In Isaac's Shack, Isaac sat in front of Ruff. He was inspecting her throat*
Isaac: your vocal cords look better than last time, let's try speaking again.
Ruff nods and opens her mouth but no noise comes out, not even a whisper. Isaac takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes*
Isaac: damn it…. Why….
Ruff looks down depressed, Isaac puts his glasses back on and puts his hand on her shoulder*
Isaac: I'm not mad at you Ruff or your vocal cords. I'm mad at myself, I keep failing as your doctor.
Isaac slumps looking down resting his arms on his legs, Ruff places her left hand on his head grabbing his hair and yanks his head up to look at her*
Isaac: ow! Ruff!?
Ruff with a stern look on her face, points at Isaac with her right hand and then does a thumbs up, letting him know he's doing a good job. Isaac smirks*
Isaac: Thanks Ruff.
Ruff smirks back and hugs Isaac, Isaac blushes and hugs back. Suddenly Bernard kicks in the door*
Bernard: HOWDY KIDS!!!
Isaac: BY NIKOLA'S GHOST!!!
Isaac falls over from the shock, Ruff begins to silently laugh. Bernard walks over a squats over Isaac*
Bernard: my bad Isaac, forgot you're kinda a scaredy cat.
Isaac: next time just knock.
Bernard: I'll think about it. Anyways the reason I'm so gung-ho and happy is because I got us a job, real nice, simple, and mostly safe.
Isaac: what kinda job?
Bernard: Caravan escort, Mojave Outpost to the 188.
Isaac: That's a pretty long way.
Bernard: Yea, but it's worth 1500 caps, 500 for each of us!
Isaac: That's pretty goo- wait each of us? You didn't!
Bernard: yep the three of us are gonna escort them.
Isaac: Why me!?
Bernard: could use a medic plus that Plasma Rifle of yours could come in handy. You gotta work for money, medicine man, you don't really have any patients and the one you do get they don't pay.
Isaac: because I don't want them to pay! I don't need them to pay.
Bernard: I get that. Goodness from the bottom of your heart with no need of repayment but what's wrong with doing the right thing AND getting a little money. You always need money for the basics.
Isaac crosses his arms and thinks about it*
Isaac: fine… but I won't use my Plasma Rifle unless I absolutely need to.
Bernard: Excellent and you shouldn't, it may be a long trip but it'll be completely fine. They're gonna meet us there tomorrow morning at 5am and we'll leave at daylight, should take us all day. So let's get a good night's sleep.
-The Next Day-
Bernard, Isaac and Ruff all got to the Mojave Outpost, Isaac had his Doctor's Bag and Plasma Rifle strapped to his back, Ruff had the Super Sledge, which had been fixed and modified by Isaac. Bernard was still in his usual suit and cowboy hat*
Bernard: Alright, here we are. Our Caravan should be round here somewhere.
Bernard scans around until he sees two Pack Brahmin and a short, black hair girl*
Bernard: There she is! Little Tree!
The girl looks over and smiles*
Girl: Uncle B!
the girl runs and jumps into a hug with Bernard*
Bernard: How ya doin kid?
Girl: I'm great Uncle B! Are these the guys you've been telling me about?
Isaac sheepishly waves and Ruff nods at her*
Isaac: Bernard I didn't know you had family why didn't you tell us?
Bernard: cuz we're not family at least not blood anyways, this is Tricia or Little Tree as I call her.
Isaac: isn't it dangerous for you to wander the Wasteland alone?
Tricia sneers then stomps on Isaac's foot*
Isaac: OW!
He bends down to reach his foot and a barrel of a tommy gun is shoved in his nose*
Tricia: how about that?
Bernard starts snickering and Ruff silently laughs*
Isaac: uh… uh s-sorry.
Tricia slings her gun on her back*
Tricia: just because I'm short doesn't mean I can't take care of myself plus I'm not alone, I have Bebe and Cece.
She points at her Pack Brahmin*
Isaac: uh right sorry.
Bernard: alright kiddies, like I said we're going to the 188 to meet Tricia's father, Terry. We still got an hour so let's get a little more rest.
-A Few Hours Later-
The group had recently passed by Gibson's Scrapyard, Ruff was behind the group while Bernard led. Tricia sat on Cece while Isaac sat on Bebe, they talked*
Isaac: so Bebe and Cece were specifically bred to carry more and more sturdy than regular Brahmin. Fascinating.
Tricia: yep my dad grew up a rancher before joining the NCR, then after serving a few years he decided to retire and get back into ranching and try the caravan business.
Isaac scribbles in a notepad*
Isaac: interesting do you think he'd be interested in sharing how he did it? I have interest in Biology and other similar fields of study.
Tricia: biology huh? Like Ruff's Biology?
Isaac: I mean I am her doctor.
Tricia: That's not what I meant, I saw how you interact with each other. You two obviously like each other.
Isaac shakes his head and blushes a bit, he looks back at Ruff who smiles at him. He snaps back looking forward*
Isaac: I don't know what you're talking about. We're just friends, doctor and patient, amigo and amiga.
Tricia crosses her arm and rolls her eyes*
Tricia: Sure sure.
Suddenly Bernard stops the Brahmin, he pulls out some binoculars and looks ahead*
Tricia: What's wrong Uncle B?
Bernard: I see some Cazadors up there they're picking a dead body clean. Isaac!
Isaac: yea?
Bernard: Come on, we're gonna take em out.
Isaac: Why me?
Bernard: because Ruff only has a hammer and Tricia is the one we're supposed to protect. I know both of them can handle themselves but you need some more firing practice.
Isaac: fine…
Isaac gets off of Bebe and starts walking with Bernard*
Bernard: I'll wave my hat when it's clear so keep a lookout.
They walk off towards the Cazadors, Ruff steps up besides Tricia on Cece*
Tricia: Tell me something Ruff, what do you think of Isaac?
Ruff puts her hand on her chin and thinks for a second and then smiles and gives a thumb up*
Tricia: So you like him? Do you like like him?
Ruff blushes and shakes her head furiously*
Tricia: hmmfp.
With Isaac and Bernard, they were a few feet away from two Cazadors. The Cazadors were feeding on a dead prospector*
Bernard: alright Isaac get your sights on em.
Isaac: I don-
Bernard shushes him*
Bernard: Just do it.
Isaac reluctantly pulls out his Plasma Rifle and aims at one of the Cazadors*
Bernard: alright remember, breathe in and focus on the target.
Isaac shakily held the Rifle and slowly breathes in and steadies himself, he focused on the head of the Cazador*
Bernard: when you're ready… fire…
Isaac fires the Plasma Rifle but he misses by a wide margin, Bernard facepalms*
Isaac: I'm so-
Bernard: No shush, don't talk.
Back at the Brahmin with Tricia and Ruff*
Tricia: I'm telling you he likes you and I can tell you like him!
Ruff furiously shakes her head*
Tricia: stop denying your love!!!!
A roar is heard behind them, they look back to see a Young Deathclaw a few feet away*
Tricia: Uh oh…
Back with Isaac and Bernard*
Bernard: 15 TIMES! YOU MISSED 15 TIMES!!
Isaac: DON'T YELL AT ME!!! I TOLD YOU I'M NOT SUITED FOR SHOOTING THINGS!!!
Tricia: AAAAAHHHH!!! UNCLE B! ISAAC!
Isaac and Bernard both look back to see Tricia and Ruff on Cece and Bebe hauling it while the Young Deathclaw chases after them*
Bernard: um… don't miss this o-
Isaac: NIKOLA'S GHOST!!!
Ruff and Tricia split off as the Deathclaw lunges, it misses them but continues towards Bernard and Isaac. Bernard steps in front of Isaac, left hand on his hat and right hand on his revolver*
Bernard: when I say move!
Bernard stares as the Deathclaw gets closer*
Bernard: Bang!
Bernard whips his Revolver out and fires hitting the Deathclaw in the eye causing it to trip. Bernard steps out the way and Isaac frantically rolls away. The Deathclaw slides and crushes the Cazadors and the dead body*
Isaac: How'd you do that?
Bernard: just lucky I guess.
The Deathclaw gets up and turns to the two and roars, it begins charging again but Ruff appears and smacks it with her Super Sledge making it stagger and roll away. Bernard steps up besides her*
Bernard: Glad to see you didn't stay scared Missy.
Ruff rolls her eyes and shakes her head Tricia rides up with Cece and Bebe*
Bernard: deny it all you want. Isaac get to Tricia and continue towards the 188, me and Ruff got this!
Isaac: alright!
Tricia: Uncle B!
Bernard: We'll be fine Little Tree!
Isaac mounts Bebe and rides off with Tricia. Deathclaw stands again and roars at them. Bernard smirks*
Bernard: alright Ruff I'll shoot it you smash it!
Ruff nods and rushes the Deathclaw which rushes back, she rolls between its legs as Bernard empties the chamber on it, hitting it in the face causing it to be stunned. Ruff rears back and slams her Super Sledge into the back of the Deathclaw. The Deathclaw falls and tries crawling towards Bernard. Bernard reloaded his revolver and fires the arms off of the Deathclaw, Ruff walked up and smashed the head in of the Deathclaw. Bernard sits down using his hat to fan himself*
Bernard: whoo… pretty intense…
Ruff nods and sits besides Bernard, he pats her head*
Bernard: you did great as usual, if only Isaac could do such a thing.
Another roar shocks them and they stand to see a Mother Deathclaw coming at them*
-An hour later near the 188-
Tricia sat on Cece and Isaac walked beside in-between Her and Bebe. Tricia was looking down*
Isaac: Tricia…
Tricia: Uncle B's dead isn't he.
Isaac: I wouldn't say that just yet he's a pretty lucky and hardy man. I remember one time he came to me full of poison, he'd been stabbed by 5 Cazadors. He still walked straight up into my shack with no assistance.
Tricia: r-really?
Isaac: yea then he collapsed like a sack of bricks, I laughed as I got my anti venom ready.
Tricia smirks*
Tricia: that's pretty funny.
Isaac: I'm sure him and Ruff are gonna be fine. Ruff's even tougher, she was a Legion Slave for years and endured a lot of punishment.
Tricia: damn.
Isaac: it's pretty admirable.
Isaac smiles thinking about her*
Tricia: well she better not be dead I wanna be a Bridesmaid at y'all's wedding!
Isaac: Me and her are only friends!!!
They approached the 188, as they do a tall buff man sees and flags them down*
Tricia: Daddy!
Tricia hops off Cece and runs up to her dad, Terry*
Terry: Hey pumpkin, glad you got here safe. Where's Bernard at?
Isaac leading the Brahmin walk up*
Isaac: well we ran into some trouble, he and Ruff stayed to take it on.
Terry: well like Raiders? Cazadors?
Isaac: Deathclaw…
Terry takes his hat off and puts it to his chest*
Terry: damn…
Tricia: No, he'll be fine. I know it!
Terry: honey a Deathclaw is-
Bernard: is one of, if not, the most deadly thing in the Wasteland, outside of us!
Bernard and Ruff both with scrapes, scratches and bruises walk up to them*
Tricia: UNCLE B!!
Tricia runs up and hugs Bernard and Ruff, Bernard winces*
Bernard: careful kid I think I dislocated my shoulder.
Tricia: sorry
Isaac runs up to them and begins examining them*
Isaac: I'm glad you two are fine.
Terry walks up and pats Bernard in the back*
Terry: gotta say, after all these years you're still surprising me!
After things settle down, Terry and Tricia continue on there way as Isaac, Bernard and Ruff journey back to the Shack*
-Later That Night-
Back at the table, Isaac sat writing in his Medical Journal*
Medical Journal Entry #1863
Patient: Ruff(Personal Entry #68)
Patient: Bernard Smith(Personal Entry #3)
After an encounter with a Young Deathclaw and a Mother Deathclaw, Bernard and Ruff only came out with a lot of minor injuries and each with a big injury.
Both had scraps, bruises and cuts. Easily treatable.
Bernard's left shoulder was dislocated, he said the Deathclaw grabbed him and threw him against the ground.
Ruff had a giant gash on her back from when she tried to ride it into a wall of a ruined building but it reached back, clawing her back.
I'm glad they're fine.
For Ruff's throat, she still hasn't been able to talk. I'm extremely worried. Without the necessary equipment to do a surgery or the caps to pay for one, she may never speak again.
-End… for now-
What do you think about the Legion?
Bernard: hate em.
Ruff frowns shakes her head and does a double thumbs down*
Isaac: hate them.