“You know, they were just old men,” Cass says as they walk through the gate to Jacobstown. Veronica sighs. It is a conversation they’d been having the entire way back. One Veronica was being to hate.
“Cass, I know. It’s just that even old men can be hard and unforgiving. They, the ghoul especially, were interested in Courier.”
“Yeah? A lot of people are interested in Courier. She’s raising some kind hell around here,” Cass comments, leaning down to pick up some snow, letting it fall from her fingers. Veronica watches the snowflakes that melt cling to Cass’ hand.
“Courier has enemies. Enemies she’s too sick to deal with,” she says. “Something just didn’t sit right with me. I’m sorry.” Cass shrugs.
“Don’t apologize to me. I ain’t mad. Besides, it’s a small wasteland. We’ll see them again.”
“No more lies!” The voice is quiet but insistent. It isn’t full of rage, bit a resigned sort of sorrow. They look over to see a familiar flash of a red beret against the snow covered trees. Courier is leaning against one, looking sicker than she did when they left. She’s smoking a cigarette, and stifling her coughing. Veronica makes a move to move toward them, but Cass grabs her arm.
“Wait a minute, kid,” she murmurs. “We should probably go inside.” Veronica looks up at her, and Boone’s soft voice drifts to the through the quiet and cold air.
“You screamed about someone named Autumn, and Charon. Tore the room apart looking for your plasma rifle. No more lies, Catherine. ” Courier sighs, her head leaning back to look at the sky.
“You deserve that much, don’t you? What do you want to know?” she asks.
“Everything. Who are you? Enclave?” he demands. She scowls at the mention of the Enclave, and shakes her head.
“The Lone Wanderer,” she answers. Boone tilts his head, surprise blossoming over his face.
“What?”
“I’m on the radio.” At the blank look Boone gives her, she says, ”You know, ‘Helllooooooo chiiiiiiildren, it’s Three Dog, and I’m here to tell you about that kid from Vault 101!” As soon as she finishes speaking, she closes her eyes. “Hell. This isn’t the Capital Wasteland. Sorry. I’m the Lone Wanderer, Catherine Neil. Honorary Brotherhood Paladin, and scourge of the East Coast Enclave.” She lifts a necklace chain out of her shirt to reveal glittering holotags. “Now I’m Courier, and I’d prefer to keep it that way.”
“You’re Brotherhood?” Veronica and Boone ask at the same time, one sounding excited and the other betrayed. She nods. Cass eyes her warily.
“What in the hell did we miss while we were gone?”
Keep Your Composure 21/?
“Cass, I know. It’s just that even old men can be hard and unforgiving. They, the ghoul especially, were interested in Courier.”
“Yeah? A lot of people are interested in Courier. She’s raising some kind hell around here,” Cass comments, leaning down to pick up some snow, letting it fall from her fingers. Veronica watches the snowflakes that melt cling to Cass’ hand.
“Courier has enemies. Enemies she’s too sick to deal with,” she says. “Something just didn’t sit right with me. I’m sorry.” Cass shrugs.
“Don’t apologize to me. I ain’t mad. Besides, it’s a small wasteland. We’ll see them again.”
“No more lies!” The voice is quiet but insistent. It isn’t full of rage, bit a resigned sort of sorrow. They look over to see a familiar flash of a red beret against the snow covered trees. Courier is leaning against one, looking sicker than she did when they left. She’s smoking a cigarette, and stifling her coughing. Veronica makes a move to move toward them, but Cass grabs her arm.
“Wait a minute, kid,” she murmurs. “We should probably go inside.” Veronica looks up at her, and Boone’s soft voice drifts to the through the quiet and cold air.
“You screamed about someone named Autumn, and Charon. Tore the room apart looking for your plasma rifle. No more lies, Catherine. ” Courier sighs, her head leaning back to look at the sky.
“You deserve that much, don’t you? What do you want to know?” she asks.
“Everything. Who are you? Enclave?” he demands. She scowls at the mention of the Enclave, and shakes her head.
“The Lone Wanderer,” she answers. Boone tilts his head, surprise blossoming over his face.
“What?”
“I’m on the radio.” At the blank look Boone gives her, she says, ”You know, ‘Helllooooooo chiiiiiiildren, it’s Three Dog, and I’m here to tell you about that kid from Vault 101!” As soon as she finishes speaking, she closes her eyes. “Hell. This isn’t the Capital Wasteland. Sorry. I’m the Lone Wanderer, Catherine Neil. Honorary Brotherhood Paladin, and scourge of the East Coast Enclave.” She lifts a necklace chain out of her shirt to reveal glittering holotags. “Now I’m Courier, and I’d prefer to keep it that way.”
“You’re Brotherhood?” Veronica and Boone ask at the same time, one sounding excited and the other betrayed. She nods. Cass eyes her warily.
“What in the hell did we miss while we were gone?”