria asked as Grey simply snorted, he nodded at the driver as they took off towards their destination "Cold, everything is white as far as the eye can see. Some of the crazy ones say that its beautiful I don't see where they get that idea"

Well, to her the Mojave was beautiful but she would not voice that out loud. Few did but to her the brown and golden landscape perfectly encapsulated everything she loved about this part of the wasteland. "Huh, are you one of the crazy ones Sir?"

This did make Grey chuckle "Negative, but then again I never cared much for whatever scenery I was in. Even when I fought here in the Mojave I remember thinking how boring it was"-"Fought?" Victoria inquired, her blue eyes staring curiously at the man. A small nod followed as Grey seemed to recall memories from long ago.

"Yes, General Blackthorn was to assist in the mission Operation Sun-Burst. The brotherhood of steel had dug its claws on the facility know as Helios One, I am sure you have seen it if you walked through Novac"

Oh, yeah she remembered Helios. Right now it was giving power to the Strip and Camp McCarran. The NCR had been pretty happy with her for that little stunt she pulled, shame about the weapon it would have been cool as fuck to fire a laser from the heavens.

The blonde nodded "I have"

Grey frowned "We had them surrounded and they knew it. General Oliver ordered one last push to break them in the middle of the night and we did… it cost us but we did" he said, Victoria could basically feel the bitterness in his voice. He let out a sigh as he stared at her "You're a citizen of the NCR?"

Victoria shrugged "I am a long way from where I was born. I don't think anyone remembers me back home, but I am citizen in a way" she liked to keep her past mysterious it always kept people guessing who she really was, even if the actual answer was kind of boring. It had been blown to kingdom come and all that remained was broken rubble and the death she could not save.

"Same here, I never was all that patriotic. But I believed in the NCR, it all changed after that mission… the boys had been promised freedom, to go back home to their families, their lives and be able to begin something away from all this war" Victoria nodded, she knew what was coming. The Legion had attacked and the largest nation on the wasteland shook in fear.

Tt was funny in a way.

Here was the largest army the world had seen almost brought to its knees by a mad-man and his machete wielding fanatics "But that wasn't the worst part, Oliver knew we didn't have a way to treat the wounded os he ordered their execution"

Oh yeah that made… "Wait what?"

Grey nodded slowly as he brought out his flask "I did myself, pulled the trigger on those men that Oliver didn't care to save"

… there was no way that was true. Yeah she knew Oliver was a wait and see kind of guy, kind of an asshole too but he was not a cruel monster. Was this propaganda from this so called exiles? It did paint the NCR in a bad light, but who knew maybe Oliver did do it who knows. "So you defected"-"We did, I followed Blackthorne into the Frontier because I trust him. After so many years working for him I can tell you one thing with absolute certainty. He cares about his soldiers."

'Not enough to not have them killed but sure whatever you say buddy' Victoria thought to herself. She noticed how all the other recruits had begun to doze off or stared at the road as it quickly passed them by, only Grey seemed to be good conversation so she kept the conversation going "Nice to know, I know this is going to sound silly but do I get like a day off"

Grey raised an eyebrow but nodded "Sure, as long as you do what you are ordered you do get to have some down time. Not that there is a lot to do in the Frontier other than drinking"

Victoria planned to walk around the area when she had the time. If the NCR exiles were the same way as the one here in the Mojave then they would be over extended, trying to brute force their way to solve a problem. Maybe smooth some things over so their war machine could just take care of the problem once all the little things that held them back where removed.

"Easy" she muttered to herself as she looked at her new shotgun. She began to take it apart as she studied all the little parts of the weapon, before she knew it she had rebuilt it, smooth clean and without rust. \

It was like it was brand new… too brand new for her taste.

She made a mental note to check on that too, but for now all she could do was reach for her PipBoy and some weird device she found on the lucky 38 that could connect to her wrist accessory and listen to music, Radio New Vegas died in her ears as she watched as the Mojave and the city of lights faded into the background.

Cold.

That was her first thought as she woke up from her slumber, she felt some of her artificial spine crack as she stretched. Letting out a yawn she turned to see that everyone had fallen asleep, how long she was out she wondered? Looking outside she felt a small smile thug at her lips. It was like Jacobstown but stretched as far as the eye could see, nothing but snow and some trees here and there.

She heard the truck stop as everyone woke up from their slumber, her hand reached to her side as she her hands gently graced Lucky just on in case. A man jumped into the truck and eyed the new recruits with a frown, Victoria could see the NCR dog tags and he had an air of self-importance. Was this the famous General Blackthorne? The sunglasses of the man moved towards Grey and tilted his head to the Frontier.

"Grey, Blackthorne needs you to help with a small situation we have with the Scavs. The new recruits will be moved to HQ asap" with a nod her recruiter left, Victoria felt the stare from the tall man as he looked her up and down.

Man did those sunglasses look stupid on him on this weather "I heard you are the Courier… we'll see if all those stories about you are true"

… did she have some weirdo spreading rumors about her?

"I mean, I don't know anything about stories but I will be happy to help. Name's Victoria" she extended her hands towards the man and at first she didn't think this asshole was going to shake her hand but he did even if slowly "Rancor, you have a day to get everything sorted out after that you are to begin your first mission"

Rancor then unceremoniously left, Victoria snorted as she sat back down and closed her eyes. One day was good enough for her to check the area around maybe even talk to some locals here and there. Also booze wouldn't be all that bad now that she really thought about it the snow began to disappear as it began to be replaced by ruined buildings and tall skyscrapers that she stared at in awe it was haunting and breathtaking at the same time.

She wanted to go there, uncover all those secrets left behind by the Old World.

A/N: NCR base next time, thank you for reading!