On a ridge overlooking the town of Nipton,
“Why am I stuck up here with this weakling? Vulpes Inculta must be losing his mind to stick me with you,” Centurion Silus said to his companion.
“Traitor. How dare you insult Vulpes. He will have your tongue when I report this to him,” said Decanus Albus.
“Like he would believe you. No, he would be too busy enforcing Caesar's will to care,” Silus said.
“Heh. Talk like that is why you are here with me. How did an idiot like you make Centurion?” Albus said and looked at the town through binoculars.
“Idiot? I will show you who is the fool here. Get up. I am gonna teach you your place,” Silus moved into a boxing position.
Despite Silus’s taunt, Albus did not move. He stayed focused on Nipton and went slack-jawed.
“What's the matter? Scared?” Silus asked.
“....BY THE LEGION!” Albus jumped and fell backward onto the ground.
“What the hell are you on about? What did you see?” Silus went for the binoculars.
“Some drifter went into Nipton. Vulpes spoke with them, and then the drifter cut off Vulpes’s head.” Albus said, not believing the words coming out of his mouth.
Silus looked at Nipton and saw the legion soldiers respond and attack the drifter. They fired at him and stuck him with their weapons, but nothing hurt them. Two silver figures walked out of the drifter and cut down the legion soldiers.
“We need to run. Report this to the camp,” Silus said.
“That's the first smart thing you have said all day,” Albus replied, joining Silus in running from Nipton.
___________
On a different hill also overlooking Nipton.
“Well, ain't that something,” Victor said out loud.
Mr. House has Victor keep an eye on this teleporting traveler. The loss of the courier had annoyed Mr. House, but that plan was a long shot anyway. The stranger here was a much bigger mystery.
Victor was told to keep an eye on this Dr. Franklin, but he was having difficulty grappling with what he was seeing. His optical sensors must be bad because this man had the ability to turn into a gray goo and make gray goo soldiers from nothing. Victor would need to get this body serviced, but he will complete the report to Mr. House all the same.
But if these abilities are real, Dr. Franklin is in for a big surprise when he gets to New Vegas.
_________
Back in the town of Nipton
Of all the civilizations to model yourself after, these fools picked one of the worst ones for this world. They obviously knew how to shape metal and decided that making a sword was the best thing to do with that skill. When they knew guns existed and obviously were better.
Franklin has moved past his anger. Their atrocities had reduced his opinion of them so low they were now simply savages. Their choice of dress and weaponry just made them stupid savages.
“Monster! Die monster!” One of the stupid savages screamed and tried to stab him with their sword.
Franklin let the sword pass through him. It could hit vital components as he had none in its path. “What was it the jackal man said, ‘They were weak, and we are strong.’ Well, it would seem you are weak, and I am strong,” Franklin then drove a spike arm into his head.
The legion soldiers died quickly. Franklin did not care to search them or give them any more thought. Instead, he went to the polls and helped the crucified victims down.
Of the dozen or so victims he could see, only three would live. The others were too far gone with organ failure or blood loss. They wore the uniforms of Powder Gangers, but that didn't matter to Franklin.
“Can you understand me?” Franklin asked the one with the most minor damage. He had a concussion, but other than that, he would live.
“Yes. Cough cough. What are you?” They asked.
“I am Doctor Franklin Limon. I can't leave you all here. You need medical attention and bed rest. If you all don't object, I will bring you back to the NCR outpost west of town,” Franklin said to them.
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“Fuck, cough, cough, fine. We would be dead anyway if not for you,” the concussed man said.
The other two were not in a position to walk, so he needed to carry them. The doctor looked around and decided on a plan.
“I will be right back with some water and transportation,” Franklin said.
One of the good things about this world was the plethora of abandoned cars and trucks. He opened the containers with the other 25% of his nanites and commanded them to scavenge a mail truck. It was the best-looking thing around and would do the job he needed it to.
There was a general store. Franklin went in there to find some water and supplies. What he encountered was another of the lottery winners.
“Hey, hold up. Who are you? You ain't with the legion.” A man sitting in a chair with blood dripping from his knees said.
“I am a traveling doctor. The legion is gone. What happened to you?” Franklin asked.
“You are looking at second place in the legions little lottery. I got to live but had my legs broken with hammers. I am fucking crippled. Wait, you said you were a doctor?” The man asked.
“I am. I have some stimpacks and other stuff I can do to help you get back on your feet. You are not the only Powder Ganger I have met here. I rescued three others from crucifixion, but they are in bad shape, so I am taking them to the NCR outpost west of here,” Franklin said and stabbed a stimpack into the man's legs.
“Ouch. Shit, man, that is a good of a death sentence as being left alone. Just give me some med-x and leave me here,” the man said.
“I can convince the NCR to go easy on you guys. You are also witnesses to the legion's atrocities. The NCR might need to hear your story to get a good wake-up call,” Franklin said.
“Ugh. Okay fine. Help me up, and then I will go with you,” the man said.
“Sure. What is your name anyway?” Franklin asked.
“Call me Boxcars.”
Franklin stared at him, unsure if he was joking.
“Yea, I know stupid name,” Boxcars joked.
Once Boxcars was dropped off with the others, Franklin went to look for water. He managed to find a water pump that only produces irradiated water.
Pulling up some blueprints, Franklin had his nanites consume some of the surrounding trees, cars, and a few mobile homes to create a purification system to replace the water pump. As long as there was groundwater, it would produce fresh, clean cold water.
With a few jugs of cold water, he moved on to the nanites repairing a vehicle. They had consumed a nearby house, but the old mail truck had been rebuilt into a fission-powered white van with red and blue stripes and somewhat comfortable rows of seats. It had a steering system, but since it was still composed of nanites he didn't need to actually use it.
Franklin could have done this days ago, but he wanted to walk the wasteland as its people did. To take his time and explore the Mojave and its creatures. Now, though, he had to hurry. He drove the van around to the Powder Gangers.
“What the hell is that? Who are you?” Their shock was understandable.
“Someone that shouldn't be here but is. I have a great many talents, so try to keep your jaws attached to your skulls long enough for us to get to the NCR,” Franklin boasted and helped them into the van.
Driving over the roads reminded Franklin of another reason he didn't make a car. They sucked.
‘Adding road maintenance to his to-do list. Or maybe create a hover van. Or just a helicopter. That last one was a nice idea. On the list.’ Franklin thought.
Eventually, the Unification Memorial came into view. The caravans and the soldiers panicked a bit at seeing a vehicle move. They were used to them just sitting around laughing at them for humanity's failures. Taunting them because they now had to walk everywhere once again.
“Ranger Ghost! I am back from Nipton,” Franklin shouted mirthfully.
“Doctor? What the hell is that? Where did you find a working car?” Ghost asked.
“I am a very resourceful man. Hey, you soldiers. I need people to carry these patients into the barracks,” Franklin shouted, pulling some stretchers from the van. He waved the soldiers over and had them move the convicts onto the stretchers.
“Um, sir? These are Powder Gangers,” one soldier said.
“I know. They have been through a lot too. Now I said, get them inside. I don't care about your trepidations, but I am a Doctor. When it comes to saving the lives of others, my authority outranks everyone here. Is that clear!” Franklin commanded.
The soldiers looked at each other, unsure what to do. Sergeant Killborn stepped forward. “You heard him, men. Get these patients to a bunk!”
The soldiers scrambled and started to carry the Powder Gangers inside the barracks.
“Hehe, I haven't seen a civilian with that much vigor in a long time. Now, if you are done impersonating an officer, can you tell me what happened,” Ranger Ghost asked.
“I wouldn't say I was impersonating, just exercising my duty to save lives. Now about Nipton,” Franklin told Ghost and Killborn about the legions' sack of Nipton and how he killed Vulpis Inculta. He even brought back the jackal headdress and the glasses he wore.
“Holy shit. I didn't think they had pushed this far west,” Ghost said.
“They have. The NCR is going to need to buckle down. I must head north after this and clear the way to New Vegas. You guys need to kick some hornets' nests. Whatever it takes to convince NCR command, you will need the reinforcements,” Franklin said.
“Don't know how much that will work,” Killborn said.
“Why is that?” Ghost asked.
“Word is that the legion is gearing up for a second crack at Hoover Dam. McCarran and Golf will probably try and keep everyone nearby so they can defend the Dam,” Killborn said.
“Shit. So we are on our own,” Ghost asked.
“Not for long. If I clear the way North, it might clear up some of the hesitation. I am going to speak with Major Knight,” Franklin said.
Major Knight was still behind the desk in the outpost. He spoke as soon as Franklin walked in. “Doctor, good to see you. I spoke with the commander, and he approved your request. Your offer was too good to pass up. And even if you fail to clear the way, it would be good to have more soldiers in Primm to keep an eye on the Powder Gangers.”
“That's good. You will want to speak with Ranger Ghost in a bit. I had given her a report on my trip to Nipton,” Franklin said.
“She told you to go to Nipton?” Knight said, a little angry. Ghost was probably not supposed to do that.
“Yes, she did. The situation there was bad. Really bad. You might want to take care of that right now, actually. Thanks for all your help,” Franklin said, getting out of the Major's way. He would probably tear Ghost a new one, but she made the correct decision, all things considered. Anyone else that would have gone there wouldn't have been able to do anything.
Franklin went to the barracks. He had over-prepared on nanites so he could create medicine for the convicts. They were pretty beat up but would survive, thanks to him.
Boxcar was in a bed, agonizing over his legs. The stimpacks have helped, but aiding him would take more than that.
“Hey, doc. Here to put me out of my misery?” Boxcar joked.
“In a manner of speaking. I am gonna try and sedate you a little, but it will probably still hurt,” Franklin said and administered some of the med-x. He then cut into Boxcar's right leg and had his nanites enter his body. Boxcar groaned in pain but bore with it.
Over the next hour, Franklin moved his bones back into place and used another stimpack to heal them. He might have a limp, but he would walk.
“You are going to need some physical therapy and a few days of bed rest. The others are suffering from some bruised organs and internal bleeding, but I can fix that. Once I leave, it will be up to the NCR to decide what to do. I will convince them to give you a second chance. Don't make me regret all this hard work, or I will hunt you down and get my pound of flesh back, understand?” Franklin stared into the convict's eyes.
“Understood Doc. We will behave,” Boxcar shook his head rapidly.
Franklin patched up the other convicts. It was close to sunset when he was done. Convincing Major Knight to go easy on them wasn't hard. Especially when he heard about what they went through. Hopefully, they could persuade NCR command that the outpost needed more men.
With that done, Franklin got in his van and turned away from the outpost. From this point, he could see the lights of the New Vegas Strip acting as a beacon of civilization in this uncivilized world.