บท 553: Stormin
Tamia pulls the collar of her Deathclaw leather duster up as she, Boone, Josie, and Dogmeat march through the heavy desert dust storm. It'd been a while since she'd been forced to endure one, but it just refreshes how much she hates it. It's fortunate she'd anticipated this and brought along goggles and a thin scarf to shield her face.
Suddenly, she points ahead of the group at the faint outline of a cabin in the distance, "Look! Let's wait out the storm in there!" she shouts to her companions over the storm. Boone and Josie just nod in compliance and follow her as she leads them towards it, all of them having already gotten their weapons out in case the cabin was inhabited.
Fortunately, it seems to have been long abandoned, left to collect dust in the desert sun. There wasn't anything inside apart from some leftover trash, Dogmeat almost leaps inside and starts rapidly sneezing, trying to get the dust from its nose and mouth.
Boone checks the place for traps but doesn't find any, allowing the group to sit around and relax while they wait the storm out...
Tamia sighs at this though, the storm probably increasing the amount of time it'll take to reach Jacobtown by a day or two at least depending on how long it lasts.
She and the other's had watched over Novac for a couple days while Afton was gone, but plans changed when he didn't return at the expected date. She'd only left to do this because she was bored waiting around, yet, now here she was waiting for a dust storm to end... Is this Karma?
Tamia figured that she was better off trying to complete the task House had set for her instead of 'House sitting' as Afton had called it. Though, she hadn't expected Boone and Josie to invite themselves to go with her, even if it was appreciated... One didn't just walk into heavily contested Supermutat/NCR territory alone without troubles... Be it raiders, bored troopers, or even worse, bored AND hungry Supermutants...
She felt that she was a competent person, but that didn't mean she could actl like Afton and stroll around as if a bullet to the face would only annoy him. Urgh, she really needed to learn how to use Power armour... She'd force Afton to teach her once he was back.
Fortunately, Glados had sent Dogmeat with them, allowing them to teleport back should they bite off more than they can chew. It wouldn't be a quick escape, but it'd save them if they were trapped or something.
The group wait there for a couple hours and eventually the dust storm peters out, allowing the group to continue forwards. Tamia leaves the cabin and looks in the direction of Jacobstown... Only to stop in place and gape up at the sight before her...
A large mountain range towered before her off in the distance, with snow-tipped peaks and large amounts of foliage indicating the drastic change of the biome. The path ahead was clear, with sand fading into dirt that was speckled with grass and bushes, and further head with large pine trees.
Tamia rubs her eyes and glances at her companions, Boone was the only one who didn't seem affected by the sight, but she couldn't tell if that was because he always looked like that, or if he actually knew something. Regardless, she'd ask anyway, "What's with the big change in scenery!?" she exclaims, jabbing a finger at the dramatically different territory.
Boone just shrugs, "Snow atop the mountain melts, water flows down and helps plants grow. What's there to say?"
"I didn't hear about this... I thought Jacobstown would be like every other town in the Mojave!"
Boone sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose, "Well, it's not... You ever wondered why the NCR needs a presence here? It's because they can't risk the Great Khans or Supermutants gaining control over the whole area... It's too fertile and defensible compared to the rest of the Mojave. Even General Oliver isn't dumb enough to try and march an army up a mountain after all..." he states.
Tamia just shakes her head, feeling as if House or Afton should've warned her about this... She would've at least packed some better clothes if she'd known. She sighs and continue walking again, "Whatever, let's just go... Urgh, this is gonna be hell on my legs." she mutters as the ground slowly starts to get steeper
Thus begins the long-ass hike up the mountain path, it's relatively easy to stay on track as the yellowish grass was well worn and likely led to an NCR encampment or a camp of Great Khans. Despite the massacre of Khans that occurred at the Hidden Bunker, and the NCR efforts to utterly annihilate them from the Mojave, the Khans were still around... If a bit flighty due to the sheer amount of people targeting them.
The NCR had actually raided the Red Canyon and wiped out a good portion of them, leaving them scattered and unorganised. Though, it wouldn't be surprising to find that they've completely relocated from Red Canyon to Mount Charleston.
The only reason they used the Red Canyon in the first place was due to its maze-like structure, and fantastic placement for trading... They weren't the biggest producers of Chems in the Mojave for no reason after all... Well, former-biggest producers...
Anyway, after around forty minutes the group finally managed to reach a plateau that was covered with a thick forest of pine trees. A chilly wind blows past them, causing the group to shiver slightly... The Mojave sun was still beating down on them, but the wind had certainly picked up compared to before...
As they're about to step into the plateau however, they're stopped by a voice in the distance, "You will stop, or I. WILL. SHOOT. YOU. D'ya understand!?"
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บท 554: Lead Trader
The trio looks at one another with furrowed brows before quickly jogging over towards where the sound had originated. Which wasn't all that difficult considering it was literally just ahead on the path they were on.
The group ran between the trees and eventually reach a clearing that held an NCR waypoint, small chain fences restricted a good part of the area, but not by much... It looked more to stop caravans trying to avoid the waypoint, Tamia couldn't blame them either considering the sight before them...
A caravan pulled by a Brahmin had been stopped in front of the NCR encampment and a ranger wearing shades was pointing his revolver at the trader's head... The bodyguards looks conflicted and didn't seem willing to act either with the other NCR troopers pointing their rifles at them.
"S-sir, I need to take my goods or-" the trader stutters out but the NCR Ranger just presses his revolver into his forehead. "OR WHAT? I tell you that you can't, and I got my gun pointed at your head. You think you can weasel your way outta this motha-fucker?"
"B-but my livelihood!" the trader continues, clearly unwilling to be threatened into compliance.
The ranger scowls and pulls the hammer of the revolver back, *Click!*, "Your livelihood!? Bitch, I'll take your life! Don't fuckin' play with me!"
"Y-you can't do this! THE NCR CAN'T DO THIS!"
*Smack!*
The trader gets pistol-whipped and falls to the floor and the ranger crouches over him, "Well, I ain't the NCR, and I do what I mutha-fuckin' want." he glances to the other troopers, "Get his bitch-ass off the ground, I need'ta hit'em again." he states, turning around and lighting a cigarette as his men get to work.
Josie looks horrified at this while Tami and Boone just scowl, all of them had seen corruption before but this kind of blatant abuse of power had them reeling. The trader had finally been pulled to his feet, but before he could be hit again Tamia had finally had enough. "Boone, Josie, cover me. Dogmeat, with me." she states and walks out of the treeline towards the group, Dogmeat following by her side.
The NCR soldiers quickly notice her and the ranger puffs some smoke with an intrigued look, "Well, what do we have here? You lost little lady?" he chuckles.
Tamia's stern face relaxes and she slowly nods, "Y-yes... I've followed this path for hours but I have no idea where I am..."
The ranger grins, "Well, maybe I can keep you company and show you the map. Good thing you found us, you'd either freeze or starve up here alone." he says and begins to walk towards her before being stopped by a trooper. He looks down at them with a scowl, "You gotta problem, soldier?"
The soldier gulps and nods, pointing at Tamia anxiously, "Look at her coat... Didn't command describe something like that?"
The ranger raises a brow and focuses on Tamia's coat, eventually spotting the Bulwark insignia on her chest. "Huh, a shame, you were cute, but Commies only get one end." he states while pointing his revolver at her.
*BAARK!*
Before Tamia's even able to move, Dogmeat barks, sending a sonic blast at the group, flipping over the caravan and flinging all the soldiers into the air, some losing their rifles while others manage to keep hold of them. The Ranger is hit the hardest due to being at the front, losing his revolver and being flung so hard at the wooden cabin behind him that *Cracks!* ring out.
*Bang!BangBangBang!*
Shots begin to be fired from the treeline, some hitting, some not. But the sudden firefight causes chaos in the NCR's ranks regardless. The caravan guards who'd been held at gunpoint had start moving as well, using the upturned caravan as cover while shooting the troopers.
*BAANG!*
A loud shot rings out as a .50 cal bullet shoots directly at the ranger embedded in the wall, it hits and blows the man apart, punching a large hole in the cabin behind him as well. The ranger looks down at his wound before raises his head, "Mutha-fucka..."
*Thud*
Seeing their commanding officer instantly killed like that certainly had an effect on the remaining troopers, causing a few to flee while others surrendered... The caravan guards weren't willing to be merciful however and simply mowed them down with a barrage of bullets.
Once the dust was settled, Tamia, Josie, Boone and Dogmeat walks towards the caravan, the former giving a small wave towards the trembling trader, "Hey, you alright?" she asks.
The man sheepishly nods, "Y-yeah... I-I just didn't expect to make enemies with the NCR today... It's... It's very, very unlucky." he mutters.
Tamia scoffs and looks towards the pile of dead troopers, "What're you even doing up here that you'd risk your life for?"
The man shrugs, "I... I may have made a bad business decision... Are you aware of the supermutants that live up here?"
Tamia nods, "Yeah, Jacobstown." he states.
The man gives a dim smile, "Well... I thought this was my opportunity, there was a merchant selling irradiated food for almost no caps at all, so I bought the lot to sell to the Supermutants... They are the only people aside from Ghouls who can actually eat them... I never expected the NCR to threaten me like this..."
"What did they want anyway? Didn't seem like they stole anything?" Josie questions from the side.
The man shakes his head, "They didn't steal anything, but they seem to be stopping any caravans heading for Jacobstown... If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were trying to starve the town out."
Boone nods, "Wouldn't surprise me, NCR has used similar tactics before..." he muses.
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