Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Apologies for the length between updates. Honestly, I just didn't feel like writing for a while. Unless I die unexpectedly, I will never abandon this story. That being said, enjoy the chapter, and reviews are welcomed and appreciated.
"Uh, run that by me again, son?" John asked, looking confused. "Yes, John, I literally lost my mind. Well, technically someone else took it and then lost it, but…you know what? Let's get out of this cold and I'll tell you everything." After Mark collected his pip-boy, the two of them made their way up the stairs. Mark closed the doors while John grabbed a couple chairs. Once they were seated, Mark explained everything that happened from the time he touched the satellite until he had released John from cryostasis.
"So, these scientist fuckers took out your brain, heart and spine?" John asked, making sure he understood what Mark had explained. "Yes, and I can't leave until I at least get my brain back." "Man," John said, "I've seen and heard some weird shit in my life, but this might just take the cake." "Yeah, that's basically my luck. So how the hell did you end up here?" Mark asked him. John leaned back in his chair and sighed. "See, the thing is, I have a heart condition, one that I passed on to my Rosie." "Yeah, a rhythm and conduction disorder. She told me about it. She nearly died from it the other day."
John looked a bit concerned. "She okay?" Mark nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. We had a cardio booster shot handy. You were saying?" "Good. Uh, where was I? Oh, right. I had heard rumors of this place over the years, how it had all these technological and medical marvels, but I never got the chance to search for it. I meant to search for it in my younger days, but something else happened." A warm smile crossed his face. "You met your wife, didn't you?" Mark asked.
John nodded. "Yeah, I did. I owned a bar in Vault City, called the Spitoon. Had to close it down for a while because I went adventuring with Jack, but eventually I came back and opened it back up." "Vault City? What's that?" Mark asked. "You seriously don't know what Vault City is?" John asked back. Mark shook his head. "I'm originally from Washington, DC. I've only been out here a few months." "How'd you-" John started before cutting himself off. "Never mind. Doesn't matter, I guess."
"Vault City's in the outskirts of the eastern part of the NCR. From what I've heard over the years, Vault City was started after a vault opened, and they used something called a GECK, I think, to help colonize the area around it. Let me tell you, they are the most stuck-up assholes that I have ever had the displeasure of knowing. Because of the vault, they had advanced medical tech, but unless you were a citizen, you weren't getting access to it."
"If you had a bar there, wouldn't you be considered a citizen?" Mark asked. "No, my place was in the courtyard, where all the outsiders lived. So anyway, I'm working the bar one night, when this woman, a tribal, knew it from the way she dressed, came in. She was the most beautiful woman that I'd ever met. She comes up to the bar, and I started to flirt with her, learned her name was Mikaela. The more I talked with her, the more I wanted to get to know her better. She said that she was only in town for a couple days, but I convinced her to stay, saying that I needed help running the place."
"Over the next few months, we fell in love, and we eventually married. I'd never felt happier in my entire life. That is, until my Rosie came along a couple years later." He held his hands close to his chest, as if he was holding a baby, and looked down at them. "Man, she was my pride and joy. A little while later, we decided to sell the place, got a place in the NCR proper."
"Why'd you sell?" Mark asked. "I also lived in that bar, had a room in the back. It was okay for just Mikaela and me, but for three, it was too small. A bar's no place to raise a child, anyway. We also didn't want Rosie to have to deal with those Vault City assholes discriminating against her. Took a while, but eventually we sold it and moved to the Hub. Used the money to buy a home, and got a job working security for the town while Mikaela stayed home with Rosie. Pay was decent, and I had my two girls with me. Life was good."
"So, what happened?" Mark asked. John frowned. "Rosie. When she was seven, we found out the hard way that she inherited my heart condition. We had a couple shots, one on me and one at the house, but that medicine was hard to find, and that meant it was expensive. I blamed myself, you know, for giving it to her. Mikaela kept telling me that it wasn't my fault, that it was just bad luck. Logically, I knew that, but the guilt never went away. I didn't want Rosie to live the way I did, having to worry if you had enough caps to buy a shot, or if there were any shots available at all through the traders."
"I-I made the hardest decision that I ever had to make." "You left," Mark said. "Yeah, I left. Couldn't even tell them to their faces. I left in the middle of the night while they were asleep like a coward. Left a note for my wife, telling her I'd be back soon with something that would help our family. Wasn't a hundred percent sure that this place even existed, or if they even had a cure, but I had to try. We'd saved up a decent number of caps over the years, and Mikaela had started working again, doing some clerical stuff for one of the caravans, so they'd be okay in the money department."
"I used what I remembered people had told me, asked people in towns I passed through, and had some sheer dumb luck, but I eventually found this place a couple months later. I hoped that there were still people working here who could help me, but before I could find out, I see this group of cyberdogs and robots heading for me. I took out a few, but there were too many. I ducked into the nearest building, which happened to be this one."
"The robots in here were still active at the time, and I was almost out of ammo, so I ran down that hatch to hide from them and to formulate a plan. I think that when I jumped in that pod, the doors closed automatically." He sighed loudly. "God, I'm a fucking idiot. Wife's probably dead, and I missed seeing my baby girl grow up. Probably thinks that I abandoned her. Probably hates me, and I wouldn't blame her."
Mark felt bad for him. All the man wanted to do was make life just a bit better for his daughter, as all parents should do for their children. His dad sacrificed his life's work so his son could live in safety, and he himself was fighting to make the world better for Abby and his future children. John had just been the victim of some extremely bad luck.
"John, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that unfortunately, yes, your wife is dead." John closed his eyes, suppressing tears. "What's the good news?" he asked. "The good news, John, is that Cass, um, that's what she asked us to call her, she doesn't think that you abandoned her." "She doesn't? Did she say that specifically?" John asked, his spirits seemingly lifted.
"Yeah, she told me that you just started walking east one day and never came back, and that you didn't abandon her or your wife. I don't think that she hates you, either. She still has that necklace that you got for her. If she hated you, I doubt she would wear something that was a constant reminder of you." John smiled. "Yeah, I suppose you have a point. I remember that necklace. Bought it off one of the traders that came through the Hub. It reminded me of her. We were going to give it to her on her eighth birthday. I would've loved to see the look on her face."
"What was she like as a kid?" Mark asked. John laughed. "Oh, she was a wild child. Always getting into trouble, picking fights with the other kids. I taught her how to fight. Told her I was proud of her when she won. Not in front of her mother, though. I never would've heard the end of it from her. I was planning on teaching her how to use my shotgun when she got older. She seemed drawn to it for some reason."
"Well, it seems nothing's changed then," Mark said. "She's still kind of wild, from what I've learned has been in her fair share of fights, and her weapon of choice is a shotgun." "Yeah, that sounds like my Rosie, all right. How'd you meet her, anyway?" "Well, my wife and I met her while she was drowning her sorrows with whiskey after she lost her caravan." "Caravan?" John asked.
"Oh yeah. From what she told us, I guess she had just become a teenager when your wife died, and for a while she did odd jobs to support herself. After a while, she decided to try caravanning, and found that she was good at it. She'd been doing it until a little while ago, until her caravan was attacked, although she wasn't with it. I did some investigating, and it turned out that the Crimson Caravan was in league with the Van Graffs, having them attack caravans so the Crimson Caravan could buy them out for a fraction of their true value."
John scowled. "Van Graffs. Had dealings with them. Scumbags, the whole lot of them. Was the situation dealt with?" "Yeah. The Van Graffs, well, the ones near New Vegas, anyway, are dead, although not by mine or your daughter's hand. There was an explosion at their store. Never figured out who was responsible for that. As for the Crimson Caravan, well, I got some dirt on them, and got them to agree to a few things with the NCR's backing." John nodded in satisfaction.
"So, what's with the name, 'Rose of Sharon', anyway? Why not just 'Rose'?" Mark asked. "I read the name in an old-world religious text. "I am the rose of Sharon, the rose of the valley," the verse went. I did consider just naming her Rose, but I liked the whole phrase, "rose of Sharon," and my wife agreed, so that was her name. Why? Do you have a problem with that?" Mark shook his head. "Nope, not one bit. Just curious."
"You said you have a wife. Have any kids?" John asked. Mark smiled brightly. "Yeah, my wife, Amata's her name, we adopted a seven-year-old girl named Abby after her birth parents were killed by raiders. Amata's also a couple months pregnant." "Little girls, they are a handful, aren't they?" John commented. Mark chuckled. "Yeah, but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world. She has made our lives a whole lot better."
There was silence for a few moments. "You know," John said eventually, "you're really easy to talk to, just like Jack was. Are you sure that you're not related to him?" "Well, having some time to think about it, it is possible. Like I said, I was born in Washington, DC, but my dad was born out here, or near the NCR, because I'm not exactly sure where this place is located. It's possible that he may be my grandfather or something like that. I honestly can't say for sure."
"Did your folks not tell you about your family?" John asked curiously. "My mom died giving birth to me. As for my dad, well, there were extenuating circumstances that prevented him from telling me about that, and he's dead now, so it's not like I can ask him." John nodded. "Well, if he is your grandfather, then you've got one hell of a lineage, kid."
"What are you talking about?" Mark asked, intrigued. John waved him off and stood up. "Another time. I think we've spent enough time talking. Let's go get your brain back so we can get the fuck out of here." Mark stood up. "You don't have to do this, you know. You still have your brain, so you can leave. I live in New Vegas. You seem like you'd be able to get there by yourself."
"Not happening, kid. I said I was going to help you, and my word is my bond. I'm helping you get out of here so you can get back to your family. Family's the only thing worth a damn in this world. We're both fathers who were separated from our families, the reasons not withstanding. I missed out on most of my daughter's life, and I'm not letting that happen to you. Besides, if you are Jack's descendent, which I'm fairly certain that you are, then I owe it to his memory to help you."
Mark heard the passion in John's voice. "Jack was a good guy, wasn't he?" Mark asked. "The best," John answered. Mark nodded. "Alright, let's go." John pulled a shotgun off his back. "How many shells you got for that?" Mark asked. John checked the gun and the pouches on his belt. "Only a couple, dammit." He then checked his 10 mm pistol. "Pistol's empty, and I'm out of extra clips.
Mark went into his bag and pulled out a couple of 10 mm clips and gave them to John. "Hold off on using the shotgun for now. I know where we can get more shells, but I need at least one of them. I'll explain and show you later. It's hard to explain without seeing it." John nodded and took the clips from Mark. "Alright, I'll take your word for it. Let's get a move on."
They stepped outside, their eyes peeled for threats. Mark saw the Sink looming in the distance, when a thought occurred to him. "You know, John, I may be able to help with your heart problem," Mark said, thinking of the Auto-Doc. "How?" John asked. "The apartment where I'm staying is in that tall building, and inside is a prototype auto-doc, more advanced than the ones currently in use, based on what I've seen of its programming. There's a good chance it can fix your heart problem."
John stared at the building. "Well, at least my search wasn't in vain, but I'll be good for now. I have a cardio booster shot on me. Figure out how to get your brain back first, then we can worry about that." "Alright, well, the first place we need to go is over there," Mark said, pointing to the X-2 Satellite Array, "for two reasons. One is that I'm hoping there's some sort of communications equipment I can use to contact my wife. The other is that one of the pieces of technology I need is up on that satellite dish."
The two of them headed over. "So where is this place anyway? Like on a map, where are we?" Mark asked. "Best I can tell is we're somewhere in northwestern New Mexico," John answered. Mark nodded. "I gotta ask, what're the stories behind the metal plate and the fake eye?" "Huh, not many people notice the eye. The plate's from when some shrapnel from a grenade grazed the top of my head. The eye was from when some bastard got lucky and stabbed me with a penknife. Don't worry about it, though. I can still hold my own in a fight."
They approached the X-2 Satellite Array, seeing another one of those red symbols on the door. They entered a short, dimly lit hallway, with another closed door at the end. Opening that door, they came face-to-face with a protectron. They both fired upon it, felling it before it could do anything to them. "On the catwalk! Twelve o'clock!" John called out before Mark looked and started firing. It fired one laser at their feet, but it quickly fell under their onslaught.
They both were silent, listening for anything else. They heard mechanical footsteps somewhere above them. "Think there's another one up there. I'll get it. You look around, see if you can find something to contact your wife." Mark nodded, and John went upstairs. Mark looked around. To his left were a couple of tables next to a broken and rusted server. To his right were some storage crates, and straight ahead he saw a working terminal on a table.
He made a beeline for it, hearing gunshots and lasers above him. Sitting down, he started to type. John came back down. "Building's clear. Looks like there's a door that leads outside, and a ladder that leads to what is likely a roof hatch." Mark nodded absentmindedly. "So? Can you contact your wife?" John asked. "Hang on one minute," Mark replied. John looked over Mark's shoulder, seeing a lot of letters and numbers that he couldn't make heads or tails of. A short while later, Mark yelled out angrily and banged the keyboard.
"What? What is it?" John asked. "This place used to be a communications building, but it was changed. All it does now is act as a central point for the radar fence that surrounds this place," Mark said. "Well, that's good, isn't it? You can bring it down," John said. Mark sighed. "No, I can't. The actual control is being routed somewhere else, and I can't figure out where. The encryption that they're using is like nothing I've ever seen before, and I have no idea how to break it."
"Well, we'll figure something else out. Let's go get this antenna thing." Mark stood up, grabbed his bag, and the two of them made their way up to the satellite dish. The dish was missing some panels, but the pieces had been filled in with blue force fields. The antenna was suspended on a platform above the center of the dish, being held up by four metal poles attached to the dish. There was also a ladder that led up to the platform.
Mark climbed the ladder to the platform while John waited below. At the top was a large metallic dish with a glowing blue ring around it. There were glowing blue wires running from that to the base, and in the middle of that was a large pole that appeared to be made out of copper with a large donut-shaped object on top of it. Mark touched one of the blue wires, finding them cool to the touch.
Did Klein expect him to lug this whole thing back to the Sink? John called out from below. "Well? What're you waiting for?" Mark didn't answer, instead touching the copper pole in the middle. He felt a pulse of energy run through him. 'Oh, so that's the antenna,' Mark thought. He looked at the base, finding a release lever. He pulled it, and the base shrank down, releasing the pole. Mark grabbed it and pulled it out. It felt about the same weight as a super sledge.
It was then that a voice emanated from seemingly nowhere. "Ah, trying to steal the X-2 transmitter array antenna, are you? You won't succeed, not if my army of robo-scorpions have anything to say about it!" The voice then cut out. "What the hell was that, and what are robo-scorpions?" John asked, looking at Mark. "That voice was Dr. Mobius, the scientist who has my brain. As for what robo-scorpions are, I'm guessing they're some kind of robotic scorpion that we're going to have to kill."
Mark tossed the antenna down to John so he could climb down the ladder. Mark then opened the hatch and looked down. Scuttling on the catwalk was what looked like a radscorpion, except that its body was metallic, painted yellow and red, and had what looked like some type of gun where the pincer would normally be. John aimed his pistol, but Mark stopped him. "Hang on, I have something in my bag that might work better." He pulled the Sonic Emitter out and aimed it at the scorpion.
Pulling the trigger, the gun vibrated slightly, the wavelength on the display grew briefly, and a beam of blue energy hit the robo-scorpion. The energy cascaded over it and sent it into a frenzy. Sparks started to fly out at random points on its body. Mark fired again, which produced a small explosion. The robo-scorpion was stilled, and after not moving for a few moments, they assumed that it was dead.
"What's that?" John asked, looking over the gun. "This is the Sonic Emitter the Think Tank gave me," Mark replied. They both looked down as they heard movement. "Sounds like we've got a couple more, at least," John said. Mark pulled out the axe and pressed the button to extend it. "You want the gun or the axe?" He swiped the axe out of Mark's hand. "I'll take that. More my speed."
They climbed down and looked over the railing. There were two more of the robo-scorpions. "Ready, John?" Mark asked. "Ha! I was born ready, kid. On three, then?" Mark nodded. "One…two…THREE!" John yelled, and they both leapt over the railing and onto the ground, each working on one scorpion. John brought the axe down on top of the robot, piercing its shell. The robot lifted its tail and shot a beam of blue energy at John, who ducked out of the way. He saw another beam of energy over near where Mark was engaging his scorpion.
Avoiding the pincers, John brought the axe back down in the same spot, and then once more for good measure, putting the robot out of commission for good. John looked over at Mark, who had dealt with his as well. Looking at the wall behind him, the energy beam had left a small, smoking crater in the wall. "You alright, kid?" John asked. "I'm good. How about you, old-timer?"
"Never better. In fact I-" All of a sudden, he dropped to one knee, held his chest, and started breathing heavily. Mark went to one knee quickly. "John, what's wrong? Is it your heart?" John nodded. "Shot…pouch…left hip," he wheezed out. Mark opened the pouch on John's left hip and found the cardio booster shot. Tearing off the cap, he injected it into John's left arm. His breath started to even out. Mark got up and moved him so he was laying back against the wall.
Mark checked the elder man's pulse, which sounded normal. He gave John a bottle of water, which he chugged. A few minutes later, John spoke. "Thanks, kid." "No problem, John. How're you feeling?" "Better." He stood up. "Come on, let's get out of here." "John, I think you need to rest some more." "Look, kid, I know my body better than you. I'll be alright." He paused for a moment. "Although I think getting to that auto-doc should be done sooner rather than later, 'cause that was my last shot." Mark nodded. "Couldn't agree more. Need to drop off the antenna anyway."
After collecting everything, Mark opened the door slightly and looked outside. There were more robo-scorpions patrolling the area. "I see at least five more of them," Mark said, looking back at John. John twirled the axe in his hand. "Well, let's go then," he replied. "Look, John, I'm not going to stop you from fighting, but at least stay here with the gun so you have cover, and I'll go out with the axe."
"Listen, kid, I said I'm-" Mark cut him off. "Yeah, I know, you said you're fine, but like you also said, that was your last shot, and more strenuous activity could give you another attack, and I probably won't be able to get you back to the apartment in time. You promised me that you would help me get back to my family, and I said that I was going to bring you back to yours. I don't want to have to tell your daughter that I found her long-lost dad, only to have him die an hour after we met because he was being an idiot. How do you think she would take that?"
John stared at Mark for a few moments before taking the gun and handing him the axe. "That was low, and you know it," John said. Mark shrugged. "Hey, whatever works. Let's do this thing." A few minutes later, the remaining robo-scorpions were dead. Collecting their gear, they walked back to the Sink without any further issues. Mark suddenly stopped as they were on the sidewalk in front of the Sink." "Why'd you stop?" John asked.
Mark had a thoughtful look on his face. "Hang on, I need to do something first." He put down everything and took out the axe. He then started carving something into the sidewalk, John keeping an eye out for any threats. "Alright, I'm done," Mark said after a couple minutes. John looked at what he wrote. There were two lines. The top said '216,' and below it, it said, 'stay away.' "Alright, why'd you carve that, kid? And what does '216' mean?" Mark looked at the sky. "I'm playing a hunch. As for what it means, well, that's a long story. Come on, let's go in."
They entered the apartment, Mark putting down his bag and the antenna. "Well, here it is. Make yourself at home. Kitchen's over there, stock with clean food and water." John looked at the auto-doc. "Can this thing really fix my heart?" John asked. "I think so, but there's only one way to find out for sure." Mark turned to the table in the center of the room.
"Wallace!" "You rang, sir?" Wallace said, John looking on in fascination. "Wallace, this is John Cassidy. John, this Wallace. He's the nerve center of this place, and no, he's not an AI. Wallace, fire up the auto-doc, please." "As you wish, sir," Wallace responded.
A voice came from the auto-doc. "Hmmph? Well, how about that," the machine said in the voice of an older gentleman, "old auto-doc's back on line. Well, come here, let me have a look at you." A small, flexible metal tube with a small black sphere on the end of it came out from the computer on the auto-doc and looked Mark up and down.
"Hmm…mutation caused by exposure to radiation, slightly elevated body temperature, and you seem to be missing your brain, heart, and spine. So, what can this old sawbones do for you?" the machine said. "Not me, doc," Mark said, "the guy next to me. He has a rhythm and conduction disorder. Can you fix it?" The tube then looked over John. "Exposure to radiation, metal plate in the skull, missing your right eye, bullet lodged in the left rectus femoris, and the aforementioned rhythm and conduction disorder. My, you certainly have a lot of problems, don't you?"
"Can you fix my heart or not, you stupid machine?" John said, getting slightly irritated, giving it a kick. "Hey, no need for violence! Of course I can. I can also graft some synthetic skin over the plate, which is fine where it is, and craft you a fully-functional synthetic eye to replace the one you lost."
John thought it over. "Alright. Fix my heart and give me the eye. Don't cover the plate; makes me look tougher. How long is it going to take?" "Oh, I estimate a couple hours, give or take a few minutes," the auto-doc responded. "You'll be okay for a couple hours?" John asked Mark. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I have some stuff that I want to do around here," Mark replied.
A few minutes later John, sans his clothes and fake eye, stepped into the auto-doc. "Alright, doc. Let's get this over with." "Don't worry, you're in good hands. Metaphorically speaking, of course," the auto-doc said. John looked at Mark and nodded, which Mark returned right before the door closed.
(1 hour later, Lucky 38)
The duo of Emily and Veronica were not having much luck with repairing the damaged satellite. There were tools scattered about, as well as a securitron that they had stripped for replacement parts, but that didn't seem to be working. They even attempted to "jump-start" the satellite by running wires to it from the securitron, but to no avail.
The two of them had gotten to talking, with Emily telling Veronica about herself and how she got the opportunity to reprogram the Securitron that became Yes Man. She had apparently also slept with Benny, who then kicked her out before she could get any useful information off the securitron. She chalked her nighttime rendezvous with Benny up to "sleep deprivation and one atomic cocktail too many."
Veronica told Emily about how she used to be in the Brotherhood, and her experiences with them. Veronica found Emily to be very witty and intelligent. She also found her to be very cute, and more than once she caught herself staring at the Followers doctor. She thought that she had seen Emily looking at her out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned to look, Emily was staring at something else, so Veronica figured that it was just wishful thinking on her part.
Currently, Veronica was elbow-deep in the satellite, while Emily continued to take apart the securitron. Veronica growled and threw the wrench she was using down to the ground in frustration. Emily looked up. "Everything okay?" she asked. Veronica started pacing. "No, everything is not okay! I can't fix this damn thing! Mark is probably stuck god-knows-where, and Amata is counting on me to find him, but I'm no closer than when I started!"
Emily came up behind Veronica and put a hand on her shoulder. "Veronica, we'll find him. From what I've gathered, he can handle himself." 'You have no idea how true that is,' Veronica thought, remembering everything he had gone through, both in DC and out here. Veronica took a deep breath. "I know, I just…it feels like I'm letting them down. I'm supposed to be the tech expert of the group."
"I mean, Mark knows his stuff too, but he's the leader and has everything else to deal with. This is what my mentor trained me to do, to figure this stuff out." Veronica couldn't help but think that Elijah would have figured it out by now. "Look, Veronica, why don't we take a break? It's lunch time, and I doubt that Mark or Amata would want you to starve yourself." Veronica sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She went to her pip-boy and asked Yes Man to bring up some food and water.
Emily walked over to the edge of the roof, looking out over the desert. Veronica joined her. "This view must've really been something back before the bombs fell. Now it's just a lot of empty space. At least there's a nice view of the mountains from here." Just then, something clicked in Veronica's mind. "Mountains…empty space…that's it!" "Uh, what?" Emily asked, looking confused.
Veronica whacked herself on the forehead. "Of course, it was right in front of us the whole time! I just didn't realize it!" She ran back over to the satellite. "Veronica, what's going on?" Emily asked, following her. Veronica pointed to the words on the satellite, which were now upside down, and on the opposite side of the access panel where they were working.
Veronica pointed to the words. "What does that say?" she asked. "It says 'Big MT,'" Emily answered. "Yes, yes it does. But what you just said about the mountains made me realize that 'MT' is an abbreviation for the word, 'mountain.' So, taking that into account, this now reads 'Big Mountain,' which sounds like a place. In all likelihood, that is where Mark is." "Uh, Veronica, I hate to burst your bubble, but we have no idea where that place is. Well, I don't anyway," Emily said.
"Neither do I, but I know how I can find out." She went to her pip-boy. "Amata, come in." No response. "Amata, come in," she repeated. Still no answer. Checking her tracker, she saw that Amata was on the ship. "I need to go to the Penthouse," Veronica said, walking to the hatch. "Wait, what about me?" Emily asked.
"Yeah, um, you can stay up here and tinker with the satellite or securitron to your heart's content, but what I'm doing involves what is effectively a state secret that only Mark, or Amata, can give permission to see. It's not up to me." "Is it really that big? Even bigger than House dying?" Emily asked. "Yeah. I'll have a securitron stay up here in case you need anything. I do appreciate your help, I really do, and I'd love to get drinks with you some time, but you aren't part of our team. More like an independent contractor."
"So you trust me with the secret of House's death, but not this one? What's the difference between that and this?" Emily said, frowning a bit. "Because if this got out, it could get people killed. If House's secret got out, the effect would be minimal. The Strip's pretty much pacified as it is with the securitrons, and the NCR and Legion are too busy fighting each other at the moment, so all their resources are currently going towards that."
"As for Freeside, Mark and Amata are good friends with the King, who already knows anyway. Like I said, minimal impact. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got business to attend to." Veronica turned back around and went down the hatch, passing a securitron that was carrying a bag that likely held the ordered food and water.
Veronica stepped into the office and faced Yes Man on the monitor. "Yes Man, first of all, leave a securitron on the roof in case Ms. Ortal needs anything. Secondly, she is not allowed on this floor. Is that clear?" "Yes ma'am," the AI replied. "Good. Now connect me to the ship." The screen went black for a moment, before showing the empty captain's chair. "Hey Tercorien, you there?" Veronica shouted.
A few moments later, Elliott came into the picture and sat down. "Hey, Veronica. What's up?" "Where's Amata?" Veronica asked. "Well, per my recommendation, she's sleeping. I knocked her out with a sedative." "Yeah, well, go wake her up. I've got a lead on Mark." Elliott looked surprised. "You do?" "Yes, I do, but I don't want to have to repeat myself, so go wake her up." He nodded. "Hang on, I'll be back in a jiffy." About ten minutes later, Amata appeared on-screen, looking to be out of breath. She sat down. Elliott stood next to her.
"Veronica, did you get the satellite working?" Amata asked anxiously. "No, we had no luck with that, but I think I figured out where he is regardless. On the satellite are the words, 'BIG MT,' I didn't think anything about it at the time, but then Emily said something about the mountains, which made me realize that-" "'MT' is an abbreviation of the word, 'mountain,'" Amata finished. "Exactly. Emily also said something about empty space, which got me thinking of something else."
"On our way back from the Sierra Madre, Christine talked about some place that she went called the 'Big Empty,' but didn't elaborate on it." "MT…empty…yeah that makes sense. Yes Man!" Amata called out. The screen split in half. "Ma'am?" "Yes Man, do you have any information on a place called 'Big Mountain?'" "One moment…yes, I do. The Big Mountain Research and Development Center, or 'Big MT,' was a privately-owned pre-war defense contractor and research center."
"Its stated goal was to build the future of mankind. However, their experiments had very little moral or ethical restraints." "Which were likely overlooked by the government because of the war," Elliott said. "Yes Man, do you know where this place is located?" the Commander asked. "It is located in the northwestern part of New Mexico. Transmitting coordinates now." Elliott left the screen.
"Coordinates received. Entering into computer…adjusting camera…got it!" "Bring it up, full screen Elliott," Amata ordered. Moments later, an overhead shot of a crater with buildings appeared. "Closer, Elliott." It zoomed in closer, showing a landscape of pipes, buildings, and pathways. "Oh, I've got a bad feeling about this place," Amata said worriedly. "Wait! I see something," Veronica exclaimed. "Elliott, zoom in, center point of the screen."
He zoomed in closer, all of them seeing something carved into the sidewalk. "216, stay away," Elliott read off. "What the hell does 216 mean?" "That's not '216,' Elliott, that's 21:6. That's the bible verse. That's Mark. He must've known that we'd figure it out eventually," Amata said, relieved somewhat. "Why would he put, 'stay away,' though?" Veronica wondered aloud. "it's not like we can get to him, right?"
On the ship, Elliott and Amata looked at each other. "Guys?" Veronica said. Amata sighed. "Veronica, we weren't completely honest with you guys. The beacons still exist." "Oh. Well, um, okay, I'm a little mad that you lied to us, but that's a good thing, isn't it? You can send me down there to bring him back." "Well, we could, but I wouldn't advise it," Elliott said. "Why not, Elliott?" Veronica asked. Amata wondered that as well.
"I've been running an analysis on the area. I am detecting similar energy readings to that of the satellite, confirming that he's there. There's also a dome of energy over the place coming from pylons running around the edge of the crater. I'm still breaking down what the dome is made of, but I can tell you that it is high level stuff, stuff I've never seen before, and it is likely what is interfering with communications."
"Also, it might be interfering with his ability to teleport to the ship, as I think he would've if he could've. The same can also be said as to why he simply hasn't walked out of the crater to contact us. If he could, he would have done it already. For whatever reason, he can't leave the crater, possibly having something to do with that energy dome."
"He's right, Veronica. We can't send you down there and risk you getting stuck there too," Amata said. "Plus, we don't know what experiments they worked on, or if any are still active. There's probably a reason he wants us to stay away." "How about you send me down outside the crater, I'll try and find him from outside of it, see what's going on, come back with any messages or requests for supplies, and then go back and help him if necessary?" "Hmm…well, a message would ease my mind a bit, but I don't want you to go in blind, Veronica," Amata said.
"Well, I'm not going in blind. We have the 'eye in sky,' so to speak." "Veronica, what's on screen doesn't give the whole story. We need more information from someone who has been there." Amata figured that Veronica was going to go in the crater regardless of what she said, so they might as well get the information anyway. Amata pressed a button, and the screen split in half. She needed to face Veronica for what she was about to suggest. "Amata, we don't know anyone else who has been there," Veronica said. "That's not exactly true. We do know one person. In fact, you, uh, you mentioned them earlier."
It took a moment, but Veronica realized who Amata was talking about. She shook her head vigorously. "No. Not only no, but hell fucking no. I am not going to her, begging for information after how we left things. I don't care. I'll go in blind if I have to." "Veronica, that's the only way we'll send you. Would I like Mark to have help? Yes, but he's survived in hostile environments alone before. It's your call."
There were a few moments of silence as Veronica thought it over. Eventually, she sighed. "Alright, fine, I'll go talk to her. I just remembered that I left some personal stuff in there that I need to pick up anyway, but I'm not walking all the way there. You guys are beaming me down." Amata nodded. "Fine with me. I'll be down in a few minutes to come get you," she said as she cleared the screen.
(Half-hour later)
Veronica, Amata, and Elliott were all in the transport room, Veronica standing on the transport pad. She had been outfitted in a set of black combat armor, and had a messenger bag slung over her shoulder, both of which had been among the things taken from Earth over the years. "You know, you're lucky that I like you people," Veronica quipped as Elliott made the final preparations on the control pad.
"Veronica, I appreciate you doing this for me," Amata said, giving her a warm smile. Veronica waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, I know. You do realize that there's a chance they won't let me talk to her, or even let me in for that matter, right? She's probably already told them that I resigned." "I know, Veronica, but we at least have to try. We ready, Elliott?" He nodded.
"Yes. Beckett has informed me that the area around Hidden Valley is clear, and the beacon has been sent. We're going to put you right outside the gates, Veronica. You're sure that there are no cameras outside?" She nodded. "Positive." "And you remember what to do with the beacon?" "Yes." "Ok. You ready?" he asked. "Not really, but needs must, so go ahead." "Alright. Coordinates locked. Beaming you down in 3…2…1." There was a flash, and Veronica was gone.
Moments later, Veronica arrived just outside the main entrance to Hidden Valley. Looking around, she saw no threats. Looking at the beacon next to her, she looked for and found a small blue button on the side. Pressing it, the beacon shrunk down, and now looked like a broken frag mine. To turn it back into a beacon, she would have to press the center where the light was, and then press the top of the beacon to take her and the beacon back. This was a recent modification and could only be used by those with fingerprints stored in the systems on the ship.
She picked up the frag mine/beacon and put it in her bag. She then made her way over to the correct door and went in. Coming to the intercom, she pressed the button. "Hey Ramos, it's Veronica. Open up." "Veronica? I thought that you- wait, hold on for a minute." 'Probably informing McNamara,' she thought while she waited. After a minute or so, the door opened. Taking this as an invitation, she went down the stairs, finding Ramos at the bottom, his face impassive.
"Hey, Ramos," Veronica said half-heartedly. "Hello, Veronica. I've been asked to escort you to the Elder's office." She simply nodded, fully expecting that. "Do you want my weapons?" Veronica asked. "You may keep your weapons," Ramos replied. Again, she nodded, and headed down the stairs, Ramos following behind her.
As they went through, Veronica noticed people staring and/or whispering, possibly as to why she was no longer wearing her robe, and where she got her hands on a pip-boy. It could also have been that Ramos was escorting her. She doubted that anyone outside of Christine, McNamara, and the various heads knew of her resignation.
Eventually the came to the Elder's office, McNamara sitting at his desk. "I have brought her as requested, Elder," Ramos said. "Thank you, Paladin. You may return to your post." Ramos nodded and walked away. After having the two knights in the room leave and close the door, McNamara and Veronica were left in an uneasy silence.
"Veronica," McNamara said, a congenial smile on his face, "I did not expect to see you again, as Scribe Royce informed me of your resignation." "Yeah, well, I had no intention of coming back here, but things changed. I only came back because I need to speak with Christine, and because I remembered that I left some personal effects here."
"What do you need to speak to Scribe Royce about?" the Elder asked. "It's personal," Veronica responded. "I'm afraid I must insist, Veronica." She scoffed. "You can insist all you want, McNamara, but I'm not telling you." McNamara frowned. "Need I remind you who you are speaking with, Scribe?" "And need I remind you that I am no longer a Scribe?" Veronica retorted. "Yes, of course, my apologies. Might I ask why you resigned, though?" Veronica pursed her lips. She could at least tell him that. Plus, she was going to say everything that she wanted to say to him over the years.
"You want to know why I resigned? I quit because I wanted to have a future." "I don't understand, Veronica," he replied, confused. "You should understand! Mark told me what you told him! You know that the Brotherhood is on a doomed path, yet you refuse to do anything about it! There is no future in watching everything around you crumble into dust! Here, and Lost Hills, you refuse to change, and you are paying the price for your stupidity!"
"Veronica, the Codex-" "Is outdated!" Veronica interrupted. "It was written two hundred years ago, and none of the rules or goals have changed since then! Look, it was written directly after a nuclear war destroyed the planet, so it was fine for that time. Things are different now. Society has reemerged. The Brotherhood is a shadow of the dominant force that it once was. Look at what happened at Helios. All that fancy weaponry and power armor was no match against the NCR's sheer numbers. If we had even half the force the NCR did, there's a chance we would have won."
"Speaking of Helios, you want to know what all those people died for? It was some stupid fucking space laser that was basically useless." McNamara looked surprised. "A space laser?" "Yeah, but don't get any ideas. It's been destroyed, and no, I'm not telling you how it was destroyed, or how I know what it was." McNamara had a hunch that she learned it from House's database, but he didn't say anything.
"Veronica, is there any way to convince you to come back to us?" McNamara asked. "No, there isn't. I've made my choice. I'm happy where I am, and I wouldn't trade it for the world." He nodded. "I didn't think so. Although, I can't help but wonder what your parents would have to say about this."
Veronica's eyes were aflame with fury. "DO NOT drag my parents into this! Elijah tried the same shit, and I fell for it!" "I assume you are taking about when you were at the Sierra Madre?" McNamara asked. Veronica wasn't surprised he knew about that. It was where Elijah died, and that was Christine's mission after all, even if she wasn't the one who killed him.
"Yes, he played me like a fiddle and it nearly cost Mark and Christine their lives! You know, I gave him the benefit of the doubt because he was my mentor, consciously ignoring the fact that the man had gone completely insane!" Tears were threating to fall. "I had no choice but to kill him. I had to kill my own mentor because I couldn't get a grip on my emotions. I'll be damned if I let it happen again."
"Would my parents be happy with my choice? I don't know, probably not. The thing is, I don't care. I am a grown woman, and I will live my life the way that I want. However, I don't think that they would have allowed me to be treated the way that I have." McNamara went to say something, but Veronica cut him off. "Don't act like you don't know, because you do. I've seen the records. The others complain to their direct superiors about me, and they complain to you. Your solution to that was to stick me at the 188, having me come back for only two days every two weeks before I'm back out there again."
"I'm also not deaf or blind. Every time I come back, I see people pointing and whispering, and I overhear people talking about me when they think I'm not around. They all think that I should just fall in line like some mindless drone. Watkins is the only one who has the balls to insult me to my face. I sort of respect her for that, but don't get me wrong, I still hate her guts."
She sighed. "You know what? Coming back here was a mistake. I'm just going to grab my stuff and leave. Despite everything that's happened, I still respect you. You always heard me out, even though you usually didn't like or agree with what I was saying. You took command after Elijah bolted at Helios and kept us from being wiped out. The funny thing is, the Codex is ensuring that you're going to end up doing that anyway. Goodbye, Elder."
She turned and headed for the door. "Veronica, wait." She turned back around. "Yes?" He smiled at her. "I've always admired your tenacity, Veronica. You are-were, the only member that I personally know to openly question the Codex. You were correct when you said that I know what is said around here, particularly concerning you. I am truly sorry that it had gotten so bad, and I am sorry that, in my attempts to keep the peace here, I failed to realize that I was further alienating you from your peers."
He paused for a moment. "There is a saying: 'Stand up for what you believe in, even if you stand alone.' The fact that you refused to succumb to the pressure and continued to fight shows me exactly what kind of person you are. In that regard, I do think that your parents would be proud of you." She smiled. "Yeah, I think so, too. I also forgive you. You're in charge of this whole chapter, so I guess some things are bound to slip through the cracks." she replied. "Thank you, Veronica. Now, as fate would have it, I was never able to have children of my own, but I have always thought of you as a pseudo-daughter, if that makes any sense."
"To that end, I will allow you to speak with Scribe Royce. Consider it as part of a gift to you and your new family, as I believe that why you need to speak with her involves them in some fashion." She figured that he knew that it involved the others. He was one of the smarter Elders that she had ever known. "Wait, part of a gift? What's the other part?" she asked, curious. He grinned. "Ah, I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say. However, I believe that you will find out in the next few days in all likelihood. Now, shall I send Scribe Royce to your quarters, or would you prefer another location?"
"Um, another location would be best, I think," Veronica answered. He nodded and went to his computer. "Let's see…Conference Room B should be unoccupied. You remember where it is?" "Yes, thank you Elder. However, I believe that I will go to my quarters first to grab my things." He nodded, stood up and approached Veronica. "I wish you the best of luck, Veronica. I will miss our verbal sparring sessions. They broke up the monotony quite nicely." Veronica smiled, as did McNamara. He then extended his right hand for Veronica to shake. Instead of shaking it, Veronica hugged him.
McNamara felt a bit awkward at first, as it had been a long time since anyone hugged him, but he did eventually return it. A few moments later, Veronica released it. She had tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, I just-I am going to miss you," she said as she wiped the tears away. "I will miss you too, Veronica." He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her, the way a proud father looks at his daughter, moisture in the corners of his eyes.
"Before you go, just let me say this: You are an intelligent and logical woman, Veronica. But intelligence and logic would have been wasted gifts without honor and loyalty. You have honor in spades, and your loyalty is truly something to behold. I am glad that you have given it to someone whom you deem worthy. I pray that your future is one that you yourself design. No matter where you go or what you do, just know that I am rooting for you."
He then spun her around 180° and lightly pushed her towards the door. "Now go. I won't keep you here any longer. Goodbye, Veronica." Veronica looked over her shoulder. "Goodbye, Elder." With that, Veronica opened the door and left the room. McNamara watched her until she was out of sight. "There goes one of the best to ever walk these halls," he said quietly before returning to his desk.
Veronica made her way to her room under the cover of a stealth boy. She had asked if there were any on the ship, which there were. She had brought one in case things got hairy and she had to get out in a hurry. She walked softly and avoided people, although she "accidentally" tripped Watkins. She really wanted to punch her, but stealth boys weren't fool proof, and she didn't want to be held and tried for assault.
She was using it because she didn't want to get accosted, especially by Christine. She wasn't ready for that yet. Her room was in a mostly-unused part of the bunker. It had been a gift from Elijah from when he was Elder for being his apprentice. She had never understood why McNamara had let her keep it, until a few minutes ago, that is. She never realized that she meant that much to him.
Arriving at her room, she deactivated the stealth boy, opened the door, and turned on the light. It was a decent-sized room, maybe between a one-third and one-half of the size of her room at the 38. There was a bed, dresser, desk, footlocker, and nightstand. People had mumbled about favoritism when she got it, but never directly to Elijah. Thinking back on it now, this was probably part of why people started, and continued, to hate her, since only the Elder and other heads got private quarters. Everyone else slept in common rooms with eight to ten beds in them.
She went in and sat down on the bed, dust flying up in the air. Back when Elijah was Elder, she would be in here frequently, tools and parts scattered on her desk, working on either whatever Elijah assigned to her or a personal project. Once McNamara took over and reassigned her to the 188, she was rarely here anymore, so now the desk sat vacant. One time she had come back to find that all her tools and parts had been reclaimed and taken back to the workshop. The explanation she got for that was that those in the workshop had greater need of them then she did.
Looking over to her nightstand, she saw three framed photos. She picked up one. It was the one of her and her parents. She had to have been ten, eleven at the time. Her father, Aaron, was a Paladin, and her mother, Grace, was a Scribe. She had decided to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a scribe as well. They had died a year or two after this photo had been taken, while they were still in California.
She had been devastated when she learned that they weren't coming back, and it took her a while to move past it. She really wished that she could remember what they died defending, but she decided that it didn't really matter. They were dead and weren't coming back. She sighed. Things were so much simpler back then. She put the picture in her bag and picked up another one.
It was one of her and Elijah, taken shortly after she had formally been inducted as a scribe when she turned sixteen. Looking at it, the phrase 'ignorance is bliss' came to mind. Thinking back over the years, she could now see that how Elijah acted at the Sierra Madre was his true nature. He had just been able to hide it better back when he was Elder. It had come out occasionally, but she had written it off as eccentricity. Years of isolation, and possibly dementia, had eroded his ability to mask it.
She scowled, and tears started to fall as well. "You screwed up my life, Elijah. You took Christine from me. You abandoned us…you abandoned me. Then McNamara stuck me at the 188…I was so lonely. So, so lonely." She let out a yell and flung the picture against the opposite wall, wood and glass shattering upon impact. "Though, now that I think about it, if you had never left, I would've never met Mark, or Amata, or Abby, or any of them."
She smiled. "I would've never been able to truly help make a difference in the world. Would've never had the courage to leave the Brotherhood. No, I take it back, Elijah. You made my life better by leaving. It just took a while to get to that point. But I still know of the crimes you committed, starting with desertion at Helios, ending with those deaths you caused at the Madre. I hope you rot in hell for your crimes, you old bastard."
After taking a moment to collect herself, she picked up the last one. It was one of her and Christine, also after her induction. Shortly after her parent's deaths, Elijah had been sent to the Mojave to assume command of this chapter after there were a series of ineffective Elders. He had taken a small contingent, her included, with them. It was there she met Christine, and they became fast friends.
When they discovered that they liked each other in a romantic way, things became even better. They knew that homosexual relationships were considered taboo in the Brotherhood, but the chance of being discovered had made the sex even hotter. This room had been where most of the encounters had taken place, as this area of the bunker was rarely traversed. Eventually, they were found out and she left. Finding her at the Sierra Madre was shocking, to say the least. It gave her hope that they could pick up right where they had left off.
She tried, wanted to make it work, but all of Christine's actions since finding her had shown her that they were now incompatible. She had hoped to put Christine and the Brotherhood in the past, but Christine was the only one with the information that she and Amata needed. She laid the picture face down on the nightstand. She didn't want to take it with her as a constant reminder, but she wasn't angry enough at her to throw it at the wall, either.
She then got up and went around the room, collecting her belongings. Those included some clothes, books, a few trinkets, and a journal she had kept that held her thoughts of the people that had come through the 188, and just on life in general. She usually had it on her, but she had forgotten it the last time she had gone back to the 188. Once she was done, she looked around, her eyes settling on the broken picture of her and Elijah. She shook her head and turned off the light. It was time to get this meeting with Christine over with so she could get the hell out of here.
She made her way to Conference Room B, the door already open. Inside was a long wooden table with chairs surrounding it. On the far end of the table was a projector, and standing near that was Christine, who was looking at the wall. Veronica shut the door, causing Christine to jump slightly and turn around. "What's going on? I was told to wait-" She cut herself off when she saw who had come in. "Veronica?" she said breathlessly. "Hey, Christine," Veronica replied, her features steeled.
"I-I had heard people saying that you were here, but I didn't believe them. You've changed your mind, haven't you? On me and the Brotherhood. Oh, Veronica, that's great! I knew you'd come around!" She smiled brightly and headed towards Veronica, intent on hugging her. "Stop, Christine," Veronica said. She stopped, now noticing Veronica's rigid posture.
"I'm not here to rejoin the Brotherhood or get back together with you. I think I've made my views on both matters perfectly clear." Christine visibly deflated. "Then why are you here?" she asked. "Two reasons: One, I forgot my stuff. Two, you have information that I need. Urgently." Christine was curious. "Information on what?" "I need information about the Big Empty."
Christine tensed up. "Why-why do you need information on there?" "Because a satellite crashed into the roof of the 38 this morning, and Mark touched something on it and was teleported somewhere. Based on the satellite markings, we believe that that's where he went, so tell me about it," she said, taking a seat. Christine sat down next to her. "Why do you want to know? That place is in New Mexico. It'd take weeks for you to get there."
"Amata wants to know, that's why. If you care about her, you'd tell me." She didn't need to know that they were possibly attempting a rescue mission using alien technology. Christine though it over for a couple moments. "Okay, but I want something in return." "What do you want?" Veronica asked. "I want a kiss."
"No," Veronica replied immediately. "Yes. Just one kiss. If you don't feel anything, I'll drop the matter of our relationship completely." Veronica mulled it over and realized that it didn't matter. She was leaving anyway, and Christine was stuck here. Besides, she was still banned from the Strip in the event that she too quit the Brotherhood, which Veronica viewed as highly unlikely.
"Ok, fine, but only one brief kiss, and you get it after I get the information, not before." Christine nodded. Veronica took out her journal and a pen. "Start talking." Christine recounted her experience at the Big Empty, telling her about the creatures, facilities, and the other man she had met who rescued her. Veronica made sure to take detailed notes. "That's everything that I know," Christine said after a good fifteen minutes.
Veronica stood up, put her journal in the bag, and slung it over her shoulder. Christine stood as well. "I held up my end of the bargain. Now you hold up yours." Veronica sighed. "Alright." Veronica leaned in, and Christine puckered her lips. Their lips met, holding it for a few seconds. Veronica pulled away, Christine looking hopeful. Veronica shook her head. She had truly felt nothing.
Christine frowned. "Nothing? Really?" "Really. Nothing. Goodbye Christine." Veronica went to walk through the door, when she stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Did you tell McNamara about House or the ship?" "No," Christine said. Veronica shook her head and chuckled humorlessly. "You always were a horrible liar, Christine," Veronica said as she left the room. Once outside the bunker, Veronica put the beacon down, re-enlarged it, pressed the button on top, and in a flash, she was gone.
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. If you haven't figured it out yet, Jack is the Chosen One from Fallout 2. I do realize that canonically, the events in Fallout 2 happen in 2241, and as James was listed as born in 2226, it would make Jack being Mark's grandfather impossible. However, this is a fanfiction, so I can alter things if I so choose. If you don't like it, that's fine. I know I can't please everyone. On another note, part of McNamara's final words to Veronica were taken from the ending cutscene in "Ratchet and Clank: A Crack In Time," as part of a message from Orvus to Clank. I altered a few things that didn't directly carry over, but the premise is basically the same. For those that haven't played it, or have and need a refresher, watch it on YouTube. It was the best part of the game in my opinion, and made it well worth going through the game. Until next time, and reviews are welcomed and appreciated.