In the Pursuit of Science and Passion
A Red Dead Redemption Online work of fanfiction. Legal Disclaimer: All characters are copy write to Rockstar Games. Only the story idea and some of the NPC's and names are mine.
Chapter 1: Clerks, Craftsmen, Hunters, and Nymphs
Harriet Davenport was normally a calm, reasonable person. But she had had enough!
Gus Macmillan and his network of hunters, (poachers, more like it) had gone too far this time! Stomping up the steps of the Strawberry welcome Centre, Harriet screamed out un-ladylike obscenities, yelling for Macmillan to show his face.
"Macmillan, this is the last straw! I know you're here! Get down here, now!"
"Madam please! Our guests..." the young man behind the desk tried to calm her ire. She shot the young man a look of fire and he stepped back raising his hands in defense. All the ruckus inside the Centre was causing a commotion outside of the building too. Townsfolk, wagons, and passersby stopped and eyed the Centre warily.
"What in blazes is the holdup!" Cripps gripped the reins to the caravan wagon tightly and sighed.
"Easy laddie, the whole town's bottle-necked ahead. No reason to get testy, now." His traveling companion grinned from atop her Dappled Buckskin Norfolk Roadster stallion.
Cripps shot his boss a dirty look. The woman in question grinned wider.
"Testy is a nice word for how I'm feeling right now, boss. You were the one who suggested traveling through Strawberry...I wanted to go through Wallace Station..." Cripps griped.
"Sorry, mate...didnnae know this would be such a bustling place today." the woman apologized.
Suddenly, sounds of crashing and breaking glass and ceramic was heard coming from the Welcome Centre. Cripps pulled his pistol and so did his companion.
"I didn't like the sound of that, boss..."
The woman's jovial demeanor dropped, and she turned to Cripps.
"Neither did I. Cripps, you keep the civilians back where it's safe. Try to keep them from crowding the entrance. I'm going to make sure Cecil is all right. If you hear shooting, send someone to get Sherriff Hanely."
Cripps nodded and parked the wagon. He began shuffling the crowd away from the potential danger as his boss made her way up the street to the Welcome Centre and hotel.
Harriet was done playing nice for the clerk and started for the stairs in a rage.
"Macmillan!" she cried again as she headed up the stairs. She was vaguely aware of the bell ringing at the door.
"Ma'am please! You cant' go up there!" The clerk jolted, rushing to the bottom of the stairs. Whipping around, he turned to the person who entered and said,
"I'll be right with you, "he paused momentarily as he got a better look at the person in the entry way,
"ma'am."
The woman dipped her head and eyed the other woman at the stairs curiously.
"No worries, laddie. Is everything all right here?" she motioned with the barrel of her LeMat towards the fuming woman.
The young clerk paled,
"God, I hope so..."
The gun wielding woman motioned again to the other one.
"You want me to handle this, lad? She seems to be a few eggs short of a dozen."
The clerk's mouth turned up in the corners.
"I don't think she's dangerous...she just barged in and demanded Mr. Macmillan come down. Unfortunately, Mr. Macmillan is indisposed at the moment..."
Cowgirl raised a brow,
"Indisposed? You mean getting his rocks off with one of the wash girls, donnae you?"
The boy flushed and sputtered,
"Ma'am! This is a respectable and proper establishment! Not some tawdry saloon in a New Austin backwater."
The gunslinger smirked and holstered her gun.
"Sure lad. You keep telling yourself and the guests that. Cecil'll be proud." she winked.
The boy's brow furrowed.
"You know Cecil?"
The woman nodded,
"Aye, but I donnae think you and I have met before. I usually stop in and say hi to Cecil when I'm through Strawberry."
The young man eyed her a moment before recognition shone in his eyes.
"You're McBaine! Jessie McBaine! The famous bounty hunter! Cecil's told me tons of stories about you."
The bounty hunter in question smirked and rolled her eyes.
"I see my good friend Cecil is still telling tall tales on me."
The clerk reached out a hand to shake,
"I'm so honored to meet you! I'm..." before he could introduce himself, a loud crash sounded by the stairs.
"Macmillan! You get your fat ass down here this instant! You and those butchers of yours have gone too damn far this time!"
"Ma'am please! Language. And please stop shouting."
Jessie McBain, notorious bounty hunter, leaned against a support beam, casually watching the drama...and comedy, unfold. Now that she wasn't worried for the town's safety, she could take in the woman at the staircase.
The woman was younger than her, maybe around 23, 24 years old, with a slight air of sophistication to her. Jessie noted that her light brown hair was haphazardly wrapped and braided on the back of her head, but still looked clean. The younger woman wore a well-tailored lace top and gloves with a pink shawl draped over her shoulders. It reminded Jessie of the way men wore kilts back home in the Highlands of Scotland. Her dress skirt was simple but still well made, if not a little rough and slightly dirty.
'Pretty face...and fiery attitude. 'Jessie grinned, watching the woman pace agitatedly at the base of the stairs. She was pulled from her thoughts when a male voice called from the top of the stairs.
"Oh, for the love of God! Can't a man take a bath in peace anymore?"
Soon heavy steps followed, and a large, portly gentleman came down the stairs carrying a large cat carcass over his shoulder.
'That must be Macmillan.'
"Just what I need, a wood nymph with a bleeding-heart breathing down my neck."
'Wood nymph? Aye, that's a right fair description, all right.' Jessie thought as she eyed the angry woman.
Wood Nymph looked horrified and gasped at the sight of the large cat draped over the man's shoulder. And the poor clerk looked sick to his stomach.
"What the hell is that?!" Nymph demanded, her voice a mix of pain and anger.
"A panther, and a right, fine specimen, at that. This is going to look marvelous over the mayor's bed." He placed the panther's carcass on the desk and turned to the clerk. Wood Nymph knelt in front of the dead panther and stroked its paw gently.
"Travel safe, my friend." Jessie could almost hear the tears in her voice, she even felt a little sorry for the large beast.
Macmillan rolled his eyes and continued talking.
"Mrs. Hobbs will be by to take over for the taxidermy arrangements...wait..." Macmillan paused looking at the clerk curiously.
"You're not Cecil..."
The clerk pointed to himself.
"I'm Glen. Cecil needed to take some time off...for stress..." Glen emphasized.
Jessie grinned but kept her mouth shut. Wood Nymph stood, interrupting them.
"You savage! Is there any animal that you have not yet slaughtered?" The woman's righteous anger returned as she jabbed a finger into the large man's belly.
"You flatter me miss, but the answer is 'no'. I am retired, as you know, and have been for some time."
Nymph narrowed her eyes at him.
"Yes, and how many do you have out there, killing for you right now?" she demanded with a stomp of her foot.
"Not nearly enough I'm afraid. Business is booming." Macmillan's voice oozed with superiority, and Jessie didn't like it.
"Sounds like braggart talk to me, laddie." Jess chuffed, crossing her arms.
Glen, Macmillan, and Wood Nymph all stopped and stared over at her. Glen paled, afraid of what the notorious gunslinger/bounty hunter was going to do, but Macmillan and Nymph sized her up. Macmillan walked over and offered his hand to her. She stiffly shook it.
"It's only bragging friend if you can't back it up with proof. And I have 30 years of proof I can show you. Gus Macmillan, master craftsman of fine clothing and accessories. Here's my card." Gus produced an exquisitely designed and embossed business card from his shirt pocket and handed it to her.
"I pay top dollar for animal furs and parts...the rarer, the better." he said with a wink.
Jessie started to say something, but Wood Nymph jumped in and tugged at her hand to get her attention.
"Don't! Don't listen to him, please!" She squeezed Jessie's hand before glaring over at Macmillan.
"Unbelievable. How do you sleep at night?"
Gus sniffed condescendingly.
"On a tiger bed spread my dear." He reached over and patted Jessie's shoulder. Jessie still didn't like his tone, and she frowned. He seemed to ignore it.
"Seriously, come see me." he winked again before turning to leave out of the door.
Not liking his attitude, Jessie pulled a quick draw and shot at the door handle before Macmillan could turn the knob.
"Holy hell! What was that for?" Gus yelled, shaking his hand. She hadn't shot him, simply scared him a little.
"I donnae like your attitude, laddie. Annoyed at her or not, you need to learn some manners when dealing with folks. Especially, ladies." Jess dipped her head towards Wood Nymph, who blushed and looked down, covering a small grin.
Gus rubbed his hand and scoffed.
"I'm right fine decent to folk who are decent to me, ma'am. Why don't you get after her for interrupting my bath?"
Jess clicked her teeth.
"That's fair, laddie. But you have me all wrong. I donnae hunt animals. I hunt people. Bad people who break the law. I donnae have time to fetch hides for a man who obviously has plenty of help catching game."
Wood Nymph chose this moment to jump in.
"You see, Macmillan, you're no better than a murderer. And one day you'll be seen as such!"
Jessie smirked. She was increasingly impressed by Nymph's fire and passion. Glen, however, didn't share in her appreciation of the passionate younger woman.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa...do you mind taking this outside...I don't want any of this..."
"Oh, shut up, Glen!" Wood Nymph snapped.
Glenn jumped back, cowering and even Jessie took a small step back. She grinned wider at Wood Nymph.
Gus Macmillan sighed and pointed an accusing finger at the young woman.
"Listen, as soon as a squirrel finds a cure for tuberculosis...lets' talk." He then reached for the door again.
But Nymph wasn't having it!
"If intelligence is the barometer of who has the right to live or die, then you should have been court-martialed at birth!"
Jessie's eyebrow's shot up in shock, not sure she had heard the woman correctly and poor Glen looked mortified by her behavior. Macmillan, noticing their confusion and unease, grinned.
"Annoying, isn't she?" he muttered then motioned to a stuffed black bear in the window.
"See him? The only thing on his mind was hunger, sweetheart. But I pulled the trigger. Survival of the fittest...isn't that your mentor's trite catchphrase?"
"It's not survival of the fittest!" Nymph stomped over to him and jabbed him in the gut with her finger,
"You are killing to line your own pockets!"
"This is how I make my living. We don't all have a rich daddy, we can call on when we need help, you know." Macmillan leered.
Nymph looked indignant at the remark, and Jessie raised a brow. The statement made sense...
While Wood Nymph was unkempt and slightly haggard, her clothes were expertly tailored and made of fine silks and lace...so she must have come from some money.
"So, while you're camped out in the woods, making witches brews and talking to the wildlife, the rest of us are out there doing some real work!" Macmillan headed to the door with purpose.
"You really think this is some big joke?!" Nymph shouted and ran after Macmillan brandishing a perfume spray bottle and spraying said substance in the man's face.
Glen, deciding now was the best time to intervene, ran forward, scolding the woman as he also hurried after them.
"Wow! Hey, that's...that's enough, ma'am!"
As he neared her, she sprayed him with the unknown substance too.
Jessie caught a whiff of the stuff and balked!
"That's horrid!" Jessie groaned, fanning at the smell in the air.
"You are crazy woman!" Macmillan shouted as he scrambled for the door.
"They should throw you in an asylum!" he coughed, running out of the building.
Wood Nymph laughed triumphantly, and Jessie smiled, despite the eye watering smell in the room.
"Argh! That's it! I quit! You can tell the mayor. I'm going home!" Glen shouted, pointing to Jessie before leaving too.
"You sure know how to clear a room, lass." Jessie laughed, still covering her nose with the back of her hand.
Wood Nymph turned to her, grinning widely,
"Yes, that was rather satisfying, wasn't it?"
Jess smiled back,
"Well, I'm quite sure both Glen and that Macmillan bloke wonnae forget it. And since all the ruckus is taken care of, I'll be on my way too."
Jessie headed for the door as well, but Wood Nymph jumped in front of her before she could reach it.
"Wait! Please! "Um..." Nymph reached out and took Jessie's right hand in both of her laced gloved ones.
"Sorry about that awful man. I'm Harriet Davenport."
Jessie smiled and tipped her hat as they shook hands.
"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Davenport."
"Miss." Harriet's correction was quick, and she blushed when Jessie raised an appraising eyebrow at her.
"Miss Davenport..." Jessie repeated slower this time, a knowing smirk on her lips.
"McBaine. Jessalynne McBaine. My friends call me Jessie, but most people just call me McBaine." she introduced herself.
Harriet's blush darkened.
"It's nice to meet you, Miss...?" Jessie nodded at Harriet's unsure glance, "Miss McBaine. Thank you for stepping in earlier. You didn't have to do that, you know. Most wouldn't have..." she glanced away a moment.
Jessie frowned slightly, filing away that last bit of information for later. She shrugged,
"I know I didnnae have to, lass, but I donnae like pompous blowhards, so it was just as much fun for me, as for you." she said with a wink. Harriet's blush spread to her ears, and she brushed a strand of loose hair from her face.
"Listen, I want to clear some things up..."
"Clear things up?"
"Things Macmillan said. I don't want you to think I'm some kind of crazy woman..."
Jessie grinned.
"I think that ship might have sailed, lass, but please...go ahead." Jessie motioned for her to continue.
"Well you heard what Macmillan said, and part of that is actually correct."
Jessie nodded,
"I gathered that…you do look like a Wood Nymph." She eyed the younger woman up and down.
Harriet's blush darkened on her cheeks.
"That isn't what…"
Jessie laughed and gave the younger woman a wink.
"I know Miss Davenport…but the description is appropriate."
Harriet's flushed face heated more as Jessie stared at her.
'Lord, what is this woman doing to me?' Harriet wondered. Shaking her head and clearing her throat, she tried to ignore the intense look in the older woman's eyes.
"Look, Miss McBaine, I've been in the field now for three years studying the hidden interconnections between animals of all species."
As Harriet spoke, Jessie could hear the giddiness return to her voice and she smiled.
"I've seen everything between joy, disgust, regrets…envy. Oh, we're so much more alike than we are different."
"Really now?" Jessie raised a brow, still smiling.
"Yes! Isn't it amazing!?" Harriet spun, giggling.
"So amazing." Jessie's sarcastic remark went over her head, or if she caught the sarcasm, Harriet ignored it.
"I'm on the brink of discovering the pathway that links all life. I…I just need more research material." Harriet ran past Jessie, to the back stock room under the stairs.
"Listen, I have in here," she brandished a leather bound book.
"Detailed notes on pretty much every animal from Armadillo to Annesburg."
Unable to help her sarcastic nature, Jessie teased.
"Annesburg? I've never heard of that animal before. And if your book details Armadillo to Annesburg then do you have more tomes that cover other letters? Beaver Hollow to Big Valley? Cholla Springs to Cavalt Divide?"
Harriet paused and frowned, looking at her strangely.
"I…I meant the town…Annesburg."
Jessie grinned,
"I'm aware. I was just teasing you, lass."
Harriet's look of confusion melted into embarrassment and her cheeks flushed again.
"Oh. Okay…anyway, this book also contains the locations of some truly impressive varieties."
Harriet patted the cover of the large book excitedly before shoving it towards Jessie.
"Uh huh…and what's the catch?" Jessie said eyeing the book then looking back up into Harriet's eyes.
"Well, I might be willing to sell this to you. If…" and then she paused, unsure if she wanted to continue.
Jessie raised a brow,
"'If' what, lass?"
Harriet let out a breath she was holding.
"You'll need to commit to bringing anatomical samples from live species and promise not to carry out anymore animal-cide in pursuit of Gus Macmillan's greed."
Jessie took a step back and shook her head,
"Oh, is that all..." she crossed her arms over her chest and took a step towards the younger woman.
"Look Miss Davenport, just like I told Macmillan, I'm not a hunter, nor am I a field scientist…I am a bounty hunter, and that's it." With that, Jessie turned on her heel and started for the door.
Harriet reached out and took Jessie's hand in her gloved one, pulling to get the taller woman to stop. Jessie stopped and looked over her shoulder at the other woman. Harriet's eyes pleaded with her,
"I'll pay! I'll pay you, of course!" she said desperately, before looking away and flushing. Harriet's voice softened,
"I promise I'm good for the money…"
Jessie frowned, sighing. The younger woman was looking doe-eyed up at her! That wasn't fair…
She was close to agreeing to the proposition, but she knew Cripps would murder her if she ended up messing up his trading business. And not being able to hunt would greatly put a damper on his business. But not hunting seemed to be a large part of the arrangement with Miss Harriet Davenport. In addition, Jessie was not the scientific type…it wasn't in her nature to simply study, well, nature. Making up her mind, she gently squeezed Harriet's hand in hers as she turned to face the woman again.
"Miss Davenport, please…I'm not interested. Nor am I the right person for this. You need someone to be your errand boy, and I'm far too busy to help you right now."
Harriet's eyes dropped to the floor and Jessie felt her stomach drop. She reached out and brushed a loose strand of hair out of Harriet's eyes.
"Maybe…maybe some other time." Jessie added.
Harriet's eyes flashed between disheartened, confused and something else Jessie wasn't quite sure of,
"Oh…oh well, I understand…perhaps later then…" Harriet pulled her hand back and looked down. She was still clutching the leather book to her chest with her other arm.
"You…you don't have to decide right now…just…think about it…for later…" she stuttered still not meeting the other woman's eyes.
Feeling suddenly bold, Harriet looked back up and met Jessie's gaze.
"We've been brought together for a reason! I feel that, very strongly." Harriet smiled.
"We've been brought together because you were making a ruckus and disturbing the peace, Miss Davenport." Jessie smirked at the other woman.
Harriet blushed again, waving her hand.
"Semantics." She answered with a smirk.
Harriet walked back to the desk and grabbed a different perfume bottle from under the counter. Jessie took a step back, her hand hovering over her holster.
"You're not spraying me with that shite just because I wonnae buy your book, you little nymph."
Harriet paused and looked at the bounty hunter woman curiously. Glancing down at her hand then back up at the taller woman realization dawned on her.
"Oh no! This…this isn't the same stuff from earlier. This is special…."
Jessie eyed the bottle skeptically.
"No, I mean it! You see, I've been experimenting with tonics that can provide pathways to remarkable new methods of communication with other species."
Jessie frowned, raising a questioning brow.
"You mean like, talk with animals?" her voice was skeptical.
Harriet practically jumped in excitement.
"Yes! Isn't that amazing?!"
Harriet then leaned over and gently sprayed once from the bottle into Jessie's face.
"Christ Almighty woman! What are you doing? Trying to blind me?" Jessie called out.
The spray mixture burned and she wiped at her face trying to get the feeling of fire to go away.
"Oh, don't be so dramatic, Miss McBaine, you'll be fine." Harriet waved off the other woman's concern and walked around to take ahold of Jessie's elbow, gently.
"You have to live as they do, eat as they eat. Hop as the toad, dig as the mole, love," she paused briefly, eyeing the other woman and then continued, "as the badger…" Harriet's voice began to grow distant in Jessie's ears and her vision spun. She began seeing things that couldn't possibly be true! The panther carcass rose up from the desk! The deer in the windows began to move!
"You can see what I've seen. You just have to open your mind." Harriet's voice echoed in her head.
Jessie's head swam and she stumbled to the floor. Turning over on her back, she realized she was face to face with the bear Macmillan pointed at earlier!
Jessie thrashed around, trying to fight off the visions.
Suddenly, she felt a soft, laced hand touch her forehead gently and she stilled her fussing.
"Relax…and join me on a voyage of discovery. When you're ready come and find me in Big Valley, Hennigan's Stead or Bayou Nwa… those are my normal campsites. I'll be waiting…"
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The next thing Jessie knew was the pounding headache and the dizzy sensation in her head. Sitting up, she shook her head and rubbed at her eyes.
"Good Lord, what did that Wood Nymph spray me with?" Jessie groaned as she forced herself off the floor…no…ground.
She looked around, thoroughly confused.
"How the hell did I get out here? Surely she couldnnae have moved me…"
Checking her holsters and her money pouch, she found she still had all of her valuables. She sighed in relief.
"At least she didnnae rob me…crazy woman." Jessie groaned, still feeling the effects of whatever that spray was.
"Gods that stuff packs a wallop…" she shook her head again.
Gaining her bearings, Jessie headed back down into Strawberry. Cripps saw her and ran over.
"Boss!? How in tarnation did you get out here? I saw you go into the Welcome Centre, heard a shot, saw two gentlemen leave, but then nothing. You scared me to death!" Cripps panted.
Jessie brushed off some more dirt and mud and coughed, embarrassed.
"Donnae you worry, laddie. All's well that ends well, as they say. It was just some kind of ruckus with a young naturalist and one of the local trappers. Nothing serious."
"But I heard a shot." Cripps raised a brow.
Jessie waved off his concern,
"I didnnae like the blokes attitude towards the young lass…nor myself. I shot at the door, not him."
Cripps frowned.
"That's character growth, I guess. A year ago and you would have shot him."
Jessie laughed,
"Oh, come on, mate, I'm not that bad."
Cripps' raised his brow again this time challenging her,
"You beat a man just last month is San Denis for grabbing a street boy too hard."
Jessie's eyes darkened,
"He was bruising the lad's arm, Cripps. I donnae like when people are abused by others."
Cripps raised his hands in defense.
"I meant no disrespect, boss. Just meant that you not shooting the man inside the building was a step towards good anger management control."
Jessie snorted, laughing, the tense moment over.
"Well I guess that's true enough! Let's go, mate, we still have time to gather supplies from Cooper before heading out towards Little Creek."
Cripps rolled his eyes,
"You know, this whole mess could have been avoided if we'd just traveled through Wallace Station likeI wanted to."
"But we would have missed all this fun, Cripps." Jessie laughed patting the older man's shoulder as they headed to the store.
"Yeah, yeah…"Cripps' griped.
As they neared the store, Jessie stopped and looked over at the City Centre building. Feeling dizzy, the last bit of Harriet's invitation came flooding back to her mind.
"When you're ready, come and find me in Big Valley, Hennigan's Stead, or Bayou Nwa…I'll be waiting…"
Jessie raised a brow, a slight smirk on her lips.
'Maybe I will, Miss Davenport. Maybe I will…'
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Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I also hope you don't mind my interpretation of how the Naturalist role opens via cut scene. I used creative license to get the characters across in the way I wanted them.
Glen will be back in later chapters as well as Cecil.
MacMillan isn't actually a bad guy in this and he's a great character in the game. Jessie just needed a reason to be put out with him.
Harriet's characterization will be slightly OOC for her from the game, and many of the NPC's and quest givers are going to be in this over time.
Timeline wise: this story assumes the time from RDO (1898) through the events of both RDR2 and RDR1. Some main game characters will be talked about and visited.
Jessie McBaine's backstory will be revealed as the story goes forward, but if you want to know a little about her quickly: She was born in Edinburg, Scotland; has red hair and wears it in a messy side plait most of the time. For her normal attire she wears nice dress shirts, vests and ties for an educated look, not very bounty hunter like, but business professional (that's her aesthetic)
Thank you for reading,
Vivian.