Fandom The Commonwealth Story

[AI10100]

"Yeah. The caps were too much to pass up. Had a mini-nuke, had a Fat Man, it was a done deal." Jackson didn't have any ammunition for it left though, sadly enough. A Fat Man was hard to come by, its ammunition even more so. But the caps gave him enough money to actually buy a mini-nuke if he was desperate. That and look, it gave him more jobs by people blowing it out of proportions and making them believe in him more.

Jackson let out a chuckle. "Right, because you got to wrestle it up with a Deathclaw." He had to know about his competition, after all. Just in case. But the rumors weren't exactly the most accurate representations of them, even if it held some form of truth.

Drinking straight from the bottle, he seemed rather content with his choice of drink. "Fuck them." He muttered. He then caught what he said, blinking suddenly and then clearing his throat. "Those Brotherhood guys and their massive ship is exactly what we don't need. As if the Institute wasn't enough..." As an ex-member of the Railroad, he knew the pain of having to deal with the Institute. And from his sources within the faction, the Brotherhood isn't on good terms with them either. Jackson had to lend help to his former comrades every now and then for some caps but that was just for formality.

"Makes me think they're here for the Institute. Y'know why? 'Cause they hate tech, right? And the Institute has those synths." He then looked at her seriously before taking a swig. "There's your war." But if it remained with only two sides once it started remained unknown. Would anyone else want to rise from the ashes and try to fight those big threats? Seems like suicide, to be honest.

 

[Mr_DC]

"Guess the only impressive weapon I've used was the gatling laser but that's not nearly as flashy." Vaana thought back, tapping her hand on the end table in front of them. The wasteland held many experiences, some good and some bad. The countless weapon to be found and used was just one of those things. A pleasure for any gun nut.
"Guess it's only matter of time until someone find a cache of actual nukes and blows us all up." She sighed. It was improbable but there were rumors. Rumors of something like that on the east coast. "I just hope I'll die by overestimating my capabilities before someone starts another nuclear winter." She joked.

"What?" Vaana laughed. "You don't believe me?" She jokingly pretended to be offended. "These two hands ripped it apart!" She raised her hands kicking up the theatrics. "Tooth by tooth!" She laughed. "But there's no monster scarier than man. You know a monster will try to kill you. A human will smile and stab you in the back." Vaana shook her head. She had no real reason to feel that way. Paranoia made her ditch people as soon as she started feeling suspicious.

"Whose side are you on, then? Sounds like you're not fond of either of those. Don't tell me you're just a lone wolf." Vaana want exactly fond of the Brotherhood either. It want an ideological issue but they simply didn't hire mercenaries. At least there were rumors of the Institute hiring wastelanders to do their dirty business. "You should at least have someone you prefer."

 

[AI10100]

"At least you got the FCs to actually use it." Jackson grumbled. He wasn't exactly the type to go around hunting for Fusion Cores, but in his many, many adventures - he only came across a few. Then again, he didn't find many uses for it considering he doesn't own a Power Armor... or a Gatling Laser...

"Fuck that idea." He ruffled his hair. He didn't like the idea of being thrown into some nuclear war all over again. Doubt those vaults would take another, say, hundred years. Vault-Tec wasn't around anymore too. "Hey, maybe I'll turn ghoul because of that." He let out a laugh. He had nothing against those guys and honestly, immortality sounded good.

"I mean, yeah, us humans can lie through our teeth." He then winked at her with a grin. "Both you and I know that real well." As mercenaries, there's nothing more important than keeping your wits sharp just to know whether or not their beloved clients would betray them in the end.

He grinned at her. "Whatever pays the most caps I guess." He then rubbed the back of his head. "I just don't want them pushing their stupid beliefs on me." He didn't feel comfortable telling anyone of his personal preferences in this war, nor is he willing to tell anyone that he knows more about the conflict than he lets on. "What about you, Miss Merc? On whose side are you on?"

 

[Mr_DC]

"I have to buy my fusion cores." Vaana raised her voice. "Pretty expensive ammo, if you ask me." Cost her more caps than she cared to admit. "I used the gattling only once, though. I spend most of my cores on power armor." A grin escaped her. It was something she had to brag about. What was the point of having a pet project if no one was there to see its glory. "I actually have something amazing I'm working on back at my camp. Better than anything you've seen in the wasteland." She was giddy with excitement as she spoke about it. It was something she loved doing when not on missions. What truly fulfilled her was not using her combat skills to earn caps. It was using her mind to create something.
"Spoken like a true merc." Vaana smirked. She actually preferred working with people like that. People who sought money could always be relied upon. They were loyal to only one thing and as long as you had that one thing, you could trust them. "Speaking of which, I think you don't have to call me 'Miss Merc' anymore." She gave him a casual smile. "It's Vaana." She revealed and quickly raised a finger. "If you laugh at my name, I'm gonna punch you." Vaana jokingly threatened. Her name was no secret. If she could be identified by her nickname then she could be identified by her name as well. "You can call me by almost any nickname you'd like, though. Except 'ugly'. People are so insensitive about appearances these days, it really hurts my feelings." She said sarcastically.

"Who am I fighting for, eh?" Vaana placed a finger on the chin, over one of her smaller scars. "I have a general distaste towards the Brotherhood but I don't intend to go charging at their base just because I disagree with them." She thought out loud. "There's the Minutemen who are actually doing some good for the Commonwealth - if they don't get crushed again - but they're bad for business. They're just moral mercenaries who don't take money for jobs." As much as she considered them almost naive in nature, Vaana respected their determination to make the world a better place. If they ever got large enough, she would even consider joining them.

"I actually almost joined the Railroad." Vaana began, looking at her feet. She never truly told anyone about it but there was simply no one to question her about her allegiances. "They asked me if I'd give my life for a synth and..." She swallowed heavily. "I wouldn't give my life for anyone... That was that." Vaana drank another shot of vodka and shook her head, a frown surfacing. "They're misguided anyway. There's enough people suffering in the Commonwealth and they just focus on one group. Ignoring families trying to survive raider attacks and helping slaves. Saving people from poor lives instead of saving people from death..." She closed her eyes. While Vaana might have claimed there were no hard feelings about being turned down, the whole thing just made her more bitter.

"There's the Institute as well." Vaana took a deep breath and shrugged. "I don't know enough about them to make any judgement. Yeah, I've heard a lot of bad things but I don't know. People sometimes have to do bad things for good reasons. I don't know what their reasons are yet." It was something Vaana thought about often. How would she reply if the Institute came knocking on her door. "They're powerful and technologically advanced... How do I know there's not some 'greater good' they're working towards." To avoid sounding like anything more than the legendary mercenary, Vaana smirked. "And they probably have plenty of caps." She laughed.

 

[AI10100]

"Very expensive." Jackson complained. Of course, Miss Merc was known for her Power Armor and her robots, so he wasn't surprised that she had one in her stocks. Though, the mention of a little pet project of hers did interest him. The excitement in her voice was probably contagious because he found himself grinning at the thought of whatever this project was. Does it freaking blow things up? Is it the ultimate fortress? Damn, he felt like it was something real good. "You gotta show me that eventually. Merc to merc." He then took another swig of the bottle. "You got me all excited thinking about it."

He tested the name. "Vaana." He then nodded. Yep, sounds good to him. If she preferred her real name, then who was he to judge right? "It's a good name." He said with a nod. He then scratched his cheek. Should he? No... no, not again. "Then you can call me Jack-Jack!" He then burst out in laughter. Long time since someone used that kind of nickname. "Jackson, but you probably already knew that." He repeated, this time his full name, but she already knew that. "Hey, they called me Scruffy before." He said with a smirk. It was obvious why because of his beard that he hasn't really gotten to shaving yet because he just found himself too lazy to do it.

He listened to her thoughts about each of the factions - Brotherhood, Minutement, Railroad, Institute. Jackson was honestly surprised when she told him that she was this close to joining the Railroad. Who knows what would have happened if she said yes, at that time. He certainly did. They might have worked together sooner. He looked down for a moment. He found himself foolish for the time when she joined the Railroad. He had just... changed since then. He looked back up with her after one more drink.

"The Minutement ain't too bad... most of the time." Jackson only passed them by usually. At least they didn't shoot on sight - a plus really. But she was right, after Quincy, it didn't seem like they would recover. Now that was a massacre. He's only heard about it, but the entire Minutemen group was killed off? Damn, that's just something. "Jobs do keep coming in after they were gone." He remembered. Without the people who kept others together, there was bound to be some people who wants to kill someone else but can't. Lack of capabilities or to not raise suspicion... it didn't matter. As long as they were paid right?

"You're right about the Railroad though." As much as he hated to admit that, his eyes really did open a few months before he left the organization. "There's a lot more problems than those synths. But I guess you could say that they thought the Minutemen got that area covered." He let out a sigh. Right. He hated that part of his job. He had to ignore such settlers in danger. But, he just can't hate them entirely. Desdemona was doing her best right now and he can't blame her for that. It was hard to follow up from the failures of her predecessors.

"But kidnapping people? Replacing them with synths? It's just... weird." If anything, he didn't like the Institute because of the feelings ingrained in him since his Railroad days. But he started to see reason now. "But I guess we shouldn't worry too much about them. It doesn't look like they hire mercs like us." Now kill mercs like them, that was another thing entirely. Jackson wasn't sure how they decide who they want to replace, so who knows if they were next right? He then smirked as well. "They must be swimming in riches." He agreed. "Mhm... wonder how much they offer."

He then took another drink, his bottle was nearly empty by now but he didn't really care. "Do you think The Benefactor works for any of them?"

 

[Mr_DC]

"If we survive long enough to be passing by my place, I'll show you. Or you can just cross me and you can see the business end of my gear." Vaana gave a predatory grin. It was definitely something she enjoyed. Being challenged by other mercs was something which got her blood pumping. She felt like she was going against an equal and not just an unsuspecting target. Two quick blinks scattered the cheerfulness from her face. It returned soon after but the thought remained. The paranoia.

Vaana laughed at his offered nicknames. "I'm not the one to laugh to nicknames - can you get more generic than 'Merc'? - but Scruffy is pretty hilarious." She drowned her laugh with another shot of vodka. It has been too long since she hung out with someone. Solitude was safe but lonesome. The last time she partnered up with another merc was when she was just starting in the business. "Guess we're on first name basis now, Jackson." She gave him a friendly smile. The weight on her chest turned heavier.

If there was one thing known about the Institute, it was that they kidnapped people. The bodies of those people were never found so, for all they knew, they were living a better life in the Institute with their synth versions maintaining their old lives. "Yeah, they could be dangerous but that doesn't mean there's not something good behind it. I mean, imagine if you had a synth doing all the hard work for you?" She then waved off her point. "I mean those robotic synths, not the human-like ones. Wouldn't that make life easier?"

"I... I don't think so." Vaana hesitated, eyeing Max at the bar. "I've made sure to listen for every whisper about the Benefactor, hoping to get some work from them eventually. That worked out great." She laughed. "But sifting through all those lies, a picture starts to come out. Everything that happens from the Benefactor's activities allows the right person in the right place to indirectly make a lot of caps. I just wonder how our job will end. The Benefactor usually hires a lot of intermediaries and didn't have anyone run around the Commonwealth for the entirety of one job. We might end up being loose ends." She finished quietly.

Getting back to the thoughts she had earlier, Vaana sighed. She decided to address what was bothering her. "You know... This could end in three ways." She began, intertwining her fingers. "We could get paid and go our separate ways. We could both end up betrayed and dead. Or things can get complicated." She closed her eyes as she began explaining her expectations. "I have a feeling that the Benefactor will rather pay one person out. There's a chance that one or both of us will get the order to kill the other one." Vaana let that statement hang in the air as she looked at Jackson, dead serious. "Could you do me a favor?" She asked. "If you have to kill me and get in the position where you have me in your sights... Don't shoot me. Just tell me and I'll walk away." An uncomfortable smile crept up onto her face. "I'm feeling too scared lately and that's a bad thing for a mercenary to admit. I guess I... I'd rather live than lose my life over caps." She finished, looking around to see if anyone heard her. The alcohol got her talking too much.

 

[AI10100]

"Let's go with the 'if we survive long enough'." Jackson said with a light chuckle. While he usually felt the same energy as Vaana did when it came to competing with others, he'd really not risk his head over something like an adrenaline rush. He isn't that stupid. Besides, if he was going to go against another mercenary, a lot of caps need to be given to him. Honor among thieves, they once said, and he'd rather not cross any of his competition. He likes to keep it on friendly terms with everyone, if not just a neutral stance.

He felt bad not giving her his real name, especially when she seems that she didn't even hesitate to finally let him call her by her name. But honestly, he didn't exactly 'deserve' that name anymore. Completely shed it from his own person, because that's just how it is when you try to leave your past back where it should be. Perhaps someday, he'll get over it and recirprocate the amount of kindness Vaana has shown him so far.

"Guess so." Jackson muttered. Vaana had a good point. Synths are immune to rads too, so it would be hell of a lot easier to get around to scavenging things in irradiated areas. "Those Gen 1 and Gen 2 might actually help a lot actually." Wasn't there a rumor that the Institute did try to help out the wastelanders a long time ago but was rejected due to reasons? He wondered what kind of life they would have led if they just accepted the Institute's offer.

Oh, so Vaana has been snooping around before about him huh? Reasonable. Most mercenaries wanted to know about the legendary client, but Jackson didn't dig in as intensively as her. The way she spoke made him squirm. He hated clients who were just using them and would dispose of them near immediately without giving them any rewards. If that happens, if they ended up as loose ends... well, he wouldn't know what he would do. Maybe he'd go to the Capital Wasteland, pull some favors from some friends to disappear. "By now, I'm just hoping they won't kill us right after the job."

When Vaana shared what was bothering her, Jackson once more squirmed in his seat. He hated thinking about it. He let out a sigh, looking over at Max with a worried expression. Who knows what he might say to their mutual boss. He looked back at Vaana and then nodded. "Yeah... yeah I promise." He'll get his caps either way, but he didn't want to kill someone just because. And she's looking like she's serious. He looked down. "Same goes for you yeah? We get out of this alive, one way or another."

 

[Mr_DC]

"Not that promises mean much in this world." Vaana smiled. A person's word didn't count for much and that went doubly so for a mercenary but it was definitely something. "And yeah, right back at you." Vaana had the reputation of holding to her word but it was simply long-term pragmatism. She might get extra caps from crossing her word but if it meant being branded a raider, it wasn't worth it.
She leaned in towards Jackson and looked into his eyes. "Let's get out of this alive." She nodded. After a second, she quickly looked away.

"Let's see how our robot is, shall we?" Vaana grabbed her bottle and leaned back. "I still have a quarter of a bottle left and some fresh air will do me nicely." She straightened her back, getting ready to stand up. "I have a cot above Kleo's store." She explained. "The girl-" Vaana decided to call the assaultron however she wanted to be called. Angry assaultrons were dangerous at best. "-allowed me to rest above her store when I need to after I ran some guns for her a while ago." Vaana didn't want to share her safe spot deeper in the Third Rail. It was one of the few places she could truly relax and the fewer people knew about it, the better. If Charlie didn't rent that back room out to more people than just her.

"You gonna be at Rexford or you have your own place here?" Vaana inquired. Jackson seemed to be familiar with Goodneighbor but she did not know if he owned a residence there. If so, he would probably be better established than Vaana herself. Then again, Vaana fortified herself in a marina. Anything else was just temporary. "Heard Rexford used to be pretty nice back in the day." Vaana's eyes unfocused as she looked ahead. She even saw it herself back when she arrived in Goodneighbor back before she had a name. Before she could defend herself. Before Goodneighbor was a safe place...

 

[AI10100]

Jackson nodded. "Yeah, let's." There wasn't much he could promise. He told her as much - caps typically got his mouth talking and his hands moving. But personal feelings does factor in into his many, many decisions. Jackson downed his entire bottle and then placed it on the table near them. Charlie will get to that later. He then stood up. "I don't think Sparky will leave him alone. But yeah, let's go." Morning isn't until much, much later.

"Huh, didn't know Kleo allowed people to rest in her shop." He muttered in surprise, but then he shrugged. Most of his interactions with the assaultron was buying some ammunition and maybe some extra mods, never really did jobs for her. Like Vaana, he knew better than to reject the idea of calling Kleo a female. Once upon a time, someone made that mistake. Jackson hasn't heard of what had happened after that but he was pretty sure it didn't end well for that poor wastelander.

"I have an apartment room close to the Memory Den. Just go down the real sketchy alley." Triggermen liked using alleys. Drug dealers too. In fact, if you didn't want to be seen, just go to an alley and you're all good. Thankfully, he's managed to drive them out so they don't do business in front of his apartment. But sometimes, when he's out of town, he's heard some people try to break into his home. There's a whole bunch of surprises waiting for them there. Ha. "Got it from a deal with Vic. Pretty beat up back then but it's liveable."

"Really now? I probably didn't get here in time to see that then." Jackson commented, not noticing that Vaana seemed to have been recollecting memories from before. That or he didn't particularly care too much about it. "Rexford isn't too bad now either though. It's one of the finer places to stay at." And it was true. Out of all the inns that he stayed at, Hotel Rexford was the best out of all of them. It was in quite a safe neighborhood too.

 

[Mr_DC]

"Where'd you get the dog?" Vaana smiled down at Sparky. Her hand tensed as she stopped herself from trying to pet him. The god seemed well-trained but she had no idea how well he reacted to strangers trying to touch it. "Seems like a pretty good pet." She looked back up at Jackson as the pair headed for the stairs. "I'm used to traveling with robots but having a robot would be cool." Shaking her head, Vaana continued. "Heard someone back at Mojave trained a deathclaw by taking care of it since it was a baby." She laughed. "That's definitely a scarier sight than a sentry bot."

"She doesn't." Vaana grinned. "She allows me, though." She added. The robot was pretty damn intimidating but after sleeping over a couple times, Vaana got over her anxiety at being so close to her. Regardless, interactions with the assaultron still put her on edge.

"Down the real sketchy alley?" Vaana laughed. "Yeah, that's definitely safe." She commented, sarcastically. "But I guess it's a good deterrent. I wouldn't go snooping around down any sketchy alley if I can help it. I usually get greeted by raiders or swarms of radroaches." Just thinking about the wasteland creatures got her skin crawling. Grimacing, Vaana shook her head. "Disgusting." The big ones were fine but what really makes her turn and run are the insects. The bloodbugs, the radroaches, the stingwings.

Vaana let out a humorless chuckle. "I guess it might have just looked nice at the time. Everything looks like the lap of luxury when you're looking at it from an alley." Catching how far she dragged her own mood down, Vaana motioned up the stairs where she could see Liam. "Here's our butler." She joked, changing the subject. "What's up, brains?"
Liam tapped his claws together anxiously. "Nothing..." He said, turning to look around. "Where are we going next?"
"What's the matter?" Vaana pressed herself against the robobrain, speaking with a mocking tone of voice. "What's the hurry to leave? We're going on a tour of the town and you're joining us." She pressured the robot.

 

[AI10100]

"Found him near Quincy when he was still a pup. There were two of them. Lily's being taken care of back in Diamond City." Jackson replied. "Thought they wouldn't survive alone so I took them with me. Been training them ever since." He proudly said as he puffed out his chest. It had been hard to train them like he did. Raiders can pull it off, yes, but not to the extent of Jackson's training where they can respond to mere taps against his thigh. "If you want to pet him, go ahead. He won't go ballistic." He reassured her. Under normal circumstances, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to get as close to Jackson as Vaana did when they were sitting down without Sparky growling. But they were safe. Well, relatively safe.

"Deathclaw huh? I need to try that sometime." Finding a Deathclaw egg would be stupidly hard though. He'd have to kill a Deatchlaw and get one of its eggs. Jackson wouldn't go out of his way for that. He'd rather have a dog with him if it meant that he didn't have to tangle with a Deathclaw Matriarch. Those beasts were horrible. "Hey a Sentry Bot has its own sets of problems. Like being able to shoot from mid-range." He pointed out, making a finger gun.

He snapped his fingers. "Exactly. I keep my sketchy alley clean though. No one's going to break in." If they even could get past his several locks, there's hell to pay for anyone who didn't know where his traps were. Just a safety precaution really. He then laughed. "Insects are pretty gross, aren't they?" He never really had any problems dealing with them, but he does feel grossed out whenever they appeared. And Sparky sometimes attempts to eat those Radroaches. And the fact that he sometimes... is forced to eat them as well. Eugh.

Liam was indeed acting strange. Was it because of the general populace of Goodneighbor? He was rather sure that there are some of them that might want to rip him to shreds for parts but they won't do that in here. "Yeah, what's the matter Liam? Got something on your mind?"

 

[Mr_DC]

"That's pretty noble of you." Vaana commended her sniper partner, patting the dog. "Unless you're doing it all for your own benefit." She smirked. It was just a tease. After all, if he just wanted something for his own protection and nothing else, he would have gotten a sentry bot. Even other robots had some sort of a personality but sentry bots were just killing machines. They were simpler to deal with than humans or anything else. They had no feelings to hurt, no moral code to follow, no needs to take care. A perfect partner for Vaana. "Guess we'll know if you're just using them when you have to risk your life for them." She gave Jackson a friendly smile. There was something about Jackson which made her believe he would do something like that without a second thought.

"Deathclaws are pretty cool." Vaana nodded, in thought. "Might sound weird but they're pretty... Beautiful, I guess." There was something aesthetically pleasing about the creature. The raw power, the adaptation to the new world. There were a few times where she managed to notice a group at a distance and just spent hours watching them from afar. "Too bad they're so aggressive. I'd love to walk among them. It would be something awe-inspiring. Something which makes you feel small and insignificant."

Liam was silent for a few moments and started only after the group got further away from the bouncer. "I..." Liam hesitated. "I don't think this is a good place to stay."
Vaana frowned. "What? It's awesome. What's your problem with it?" She asked, planting her hands on her hips. Once she saw that Liam was hesitant to speak again, her expression softened and she clasped her hands behind her back. "Seriously, what's up?" She asked in a softer tone. The robobrain still seemed to be frightened by her which wasn't an image she wanted to project to her allies.
Liam let out a sound which sounded a lot like a sigh. "I saw someone. A bad person." He paused for a while before continuing again. "Someone who killed my friend."
Vaana calmly nodded. It was nothing unusual. Murderers tended to hide in Goodneighbor. "I'm up for some wasteland justice, brain-box." Vaana shifted her coat to reveal her sidearm. "Wanna tell me more or is that all I'm going on?" She gave him a friendly smirk.
"No, no, please." Liam raised his hands. "There is no need for that. Forget I said anything..." He quickly mumbled.

 

[AI10100]

"Far from noble." Jackson muttered, but made sure that Vaana didn't hear that. He was far from a good person and the only thing he saw when he saw those dogs were just that. Dogs. He planned to have let them go before but failed to do so after some time, but he just became attached to them. "Well, I'm too attached to them now. But if there's no choice... well, you know how to paint the rest of the picture." He gave her a weak smile.

He shook his head. "Nah man, I get you. They're scary, sure, but if you watch them from a distance, they're pretty awesome." Jackson knew that those Deathclaws are enemies, but if they don't react aggressively in the first place, he won't shoot. He tended to avoid those overgrown lizards because they could tear him limb from limb in seconds. "Yeah..." He agreed.

Liam was really nervous - claiming that it isn't a good place to stay at. Well, yeah. Not for innocents at least. Triggermen extorted money out of people. Drug dealers everwyhere. This was a safe place for travelers, murderers, thieves and crimnials. Honestly, you would be a fool to not be wary when you enter. The almost always high ghoul mayor they had would already send alarm bells ringing loudly.

But it looks like this was personal. "I'm up for this." Jackson said as he readjusted his grip on the sling of his sniper rifle. He patted the robobrain's metal shoulder. "Don't worry pal. No one will know. Hancock won't care." After all, he and Vaana were mercenaries. But you could say they were assassins as well. And if they do get caught, just talking with Hancock as to why it was necessary would put them out of trouble. "So, who is it?"

 

[Mr_DC]

Liam still appeared to be on edge as he rolled slightly back and forward. "I don't know... Is that really justice?" He asked and Vaana finally understood what the robot was about. He cared about doing the right thing.
"Yeah." Vaana confirmed. "You kill someone, you should be killed." Vaana was not blind to the irony. She was someone who got paid to murder people, among other things, and here she was, advocating justice. It wasn't the same thing, though. She was no more guilty of murder than a gun. If anyone were to face justice for the things she has done, it would be whoever her employees were.

"Then..." He took a deep breath. "He is a ghoul. Wears a worn, brown suit. Has a hat with a playing card on it."
Vaana wanted more, though. She wanted to hear more about the robot's motivations. "Tell me about what happened, though. Just so we know if it's truly justice."
"I don't think I'm ready to talk about it." Liam quickly replied. "Just... Not yet."

Vaana shrugged but she understood how he felt. She might have avoided interactions with anything but robots but she was no stranger to loss. Who knows, a good deed might change her luck finally. "How you wanna do this, sniper?" Vaana smirked at Jackson. "I'm not exactly an accurate shot after drinking a bottle of vodka but I'm sure I can still hold my own." Vaana explained. She tolerated her drinks well. Drinking alone in the marina does that to a person. "First we'll have to find him, of course."

 

[AI10100]

"It is justice, yeah. Though we might not be the best ones to dish it out." After all, they, themselves, were cold blooded killers themselves. Well technically, they do just take caps or some form of reward for it just out of desperation - so they can use their skills to survive. But still, it feels a bit hypocritical for them to do it. In this case, Jackson just thinks of it as just killing someone who did someone wrong. It's a job and the reward is the happiness and safety of someone else. 'Cause it the end, you can just twist things to line up with your moral scale.

"I'd like to not kill him in Goodneighbor. That'll be too messy and honestly, even if I did say Hancock wil llet it slide, I'd rather not deal with him." He said with a light but nervous chuckle. He tapped his rifle. "I can snipe him from afar, just need to get him out. Even if it's just through the door, bang, he's gone." Jackson already knew the perfect place to snipe from. He's been around Goodneighbor for a long while and he's planned every secured place just in case he needed to do an assassination from inside.

"But if you wanna drop him here and now, I don't care. My real sketchy alley sometimes has dead bodies in it." He said nonchalantly with a shrug. "But yeah, let's find this dude first and hear the story. I kinda wanna know too."

 

[Mr_DC]

Liam made a circle to see who is nearby and, once satisfied no one was close enough to hear him, decided to explain the story. "I had this friend. Jay. Also a robobrain. We escaped our facility together after the war. He helped me get out of there. He was the brave one out of the two of us and the only reason I survived this long." Liam's tone was heavy as he explained. It wasn't something he wanted to look back at. Not after 200 years. "He was the one talking to people, getting us repaired, making sure people know we aren't dangerous. Jay was a hero." Liam said somewhat proudly. "He always wanted to help, no matter how dangerous things got. Ran head-first into danger if there was the slightest chance he could help someone." Liam sighed. "I was always dragging behind him, terrified of what was going to happen."

"Well, it finally happened. We weren't in the Commonwealth for long. Maybe a week. Jay heard shooting and had to go towards it. Someone might be in danger, he said." Liam paused. He avoided thinking about what exactly happened but it was time he faced facts. "When we got there, we saw two dead wastelanders and three triggermen. I hid, like usual..." He let out a suppressed whimper. "Jay saw that there was no one he could help so he started backing up, heading towards me... They noticed him." He looked at Vaana and then Jackson. "We're tough." He said, tapping his metal body. "We can take bullets pretty well but higher calibers are dangerous. One of the triggermen had a rifle."

"They opened fire right away." Liam rolled back a bit. "Jay managed to daze one and explode another one's head. He didn't like killing people but understood it was something that had to be done. I never hurt anyone. On purpose, at least."
Liam went quiet. He was silent long enough that Vaana was about to ask him what happened next but he continued then. "Jay managed to get right in front of the cover when he got hit. The gel sprayed out his casing and I could see how confused he was about what happened. I-I... I didn't do anything. I was frozen. Then the second shot hit him. Through the brain. He just powered off." Liam spoke in short sentences, preparing himself for each burst of words.

"I just turned and rode off as fast as I could." Liam raised his voice, sounding desperate. "I ran. Like a coward. I spent my whole life acting like a coward. Hiding. Staying out of danger... I didn't help the only person I cared about when he needed me. If I fired back at them or... Or anything..." Liam moaned. "I just abandoned him. Like a coward..." He turned away from the two mercenaries. "And now I'm begging someone else to get my revenge for me. Because I'm too afraid to do it myself. Because I'm incapable of anything other than just being around."

Vaana fought herself to suppress any emotion from showing on her face but her hands trembled. If it were another person dying, it wouldn't have hit her as hard as that story did. She truly had a soft spot for robots. People were common - sentient robots were not. "You're lucky you never killed anyone." She spoke dryly, staring at Liam. "You're lucky you don't spend your evenings, thinking about all the lives you took and losing count." She nodded, closing her eyes. "I truly hope you will never have to spill someone's blood." She opened her eyes and looked at Jackson.

"I'm not letting that bastard getting off with a quick shot in the head. I want to see the terror in his eyes." Vaana demanded. "I want to walk right up to him with Liam and get him to apologize before I kill him." She spoke through her teeth. "I want to set this right." She said and softened. It was the vodka fueling her rage. If she hadn't drunk that night, she might have thought more about it. Created some plan which wasn't simply walking up to the target. But it was what she wanted to do at that point and nothing would stop her.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson listened to Liam's story without interrupting but occasionally nodding. This Jay robobrain sounded like a cool guy - if not a tad bit too good. If his experience was nothing, it certainly wasn't going to end well with him going out because of that same goodwill. And as expected, that's what happened. People don't always appreciate good Samaritans. That's why there are so few of them in this world. He felt bad for the robobrain. He didn't know when this happened, but the wound still seemed fresh. Or it was a source of trauma. Either way, Liam was still hurting. The details were painful, but unsurprising. Jackson would have done the same if that meant he would eliminate witnesses when he's on an assassination job. But still...

The sniper took a deep breath and let out a sigh. Right. With that story, Jackson knew it was only right to dish out some justice. Not only did they kill Jay, but it seemed like they killed a lot more. Jackson patted Liam's glass-encased brain. "It's alright man." Jackson understood it. Very slightly, but, he knew what it felt like. He has seen it before. That's why he's still in business. It's not just that he has skill, but because other people just don't have the heart to kill. Vaana spoke of it - the terror of being a killer. It was obvious. For anyone who has even the slightest bit of feelings, it would hit hard. When you finally killed for caps and not just for survival, the guilt remains.

It never gets easier.

"Vaana's right. You'll be better off without dirtying your hands... er, claws?" Jackson's serious face gave way to confusion for a mere moment as he let out the statement. He shook his head and continued. "Just leave this to the professionals." Yes, they often think about those that they had killed. Yes, the nightmares don't exactly stop. But they couldn't quit now. It would be pointless. If he had to bear with the nightmares for his entire life, then why not just add up on it? He's bothered, yeah, but that doesn't mean he'll give up on his profession.

He looked back at Vaana who seemed more enraged than he expected. Was it because she drank? Was it fueling her emotions to the point where she wasn't as level-headed? Jackson wanted to argue. That wasn't a smart move. But... well, the look in her eyes told him that she wouldn't budge. He sighed. "Fine." He replied. He looked around. "Come on, once we find him, I can incapacitate him so he doesn't run away." Blowing off his kneecaps should do the trick. Maybe his hands too, just in case the ghoul had any ideas of taking out a weapon. It'll be a simple job. Vaana would be at the front anyway. "He won't bled to death. I assure you that much."

 

[Mr_DC]

Vaana nodded at Jackson's comments. The professionals. Looking back, Vaana couldn't put a finger on a point where she became a famous mercenary. Back when she was younger, she looked up at the armor-clad, well-armored soldiers of fortune who got rained upon with caps. There was something so alluring about that way of life. They were adventurers, facing danger and always coming out on top. She did not realize at that time that she never saw the same face twice. People became mercenaries out of desperation. It was the gray line, a step away from raiders.

"Sounds like a plan." Vaana went with Jackson's proposal. It was an idea, at least. More than she had. "You're no sentry bot but I'm assuming I can trust you to watch my bad." She smiled, tapping Jackson's arm and began walking around Goodneighbor, Liam following her closely. She truly missed her right hand. There were few things more terrifying than a sentry bot looking down upon you with two gatling lasers. Now she had a sniper. A smile appeared on her face, in spite of her anger. She liked having that sniper watching her back.

"Him." Liam whispered, rolling back behind Vaana.
"Don't worry." Vaana cracked her knuckles. It was definitely a triggerman. Was it so difficult to wash those damn suits? They might even look classy if they cared a bit more about the quality of their outfits. The ghoul also sported a sniper strapped to his back. From where Vaana was, she could see the sniper was heavily modified. Large caliber and an impressive scope. It was definitely looted off some poor wastelander. No wonder that shot through Jay's casing got busted with a single shot. It was her lucky day. While not exactly quick at the draw, she would definitely be faster than a sniper. Her mind wasn't hazy enough that she forgot to take in the surroundings. There was a handful of minutemen nearby but Vaana had a feeling they wouldn't get involved. The Merc, a robot, and a mercenary sniper. It wouldn't be a fight worth getting involved in.

Looking over her shoulder, Vaana pointed at the ghoul reading a flier on a wall. She never was a spotter for a sniper. Time to see how good he truly is.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson nodded and followed Vaana, his sniper now in his hands. It'll be loud since he was using his .50 cal right now and this gun packed a punch. He did put a silencer on so it wasn't that loud and it would still be able to break it off. If he doesn't blow off a knee, then he at least hoped it would hurt enough to disorient a guy. He checked the surroundings as they moved. It wasn't too crowded but he saw a bunch of Minutemen off to the side. Tch, that wasn't good. It'd be great if they didn't try to intervene. Hopefully their intimidating presence is enough to throw them off.

He then turned to Vaana when she stopped and Liam whispered that they found their target. Ghoul. Triggerman. He didn't want to get on the bad side of those guys, not when he had an apartment in Goodneighbor. But what needs to be done needs to be done, so he had no choice in the matter. Hopefully they won't raid his house. It'd be a shame to lose his collection of hats. He's worked so hard for those.

Jackson nodded before kneeling down to get a more stable footing and then put on his earplugs. The Triggerman would be a match with his sniper - but it was old. That would certainly blow off a head if it connected. He wasn't doubting the fact that that was the same gun used to blow Jay's casing off. His own rifle could match its power, but he had the upper hand. He had his gun out and his was still strapped to his back. He aimed through his scope and then aimed for his knees. He held his breath and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

The sound was disorienting but it didn't faze him. He waited for the reaction of the ghoul. If he toppled forward, he'd need to shoot a shoulder or a hand just in case but he would have to move closer. In any case, he looked over to Vaana for her instructions - but he couldn't hear much thanks to his earplugs and he wasn't going to take them off any time soon unless the crisis has been averted.

 

[Mr_DC]

Vaana involuntarily flinched at the loud shot behind her but a wicked grin surfaced on her face as the ghoul fell over on his back, his leg lying nearby. She knew Liam would get his revenge now. There was no doctor in Goodneighbor who could fix that wound. Maybe not even in the Commonwealth. The man would die shortly. Vaana just wanted to make sure he got a good look at Liam before he passed out from the shock. Pulling out her handgun, Vaana glanced at the minutemen as she approached the screaming ghoul. They didn't seem interested in getting involved. They didn't understand Goodneighbor. They wouldn't get involved.

"Look at him!" Vaana knelt by the ghoul and grabbed his collar. "Look! At! Him!" She shifted the ghoul so he had a clear view of Liam. Vaana frowned as she looked into the man's eyes. They were unfocused. The pain of dismemberment was too much. "If I could, I'd flay you." She hissed as the triggerman's body relaxed. Vaana felt a chill as she looked down at his missing leg. It was the stuff of nightmares for Vaana. Literally. She couldn't stand watching things like that. Not because she felt sympathy but because it was one of her greatest fears - to die by losing a body part.
Vaana threw a look back at the robot. Liam appeared to be mortified by the scene. His hands were half-raised and he was a small distance back than he was before. Perhaps... They took it too far.

"Good shot." Vaana stood up and headed over to Jackson. She didn't even look at Liam as she walked by him. "Good shot." She repeated when she got close. "I'm gonna go to Kleo. I'm done for tonight." She looked around. People were starting to gather. At least there were no triggermen nearby. Would have turned into a firefight. "Take Liam, will you? I'm sleeping up some stairs anyway." She added with a shrug as she headed to the store she would spend the night at. That death just wasn't sitting right with her. She needed to end it for the night.
Liam was standing by the dead body. Motionless. Watching.

 

[AI10100]

Jackson looked at the result of his shot with a blank expression. When Vaana charged forward, he kept his position but took off his earplugs and let them hang around his neck. No one crept forward - no one dared to stop them from doing what they wanted. He then stood up when it was obvious the ghoul was too distraught from his leg that had been blown off of his main body to even think about pulling out a handgun. Poor guy.

However, it had become increasingly obvious that this was not what Liam had wanted. Ha, that was funny. He slung his sniper to his back once more and then raised his hand at the Minutemen. They looked at him with squinted eyes, but their understanding of the situation was just too little for them to take any action. He looked back at the ghoul that now laid dead.

He wondered what excuse he could come up with when Triggermen started to show at his door. He could tell them that he was a synth and someone wanted him gone, or that he was employed by a Courser to take said synth out. Well, whatever, he could come up with something later once they actually come for him.

"Thanks." Jackson replied when Vaana came up to him. "Gotcha. See you in the morning." There was no need to tell her to have a 'good rest'. In their line of work, that isn't exactly something you had the luxury of.

He then tapped Liam on the back. "I can see you aren't happy with our work. This is why you shouldn't dream of getting revenge." He told the robot. Surprisingly, Liam actually was shocked with it. Was it because it was gruesome? The ghoul had it coming - that was exactly how Jay died right? A shot through his glass dome. There was that moment of shock and that moment of pain before he passed away. So did the ghoul.

Eye for an eye.

"Come on, before things start to get rough." Jackson said before moving towards his apartment, keeping his head straight as he walked. No one would stop him now. They're not afraid - they just know better.

 

[Mr_DC]

Vaana waved a goodbye without looking back at the pair. She just wanted to hit the mattress. Her mind was hazy and her head was full of garbage. Sleep shouldn't be a problem to grab and hold. Perhaps she might even avoid dreams.
There was Fahrenheit again, talking with Hancock. They didn't even look at the Merc walking by. Vaana was too tired to stare daggers at the minigun-wielding badass but she still thought about how nice it would feel to just stab her when she least expected.

"Just for one night, Kleo, please." Vaana raised a hand of greeting to the frightening assaultron as she walked towards the stars behind the counter. "Someone might want to visit me in the night... Lets avoid that." She let out a dry chuckle and headed up the stairs with her usual light step. There was someone in particular she didn't want visiting her. A group, to be in particular. At least they didn't start trouble in Goodneighbor.

Vaana fell to her knees in front of the mattress and then threw herself down onto it. Not soft, not clean, but what was in the Commonwealth? At least she wasn't sleeping on the ground like many did in Goodneighbor.
Closing her eyes, Vaana saw Goodneighbor from a different perspective. A shorter perspective. Before Hancock took power.


The streets were scarier then. Perhaps because she wasn't scary back then. She was just a wasteland rat. The world was dark, cruel, and cold. Still, even thought she was alone, Vaana wouldn't give up fighting. No matter how poor her chances of getting through every day were, Vaana pushed herself forward. No matter how many times she got beaten or pushed around.

"Give me your caps!" A man in ragged clothing, wielding a knife threatened her. There was no one in that little alley and even if there were, they wouldn't have helped. That was just how Goodneighbor was back then.
"Here, here." Vaana quickly turned out her pockets, holding out the dozen caps she had.
"Don't bullshit me!" The rough-looking man grabbed Vaana's arm and pulled her in. "I know you have more!" He shouted at her.

"No, I don't!" Vaana started panicking, trying to rip herself away from the man but his big hand quickly grasped her fragile throat. The murderous rage building up in his chem fogged eyes frightened Vaana enough that she knew she had to get away. Biting down on his forearm with enough force to get him to let go, Vaana shouted for help, tasting his blood in her mouth.
She was quickly silenced by a deafening pain in her stomach. She didn't get have enough time to look at the knife wound in her torso as it was followed by a punch to the face.

Her life was completely focused on the bleeding wound. Her heart thumped in her ears, her broken nose burning into her skull. Even though she somehow found enough strength to crawl to the end of the alley, people ignored her moans. It was as if she wasn't even there.
The last thing she remembered before blacking out was being picked up off the ground.


Vaana stared at the wall in front of her with her eyes wide open, drying as she unblinkingly stared into the oncoming gust of wind. She wouldn't be able to avoid dreams. Not that night. Vaana turned on her other side and closed her eyes again.

"I'm..." Liam still couldn't take his eyes off the body. "No, I... Of course I'm not happy. This is murder. It's murder and it's because of me." He said, turning to the mercenary. "I'm grateful. I think it's... Fair. He should have died but... What happened was because of me. How do I accept that a man is dead because I asked for it?" Liam sighed.
"But thank you. For Jay."

"And thank you for letting me travel with you." Liam added as he followed Jackson. "You don't know how much it means to be able to travel with someone who doesn't want to scrap me for parts." Not everyone wanted to harm him but it was nearly impossible to find someone he could trust. The pair of mercenaries not only let him travel with them even though he's useless but they also helped him set things straight.

It might not be as safe as finding a home in a settlement but it's immeasurably better than traveling all alone.

 

[AI10100]

"You learn to accept it. Would have been worse if you pulled the trigger." Jackson pointed out as he once more adjusted his grip on the sling of his rifle. "Yep, for Jay. It's just simple revenge. It's not like he was the most innocent person out there. Easier to think of it that way when you're killing someone." Ah yes, in such cases, it would be easier to think of you killing the scum of the earth. That way, it wouldn't be too hard to pull the trigger. It wouldn't be hard to sleep at night. It was one less life who would take another's. That's just how he usually views it. He'd like to say that it really did get easier... but, the effect wears off after trying to fool yourself for the fiftieth time.

"No problemo, robo." He said with a nod. "But you should be thanking Vaana. She was the one who decided to bring you along." Jackson didn't have any attachment to the robot. He would have left Liam there had he been alone. He wasn't sure if taking a robot around would be beneficial to him. So really, he didn't want to be the one getting thanked when he wasn't even thinking about Liam's wellbeing.

He entered the alley and looked around. As expected, no one was there. He continued to the only door at the farthest end of the alley and carefully opened it with his key. He then opened the door halfway and then knelt down. He took out his knife and then cut out a wire. "Should be safe now." He then opened the door fully and invited Liam in. "Careful. Try not to bump into anything 'cause I'm pretty sure something would explode."

The apartment ground floor had some furniture here and there. An old sofa pushed against the wall. An old lamp on a rickety lampdesk. There was even a magazine rack with some old issues of old comic books with some Publick Occurences issues in it too. "You can rest around here. I'm going up. I'll let Sparky stay here with you." The dog barked once at the mention of his name and then headed over to the couch. He hopped onto it and curled onto it.

"I'll be down in the morning. I guess you can just... a shut off or something. No one's gonna break in any time soon. G'night."

Without waiting for his reply, Jackson headed up. His room wasn't really all that decorated either. Aside from a radio beside his bed. He placed his weaponry on the table beside his bed and sat down. He let out a sigh as he buried his head in his hands.

"You're fine Jackson. You're okay." He let out shakily before lying down. Perhaps sleep wasn't something his body wanted right now. But he needed it. His eyes slowly closed and the word around him completely changed.

Tonight was not going to be a good night.

 

[Mr_DC]

Perhaps it was easier that way. Seeing it as justice. As something the man had coming. How many people had he killed already? How many people would he have killed if not for them? Still, it was murder. No one appointed them judges, jury, and executioners. Was it truly their place to decide who deserved to live and who had to die?

Liam was actually impressed by Jackson. Not only had he a place he could call home - something Liam couldn't say he had even after centuries of running around the wasteland - but he was also clever about protecting it. No wonder he was still alive. The same would probably go for the other mercenary. Maybe the problem was just in Liam. There were places he and Jay could have stopped their running but he never felt comfortable and Jay was always happy to please his friend.

"Good night." Liam replied as Jackson went out of sight. He would spend the night alone, it seemed.
Liam spent a part of the evening surveying his surroundings but avoiding touching anything for the fear of blowing anything up. The rest of the time, he either observed the dog or tried to arrange the pieces in his head. Accept everything that happened and everything that would happen.


Vaana opened her eyes. She felt as if she simply held her eyes closed throughout the night. She knew she caught some sleep because every night was like that but she never felt less tired. Nights were exhausting. Something unavoidable. A fight she couldn't sneak through or end before it even starts. It was the only battle she had to sit through and take every punch thrown at her.

Vaana looked up at the clear sky. Clouds were gathering in the distance but the sky above them was still clear. They were overdue for a radstorm. Those were as beautiful as they were deadly.
Deep down, Vaana appreciated every part of the wasteland, especially the deadly ones. A job had her going through the Glowing Sea once. Since she rented a hazmat suit, Vaana could take her time. She could sit on a rocky outcropping and stare into the irradiated distance. Watch the radscorpions sift through the ruins. She even saw something no one believed her. A creature who mesmerized Vaana. A chameleon Deathclaw. Just thinking about the privilege she had to see something so rare... It calmed Vaana.

Pushing herself up into a sitting position, Vaana slid a glove off her hand and rubbed her eyes. It was time to get on with the Benefactor job.
As she sat up, Vaana noticed something slide off her chest. A piece of paper. Small, with the thickness of a playing card. She thought it must have been some garbage the wind blew over until she read the writing on it.
We are waiting for you.
Vaana froze even though an expression of indifference dominated her face. The reward for her must be pretty massive for them to keep going even after she cost them that many soldiers. Crumpling up the note, Vaana threw it out the window.

She chose when when she spent the night in Goodneighbor. Even better she stayed at Kleo. They wouldn't kidnap her in the middle of this place.
"Thanks for the bed, Kleo." Vaana waved at the assaultron as she walked down the stairs. "I'll stop by for some 10mm rounds later on." She added, walking out. Residents were already walking around the streets. There was no one staring at her. No one suspicious. Whoever left the note was already long gone. Waiting for her somewhere, apparently.


"What can I get you?" Charlie asked as Vaana sat at the bar of the Third Rail. "Just water, Charlie... Do you have something else for me?" She inquired, lowering her tone.
"Told to give it to you and your friend." Charlie dismissed her and went to get a bottle of purified water.
"There's some money in it for you if you give it to me first." She smirked, tapping her pocket filled with caps. Should be around fifty caps in that pocket. Some more in her coat.
Information was valuable. If she knew what she was delivering, it might give her an edge over... Jackson? The Benefactor? An edge, in any case. Definitely would be safer.

 

[AI10100]

"Heya Jack." A melodious female voice called from behind him. His entire body froze and he closed his eyes. A hand gripped his shoulder and he felt her drape herself against his back. "How've you been?" Her voice was so close to his ear.

"I-I'm fine." He weakly replied and felt himself grow younger, shorter... more vulnerable. He opened his eyes once more and the Railroad Switchboard HQ. This was before the attack of the Institute. This was when he was still a teenager, the weight of the rifle unfamiliar in his hands.

"Are you really?" The woman went to his side, her hand curling around his. He was shaking and he dropped his rifle as she touched his hands. "You killed another one." The world began to change, showing the ghoul that he just murdered earlier. "He didn't do anything to you, you know?"

"It was a job." He reasoned, but it came out as a squeak.

"Just like her?" Faces began to pop up continuously. One by one, every single one he killed popping up again. All their eyes staring down at him and he felt himself short of breath. "Him? Them?"

There was a snap and everything was gone. There was only one face in front of him now, the owner of the voice. "Even me?"

"Bluebird, please." Jackson croaked out as the world around him turned into the Switchboard once more - but everything was overturned, destroyed and synths were coming. His hand was wrapped around a gun and it was pointed at her. "You can forgive me right?"

BANG!

Jackson woke up with a start as he sat up all too quickly. He placed a hand to the side of his head. Well, he knew that the night wasn't going to be good. He got off his bed and prepared for the day. He was pretty sure that Vaana was already at the Third Rail. He descended the stairs and put on a smile on his face.

"G'morning Liam! Let's go." Jackson then whistled and Sparky bounded down to the side of his master. Once Liam was outside the apartment, Jackson reapplied the trap on his house and then locked his door.

He went down the Third Rail and told Liam to stay around there with Sparky and to not worry about anyone attacking him. Jackson then continued to the counter and spotted Vaana there, already talking to Charlie.

"Oh come on, I thought we were together on this." Jackson joked as he leaned on the counter. Honestly, he couldn't care less if Vaana decided to peek into the package without him knowing what it was. As long as she didn't leave without him. "So Charlie, what do we got?"