Carter
Turning TAYLOR around looking at all the switches i focus on the one that says mode. Its currently on construction but it has 2 other modes one passive one deconstruction switching to passive TAYLOR begins speaking again.
"Ready for scanning for new schematics FEV dr"
Thinking back on that word it must mean i can choose different items to teleport. Looking around the room provided to us i move over to what once was a heater for the room. Holding up the pipboy to it creates a bar on the screen with the word progress underneath. Looking at the current power charge its sitting nicely at 87% seems like it doesn't lose power quickly.
Watching the bar move fairly slowly but it is a teleporter so i would expect it to take some time. Seems like itll take 30 minutes.
"Whats your thought on this settlement" best to talk to lewis to get rid of the boredom.
"They have a lot of pride and expect others to praise their work as if its natural. The leader that we had following us around seems desperate for something but lost interest after seeing the majority of our wares so he must be looking for a specific item. Besides that its nice lots of food lots of people good amount of defenses but not many patrols if one man can sit a half of a mile from their settlement and not be found" i can always trust lewis to work out different clues.
"Wonder what the rest of their leadership is like?" i mean if a man like that is what appears to be the leader of the guards then what kind of charismatic leader do they have for the trader hall or whatever they have.
"Don't think we should stick around long enough to find out" yeah thats a good point we should be leaving before the end of the morning.
"We will have to take all those letters people are preparing and we are going to be escorted to the bounty to get those caps" that guy said he would have a guard for us in the morning.
"I am unhappy that you shared our destination to all those people"
"Ah but counterpoint it would not be difficult to set ambushes at the 4 roads that lead out of the town" spent the entire time not thinking about the food thinking of ways we could make some extra caps to offset betty.
"Smart and true just makes their job easier i guess if they do plan on killing us outside the settlement. Hopefully they aren't too interested in us after we have already sold them most our scrap" hopefully the story lewis made about my auspicious upbringing is enough to hold them back from doing anything too drastic. Never know.
"For the fusion core do you think we should sell it the washington chapter or one of the reformist groups most probably have a contact in a place like bothel"
"Brotherhood is those guys in power armor that are always spotted on the other side of the sound i don't think it is likely they have an outpost there they havent been around here for that long" makes sense but they do have vertibirds that make the long trip over the sound easier then the rest of us normal people.
TAYLOR makes a beep i look to see its done scanning.
"You should do it so we can watch it teleport into its new spot" that would be cool. Switching back to construction i pull up the schematic called "indoor heater" the green highlight hovering around the room. Picking a spot across the room against the far wall i hit confirm.
The light blue light is mesmerizing to watch just gets boring after a while luckily this one doesn't seem like it will take hours closer to a single hour. Watching the original i cant see anything happening to it maybe we have to wait for it to finnish before it does like a big flash.
Except when it finished it didn't move. Instead theres now a new and shiny heater sitting there full of innocence crushing all hopes of teleportation.
"Holy shit it make things" his whispered shock i could barely hear.
"So we don't have a magical teleporter and instead have something that can make heaters" i mean teleportation is cooler.
"Don't you get it? You could make unlimited fusion cores you could make unlimited heaters" lewis is now shaking my shoulders trying to force the understanding through physical contact. It works kind of.
To have as many reactors as we could make all with full charged fusion cores. Thats unbelievable. Not to mention with this scanning ability.
"We need to find the limit for the scan" fusion cores would be just the start of what we could do. We could make our home where we go.
Turning around the room i scan the comfortable looking bed.
"Thank you for scanning the bed"
"I know you value sleep and just imagine an entire bed and mattress where ever we go" not to mention i doubt many places are selling new mattresses. We would be the only place where we guarantee no ones slept in your bed before. Looking around the room i can think of a few things i wouldn't mind. The lights, the toilet, the shower! Just have to figure out how to get more metal.
"How do you think we get more metal?" maybe lewis has some ideas.
"Im thinking metal things like cars trains even the railroad tracks just got to find the right button for it" that fits maybe its the deconstruction one. Ill try it out with the old heater after scanning the bed.
Bed scanned now to see what else i can do. Flipping the switch to deconstruct.
"Ready to gather resources FEV dr." well that confirms it. Going to the old heater making sure the yellow hexagon shape is highlighting it before pressing confirm. The same blue light bursts out but this time it seems to be moving to taylor instead of away from it. And there is no blue scaffolding.
Just 5 minutes after it starts the heater is gone. The metal reserves are back to what they were before. Seems like if they are the same item it doesn't require more to make it just energy. I don't even have to worry about energy with the fusion cores.
"We hit jackpot with that find im no longer upset about you keeping us around" i stare in shock at lewis.
"You were mad at me? Still? Cmon it wasnt that bad just a few burns maybe"
"No you are always risking your life for that adventure rush and i wasn't surprised when you had us stay" well im a curious person and its even better when my curiosity is rewarded.
"Its why im such a great scavenger" i mean im pretty good.
"We both are and its mostly because of all the tricks your mom taught us" i still don't know where mom got all those skills. She said she came from the south but never really went into that. Wonder how far south she really meant.
"Yes but my naturally aptitude for exploration helps"
"Sure we will call it that" he would probably call it reckless but i know myself. Then again he might just know me better then me and i might know him better then he knows himself. Never really know.
Moving around the room scanning everything in sight seemed like a great way to spend the rest of the day but lewis got tired of watching it after a while and just kept laying more and more traps. Deciding it would be a good idea i start scanning those too.
"Don't put traps everywhere when you start making them. Most traps are very dependant on where you are and whats available nearby" great hes in his lecture mode. Tuning that out i keep scanning everything from the metal wires tin cans and all the explosives. I even get scans off all our weapons. There doesn't seem to be any limit to what i can get a schematic for.
Too soon its time for both of us to get some much needed sleep.
"Goodnight"
"Goodnight"
Waking up on the completely new bed not feeling like i laid down in a puddle of piss was very much a new experience. Looking at the time knowing i had to figure out the alarm on TAYLOR eventually. May not be today but eventually. Says its 0823 so not too early. The sun is out and seems to have been out for a bit. Looking at what woke both of us i hear another set of knocks to the door.
"Fuck we stayed up too long the bed was too much" lewis complains as always.
"You regret sleeping on that bed?" i ask already knowing the answer.
"No that was amazing usually hate staying at places like these but fuck they better owe us money for that"
"Too bad we are keeping it a pipboy and not a magic machine that gives you whatever you wish for" neither of us have found a true limit to what we could scan.
Deciding its finally time to get up as the knocks increase is a pain. Lewis reaches the door first dismantling the traps. I do the same with those that im familiar with.
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"How can we help you?" i hear lewis barely resisting the urge to start an argument. Hes not fun when hes angry or tired.
"Ah i was to escort you to return the bounty" oh of course that man had to wake us up. Nodding to lewis that i was done he steps away form the door too.
"Well we will be a minute let us check out of the temporary housing we will meet you at the lobby" now hes closing the door on the guard. Moving around the room helping lewis pack everything away it doesn't take long for us to finnish.
Soon we are out in the lobby which seems surprisingly full.
"Perfect now let us make our way" the guard approaches us but seconds after the rest of the crowd pushes past him.
"I have a letter for a friend!"
"I have a package i need delivered now!"
"I have a lover in bothel check on her for me will you!"
We both get swarmed with demands. Backing away doesn't help enough. Now time to consider if they have a back door i can run through.
"Calm down everyone i will have everyone fill out a form with what they desire with the guard which will then be handed to us when we leave later today!" lewis handles it as easily as he does traps its truly amazing. The guard who hasn't given us his name looks very nervous probably because the crowd is now looking like they are either going to run off and bug his boss or him. Wonder which would be worse for this guy.
I follow lewis as he makes his way to the cart probably to grab the scope. After a while the guard is behind us looking very angry and very messy. Man those people attacked him.
"So what is your name?" might as well ask before we go too far.
"Name is norman now we will be goin up few stairs so i hope you are not too bothered by that" wonder how many people he has met that are actually worried by stairs. Then again its a fairly tall building that looks practically untouched in this wasteland. Except of course no glass windows. Haven't really seen glass outside of the more bigger cities. But those wooden flaps work great.
Now with the scope we finally enter the big building. The entrance is a grand opening with a chandelier hanging from the ceiling bright painted walls and well kept carpeting this place would fit right in with the emerald city. Though this is definitely cleaner.
"How do you keep a place like this so clean?" lewis is practically reading my mind at that moment.
"We have a few dedicated people and everyone helps out" so a few specialists that lead groups of roving squads to clean sounds organized.
"And who leads a place like this?" another great question form lewis. Ill stick behind him make sure no one gets a chance to stab him.
"It is a council of 7 2 for the people 1 for the farmers 1 for traders 1 for security 1 for research and 1 chosen by the council" ah so they have 2 the people themselves elect and then the council themselves decide on another voice. Seems like it works for them. Bet they also all vote on decisions in some dark room with a circle table each chair its own throne.
Next we move up the stairs to the 4th floor making our way down a hall full of life people moving around different decorations and art spreading across the walls. Most of it near the floor where the kids seem to be. The walls of course look like they were replaced wonder how long it took them to realize their majestic building wasn't going to last forever and how long it took to decide to do something about it. Need to stop thinking like lewis and avoiding the conversation thats probably happening.
Eh it don't matter we reached the door that norman says is where the scope is from. Knocking on the door its not long before a women wearing a tank top and cargo pants opens the door behind her i can peak into what looks like a well complete workshop the smell i can notice is mostly metal and smoke with an oily tang to every breath.
"What you want?" she asks looking ready to close the door already.
"Did you post about a stolen scope?"
"Did fucker asked about a good scope to help with hunting in the nearby woods. Told him to fuck off he don't need some hierloom scope to take out radstagg he took that as invitation to steal it while i was out havent seen him since" sounds like the kind of story i was expecting.
"Well i have the scope here he is also dead in case you were wondering"
"Huh so it is. Well thanks what did the bounty say for the caps?" looking at norman who is pulling out said bounty.
"Says here 125 caps for the return of the scope identifiable by family marking by the base"
"Alright let me grab that you guys come in look around got a few things in here ill be bringing down to the hall down there later in the week" shes already disappeared inside so of course i take the chance to look around the different workshops and benches around the room.
Careful not to touch anything everyone knows you don't touch a technicians tools without permission.
"What the actual fuck are you doing lewis you know better then that" spotting lewis my brother my best friend picking up a pipe from one bench i cant help but go off on him. Seeing him quickly drop said pipe was funny though.
"Just looking"
"Right thought i saw someone doing more then looking maybe even touching and picking up must have been the wind" i roll my eyes going back to admiring the work thats been laid around. Seeing these pieces gives me my own inspiration for things i could do. Look at that receiver its still not complete but that might just make that gun go full auto whenever desired. That one looks like it allows triple bursts with the option to stay semi now thats difficult. The moving pieces required just aren't found laying around in someones back yard. Looking around i notice a few of the more complete weapons. One hand gun which looks like an oversized revolver the 6 shot holding what looks almost like shotgun shells by the size of the bullet.
"Yea that bitch i gave up half way once i realized recoil was going to break the arm of anyone that isn't a supermutant. Saw one that was really similar in my guard rotation burst through practically everything just knew i had to try and make it" i nod along still staring at the gun thinking through different ways you could control that kind of power.
"Its nice to meet you im carter this is my friend lewis" i hold my hand out but her arms are full with a box full of caps.
"Ill properly greet you in a sec here you are all the caps on the bounty" she hands the box to lewis who decides now is the best time to sort the caps into proper stacks and put them in his satchel. Ignoring him the crafter takes my still outstretched hand.
"Names selena smith im the prime gun mechanic here in totem lakes learned my trade from my pa who learned it from his"
"Carter santangelo a trader from emerald city but a crafter at heart. I truly love the work you have done it is always inspiring seeing another crafters workshop" don't use that last name often but i don't speak to people often that i actually respect. She gives a nod to my words.
"Let me give you a tour of what i got. Lets see we got our long rifles over here i use the heirloom scope as reference for most of the work i do here it came from this beast right here" she points at one massive completely black sniper its bipod letting it stand tall and proud the 50 caliber bullets standing next to it showing off its power and punch but its practically unneeded with a gun like that. I have to wipe the saliva dripping down my chin.
"Holy shit shes wonderful"
"Oh i know that right there is reba III she kills and shes loud about it too" we both stare longing at that weapon of destruction. It is too sad i cant sneak in and get a scan of her but i wont risk TAYLOR getting caught.
"I have my own rifle that shoots .308 its a common bolt action rifle but the scope is my own design and i have made a few of my own modifications to it" got me feeling so inadequate.
"Hmm well ill have to check it out if given the chance i wouldn't mind seeing what someone else has come up with to compete with a scope like mine" her smirk says it all. One day soon ill have an even better workshop then this and ill have people coming to me form all over to get a look.
"As heartwarming as it is to see you flirting with someone we must make our way to bothel" of course lewis decides to rush now.
"You the traders that came in yesterday? Well good luck everyone has something they need that has to be in bothel" i noticed but good to know im not the only one.
"Thank you for the warning we were swarmed this morning by a crowd. Luckily my quick thinking friend here had them go to the guard to fill out what they want and need we will take what we can" well cant stay i guess.
"It was nice meeting you if we stop here again ill make sure to say hi" getting a handshake as lewis leads me out. Norman still standing there in his full armor set looking all tough.
"You probably caused a lot of trouble down at the guard house" his glare does nothing.
"Yes well you men seemed available for the extra workload" nice comeback lewis.
Now back at the temporary housing without a crowd we checkout of the room officially and take betty back. Now its time to get our cart back and leave. Unfortunately the what i suspect is the security council leader is standing by our cart.
"Well if it isn't our new visitors from distant lands. How did you 2 sleep?" that smile is so annoying.
"We slept fine mr you know i never got your name?" lewis finally asking whats been on my mind since meeting him.
"You know i wont give that to you that easily. Ah but ill tell you if you will sell us that fusion core" welp that confirms he went through our stuff good thing theres a lock on the steel box just wish we kept the core in there too.
"For the fusion core? Well thats going to be very very expensive how much is it worth to you?" great now the are bartering. All these threats are making me nervous i don't like being nervous. Just gonna glare at him see if that does anything.
"300 caps right now" wow thats over half the market price.
"Well that sounds desperate" it really does.
"Yes well we have a need and it seems like you have it so 300 caps"
"Very well 320 caps and you can keep it" ah numbers and demands.
"Deal ill walk with you to the guard station to pick it up along with all those letters you left my good men to deal with" his smile actually disappeared for a moment. Seems like he didn't appreciate it.
"Yes lets get betty hooked up and you can make sure we make it there" i just noticed he never took the fusion core out of the cart. Bastard must have stolen it while we were asleep. Then again me and lewis both knew they would do something.
Betty welcomes the cart and the harness around her shoulders. Now its time to make the trip across the settlement. Going to ignore the continued conversation probably doesn't matter but these fields do. To grow something like this with all these different crops right next to each other must have required a lot of continued research to make sure none of the crops interfere with another. Thats probably why they have an entire seat on their council for research. Seems like a good effort and long term planning that most places don't seem to appreciate.
The lingering crowd at the guard post near the gate where we first met the security leader is shocking. Then again there is a lot of people here and i don't think that many couriers or traders come by often. Its just too out of the way for most people.
We charge through into the building so that lewis and i can look over the different requests.
"Take this you cunts and don't think about pulling this shit again. Fuck you made this such a shit day" a massive women plows through the crowd around us handing us a stack of papers letters and a separate guard plops down a few packages.
"Of course of course it was never our intention to cause trouble" lewis placates her and she storms off. Not before glancing at our escort of course.
Peaking through most of the letters can be dropped off at a registered post office that most of the larger settlements have. Sort of centers for couriers to stop by. Each letter has a couple caps attached too. Same with the packages with one being requested to go directly to a dennis cortez it says he works at the crossroad tax office. Wonder what requires a secret run like this but whatever im not going to pay too much attention to it. If i do my impulsive brain might decide to open and see what it is.
Packing everything in putting the stack of letters in one empty backpack. We sold a lot of the scrap and have a good amount of room left in the cart.
"Wait wait! I would like to come with you to bothel!" this time a teenager steps out her clothes mark her out as a craftsman lots of ash so maybe the a smith.
"We are not looking to take any passengers" yes we don't know her and we have secrets plus its better when its just me and lewis its always been me and lewis don't need to change that.
"Ill give you connections to the gold bend tribe" now thats interesting. Looking closer i can see some hints of native but i don't see any obvious tribe markings except some gold rings. Maybe its the rings.
I can see lewis considering it. With a deep sign i give a nod. Im going to regret thai but i don't want to make any deals with the caravan any more difficult.
"Fine you got a gun? Good youre gonna sit up top with me" she gives a nod showing off her own 10mm practically everyone in this settlement had one so that isn't much of a shock.
"Sweet! Alright let me grab my bag real quick i left it inside" watching her sprint into the guard house i briefly consider telling lewis to run but it couldn't be that bad.
She comes back with a massive bag thats got to weight as much as her. She isn't that big to be fair looking around 5 foot 4 brown hair brown eyes average for around here.
"Thanks for waiting i have been hoping for a trader to come by and pick me up for 2 years now. Was supposed to just be a quick apprenticeship with the best known smith around here but thats in the past. Man you guys are sharp looking. Look at all those guns over your body why do you have so many? Oh right my name is indigo violet blue my parents really like blue" its my worst nightmare in a tiny person.
Ignoring the flood of words i take betty reigns going outside the settlement. A quick look at the map on TAYLOR just a right and then another right along the highway about half a day journey to crossroads.
Passing underneath that blue bridge watching people walk above and they themselves watches us walk below was an interesting experience doubt i will see that happen often. Walking along the walls and the watchtowers knowing our every move is watched is very nerve wracking.
Getting outside the town onto the highway is a bit difficult since most of the ramps are blocked by purposely built blockades. Probably to slow attacks and mark the outside territory that totem lake guards patrol. Once on the highway we can see over the wall the massive complex that marks the people of totem lake. Now lets just hope there isn't too much danger along the way.
Walking up the ramp since the overpass collapsed onto the highway was the perfect point to be ambushed. Of course thats when a small horde of ferals pop out of their hiding spots underneath the cars. Switching to fully automatic pistol time slows being swarmed i know the danger must protect cart. Backing up to betty i take my first shots aiming for head or upper chest. Ferals arent known for being hardy and its true with 2 shots to the head it snaps off and rolls away in an explosive manner but i am already moving to the next one. Lewises shotgun sounds off behind me. Another feral in sight 2 more shots down range. This time one bullet hits the shoulder but its still enough to incapacitate the ghoul.
Now they are closer just 20 to 30 feet away. The closest one takes 2 shotgun blasts to the chest being blown off the car it was about to jump off of. Moving on i keep focused i cant panic. Slow and steady breaths escape me as i take another 2 shots downing the next feral. Now theres only a couple left. One more shot from lewis and his gun announced loudly that its out. Now its just 2 one gets taken by a lucky shot from the indigo. The last is taken by my own 2 carefully placed shots. Good thing because those were my last ones in the magazine.
"Check!"
"Check!"
"Im clear no bites no injuries!"
"Shoulder is sore but ill live" thats what he gets for asking more power in that gun of his. Indigo looks around with a wide eyed look and some awe for some reason.
"Holy fucking shit guys that was absolutely amazing and scary and terrifying but wow that was amazing i got one atleast but wow you got so many with just a 10mm and you didnt miss a single shot" i lean back as she nearly charges into me. Please back away please back away.
"Indigo please give my good friend some space he is not one to talk much but we are trained by his mother to be the best we could be" yes my mom was a great shot said she got a lot of training all through her life. Deciding the best place is to be away from indigo i go and check the different bodies for anything useful.
Mmm a few pieces of jewelry mostly silver necklaces and a couple gold rings. Indigo is still talking with lewis so i guess ill have to interrupt.
"Lewis we must keep moving yes?" i take betty and begin moving the cart.
"Hold on let us get on first" indigo of course watches us but doesnt seem interested in interrupting either of us. Thats good. Sticking to the center of the highway is the best way to avoid all the cars that have been left strewn about. Indigo has already started talking again.
Its going to be a long walk to bothel.