At Isaac's Shack, Isaac sat typing away on his terminal in the back room, Bernard napped on a couch and Ruff sat at a table playing Chess by herself. A knock at the door get Ruff's attention*
Isaac: Ruff can you get that!
Ruff takes the Black Queen and knocks over the White King, she gets up and opens the door to a blonde woman with a large scar on her face wearing NCR Ranger gear*
Blonde Woman: Excuse ma'am but I was wondering if a man by the name of Bernard Smith was here?
Isaac walks into the room and sees the woman at the door*
Isaac: who is i- oh um listen Miss…
Isaac walks up to the door*
Isaac: whatever Bernard did he didn't.
Daiyu: it's not that he did anything, I'm an old friend of his, Ranger Daiyu Gongsun, D for short. I came to see if he could help with a problem.
Isaac: oh uh well he's back this way.
Isaac lets Daiyu in and she walks towards the couch Bernard's at. Another man walked in behind her, he was also wearing Ranger gear and had a buzz cut. He stood by the other two at the door*
Ranger: sorry for busting in like this but it's an urgent matter.
Isaac: it's alright, especially if it's urgent. I'm Isaac and that's Ruff.
Ruff smiles and waves*
Ronaldo: Ranger Recruit Ronaldo Romero. At your service.
Isaac and Ronaldo shake hands and then Ronaldo shakes hands with Ruff*
Isaac: So what's this urgent matter that brings you here?
Ronaldo: not sure if I should share that but it is important, not important enough for top brass though.
Isaac: wait so NCR doesn't know about this?
Ronaldo: I wouldn't say that. More like-
Daiyu: Ronaldo, Isaac, Ruff, come here.
The group walk to a table by the couch, Bernard and Daiyu stood by it*
Bernard: Well I didn't want to drag you two in this but we'll need all the help we can.
Isaac: What is it?
Bernard: Legion.
Ruff becomes serious*
Daiyu: recently the Legion has been getting aggressive with their kidnapping.
Daiyu points at several towns and settlements on the map*
Daiyu: they've hit several other civilized areas, some not in NCR jurisdiction.
Isaac: Well despite the towns that aren't in your control, why aren't the NCR doing anything? Why do you need our help?
Daiyu: well, the commanders can't risk an all out shoot out in some random town but if, say, some concerned citizens that definitely aren't NCR soldiers were to scare, or kill, the Legion kidnappers, then they'd be fine too.
Isaac ponders for a second*
Bernard: now, I know there ain't much choice but I don't want to force you two in this so-
Isaac: I'll do it.
Bernard: That was… easier than I thought. Ruff?
Ruff nods, still serious*
Bernard: alright well we got our group, D what's the plan.
Daiyu: pretty simple. We believe there are two places they'll hit next. Sloan and Goodsprings. Bernard, Ruff and Ronaldo will go to Sloan, me and Isaac will go to Goodsprings.
Isaac: Wait, there's only us two for Goodsprings?
Daiyu: There's a girl there, Sunny Smiles, she'll help us.
Isaac nods*
Daiyu: tomorrow night is when we'll start our operation for now though, Bernard I need to speak to you in private.
Bernard: Alright let's head outside.
Bernard and Daiyu leave, Isaac sit at the table, pensive*
Ronaldo: You alright?
Isaac: Yeah. Heavy stuff though also I don't really like violence but those bastards deserve retribution.
Isaac begins to get angry tears well up in his eyes, Ruff puts her hand on Isaac's shoulder*
Ronaldo: I take it they've personally crossed you.
Isaac: You can say that. For both of us.
Ronaldo sits*
Ronaldo: if you want, we got time you could tell me. I mean only if you want.
Isaac: It's fine. I'll tell you. So me and my parents we traveled around America, we're originally from the Capital. My dad was a scientist and my mom was a doctor. I don't remember why we traveled but where we went we would help people. One day about three years ago, while traveling around here the Mojave. We ran into the Legion and…
Isaac takes his glasses off and wipes his eyes*
Isaac: They killed my mom first, my dad tried fighting back, he was able to kill a few, allowing us to run but he got hit with one of their spears. He handed me his Plasma Rifle, a necklace my mom had, was gonna give me for my birthday, and a key to this shack we're in right now. He wanted me to run and hide for awhile, he said he would catch up.
Ronaldo places his hand Isaac's shoulder*
Ronaldo: damn… I'm sorry man… that's pretty heavy.
Isaac: It's alright, I guess there was a silver lining. I met Ruff and Bernard.
Ronaldo: Well what about Ruff?
Ruff looks away*
Isaac: Is it alright? If I tell him?
She looks back and nods*
Isaac: Ruff was a Legion slave for years since she was a little girl, they… abused her in a lot of different ways, one day she escaped but was gonna be caught again until me and Bernard happened to come about the situation at the same time, afterwards I would tend to her various wounds. That's why she currently can't talk, her vocal chords were crushed by them.
Ronaldo: shit…
The three were all silent for a moment*
Daiyu: Ronaldo! Let's go!
Ronaldo: I'll see y'all on the other side then. Also I'll give them bastards a few extra for y'all too.
Ronaldo stands and leaves*
-The Next Night-
Isaac, dressed in overalls and a white shirt with black boots, Plasma Rifle strapped to his back walked into the Prospector Saloon. Daiyu sat at the bar, dressed in a light blue dress and wearing a varsity jacket, Sunny Smiles and Cheyenne sat at a table across from the bar. Isaac sat beside Daiyu and started twiddling his thumbs. Daiyu places a shot of whiskey in front of him. Isaac smiles sheepishly*
Isaac: sorry I uh, don't drink, alcohol that is…
Daiyu shrugs and drinks it instead*
Daiyu: suit yourself.
Isaac and Daiyu sat in silence for a moment*
Daiyu: ya know Bernard told me a lot about you.
Isaac: really?
Daiyu: told me you're pretty bright, very nice and understanding.
Isaac rubs the back of his head, embarrassed*
Isaac: how nice of him.
Daiyu: But he told me you have an aversion to shooting, fighting and killing.
Isaac puts his hand on the bar and looks down*
Daiyu: It's understandable, the guilt of killing something, especially a person, is heavy. However when it comes to certain situations, like this one or in my profession, killing is necessary.
Isaac is pensive*
Daiyu: just ask yourself this, is it worse to have the weight of someone's life on my shoulders or the weight of my death on my loved one's?
Cheyenne begins to growl*
Sunny Smiles: Cheyenne senses something, they must be here.
Daiyu slams back another shot and pulls out a silenced 9mm pistol from her jacket*
Daiyu: I hope you have the answer.
-At Sloan, at this same time-
Bernard, still in his typical suit, Ruff, in leather armor, and Ronaldo, in a miner getup, sat at a table in the Mess Hall, Snuffles the Mole Rat slept by the door*
Bernard: Tell me more about yourself, Ronaldo. Figured we should know more about each other since we're working together.
Ronaldo: oh well I wandered around the Mojave until I joined the NCR, that's about it really.
Bernard: Now it's not nice to lie, Ronaldo.
Ronaldo shifts in his seat*
Ronaldo: I'm not.
Bernard: ok well granted you're not really lying but you are withholding some information.
Ronaldo: You can tell, huh?
Bernard: I've met a lot of people, you learn to read them easily after a while.
Ronaldo: Alright well I'm originally a Boomer.
Bernard: oh that lot up north, in the old air force base? I heard they're quite dynamite!
Bernard chuckles and Ruff rolls her eyes. Ronaldo smirks and chuckles too*
Ronaldo: yea… well outside of the fierce xenophobia. They don't like outsiders at all, calling them savages. I used to watch out there with binoculars and saw they were just like us, people living day by day, with less explosives that is.
Bernard: And you left to see how the world was?
Ronaldo: Yeah, it was rough at first but eventually I found the NCR and the rest is history.
Snuffles perks up and starts growling, Bernard pull out his revolver*
Bernard: show time.
-Back at Goodsprings-
Daiyu looked outside from the window*
Daiyu: hard to see when it's dark. Let's move out there, Isaac you're behind me, Sunny leave Cheyenne at the front door. If any Legion gets close, have her bark. You go out towards the house, me and Isaac will go through the back between the buildings.
Sunny: got it.
Isaac nods and follows Daiyu out the back door as they slowly walk to the wall of the General Store*
Daiyu: stay here and look out towards the cemetery. If you see any Legionnaires, confirm and fire.
Isaac gulps and nods, Daiyu continues towards the front of the store. Isaac looks out watching for any movement. Daiyu gets to front and looks out towards the gas station and Doc's house*
Daiyu: where are you, you bastards.
Suddenly Cheyenne starts barking*
Man: Get off me you stupid dog!
Daiyu turns and runs to Cheyenne, seeing she had a Legionnaire's arm in her maw*
Daiyu: got one.
Daiyu fires and headshots the Legionnaire, killing him. A spear flies and lands in the dirt in front of her, she looks at the origin of the spear but it's hard to see in the dark*
Sunny: gotcha!
A fire from Sunny's rifle takes down the Legionnaire, Sunny meets back up with Daiyu*
Sunny: I didn't see anymore Legion this way. I'll get Cheyenne and scout around.
Daiyu: alright let's get to Isa-
Man: put the weapons down!
They turn to see a Legionnaire, he had Isaac with a knife to his throat, Daiyu and Sunny aim at them, Cheyenne barks*
Legionnaire: I said put the weapons down and shut that dog before my hand slips!
He presses the knife against Isaac's throat. Sunny drops her gun*
Sunny: Cheyenne settle down.
Isaac: I'm sorry Da-
Legionnaire: shut up!
Daiyu keeps her aim at them*
Legionnaire: Come on lady, don't you care about Blondie here?
Daiyu holds gun up with her left hand, pointing to the sky*
Daiyu: kill him, I don't know him and I don't care either.
Isaac: what!?
Sunny looks at Daiyu with concern, the Legionnaire points the knife at Daiyu*
Legionnaire you really don't care about this guy!?
Daiyu drops the gun*
Daiyu: I do, I needed you to move the knife.
I'm the split second after dropping the gun, Daiyu kneels and grabs the gun, she aims at the Legionnaire's hand and fires, blowing it off. She aims and shoots the Legionnaire in the head, blood splatters on Isaac's face and glasses, he is shell shocked. Daiyu walks up to him*
Daiyu: you alright?
Isaac: I.. uh.. I..
Daiyu pats Isaac on the face*
Daiyu: snap out of it.
Isaac blinks and regains his self*
Isaac: you said that-
Daiyu: I didn't mean it. Bernard would kill me if I let you die. Clean yourself up.
-At Sloan, at the same time-
Bernard, Ronaldo and Ruff help cleaned up after the carnage of a pack of coyotes*
Bernard: wonder how it was in Goodsprings
-Next Morning, before dawn-
Isaac sat at the table still awake and still traumatized about what happened, Ruff walks in and sees something's wrong with him. She sits by him and runs his shoulder*
Isaac: Hey Ruff..
She points at Isaac and gives the ok hand signal*
Isaac: no I'm not… I was useless as ever… a failure…
Isaac begins tearing up*
Isaac: I failed with my parents, I just ran away. I failed tonight, I let that bastard sneak up on me. I fail as you doctor, I can't even fix your damn vocal chords!
Isaac stands and slams his fist on the table, Ruff is surprised. Isaac begins crying*
Isaac: goddamnit!!
Ruff puts her hands on his shoulder to calm him, he sits back down fully bawling*
Isaac: I'm sorry Ruff… I'm sorry….
Ruff embraces Isaac, he weeps in her arms. Unbeknownst to them Bernard stood behind the door frame listening*
-End… for now-
Where did Ruff get her name?
Bernard: I named her. I'd tell the story but I'm kinda tired
Bernard goes to sleep
Ruff flexes her arm and she pats her arm muscles*
Isaac: well Ruff is pretty rough and tough so Bernard decided on Ruff for the spelling well she likes puppies.