Fallout: Storm Over The Mojave

[Flipout6]

Jason took off his sunglasses to look the girl in the eyes, because nobody, especially not children, were around someone who covered their eyes during introductions, it sent the message that they had something to hide. As true as that might be for Jason, he didn't want to intimidate the child any more than he probably already would. He found it somewhat amusing that he mentally referred to her as a child, she was perhaps 10 years younger than him at the most, she looked around 14 or 15 years old, when Jason himself was 24. A young age for a Paladin, perhaps, but when you survived long enough fighting Super Mutants in DC to be alive for the higher ranks to consider you for the position you got promoted faster than you might elsewhere. Despite his attempt to not scare the child, she still hid behind Greebo. Jason put his sunglasses back on.

 

"Okay." He said simply, in response to the protection contract. "I'll clean my guns. Tell me when we're going." He pulled a chair from inside the garage out to the front of the fort, in reality keeping an eye out for any NCR trooper following Veronica. If it was discovered that the Brotherhood still had a prescence in the Mojave the results would be disastrous. Of course he also cleaned and maintained his revolver and shotgun. They were in great shape already, but he was going to keep it that way.

 

In the distance he could just barely see Veronica heading back to the 188, with nobody following her at the moment. He supposed that it would be far too conspicuous for them to do so. Jason continued to watch for anything suspicious, members of the Brotherhood had to look out for each other, Jason had learned that the hard way....several times.

 

Guardian nudged his hand with his nose. Jason half-smiled for a second and rubbed the dog's head and scratched its chin. Eventually Guardian rolled onto his back. Exasperated, Jason rubbed his beloved dog's stomach as well. It probably looked comical, the cold regulator petting a grinning dog.

Edited October 28, 2012 by Flipout6

[mythicdawnmaster]

The burning hot sun of the Mojave beat down like plasma bolts on the little encampment. It was a makeshift base for a bunch of good for nothing criminals, thieves, rapists, murderers, all types of scum huddled around it's camp-fire at night, and sat relaxing in the day. There leader, a large pig of a man named 'Brass-knuckle Bill', sat gleefully in his home, a shack made of corrugated metal, with a wooden picket for a door. His friends sat with him at the circular table in the centre of the one-story house, laughing and joking with some cards and a drink. Each smoked a cigar, and had a bottle of whiskey in there hands.

 

"Hey George, how 'bout we go get ourselves a B*tch tonight eh? 'S been a while since i've had some action know what 'a mean?" said a rake for a man named Freddy.

 

"I'm spoilin' for a good time too... what ya say boss?" he enquired.

 

"Uhh, i dunno boys, rumour has it 'The Sheriff's' been snooping around here, they say she's comin' after crooks in these parts... And ya heard what she did to Snake-eyes, made 'm shoot im'self with his own gun!" Bill exclaimed.

 

"Snake-eyes was a coward boss, i doubt she had to even push 'im... if she does come lookin, we can have a good time with here ehehe!" Freddy laughed, which followed by the rest of the group doing so."

 

But Bill still wasn't sure if they could be confident, The Sheriff had a reputation for being brutal. "Just... be on 'ur guard boys, she's a damn fine shot from what I heard, and if her revolvers don't get ya, her shotguns will."

 

"nah, i think your just worryin' 'bout nothin boss, you know how rumours are all mixed up and all, chances are, the Sheriff ain't even a chick!" The men burst out into fits of laughter once again, and continued on with there game.

 

Outside the camp, The Sheriff stood with one hand on her holster, and the other by her side, she looked into the camp with her eagle-like gaze, and saw through the glassless windows of Bills shack the men laughing over a game. "I spy with my little eye... a dead motherf***er named Bill... and Freddy... and George." She said quietly to herself with a smile. These men were all wanted for a fair amount of caps each, Bill of course being the largest bounty; and the largest man. He was named "Brass Knuckles" not because of any melee weapon worn on his knuckles, but because he could it a man so hard he killed em there and then. Or so they said. The Layabouts in the camp wouldn't prove any kind of Challenge for Sheriff, she could gun them all down before they got up or reached for their pistols. Which was exactly what was about to happen.

 

The Sheriff quickly drew Love and Peace, and cocked the barrel of each with her thumbs, she strode through the camp, and as soon as she was noticed by the various criminals who were either lying on the ground, or sitting in wooden chairs, she shot them dead. Before a single one of them had a chance to pick up their pistols, they were all dead.

 

"what the f***?!" Bill wailed, looking out of the window to see the purple-clad Sheriff advancing on the shack, all of his men being shot dead before they even had a chance to defend themselves. "Arm yourselves boys! The Sheriff's here! And she sure as hell's a chick!" He ordered, and Freddy and George armed themselves with the rifles that sat near the door. The took cover by the window, and fired shots at The Sheriff.

 

As soon as the rifles fired, Sheriff was in cover behind a large rock on one side of the camp, she suddenly leaned, and fired a shot, which blew the head right off of Freddy, who himself had leaned out of the window to take a shot at Sheriff. "s***!" Remarked George, moving back into cover again.

 

"Give it up now bill! You're a dead man and you know it!" Sheriff shouted aloud, reloading Peace, which had fired the most shots.

 

"f*** you prostitute! No-one messes with Brass-Knuckle Bill!" The disgusting man shouted, firing a number of shots Sheriff's way with his pistol, each just hitting the rock.

 

"Boss! She's gonna f***ing kill us! She blew Freddy's head off for christs sake!"

 

"Calm the hell down will ya!! She'll die alright!" Bill demanded in his gruff voice. George was still unsure, but followed up a few more shots in Sheriff's direction.

 

"Well, this coulda been easy for you two a**holes, you could have at least died with dignity. Well, to hell with ya both!" She exclaimed, and spun around from the rock, firing every shell she had in Hate, the pellets shredding the shack to pieces, the bullets easily penetrating it's weak material.

 

"Gahh!" George screamed as the pellets tore through the wall, and embedded themselves into his back and legs, he fell to the ground and died choking on his own blood. Bill too was hit, but only one side of his body was put out.

 

"Ughh!" He groaned, sitting up against the table. Sheriff burst through the flimsy door, and gave a smile. "Well Bill, have a nice time in hell." She said with a smile, reloading her shotgun, and taking aim for his head.

 

"No! Don't I" Boom. Bill's head exploded in a bloody mess as his brain matter was spread like jam all over the table.

 

"Guess what? I just did." Sheriff said with a smile, putting her shotgun away. She got to collecting the fingers of all the crooks in the camp, and then made her way back to Regulator HQ.

 

Upon arriving, Sheriff saw a newcomer outside with his dog, but didn't pay too much attention, she pushed open the doors to the main building, and stepped inside. She got admirable looks from the other Regulators, and approached the main desk. She poured the bag of fingers out onto the counters, and collected her bounty for Bill and his gang. 1000 caps for the lot of 'em. It was a job well done.

 

She lit herself a fine cigarette, and grabbed a glass of water, she turned around, and noticed a red-clad ghoul standing next to what appeared to be just a child. Early teens at the very most. She walked over, an eyebrow raised, and asked inquisitively "Say,What the hell brings a pup like you to the regulators?" Sheriff blew out a puff of smoke, her sharp gaze looking from the ghoul standing next to her, and the girl.

Edited October 29, 2012 by mythicdawnmaster

[Macman253]

Jace awoke, his leg was bandaged and his armor was sitting on the table across from his bed. An elderly woman was tending his cybernetic arm with a wrench and torch. She looked over at his Enclave tattoo on his neck, a requirement for every Enclave Special Operations Team member.

 

Jace stirred and sat up alittle, his cybernetic arm was removed and sitting on the table next to his bed where she worked. She was older, time had worn away her beauty but her technical knowledge stunned him.

 

"Your armor isn't like any of the Mark Two's or Mark Four's I've seen before...Specialist." She said as he sat up in the bed.

 

Jace smiled, "Yeah I liberated it from Adams..."

 

"John Henry Eden huh? How was it working for a machine?" She asked as she finished attaching the plate to the arm.

 

Jace laughed, "I never took to taking orders from a toaster..." He said as he slid out of the bed, his leg was patched up and bandaged.

 

"Specialist Jace Winters, you are?" He said, extending his hand.

 

"Daisy Whitman, Warrant Officer." she said as she took his hand and shook it.

 

Jace stood and walked lightly over to his armor and inspected it, he noticed she added more armor plating and some other various devices. "My armor you've upgraded it?" He asked and turned to her.

 

She smiled and nodded, "I gave you a energy recycler that you can attach drained cells to and it will charge them from your power-pack. It also has hardened armor plating from the Mark Two, makes you more ballistic resistant but doesn't sacrifice maneuverability. I noticed your weapon was broken too so I built you something...Made it from a .357 revolver, your plasma defender and a Recharger Pistol. I call it the M-2081 but I like to call it "Omega", its a recycling plasma pistol. It charges one shot per half second and has ten shots. You can fire all ten for a supercharged or "Omega Shot" but it doubles the charge time, tends to override the circuits." She explained as he picked up the unique pistol and thumbed the charge switch, the weapon hummed to life and he smiled.

 

It had perfect balance and fit into his hand like it was made to be his weapon. She stood up and waved him over. "Lets put your arm back on..." she said as he put the pistol into its holster and walked over to sit on the bed.

 

She picked up the arm and stuck it into its socket on his torso, he felt the sharp pain course through his body as the receptors in the arm engaged his brain. She latched the arm to the torso mount and activated it. He moved his fingers around and felt comfortable the arm was functioning properly.

 

Daisy washed her hands in the sink to get the oil off, "I saw that the damage around your Socket was done by explosion...what happened?" She asked. Jace normally didn't talk about it but she patched him up and helped him a lot so he felt he owed it to her to answer her questions.

 

"I lost it flying a Vertibird away from Adams, I had gotten my family to the Vertibird and stole that suit. We were about fifty miles from Edwards when a anti-air missile locked on and struck us, they died in the explosion and I lost my arm. I guided her over the border and crash landed in California." He explained as he got familiar with his new and improved arm.

 

Daisy smiled, "I see, what happened after that?" She asked as she cleaned her tools and listening intently. Jace shrugged and continued. "The President spoke with me and granted me asylum under the condition that I train a select number of their Rangers in the Enclaves tactics and the use of Power Armor. They took my armor and copied it, They called them Elite Rangers...they were made to battle the Brotherhood. It all went well during the NCR and Brotherhood war. I wanted to get one back for my family...Then the Legion showed its ugly face and we got moved to The Dam. The battle erupted and Boulder City was destroyed. Hanlon ordered all rangers to Boulder city and my unit died there, after the battle and they erected that massive stone with all the Troopers and Rangers names on it. Not one member of my unit was on it, Oliver said it was because the Elite Rangers weren't officially there."

 

Jace could feel the well of emotion stirring inside of him, "They didn't give their families proper restitution, said they died in a training accident." He said as he stood up and started putting his armor on.

 

Daisy walked over to him. "I see...well I've got a offer for you, if you stay here and protect Novac, I'll fix your armor and gear and you...we need a defender and you need redemption.." She said as she helped him put his power-pack on. "We don't get brotherhood here or NCR and we have more then a few enemies..."

 

Jace knew it was a good offer, room, board and medical...but he had this doubting feeling. "Give me a few days to think it over?" He asked as he fixed the last of his armor on and picked up his helmet and his pistol. Daisy nodded to him. He strapped the holster around his leg and walked out.

 

As he walked out into the courtyard Ranger Andy came up to him. "Hey Winters...Nice work the other day...you saved us all. I heard that Daisy offered you the sheriff job. If you take it, I'll take your deputy job...But I want to show you something." Andy said as he beckoned him over. They walked around to the front of the Dinosaur, in the distance were fires. "They are the next threat, Vipers...they have a camp over by the 93. They like to roll through town, drink our booze eat our food and demand caps from us. We need someone to protect us from them." He explained, Jace looked at the pistol at his hip. He had taken the lives of innocents under the Enclaves Flag, he had killed people he had no quarrel with under the flag of the NCR and he had been paid money to fight other peoples wars under the guise of apathy. If he was going to be a fighter he might aswell fight for those that need it.

 

He turned to Andy and nodded. "Alright, you got yourself a sheriff."

Edited October 29, 2012 by Macman253

[BaldurAnthology]

"Say, what the hell brings a pup like you to the regulators?" A voice inquired. Greebo looked up and saw a woman that he remembered seeing once or twice. He cheerfully exclaimed,

 

"Ah! Hello my dear woman! Greebo Jones, at your service, dear lady! Been a Regulator since I lived in the Capital, and this little pup as you called her is Shiori. I've been tasked to keep her safe, with a bit of help from my friend." A strange shift went through his face, and he started mumbling,

 

"My friend.. my preciousss friend.... We founds it we did.. our friend.." Shiori backed nervously away from the nonsensical ghoul, not sure who to be more afraid of, the ghoul, or the tall scary lady. She nervously put a hand on her plasma defender, and a tear went down her face, followed by several more.

[Flipout6]

Jason heard Greebo acting funny, and got up to fix the problem. That purple-clad stranger he saw walk in earlier seemed to be previously talking with him. Shiori was crying, and Jason knew that trying to reassure her himself would bear no fruit. He cuffed Greebo upside the head.

 

He reassured the young girl "Just hit him. Not dangerous if he does that." His voice was slightly softer than usual. Not that that meant much. He nodded at the Sheriff direction and walked back out, he wasn't one for talking.

 

He didn't like what he saw when he went back outside. Someone wearing a drab uniform seemed to be walking this way. As Jason watched, he turned and left, heading back for the 188. Fearing the worst, Jason got up and followed him. He wasn't too far away, wouldn't take Jason long to catch up. He could be there, talking, and back by the time Greebo finished his conversation.

 

"Hey, regulator, you seen a pretty lady 'round here? Wears a green robe and hood, had this weird glove thing on her hand." The trooper asked. Jason didn't like the look of this fellow at all. Especially when the figure narrowed his eyes. "Hey, Thames mentioned you... You know something what is it?" The trooper began speaking with the authority he believed he carried.

 

"I don't know what you're talking about." He replied. The troop didn't believe it.

[BaldurAnthology]

Greebo shook his head at the smack, returning to his normal state. He looked around for Shiori, and found her crying and looking absolutely terrified, glancing between him and the Sheriff lady. He smiled calmly, and said,

 

"Buck up, dear girl! It's just a side effect of the radiation that turned me into a ghoul. Some turn feral, I go a bit nutty for a minute or two, easily fixed by a cuff upside the head. Otherwise it runs through in about 4 minutes or so. No need for those tears."

 

Shiori sniffled, nodding, not scared of Greebo due to understanding the ailment, but still scared of the tall scary lady. What's with all the scary people here? I should have stayed in the Capital! She thought to herself, staying well away from the tall smoking lady.

 

Diefenbaker wandered over to Shiori, licking her face of the salty tears, and pressing his head into her chest, hoping to cheer her up, and also for attention.

 

Shiori giggled at Diefenbaker's behavior despite her fear, and scratched his ear absently with one hand, her other not leaving the hilt of her Plasma Defender, and in the fading light, her eyes starting to glow in the dark, glowing a pinkish-purple, and never leaving the scary sheriff lady, should she prove to be a threat.

[Macman253]

Ronin smiled as he drew back his bow and aimed, a legionary patrol walked along the river bank. The Decanus in front of the five man team wore the flag of the legion.

 

Vexillarius He thought as he aimed, he slackened the arrow and decided to follow them as they headed north, this was no ordinary patrol. They had a mission, Sam sat next to him with his tongue hanging out of his mouth and his tail beating the ground as it wagged ferociously.

 

Ronin looked over to his friend and smiled. "What made you so happy?" He asked, the dog looked at him weird and smiled. Blood was crusted around his mouth and a tuft of rabbit fur clinged to one of his teeth. "I see, got yourself a hare and I haven't had food for days..." Ronin said as he loosened his bows cord and stood once he knew the patrol had gotten out of sight.

 

He started walking and whistled for Sam to follow. "C'mon...lets go find me a molerat..they aren't covering their tracks so we can hunt them down later." He said as he started walking back towards The Regulator HQ, the sack on his hip containing five fingers he had to turn in.

[mythicdawnmaster]

Sheriff noticed the girls eyes still fixated on her... she probably looked pretty imposing from where the girl was standing, over six foot tall and packing a hell of a lot of heat, not to mention she just poured out a bag of fingers onto the counter, and begun smoking. Sheriff took off her hat, and hung it on the hat-stand. She took a large gulp of water, and set her empty glass down on the table. Sheriff set her gaze on the crying Shiori and said "Don't go crying out here kid, it won't do you an ounce of good. None of us are gonna hurt you, but what's out there in the mojave sure will." She said softly. This girl needed some lessons in life in the Mojave, she needed to be less... fragile. "My names Ariana, but people round these parts just call me Sheriff now. I kill bad-guys and help innocents with there problems." She paused blowing her cigarette smoke out away from the girl "And it looks to me like you need a little help. So you need to be kept safe by old Greebo there and his pal? Well i wouldn't say your makin' there job easy now are you?" "She moved her gaze to the ghoul and remarked "Say, Jones? How 'bout i tag along with you and the kid for a while? Looks to me like she needs some help if you know what i mean, and i'm all outa contracts."

[Flipout6]

"You're lying!" The trooper exclaimed. "Tell me what you know about the hooded woman." Before Jason could respond, he had thrown a punch.

 

Jason didn't move. Instead he blocked the punch, and came up with a brutal right uppercut in retaliation- A Scribe counter. The trooper took the hit to the jaw, and he stumbled backwards a bit, flexing it.

 

"I'm with the NCR. Better tell me what I need to know or you'll be sorry, Brotherhood sympathizer." He muttered. Jason grabbed him by the front of his collar and by his wrist, preventing him from drawing his pistol. Jason didn't take his sunglasses off, intimidation was the main factor here.

 

"Don't force my hand. Is it worth dying for?" He asked, his voice low and threatening. The trooper's eyes looked fearful as well as determined. Jason pushed him back, hard, and the man hit the dirt and had the wind knocked out of him. He got to his feet, and pretended to retreat, only to turn around with his service rifle in his hands.

 

"Last chance or I kill you and your dog. Is she with the Brotherhood of Steel? Are you?" Jason hadn't been or looked this angry in a long time. Nobody threatened Guardian.

 

"I've given you a chance, now you threaten Guardian." He growled. He wasn't going to give this guy a chance to fulfill his promise.

 

"Guardian? Who's-" The trooper's gun lowered a second, and Jason took action.

 

Jason's knife seemed to fly into his hand. Aided by protective instinct he drew his knife extremely fast, and lunged. He crashed into the man and knocked the rifle out of his hands. Defenseless and stunned, the trooper proved to be no danger. Jason drew the knife swiftly across his throat. Hot blood splattered onto the sand as he stumbled backwards and collapsed, dead. Jason placed the knives in their respective places and left him there.. This area regularly had NCR troopers passing through on their way to the strip, wouldn't take too long for someone to bury him. Jason wasn't going to, not after that. The kill was silent, so at least he wouldn't be intimidating Shiori. He walked back to the Regulator Headquarters, feeling little guilt. The trooper had forced his hand, despite Jason giving him a chance and a warning. He got back to cleaning his guns. Guardian walked into the building and nuzzled Shiori. He saw the girl as a pup, something to be protected until she could truly fend for herself. Sure, she might be at the age to start growing teeth now, so to speak, but she didn't stand much of a chance against many of the predators and raiders in the wasteland. The Shepherd began to lick the tears from her face. He was a lot more open about his good side than Jason was.

Edited October 29, 2012 by Flipout6

[BaldurAnthology]

Greebo shook Ariana's hand enthusiastically.

 

"Of course my dear girl! Remember, if I go.. nutty, just give me a solid, but not too hard, I'm very old, whack upside the head. It'll sort me right out. Shiori, buck up dear! No need to be so down, eh what? Ah, I see Diefenbaker's taken a right liking to you!" The dog in question was happily being scratched by Shiori, and then shook his head, and went over to sniff curiously at Ariana.

 

Shiori pulled out a handkerchief, a gift from the woman her adopted mother dated, and dabbed her eyes, and, since nobody was giving her the hug she felt she needed, she glomped onto Ariana, wanting to feel that sensation of hugging an older woman, like the mother she lost. She squeezed tightly, hoping she wasn't just cuffed off or something.