The woman everyone knew walked into her home settlement. Well, it wasn't really her home settlement but it's not people could really understand what she meant by the place she grew up. Sure, they had heard of those type of places and thought they could imagine such a place. Put the peace, the security, the sheer luxury of what she had growing up or when she was being educated...
The Lone Wanderer shook her head to clear it of wistful thoughts and walked up to the gates of Megaton. "Welcome to Megaton, part-ner.", the protectron greeted. "If you're looking for/"
"Deputy Weld, it's me.", she replied. "I've lived here for over a decade. You'd think you'd recognize me."
"I apologize, part-ner.", the robot replied. "This unit was not designed to operate continuously for two hundred years. My memory of human faces has been full since 2198."
The Lone Wanderer laughed and patted its shoulder. "That's alright. It's good to be back."
The woman continued into the crater. "Evening ma'am.", Lucas Simms greeted. His Regulator duster fell around him. "How long are you staying for this time?"
"Not long, honestly.", she replied. "Just gonna rest up for a couple. Thought I'd try visiting home, if that was possible."
The sheriff whistled. "I usually say that trying to visit family is worth it, even if traveling the Wasteland is hard. But what you gotta go through to get back to your family - is it even possible?"
The Lone Wanderer shrugged. "It was last year. And a few years before that. Have to try, right?"
"Look, I have an hour or so on my shift left. You tell that kid of mine to be on time to relieve me so that we can have a drink.", Simms commanded.
"Sir, yes, sir.", the Lone Wanderer casually saluted while continuing down into the crater.
She continued deeper into the crater, the shacks and torn apart jets now walls towering around her. At the Brass Lantern, she found Harden and Maggie. "Alright, kids - break it up."
Maggie took on an offended look and swiped her thumb over Harden Simms' badge. "We aren't kids anymore."
Harden looked at her and then turned back to the Lone Wanderer. "Welcome back."
"Thanks.", the older woman replied. "Your dad wanted me to remind you about your shift change."
"Wants to hear more stories from the Great Wasteland Savior is more likely.", Simms objected. "You've been away ever since Aqua Fortis stopped being shipped."
"Oh no.", the Lone Wanderer stated.
Simms pulled a hand off of Maggie to caution her. "No, don't worry. We're alright. The shipments allowed old man Walter to fix the water processor before he passed. He took the whole thing off line and made everyone chip in to get it into tip top shape. Even Micky's drinking clean still."
The woman nodded. "That's good."
"Mr. Simms has just been listening to the radio. Hearing Three Dog go on and on about the General. Is it true that she nuked her own people?", Maggie asked.
The Lone Wanderer folded her arms and gave a slight shrug. "That's what I found out. But my proof just hacked other robots and rocketed off to who knows where."
"A robot got away from you?", Harden disbelieved.
"Synths aren't just robots. Far as anyone I know can tell, they're full thinking people: just...programmable, and more robot underneath. It's hard to say.", she countered.
"Is that why you keep living through your adventures? You're really a robot underneath and the STIM PACKS are just to keep you looking pretty?", Maggie joked.
The Lone Wanderer grew silent, thinking of what the commanders of the Brotherhood of Steel told her. She couldn't help but flex her fingers, seeking to feel the skin against skin but only meeting the glove of her suit.
"I was just joking.", Maggie added.
"Well, Sheriff Simms wasn't.", she replied. "And no, I'm not a synth. I remember crawling to my father in childhood - even the birthdays he threw for me in the vault. And my father was the man behind Project Purity, so you know he wasn't made up.
"Go on, Harden. See to your duties. Deputy."
The Lone Wanderer turned away from them and went up to her house. When she entered, she called out. "Wadsworth."
"Ma'am. You've survived again.", the house's Mr. Handy greeted.
The Lone Wanderer locked the door and started peeling off her suit. "Not by bathing regularly or relaxing, I can tell you that. Put on some music, then bring me an ICE-COLD NUKA-COLA, then prepare for grooming me."
"Of course, ma'am.", the robot acknowledged as it floated up the stairs.
By now Dogmeat had made his way over. "Hey boy. How you doin'?", the now nude woman asked as she petted her old adventuring partner. The dog sniffed at her and the suit she had left on the floor. "Yeah, I've been to some new places. Seen a lot of old friends, met a lot of new people. Wish I could take you buddy. Sure do." She frowned. "But you're getting old." The dog agreed and went back to his place to lay down. The woman frowned again.
"Here you are, ma'am. One refreshing beverage.", Wadsworth handed her.
The Lone Wanderer drank deeply. "Ah. Wadsworth, has he been eating?"
"I do not eat, ma'am."
"The dog, Wadsworth.", she breathed. "Has the dog been eating?"
"Yes ma'am. He's a bit slower than he was when you first brought him here but he is otherwise healthy."
"That's good.", she said and took another drink. "Okay, let's get to it. And don't forget my stealth suit. Take the best care for it."
"Of course, ma'am.", the robot floated after her. Once she reached her MY FIRST INFIRMARY, she turned to the robot. She stared into the Mr. Handy's eye with one of hers, then the other. She opened her mouth and allowed it to be inspected. "Any symptoms, ma'am? Radiation poisoning? Any addictions?"
"No. Double check for radiation though.", she replied.
"Very well, ma'am.", the robot continued his work. Occasionally, it would direct her to raise a limb so it could be inspected and scrubbed.
After being worked over and donning her VAULT JUMPSUIT instead of anything as skin tight as her stealth gear, she felt cleaner than she had in so very long. She had been on the road for so long, trying to save her world. The world her father irrigated. Hopefully she had tired out the General to the point that the Capital Wastes could survive.
