Author's Note: Hello everyone! I hope you are all doing well. At the end of the previous chapter, I said that they would visit Mothership Zeta and start planning for the future. That actually won't take place until the chapter after this one. I intended that to take place in this chapter, but once I started writing this one, I decided to add something that I didn't initially plan on. Hey, it happens. I also apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. Working 40 hours a week during the holidays severely cut down on my writing time. Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and reviews are always welcomed and appreciated.

"I'm sorry, Mark, did you just say aliens?" Veronica asked. Mark nodded. "I did." "Daddy, what are aliens?" Abby queried. Mark was silent for a moment as he thought how to answer that question. "Well, Abby, do you know what a planet is?" Mark asked before he attempted to answer her. Abby nodded. "Good. Do you know the name of the planet we live on?" "It's called, um, Earth, right?" Mark gave her a kiss. "Yes, sweetheart, it is called Earth."

"Before the war, people believed that there was life on other planets aside from our own. I tend to believe that as well, because if the universe is as infinite as they say, then I doubt that Earth is the only planet able to sustain life. People also believed that beings from other worlds, or aliens, as they are called, have visited Earth before. People even claimed that they were abducted and brought aboard alien spaceships, although no one ever had any definitive proof, so they were dismissed as crazies."

"Mark," Arcade said, "this whole conversation is leading me to think that you claim to have met an alien. Am I correct in that assumption?" "Not only am I claiming to have met aliens, I am saying that I was abducted by aliens, fought an epic battle against aliens with other abductees, including pre-war soldiers, a cowboy, and a samurai, and that I am now in command of an alien spacecraft that is currently hovering miles above Earth's atmosphere."

Everyone besides Amata and Abby looked at him like he was crazy, and Mark didn't really blame them. He would've found it hard to believe as well. He just sat there, a knowing smirk on his face. "Mark," Christine said after a few moments, "I think you've gone insane." "Yeah," Cass added, "I believe ya did all that other stuff, but aliens? Seriously? I think those bullets affected yer brain more than ya thought."

Cass then looked at Amata. "'Mata, he's jokin', right?" Amata smiled and shook her head. "He's not joking, Cass. There really is an alien spaceship orbiting the earth. I've gone up with him a few times. It's quite nice, actually, and you wouldn't believe the view." Arcade then jumped in. "Maybe…maybe some evidence would clear this up?" he said, an interested look on his face. Mark nodded. "I agree, Arcade. Allow me to present some." He leaned over, went into his bag, and pulled out the metal briefcase. He then stood up, moved the projector over to the side, and then put the briefcase down flat on the table.

He then put a hand flat against the case. To everyone's shock, sans Amata, a blue light traversed the surface of the briefcase, until it reached Mark's hand, then went over his hand and partway up his arm, and then went back down, and receded into nothingness. Then a feminine voice emanated from the briefcase. "Identity confirmed: Franklin, Mark. Captain, Starship Zeta. Welcome back, Captain."

The case then popped open, and then he turned it around to show the others, who looked on in shock. The briefcase was cushioned, and laid on the cushioning was a weapon that was about the length of a rifle. The entire body was a metallic grey, with glowing blue lines running across a small part of the top of the weapon. It lacked a trigger guard, and the barrel was long and thin at the end.

Mark grinned at their astonished faces. "I present to you, Emergency Weapon Number One." Everyone closed in around the end of the table to get a better look. Christine reached in to grab it, but Mark yanked the case away. "Uh, uh. We look with our eyes, not with our hands." Christine withdrew her hand, and Mark put the case back on the table. "Dear lord!" Arcade exclaimed. "I have definitely never seen anything like that before." "Neither have I," Veronica said. She looked at Mark. "Mark, I apologize. You were right. This is unbelievable. That…that really is an alien weapon! I have so many questions! What is it made of? How does it work? What kind of ammunition does it use? What kind of-"

Mark interrupted her. "Veronica, calm down. All of your questions will be answered, but you need to take a breath, and give me a chance to answer them." "Sorry, Mark. It's just…this is one of the greatest finds in history! A weapon that is not of this world!" Abby had to stand on a chair to get a better look. "That is so cool!" the young girl exclaimed. Mark smiled. "I know, Abby, right?" "Well, I'll be damned," Cass said. "That is one badass lookin' weapon. Looks like it could do a lotta damage." "Trust me, Cass, you are absolutely correct on that part."

"Mark," Veronica said, looking like a child on Christmas morning, "could we um, possibly get a demonstration?" "Yes, I too would like to see how this works," Arcade added. "I will," Mark said, "but not here. Close quarters, someone else could walk in, and I don't want to wreck the vault." "I appreciate that, Mark. Thank you," Sarah said. "You're welcome, Sarah."

"Mark," Christine said, as Mark returned his gaze to her, "this…this needs to be turned over to the Brotherhood." The room went deathly silent at that, and Veronica got a panicked look on her face and started glancing worriedly between Mark and Christine. "Amata, babe," Mark said, his voice neutral and his gaze not diverting from Christine, "would you be a dear and take Abby for a walk, please?" Amata had a feeling as to why he was asking her to do that, so she got up grabbed Abby's hand. "Come on, sweetheart, we're going to go take a walk." "Aww, why? I wanna stay and look at the weapon some more!"

"You can look at it anytime you want. I want to show you some pictures." Amata gave a questioning look to Sarah, who understood what Amata wanted, and nodded. Amata nodded back, and dragged a complaining Abby out of the room, closing the door behind them. Once they left, Mark squared his body up Christine, and stared her down. "Christine, the DC chapter doesn't even know about this, and I like them. So please, enlighten me as to why I should turn it over to your chapter when, as my dear wife stated earlier today, they are a bunch of idiots."

"Mark, this tech is dangerous. This is the exact reason that the Brotherhood was created. This needs to be in responsible hands." Mark took a step towards Christine, forcing Christine to back up, only to realize that there was a wall behind her. Her claustrophobia started to kick in from a combination of Mark's proximity and the suffocating aura that he was projecting. "So, you're saying that I'm not responsible enough? That the Brotherhood are the only ones responsible enough to hold something like this?" "N…no, Mark, that-that's n-not what I meant, it's just-"

Mark cut her off. "You see, this is the problem with the Brotherhood out here. They claim to collect technology to prevent the Great War from happening again. On its surface, that appears to be a noble goal. Humanity barely survived, and another war like that could wipe out humanity completely. The problem is, that goal is a fallacy. All the damage in the Great War was done by nuclear warheads. Every country that had one likely fired every nuclear missile in its arsenal. The Great War can't happen again."

"I realized that when I learned the Brotherhood's history. It made me appreciate what Elder Lyons had done, disregarding his given orders, even more than I already had. This weapon alone cannot start a war." He paused. "When Amata and I came to the Mojave, the first person out here to mention the Brotherhood at all was Veronica. The people out here barely know that you exist. You guys hide in a bunker, waiting for everyone else to die, when in reality, the Brotherhood's end will come much, much sooner."

"You know, the old U.S. Constitution gave people the right to bear arms to protect themselves. Tell me, how does taking away a laser pistol when it is a man's only means of protecting his family help stop some hypothetical future war? I'll tell you how: It doesn't. Elder Lyons told me that shortly after he arrived in DC, he had a moment of clarity. He foresaw the path that the Brotherhood was on. If all they continued to do was collect tech and limit membership, they would be hated, and then they would just disappear like dust in the wind."

"There is a saying: "Adapt or die." Your chapter, and the one at Lost Hills, they are slowly rotting away. Meanwhile, the DC chapter is thriving. When I left, they had more people wanting to join them than they knew what to do with. The Brotherhood are not the law of the wasteland, nor its moral compass. Just because they claim to know what's best, does not mean that they actually do. It was the same thing with Colonel Autumn and President Eden. They tried to assert authority that they didn't really have." Mark then took a step back and rubbed his eyes, and then continued to speak, albeit in a much gentler tone of voice.

"Look, Christine, I get it. You were born into the Brotherhood, indoctrinated with all their beliefs, and you only know one way of doing things. It was kind of the same for me and Amata growing up in the vault, when we were told that it had never been opened and that the wastes were uninhabitable. The thing is, mindlessly following orders, never questioning them, never thinking for yourself, those are things that happen in a cult."

"Hey! The Brotherhood is not a cult!" Christine exclaimed. Mark raised his hands in a pacifying manner. "Hey, calm down. I never said they were. Just that they exhibit tendencies that one would find in a cult." Veronica jumped in. "Actually, Christine, he may have a point. Remember what we were taught? If it's in the Codex, we have to abide by it, and if it's not, it isn't important? And the Chain That Binds? "An order from a superior must always be obeyed, that their wisdom may be carried out without hesitation." I was never a big fan of that."

"Veronica! You're agreeing with him?" Christine said incredulously. Veronica rolled her eyes. "Oh, don't act so surprised. You've known me for years, and you know how I feel. Besides, if you'll recall, I'm not one of them anymore, so I no longer care about their rules or what they may think of me." Mark jumped back in. "Look, Christine, I just think that you need to learn to think for yourself, instead of automatically toeing the party line. Veronica thinks for herself, and based on what I've learned, pretty much always has. So now, instead of watching them die, she is free from rules and restrictions that were written as a knee-jerk reaction to the Great War."

"Christine, I'm not going to give you any ultimatums about choosing between them or us. I just want you to understand that the Brotherhood's way is not always the best way. All of us come from different backgrounds, whether it be vault dwellers, Brotherhood, Followers, or NCR, and we all have our own views on different things, including technology. We may not agree with each other's opinions, but we at least have to respect them, because we are a team. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" After a couple of moments, she nodded. "Wonderful," Mark said.

"Uh, Mark," came Arcade's voice from behind him, "would it be possible to, you know, um…" "You want to visit the alien ship, don't you, Arcade?" He nodded vigorously. "Very much so, yes." "Well, you are in luck, because as soon as Amata gets back, we will." After a minute or two of awkward silence, the door opened, and Amata came in, holding Abby, who seemed to be nodding off. "Mark, I'm guessing that you were planning on going up to the ship tonight, but it's late, and Abby is about ready to fall asleep."

"I'm not tired," Abby said tiredly, barely keeping her eyes open as she laid her head on Amata's shoulder. "I wanna see the aliens…" Mark checked his pip-boy. It was close to her bedtime. "And you will, Abby, but tomorrow," Mark said. "Trust me, they're not going anywhere." "Ok, daddy," Abby said weakly before closing her eyes, sleep having finally claimed her. After smiling at the sight of Amata holding a sleeping Abby for a moment, Mark said, "Sorry guys. This'll have to wait until tomorrow."

That garnered groans of disappointment, most noticeably from Arcade and Veronica. "Hey," Mark said defensively, "I want her to see it, and seeing as she is already asleep, it isn't going to happen tonight. So no complaining, or no one will get to see it." That quieted everyone fairly quickly. "Good. I'm heading back to the 38 with Amata. You guys are free to do whatever you want." He headed for the door when he remembered something. He turned back around and faced Sarah.

"Sarah, there is one more thing that I need to tell you, and it cannot leave this room. Actually, everything that I've said here today cannot leave this room, but this last bit of information especially. Ok?" Sarah looked confused and interested at the same time. "Uh, sure, Mark, no problem. I'm pretty good at keeping secrets. Go ahead." "Sarah…Mr. House is dead." At that, Sarah looked shocked. "Wait, House is dead? How? Why?" "It's a long story, Sarah, but in summation, House is dead, I'm more or less running Vegas now, and you can keep all of the caps that you make. You are family, and I'm not charging you rent, or whatever House called it."

Sarah looked at Amata. "Is he serious?" Amata nodded as she rubbed Abby's back gently. "Yup. Everything he said is true. Especially that last part. I'm sure the casinos make more than enough to cover what we would lose from what you would pay." "You could at least tell me why you killed him," Sarah said, returning her attention to Mark. "He threatened people that I care about. It's as simple as that." Sarah chuckled.

"So, do you just enjoy knocking down people in power? Because from what you told us, you seem to do that a lot." Mark shrugged. "I only strive to stop abuses of perceived power. House, Eden, Autumn, all dead, Amata's father, deposed. They're no longer in power, and everyone is better off for it. Caesar is next on my list." Mark then yawned. "Ok, I'm getting pretty tired. Goodnight, Sarah."

A short while later, they were back at the Lucky 38. "Anyone wanna join me fer a nightcap?" Cass asked as they stepped off the elevator. "Yeah, I'll join you," Veronica said. "Me too," Christine added. "What about you, doc?" "Yeah," Arcade said, "I'll pass. I want to get started on this book." "Captain? Boone?" Boone shook his head and headed towards his room. "I'll pass as well, Cass. I think I'll turn in early tonight," Mark said. "Eh, yer loss. Come on ladies, the whiskey awaits!" Cass proclaimed as they headed towards the game room.

Mark and Amata made their way into Abby's room. Amata laid her on the bed, took off her shoes and socks, and tucked her in. Mark grabbed the teddy bear that was on the ground and put it next to Abby, who unconsciously grabbed it and snuggled up to it, making Mark and Amata smile. They each gave her a kiss and then left the room.

Once they were in their own room, Mark plopped on one of the couches, Amata joining him. "Today was fucking exhausting," he said. "Tell me about it," Amata replied as she laid her head on Mark's shoulder. "But it also feels a bit cathartic, doesn't it? Now that they all know the truth?" Mark thought it over. "Yeah, you're right. I do feel like a weight has been lifted."

"You know what this feels like? It feels like that first morning we had in Goodsprings. I woke up and saw you next to me, and after admiring your beauty for a few minutes, I realized that- that we were free. Back in DC, I was the Lone Wanderer, and you were the Overseer's daughter. People had expectations for us. But out here, we were just Mark and Amata, two people looking for a place to settle down. No one expected anything of us, and it was great." Amata smiled. "You're right. It feels just like that. When I woke up in your arms, and not in a vault, it felt so wonderful."

They then lapsed into a comfortable silence. "You know," Amata said after a minute or so, "I'm surprised that Abby was able to handle all of that so well. I thought it was a mistake, but I guess that I was wrong." Mark gave her a kiss. "Well, she is a strong girl. It's something that you and she have in common."

A short while later, they were both in bed, Amata snuggled up to Mark, her head on his chest. "So, what are your plans for tomorrow, you know, besides going up to the ship?" Amata asked. "Well, I need to have a chat with Yes Man, see what House had planned for Vegas and the Mojave, go through any other relevant data, and probably just lounge around for a bit. I think that I deserve to have an easy day." "Sounds like a plan to me," Amata said. She gave him a kiss. "Goodnight, Mark. I love you." "Love you too, Amata. Goodnight." Mark turned off his bedside lamp, leaving the moonlight as the only source of light in the room.

At one point during the night, Mark opened his eyes to see the silhouette of someone very short near his side of the bed. Knowing that he would have been alerted to an intruder, and only knowing one person who was that short, he fought down his fighting instincts and turned on the lamp on his nightstand. Abby was standing there, holding her teddy bear, a slight frown on her face. "Abby, are you alright?" he asked as he sat up.

"I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you guys tonight?" It was then that Amata woke up as well. "Mark, what's going on?" she asked groggily as she sat up and covered herself with the blanket. She then saw Abby, and became concerned. "Abby, are you alright? Are you sick? Are you hurt?" "She said she had a bad dream, babe. She wants to sleep with us tonight." "Of course you can sleep with us tonight, sweetheart." Amata said. "I just need you to turn around for a few seconds."

Abby did as she asked, and then Amata went over to the dresser and grabbed a shirt for herself and put it on. She also tossed a shirt over to Mark, who put his on as well. "Ok, Abby. You can turn around." She did, and then Mark picked her up and put her in between himself and Amata, and covered her with the blanket. "Did you want to talk about your dream, Abby?" Mark asked.

Abby shook her head. "Are you sure, Abby?" Amata asked. The young girl nodded. "Ok, sweetheart, but if you ever want to talk about it, just let us know, okay?" "Okay, mommy." Amata gave Abby a kiss on the cheek, as did Mark, both of them saying goodnight. "Goodnight mommy, goodnight daddy," Abby said as Mark turned off the light.

The next morning, Mark opened his eyes and looked to his right, seeing both Abby and Amata sleeping peacefully. Abby had an arm wrapped around her teddy bear, and Amata had an arm wrapped around Abby. He smiled as he looked at the two of them. It was moments like this that reminded him of what he was fighting for. To keep them safe, so that there would be plenty more of these moments in the future.

After watching them for a few minutes, he checked the time on his pip-boy: 7:23 AM. After debating with himself for a moment or two, he decided to head down to the gym to get in a workout. He needed to get back in the habit of working out in the morning anyway. He got out of bed slowly, as he didn't want to disturb either of his girls. He went over to the dresser, got a pair of shorts, and headed for the bathroom.

"Good morning."

Mark looked over to the bed to see that Amata had awoken, although she hadn't moved from where she was. "Morning babe," Mark said quietly. "Where are you going?" Amata asked, also quietly. "Gym," Mark responded. She nodded, letting Mark go on his way. About ten minutes later, after he had taken care of his business, he came out to find the overhead light on and both Amata and Abby fully awake. Amata was sitting up against the headboard, Abby leaning back against her.

"Daddy!" Abby got up, ran across the bed and leapt into Mark's arms. Mark gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Morning, Abby," Mark said as he sat down on the bed next to Amata. "Good morning, daddy. Thank you for letting me sleep with you guys last night." "You're welcome, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?" Mark asked. "Yup!"

He looked over at Amata. "You guys didn't have to get up. It's still early. You can go back to sleep." Amata shook her head. "It's fine, Mark. We're both up at this point, so we've decided to come with you and work out. I need to get back in the habit, and I want Abby to get into a proper routine as well." Mark looked at Abby. "You wanna work out with me and mommy, Abby?" "Yeah! I wanna be big and strong, like you and mommy!" she exclaimed.

"I'm glad you have a positive attitude about it, Abby," Mark said. "It's always good to have a positive attitude when doing anything in life." "Mark," Amata said, "seeing as you're already dressed, can you go get her ready, so I can get dressed as well?" "You got it, babe." Mark stood up, taking Abby with him. "Daddy, we're going to see the aliens today, right?" Abby asked excitedly as she and Mark headed towards the door. Mark chuckled. "Yes, Abby, we're going to see the aliens today." They exited the room and shut the door, leaving a smiling Amata in their wake.

About twenty minutes later, the three of them were in the gym, Abby sitting on a weight bench (with her teddy bear, because she insisted on bringing him) while Mark and Amata stood in front of her. "Ok, Abby, are you ready to start working out?" Mark asked. Abby nodded eagerly. "Good. First, we need to see what we're starting with. Flex your muscles for me, like this." He flexed his arms, showing off his biceps. Abby copied him. He nodded approvingly.

"Okay, good. Now we gotta get psyched up. Abby, are you ready to get buff?" "Yes, daddy." Mark shook his head in mock disappointment. "No, no, Abby, you gotta do it louder, with more passion! I ask again: Are you ready to get buff?!" he asked, raising his voice, stepping closer to Abby. "Yes, daddy!" she answered enthusiastically. "ARE YOU READY TO GET BUFF?!" he practically yelled, inches away from her face. "YES, DADDY!" Abby yelled, while simultaneously trying not to laugh. Mark smiled and gave Abby a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good," he said, his voice returning to normal. The two of them burst out laughing, while Amata just smiled and rolled her eyes, muttering "man-child" under her breath.

Mark and Amata decided to do a few different things to get Abby used to what they would be doing in the future. They started with some stretches. They then moved on to some light cardio. Mark and Amata used the treadmills for the cardio, but since Abby was too small to use them, they just had her walk around the rows of machines and weight benches. In time, they would eventually work her up to jogging, and then running. Then they did some sit-ups and push-ups. They then moved on to lifting weights, Mark using a weight bench while Amata spotted for him, and then switching off. They had Abby lifting two three-pound dumbbells.

"You feeling the burn, babe?" Mark asked as he watched her use the weight bench. "Yeah, I'm feeling the burn alright," she replied. He looked over at Abby, who was sitting nearby. "What about you, Abby? You feeling the burn?" "I sure am, daddy!" She put the dumbbells down and flexed her arms. Mark laughed. "That's great, Abby. Keep it up." Abby then picked the weights back up. It was at this point that the elevator dinged. Mark looked over for a second, Boone and Veronica stepping out.

"Morning Boone, Veronica," Mark said as they got closer. "Morning," Boone said before heading over to a treadmill. "Good morning Mark, Amata, Abby," Veronica replied. "Good morning, Auntie Ronnie! I'm lifting weights!" Abby said enthusiastically. Veronica chuckled. "Yeah, I can see that. You're doing a great job, kiddo." She looked over at Mark. "Mark, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Veronica, I'm kinda busy at the moment. Can it wait?" "Actually, Mark," Amata said as she put the barbell back in the holster, "I think that's enough for today." She grabbed a nearby towel and wiped off her head. "Come on, Abby, let's go have some breakfast." Abby put down the weights, grabbed her teddy bear, and skipped ahead of Amata towards the elevator.

"Ok, so what's up?" Veronica looked over at Boone. "Can we actually do this in private?" "Uh, sure, okay." They went over to an office and shut the door. "So, I went up to the Penthouse a short while ago, you know, to have a look around," Veronica said. Mark nodded. "So, I assume that you met Yes Man?" "Yeah, I, uh, I met him. Or at least I think that it was him. He asked me who I was, but he wouldn't answer any of my questions, not even to confirm who he is."

Mark rubbed his chin. "Really? I think I may have been too specific with my instructions. I'll have to fix that later." "What instructions?" Veronica asked curiously. "When Benny had him reprogrammed, there was a flaw in his programming that made him answer questions for anyone, hence where he got his name. Once I uploaded him to the 38's mainframe, I had him self-correct it, and place restrictions on who he could answer questions for." "Well, who can ask him questions?" Mark sat down on a chair and put his hands behind his head.

"Right now? Only myself and Amata. That was probably why he asked who you were." "Do you plan on giving the rest of us access?" she asked, a trace of annoyance creeping into her voice. "Yes. Eventually." She became visibly annoyed. "Why not now? I think that we've earned your trust at this point." Mark nodded. "Veronica, I trust everyone here. Except for your girlfriend."

"What? Mark, for gods sakes, she saved your life at the Sierra Madre! How could you not trust her after that?" "I am well aware of what she did, Veronica, and I am grateful. However, I've been thinking about that. Would she have done that if her life hadn't been tied to mine?" "Wh-what? Of course she would've! How could you even think that she wouldn't?" Mark raised an eyebrow. "Are you completely sure about that? Do you remember what she was like when we first met? How she wouldn't even shake my hand?"

"You told me that she's Brotherhood to the core. That shone through last night when she had the gall to say that I wasn't responsible enough to have some fancy piece of tech. Sure, she may have understood what I said last night, but understanding something and agreeing with it are two completely different things. I want to trust her, Veronica. Sincerely, I do, but everything that's happened with her since she's gotten here is making it really fucking difficult for that to happen." Veronica chewed on her bottom lip. "Mark, I understand that she was out of line, and I let her know that last night. She can be trusted. You just need to give her a chance to prove it," she said pleadingly.

Mark stared at her for a couple of moments. "Alright, I'll tell you what. I will give you and the others access to ask Yes Man anything that you want, except for anything about the Strip's defenses or about House's satellite systems, and you cannot order Yes Man to do anything except to answer questions. But, and this is the key point here, if I find out that she asked Yes Man for information and then goes off to Hidden Valley, then she better hope that the Brotherhood still has a spot for her, because she will be declared persona non-grata, and will not be allowed back onto the Strip under any circumstances. And no amount of begging from you or the others will change that."

"What about the others? What about me?" "Amata won't betray me, and neither will Abby. I'm pretty sure that Cass and Boone won't run to the brass at McCarran, and Arcade would only probably be interested in any medical data for the Followers. The Followers are a peaceful organization who want to help as many people as possible, so I have no problem with him taking them any data. As for you, well, do you plan on betraying me anytime soon?" "No, of course not. You and the others are my family. You don't betray family."

"So, do you see where I'm coming from?" Mark asked. "A little information in the wrong hands can do a lot of damage. Christine's still a bit of an unknown quantity, and I can't risk the safety of the Strip and Freeside. Maybe in time it can change, but for now, this is the way it has to be." She stared off into the distance. "Alright," she said eventually, "I get where you're coming from." "Good," Mark said. "Was there anything else?"

She sat down in a chair next to him. "Yeah, there was one more thing. Since you gave us full disclosure about your life last night, I think that I need to disclose something to you as well. It's nothing bad. I just think that it's something that you should know. You remember when we met at the 188, and I told you that I wanted to come with you guys because there were still places in the Mojave that I wanted to see?" Mark nodded, curious as to where she was going with this.

"Well, that was true. There were places that I wanted to see, but that wasn't the whole reason I wanted to travel with you guys. That kid, the Forecaster, he may have made a prophecy that foretold your arrival." "Really?" Mark asked. "I thought that you didn't believe in that stuff." "Yeah, I did say that, but, maybe, I don't know, I didn't want to admit that he may have been right." "So, tell me, what happened? What did he say, exactly?" Veronica leaned back in her chair. "Here's what went down…"

(188 Trading Post, six days prior to the group's arrival)

It was the early evening, and Veronica was sitting on a jersey barrier, watching the various merchants and traders go about their business, a melancholic look upon her face. Oh, how she wished she could be one of them, not burdened by belonging to a failing organization. She was friendly with the merchants, and a couple even gave her discounts because she was a repeat customer. She tried to talk to the travelers that came through, to see what they thought about certain things, but none of them wanted to talk to the strange girl wearing a brown robe.

The Brotherhood had given her the unofficial title of "procurement specialist," saying that she was the best at what she did, so she needed to stay outside where she could do the most good. Veronica didn't buy it. Yes, she was the best at procuring things, but there were plenty of others who could do a serviceable job. They just wanted her out of the bunker for as long as possible, so they basically stuck her here. She wanted them to change. She had pleaded with McNamara on multiple occasions to get him to try and see that the direction that they were headed was not sustainable. It all fell on deaf ears.

"We outlasted the end of the world. We'll outlast these upstarts," he had said once. She snorted. That was a load of bull. There was no new blood coming in. No new blood meant that sooner rather than later, incest would be commonplace, and inbreeding rarely did any good for anyone, never mind highly-trained soldiers. They wouldn't be outlasting anyone.

When she had gone back to the bunker a while ago, she had been surprised that the DC chapter was in town for a visit. She had heard and read about them. They were what she wanted her chapter to be. Open to outsiders. Doing more than just collecting tech, like protecting ordinary people.

She had talked with a few of them, and the more that she found out, the more that she got the urge to request permission to join them, if for no other reason than to meet this wanderer kid that they all talked about, whom she found out was not with them. He seemed like someone that she would want to associate with. In the end, however, she chickened out, and they left in their vertibirds, seemingly taking her hopes for a better future with them.

Some days she got the urge to just up and quit, but then she kept remembering that she had no place else to go. The bunker was her home, the Brotherhood her only family. She had some caps that the Brotherhood gave her to use in case anything interesting came through, but it wasn't enough to start her own life out here, and they weren't technically hers, anyway.

Sure, she could repair things, but so could a lot of other people. Materials required to fix things cost caps or trade, and if she did choose to use the caps, they would dwindle quickly. Plus, the only thing she had to trade was her power fist, and that was her only form of protection, not to mention the sentimental value it held.

Maybe the others in the bunker were right. Maybe she should just stop trying to change things. Maybe then she would find a more welcoming atmosphere every time she went back. A few people were friendly with her, sure, but she didn't really have any friends. Not since…well, she didn't like to think about Christine a lot. It just made her heart hurt.

She needed a miracle, but no matter how much she prayed for one, she doubted that one was just going to fall into her lap. Sighing, she hopped off the barrier and started to walk to stretch her legs a bit. She wandered under the overpass where that kid, the Forecaster they called him, set up shop with his various trinkets. People claimed he could predict the future, but she didn't buy it. It was probably just a rumor the kid started to sucker people out of their caps. "A fool and their money are soon parted," she believed the old saying went. She nodded at him as she passed, with him just staring at her, which she found a bit unnerving. He was a few feet behind her when he started to speak:

"He is coming."

Veronica stopped in her tracks and turned around. "What did you say?" The kid stared at her unblinkingly, and continued to speak in a monotone voice.

"He is coming. A wanderer. The capital's reluctant champion. Born under water, he lived underground. Twice risen from the dead. He sought refuge in the desert, but forces have called upon him to rise again. He will help you find the answers that you seek. In three days he starts his journey, in three more he will arrive. A wanderer will walk again, and the Mojave will never be the same."

Veronica stood there in shock as the kid put that weird hat of his on, and started messing with one of his trinkets like nothing had happened. Eventually, she came back to earth and walked away, trying to analyze what the kid had just said.

(Present Day)

"Huh," Mark said. "That certainly could mean me when you break it down. The wanderer part, that's obvious. I was born underneath Project Purity, or under water, and I lived in a vault, or underground. I mean, I never technically died, either from the Purifier or Benny, so I didn't rise from the dead, but I was pretty close, I guess."

"Yeah," Veronica said, "I spent days analyzing what he said, wondering if the "wanderer" the Forecaster mentioned was the same one that the DC chapter had mentioned. The logical part of my brain kept telling me that it couldn't possibly be true, but every other part told me to pray like hell that it was."

"That sixth day, I watched people come through, but I never got the feeling that any of them were the guy that I was looking for. Then you came striding up the hill, and I just got the feeling that you were him. That was why I was staring at you. Then when you mentioned coming from DC, and living in a vault, and that you worked with the Brotherhood, I wanted to jump for joy. You had showed up-" "-like the answer to your prayers," Mark finished, remembering what she had told him all that time ago.

"Yeah, like the answer to my prayers," Veronica said, smiling. "You know, Sarah was right. You are incredible. Most people would've milked the hell out of all that fame." Mark shrugged. "Well, I'm not most people." He checked the time. "Did you eat yet? I'm starving," he said as he stood up. She stood up as well. "Not yet. Lead on, Captain," she said, grinning.

(Forty-five minutes later, Penthouse)

The group was gathered in the Penthouse, having just come off the elevator to find Mark waiting for them. Mark now stood with his back to Yes Man, Amata standing to his right, and Abby in front of Amata. The others faced them. "Alright, I know you're probably all excited to see the alien ship, but before we do that, we need to take care of bit of business. This is the Penthouse. Now that House is gone, any of you can come up here as much as you want. Arcade, I know that you're a big fan of books. Well, there's a whole mess of 'em in excellent condition right up those stairs." Arcade glanced up the staircase for a moment or two, then looked back at Mark.

"On the monitor behind me is Yes Man. He is the AI that Benny had reprogrammed, and he is now on the Lucky 38's mainframe, and has access to everything that House once did, including the Securitrons. Say hello to everyone, Yes Man." "Hello, everyone! Boy, it sure is nice to meet more people!" the AI said in his cheery voice. Abby giggled.

"Yes Man, these are my family and friends." He introduced everyone. "Now," Mark said after he finished the introductions, "there is a treasure trove of data on House's data banks that I have not even begun to sift through, but I believe that it will be extremely beneficial. For example, Arcade, any medical data you find can be taken to the Followers, and the machines that kept House alive are through that doorway to my right and down an elevator. Feel free to examine them at your own convenience."

"Thank you, Mark," Arcade said. "I'm sure that any information that I find will be most beneficial." "You're welcome, Arcade. Now, all of you are free to ask him any questions you want on any subject, except for two: New Vegas' defenses, and House's satellite systems." "Why not?" Christine asked, seeming a bit peeved. "Security reasons, and that's all that I am going to say on the subject. Moving on," Mark said, ignoring Christine's glare. "Yes Man, I need you to sync up with mine, Amata's, and Veronica's pip-boys, please."

"You got it, sir!" A few seconds later, the three pip-boys beeped concurrently, and Yes Man's face briefly appeared on them. "There you go," the AI said. "Now I'm just one button press away!" "Thank you, Yes Man. Now, onto the main event. We are about to go up to the alien ship." He paused, noting the excited looks on Arcade's and Veronica's faces. "What about Sarah, Mark?" Amata asked. "I'll bring her up another time. I don't want to keep bugging her," Mark replied.

"Before we go up, there are three rules that you must adhere to. One: Do not touch anything unless Amata or I say so. Two: Do not shoot anyone up there. All beings aboard that ship are friendly, and will cause you no harm. Three: Nothing, and I mean nothing, is to be removed from the ship, again, unless Amata or I say so. If anyone feels that they cannot comply with any of these rules, let me know now." He gazed around the room, his eyes resting briefly on Christine. No one answered. "Amata and I are trusting you all with this secret. Do not make us regret it." He pressed a button on his pip-boy. "Ok. They have been forewarned of our arrival. Everyone gather around. I need you to place a hand on me somewhere."

They gathered around him and did as he instructed, although someone placed a hand on his posterior, and it wasn't Amata. "Cass, could you move your hand a bit further north, please?" "Hey, ya said put a hand on ya somewhere," she said, smirking, "but if ya insist." Mark looked up at ED-E. "Sorry, buddy. I'm gonna need you to stay here. I haven't tested this on sentient robots yet." ED-E beeped sadly.

Mark looked around. "Everybody ready?" He got nods from everyone. "Good. Just as a warning, this is going to feel a little weird." He pressed another button on his pip-boy, and in a flash, they were gone.

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Until next time, and reviews are always welcomed and appreciated.